That night, the sky above city X looked so dark, but the sparkling lights from the street lights and the stage made the atmosphere feel magnificent. The city's anniversary celebration that had been awaited all year had finally reached its peak. The main field was filled with thousands of enthusiastic eyes, while on the main stage, various performances began to roll with high spirits. 
Viona stood behind the stage with her team, wearing traditional costumes that sparkled under the spotlights. In her hands and head, small plates were carefully prepared, and small candles on them had begun to light. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, although behind it, her heart could not help but feel restless. There was a sense of hope that suddenly emerged, as if tonight was an opportunity for something unspoken—something that was never truly finished. 
When it was their turn, Viona stepped forward, with a plate on her head decorated with candles that flickered softly. Traditional music echoed along with their every step, and when the first step began, the plates seemed to dance following the movement of their bodies. Viona felt the rhythm, gliding so agilely and enthusiastically. Every movement performed was a work of art that radiated pride, but also a little nervousness in her heart. Along with the flow of the music, the plates spun perfectly above her head, adding to their beautiful appearance.
However, amidst the beauty, her heart could not be separated from one thing—Dewa. She hoped, somehow, that she could see that figure in the crowd tonight. Although she tried to focus on the movements and unite herself with the team, Dewa's shadow seemed to always be there, peeking in the corner of her mind. Was he coming? Did he see her?
Viona heard the thunderous applause as they completed the last movement, the plates spinning in the air blending with the music that ended perfectly. However, despite the thunderous cheers, Viona could not be completely satisfied. This boisterous atmosphere felt empty without the presence of someone who had long been a part of her days.
In the crowd, Dewa stood, slightly apart from the crowd, his eyes fixed on the stage. He had come without telling anyone, including Hilda. Her heart was pounding, thinking about the steps he had taken—the decision he had once taken to walk away. However, tonight, she felt as if she was being pulled back by a magnet of feelings she could not avoid. Seeing Viona dancing the plate dance with a plate on her head, with candles sparkling in the darkness of the night, brought back all the memories that he had buried deep inside.
Dewa couldn’t help but come. Even though he was with Hilda, the feeling was always there—locked inside him, never really going away. When Viona finished her last dance, Dewa felt something inside him that he couldn’t explain. He wanted to come closer, wanted to talk, but the words felt heavy to say. Amidst the cheers and applause, Dewa stood there, only able to stare at Viona from a distance, with a heart full of regret.
Viona, as if sensing something different that night, turned her gaze towards the crowd. And there, at the edge of her vision, she saw Dewa. In just the blink of an eye, the whole world seemed to stop. A look—unspoken, but full of meaning. Something too late, but still there.
Dewa knew that he could no longer ignore his feelings. But on the other hand, Viona also knew—even though she hoped Dewa would come, their situation was no longer the same. Dewa already had someone else.
Meanwhile, Dewa knew that Hilda must be waiting for news of him at home, but there was something he couldn't avoid—something that drew him to this place, to meet someone who had been disturbing his heart again for the past few days. And even though he had been with Hilda some time ago, tonight his heart couldn't turn away from the shadow of the past that was always on his mind.
That night, amidst the crowd and the glitter, there were two hearts that seemed to be searching for each other, but didn't know where to start. And in the meantime, the world kept turning.
*****
Hilda sat on a chair near the window, her eyes glued to the cellphone lying on the table beside her. Every second felt like hours, and with each passing second, Hilda felt increasingly suffocated by anxiety. 
"Where is Dewa tonight? Did he come to the event to meet Viona?" She thought to herself. 
It was not without reason that Hilda thought that, because in the last few days, Hilda had begun to feel a change in Dewa. He was more withdrawn, spending more time with himself. At first, Hilda thought maybe it was just a small problem—maybe Dewa was busy with his schoolwork. But tonight, the feeling was getting sharper. Why did Dewa disappear to coincide with the event? 
Hilda closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm her heartbeat that had been feeling chaotic since earlier. The cellphone on the table remained silent, no messages, no calls. Silence. And from that silence, various questions arose that she could not suppress. 
"Why do I feel like a stranger in my own heart?" she whispered softly. 
She had not only known Dewa recently. But lately, something was different. God was still by her side, but his presence felt empty, like a body without a soul. He spoke, but his words were flat. She listened, but she was not really there.
Hilda stood up, walking slowly to the mirror in the corner of the room. She stared at herself, trying to find the answer: Am I not enough anymore? Does he love me, or is he just holding on because he is used to it?
Her tears fell slowly, without a sound. She hated having to feel like this—feeling like she was competing with the shadow of someone from the past. Viona. That name had never been mentioned by Dewa lately, but that was precisely why Hilda was increasingly suspicious. Sometimes, silence is the most honest confession.
She returned to the chair, took a deep breath and tried to calm her mind. But the restlessness still clung tightly.
"If he still has feelings for Viona, why doesn't he just be honest? Why force himself to hold on if his heart still belongs to Viona?"
The thought was painful, but even more painful was the fact that she didn't know the answer—because Dewa had never really opened up. She loved Dewa, that was for sure. But tonight, for the first time, Hilda asked herself: Is love enough?
And as the night went on, Hilda remained sitting there—waiting, asking, and slowly beginning to doubt her own position in a story she had never really understood.
Hilda's thoughts continued to drift, not only to Dewa tonight, but also to someone whose name slowly reappeared in her mind—Rudi.
Hilda had been in a similar position before. Rudi was a loyal figure, who was always by her side when she was down, who never once made her doubt her place in Rudi's heart. But everything started to change when Dewa appeared—with his mysterious smile, with his calm yet touching way of speaking, and the way he treated Hilda like something special. 
She clearly remembered the day she chose to leave Rudi, leaving everything that was stable, for something that felt more thrilling. At that time, she didn't look back, even when Rudi begged her to stay. Hilda thought she deserved to pursue a love that was more 'alive'. But tonight, with Dewa not giving any news, with her heart full of question marks, Hilda began to ask: Am I being punished by the universe for that decision? 
Is this karma? 
She held her cellphone tightly. There were no notifications. Dewa didn't even send a single message to explain where he was going. And what was even more painful—Hilda knew exactly where Dewa was going tonight. She didn't need an explanation, because her heart already knew. 
"Am I just a substitute, Dewa? Am I just a place for you to anchor when you feel tired of the past?"
Hilda began to cry—not because Dewa disappeared tonight, but because she felt like she had lost herself. She never really realized that all this time, she had been trying to be enough for someone whose heart was still anchored in the past.
And somehow, the memory of Rudi that night felt so clear. How Rudi looked at her with hurt eyes, but still full of love. Hilda bit her own lip—she only truly understood Rudi's pain now, when she felt it herself.
That night, for the first time, Hilda felt small. Not because Dewa chose Viona, but because she realized, she too had been Dewa—someone who was chosen, but never truly able to love fully.