I'm Not My Boss' Storage
Still thinking about you

WHEN moving to Bandung five years ago, Agni was afraid it would be difficult to adapt in Uak Puput's house. They rarely meet, maybe only once or twice a year when Lebaran homecoming. The frequency of visits continued to decrease until the father died.

Then, while taking care of the removal of the tomb, Agni did not think of settling in Kota Kembang. The girl only said she would make a pilgrimage to her father's grave if she could. Uak Puput also promised to take care of her sister's final resting place placed near her husband's grave.

Who would have thought Agni would soon become a permanent resident of Bandung. It must be recognized from the employment prospects, Jakarta has wider opportunities. However, Bandung offers the comfort he needs after years of suffering in the capital.

“Shia what time come here?” Tonight, Uak Puput cooks sauteed spinach and scrambled eggs. Simple, but it always makes Agni addicted. “If you want to nginep, Uak must clean the guest room.”

“No need, Shia sleeps in my room,” intercept Agni. “Say tomorrow at tenth until Bandung. I minjem motor Uak, yes, make a pick up at pool travel.”

“Cicil car atuh, Agni. Meh teu hese rec kamamamana tea*.”

I don't know how many times Uak Puput suggested it. Not without reason he said it. Agni's salary is enough to pay for a private vehicle. Even to buy cash, the savings can be used for an affordable city car. So, Agni is free to travel without having to rely on a motorcycle taxi or Rano's invitation. Even they can vacation both to the tourist attractions of today.

“Say Uak peek to Korea with me. Soon enough money, you know, for us to spend a week in Seoul,” Agni brought up one of the missions that Uak Puput wants to achieve. “This year I deliberately have not taken leave so that I can get a long ration later this year.”

The eyes of Uak Puput instantly sparkled. “So we tea see snow in Seoul?”

“So, so. So Uak do not discuss the others first if you want jarambah*.”

After dinner and washing the cutlery, Agni rushed to prepare the room. Shia, who now works as a manager at a restaurant in Jakarta, sometimes goes to Bandung for a vacation. The last two months, his visit was also intended to monitor the branch of the restaurant planned to be built on Jalan Riau.

Although both are well established, Shia chose to spend the night at Uak Puput's house rather than a hotel. He also deliberately did not bring his personal car so that he could walk around Bandung on a motorcycle with Agni. “In Jakarta where you can kayak like this”, Shia commented as they searched Dago last month.

Agni exhaled a long breath after putting on a new bed sheet, then turned on her sleep lamp before laying down her body. With a cell phone and at the same time, Rano called him.

Like the little girl who received the favorite candy, Agni smiled widely, then pressed the green button to receive the call.

*

“The hot hum is already like Jakarta, nih,” Shia chatter when out of the travel bus. “By the way, I bring **frozen food in backpack. Let until home can directly cook for maksi.”

Agni handed the helmet to her best friend. “Pout Uak Discharge not nyetok ingredients for lunch. Apparently there are those who bring supplies from Jakarta.”

“Lumayan, right, let Uak Puput rest on weekend.” Instead of picking up the helmet, Shia turned to the front of the parking area instead. “Bentar, Ni, I want to buy egg rolls equally cilor for snacking.”

About fifteen minutes later, Agni and Shia arrived at Uak Puput house located not far from Diponegoro Street. The door of the house is locked, indicating that Uak Puput is still in the food stall. Agni then pulled out a spare key, then invited Shia to go straight into her room on the second floor.

“Ke Pasibu Field, yuk, tomorrow morning,” Shia asked when Agni helped her remove luggage from bags and backpacks. “Sama Uak Puput all of you, do not need to sell first tomorrow.”

“Beres, done.” Agni pulled out a bag containing various frozen food. Most of them are typical Korean foods such as gimmari, mandu, kimchi, and odeng. It was very clear Shia prepared it for Uak Puput. “Lo want to check out the restaurant too? Today I am empty, so can anter to and fro.”

“Yoi, afternoon ajalah, about half four. I want to sleep first abis maksi.” Then, Shia moved on to arrange the clothes on the small shelf that Agni had prepared for her. However, his steps stopped when he caught a long object such as a door that was leaning against the closet.

Shia stroked the surface covered in newspaper. “Ni, this is the painting, isn't it?”

Agni's back vertical. He looked back and found his best friend standing near the object. “Uh, yes. The size is too large to be displayed in the room. I also can not install in the living room, too.. well.”.

“It looks like just yesterday you took a long trip to Europe.” Shia clucked, while Agni tried to find another topic to divert the conversation. “Gue seems to think you will be the same boss lo it, but the soul mate no one knows, yes.”

“Height, Shi. Different from Rano, he's one level with me.” Agni carries a bag of frozen food. “Gue to the kitchen first, yes, all of you wait for Uak Puput home.”

While going down the stairs, Agni tried to get rid of her memories while in Europe. Why is that memory so disturbing? Why can't Agni keep it in the archive of pleasant memories? It was as if there were affairs from that period that he needed to sort out before getting married to Rano.

However, how would Agni have to resolve it if the cause alone was hard for her to find?

**

“You’ll thank me later, Bro. Jakarta is crazy hot right now,” said Micah, as if realizing the response Ishaan was about to throw. “Gue has learned the project you are working on and will take next year. How are your clients, already given a notice you will go home?”

“They know. Someone will contact you to email to discuss the design of the cafe in Berlin.” Once again, Ishaan checked his departure schedule. Tanisha, along with Dareen, Haikal, and Bu Ajeng, flew first last night. Ishaan needs to finish some work in Frankfurt.

Micah took a sip of his coffee that was almost gone. “Before you enter the plane, I want to ask something.”

“Ask what?”

“I’m not siding with your sister, okay?” Friend's cleared. “Sunday ago, my subordinates were assigned to Bandung to check stock. Then, he saw Dareen go into the hotel with the girls. She doesn't know who she is, but looks much younger than sister-in-law and lo.”

Ishaan gets curious, does Micah still have feelings for Tanisha? However, he chose to keep the question. “What do you want to ask?”

“What are your plans to do to help Tanisha find proof of Dareen's affair?”

“To be honest, I have no idea.” The easiest plan Ishaan can propose is to field a spy. “Until now, I still think Sister Tanisha is just overthinking because Dareen is rarely at home. I went back to Jakarta just to calm him down.”

“Lo is not at all suspicious of the same acts of law lo?”

“Micah, make assuming it's hard. We were separated by a long distance. It's only the curse of Tanisha's sister that fills my curiosity.”

Before Micah debated further, Ishaan shuffled from the chair and pulled his suitcase. “I gotta go now. If there is anything in the office, send an email first. I reply as soon as I enter the office.”

“Ishaan, bentar.” Micah's call stopped his steps. On the doorstep of the cafe, his best friend looked at him fixedly before saying,

“Agni has not worked in Jakarta.”

*

Agni is not working in Jakarta.

Over the years, Ishaan finally gets an update on the girl.

Actually, since officially taking care of the company in Frankfurt, Ishaan tried hard not to check Agni's condition. Unfortunately, Micah is not an easy figure to be fooled. His best friend sometimes gives information in passing. Either in the middle of a chat or a pleasant-talk when conveying business developments in Jakarta.

The last information that Micah conveyed, about six or seven years ago, was Agni graduated cum laude. The letter of recommendation he sent also helped the girl get a job. I don't know what his position is. The secretary? Administrative staff? Personal assistant? Whatever it is, Ishaan is grateful that Agni's affairs continue to be waged and spit out.

Sometimes, Ishaan monitors from social media. It's not directly to Agni's account, because everything is padlocked. The only source she relied on was Shia's account. In a number of photos and videos, Shia shared her moment with Agni. Unfortunately, Agni's existence gradually disappeared with the reduced frequency of Shia wearing medsos.

"Knowledge of the stalking anon account he turned out to have lo,” Micah said when Ishaan told me about it. “Lagian lo kayak teen responsibility make an account soan. I can ask you who knows Shia.”

A flight attendant arranges dinner for Ishaan. Every now and then, they sat up, making the flight attendant blush. In the past, before meeting Agni, Ishaan would definitely take the opportunity to get acquainted or insert a phone number that usually ends up on a one night stand at the hotel.

Now, Ishaan responds only to the stewardess' smile with a thank-you note, then starts eating her food. To quote Tanisha, he may have been converted. Ready to build a house.

If that is the case, then why Ishaan even chose single rather than looking for a companion for life?

Why was it only Agni's figure that she expected to accompany him?

***

*[Sundays] Let's not be hard going anywhere.

** [Sundays] Long walks.