CHAPTER 7

"At least there, it's my own home."

"But aren't there any flights?"

"I know, there are no flights now. But in a few weeks, some airports will be operational again. The distance from Rome to London isn't too far, only 2 hours and 30 minutes by plane."

"When the airports open, we can move from here directly."

"Hmm."

"Come on, London is safer, at least in my own home."

"Okay. Just wait until the airport reopens. I'll join you in London."

Aslan smiled, "Thank you."

Rose took a deep breath; she didn't expect Aslan to invite her to London. She didn't refuse the man's invitation; she would wait until the airport reopened. She knew it was a bold move to follow a stranger to his country.

Rose and Aslan locked eyes with each other. Rose couldn't linger here, as it seemed their conversation had gone on for too long. She then rose from her seat, but Aslan's hand moved quickly, instinctively touching Rose's hand. Aslan didn't know why he did it. Automatically, Rose turned to look at Aslan. She felt the warmth of Aslan's hand beneath her skin.

"Where are you going?" Aslan asked.

Rose felt an electric surge through her body, and her heart raced instantly.

"I'm going to my room, to rest," Rose replied softly, looking at Aslan's hand still holding hers.

"Social distancing," Rose muttered again. Those words slipped out of her mouth, absurd as they were, as she was only desperately trying to control her racing heartbeat. She knew the government had implemented measures to maintain distance from others in order to reduce social interactions and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

She had already felt how soft Aslan's skin was, and with reluctance, he let go. "I'm sorry for touching you," he said, reluctantly releasing her hand.

"It's okay," Rose replied.

"I'll go inside," Rose excused herself, and the atmosphere instantly became awkward.

"Have a good rest," Aslan said.

"You too."

Aslan watched Rose move away, and then she entered her room, closing the door. He grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, getting up from his seat. In reality, he wanted to talk about many things with Rose because the more time he spent with her, the more curious he became about the woman.

***

Aslan and Rose had to adapt to this new routine. Being at home was a new habit, and it was becoming the new normal. People who were used to their daily activities outside, working without regard to time, were now confined to their homes. Everyone was urged to stay at home.

Rose made a list of activities to do at home, jotting them down on a piece of paper to prevent boredom from taking over in her apartment. First, she would wake up early and spend at least 20 minutes exercising in her room to maintain her physical fitness. Even though she didn't like exercising, she felt it was essential to get moving. She also tried to cook nutritious and healthy meals to boost her immune system and maintain overall health.

Lately, she had developed a liking for watching YouTube videos, and it seemed she would try her hand at baking, whether it turned out well or not, it was all about learning. She also seemed to be attending online medical seminars, included on her list was tidying up her room every morning and evening while listening to podcasts on YouTube. She had also picked up a new hobby of playing games and keeping a journal during the pandemic in Rome, knowing that it might come in handy someday.

Those were the productive things she could do in her apartment for her well-being, and afterward, she would spend her time lounging in her room, scrolling through her phone and sleeping throughout the day. She had created the list because she had to push herself to be productive. As for watching Netflix in the living room, it seemed like Aslan had that covered. She could always hear the TV playing in there.

Her phone buzzed, and she saw the name "Reni video calling" on her phone's screen. Reni was one of her friends who worked in the same field as her. Rose slid the green button on the screen.

"Hi Ren," Rose said from behind her phone's screen, looking at Reni on the other end with her room in the background. They both laughed, as if they knew they were stuck in their rooms with nowhere to go.

"Your mom said you're in Rome?" Reni asked, gazing at her friend on the screen.

"Yeah, I'm here. How did you manage to meet my mom?" Rose asked.

"Well, I accidentally bumped into her at the supermarket yesterday. So, what are you doing in Rome? Alone?" Reni looked at her friend.

"Yeah, alone. I got stuck here, couldn't go back to Jakarta," Rose replied.

"They say Italy is really bad, quite scary to hear about. Especially with you there, that's why I called," Reni said.

"Yeah, it's really bad. The restrictions are incredibly strict here," Rose replied.

"Can you show me what Rome looks like?" Reni was curious because she had heard that Italy was the second worst-hit country after China in the pandemic.

Rose walked over to the window and showed the current view of Rome. The area around her apartment looked very empty.

"It's deserted," Rose said.

"Yeah, very empty. Just like here," Reni replied, sitting on the sofa and resting her back.

"You're in an apartment?" Reni asked, noticing Rose.