Football: King of Penalty Area
Ch. 107 - Home

May 3, 2008, Raynaldi left Cologne immediately after the awarding ceremony of the 2nd championship trophy.Bundesliga and player awards. In his half-season joining Koln Athletics, Raynaldi won the golden boot award, best rookie and best player in 2.Bundesliga.

Raynaldi's performance shocked the whole of Germany, after the league finished many of his record-breaking achievements at 2.Bundesliga. Like, the youngest record top scorer 2.Bundesliga, the first player to score 30 goals in 2.Bundesliga, youngest player to score a hattrick at 2.Bundesliga, and so on.

All of Raynaldi's performances and records are almost rewriting the entire history of 2.The Bundesliga with its name, makes the whole of Germany splashy. Even “Bild” magazine that publishes entertainment and sports articles created a one-page comic depicting aliens with the number 99 invading the earth that the players guarded 2.Bundesliga.

But all the furore in Germany has nothing to do with Raynaldi, as he will now return to Indonesia for further World Cup qualifiers against Qatar and the United Arab Emirates at home, then the away game against Guam.

This time Raynaldi flew back to Indonesia along with Leona and Irene, both of whom intend to take a vacation to Indonesia to enjoy the summer. “Hei, Ray. Are you going straight to the national team training center?” Ask Leona.

“Yes, it happens that the match against Qatar will take place in 3 days and then against the United Arab Emirates will be played in 3 days afterwards. Coach Kuga said that if we can win these two games, we will immediately lock the ticket to the top 12 as group leader J.” Raynaldi explained as he continued to read the book in his hand.

“In other words, during the game against Guam, you and the other main players will be rested right?” Ask Leona.

Raynaldi nodded in confirming. “What's wrong, it means you'll be on vacation after a week of games.” Leona.

“Kak Leona, instead we will also see the game Ray?” Ask Irene.

“Sure, Brother Anita and Lisa will also come to see, I heard Lisa often ask when her sister came home.” Leona said while chuckling.

“Well, this is the first time, I went away from home salama over a year. Last time it was only one month in Jakarta for the SMA.” level football tournament Raynaldi reminisces far.

“Haha... I remember that Anita finally brought her to watch the game because she kept asking you.” Leona recalls the time when she intended to go to Indonesia for a vacation earlier and pulled Anita to accompany her and Lisa watched the Raynaldi game.

Lisa is very attached to Raynaldi considering her father has been dead since she was less than 1 year old. Raynaldi, who was less than 7 years old at the time, also felt devastated before recovering after a while.

This also makes Raynaldi mature faster than his age, while the fear of adults is also reduced. He only shows respect to people who show courtesy to him or to people who don't do anything bad for him.

Raynaldi begins to make his own life principles and plays a brother and father to his sister Lisa. Gradually Lisa became very attached to Raynaldi even more than her mother, because Anita had to spend her time on her job and consulting clinic.

“Oh, I just remembered, mom seemed to say she was going to Jakarta for work tomorrow, so she will come tonight.” Raynaldi suddenly remembered his mother's message a few days ago, because it was too busy to make Raynaldi forget that his mother would pick him up today.

“Ray, you really..” Leona shook her head when she saw Raynaldi like this.

Coach Frans had asked her if she would take a day off before going to training, but because Raynaldi had forgotten that her mother and sister were coming, she replied that she would go straight to the training camp.

“Yeah, then I will also stay at Kak Anita's house as well. There should still be empty rooms, right?” Leona asked while remembering.

“Indeed there are still two empty rooms.” Raynaldi said while remembering the house his mother bought in Jakarta ten years ago. There are 5 rooms in the house and the house area is also much larger than the one in Yogyakarta, but because it is used to living in Yogyakarta, this house is rarely used.

“Well, then it doesn't matter if I and Irene stay over, does it?” Leona asked.

“Try asking my mother, I can't answer her.” Raynaldi shrugged his shoulders weakly.

“You can't talk to Anita?” Leona made a sullen face like a little girl.

Raynaldi just looked at her as if saying, ‘do you speak human language?’ then turned his gaze back to the book with contempt.

“You...” Leona looked at Raynaldi full of anger, the longer she saw the nephew who was only 5 years younger than her this was getting annoying. ‘This boy is not at all cute! Why is the change so big since two years ago?’ Leona's grouse in the heart.

“Already, Brother Leona, stop arguing, if later we can not stay at Ray's house, we can still stay at the hotel for one day.” Irene who was near the plane window to the left of Leona mediated Leona and Raynaldi's debate.

“Irene, you're not even her boyfriend yet and have started protecting her?” Leona looked at Irene with a face as if she had been persecuted.

“Kak Leona!” Irene retorted with embarrassment, as she looked at the calm Raynaldi and read the book in her hand and her expression turned slightly disappointed.

“OK, stop teasing you.” Leona said with a laugh then she brought her face closer to her ear and started whispering. “If you really like Ray, you should be more proactive in this relationship, otherwise the wooden head will not know your problem.”

Hearing Leona's whisper, Irene's already reddish face worsened due to her excessive embarrassment. “Kak Leona..” Irene's mouth can only buzz to reply to Leona.

But in Irene's heart there's been a strange feeling for Raynaldi ever since she helped him out of the bullying he experienced at school. As a 16-year-old girl, it was clear Irene who was rarely in contact with the opposite sex had absolutely no idea what she was feeling. Irene only thought that Raynaldi was a nice and warm man.

Only after connecting with more people did Irene realize that she had liked Raynaldi since their first meeting and because of Raynaldi's repeated help for her, did Irene really fall for Raynaldi.