Like a Former Nail
Episodes 4.2
Before the message was sent, several times Gebri had to type and delete it over and over, especially for the man's call. Do I have to call Rion– considering their age equivalent and ever sekatan– would you call him ‘Kak Rion’ as he said earlier because now he is a senior on campus?
Tttrrrttt.. tttrrrttt. again Gebri's phone vibrated again, and now a little surprised him. It turned out that quite quickly also Rion retaliated.
[LINE 02:01 PM]Rion Michael Fernandez
How about brtmu?
Gebri's forehead continues to frown. What an unexpected answer. Though Gebri thought, Rion would reply with casual sentences like: it's okay. Or the phrases that relate to what happened five years ago: I should have gotten that. No need to apologize, I should be the one apologizing. But it turned out that such words did not appear, unlike his shadow.
[LINE 02:06 PM]Gebri Adinda
Sorry, I can't
[LINE 02:08 PM]Rion Michael Fernandez
I beg. Please!
The one I want to break up
Talk about? Aboutwhat? Is this about Galang's beating in front of him? Or something that happened five years ago? batin Gebri kept wondering before returning to reply.
[LINE 02:11 PM]Gebri Adinda
Sorry, I'm bnr2 tk bsa
I'm as busy as college
Gebri hopes this answer can undo Fernandez's male intentions. There's nothing more to talk about. Their past needs no more to be told. Isn't Rion's life comfortable enough and looks happy now?
[LINE 02:14 PM]Rion Michael Fernandez
What is your apkh in kosan?
Ak ak k k kosanmu skrg
Gebri's forehead once again frowned. What the fuck is that answer. The sentence clearly showed rejection, but why did Rion still seem pushy?
Gebri again was about to retaliate, again about to dismiss Rion's wishes before he was suddenly stunned. Maybe it's good that he agreed to the man's request. Maybe Rion did not like the apology from him for Galang's attitude that was not conveyed directly, as if insincere. But which place is suitable for their meeting? Is it Kosan Wisma Bestari? No, Gebri's head quickly shook his head. The boarding residents are almost all students at the University of Yogyakarta, even friends and Rion's class are also there. He didn't want to risk the secret being exposed, letting people know who the men were supposed to be.
Where is the place where people don't know them? In Malioborokah? Ah, although it is unlikely that people know them but the place is very unsuitable for one-on-one speaking. Or in the library of the area behind the Gramedia shop? That place doesn't either. That place doesn't fit either. Ah, suddenly Gebri remembered a housing quite far away. About thirty minutes from campus.
“Kon, your home is at Student Army Theater Km 10, right?” gebri asked to make sure even though he had gone there several times.
Koning's head slightly nodded small without switching from the Toshiba laptop in front of him.
“Is there any of our campus children living there?”
“No,” Koning buzz with still focus on 14 inch screen.
Gebri looked back at the screen of his phone, replying to the message.
[LINE 02:20 PM]Gebri Adinda
Sdg tk d kosan
Bisakh kta brtmu in perum Puri Alam Permai no. D2
Jg. Student Army Palagan km 10
Tk trlalu far from palagan asri park
[LINE 02:22 PM]Rion Michael Fernandez
Jm brp?
[LINE 02:24 PM]Gebri Adinda
Sktr jm 4
LINE 02:22 PM]Rion Michael Fernandez
Okay
Trima ksh
Thinking it was Rion's last message and feeling that he didn't have to reply, Gebri put his phone back in his pocket and then looked at Koning. “Kon, can I come to your house this afternoon?”
“Can. If you need to stay there. It was just me and Mbak Surti,” Koning replied enthusiastically.
“But someone will come. Is it okay she came there?” gebri said carefully, hoping that the girl would not be angry because she heard that her house was the meeting place with Rion. Only Koning– house according to him– has a small chance of people from the University see them, considering its location is quite far from the road Kaliurang Km 14.5, and suitable for them to talk to each other four eyes.
“Who?”
“Kak Rion.”
“Oh, okay,” responds to Koning before facing towards his laptop again and leaves Gebri dumbfounded in his place.
Not what the thick-browed girl thought. Koning was not angry. Nor do they throw out consecutive question sentences. Was he not curious about her and Rion's story? Didn't that curiosity cross in his heart? And now Gebri feels bad. It might be a good idea for him to have to tell his past and Rion, even though the round-faced girl before him was never demanding.
¬^_^
“Kon, I want to go ahead first.”
Koning took his eyes off his smart phone. “Kak Rion has arrived?”
“No idea,” reply Gebri then walk towards room door.
Uneasily. Fretted. Worriedly. It was that kind of mood that was eating away at Gebri's current feelings. There was a little regret too. He should not have had to contact Rion, let alone agree to his request to meet each other. Without even apologizing for Galang's actions, Rion would definitely understand. Galang's attitude is merely a form of the attitude of a younger brother who wants to protect his older sister. But now everything is done. Canceled is no longer useful. Rion must have been around the residential area of Puri Alam Permai.
Tet... Just as Gebri passed through the front door of the house, the sound of a car clone sounded. Gebri's heartbeats suddenly rumbled like the eruption of Mount Merapi, especially when he saw a man who looked handsome in a shirt suit and black jeans coming out of the car. Gebri as much as possible showed off a friendly smile. Confirm in your heart that this meeting is only a few minutes.
“Hai!” greet Rion, a little awkward.
“Hi too, Brother!” gebri replied in a relaxed tone as possible, even though his heartbeat was more than just rumbling now. “Please sit down, Brother!” ask him to sit on a green plastic chair right in front of the window.
“Call Rion only. Whatever our age is.”
Gebri nodded his head approvingly, then sat down in one of the chairs. Silent. Suddenly silent atmosphere. Gebri's head even had a look down, looking at the ceramic floor that looked quite attractive today, before deciding to raise his head steadily. The more he kept silent, the longer they were in front of the terrace. He only needed to apologize for Galang's attitude and this meeting ended, so there was no need to linger close to Rion.
“I apologize for Galang's attitude yesterday and how are you doing now?” gebri asked as he looked at Rion's face, carefully examining the face that still had bluish bruises in some parts.
“It's okay. It's getting better now,” Rion replied by fingering his face, grimacing a little when accidentally pressing too strongly onto that bruised part.
“I'm really sorry for Galang's attitude,” Gebri repeated again, feeling very unwell.
“I've forgiven him even though neither you nor Galang apologized. I should've gotten those punches. I've left you first and made you suffer.”
Silent again. Gebri did not know what to respond to the sentence. Gebri is also confused as to how to end this conversation. There is nothing more to discuss, especially the events of five years ago. Let the story be only the past. No need to be tapped again. After all, he and his family had promised Rion's parents in a tense third Sunday of May meeting, no one should know that Rion is also responsible for his disgrace.
Five minutes passed, the situation was still the same. No words came out of both of their mouths. Gebri was already agitated in his sitting. Want this situation to end soon so that he can go into the house and do the college assignments that were postponed.
There was still no sign of Rion saying a word, Gebri took the initiative to express the intention to enter the house. Although it sounds disrespectful. But how else, this situation is really worrying. A sweat on his forehead suddenly appeared, as a sign of anger.
“Did you give birth to it?”
Just as Gebri was about to open his voice, Rion had already gone ahead and made Gebri's body not wrinkled. Stiff in place. Did the youngest Fernandez force a meeting because of this? Ah, she had forgotten that moment, the fact that Rion wanted to talk to her about something.
“Did you give birth to her, Geb?” rework Rion again.
Gebri's body was still frozen in place. His face is now paled.
“Is he a boy? Or women?” Rion got up from his seat, approached Gebri, then knelt down, hoping that the girl could respond to all his questions. “Geb, please answer my question! Did you give birth to her? Can I see it? He must be four years old now.” Now that Rion's eyes were glazed over, it had been a long time since he wanted to know that reality, the reality of the tiny figure flowing through his blood. Rion's desire gets stronger as his eyes catch Gebri's posture in the campus corridor for the first time since five years have passed. “Please answer, Geb! However I deserve to know because I am his biological father,” shrewd Rion while holding both hands Gebri, conveying invisible vibrations.
Gebri's body is no longer stiff as before, it is now vibrating violently with the sound of sobs that suddenly appear, and Rion was still faithfully waiting for a word that came out of the bangs in front of him. Gebri must have remembered the circumstances five years ago.