MasukIsabelle Dempsey, an up-and-coming chef, decides to leave Miami to spend a season with friends Zachary and Gwendolyn Monaghan in Alaska. What she didn't expect was to end up stranded at the North Pole in a race to prepare the perfect Christmas alongside Gustaf Bergqvist, the charming cook at her friends' inn. Follow this romantic story in a place where days last only four hours, the northern lights dance in the night sky, the Christmas spirit lives on all year round and broken hearts can be healed
Lihat lebih banyakSore itu sekolah sudah mulai sepi, menyisakan koridor panjang yang terasa sedikit angker.
Arjuna Dewangga alias Juna, menyeka keringat yang bercucuran deras di dahi menggunakan punggung tangannya yang kasar.
Dia memanggul keranjang plastik berisi sisa botol jamu dagangannya yang beratnya lumayan menguras tenaga.
Untungnya, sinom dan beras kencur buatan Ibu Lastri selalu ludes diborong teman-teman sekolah yang kehausan setelah jam pelajaran selesai.
“Alhamdulillah, kalau laris begini terus, uang obat Ibu buat bulan depan aman,” batin Juna sambil tersenyum kecut mengingat kondisi Ibunya di rumah.
Langkah kaki Juna menggema di koridor lantai dua, melewati deretan kelas yang sudah terkunci rapat.
Entah kenapa, perasaannya mendadak tidak enak saat mendekati lorong toilet guru wanita di ujung selasar.
Lorong itu terkenal sunyi, apalagi lampu neonnya sering berkedip-kedip seperti di film horor murahan..
Satu botol kaca jamu mendadak tergelincir dari tumpukan di keranjang plastik Juna karena pegangannya yang sudah agak longgar.
Duggg….Duggg..Duggg...Klontang…!
Benda itu menghantam lantai, namun tidak pecah, melainkan menggelinding dengan kecepatan penuh ke arah toilet wanita.
"Waduh, mampus! Botol modal ituh…!" umpat Juna dengan suara tertahan.
Dia segera berlari kecil mengejar botol itu yang seolah punya nyawa sendiri.
Celakanya, botol itu menggelinding masuk ke celah pintu bilik paling ujung yang sedikit terbuka.
Juna berhenti tepat di depan pintu toilet guru yang biasanya dilarang dimasuki siswa pria mana pun.
“Aduh, gimana inih? Kalau ketahuan Pak Broto, habis aku dikuliti hidup-hidup,” batin Juna sambil menoleh ke kanan dan kiri dengan waspada.
Rasa takut akan hukuman kalah telak oleh rasa sayang Juna pada barang dagangannya.
Juna menarik napas panjang, lalu menyelinap masuk ke dalam area toilet guru yang beraroma wangi mawar itu.
Dia membungkuk rendah, berusaha meraih botol jamu yang bersembunyi di balik bayangan pintu bilik.
Namun, tepat saat tangannya hampir menyentuh botol, Juna mendengar suara yang membuat jantungnya hampir melompat keluar dari tenggorokan.
"Ahhh... essshhh... sedikit lagihhh...!"
Suara desahan itu terdengar sangat berat, basah, dan penuh tekanan.
Juna membeku di posisi membungkuk, kepalanya tanpa sengaja melewati celah pintu yang terbuka sekitar sepuluh sentimeter.
Di dalam sana, di atas kloset duduk, Ibu Arini Kusuma sedang berada dalam kondisi yang menghancurkan seluruh logika Juna sebagai siswa teladan.
Guru Bahasa Indonesia yang terkenal anggun dan selalu rapi itu kini tampak berantakan.
Rok span hitam ketat miliknya sudah tersingkap sangat tinggi, bahkan melewati batas paha atasnya yang putih mulus.
“Be-Beneran mulusss... lebih mulus dari porselen di toko bangunan!” batin Juna dengan mata melotot liar.
Jari tangan kanan Ibu Arini bergerak ritmis di balik kain tipis yang menutupi area ‘apem tembem’ miliknya.
Wajah Ibu Arini memerah padam, keringat sebesar biji jagung membasahi leher jenjangnya.
Napasnya memburu, menciptakan uap hangat yang terasa memenuhi bilik sempit tersebut.
Juna merasakan suhu tubuhnya mendadak naik drastis seolah dia baru saja menenggak satu galon jamu penguat stamina.
“Gustiii... Ibu Arini lagi mainin anunya sendiri? Di toilet sekolah?” batin Juna sambil menelan ludah dengan susah payah.
Rasanya ada sesuatu yang mengeras di balik celana seragam Juna yang sudah mulai kerasa kekecilan itu.
‘Batangan nakal’ miliknya mendadak bereaksi, menegang kaku seolah mendapatkan sinyal magnetis dari pemandangan di depannya.
Juna yang panik mencoba menarik kembali kepalanya, namun sialnya, kakinya justru tersandung botol kaca tadi.
Takkk…!
Bunyi botol yang membentur keramik terdengar begitu nyaring di ruangan yang sunyi itu.
Ibu Arini tersentak, matanya yang tadi terpejam sayu langsung membelalak lebar.
Dia menunduk dan langsung beradu pandang dengan wajah Juna yang masih membeku di bawah sana.
"Ju-Juna?!" pekik Ibu Arini dengan suara yang pecah karena kaget sekaligus malu.
Juna refleks menutup kedua matanya rapat-rapat menggunakan kedua telapak tangannya.
"A-A-Anu, Bu! S-Sumpah, Juna cuma mau ambil botol yang gelinding!" seru Juna dengan suara bergetar sehebat gempa bumi.
Dia merasa wajahnya terbakar, apalagi dia tahu posisi Ibu Arini masih sangat terbuka di depannya.
“Mampus aku! Habis ini pasti dikeluarkan dari sekolah! Mana beasiswa lagih…!” batin Juna meratap histeris.
Keringat dingin mengalir deras dari pelipisnya, membasahi tangannya yang masih menutupi mata.
"Junaaa... kamuuu... kamu lihat apa saja tadi?" tanya Ibu Arini dengan nada yang aneh, antara marah dan memohon.
"E-Enggak lihat apa-apa, Bu! Gelap semua! Sumpah, mata Juna minusnya nambah mendadak!" bohong Juna sambil gemetaran.
Dia mencoba membalikkan badan, berniat lari sekencang mungkin tanpa mempedulikan botol jamunya lagi.
Namun, sebelum Juna sempat melangkah keluar dari bilik, sebuah tangan yang terasa sangat panas mencengkeram pergelangan tangannya.
Cengkeraman itu begitu kuat, seolah-olah ditarik oleh seorang atlet angkat besi, bukan seorang guru wanita.
Srettt…!
"Masuk ke sini!" perintah Ibu Arini dengan nada rendah namun penuh penekanan.
Juna terseret mundur masuk ke dalam bilik yang hanya berukuran satu kali satu meter itu.
Brakkkk!
Pintu bilik ditendang tutup oleh kaki Ibu Arini yang masih belum menurunkan rok spannya secara sempurna.
Klik!
Suara kunci pintu yang diputar terdengar seperti vonis hukuman mati bagi Juna.
Punggung Juna menghantam dinding keramik yang dingin, namun dadanya justru bersentuhan dengan bahu Ibu Arini yang panas.
Aroma parfum mawar bercampur dengan bau keringat yang sangat tajam dan menggairahkan langsung menyerang hidung Juna.
Ibu Arini menyandarkan kepalanya di dada Juna, bahunya naik turun seiring dengan napasnya yang belum teratur.
"B-Bu... i-iniii… salah paham, Bu. Juna janji nggak akan bilang siapa-siapa kalau Ibu lagiii... anu..." ucap Juna dengan suara mencicit.
Ibu Arini mendongak, menatap Juna dengan mata yang tampak sangat sayu dan dipenuhi gairah yang belum tuntas.
"Saya menderita penyakit langka, Juna. Sesuatu yang hanya muncul jika saya terlalu lama menahannya," gumam Ibu Arini lirih.
Juna semakin bingung, otaknya yang sudah mesum makin sulit diajak bekerja sama.
"Pee…Penyakit apa, Bu? Butuh jamu kunyit asam saya?" tanya Juna dengan polosnya.
Ibu Arini menggeleng, lalu menarik tangan Juna menuju ke arah pinggangnya yang ramping.
"Ini bukan penyakit yang bisa sembuh dengan jamu murahmu itu, Juna."
Wajah Ibu Arini mendekat ke arah telinga Juna, membisikkan sesuatu yang membuat seluruh saraf Juna menegang.
"Tubuh saya mendadak terasa dingin seperti es jika tidak ada yang menyentuhnya... dan kamu, Juna, tubuhmu terasa sangat panas."
Tangan Ibu Arini kini mulai meraba dada bidang Juna, mencari detak jantung pemuda itu yang berpacu gila.
"A-A-Anu... Bu... J-Juna harus pulang," ucap Juna terbata-bata sambil mencoba melepaskan diri.
Namun, Ibu Arini justru semakin merapatkan tubuhnya, membuat Juna bisa merasakan kenyalnya "melon" besar milik gurunya itu menekan dadanya.
Deggg...
Juna merasa dunianya seolah berhenti berputar detik itu juga.
Ibu Arini menatap lurus ke mata Juna, lalu berkata dengan suara yang sangat serius.
"Saya ingin kamu menjadi 'obat' pribadi saya mulai sore ini, Juna."
"Aa... apanya yang diobati, Bu?" tanya Juna dengan keringat dingin yang semakin deras.
Ibu Arini menarik tangan Juna lebih rendah lagi, menuju ke arah kakinya yang masih terbuka lebar.
"Semuanya. Dan jika kamu menolak, saya pastikan beasiswamu dicabut besok pagi."
Juna tertegun, ancaman itu menghantamnya tepat di ulu hati.
Di satu sisi dia ketakutan, tapi di sisi lain, batin mesumnya justru mulai menikmati aroma dan kehangatan tubuh Ibu Arini.
“Sialan... kenapa ini malah jadi kontrak ranjang?!” batin Juna menjerit dalam dilema.
Pintu toilet mendadak terdengar diketuk dari luar dengan keras.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
"Arini? Kamu di dalam?" suara berat Pak Broto terdengar di balik pintu toilet luar.
Juna dan Ibu Arini seketika membeku, saling menatap dengan napas tertahan.
"Mampus... Pak Broto!" bisik Juna dengan wajah yang mendadak pucat pasi.
Ibu Arini segera membungkam mulut Juna dengan telapak tangannya yang harum.
Dia memberi isyarat agar Juna tidak mengeluarkan suara sedikit pun.
Masalahnya, wajah mereka kini hanya berjarak beberapa sentimeter saja, dan tangan Juna masih tertahan di atas paha mulus gurunya itu.
Ibu Arini menatap pintu bilik dengan tajam, sementara tangan lainnya mulai meraih kunci pintu seolah siap melakukan sesuatu yang nekat.
IsabelleThe ringing of the doorbell caught my attention, I rushed over, reading the order before putting it in the queue, and unlike any other time in my life, I didn't mark the order. "Anything for me, Zazie? "Gustaf asked from the other side of the kitchen we'd set up together a few months ago."No, it seems that everyone has opted for quail today "I replied, returning to the edge of the stove, concentrating on finishing the dishes I was preparing.We were in the middle of August, it had been a little over two months since Gustaf and I had managed to open our bistro together and we hadn't imagined such a movement in such a short space of time."I'm finishing my orders and I'll help you," he said, finishing a plate of salmon.Putting our financial resources together, it wasn't difficult to set up the restaurant, the physical part at least. Because when it came to the menu, we argued a lot until we managed to perfectly blend all my love of classic cuisine with the local cuisine and
IsabelleI leaned my head against the seat of the cab, breathing a sigh of relief that I was finally in Fairbanks. I couldn't believe the mess that had taken over my life in the last few days, as soon as I left the restaurant I felt lost, I didn't know what to do or what to do next, the only person I could count on in that city was my sous chef, and in a way he was involved in everything. I was alone.That's when I saw the ticket Gustaf had given me, and it wasn't hard to make that decision, especially when I started receiving countless messages telling me that someone had filmed the whole mess and the video had gone viral. I needed my family, it was the only place I knew I'd find support and I also wanted to keep a close eye on Gwen's new pregnancy.At least that was the lie I told myself when I convinced myself that this was the best way to go, but it was still Gustaf's address that I gave to the taxi driver. I loved my friends, and I would certainly talk to them next, but at tha
Gustaf"Speaking of her, have you seen the video? "I recovered quickly, ignoring my mother's questioning look at me."I think everyone saw the video," Gwen sighed.My family exchanged confused glances until my uncle decided to speak up."What are you talking about?"You remember Izzy, right, Dad? "Stefan turned to his father."Ahh the girl who stole your cousin's heart? "Brianna said in a suggestive tone, making me a little uncomfortable in front of my family's gaze.Not that I wanted to hide Izzy from them or anything, I just preferred to say that I was with someone when I had our relationship sorted out, and I hadn't heard from her for days."Do you have a girlfriend? "Greta looked at me."Not exactly," I forced a smile."Anyway, she went viral in a video yesterday "Gwen tried to change the subject."What kind of video? "Blenda wanted to know.But before I could answer, Danny, who was joking with Declan, spoke up."Aunt Izzy set the woman on fire. "He said good-naturedly."What? N
GustafGwen got a parking space and then parked, turning to me and looking into my eyes."Izzy knows you're a wonderful guy, Gustaf. And she appreciates that. But there's a lot going on inside her. And you may hate me for stopping you today, but I can't let her feel the blame for your relapse.I felt like the worst person in the universe at that moment for even considering drinking. I had promised her that I would wait for her and accept her as she was. How could I be so weak?I looked away, feeling like a failure. If it hadn't been for my friend's intervention, my regret would have been far greater. A notification arrived on her cell phone, making her frown as she stared at the screen."Everything okay?"Yes, the flight went ahead, the group we came to pick up has already landed "she stammered "Gustaf, I have something urgent to sort out and I thought there would be time, would you mind meeting them?Group? I thought it was just one man. But I soon realized that she had only used t
Gustaf"Unfortunately I couldn't get dessert "Izzy watched me with a smile on her face. I leaned in, kissing her mouth, pulling away when she started to increase the intensity."I can take care of this part "I stood up, picking up the plates from the floor and taking them to the counter. Izzy lay on t
Isabelle "It's my father!"I thought you didn't have contact "I felt Gustaf's gaze on me."We don't!In my mind, several thoughts danced in disarray. What could he want? Why are you calling me? "Aren't you going to answer it? It could be important "Gustaf snapped me out of my reverie. ""Yes, it'll be q
IsabellaWhen Gustaf and I finally got back to the inn it was well past lunchtime, I made a quick sandwich for both of us before going back to decorating the fireplace." And how did you meet my friends? " I asked the boy as I sorted out the socks to hang on the mantelpiece." 'It was a little over
IsabellaIt's okay, Isabella, you still have three weeks to stay here, you don't need to attack the guy like that from one moment to the next, no matter how tempting it is, because in those three days we will be quite busy.With that thought in mind I went to Gustaf in the lobby, he was carrying al












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