Ganin had never considered an engagement something you could approach halfway. And he had never regretted his decision to accept the arranged match with Tara. At least, that was what he always convinced himself of.
An arranged match with Tara wasn’t something he had wanted from the start. Ganin had never truly chased what he wanted in the first place. Accepting the match with Tara wouldn’t hurt him.
His unexpected meeting with Dinan had slowly made his confidence begin to evaporate. Ganin had even nearly backed out of the match—especially since Tara herself still knew nothing about it.
It was Dinan’s stubborn attitude that finally made Ganin realize he had always been destined to live out whatever life had prepared for him, without ever having the chance to choose.
So he handled everything well.
He drove Tara to campus, picked her up from the salon during his lunch break, accompanied her while she searched for the bag she’d been eyeing for ages, or simply sat with her while she worked on her thesis at her favorite café.
Ganin reminded her about her increasingly packed schedule and made sure Tara didn’t miss anything important. There was nothing to complain about. Tara seemed to enjoy all of it, too.
“Ganin, does this one look good?”
Ganin looked up from his phone. Two dresses hung in front of Tara.
“The one on the left.”
Tara smiled with satisfaction. “I like that one too.”
Ganin nodded.
Done.
That was how most of their time together went. Not bad. Not particularly special, either. Tara got a man who was attentive, patient, and dependable. Ganin got someone easy to work with, someone who didn’t make the decision he’d made feel any heavier.
Everyone seemed happy with the arrangement. Especially Arya.
“I’m finally not so worried about Tara anymore,” he said as they ate dinner together. “I made the right choice.”
Ganin merely smiled. “I’ll take care of Tara.” He said it without hesitation, because that was exactly what he intended to do.
Take care of her.
Be responsible.
Stand by his choice.
There was just one small difference Ganin had never told anyone. He could do everything a fiancé-to-be was supposed to do without actually having to feel like a fiancé-to-be. And maybe that was precisely why everything felt so easy.
“Ganin, you know, I was mad at Dad when he decided I had to quit my internship.”
Ganin listened attentively to everything Tara had to say. He had always been a good listener. He had to be a good listener.
“I liked interning there. Dinan was like an older sister to me. That’s why I ended up crying in her arms. That’s how much I loved and respected her.”
Tara took another sip of her cappuccino, which had begun to cool. “Another reason was that I was annoyed Dad made me quit my internship right when there was finally a handsome guy at the office. I would’ve been so motivated to work.”
Tara laughed softly, and Ganin answered with a faint smile.
“Who would’ve thought Dad would tell me last month that I was being matched with you? When did you agree to be matched with me?”
“The day before I officially joined Mr. Arya’s company.”
“That was three months ago,” Tara exclaimed. “Why didn’t you tell me right away?”
“Your father wanted to make sure he wasn’t handing his daughter over to the wrong person.”
Tara’s eyes widened at Ganin’s words. “So that means you’re not the wrong person?”
“I hope I won’t disappoint either of you.”
Dinan granted Aidan’s request, and here she was, at the international arrivals gate, waiting for the person she hadn’t seen in the past year.
The moment she spotted Aidan among the crowd of passengers walking through immigration, Dinan immediately recognized the gaze that had never changed.
Warm.
Filled with something that had remained unchanged for years. It was far too easy for Dinan to feel at peace around him.
“You’ve lost weight,” Aidan said as soon as they met.
Dinan snorted. “We just met, and you’re already criticizing me.”
“But you’re still beautiful. I missed you.” Aidan hugged Dinan briefly, but it was enough to wash away the longing he felt for the woman who had occupied the highest place in his heart for the past seven years.
Dinan smiled faintly.
There were no unsettling butterflies.
No confusion.
Only a sense of comfort she had known for so long.
Halfway there, Aidan asked Dinan to change their destination to her house. “I want to eat your mom’s cooking.”
“You came all the way back to Indonesia just to mooch a meal?”
“And to see you.”
That answer left Dinan silent for a moment.
Aidan had always been like that. He loved her without hiding it. And Dinan had always known how to return his feelings—with the same attentiveness. The same comfort. A love that was just as great.
It was just that, for Dinan, everything stopped there.
Nothing more.
When they arrived at the house, Halimah welcomed Aidan like a child returning home from a long journey.
“Aidan! Oh my goodness, sweetheart... Mom missed you.”
Aidan immediately hugged Halimah tightly and kissed the back of her hand respectfully.
“Sit down first. You must be hungry.”
Dinan stood in the dining room doorway, watching the two of them. Aidan was practically part of the household by now. He knew where the glasses were, knew which food Halimah usually saved for Dinan, and even knew when to help without being asked.
Dinan smiled faintly.
The sight should have felt ordinary.
Aidan was the person Dinan felt most comfortable around. The person who could show up anytime without making her feel like she needed to prepare herself. The person she loved in a quiet, effortless way.
That should have been enough.
Dinan was sure it was enough.