About the Book
LOGLINE:
A young Chinese hikikomori and a young Javanese housekeeper must deal with reality to reclaim their happiness before it's too late
TAGLINE:
- Nostalgia is angelic
- When you have lost everything, you have nothing to lose
- Losing once is unforgettable, losing twice is unforgivable
- There's no fear in love
SYNOPSIS:
Tomi was a charming and lively boy, until he was eight--when his dad left. Except for school and Saturday fellowship, Tomi rarely leaves his room. He lives at home with Bi Inah, a long time housekeeper, while his mom is mostly at her shop and in
her room.
Just weeks into Tomi's freshman year, Bi Inah decides to take an indefinite break. Her daughter Indah, a recent high school
graduate, fills in temporarily. Tomi tries to harass Indah in order to make her uncomfortable, but it results in her becoming possessed.
The incident inspires Indah to join Tomi for fellowship, where she discovers that he is popular amongst his peers. After sharing a quiet dinner at a street stall and catching a rat in the kitchen, the two begin to talk and share meals until she notices his strange behaviors.
When Tomi's mom goes on a weekend trip, the unlikely pair bonds. Tomi tells Indah that he grieves and thinks of death every day. He also asks her about her boyfriend and the signs of love, tells her about his school crush and his fondness for girls with short hair. Finally he asks her to dance with him.
Eventually, Tomi discovers that his crush has a new boyfriend and starts running away whenever they cross paths at school. When he comes home, he finds Indah's boyfriend visiting her and putting a necklace on her. Tomi begins leaving home early and returning late in order to avoid Indah, until she decides to cut her hair short.
After he finds her writing a letter late at night and she refuses to accompany him to the movies, Tomi becomes close to Yuna, a friend from fellowship. Yuna often calls and visits him, making Indah feel estranged from Tomi. Ultimately, he asks Indah to help him put on a necklace gifted to him from Yuna.
On their way home on Christmas Eve, Tomi and Indah are caught in a rainstorm. She hugs him, who is shivering, and holds her arm against his chest. On the porch, they help each other get dry, wiping one another's faces, until Tomi's mom appears.
The next morning, Tomi discovers that Indah's room is empty. His mom says that Indah is not coming back. Tomi confronts her, but she questions his judgement on race and class. This incident uncovers Tomi's past and its fallout.
Three years later, Tomi attends a university in Yogyakarta where he meets Restubumi, a classmate who looks like Indah, but wears glasses and a hijab. They both join a study group at her place, visit Prambanan Temple, go shopping, and have
dinner until Tomi runs into a familiar face at church--Indah.
