Childhood Match
Picking Up Dreams

A ray of sunshine combed from behind the white cloud. Its warm rays begin to penetrate into the pores. Mount Merapi, Merbabu, really no one can scratch such a beautiful painting but His power. The combination of orange, red and yellow colors seems to symbolize that the sun will begin its task of illuminating the entire universe in the earthly hemisphere.

The crystal grains in the leaves sparkled under the reflection of sunlight. The morning breeze, the fragrance of jasmine flowers, inhaled fragrance as if blooming in the garden of the heart, awakened the souls that felt silent.

With a heart shrouded in gratitude for the divine gift... Gendhis began to decorate himself after performing four rakaats in the dhuha time. His lips and heart were unceasingly grateful for the gift God had bestowed upon him. Have a beautiful face, clean skin, perfect body shape, good ethics, and qualified in everything.

In front of the mirror attached to his dressing table, Gendhis opened one by one the mandatory equipment for women when decorating themselves. Although not as complete as the make up wedding, but very enough to make her face look beautiful. Natural lentic eyelashes, brow like palm leaf midrib, and nose and thin lips that seem to make himself sometimes shy and embarrassed when there is a man instead of mahram looking at his face. Therefore, Gendhis always lowered his gaze when anyone was about to notice his face. From the look of those eyes, Gendhis was afraid that he would not be able to hold the turmoil in his heart. Because after all, Gendhis is a normal girl like her age.

When confronted by a mirror, Gendhis said do'a,

اَلْحَمْدُلِلّٰهِ الَّذِى سَوَّى خَلْقِى فَعَدَّلَهُ وَكَرَّمَ صُوْرَةَ وَجْهِى فَحَسَّنَهَاوَجَعَلَنِى مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ

"Alhamdulillahilladzi sawwaa khalqii fa'addalahu wa karrama shurata wajhii fakhassanaha waja'alani minal muslimin..."

do'a Gendhis means; "All praise be to Allah who has perfected and improved my creation, glorified the shape of my face, then He has made me a part of the Muslims." (HR Ibn al-Sani).

with his palms up, Gendhis prayed and rubbed it on his beautiful face. Never once did he forget that do'a when reflecting. Perhaps that was why, his face always seemed radiant according to his behavior.

After the decoration, Gendhis changed his clothes. He was wearing more casual clothes unlike when he was about to go to campus. Dark brown plisket skirt combined with a maroon short top wrapped in soft cardigan pink color, and the coksu hijab cover the chest. Complete with sunglasses, a small bag, and light brown boots that make Gendhis look very beautiful.

After dressing up, Gendhis wears his favorite green tea scent perfume, which adds to his confidence and makes him feel fresher.

Gendhis stepped out of his room.

How surprised Bu Sari and Pak Ratno saw the appearance of Gendhis other than usual that day. With astonishment, the two of them were still staring at their daughter from head to toe. After a long time seeing Gendhis who was reluctant to make up for his failure with Lintang, finally today he saw the figure of his daughter like being reborn without ever having a scratch wound in his heart. Brightly enough, it makes Mr. Ratno also Bu Sari happy.

While bringing food to the table, Bu Sari asked her daughter,

"God willing, Nduk... Is this the daughter of Gendhis mother?" Ms. Sari was astonished.

Gendhis smiled shyly as he said, "Yes... lah Bu... indeed I have another daughter besides Gendhis?"

Mr. Ratno who was sipping a cup of Javanese tea also spoke, "Father to pangling, Nduk."

Smiling, Sari asked, "Where to go to Nduk, early in the morning, is it really beautiful?"

Not yet had Gendhis answer the question of curiosity of his parents, suddenly in the yard of the house the sound of a car stopped. Gendhis returned the input to his room as it turned out his phone was left behind and slightly forgot where he last held his phone. Immediately Mr. Ratno and Bu Sari came out to see who was visiting this morning. While the two were on the terrace of the house, Mr. Ratno observed a handsome man who was in the car. It seems Mr. Ratno recognized him. And after the handsome man got out of his car, it turned out to be true. Seeing the face of the handsome Lecturer Sir coming towards him, as if he was looking at the prince who was going to save their daughter with his horse.

Gala walked towards Mr. Ratno who was standing in his way.

"Assalamu'alaikum.." said Gala. With great respect, Gala kissed Mr. Ratno's hand.

As a father of girls, who would try to untouch his heart to see a figure like Gala come and then bow to him? Undeniably, the father of this girl began to place great hopes on the handsome and neat man who was in front of her. And to Bu Sari, Gala just raised both hands, then close the two in front of the chest as a symbol of shaking hands to those who are not mahramnya.

"Waalaikumsalam..., Mr Lecturer? Please come in!" said Mr. Ratno. Finally the curiosity of his daughter who dressed so beautiful was answered already.

"Okay, sir, thank you here." replied Gala.

A moment later, Mr. Ratno was again surprised but this time with a different expression when he saw Miss Alena. Instantly his hopes fell back to see the long-haired beautiful girl get out of the Gala car. He walked up to the porch and stood beside Gala.

"Father, Mother, introduce me. This is my friend from Semarang. Her name is Alena." Gala.

"Assalamu'alaikum..I am very happy, could be given the opportunity to visit this amazing village" said Alena while kissing the hand of Bu Sari.

"Oh.. yes, son..the village here is famous for its sights and tourist attractions." said Bu Sari without any strange taste because it happened to be the first time he met Gala.

"Is that true, Mom?" ask Alena happy.

"Of course.. yes to Pakne?" ask Ms. Sari to her husband.

"I'm sorry, sir.. Does the Gendhis exist? Yesterday we made an appointment with Gendhis to accompany us on our walks at the top of Sumbing. Because it seems, Gendhis knows a lot about the tourist attractions near here." asked Gala.

"Oh. yeah. Ada, Mr. Lecturer. I was also ready. But where is Mom? It seems to be inside." said Mr. Ratno while looking back to confirm the whereabouts of his daughter.

"Gendhis... Gendhis.. There's a guest, Nduk.." call Mr. Ratno.

"Yes, sir.." replied Gendhis from the house.

"Let's go in first Mr. Lecturer." said Mr. Ratno let Gala and Alena enter.

"Oh.thank you, sir... God willing another time, because we were a little rushed. It just so happened that the place we were going to was quite a lot and the fear of fog soon descended." replied Gala. Because if the fog drops, then the beauty of the scenery will hide behind the fog.

Shortly after, Gendhis came out from behind the door. How surprised Gala was to see the appearance of Gendhis that morning. Very different from what he had encountered while on campus. For a moment, Gala's eyes stopped blinking staring at the beautiful face of Gendhis. At that moment he felt as if the earth stopped spinning and wanted to always be like that, not wanting to let go of his gaze on the girl who had already stolen his heart.

"Assalamu'alaikum.." said Gendhis gently, making Gala re-awakened of her position.

"Waalaikumsalam... uh, Dis. recognize this my friend that I told you about yesterday. Her name is Alena... Alena, this is Gendhis, my student at Untidar." Gala introduced both.

"Hay... Gendhis. Nice to meet you." said Alena while hugging Gendhis body warmly.

"Good morning, Miss Alena, welcome to the tourist village of Sumbing." Gendhis greeted him back.

"Don't call Mom, just call Alena.

"Where you can, Ms. Alena is a friend of my lecturer Mr. Gala, where maybe I call Mother's name like that" Gendhis replied with a smile.

"Eeeh... Who said? Call the ma'am if on campus, this is not on campus... Gendhis. Call me Alena. Anyway let's look young that way.do not call Bu again dong.." pinta Alena while joking.

"Well then, ma'am... Alena." said Gendhis awkwardly feel disrespectful calling someone older just by name.

"Well.that's dong..." Alena felt her young soul was reborn when Gendhis called her name.

Gala was a little clueless about the two women's conversation. And he said, "Where? Are we leaving?"

"Yes yes... Sis Lecturer.. far from Semarang time is not so.." replied Alena instantly.

"Don't you go in first?" asked Gendhis.

"Almost tomorrow again, Dis. ntar not even be the way. Come, Lecturer... hunted.." pinta Alena seemed impatient to release her gaze on the vast expanse of scenery along the top of Sumbing.

"Father, Mother.please give her permission, we borrow Gendhis for a little while and we will return it without any less than him." said Gala to Mr. Ratno and Ms. Sari.

Gala's words were no wonder to make Gendhis a little flattered. Gala apparently knew very well how to respect the woman she loved.

"Of course, Mr. Lecturer. Be careful on the road." replied Mr. Ratno. I don't know why his heart is calm. "If only the man. There is no way Mr. Lecturer would want to be with Gendhis who is just a student, especially... That Lecturer ma'am must be a close friend of Mr. Lecturer. They are both lecturers, very harmonious." said Mr. Ratno in his heart while daydreaming shortly after the three of them boarded in the Gala car.

"Sir... Pakne...! His son went away and daydreamed?" bu Sari's slightly shrill voice broke her husband's daydream.

"Eh... Ma.... who does not daydream? It's almost noon, let's go to the fields!" invite Mr. Ratno to divert the conversation while walking into the house. Ms. Sari also followed her husband's steps behind.

Gala sat in the front seat. Today he is changing professions as the personal driver of two beautiful girls who are in the back seat of his white Camry car. He is very happy to have the opportunity for this. Moreover, seen from the rearview mirror hanging on the ceiling of his car, two women with different ages were already so familiar. Although the first time to meet, but it did not take long for the two to chat with each other very closely.

Their first goal, is to explore the beauty of the top of Sumbing from a tourist spot that is quite ngehits today, namely Nepal Van Java located in the village of Butuh Kaliangkrik Subdistrict.

*****

...See you in Nepal Van Java... 🤗...

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