"Kalau Ara dah siapkan, tak payah abang kemas beg"

"Not sure you’ll actually wear those"

"Biasa abang pakai. Ada sekali dua je tak"

"Tak apa, abang. Ara tak kisah"

_

"Abang, Ara nak minta izin balik rumah Baba"

"Kenapa nak balik sana? Abang pergi sekejab je kerja"

"Kadang-kadang berpisah sementara itu lebih baik. Ara perlu masa untuk stabilkan emosi"

"Abang tak pergi kerja pun tak apa tapi abang ada kerja penting. Ara jangan macam ni. Abang tahu abang salah"

"Don’t overthink, Tiger"

"Hmm…"

"The real problem isn’t the answer. It’s facing it"

"Siapa yang bodoh buat cerita tu menyusahkan orang betul. Tak pasal-pasal jadi macam ni"

_

"Ara bagi abang keluarga, Ara bagi abang anak. Abang tak nak hilang Ara. Salah abang cuma abang minta Ara jangan buang abang. Abang tahu Ara penat dengan abang, masalah yang sama berulang-ulang. Abang tahu Ara banyak bersabar dengan abang. Abang tahu Ara banyak makan hati tapi…jangan buat keputusan tinggalkan abang"

"Suka fikir jauh sangat"

"Abang lahir sebatang kara, abang membesar tak ada keluarga. Ara sahabat karib abang, keluarga abang, kekasih abang, suri hati abang, kebahagiaan abang"

05042026

"Kartun pun seksi"

"Itu aje abang nampak?"

"Ha la. Dah mata lelaki nak tengok apa lagi benda depan mata"

"Kita suruh tengok laki"

"Ohhh hahaha ingat suruh tengok apa"

"Lambattt"

"Entah otak pergi ke mana"

"Emang time ni semua pasal abang naik"

"Apa yang naik?"

"Abanggggg. Eee dah la"

"Apa yang naik? Punai abang ke?"

"Merepek apa, bang? Acam hisap Dunlop aje"

"Yela apa yang naik?"

"Takde apalah"

"Pulak"

_

"Ooo haaa faham-faham hahahaha. Adui"

"Lepas 4 jam fahamnya"

"Lama tak urut kaki Ara"

"Urut ke apa ntah senanya"

"Hahahahahaha"

Panggilan telefon

07042026

"Yeah, things are rough here, but your voice makes it feel better"

"Abang okey? Kenapa nafas?"

"Okey"

"Are you okay?"

"Dada sakit. Berat"

"Work stuff?"

"Projek banyak sangat masalah. Kiri kanan depan belakang"

"Sebab minyak?"

"Dan beberapa pertikaian lain"

"Abang dah berbuka?"

"Dah. Teh halia"

"Sedapnya"

"Ceroi"

"Lah"

"Ra, kejab lagi abang call. Ada orang"

_

"Tadi ada orang cari gaduh tapi abang tak ada mood. Abang biar je"

"Good boy. Acam tu laki yang baik. No gaduh-gaduh"

"Tapi lepas tu dia ajak lawan tangan. Lepas tu dia kalah. Dia tak puas hati"

"Lepas tu?"

"Dia bukak buah nak serang. Seluar Ara beli selesa. Boot pun sedap pakai"

"Abangggggg"

"Lepas tu abang gerak balik. Mandi, solat, gerak pergi office. Ada meeting 11 malam - 3 pagi"

Panggilan telefon

08042026

Other than books, I enjoy watching films, especially those from the Middle East. I also love East Asian films, particularly because I appreciate their literature. I haven’t watched television for the past 12 years. I love films—the cinematography, the script, the locations, the actors, and the story. It all ended 12 years ago when a woman said to me, “Someone caught my attention…” Two strangers exchange a look. Their attraction turns into everlasting love. They get married, have children, and live the best life one could imagine. Perseverance and persistence make a great love story.

I miss watching films, enjoying my time on a lazy day, and experiencing stories from around the world. But in films, there is always a scene where two strangers look at each other with love. A look becomes a language. Two eyes meet, and something shifts. A pure opia moment. Eyes speak louder than anything in this world. Arthur Aron’s study found that eye contact can synchronize heart rhythms and brain activity. Four seconds of eye contact is enough to make someone fall in love. Pretty eyes can capture a man’s heart. In a heartbeat, the world can turn around. 

I stopped watching films. I stopped enjoying life. I stopped living. I was just breathing.

Just a random thought as I passed by a cinema today.

Wednesday,

April 8, 2026

Mumbai, India