I Found Love With You
92. The Forest

“Buuuu...can we play out? Aras and Aris have agreed to play together.” rumoured Faris to be allowed to go play.

“Cannot. No one's taking you there. Teh Tuti is busy helping Mak Isah. Mom is busy too.”

Sadiyah paid no heed to Faris's whine.

“But we promised to play together.” Faris was still trying to seduce Sadiyah.

“Tomorrow again to play. Like there is no tomorrow.” Sadiyah's nagging because Faris continues to whine.

Faras pulled Faris' arm and invited her to go to their bedroom.

“We go alone.” invite Faras.

“Abviously Aras knows the way to Om Endra?”

“Tau. The time you don't remember?”

“How about later Mom gets angry.”

“We just said that we promised Om Endra. Promises must be kept.”

Faris nodded his head approving of Faras' plan.

“We leave when?” ask Faris.

“In a moment, if Mom doesn't see us.”

After a while Faras and Faris crept out of their room and headed outside.

After being outside the yard of their house, Faras and Faris immediately ran to reach the crossroads. From there, convinced that the situation was safe, they stopped running and started walking down the street to where they would meet Kagendra.

“Aras...Aris...” Kagendra saw Faras and Faris from a distance and immediately greeted them.

“Om long wait no?” ask Faras.

“No.”

“You came here just alone?” tanya Kagendra felt astonished because he did not see Tuti who usually accompanied them.

“Where is the Tea?” ask Rudi.

“Teh Tutinya is busy helping Mak Nene cook.” replied Faras.

“You should have asked Om to pick you up. Tuti already knows his contact number Om.”

“We're here, Om. Let's go now.” take Faras with his thin tone.

”Aras..kan already Om say that you can not...”.

“Iya..iya..Aras.

“No apologies?” ask Kagendra.

“Iya sorry.” said Faras half-heartedly.

“Ikhlas doesn't apologize?” asked Rudi who giggled to see the behavior of Faras and Kagendra who were really similar.

“What is it, Om?” ask Faris.

“What yes...” Rudi stuck with his own question. He was also confused as to how to answer Faris' question.

“Ikhlas in apologizing it really apologizes, not forced and will not repeat the same mistake.” Kagendra tries to explain in as simple a language as possible to be understood by a five-year-old.

“Ooooh..”.

“Aras often talk ketus with others. Next time you can not, yes.” said Kagendra while stroking the top of Faras' head fondly.

“Aras does not talk ketus. Talk Aras is like this.”

“Aras does speak like that. I also often get angry with Aras because he said so.” said Faris explained.

Kagendra saw a change in the look on Faras' face. He remembered his exact childhood with Faras. At that time, many friends complained to their parents about Kagendra's bad behavior so that his mother was often called to school. Kagendra could not blame Faras's impetuous attitude because he saw himself in Faras. But Kagendra also could not let Faras bad attitude. He tried to advise Faras according to his age.

“It's okay. It doesn't have to change immediately. Slow down Aras try not to talk ketus. If Aras has spoken loudly, Aras must apologize immediately. Understand?” Kagendra squatted to align herself with Faras in order to speak from eye to eye. This was also what his brother used to do when speaking to advise him.

Faras nodded his head with eyes that almost let out a cry. Then Kagendra immediately hugged Faras to calm him down.

“Where to go or take a car?” kagendra asked immediately to divert attention so that Faras did not dissolve in sadness.

“Jalan only, Om.” Excite Faris

“You're not tired?” ask Rudi.

“If you're tired, want Om gendong?” tawar Kagendra

“Not necessary. Cedars are the usual way to the forest.”

“Aris also.”

Not long after, they arrived in the forest.

“That's Om the hanger.” Faris pointed at the ropes of the roots held together to form a rope and could be used for playing and hanging. There was also a large swing made from old tires tied by roots formed like ropes.

Usually the forest will be crowded at the weekend, but today there are only them because today is not a weekend so no one visits the forest other than the four of them.

“This is no one else coming to this place?” ask Rudi.

If Saturday or Sunday many play here, Om. But because it's only Friday’at, the arrival is just us. But if it's quiet like this, Om. Don't wait to play the swing.

Faras and Faris seemed engrossed in hanging from the rootstrap.

“Aras...Aris..be careful...” Excite Kagendra.

“Om, Aras wants to slide from there. Use this used tire.” Faras seemed to point towards a rather high place and there was a track for skating using modified old tires such as a slide board.

“You dare?”

Faras nodded with confidence.

“Ya already, Om between going there.” Kagendra led Faras' hand with his left hand and held the old tyre with his right.

Aris want a slide too?” bargain Kagendra.

“Aris here only swing.” reject Faris.

After reaching the top, Faras prepared to slide and Kagendra slightly pushed his tires in order to slide.

Faras slid a bit fast, on the road he could not control the tire and rolled to the right. Luckily many dried leaves were holding his body up.

Kagendra who was shocked to see Faras toppled immediately ran towards Faras.

“Aras...You okay?” Kagendra examined all body parts suspected of injury due to the toppling earlier.

“It's okay, Om.” instead of crying or complaining in pain but Faras even laughs happily.

“Why laugh? Does anyone hurt?” ask Kagendra worried.

“Seru, Om. Charcoal rolled around like in cartoon movie.”

“True nobody hurts?”

“Om chatty oh. Aras told me how many times but Om can't believe it. Already ah.” Faras left Kagendra who was still dumbfounded to hear the answer from Faras.

After getting tired of playing around, Faras and Faris fell asleep in Kagendra's arms. The three of them fell asleep on a hammock hanging among the trees. While Kagendra, Faras and Faris rest on the hammock, Rudi lay alone on the ground with a pile of dried leaves. The breeze made them fall asleep peacefully.

**********

to be continued...