After Two Decades
Tan and Liani

Not too long Jan and I rested in my office. After finishing some office business that I had left for a long time, we set off. Of course with a super luxury car owned by Jan that makes everyone stop looking at the amazement that the car was not immediately lost behind the gate fence.

We headed towards the southeast corner of the city, to the place where the time machine of the Gate of the Past was born. The Korp's main laboratory. Masadepan. According to Hadni, there has been no operation since the last few months. This laboratory is a special place for all activities in the technology development sector and create inventions. While mass production for technology whose prototype has been completed will be carried out in other special places. However, since the events of my departure from the launch event of the Gate of the Past and followed the departure as far as four months, the activities in this laboratory were stopped. The launch event in the city auditorium closed well, despite having a little problem because of my actions that just left after returning from the past. Our big project succeeded, after that we have been waiting for the flow of income from companies and large organizations who are interested in our products. As well as many other advantages that make this company even more gigantic. Despite my four-month departure, the euphoria had to be postponed. Mr. Roy reportedly down and retired from his post—though the actual happened is not known to the public—, while I—who did not even attend—diduk immediately replace him without compromise. All cooperation or partner affairs, projects, company steps, and so on are my responsibility. So, as long as I haven't returned, there's no activity that can start in this lab.

Enough to explain why this vast building was so quiet when we arrived. Getting off the vehicle, we were only greeted by security personnel on duty. Entering the lobby room to the main room, a thick silent blanket encased this place. The monitors are off, the air conditioning is not on, the wind is not heard here. The noise of the streets suddenly dimmed inside here. We could even hear the sound of our shoes clashing against the marble floor.

"That's one piece," Jan sizzled.

"Yes, you understand."

I smiled as I accelerated my pace. We arrived right in the middle of the room. Housed in masterpieces of the century, Ward, Gate of the Past. After yesterday's launch event was over, this advanced tool was returned here.

"Please sit down, let me prepare!" my spoken.

"Ready!" Enthusiastically Jan sat down in his chair. Wear all the equipment one by one. Starting at the feet, knees, shoulders, elbows, gloves, waist, helmet on the head, and a few other devices. Just like on launch day. While I turned on the control computer. Enable the main program for time travel. Start the usual procedure as Prof has taught. Ram. It's easy to do it. So as soon as Jan was done with his security device, I was done with the computer. A number of commands have been entered, the program has been started, the software that becomes the control center has been activated.

I rushed to take a position myself. Sit in the remaining chair. Repeating Jan's actions, one by one installing the equipment. Light-handed.

"Ready?" I asked Jan.

"Always."

"All right." The control screen lit up in front of my face. With the button in hand, I set the date of the time to be addressed. Then like pressing the enter button on a search engine, I pressed the start button. And so, a flash of light began to overwhelm us. Darkened. Brightest. Alternately.

***

For the second time, we traveled across the time line. Go back in time for years. Retreat further, not two decades, but three decades ago. Exactly thirty years from the present, that is the year of our birth. The year that Jan and I were born into the world. That means the year of my mother's death.

After passing through the sensation of light and whirlpool of luster that makes dizziness if it continues to be viewed, we finally arrived. As if falling from a high place, we landed in a meadow, again. The difference this time we did not fall down, because we had learned to get ready to land if the sensation of the light ended. Then my best friend and I could stand up and look around. I'm flabbergasted. Again I was wrong as before. We did not fall in the grasslands, but the bushes. And once the view is circulated in all directions, we realize that our place of arrival is nothing but a forest. Thick forests and various types of wood trees, ranging from rubber trees to banyan trees. The branches and leaves are so thick that they shut the sunlight. Make the area of land where we stand to be shady.

Jan and I were amazed as they looked around.

"The forest!" hissed Jan.

"Thirty years ago, that magnificent laboratory was still a dense forest." I started to walk through the trees. Breaking through the bushes that one-two grew tall. Looking for a way out of the thick trees above us.

"It's amazing." Jan unceasingly exclaimed in astonishment. This view is stunning for our eyes who have been accustomed by the towering building. Plus once we made it out of the forest, arriving at the side of the highway that presented a refreshing view of the eye. Across there are only a few houses with roofed leaves that stand quite apart from each other. There are also several luxury homes— with the definition of luxury at that time—and shophouse buildings. There are no skyscrapers. Some old-fashioned vehicles are seen passing by. The ancient nangasansa felt seeped into my soul. It was like watching an old-fashioned movie with all its simplicity.

From the edge of the forest, we continued walking down the highway. The area felt so unfamiliar and out of nowhere. It is our own birthplace.

The streets look deserted. The local clock at the time indicated the time of morning, but the streets were still empty. Or maybe I am just used to the density of the city so that this view feels empty. I don't know.

Our steps stopped. It was not far from the forest where we arrived, but something stopped us. It was precisely my steps that stopped. So Jan would have stopped. I rubbed my eyes and looked across the street again. Holding up, don't you see me wrong?

Across there on the porch of a simple house, a man was talking to a woman. Just an ordinary thing. However, the sight became shocking and made me astonished because the man who looked was exactly like me. It took me a few seconds and Jan understood that what we were seeing was my father. Yeah, my real dad. In this year we came, my father's age was the same as mine. Thirty years. I was shocked to see how my father was like my twin. Jan moreover, he rubbed his eyes many times. Exclaims amazement.

"Your father, right? Exactly, buddy!" said Jan.

Then don't think twice, we crossed paths. Approaching the simple house and join the veranda to listen to their chat. My father was sitting next to the door. The woman sat in front of him. It made the impression that my father was his host. However, I was confused, as I recall our house is not here. There's something weird about this.

Then the woman. Who her? To find out, Jan and I were watching.

"Tan" said the woman. "Please be honest with me, why have you been different lately?"

Liani's? I glared for a moment. Glanced at the woman. I almost screamed so much that I didn't expect it. Liani is my real mother's name. So, that woman is my mother? It turns out she's very pretty. Really pretty. Finally I could see that face, the woman who had sacrificed her life for me. It was painful to look at his face knowing that he was leaving. It was amazing, instead of Jan's parents, that we came here to meet my parents. Wait a minute, why don't they look like husband and wife. There's something strange about this, again.

"That's your mother?" hissed Jan.

"She, we better listen!" my answer.

Jan nodded. We continued to watch the conversation that we initially thought was normal, but it turned out to lead to that debate.

"Busier what?" scatter my mother later. His eyes flashed furiously at the man named Tan, my father.

"Busier for my work, Liani. Understand!"

"I've repeatedly heard that excuse, Tan. Busier, more business, I'm tired of hearing that. Are you really that busy?"

"Ta–But that's how it is," replied my father.

"Already, Tan. I'm sick!" My mother stood up and started to turn around. "That's it!"

"Liani, wait!" My father hurried to stand up. Reaching out to the pretty lady's arm and holding her back from leaving.

"What else?"

"Liani, I'm sorry if I haven't had time for you lately. I'm fighting for you, Liani. For you too!"

"Omong empty!" My mother's emotions broke. He shook his hands full of anger. "I'm too sick, Tan. I was waiting for you, but you never came. Where have you been? Am I not important anymore?"

"It's not that I'm not concerned with you, but there's always some sudden business in my work. That's all!" obviously father.

"I can't believe it" my mother said. "Confess me, Tan. There's got to be another woman, right?"

"Geez, Liani. Don't ever think like that, it's impossible!"

"Already, Tan. Our relationship can no longer be saved. This is the last time, we better split up!"

"But ...."

"It's over!" cut mommy. "Forget the wedding, let me go!"

"Then please listen to me one last time, Liani," my father asked. I can see the sincerity in his eyes and his voice.

"What else?"

"I'm sorry for what I did that hurt you. Maybe this is our destiny. I just want to make you happy. But maybe I didn't manage to do it. So, I'm sorry. If you want to split up, it's okay. Hope you don't regret it. Trust me, I still love you. Even if you hate, I still wish you happiness. However, in the end you will leave, I just beg for forgiveness. If you really want our relationship to end? Alright. I'm it's okay. I respect your decision."

"All right!" answered my mother cynically. Then walk away. Stepping away full of annoyance.

"Be careful, Liani!" Hardly my father stared step by step at the woman's departure. His face looked sad and battered, but tried to cover it up.

Tics. I stopped time.