"Raaaa. Abang dah balik hehehe"

"Agak dah"

"Biar la orang balik. Esok pergi lagi"

"Cakap tu acam berulang Selangor-KL"

_

"Abang nak makan?"

"Dapat pakej Ara sekali tak?"

_

"Kenapa minum teh kita?"

"Cawan Ara lagi sedap"

"Sama aje"

"Mana sama. Sini ada bibir Ara hmmm…"

_

"Lama tak dukung Ara"

"Abang okey tak ni? Takut kita"

"Jom mandi!"

"Kita dah"

"Teman la. Takut"

"Takut la sangat"

_

"Esok abang janji abang kerja. Hati dekat Ara… nak buat macam mana"

"Couldn’t stay away from me?"

"Hmm…mmm…"

_

"Come here. Dance with me"

"You forgot your shirt"

"I thought you liked me shirtless"

"Only if you’re comfortable"

"I am"

_

"I miss you, Nurhara sayang"

"Acércame a ti"

5/9

"Baru turun kapal terbang dah rindu bini"

"Rindu kita keee"

"Yeeeee"

_

"Ambil la tiket datang sini. Kita boleh pergi Da Nang"

"Bang, tengah kerja, kan? Fokus sana"

"Tapi hati fokus dekat bini"

"Bini setia di sini. Awak sana, kerja"

"Tak bagi muka"

_

"Kerja semua okey. Nak balik ah"

"Abanggg"

"Yela dah pergi tapak, dah tengok semua. Haa boleh la balik"

"Bakpo gini?"

"Rindu bini"

_

"Ara rasa abang boleh ke bina sky…"

"Boleh. Abang boleh"

"Belum habis cakap lagi"

"Kita dah jawabkan"

"Tak boleh balik aa ni?"

"Nope!"

"Okeylah. Abang fokus. Nak fokus apa nampak Ara je"

_

"Abang dekat kedai cari buku bunuh-bunuh"

"Tak kerja ke bang?"

"Kerja dah tadi"

"Bila?"

"Kerjakan Ara je belum hehehe"

_

"Ara, abang dah masuk office"

"Okey"

"Ra, abang sedap tak?"

"Abangggg, kerja"

"Ha, ha. Kerja, kerja"

Panggilan telefon

5/9

Last night, while I was mopping the dining area, a poem suddenly popped into my head — “And I will never forget / Like I was nothing.” It is such a sorrowful line that I was so sure it was written by Charles Bukowski, but it was actually written by Antonio M. Arce. Back in 2014, every poem I read seemed to be about lost love. I did not want to drown in the thought, so I quickly let it pass. I then finished mopping, took a bath, read two paragraphs of a conference paper about mitochondrial DNA, listened to a song by Mega — Pasti, swept my body with my homemade Ayurvedic massage oil, and got ready to sleep. Past love should stay in the past.

I took my pocket notebook from a drawer and read a few lines I had written in crosswriting. It was about Ara—more and more about her. We have been spending a few weeks sailing around Malaysia and beyond. I feel more connected to Ara. We cook, eat, read, and pray together. Sometimes we discuss various issues and have heated debates, watch series, and simply enjoy each other's presence. We have been intimate almost every night. It feels like a mini-honeymoon. The boat has become her best sanctuary. I have found the best way to explore the world with Ara. It is with the boat. She can cook, bathe, do laundry, read and play with the kids freely.

Our nearest plan is to sail back and forth to Indonesia. Indonesia has many small islands that I have never had the chance to explore. Between the beaches of Thailand and Indonesia, I still believe Indonesia has much more to offer. Furthermore, it is safer compared with Thailand. Travelling by road or airplane is not the same as sailing. Sailing is more peaceful and quiet, and challenging in some ways, but we can enjoy nature more. One thing I love about sailing is that we can anchor at uninhabited islands. It is truly a new experience for my wife and my four tiny humans, as some islands can only be reached by boat. New discoveries lead to new knowledge. 

Pulau Angsa

August 26, 2026

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Edited September 5, 2026

"Laa kenapa dia tak main kaki?"

"Acam kartun, kan?"

"Macam Popeye the Sailor Man"

"Cosplay asenya"

"Ni kalau bini degil kasi angkat je"