High School Soldier
Inner war: A growing grudge

Although the house is far from ancient, and even more modern than the best hotels in Central Java, but there is a cage with a bird knee in it. Placed on the floor when the meeting took place, but I don't know what purpose the owner did it. The Javanese nobility kept the knee bird as a means of raising the prestige of the house or lifting degrees. And, the sound of his chirping that was considered to bring good luck could be heard up to the meeting room.

A beautiful voice, so thought Arunika. Compared to the chirping sound of the knee birds belonging to his grandfather, the chatter of the people in the meeting room was louder. Sitting on the couch and around the family, made him feel bad to go for trivial reasons.

“... After a long time Arunika lived her rebellion, she finally chose to follow the same path her mother did before leaving home to remarry with factory workers. In fact, she will marry quite a meritorious person in war.”

Even the conversation after a few minutes he sat down with Arunika already made Nio's ears hot. Still, he did not have the right to follow and respond to every chat the two families had. Nio is fed up with the Arunika family who trusts the Darsono family too much. He felt they could laugh and chat warmly from not knowing Darsono's past.

“You need not exaggerate about me,” said Darsono, as if he had indeed done a lot of service in the previous war.

“Ah, it's an amazing day. You will be a good candidate for Arunika.”

The old man sat on the rocking chair, his mouth wide open as he laughed, continuing to praise Darsono. His stern face shows Supardi was indeed a soldier, although without signs he had followed the battle.

“Arunika could be one of the most beautiful women in the world. No wonder why Darsono instantly fell in love at first sight.”

He said, no girl on earth really likes to be called ‘cantik’ by strangers. But, given how much praise he received from the Darsono family, he was increasingly hesitant to reject all praise for him.

Arunika himself sat on a long sofa that looked very expensive, and was directly faced with the Darsono family. There were six people sitting on the sofa of the meeting room, who were discussing matchmaking. However, only Darsono and Supardi's parents were active in the conversation. Nio was sitting on the left side of Arunika, wearing a field uniform with a hint of bloodstain that was very difficult to remove, and was sitting still. Nio's expression was unpredictable, other than because his face was covered in a black buff mask.

When Arunika tells Nio about the marriage proposal she received, she thinks Nio will explode in great anger. That is why he can currently sit quietly, waiting for the family meeting process that will marry their child, although Arunika does not want to guess the feelings of Nio.

But, she couldn't expect Nio to stand up and do the mess to ruin her wedding plans. Such a scene can only be done by a soap opera actor themed infidelity that is very popular among mothers.

But, why do I feel that Nio doesn't care about me?

Arunika glanced around the room as she pondered about it, and finally looked at the mirror next to the entrance of the meeting room after glancing at the eyes of Nio who was ‘closing’ next door. The glass frame is elegantly carved by the sculptor, as if the owner wanted to show his class in society with the engraving. Arunika continued to stare at her face in the mirror, the face that had been thickly self-sufficient. Then, go back to listening to the conversation where Nio was not involved in it.

Nio did not move at all, continued to look straight at the happy looking Darsono, and remained sitting upright even though he began to feel no comfort in this family gathering.

After Arunika saw how calm Nio was, she felt someone's eyes glancing at her.

The soldier in the rank of major was sitting right in front of him, then showed a warm smile and made Arunika cheeks. The woman immediately corrected her sitting posture to prevent people from realizing her behavior.

However, suddenly Supardi asked Arunika even though he was actually insinuating someone, “Arunika, why did the man beside you not open the mask? Does he not want his face to be seen by people, or maybe he does not know that it is disrespectful?”

“Oh, so now wearing masks at family gatherings is illegal?” muttered Nio inwardly in an irritated tone.

Supardi saw the rank mark on the collar of Nio's field suit, two black blocks that showed the rank of first lieutenant officer. Although he was full-time in the rank of first lieutenant's aide, Supardi was convinced that Nio could do nothing to an older person. He will be considered to do ‘crime’ if he takes action against or something like that against parents.

Almost eleven years after the death of their parents, Nio was greatly changed after joining the war as a member of the Indonesian Army of Students. No one imagined Nio would be out of the threat of ‘ grim future’, and he looked much taller than 7 years ago.

“Tell your grandfather if he and his guests will feel comfortable after I open the mask,” Nio whispered to Arunika, and it resulted in the Darsono family putting on a menacing expression as if it did not allow itself to be near Arunika within a kilometer.

“What's the matter, are you sick?” ask Arunika.

“Don't keep your grandfather and guests waiting. Honestly, I want to get out of this house.”

Arunika could imagine Nio's feelings so she could say that. The family conversation was warm and accompanied by laughter, there was no Nio in it. He still had grandparents, aunts, and uncles to call family. However, does Nio still have a person who can be called a brother other than himself?

“Not obeying parental orders his name is sin, loh,” Darsono speech creates a symbol of annoyance on Nio's forehead.

“What is this person still having a family relationship with you?” ask Darsono's father.

Arunika opened her mouth to answer ‘iya’, but Supardi immediately said, “He's the son of the boy who made my son suffer with him.”

Nio almost stood up to reply to the old man's words, but his consciousness commanded him to try to remain calm. The gazes of the people in this room create a feeling that is more severe than ‘sakat’. Nio had even met Arunika's grandfather this time, yet he had gotten hurtful words from the old man on his first day meeting ‘kakek’.

The faces of everyone including Arunika showed that they could not wait for Nio to do Supardi's orders. Nio only hoped that they would not laugh after he showed his face, as requested by the grandfather. He pulled down the buff that covered half of his face, and only exposed the top of his head to the eyes.

If Nio thinks the reaction of the people who ‘ hated’ is to laugh, then his guess is wrong. Of course no one could laugh mockingly when he saw someone's face adorned with sharp incision scars and terrible burns on half of his face. The burn scars that spread from the right face to the neck resulted in the mother of Darsono and Arunika covering her mouth with an expression of fear that was not made up.

The men of course showed surprised faces, then tried to dispel the memory of the disgusting sight they had just seen. Darsono and his father immediately turned their faces away, and Supardi lowered his head while shaking his head after seeing the events resulting from their curiosity.

Seeing Nio's physical condition, Darsono was sure Arunika would very easily fall in his arms. He then sat down quietly, so that the emblem of a jasmine in his collar was visible in Nio's eyes. He grew up in a family that would not get him knocked out in people's lives easily, unless the ‘secret’ they had was uncovered. Darsono's specialty gives him an edge that Nio lacks, in terms of his particular physical appearance.

The situation that made him humiliated fostered a special feeling in Nio's heart. Although he did not have a grudge against his war enemies, unfortunately the man in front of him – fellow soldiers – made Nio have a sense of revenge that had just grown.

Nio's face that was exposed was very clearly not showing any expression of anger or embarrassment. However, Nio's heart felt a desire to finish off a number of people that made Arunika sit away from him. His work to help a team of journalists made Nio make ‘list’ people who will ‘delusat’.

“Ba-how about we get out of the room and let these two lovebirds talk?” darsono's mother said that with a fear-bearing expression and walked out before anyone answered her advice.

“Do I also have to go out?” asked Nio after putting on his buff mask again.

“Of course, stupid,” who answered Arunika, who was directly obeyed by Nio with feelings and thoughts only filled with keingnan did ‘balance’.

After they all left the meeting room, only Darsono and Arunika remained.

What accompanied them both was silence. Arunika let out a light sigh, even though she had a guilty feeling towards Nio. On the other hand, Darsono showed a calm face.

“Nio... does he get angry?” arunika.

“He is not easily angry. If he is angry, it means he is just carried away,” Darsono replied with a relaxed smile that Arunika did not understand the meaning.

“Why are you so worried about Nio?” darsono's speech was accompanied by an expression of dislike for something, making Arunika feel a little guilty.

Arunika has trouble finding a way to talk to the man in front of her. He felt that Darsono and Nio were hiding something, evidently the man said as if he knew Nio well enough. So does Nio, but he seems to have no good impression of Darsono and his grandfather.

“I feel bad for Nio. Actually, I'm the only family Nio has. After all, my grandfather's family was in a complicated condition after Nio's arrival in this house. I don't think our family will accept Nio in it. They treated Nio like a stranger. Although I got the inheritance of my mother, but Nio is not.”

Arunika can't what happens to Nio if she is really married. He decides to tell Darsono, hoping to forget about the incident and begins to consider Nio his family.

“Yes, I applied for this marriage proposal because my family wanted to build a relationship with your grandfather's family. Nio has absolutely nothing to do with this. Let's just say he's a kid who plays around in the world.”

“What..?” Arunika wanted to reply to Darsono's words as if Nio was indeed an outsider who should not have come at the family gathering. However, Darsono's cold gaze made him unable to utter a sentence of rejection at his words.

“Nio is very sloppy. The injuries he got were the result of his carelessness. Taking care of yourself can't, how do you take care of yourself? So, don't blame the Headquarters for sending him to the battlefield in another world and getting him injured.”

Arunika was speechless at the unexpected remark from Darsono. Although Nio's recklessness is one of his traits, it is unlikely that he will continue to carry out reckless actions on the battlefield risking life. There must be another reason behind the terrible wounds that Nio suffered, thus causing him to get unpleasant treatment.

He was willing to listen to Darsono's sweet words and only showed his merits. There was a time when Arunika dreamed of a life partner like a fairy tale prince. The dream she has is to meet a handsome prince who falls in love with her, protecting her and saving her from danger. If there really was a prince or a witch, she wanted to turn back the clock and tell Nio that she didn't want to get married which would either make her happy or suffer.

However, he was already in a situation that made him unable to retreat anymore. Arunika can only go forward for the sake of her happiness and her family, and hope good things happen to Nio. She is actually fed up with marriage due to business or political fundamentals, but being perfect and covering up shortcomings for the sake of a potential spouse should be shown by the Arunika family woman.

Darsono then said, “Of course I am aware of your condition and Nio, Arunika. But, the one who will marry you is me, not Nio. Do you want to betray your grandfather who hopes for us?.”

“I don't want to make grandpa sad. I know your grandfather and family have prepared everything for this proposal,” replied Arunika gloomily.

“Remember, Nio is not a child, he is even an officer now. He can definitely solve his own problems without our help.”

Darsono then stood up from where he sat, then looked at Arunia with a smile and showed the attitude of an educated person as he took Arunika out of the meeting room.

“Do you want to take a walk while discussing our wedding?”

Arunika. That's the only thing you can do.

The couple left the room, walking around the grass-floored garden. A pond was built in the middle of the garden, with dozens of ornamental fish living in it.

“We must ignore Nio who seems to dislike our marriage. For the sake of our happiness and family relationships, all discomfort should be removed.”

Arunika's face grew gloomy when she found out if she got married, Nio would fight alone.

However, Darsono thought if Nio would fight back, then he would play with fire. His family still has ties to the presidential administration before Suroso, and has put forward a contender for Suroso in the upcoming election. They keep contacting people in the previous government who are hiding somewhere, to plan to return to power in this country. Trying to resist them is like trying to fight against the government itself. If Nio refused their marriage, he would be destroyed leaving no trace of him ever living in this world.

“Well, I know he's no longer a kid. But, ignoring it might weaken it,” Arunika said as she stared at Darsono.

“But you'll get everything you don't get, so live with me. I'll make you the happiest woman in the world.”

Darsono's words make Arunika imagine Nio's life without him, even though it is in vain because there are many girls around Nio and interested in him.

“What do you need from me to prove your words?” ask Arunika.

Darsono stared at the sky, like he was thinking of something, “There is something I want from you.”

Suddenly, Darsono wrapped his arm around Arunika's waist and pulled the girl closer to him. He who was very close to a handsome man made Arunika's heart beat fast.

“Thanks to your beauty, you drive me crazy. If I do something that makes you hate me, you can go. But, otherwise..” Darsono put his face closer to Arunika's face after saying that. Arunika turned her reddened cheeks.

“You talk too much,” said Arunika.

“I mean it.”

What Darsono did was a surprise to him, and the man was still embracing himself. Nio had never done anything like this, Arunika thought.

“I love you. If I had someone like you, I would be very lucky. Do you want to do it?”

Arunika saw Darsono's lips approaching her after saying that to her. Arunika closed her eyes.

A green garden with a number of neatly trimmed trees, the sound of a fountain was enough to calm Nio down a little. He walked on a stone path lined in the park, looking for a bathroom when ‘natural call’ can no longer be rejected.

I'm far from fucking that. Why is big brother looking pretty just for the damn thing, what's his problem? He doesn't even need to pay attention to me. All the gloom in Nio's heart is compounded by Darsono who will soon have Arunika.

Arunika is Nio's first love that makes him start to be attracted towards the opposite sex, and the worst part is that Arunika will forget or ignore his earnest feelings. Nio thinks his relationship with Arunika will continue to run until he does not need to be sent abroad for a long time, but now Arunika is wearing her best clothes and discussing marriage. Nio was not so sure Arunika would return to accept her feelings.

In addition, the gazes of Darsono's parents and grandfather felt that they did not want his existence, as if to say, “Arunika is not an ordinary person. Don't you dare act like you can get close to him.”

All I want is Arunika's happiness. But why do I have to be with that shit…?

Just as he turned the corner of the street, staring into the pond with the fountain as there was nothing good to make him focus, Nio stopped. He saw Arunika and Darsono talking near the pond. He could not hear what they were saying, but if his eyes did not deceive him, they seemed to be having fun.

“!!!”

Nio saw Darsono approaching Arunika, with his lips both very close.

Nio's body stiffened, as if he was getting a shot at the heart. Sweat was flowing from every pore in his body. Then he turned around from his current place, and walked away from the pool. Nio thought the pain of his heart could no longer be held back.