Beyond the game

Certainly! To make the scene longer while keeping the tone light and maintaining the focus on Malik and Yuzarsif, I'll expand on the setting, add more details to the charact

It was a quiet afternoon when Rahma found herself sitting at their usual café. The warm glow of the setting sun streamed in through the windows, casting a soft light across the wooden tables and making the place feel even more cozy than usual. She was nursing her tea, waiting for Malik to arrive.

She had already told him that Azra knew about their relationship. That conversation had gone smoothly enough, and now, it was time for Malik to talk to Yuzarsif. Rahma wasn't sure why Malik was so worked up about it. He'd been acting nervous ever since their chat about Azra. It wasn't like Yuzarsif would mind—he was their friend, after all, and he wasn't the type to get upset over something like this. Still, Malik seemed to think it was a bigger deal than it was.

Rahma leaned back in her chair, feeling calm as she glanced at her phone for the time. Malik should have been here by now. Just as she thought this, the door opened, and Malik walked in.

His face lit up when he saw her, but there was a visible tenseness in his shoulders, and his hands fidgeted slightly as he made his way to the table.

"Hey," Malik greeted her with a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Sorry I'm late."

"No worries," Rahma said, her tone light and teasing. "I was starting to think you'd gotten cold feet and decided not to show up."

Malik chuckled nervously as he sat down. "No, I'm here. Just... been thinking about this conversation I need to have with Yuzarsif. You know how it is."

Rahma raised an eyebrow. "I know exactly how it is, but you're acting like it's the end of the world."

"I know," Malik sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's just... I don't want to make things awkward. I know Yuzarsif won't be upset, but it still feels like something I should tell him in person, you know?"

Rahma nodded, not entirely surprised by his hesitation. "You're right. It's just a conversation, Malik. It's not a big deal. Yuzarsif's your friend, and if anything, he'll probably just tease you for not telling him sooner."

Malik smiled faintly, clearly still uneasy. "I guess. But it feels like... I don't know. Like I've been keeping a secret from him. And that just doesn't sit well with me."

"I get that," Rahma said. "But this isn't a secret anymore. You've been with me for a while now, and Azra knows. Once Yuzarsif knows, it'll feel like everything's out in the open."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Malik agreed, his voice a little quieter now. "I just want to make sure I'm doing this the right way. You know how Yuzarsif is—he's protective of both of us, and I don't want to give him the wrong impression."

Rahma smiled. "He's protective, sure, but he's also understanding. He won't mind. And if he does, we'll deal with it. But I'm pretty sure it's not going to be a problem."

Malik nodded, though his brow was still furrowed. He glanced around the café as though making sure no one was listening in on their conversation, even though there was no one close enough to overhear.

"Is it weird that I'm so nervous?" Malik asked, looking at Rahma almost apologetically.

Rahma grinned. "It's not weird. You're just overthinking it. I'm sure it'll go fine, Malik. Yuzarsif's not going to freak out or anything. He's your friend. You're probably just more nervous than you need to be."

Malik chuckled at that, though there was still an underlying tension in his voice. "Yeah, maybe. I just... don't want him to think I've been hiding things from him for too long."

Rahma waved a hand dismissively. "It's not like you've been secretive for ages. You've only been keeping it under wraps for a few weeks. And it's not like it's a huge thing. You're just together now, and he'll be happy for you."

"I hope so," Malik murmured, taking a deep breath. "I think once I say it out loud, it'll feel like a weight's been lifted. I just need to do it. I'll talk to him tonight."

Rahma leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Good. It's better to just get it over with. Don't keep him in the dark. He'll respect you for being honest with him."

Malik nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yeah. You're right. It's just... with you and Azra knowing, it almost feels like it's already out in the open, but I still haven't told him. I guess I didn't want to make it awkward between the three of us."

Rahma's expression softened. "You're doing fine, Malik. Don't overthink it. Yuzarsif's a good guy. He's not going to freak out or be mad. He'll just want to know. Simple as that."

"I know," Malik said, taking another deep breath. "I just need to find the right moment. I'll talk to him tonight, maybe after dinner. Just a casual thing."

Rahma smiled at him reassuringly. "Exactly. Nothing big. Just, 'Hey, I'm with Rahma now, and everything's cool.' You'll be fine."

"I hope so," Malik repeated, now sounding a little more confident. "And thanks for being so understanding. I guess I've been stressing over something that isn't even that complicated."

Rahma winked at him. "What can I say? I'm a good listener."

"Definitely," Malik said, his voice warm with appreciation. "But seriously, thanks. I was about ready to avoid the conversation altogether."

Rahma laughed. "No way. You've got to talk to him, Malik. It's better that way. I promise you it'll be fine. And hey, maybe he'll even give you a high five for finally making it official."

Malik chuckled at the thought. "A high five, huh? Yeah, maybe. That'd be nice. But you know how he is—he'll probably just ask me a million questions."

"Exactly," Rahma agreed, her tone light. "And when he does, just tell him it was my idea. He'll believe you."

Malik grinned, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Sure, I'll blame it on you. That'll make him feel better, right?"

"Of course!" Rahma said with mock seriousness. "It's all part of the plan."

They both laughed together, the tension finally easing. Malik seemed to relax a bit more, though he still had a lingering sense of anticipation. Rahma was glad to see that his nerves were starting to dissipate, and she knew that once he talked to Yuzarsif, everything would fall into place. She wasn't worried about their friendship being strained. Yuzarsif was a good guy, and as long as Malik was honest, things would be just fine.

As the conversation shifted to other, lighter topics, Rahma's thoughts wandered for a moment. She couldn't help but think about how things had changed. Not long ago, she had been in a place where she felt unsure about relationships, about trust, about opening up. But now, everything seemed so much clearer. She had Malik, Azra had Yuzarsif, and they all had each other.

It was funny how life worked that way—how people could come into your life and change everything for the better without you even realizing it. She glanced at Malik, who was now idly stirring his drink, and smiled. Things were falling into place.

"So," she said, breaking the silence, "you're really going to go through with it tonight, huh?"

Malik looked up from his cup, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Yeah. I think I'll just... do it. No more holding back."

Rahma gave him an encouraging nod. "Good. I'm sure it'll be fine. Let me know how it goes."

"I will," Malik said, looking relieved now. "And hey, thanks again for making this so much easier."

Rahma shrugged nonchalantly. "It's what lovers do."

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