"Not Even Staying for Coffee"


I was enjoying my cappuccino at the Southbank riverside this afternoon.
A notification suddenly popped up for a guy out of nowhere asked whether I could meet up with him.
I texted back, now I'm living in London. But if he seriously wanted to use my interior design service, I could ask my team to meet him.
He said it was okay, thus I delivered this potential new client info to my team in Bandung.
He wanted a minimalist retro-style interior design for his new little house.


I've talked with your team, he texted me again one day.
That's good. I will sketch the design after I get the brief, I replied.
Is it still bright there? I read.
Nope, it's 9 pm here. It's 3 am in Bandung, why are you still awake anyway? I sent.
Right after it was sent, I was staring at my text in confusion.
Why did I even care whether he's still awake or not?
Yeah, I usually stay late when I'm writing songs, I read.

Then my fingers were spontaneously searching for his name on the Internet.
Yeah, he was indeed a musician, and a businessman.
He had some coffee shops in town, and I was wondering why I didn't know that he owned those coffee shops before now.
I had spent thousands of hours there for having my favourite cappuccino while working on my design projects.
The combination of his pictures online was interesting.
He had two kinds of performing stage; outdoor music stages for he was singing and playing guitar, and formal stages for he was giving insights as a keynote speaker at business talk-shows.

Well, he is attractive, and he seems knowing what he loves to do in life and pursues his dreams.
He is also into art and music. My type of guy.
He didn't seem holding himself back from this new acquaintanceship.
I could just keep in touch with him, for work or deeper relationship.


How is London today? I read his text today.
Hot. The summer is superhot. I don't like it, I replied.
Why? I read his reply.
If I wanted this kind of weather, I could just stay in Indonesia. Plus, you're there also, hahaha. I sent.
He replied, hahaha, too. So you don't get coffee in the summer?
I'd still get coffee every day. Usually iced cafe latte for the summer. I don't just like it, I NEED it, I sent.
Hahaha, I read. You should come to my coffee shop then. I'd like to make the best house-blend for you.
I'd rather to see your house after it's touched by my design.
Okay, then I'd make the best house-blend right in my house, if only you'd come.
I was smiling at my phone screen.


So this is how it feels to hang out in a forest, near a lake in London, he said.
I put my phone beside me and let him staring at the Hampstead Heath Swimming Lake.
Yeah, I was lying on a picnic blanket in my bikini and sipping my iced coffee.
It's really nice that I can finally see another part of London. Thank you, I heard his voice clearly.
I was staring at my phone screen. You're welcome, I smiled at the virtual version of this guy.

This guy who had sparked enthusiasm every time I thought about him.
This guy who had lit up the sense of comfort every time he appeard through my phone.
This guy who surprisingly made me want to go home to my country just to visit his house.
This guy who pushed my willingness to go far to my hometown just to have coffee with him.


Where did you get that coffee? He could see me sipping my iced coffee within this long distance conversation in a hot day at Hampstead Heath.
A coffee shop around here, I answered.
How is the concept of coffee shops here? He asked.
Just like regular coffee shops, I said.
Tell me about it. If you can explain to me, I can get a lot of new knowledge about coffee business.
I can take you to popular coffee shops here.
Yes, take me with you, please.


Are you going to Brick Lane often? I read.
Not often, but I've ever hung out there several times, why?
There are a lot of people selling old vinyl there, I read.
There are a lot of people selling old vinyl at Camden Town, Greenwich Market, Brixton, Waterloo. There are a lot of people selling old vinyl in London.
Hahaha, he texted again. When will you go there again?
I don't know, why?
I have a list of vinyl that I want to buy...
Give me the list.
You can just buy it later when you're planning to come back to...
No need to wait until later, I can do it anytime now. Give me the list.

Are you shopping often? I read, another day.
Yeah, I replied. Do you have something you want to buy?
Just in case you want to shop, I'd like to...
What do you want to buy?
It's not something that will trouble you when taking it on the plane.
Just tell me about it. I'll bring it for you.


Welcome to my home, he opened his arms wide open.
Wow, I was staring around in amazement, just like the way he stared at the shopping bags in my hands.
I'd always got detailed updates from my team about our project in his house.
But the execution was amazing, and it felt even more exciting for me to finally be able to check this project personally.

This is your vinyl, your T-shirts, your limited version sneakers. Green colour, your favourite.
Thank you so much! He grabbed all the bags and brought them into his bedroom.
Come in, he said, and blinking his eyes.
I was smiling and following him into this private chamber.
I didn't know why I was so excited.

This is your work result, and I'm very satisfied.
Congratulations for being so talented and thank you for applying your talents in my home! He was spreading his arms like proudly showing a masterpiece.
This home feels wonderful. I bet someone who lives with you will have a really nice life, I was teasing him.
People like denying more than answering. Thus, I would hear straight from his mouth that he hadn't had anyone to live with.
Yeah, I hope my wife will be happy living in this house, he said.

Wife? I was repeating his word. My voice was raising.
Later, if I've got married, he smiled.
I breathed easy and laughed. I thought that you've had a wife, I said. Fiuh.
Yeah, not so long again. She'll also be happy when I give these things for our wedding day.
He pointed the limited edition green sneakers and T-shirts on his bed.
Our best friends will be the DJs and we want them to play this set of vinyl. It's so hard to find them here, he added.

You're going to marry? I repeated, as if he didn't answered it clearly.
He nodded, kept smiling.
With a girl who will be happy for all these things I bought for you in London?
He nodded once again, and his smile went wider. Yeah, thank you so much. It'll be a really precious pack of wedding gift for her.

I was staring at him. He was unbelievable.
Then I was turning around and walking out of his bedroom.
Of his house.
He was chasing me and stopping at this front door for telling at me.
Hey, why are you leaving? Wouldn't you try my coffee?
I didn't shout back, even though I'd love to shout as harsh as I could.
But I just got into my car and slammed the door.
I was unwilling to stay any longer there, not even for a cup of coffee.