Risa walked along the long corridor of Terminal 3, her steps slowing when something caught her eye—something that made her world seem to stop in that very second. She finally came to a stop in front of one of the digital pillars displaying rotating advertisements. Behind her sunglasses, she waited for the ad to appear again. The LED screen had just switched images.
A man in a forest-green waterproof jacket stood there. His hair was slightly tousled by the wind, set against a backdrop of misty pine trees. A large, heavy-looking trekking pack sat firmly on his shoulders. He wasn't looking at the camera; his eyes were fixed on the mountain range before him. Risa remembered those broad shoulders she had once held so many times. She stood there for quite a while, frozen amidst the stream of passengers passing her by.
She observed the man’s beautiful, semi-wavy hair on the screen—as if the wind were inviting him to play. Then, the influencer turned his head and looked warmly into the camera without a word, giving a small nod as if inviting the audience to join him. It was a gaze Risa had once thought belonged only to her. In the bottom corner of the screen sat a circular orange and black logo with a mountain silhouette, followed by the bold words: EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN WITH ARDO.
Risa didn't move until the screen flickered and changed into a glaringly blue bank advertisement. “Just an ad.” She knew the influencer belonged to everyone.
Risa adjusted her sunglasses, which had slid down her nose. As she took them off, she suddenly smiled to herself, ignoring the fact that her eyes were turning red after seeing the ad. “Ugh, I grabbed Kala’s sunglasses again. No wonder they keep sliding down; his nose bridge is higher than mine.”
She put them back on, adjusted her backpack, and continued toward immigration without looking back at the pillar. She began checking her phone to see if Kala had replied to her last message. Risa grumbled playfully to Kala about their accidentally swapped sunglasses. She couldn't wait to get home and collapse onto a real bed.
“He must still be snoring in his hotel room,” Risa muttered while typing quickly to his number.
Since Kala had just returned from vacation, he would likely be on short-haul flights. In a few days, he would be back to traveling the world: Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, and Chicago. Seeing how busy the airport was at 8:15 AM, Risa quickened her pace to find a taxi. No one was picking her up, and she didn't want to ask anyone to, either.
Risa recorded a voice note. “Mas, I’ve got your sunglasses again. I'll return them next month, okay?”
She let out a long breath after hitting send. She tried to listen to the recording, though she felt a bit cringey at her own voice, which sounded childish—hoarse, the way it always did after waking up from over ten hours in a plane cabin. Honestly, she just needed a distraction. The image of Ardo on the digital pillar had left a tightness in her chest that was hard to explain.
“Indonesia is already starting to feel hot and stuffy,” she said, observing the crowded surroundings, then beamed as she looked at her phone. “Better call Mama. Her Royal Highness needs to be informed, so she doesn't throw a fit.”
***
Her home was in Central Jakarta, but Soekarno-Hatta Terminal 3 was in Tangerang. She decided to take a taxi to the airport train station, as she was too lazy to wait in the always-crowded skytrain line. Besides, Risa had a large, cumbersome suitcase; taking a taxi for the station transfer was the most sensible choice. She had already booked her ticket to BNI City Station while on the plane.
Everything felt like a blur after the 14-hour jetlag; she even felt as though her conversation with the taxi driver was a mere illusion. She didn't know what time the train finally arrived, but suddenly she was inside the carriage, dozing off near a young girl who was busy scrolling through social media—watching short videos with her head resting against the window.
Risa answered her mother’s call. “I’m already on my way to Sudirman.”
“How are you getting to Menteng? Taxi? Let Levin pick you up; your brother is in Jakarta.”
“Why is he back in Jakarta already?” Risa scratched the back of her neck.
Lingga was undergoing some kind of therapy—Risa wasn't entirely sure what it was because no one would answer her questions. Risa feared that asking the wrong thing would only end up hurting feelings, so she chose to stay silent for the sake of everyone's peace. Right now, she was struggling to stay awake so she wouldn't miss her stop. Being picked up by Levin meant she wouldn't have to engage in the small talk of a taxi driver trying to be friendly.
“Is Kala healthy? Is the family in the Netherlands doing well?” Mama asked.
For some reason, Risa felt her mother was avoiding any topic that could potentially become heavy. “Ouch! Mama, straight to asking about your future son-in-law. I was on a 14-hour flight, you know.”
Mama laughed. “Fourteen hours, but you flew Business Class,” she teased.
How did Mama know Risa flew Business? She had never told anyone, fearing she’d be seen as showing off. Did Kala secretly message her mom? Risa wanted to confront her, but she was too tired to argue. It was better for a future son-in-law and mother-in-law to get along well. Thankfully, Kala was treated with the same warmth she received in Amsterdam Zuid.
The train would arrive at her destination in 47 minutes, but for some reason, time felt like it was moving in slow motion. Risa repeatedly covered her mouth to yawn. The American Dream was over, Amsterdam was just a memory, and now she was returning to her routine. Her gut told her that Kala’s schedule would surely change next month, and her man would never make it to Jakarta.
“Risa,” Mama called out. “Are you listening to Mama?”
Risa immediately rubbed her eyes to snap out of her daydream. “I’m still jetlagged, Ma.”
“Alright, just wait. I’ve already told Levin to get on his way.”
The call ended abruptly. Risa stared at her phone with a frown. Because her eyes were heavy and nearly glued shut, she decided to nap for a bit. Not real sleep, just resting her eyes. She took out Kala’s sunglasses and put them on again, then crossed her arms to get comfortable.
Returning home to Indonesia, it felt as if her vacation had never happened. She knew this feeling often washed over her after trips with Kala, but for some reason, her chest felt suddenly heavy after seeing that influencer. Especially since the first thing she saw upon arriving at the airport was his ad. It was as if she were being reminded that no matter how far she went, nothing was ever truly over.
Deep down, she thought, “Influencer? A lie wrapped in honesty.”