Jogja, You & Memories
The 38th Temple

I know Kendranata and Pranata were born from the same womb at almost no different time. It may be just a second that differentiates their age. I know Pranata's great ambition, but what is possible is that great ambition is also ingrained in Kendranata's body behind his polite attitude that feels to block my steps into the future.

“Depending.”

That sentence seemed impossible for the male family to do, there was no way they had any malicious intentions towards me or Dominic. It's been two years. Dominic was not wrong, he did not even ask Pranata to go in his place. But Pranata himself asked for it. Their friendship is perfect, the two support each other regardless of the love that makes this story murky forever. Creeper everywhere. And imprinted without remainder.

Should've ended. Done it. After everything left here disappeared from my eyes, but the figure of Kendranata changed the shortcut I took with Dominic.

My days began to fill with anxiety after meeting her even after chugging a glass of black coffee that made me fly into the clouds.

My eyes are hard to shut, my mind drifts everywhere. Wandering through every memory that fills my lonely space. Sparking wild imaginations about Kendranata. Maybe he's different from Pranata, maybe. Don't know then no dear. But Dominic has tied me up. This ring glittered under the light of a sleeping lamp.

I grabbed my phone and called her at half-time in the morning. I need to wait until six calls before the greeting sounds melodious in my ear.

“Domi... I'm interrupting your sleep?”

“Huge interruption, Ras.” It sounded like he was yawning so wide that he was infecting me to yawn. “Still unable to sleep from earlier?”

“I thought of you, thought of us.”

“Yakin? Is it just because caffeine keeps your mind going everywhere? Race... Do not try to drink black coffee again, your stomach is more tormented later.” he said gently and firmly. “That yesterday was an emotion, not really telling you to drink coffee!”

“I know what it's like to be you now, Dom. I want to be honest with you. Honestly.”

“No, don't talk now. I hate your tone of voice, Ras!” quickly serge.

“Why?”

“Your feelings are messed up, I'm sure!” Dominic regained control of my anxiety and knew very well that my little heart was in memory. Now I'm sure he's upset because of what I said.

“A week I'm going to your city to measure clothes all stories.”

“I made a mistake with you.” reply me quickly. “I went to Surakarta, I met Kendranata. I need you, Dom. You need more than anything now. My mind is tired, I want to ask you all the same. Everything without you having to cover again and I cover.”

“Yes God, clock is here vent.” Dominic turned off his phone.

I stared at my phone screen in disappointment. Dominic must be hurt, I know, but I can't hide it.

Father's anger haunts me.

The arrival of Kendranata is terrifying.

Dominic's anger I'm avoiding.

Deep down, I was worried. I'm scared away from Dominic. I don't want him to be okay. I was afraid that the grudge was hurting both of us and destroying us to the point of being far from happy.

*

*

*

In the dimness of the room lamp. I looked at the man sitting on the edge of the bed carefully. I need to open my eyes repeatedly to see if she's just a dream or real.

“Sleep what time are you?”

“Domi.” I close myself up until I close the thin slit of our bodies that splits on the bed. “Do not get off.” My hands are tight on his back.

“Buset, aggressive also you, Ras.” Dominic chuckled while letting my face stick to his chest for a while. He's not my dream, he's coming, real, someone I've been waiting for here. In the arms of regret and comfort that I've been craving all night.

“Domi, I'm having a hard time breathing.” I said as I patted her on the shoulder. He lifted his face resting on his shoulder and then smiled slightly. Her eyes looked at me with the drowsiness she endured while a tinge of red was visible on her beautiful eyelids.

“You came all the way here for me? Yes?” I asked while holding both sides of her waist.

Dominic glared at me with a tired look and wanted to despair. Next to her hand was stroking my cheek and tidying up her hair, one of her hands supporting her weight. Dominic took a deep breath.

“Honestly I'm sleepy, Ras. I'm still riding the train back and forth Jogja Malang just to take care of you and look at you kayak earlier, I want to quickly sleep you.”

I turned a face. “Many things we'll take care of and straighten out, Domi. Don't—”

“Punyaku already.” His lips devoured my lips as if he really wanted to devour what was presented before his eyes right now. His feet that were restrained on the edge of the couch crawled up, filling my body on his bed.

“My intention is to ask you straight, do not break my intention, Ras.” Dominic looked at me with a groggy face.

I rubbed her lips so wet with my thumb.

“You're angry now? You need an impingement?” ask me with a trembling voice.

“Not an impingement, but you... Race. You are the one I desperately remove from the Pranata family, but it is precisely you who dropped down again there!” Dominic dropped his forehead on my forehead.

“Honestly I'm so tired, Ras. Get out of my room before we talk again.” he said firmly and emotionally.

I was trying to shift my position that was being sucked under him to make room for rest. “From yesterday I slept here. Sleep over. I'm out when you're asleep.”

“I forgot, sometimes I can face you as a friend but also a fiancee. I forgot, Ras. There are two statuses we can live with. But for now I prefer to face you as a friend.”

“But no one kisses his best friend's lips!” hatch me.

Dominic grinned, he took off his jacket while covering the table lamp with the item until the atmosphere of the room looked darker. A gust of sunlight doesn't really infiltrate this room. Maybe it's cloudy outside. Support the atmosphere for both.

Dominic slid his body down beside me while holding his hand on my arm.

“Because I accept you as a friend, not as my fiance!”

“Means?” I paused by tilting my body facing him. “You have also kissed your other female friends just because you accepted them for what they are?” ask me with kelu intonation.

“You're the only one I admit as a girl friend, the others just stopped by.”

“Oh,” I put on a wry face. “You're sleepy, you can rest let me out. Afraid father angry.” Trying to get up from the bed, Dominic held my wrist and made me turn my head.

“It won't be forever that we live as two best friends, Ras. I don't want my status to change. The rules of the game have changed too. I want you to appreciate me more as your fiance!”

In the afternoon dimness that contains the inner bersamukan, and drizzle the rhythm of rain on the tile. I kissed Dominic's forehead and stroked his cheek before the spring came out to coincide with the local rain. Father flushed me with a bucket of well water equipped with his voice that continuously contains embers.

“Virgin rainbow clouds, want your sustenance at the chicken stake?” the grunt is thick while removing the mop from the furniture room.

I flinch with my body soaked. “Klebus. Klebus!” (Wet outside-in. Wet!”

🖤