20 July 2025

Short Story: What Am I To You?





If this ever across in your mind, 'What am I to you?'.... What would be your answer? I'm curious.

Have you ever take me as your special one, or.... are we just friend? Well, some people said that man and woman can never be a bestfriend, because one of them may grow their feelings towards the other one. And that's what I'm feeling now.

But is he.... have the same feeling as I am? Or am I the only one? I can't even dare to ask though we are closer.

Ilham. He is my bestie, I would said. Friends for years and even now. We understand each other well and sometimes, we keep telling each others our problems or concerns. We hang out together, eat together, and jokes together. Well, Hara is my bestfriend too. We three are bestfriend. We doing things together, mostly.

And... I'm not sure if Hara have the same feeling as me. I mean, she could, right? If I could, why wouldn't she? Plus, Ilham is a very good guy. Everyone would love him.

Bbaaamm!!

"Oh my god! Hara! You startled me! Jeez, you are lucky I don't have a heart attack okay." Yeah, that was Hara who slapped me from my back. Tch.

"Hello?? You were daydreaming and it was my fault? Hahahaha. What are you thinking about?"

I'm even contemplated whether to tell her or not. But then,

"Daydreaming, Sera?? You?? Hahahahaha why?" Ilham came and laughed. Dude, of course I'm not telling her now. That person is in front of my eyes.

"Don't laugh, Ilham. I'm gonna kill you." I almost threw my spoon to him. He can be mean, you know.

"What? It's not a sin to daydream. It can be a good thing. You can dream what you want, what you want to achieve, your dreams..."

"Okay okay, I get it. Let's eat, I'm hungry." There, he cut my words again. I threw my spoon for real.

He caught it well. Tch. "Oh, thank you Sera. You give me spoon to eat. You gonna with your hands? Okay, I got it." He teased me. As always, I'm the one who got teased lol.

"Ilham! Pity her!" Hara defended me. She always be my angel who protect me from Ilham. But of course, she laughed too while said that.

"Okay, cut the crap." I take his spoon instead.

"So, Ilham. When will you go? Two years isn't it?" Hara started the conversation while eating. Well, its kinda our last meal before Ilham go for training.

"Oh, yeah.. two years. It's okay, it will be in a blink of an eye and two years will pass faster. I will go the day after tomorrow. So this is kinda my last meal with you guys and I'll spend my time with my family tomorrow." Ilham replied.

Two years... he might forget about me tho. His feeling that I don't even know, might gone as well.

"I heard the training would be tough. You think you can handle it?" I smirked at him.

"Sera, who do you think I am? I am Ilham, the tough guy ever. I can handle everything they give to me. Don't you worry." He replied confidently.

"Okay then, I hope you won't bugging us telling such things. Even bugs." Hara teased him back.

"Ah.... Y-yeah, yeah. Of course, even the bugs. I would kill them if I ever see them." We all can see how hesitates he replied hahahaha. Yes, he's kinda scared of the bugs. Lol.

"Hahahahaha, you kill the bugs? Seriously? You even call me to kill them how can I expect for you to kill them by yourself? Don't kid yourself, bro." Yes, I kicked him back at the ass.

This time, he was the one who wants to throw things at me. We argued a lot.

"Okay guys, stop it. You guys are so childish, you know that? And I'm here like a mom who scold her child, when I'm even not have a child." Hara had to stop us. Again, she's like an angel.

"You can have after this, Hara." Ilham casually replied.

"You!"  Hara beat Ilham's shoulder. He just laughed.

"What?? I mean, you can just get married and have a child. I'm not kidding." He still laugh.

"Even if I want to get married, not now. I will just wait for you to finish first." Hara words make me uncomfortable. Is she likes Ilham too?

Ilham look at Hara and me. "Huh, me? Why? Oh, don't say you....." He looked at Hara.

"Hahahaha are you crazy? Why would you? Tch. Even if, why not? You don't like me?" She looked at Ilham with her sharp eyes.

"Yes, I don't." Ilham casually replied. Although I feel like he's just teasing Hara, but somehow I feel kinda relieved.

Hara kicked him at the leg. "Okay, fine. I don't like you also. Sigh, I thought I should wait so that you can attend my wedding but yeah its okay. I can even marry now. Hmmph!" She sounds sulky.

"You don't even have a boyfriend. Hahahaha married? In your dreams, Hara. Hahahahahaha!" This guys just can't stop teasing people.

"Ahh, how can we befriend with this kind of person Sera. We shouldn't have meal with him." Hara sounds give up lol. We all just ended up laughing together.

We finished our dinner and were about going home.

"Okay guys. Thank you for today. It's great to hang out with you guys. I promise to stay healthy and let's meet again when I'm free." Ilham said his greetings before we part our ways.

"Yeah, lets meet again someday." I replied with a smile.

"Ah, you guys can meet. I will not be there though hmm. I will be in Australia already maybe." Hara replied sadly. She will also not be here for two years since she will continue her Master study soon. "So this my farewell too I think."

"Okay so I'm the only one who stay? Fine. I will wait for you both." I hugged Hara, although I still can see her after this since she's not going in few days yet.

"Yeah, I hope you will not cheated behind us while waiting."

"Ilham!" Hara scold him again. But why I feel like, he's really meaning that to me? Hah, or I'm just overthinking.

"Okay then, see you guys again! Bye!" Ilham said his last goodbye and we part our ways.

I just see him walking away. Maybe I should tell him before he go? But, I love our friendship. While searching for my car keys in my handbag, I found a little present box that I supposedly to give to Ilham. When I was about to turn back to Ilham and went to him, I saw Hara was giving him a letter and a present. I don't know why, but I feel uneasy seeing that. Is Hara tried to confess her feelings or, it just a gift?

'Ah, I hate this feeling!'

I keep back the present in my handbag and went to my car. I drove back to my home without turning back.

As I am about to land on my bed, a message come in.

"Sera, are you free tomorrow? I forget about something, so can you come please?"

It was Ilham who send the message. Meet? Why? All kind of thoughts come to my mind.

"I thought you were going to spend you time with your family. But yeah, I'm free tomorrow lunch. Why?" I replied.

"Okay then, I'll see you at the cafe tomorrow. I'll tell you tomorrow! See ya!"

I don't know what is it, but still, I feel happy to see him again.

* * * * *

The next day, I wait for him at the cafe during lunch hour. I bring the present that I should give him yesterday. Well, this could be a good time to give him.

"Sorry, Sera. Have you been waiting for long?" Ilham's voice bringing me back to the present time. Wearing denim jacket with black jeans, he looks very nice in that.

"No, I just got here too. So what is it, Ilham?" I was curiously dying to know.

Ilham seems nervous and hesitate to say it.

"Well... I don't know how to say this but, I think I have too." He put his hand at the back of his neck. He indeed nervous.

"You make me nervous you know."

"Okay, let me ask you. Are you okay being friend with me? You don't feel uncomfortable with me, right?" Ilham asked me a weird question.

"Yeah, it's fine. Why do you ask that?"

"Do you mind if I'm doing crazy things here?" Okay, this is so weird??

"What do you mean? You always be like that so yeah. You scared me, you know if you ask like that suddenly."

He looks more calmer than when he first coming here.

"Okay then, you said it." When Ilham was about to say it, a call was coming from his phone.

"Oh mom. Yeah, I'm out right now. Ah, really? Okay, I'm coming back now." He looked at me guiltily.

"I'm sorry, my mom called. She needs me, Iman was having a fever. She couldn't get contact with others. So I have to go now. Uhm, sorry but I'll tell you later, okay?"

"Ah, okay okay. It's okay. You should go. We'll talk later." With that, he just walk away and soon, faded from my eyes.

So, I still haven't listen to what he wants to say.

Until the day he went to training, I still didn't know what he desperately wants to say to me. And I never mention it to Hara because I don't even know what he's going to say. I just keep it to myself then.

Within this two years, I don't get to meet Ilham often. When he was free, he would asked to meet but I'm not free. I was busy with my works, and sometimes even got outstation. So yeah, never see him face to face since that day, just normal text in our chat group.

Two years passed, and I'm still waiting for him.

Friends. Is that how you look at me, Ilham? I still don't know the answer. Everyday, I was hoping I would get the answer.

Today, the day Ilham was outfrom training, and I wasn't able to come to celebrate him since I was with my family for my Family Day. I send him a little text to congratulate him instead.

"Sera, come here! Help dad and Uncle Wan's here to set up the place, please."

"Yes mum! I'm coming!"

At night, we are having barbecue with my family. I was busy spending time with my family and didn't noticed that my phone was ringing.

While I was playing with the kids, Aunty Mai come to me with a big smile on her face and saying that dad was calling for me. Seriously, I don't know why she smile like that.

As I was coming towards dad, I almost screaming to see with who dad was chatting with.

"Ilham! What are you doing here?" OMG, seriously I don't expect for him to come here especially when I was with my family. How did he even know I was here?

"Sera, hi!" He happily saying hi and wave at me while standing beside my dad.

"Sorry, dad. I didn't know he was coming here. He didn't tell me." I looked at him sharply.

My dad just laughed and gave me a big smile instead. "It's okay. Its good seeing him coming here, right after he was out. Hahahaha." Dad's laugh seems weird. What did this guy say to my dad?? I know that dad already knew Ilham as my bestfriend as well as Hara too, but they seems more than comfortable? What is this feeling?

"Well, he got something to tell you. You guys can go ahead and chat, I'm going first okay?" Dad just walk away with a big smile still on his face.

"Okay, Ilham. You better tell me now what are you telling my dad, what you guys did talk. He seems weird, you know." I doubtfully his intention coming here. 

Ilham just laughed. "Relax sis. You won't die. I'm sure he's happy." He just shrugged his shoulder.

I smiled. "Tch. I totally can't understand you. So, tell me why are you here?"

"You remember the crazy thing I said I want to do? At the cafe last time?" He asked.

"Ah, the cafe. A day before you went training, right? Yes, I remembered that. Why?"

"You don't mind I'm doing it here, right?" Before I could cut his words, his voice is working much faster than me. "Hi, Sera's family! I'm Ilham. Some of you may know I was her bestfriend along with Hara. I just finished training today, and I here I am." He smiled.

"Ilham, what are you doing?" I whispered to him, seeing him make crazy greetings like this, I totally feel ashamed with my family. This is so sudden!

"I'm sorry for this sudden but its been long since I want to say this. So today, in front of Sera's family. I will say this. I will gladly accept whatever it is." I'm nervous with this guy. What's up with him today??

Ilham quickly take out a little box and bring it in front of me.

"Sera, I know we are bestfriend. So why not, we make it as a legal bestfriend? Would you accept me as your future husband, Sera?"

O.M.G. I closed my mouth, I was almost screaming out of my voice. Its quite embarrassing since he did it in front of my big family. I guessed I was totally blushing here.

"Are you kidding me? And why here though?" I whispered to him.

"I just accept an answer, no question please. I'll tell you later." He even winked at me. What??

"Hahahahaha Sera please, just accept his heart. Don't left him like that." Uncle Wan even supported him, I guess??

"I want to believe Hara when she said you would wait for me. So, I believe you are since I see that you don't have a boyfriend yet. So, why not we do it instead?" So Hara knew his feelings?

I looked at all my family and seems like all of them approved him? Well, I have no words.

"Are you sure?" I'm asking him again, just to make sure he really choose me.

"No, I'm not. Hahahahaha, of course I do." He teased me again.

"Okay, then. I am gladly accept your proposal." I gave him a big smile. My whole big family gave us a big applause. I can't believe this is just happening.

Two years of waiting, I think it's that worth.

"Thank you for waiting for me. And thank you for accepting me." He gave his sweet smile to me.

We smiled to each other happily. 

And that's it. A happy ending 💕


* * * * * *



(This was initially written with kpop fanfic inspire hence the 'training' haha. but changed the character's name :p it's been so long in draft and finally posted it! Enjoy! hehe)


*Disclaimer: All stories and writings on this blog are my own. Please don’t copy, repost, or use them without permission. Thank you!



13 July 2025

#ReviewBuku : Selamat Datang ke Kedai Buku Hyunam-Dong






Salam dan hai.

Untuk post kali ini, aku akan review sikit buku yang aku dah baca dan kenapa ini buku pertama aku review. (btw maaf gambar tak estetik hahaha)

Kalau korang ada baca post aku sebelum ni, korang akan tahu the reason aku nak cuba mula semula menulis (dan membaca jugak of course). Aku ada mention dalam post sebelum ni, yang aku ada baca sebuah buku yang membuatkan aku rasa nak menulis semula.

Jadi, inilah dia buku yang boleh dikatakan memberi sedikit motivasi kepada aku untuk mula semula.

Buku ini adalah asalnya daripada Korea Selatan yang diterjemahkan semula ke dalam Bahasa Melayu. Ada jugak versi Bahasa Inggeris tapi aku beli yang Melayu punya.

Sinopsis buku ni menceritakan tentang seorang wanita bernama Yeongju, yang membuka sebuah kedai buku selepas berhenti kerja. Di sampingnya yang sentiasa menemani di kedai buku itu pula ialah Minjun, seorang lelaki yang mencari pekerjaan part time yang akhirnya diterima bekerja di kedai buku itu sebagai barista. Di sekelilingnya pula ditemani rakan-rakan, pelanggan dan kenalan yang baik yang sentiasa menyokong Yeongju dan kedai bukunya. Kisah ini berkisarkan kisah kedai buku Hyunam-Dong yang bermula dari hanya sekadar kedai buku biasa yang akhirnya menjadi kedai buku yang luar biasa. Yang bukan sekadar menjual buku-buku, tetapi jugak menjadi tempat berkumpulnya para penggemar buku dan mengikuti aktiviti yang dianjurkan oleh kedai buku ini.

Pada awal aku mula baca Kedai Buku Hyunam-Dong ni, agak bosan. Biasa saja. Tak berapa menarik. No interesting plot, hanya sekadar penceritaan watak dan kisah mereka yang..... begitu saja. Hanya kisah watak dan kedai buku.

Awalnya aku ingat mungkin lebih kurang sama kisahnya seperti buku 'Hari-hariku di Kedai Buku Morisaki', tetapi tidak. Setidaknya, buku itu ada plot dan kisahnya.

Buku ni?

Buku ni lebih kepada penceritaan setiap watak yang ada, bagaimana Yeongju membangunkan kedai buku ini dari awal dan menjadi kedai buku yang bukan sekadar buku dan kopi.

Memang sejujurnya, masa baca tu rasa macam in slump mode. Sebabnya cerita ni begitu saja, takde turun naik. Takde kejutan, takde plot twist, takde suspens, memang sekadar penceritaan biasa. Pada aku la. Aku pulak biasanya suka cerita yang memang ada plot, ada kisah yang plot twist mungkin, yang memang orang kata menarik minat kau untuk teruskan membaca.

Tapi ni? Buku ni agak mengambil masa untuk aku habiskan. Tapi akhirnya aku berjaya habiskan membaca buku ni, dan sebenarnya.... Di saat hampir 3/4 buku ni aku dah baca, pada bahagian ke-4 itulah entah macam mana aku rasa ada menariknya buku ni untuk diteruskan. Tiba, aku rasa makin lama sebenarnya menarik kisah buku ni. Yang mana ia masih sekadar penceritaan biasa, tapi seperti ada sesuatu yang aku rasa..... Hm, not bad. Interesting.

Jujur aku tak ingat bahagian mana, tapi mungkin di bahagian di mana watak Seungwu muncul? (Not because of the end game hahaha iykyk)

Lagipun, watak Seungwu sebagai penulis yang menarik, itu yang membuatkan aku tertarik. Memang dalam buku ni ada jugak diceritakan watak lain yang juga penulis, seperti Yeongju sendiri, tetapi mungkin boleh dikatakan aura Seungwu di sini terasa lainnya.

Walaupun wataknya agak nampak seperti 'dingin', tapi aura penulis atau penulisannya itu yang membuatkan kita tertarik. Dan dalam cerita ni pun, sebenarnya buku yang dituliskan oleh Seungwu ni bukannya buku fiksyen atau buku motivasi atau apa, tetapi buku teknik bagaimana menulis penulisan yang bagus, tak silap aku la.

Walaupun aku bukannya baca in real life penulisan Seungwu tu, tapi dalam buku ni penceritaan tentang penulisan Seungwu ni pada aku sangat bagus. Mungkin sebenarnya kalau baca buku betul Seungwu (mestilah tak wujud kan haha) takkan senang nak faham tetapi dia ada aura dia sendiri yang membuatkan kau nak baca maybe.

Dan perwatakan dia pun menarik (and towards the end of course hehehe). Oh dan yang menariknya Seungwu ni, dia bukan sekadar penulis sambilan, tetapi sebenarnya seorang pekerja pejabat biasa yang bekerja 8 hingga 5.

Ada jugak part Seungwu yang aku rasa boleh dijadikan 'quote' la gitu sebab ada yang pada aku boleh relate. To be honest, banyak benda dalam buku ni sebenarnya yang aku boleh relate dengan kisah-kisah daripada watak buku ni. Seperti Minjun yang mencari pekerjaan, watak Mincheol yang tiada minat terhadap apa-apa, dan masih mencari-cari hobi atau apa yang disukai dalam kehidupannya. Apa impiannya. Terlalu sebenarnya yang boleh relate dengan kehidupan kita.

Salah satu apa yang Seungwu cakap;

"Tak semestinya semua orang boleh bahagia dengan melakukan perkara yang disukai."
"Lingkungan lebih penting. Kalau tak berada dalam lingkungan yang menyenangkan, apa saja yang kamu suka pun akan menjadi sesuatu yang kamu nak tinggalkan."

Well, isn't that true?

Mungkin aku rasa, dari penceritaan penulisan dan watak Seungwu inilah yang membuatkan aku rasa nak menulis semula. Dan juga sebenarnya mengingatkan aku, bagaimana sukanya aku menulis dulu. Bahkan mengingatkan aku juga, bagaimana aku sendiri pernah mengimpikan untuk menjadi seorang penulis.

Dan mungkin selepas habis baca buku inilah, aku faham kenapa orang suka buku ni atau boleh dikatakan buku ni agak direkomen oleh orang. Certain people yang hanya ikut hype semasa (seperti aku mungkin) dan beli buku ni kerana ramai yang recommend, mungkin akan rasa seperti yang aku rasa pada awalnya. Bosan sebab tiada plot yang menarik.

Tapi pada aku selepas habis baca buku ni, sememangnya menarik untuk dibaca. Walaupun mengambil masa tetapi tetap pada aku, it's worth to read.

So those yang dah habis baca, kudos to you 👍🏻😆

Kepada yang belum, it's okay. Boleh slow slow habiskan membaca. If you don't want to keep on going, up to you.

Anyway, would I recommend this book?

Yes, I would recommend to people who are book lover who are not reading just for the plot. Because there is not really a 'plot'. But still, you can try to read if you want, because who knows? You might like it ^^

(Tiber speaking hahaha)

Okay, itu sahaja untuk kali ni. Sampai berjumpa lagi di post seterusnya. Insyaallah :)


Thank you for reading~ 💖


*Disclaimer: Ini hanyalah sekadar review peribadi daripada saya, nothing more or less. I just hope you enjoy reading the review and the book! And my writing hehe.


13 June 2025

still nufaa: writing under hydrangea skies ☁️




Salam dan hai semua yang masih mengenali saya. ^^

Setelah sekian lama menyepi dari blog ni, walaupun pernah seketika dahulu katanya nak mula semula menulis (gelakkan diri sendiri jela hahahaha). Tapi insyaallah, kali ini saya akan cuba untuk menulis semula. For real (tolonglah doa untuk jiwa saya yang sesungguhnya lemah.)

Dan seperti yang kalian lihat, kalau perasan la kan... Blog ni saya dah kasi cantik sikit and more matured, I guess. Rather than previous yang saya rasa kind of budak-budak sikit. hahahaha. But I love the current. Not so aesthetic but lawa la kan.

still nufaa : writing under hydrangea skies

I wish to change all the things to be honest. From the domain, the blogger's name, the layout, almost everything. But at the end, I kept it to minimal since I don't even know to change them into what. So, I kept the domain, the blog's name, and my nickname on blog. As it says, still nufaa. And the hydrangea? It comes from my blog's name. 

Anyway, I know blogging now is not the famous thing thing right now. Back then, yes. Tapi zaman semakin berubah dan orang kebanyakan sekarang lebih banyak buat content video daripada penulisan. Membaca? Mungkin masih ada, untuk orang yang suka membaca. Dan kebanyakan juga blogger/penulis blog yang saya pernah kenal dulu sepertinya juga seperti saya. Lama dah tak update apa-apa. Blogging is outdated, for real.

Because people now don't use blogspot, sangat outdated hahaha fosil. There's other website/domain yang orang guna untuk writing. Tapi kalau kita be real, people now more on video like Tiktok or Instagram. The reason I'm back to this 'blogspot' sebab this blog has been so long with me and it holds so many things with me. So walaupun outdated dan maybe not many people come, but who knows right.

Tapi pedulikan tu semua, sebab the reason I'm trying to back on writing is because personally and initially I love writing. Since sekolah dulu memang suka menulis even ada impian kononnya nak jadi penulis (hahahaha acah sungguh tapi impian tetap impian). Everyone can have a dream, right?

My writing is not that good, and to be honest, actually I want to try to write in Malay. For real. Tapi tula, selalu end up the post gonna be miz malay and english hahahahaha.

By the way, post ni saya buat pendek saja sebagai salam kembali gitu. And, later on, maybe I will tell you a little story of how I'm back on this writing track. (hint: a book).

Sampai di sini saja. Insyaallah, kita bertemu di lain hari.

Terima kasih kepada yang sudi membaca! 💙