BROMOCORAS
Back To Malang

Yogjakarta that morning.

On a terrace that is still covered with soil. Salim sat in flip-flops. From his mouth incessantly billowing cigarette smoke that he had not long since ignited.

Kartika his wife, came to deliver a cup of hot coffee to him. The graceful woman with beautiful eyes with dimples that were clearly visible when she smiled was married to Salim four years ago. During her marriage to Salim, she remained in Jogjakarta because Kartika had to take care of her sister who had a physical disability since birth, Hutomo name her sister.

Although separated by distance, but the household Salim and Kartika almost never touched any problems. Kartika is a woman who is patient when facing Salim who is strong. Kartika from the beginning knew what Salim was like. Sometimes he asked why when Salim came to propose, he accepted the proposal. While Kartika's parents are not too fond of Salim who is known as a terminal thug and likes violence. In fact, many men with social status and clear establishment come in turns to edit it. Why did Kartika choose Salim?

"Sit, Deck." Salim invited Kartika to sit down. The title of several pieces of banana leaves as a base for Kartika sitting.

"There are a few things I want to say."

Kartika stared intently at Salim. With that Kartika gaze, any man would definitely bend his knees admiring it.

"Tell me, Mas." Kartika's soft voice signifies how gentle she is.

Salim put out his cigarette. Take a deep breath. For a moment his heartbeat was irregular.

"Is it proper for a man like me to say, I want to repent, Dek?"

Kartika. She looked at Salim's face beside her. Kartika saw the seriousness there. On that face.

Kartika smiled for a moment.

"Mas, it's never too late. No inappropriate words inappropriate. While the breath is still blowing even though it is at the end of the esophagus even if we are sincere in repentance, God willing, Allah always receives every repentance from His servants."

Salim remained silent. It feels like his lips are soft.

"Maybe it's the answer to my question all along. Why would I accept Mas when Mas came to propose to me at that time."

Salim turned towards Kartika. They are now fighting.

"God may have arranged all this, Mom. Thank God my patience has produced an amazing result."

Instantly Kartika hugged Salim made Salim flutter could not do anything. To say it felt like his lips were frozen for a moment.

For a moment of silence. Only the breath of the two of them could be heard between their ears.

A morning breeze blows the cold atmosphere typical of rural Jogjakarta. Blow out the smell of rancid soil soaked with dew-dew dripping from the foliage. The occasional glint of sunshine can be seen as glare emitting its luster from some of the leaves that are still wet.

Kartika took off her embrace. Without Salim realizing there are fine droplets flowing from both eyelids Kartika. Salim tried to wipe him. Rubbing the clear water on both smooth skin of the white Kartika cheeks glow.

"Maybe in two or three weeks Mas' return to Malang, Dek."

Kartika only replied with a nod.

"Mas wants to see Mr. Zaini immediately. As I told you at the time."

"Find him, Mas. I pray it's where Mas is. The place where Mas found the direction."

Salim smiled. A smile full of shade that for the first time Kartika saw from the face of Salim.

Two weeks after that conversation Salim went back to Malang. His departure this time was nothing like his previous departure. There was sobs and a myriad of do'a gushing from Kartika accompanied Salim's departure.

Upon arrival in Malang, Salim was amazed by the atmosphere of the terminal which began to differ from half a year ago. Salim walked down every corner of the terminal. Passing through some of the places he used to hang out with his fellow thugs.

Salim stopped at a food stall that seemed not long open because before this the restaurant did not exist. A man of his age walked over to Salim when Salim was already sitting on the bench.

"What do you want to order, Mom?"

For a moment Salim looked at the man's face. Salim had never seen the man before and he did not know Salim at all.

"It's definitely this guy's the new guy at the terminal." Salim in the heart.

"What menu is there, Mom?" Ask Salim later.

The man showed me the menu book. For Salim this was different from usual. Because it is not usually a small food stall on the outskirts of the terminal there is an all menu book.

"This is it, Mommy." Salim pointed to the vegetable rice menu with omelet.

"good. Wait a minute, Mom."

Salim only nodded as his eyes occasionally scanned the surroundings of the terminal.

Before long Salim's order was delivered by the man.

"Please, Mom."

"Oh yes, Mas. Sorry to ask. Mas this is a new trader in this terminal huh?"

The man turned his gaze towards Salim.

"Yes, Mas. I haven't opened a shop here in a month. Yeah, after a thug cleanup on the market a couple of months ago."

Salim nodded. "Thugger clearance?" Inner later.

"Where did you live before?"

"I am from the next village, Mas. happens to be the wife of people here so they can access the shop here. That's my wife, Mas."

"Kang Salim huh? Long time no see, Mom."

Apparently the woman recognized Salim. Salim just smiled faintly.

"Monggo, Kang enjoyed the menu at my shop."

Salim again just threw a smile. Then the woman withdrew.

"Well, apparently my wife already knew, Mom." The man said after his wife walked back to the kitchen.

"Yes, Mas. Oh yes, Mas. Mas said there was a thug cleaning how do ya mean?" Ask Salim later.

The man sat down.

"Look, Mas. This is from what I know. About half a year ago here he said there had been clashes between thugs, Mas. To the extent that someone died from the clash. After that somehow the story goes, all the thugs involved in the incident become police fugitives, Mas. Except for the thugs who belonged to the mob that died. Because of hearing from the dead side who deliberately report to the police. That's about it, Mom."

Salim surprised. For a moment he frowned.

"Who reported it to the police?" The mind in the heart.

"I heard that also from my wife, Mas. Because at the time of the incident I happened to be still in the pesantren."

"Well, I'm a graduate of the pesantren huh?"

"Yes, Mas. You could say the best graduate, Mas."

Salim nodded in understanding.

"If you may know which pesantren, Mas?" Ask Salim later.

"In the West Java area, Mas."

"Away huh?"

"Yes, Mas. Because my father was picky when it comes to the education of his children, Mas."

Again Salim nodded.

"It's been continued eating, Mas. I want to serve other buyers."

"Monggo monggos."

Salim continued eating. In his mind now tucked the question of who reported the death of Satriyo to the police?

"Already, Mas. So how many?"

Salim approached the man to pay for his food. The man seemed to be counting with his finger.

"So a total of seventeen thousand, Mas."

Salim gave a piece of money twenty thousand. "It won't work, Mom."

"Well, thank you, Mom."

Salim smiled and stepped out of the food stall. When walking to leave the food stall, Salim had turned back into the stall. Outside the stall, it is clearly visible a large MMT that reads "Warung Makan Cuisine Java AMINUDIN".

A few moments later Salim was standing in the yard of a large house that is still thick with the feel of his jaw. From where he stood, Salim saw an old man sorting some bamboo sticks into thin patches.

Salim stepped closer to the old man. The old man was unaware of Salim's arrival. Even the sound of Salim's footsteps was not realized. Salim stopped right behind the old man, before finally saying his greetings and making the old man a little surprised to see the arrival of Salim.

"Father already has a feeling that you will definitely come back again, Son Salim."

Salim just smiled.

"But stop. Don't talk about it now. Now let's go in first. Rest first. You must be tired, right?"

"No, Sir. It just so happened to be taking a break at the terminal, sir."

"Oh, yes. So you've stopped by the back of the terminal?"

Salim nodded slowly.

"Now everything has changed, son. Everything needs a change for the better."

"Do you also know about thugs cleaning at the terminal?"

"That night some men in police uniforms came here. They asked about Satriyo's death. There's nothing you can tell them. You just say what you said at that time. Not long ago they left."

Salim nodded in understanding. I looked up somewhere. He still had no idea who had reported Satriyo's death that morning.

"Yes, you go in there first. Change your clothes. Rest first, son."

"All right then, sir. I put my bag in."

Salim stepped into Zaini's house into a room he had occupied almost a week six months ago. A room that holds many memories of his best friend, Satriyo.

Seriate...