Love of the Journalist
30. Little Girl and Big Brother

...30. Little Girl and Big Brother...

- Surabaya

Seventeen years ago....

“Bocah toothless .. boy toothless ... boy toothless.”

The cry of an 8-year-old little girl sounded as if sitting on one of the benches near a teeter game.

The little girl looked down and rubbed her eyes. And keep crying. While there were some boys surrounding him. Bully him with ridicule.

“Bocah toothless .. boy toothless ... boy toothless!” yell at some of those boys. Again and again. While clapping and mocking him continuously. Makes her cry even more.

He who cannot bear to see it. Approaching them. Then scream loudly.

“Woii ...! If you dare to fight me. Don't be brave with a little girl. Cemen ...!” While tracing the waist of the boy who was stepping on the teenager challenged them.

“Come if you dare here. Look out tomorrow if you bother him again. Same with me!” Threaten not to mess around.

Some of the boys were scared. The teenager in front of him was taller and bigger than them. They soon ran away too.

Then he approached the little girl who was still sobbing and looked down unwilling to look at him.

“You are safe,” said the teenage boy.

“You should not be silent if ridiculed ...” Strictly speaking.

The little girl was crying even more. Don't know why? He's getting confused.

“Hei! Cengeng bangeett anyway,” sungutnya sebal. Helped even make her dizzy.

“Can diem, no?!” ensuing snaps.

No doubt aggravated the situation of the little girl.

He is confused. No sister at home. Never treat her the way she should treat girls. Usually he and his sister wrestle toys quarrel commonplace. Not until crying. They were educated into being strong boys by his papa.

The teenage boy scratched his nape. Then ruffled his own hair. Frustrations.

He remembered still keeping his favorite leg candy in his pants pocket. The red and blue candy made her smile. With this, he hoped that the little girl's cry would subside.

The ABG (New Child Gede) boy was sitting next to the little girl. Put candy in her palm on the little girl.

“You want?”

The little girl looked up. Eyes sparkling. Her favorite candy is in front of her. He quickly nodded. Rubbing his puffy cheeks and still wet.

“Which one did you choose?”

“Blue or red?” Bargainly. He smiled as it turned out with just a candy, the little girl could come back cheerful. The way he cheered in his heart.

Shamefully the girl chose the color red.

“Why are you crying?” Ask the little girl who was drinking her candy.

But the little girl did not answer.

“Small girl can't cry,” she said. He knew some of the boys were mocking him. He must have cried because of that.

“Let's have a good sister here,” I got by patting her chest. Fumawa.

“Good brother will protect you,”.

“Both good?” Sergey the little girl pursed her forehead. Stopping the movement of candy stewing.

“Yes. Call me good brother,” I got again with confidence.

“What's your name?”

“I?” ask the little girl back.

“Ya .. I asked who else?”

“I ... Kirei Fitriya Tsabita's. Commonly called Kirei,”.

“Say my father, I'm beautiful so be given the name Kirei. Kirei in Japanese which means beautiful,” said the little girl was innocent, no less confident.

“Your father is Japanese?”

The little girl nodded.

“Or do you have Japanese ancestry?”

Again he shook his head.

The teenage boy frowned.

“I've lived in Japan. Born in sana”

“Oh ...” say it while mangut-mangut, then mengumpul smile.

The little girl smiled so much that she showed her teeth and dimples at the same time.

The teenage boy chuckled, “Ha ha ha ...”

Suddenly the little Kirei scowled in annoyance, “Definitely good brother would want to mock me too, right?” Obviously everyone will laugh at him because his front teeth are toothless 2.

Still chuckling the teenage boy said, “Keep Kirei. Even if your teeth are toothless, you are still beautiful kok.”

The words made the little girl smile happily. It turns out that in addition to mother, father, Ken and Santi's mother of course as his teacher, there are still people who like it even though his teeth are toothless. For most of his friends ridicule and bully him.

**

The day is getting hotter. When a motor vehicle stops at the edge of the park. Very poor vehicle. Honking twice, little Kirei immediately stepped up from her seat.

“I have to go home, Brother. My mother's picked up,”.

“Can I see my sister again tomorrow?” kirei asked before he actually stepped foot.

They promised to meet again tomorrow at the same place and time. Linking both of their little fingers marks a deal.

The next day in the same place and hour they meet again for the second time.

“You waited a long time?” Ask her good sister.

The teenage boy sat next to him.

“New. But soon my bundaku pick up,” said little Kirei. Today you can pick her up on time. Not like yesterday. Because yesterday, you had extra work, he said. Mother teaches at a special needs children's foundation.

Little Kirei took out the supply container from his bag.

"This is for brother .. because good brother helped Rei yesterday," he thrust a container of blue stock with a picture of a micky mouse.

The ABG man accepted it.

“Did the kids yesterday bother you again?”

The little girl nodded.

“Kalo they're bothering you again. You should reply. Don't shut up!” hatchlings.

Little kirei nodded.

“Good!” Excitement with thumbs up.

“Nih ...” Big brother thrust two more leg candies at her.

“Blue or red?”

Little Kirei chose red.

“Still, Brother is good.” Said Kirei with a smile.

“Why do you like red?”

The little girl was silent for a while, “Rei wanted to be like a father. Brave father. Dad also likes red ...” Unmistakably.

“Kalo sister why like to bring candy blue same color red?”

“Like aja,” hatchback original.

“Kan, surely there is a reason?” Urge little Kirei.

He brushed his lips and raised his shoulders.

“Both brother not school?” Kirei asked when he saw the good brother who was still wearing the blue and white Junior High School uniform. It's still 1pm. They should be studying in class, right?

“Today meeting teachers. So no lessons,” says lightly.

“Ohh .. so if you go to school in Junior High if the teacher is close, do not study ..” Murmuring little girl with mangut-mangut.

“Why?”

“Soalah if in class Rei, if the teacher keeps learning, even given the task ...” Her shirt was plain while stalling the candy.

Big brother thinned his lips, “Beda! SD is still small. Have much to learn,” should be. He intentionally truant. To fulfill the promise of meeting his little girl.

The sound of a double horn made Kirei immediately rise from his seat.

“Kak, I go home first. Thanks for the candy ...” The candy that was still in his mouth he picked up and pointed into the air.

The teenage boy smiled as he waved his hand, “Sunday to meet tomorrow again!” he shouted as Kirei had already moved away.

But this time there was no link between the little fingers - both signs of agreement. But he's sure. Kirei must always be here. Because the school is right next to the children's playground.

Day three. The boy was waiting for him at the same time and place. By carrying a container of supplies intends to return it. Nil. Little girl not seen in the park.

Patiently waiting in front of the school gate. Wish a little girl with shoulder-length hair, dimpled out while smiling at him.

His hopes were dashed. All the elementary school kids have come home. The school is also empty.

And so on until the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh day.

“Where are you actually going?” Mumbled.

**

While in a minimalist style housing. A little girl was cleaning her toys. He put it in a big box.

During the week, she had trouble adapting to her new friends. Neither friends at school nor friends at his new housing complex.

He had to move house and school further because the old house was hit by a rumble. The reason is that the old housing complex stands on disputed land.

The little girl is also now a schoolgirl with her brother Ken. School closer than home. Make them leave on foot.

You have to travel 45 minutes to get to work. So too with the father.

“Nda, it's done.” Report to the mother who has cleaned up her toys. Since childhood he has been accustomed to cleaning toys after playing.

“Now wash your hands!” Mother's orders.

It had been a week more he had always thought of a good brother. I wish I could meet him back. A smile rose on his lips. Remember the good brother who helped and taught him not to stay silent if he was in the bully.

“One day Rei, want to meet good brother,” murmured.

-

-

Thank you for stopping by, reading and giving support!🙏