Tiupan semilir angin di True Blue Beach berjaya menitipkan sedikit ketenangan dalam hati Hayyani. Merenung dada langit berwarna jingga pada waktu matahari terbenam benar-benar mendamaikan perasaan. Sesekali terdengar dia melepas keluhan lega menikmati panorama indah yang terhidang depan mata. Landskap kota Istanbul cuba disematkan kukuh dalam ingatan dan nubari buat kali terakhir sebelum meninggalkan kota Istanbul pada waktu fajar nanti.

Sudah sebulan Hayyani berkelana di situ mencari kedamaian yang hilang. Dia mahu mencari ruang untuk berfikir tentang lamaran keluarga Elhan ke atas dirinya sejak bulan yang lalu.

" Blue tulip miss?" Tiba-tiba ada seorang lelaki berbangsa Turki menghulurkan setangkai tulip biru kepada Hayyani.

Terkebil-kebil matanya merenung mata coklat lelaki tinggi lampai itu. " Yes?"

" Well, I will take that as a yes." Tanpa menunggu jawapan, lelaki itu dengan selamba meletakkan tulip biru itu ke dalam beg tangan Hayyani yang mana zipnya dibiarkan sedikit terbuka.

" How many lira?" Hayyani mengeluarkan beberapa not kertas mata wang Turki walaupun dia masih terpempan. Lagipun tulip biru agak sukar untuk dicari.

Lelaki itu melabuhkan duduk di sebelahnya.

" It's free miss."

" Free? Why?" Soal Hayyani yang agak terkejut. Zaman sekarang ni masuk tandas pun kena bayar. Mustahil dapat percuma.

" Because your smile pays me more than 10 lira. It's precious enough."

Hayyani makin tak faham. Entah-entah mamat Turki ni nak mengurat aku tak? " Oh... thank you."

" Nice to meet you, I'm Malik Ghaozani. Just call me anything you'd like to call as long as it is my name. I'm from Istanbul, single and will turn to 30 years old next month, " lancar dan bersahaja lelaki itu memperkenalkan dirinya.

" You are quite spontaneous for the first encounter. Anyway, I'm Daneen Hayyani. Just call me Daneen. From Malaysia and already 27 a few months ago. " Hayyani turut memperkenalkan dirinya. Eh, takpe ke aku dedahkan identiti sendiri? Muka dia pun, macam tak boleh percaya aje.

" Can I call you Hayyani? " Permintaan lelaki itu buat Hayyani sedikit tersentak. Selama dia hidup, tak pernah lagi orang memanggilnya Hayyani.

" No one call me with that name before. But okay, call me that if you'd like to. "

Malik tersenyum senang. " Alright Hayyani. Do you know what is the meaning of blue tulip?"

" I don't know. I'm not familiar with any flowers before. But I kinda like this flower. " Hayyani mencium kelopak tulip biru yang diterima. Dia tidak pernah menerima bunga sebelum ini. Kalau ada pun daripada keluarganya semasa hari graduasinya.

" This flower represent peace. Giving you this flower means I want you to be happy, " bicara Malik memancing bebola mata Hayyani untuk memandangnya.

" Why?" Hayyani terpinga-pinga.

" Nothing. Just a simple wish from a human to another human."

" Well, are you saying that I'm not happy? "

Malik bersandar di kerusi sambil bersilang tangan. " Even when you say that you are happy but your heart says the opposite. You just don't have the courage to tell. You love it here. The air, the sunset and the landscape of Istanbul. That's why you always come here with a cup of coffee and kebab. I often see you smile to the sun but then frown a little bit too much after that. I can tell you are definitely not in the right condition of heart, " penjelasan lelaki itu buat Hayyani melongo. Serta merta dia terbangun dari duduk.

" Woah, woah, woah! Wait... how do you know so much things about me? Are you stalking me all this time? " Tuduh Hayyani tidak semena-mena namun lelaki itu masih tenang. Seram pula rasanya.

" Calm down Hayyani. I was there. 100 metres from your favourite position every day. " Malik menunjuk ke arah lokasi yang terletak tidak terlalu jauh dari mereka.

" So, are you a stalking me all this time?" Hayyani mengulangi soalannya.

" Eyes and facial expressions can tell me more about you, " ujar Malik bersahaja. Namun jawapan itu tidak berjaya menyimbah air kepada kesangsian Hayyani yang makin membara.

" Baik, kau duduk situ. Jangan main-main aku pernah belajar taekwondo tali pinggang kuning tau." Hayyani mengomel sendiri dalam bahasa melayu. Padan muka kau tak faham.

" So bad. I can't understand anything. Maybe I should start taking malay language class." Malik tertawa sendiri. Riak wajah itu buat jantung Hayyani rasa mahu tercabut. Ya Allah, psikonya mamat Istanbul ni!

" I'm gonna call policeman. You are creepy guy. " Hayyani mengagau beg tangannya untuk mencari telefon bimbit. Mana pulak handset ni?

" Are you looking for this?" Mata Hayyani terus membuntang apabila melihat telefon bimbitnya berlegar-legar di tangan Malik. Terus dia rampas.

" Hey! How did you get this? I know... you're a burglar right?" Hayyani melihat orang sekeliling. Kalau lelaki itu bertindak menyerangnya, dia nekad nak menjerit sekuat hati.

" It's in your trench coat. I just wanna took it for you, " beritahu Malik sambil tersenyum. Keletah gadis itu mencuit hatinya.

" Hayyani, relax... okay? I'm a florist who sells flowers here for at least 5 years. I've seen you coming here every day. You are a new face here. So I decided to say hello. Is that stalking miss? "

Selepas mendengar penjelasan Malik, Hayyani kembali melabuhkan punggung. Sekurang-kurangnya dia boleh menarik nafas lega kerana tuduhannya tadi tidak benar.

" Definitely not. Sorry for accusing you."

" No problem. I wanna ask you so long ago. Why do you always come here?"

" I don't know. Maybe seeking for peace. " Hayyani mula menyingkap alasan mengapa dia ke Istanbul. Alah, kalau aku cerita dekat dia pun bukannya dia tahu.

" Today is my last day to see this beautiful sunset before I go back to Malaysia tomorrow. I'm gonna miss this place soon. This place has so much chemistry with me, " sambung Hayyani sambil bebola matanya memerhatikan tindak tanduk manusia lain di pantai itu.

" Surely this beach is beautiful. But it's just temporary and it won't last long unless you solve all your problems in Malaysia, " tenang Malik mengatur kata buat Hayyani mengeluh lemah sekali lagi.

" I cannot decide Malik. When I come back tomorrow, I need to give the answer whether I want to marry with a guy who seek my hands or not, " luah Hayyani tanpa keinginan untuk berselindung lagi. Entah mengapa hatinya terbuka sendiri untuk bercerita dengan lelaki itu.

" Do you love him?"

" Of course not. Who in the world would be hesitated to marry the person he loves?"

" Then don't come back Hayyani, " ujar Malik sekadar menguji Hayyani.

" But..."

" But you can't do that because you think of both of your parents?" Tebak Malik. Lambat-lambat Hayyani mengangguk. Dia kelu kerana tekaan Malik tepat.

" You are a kind and pious daughter. You obey every instructions from them but this is the first time you want to break the rule. Your heart breaks a little more knowing that they aren't capable of understanding what your heart desires for. You want to marry a guy, who can simply love you more than you can do, " sambung Malik.

Hayyani terkesima. Hairan mengapa lelaki itu tahu begitu banyak soal hati dan perasaannya.

" Well, I cannot say wrong for that. "

" Marriage doesn't mean our life is over. It is just a process of making yourself a part of other people. With marriage, you can complete your religion. At that moment, you are going to learn what is the real meaning of responsibility. Surely, having 10 kids will make you feel unease to sleep at night, right? " Kata-kata berbaur lelucon itu mengundang tawa Hayyani. Lelaki di sebelahnya dipandang dengan senyuman yang masih mekar.

" What? 10 is too much. I think I'm gonna have a body like skeleton if I have 10 kids, " gurau Hayyani.

Tawa mereka sama-sama meletus. Sumpah dia sudah lama tidak ketawa. Betul ke aku yang ketawa ni?

" I'm just kidding. But having kids around you can make you feel distracted from problems. That is one of the benefits of being parents. "

" Indeed, I want to be a mom. But I wanna share the kids with a man whom I truly love. What do you think Malik? Should I really accept his proposal? " Soal Hayyani sambil memanah tepat anak mata coklat lelaki berkulit cerah itu.

" Take it with your heart Hayyani. Don't take it just because you want to be the best daughter living in this planet. Because it's you who is gonna share a lifetime with him, " jawab Malik tenang.

Hayyani menghamparkan semula pandangan pasrah pada lautan biru. Ada keluhan berat yang dilepaskan. " I don't know. I'm just so afraid to decide. "

" If your parents say he is the best man for you then he is undoubtedly the best for you. Tell me Hayyani, is there any parents who want their daughter to be ended up with random guy? No... they choose the best for their daughter. "

Ungkapan indah yang meluncur dari bibir lelaki itu membibitkan rasa yang halus dalam jiwanya. Lelaki yang menjadi pilihan ibu bapanya itu serba serbi sempurna untuk dijadikan suami namun adakah cukup sempurna untuk mengisi ruang hatinya?

" It's not that I don't want to get married but I haven't found someone who can love me more than I can do, " luah Hayyani tanpa berselindung lagi. Saat ini dia merasakan kelopak matanya kebasahan dikunjungi air mata.

" Well, you actually had found that one guy Hayyani. " Malik merenung dalam wajah gadis itu. Bagai benar-benar memaknakan kata-katanya.

" Sorry, what did you say just now? " Hayyani mengembalikan pertanyaan kerana suara lelaki itu tidak jelas kedengaran. Lekas Malik menggeleng seraya tersenyum nipis.

" Nothing. I just say maybe you are not gonna find that kind of man unless you give him chance. Spending years together will serve you guys enough time to fall in love with each other. Why not just give him a little space in your heart? " saran Malik buat Hayyani terdiam sekejap.

" Do you always give chance to other people? "

Kali ini soalan Hayyani buat wajah Malik berubah keruh. Namun lelaki tetap tampak ceria bagai tiada kerisauan.

" Sometimes. I know how it feels like when someone turns me off without giving me even a chance to give them the best of me. It's heartbreaking. When my mouth couldn't say what my heart feels, flowers can because every flower has different meaning and it conveys what your heart cannot. "

Hayyani terpegun. Tulip biru dalam tangan ditatap kejap. Jadi setiap bunga juga ada maksudnya sendiri. Dia tidak pernah tahu pun sebelum ini.

" That's why you be a florist? " Jarang sekali dia melihat lelaki yang tidak segan silu menjual bunga kerana takut menjatuhkan standard katanya. Namun Malik... berbeza.

Malik tertawa kecil. " Kinda. I feel like a little bit flower boy who brings flower every day. Hayyani, are you feeling a little bit better now? "

Hayyani mengangguk senang. " Surprisingly yes. Thank you for your two cents. "

" Above all, seek help from Allah. Do istikharah then you will find the right answer. Allah will never shows us the wrong way when we ask for his guidance. " Sekali lagi bicara Malik membuatnya terharu.

" You know what? It's a strange thing. My first impression on you has changed. Do you mind if I buy you dinner to? Maybe we can talk more. "

" Don't do that. I'm okay."

" Well I'm not okay. You are the first person who wanna talk to me like this. Let's be friend and help me celebrate my last night being here." Hayyani masih berkeras. Siapa sangka pemergiannya ke Istanbul kali ini boleh menambah senarai kenalan sahabat antarabangsa.

" Come on Malik, please..." Hayyani masih berusaha. Tanggapan pertamanya terhadap lelaki asing itu berubah sepenuhnya.

" Okay, I'm in. "

Siapa sangka, malam yang dijangkakan hanya malam biasa berubah menjadi malam yang luar biasa bagi Hayyani.