Episode 2

Nani stared at the mirror, tears streaming down her cheeks, lamenting her fate which she often felt was unfair. Compared to her sister who was indeed very beautiful, Nani often heard people gossiping that she was very ugly. Her skin was dark and curly hair adorned her head, although Nani often smoothed it to make it look straight and beautiful. Still, she wasn't as pretty as Nana. Nana was indeed very beautiful, making anyone who looked at her envious, including Nani, who was also very envious when she looked at Nana's face. Even though they were siblings, sharing the same father and mother, they were very different.

Nani's face strongly resembled her father's, which was stern, while Nana resembled Bu Asih, who was indeed very beautiful. In the past, she was also dubbed the village flower, but she wasn't as showy as Nana, who often flaunted her beauty to the people she met. Sometimes, as parents, they feared that Nana's beauty would backfire on her. Many village flowers ended up with bad luck because of their beauty, because not always beauty brings blessings, there are also those that bring death if the owner of beauty cannot take good care of it.

"Don't cry all the time, everything is God's destiny! Happiness doesn't require being very beautiful, we are beautiful in our own versions," Bu Asih advised her youngest.

"What do you mean by our own versions, Mom? There's nothing beautiful about me, Mom!" Nani cried even harder, cupping her face in her hands.

"You are beautiful in my eyes! One day there will be a man who finds you beautiful too, my dear," Bu Asih said, genuinely sorry to see her youngest like this.

"There will be no man who finds me beautiful, everyone who comes here is for Kak Nana," Nani said bitterly.

"Allah creates His servants in pairs, God willing, you will definitely find a partner," Bu Asih advised patiently.

Only Nani's sobs could be heard because she couldn't accept her fate. She often heard people say that Pak Irwin's youngest daughter was not as beautiful as her sister. It hurt Nani's heart. Once or twice, she would ignore it because her mother always advised her, but after a while, she also felt hurt hearing it. Nani was tired and hurt because people seemed to look down on her, especially since it had become a standard for men that the fairer the skin, the more beautiful, the dark ones would not get their love, only insults would the dark ones receive.

"Do you want whitening injections? Or an infusion of whitening serum?" Bu Asih finally offered the last option because she felt sorry for her youngest.

"Is it okay?"

"If it's just to make you fairer, I'll allow it, and so will your father! As long as there's no intention in your heart to have a nose job," Bu Asih warned.

Nani was overjoyed to be allowed to get whitening injections. She immediately got ready to look for a clinic to start her self-care treatment. Yesterday she wasn't allowed because Bu Asih was afraid it would lead to illness, but every day Nani would always fuss about her skin and looks, so in the end, she allowed it.

"Where did Nani go, Mom?" Nana, who was cooking vegetables, asked her mother.

"To the beauty clinic," replied Bu Asih briefly, massaging her temples.

"Hahaha, what's the point of her going there," Nana laughed as if mocking.

"Don't be like that, Nana! Your sister could be hurt if she hears you," Bu Asih advised.

"I'm stating a fact, Mom! In the end, she's just wasting money, she's still going to be the same," Nana said as if she had done nothing wrong.

"Nana!"

Hearing her mother's slightly raised voice, Nana fell silent and continued cooking. She cooked for herself because Nana didn't eat rice for fear of getting fat and didn't eat MSG.

...****************...

That evening, Pak Irwin's house received guests with a large entourage. They were quite surprised because this group had been here before. Davin's family came back to repeat the marriage proposal that had been rejected. Indeed, the son of this palm oil tycoon was very handsome. What else was lacking in Nana's eyes, besides being handsome, he was also financially well-off.

"My arrival here is to ask for Nana's hand in marriage, Pak Irwin," Davin's father spoke up.

"Just like before, sir. I leave everything to Nana, because she is the one who will live in the household," Pak Irwin replied.

"Accept my proposal, dear. I will buy you a car and five hectares of oil palm land," Davin pleaded softly, staring at Nana.

"I have no intention of getting married yet, please respect my decision! And please don't repeat this proposal again, I'm tired of seeing your face," Nana said firmly to Davin.

"Nana!"

Pak Irwin glared at his daughter, making Nana lower her head. This family was extremely embarrassed because Nana was being very rude. Even if she wanted to refuse, she should do it politely so that the proposing party wouldn't feel offended. It would be dangerous if there were offended parties, Pak Irwin was already worried about that. He knew that life in the village was very difficult, especially since Nana was very stubborn.

"So that Davin knows, Dad! I don't want to get married now, go marry Nani if you want," Nana suddenly said, offering her sister before rushing off.

Nani heard from the living room that her name was mentioned. Until now, no man had ever proposed to her. She realized that she was ugly, so no man was interested in marrying her.

"If you don't want to accept people's proposals, then reject them without bringing up my name!" Nani said angrily.

"Why are you angry? It's a good thing I offered you, so you'd get taken quickly," Nana said sharply.

"Fate is in God's hands, if my soulmate has arrived, I will get married even without you offering me," Nani snapped.

"How arrogant you are, you ugly duckling! Look in the mirror, you're so dark," Nana said, pointing at her sister's forehead.

Slap!

Nani, who was very upset because she was always insulted by her sister, slapped Nana, making her shriek. Suddenly, their parents, who were in the front, were startled and rushed to the back to see the commotion.