Secret Denis
Twenty-five

Denis and Alex buy some clothes and some of their personal needs. They only buy things they really need. They have to cut spending. For the first time Alex bought goods at a very cheap price, even then using the money given from others. Their journey was still far away, and they had no idea what they would face later.

After feeling enough with their groceries, they immediately returned to the village. It was past noon when Denis' motorbike drove on the deserted, dusty village road.

"Is the car behind us following us?" alex asked, looking back. A black car drove behind them. Alex just realized that the car was behind them.

Denis glanced at the rearview mirror. He increased the speed of his bike to find out if the car was following him or not. It turned out that the car was driving his vehicle, chasing the motor driven by Denis.

"Be careful Den." Shouts Alex. He was a bit surprised when Denis drove his bike above standard speed all of a sudden. The wind felt like it was hitting their bodies from the front hard. The car behind them kept pace with the speed of the motor driven by Denis.

"They want to mess with it." Denis turned his bike into a narrow road until the car behind him could not follow. But as soon as the motor came out of the road, apparently the car was waiting for them to start the road.

"Dam." The mouth came out of Denis's mouth. He returned to run the motorbike but the car had moved in front of Denis' motorbike and stopped suddenly blocking the road Denis was about to go through.

Denis braked the motor so that the motor turned a little bit. Alex holds Denis' shoulder to keep his balance from falling over. The two then got off the bike and stared at the dark-glazed car.

The back door of the car opened, showing two men with very sharp faces. His gaze sharply scanned Alex and Denis' faces. With a steady step both of them approached Alex and Denis so that they were at a distance enough for them to measure each other's courage.

Alex and Denis set their distance so they can keep each other in case of a surprise attack. Their eyes were wary of seeing the movements of the two men. They still had not let out a sound, waiting for the two men to start.

"So you two songong men who have made our friends battered?" One of the men made his voice. His burly hands seemed to clench at his side.

"Who do you mean?" Denis asked with his face straightened. He did not want to lose to that man who had already shown his unwillingness to intimidate.

The man looked at the car. The front door opened and showed a man with a tattoo around his neck last night delivering Denis and Alex, and trying to rob them.

Denis smiled slantedly at the man.

"Oohs.. So you're still curious about us apparently. Now bring a friend to ngeroyok us? Haha.cemen really be a person." Denis grieving. The cynical look he showed to demean the abilities of those men.

The man who spoke to Denis raised his head while giving the code to his friend through a glance. His friend immediately opened an attack aimed at Denis. His fist flew towards Denis face. With a swift Denis pulled back his head and brushed the man's sturdy arm with his right hand. It felt like the man's heavy hands were so loud and powerful.

The man seemed surprised that his attack had not been successful. He returns to attack Denis and Denis manages to evade.

"My friend *******!! Don't just dodge like a girl!!" the man growled with anger that began to rise.

"Please calm down. We can talk about this." Alex tried to negotiate. He stepped a little closer to the man.

"We didn't come here looking for trouble. We don't want enemies." Alex tried to keep talking to the three men in front of him.

"Eleh.don't talk much of you. Fight us if you're good at it." The rogue man launches his attack on Alex, followed by another man who again attacks Denis. The man who drove Denis last night only noticed a fight near the car. Another person who is a driver remains in the car while watching the situation. He's the same guy who drove that car last night. Name's Slamet.

The man who was Denis' opponent staggered back when a crushing blow hit his nose. But instead of deterred, the man even more berpursu to avenge Denis's punch. He intensified his attacks, but quickly Denis can anticipate it well. Even a powerful kick from Denis made the man fall to the ground for the first time.

The man immediately got up and looked at Denis full of anger. He again lunged at Denis accompanied by a loud shout to thrill the opponent. His round, hard fists almost hit Denis, but Denis was still able to dodge as his hands poked the man's jaw followed by his knees hitting the man's stomach.

Not wanting to linger, Denis continued to attack the man repeatedly until the man was sprawled on the ground. So did the man who fought Alex. In an instant the two grimaced on the ground with battered faces.

Alex and Denis stared at each other in a still-vigilant position. His eyes looked at the other man near the car. The tattooed man who last night had already first sensed how ferocious Alex and Denis were.

The man grimaced as he walked closer.

"Sorry mas. I didn't tell them. They're just wondering if the same thing could've knocked me out last night." Scared the man talked to Alex and Denis. His body gesture showed fear and respect for the two handsome men before him.

"Who told you?" Jerk Denis with a sharp eye.

"We no one told us. Really. Our friend just wants to prove that you guys are better than us." The tattooed man named Jarwo said in a polite tone. It's a lot different than when he was threatening Denis last night.

The two men Denis and Alex had just dropped stood holding their jaws which must have hurt. No more glitches in their eyes.

"If I knew you were lying, you'd know the consequences." Denis stared in turns at the men. His hands clenched perfectly at his side.

"Go from here. Don't ever bother us again. If we see you again, don't expect you to survive." Denis stared intently at the men.

"We promise not to bother you again. Thank you for letting us go." Jarwo lowered his body before gesturing for two of his friends to leave from there.

Without speaking the two men rushed into the car followed by the tattooed man who had previously shown his ringing to Alex and Denis.

The car sped away leaving Alex and Denis still standing. Alex shook his head.

"That's it. Attacked us and left."

Denis snorted while returning to his bike. Turn on the engine and wait for Alex to ride behind him.

The motor then drove away from the place accompanied by the wind that hit their bodies draining the sweat that had flooded the bodies of two people on it.

"Do you think they're dangerous to us?" Alex asked as the bike started to run. After all, the attack of the rogue man could not be underestimated. They need to be more vigilant about the incidents they have experienced.

"It looks like they're just plain terminal thugs. It has nothing to do with the person you're after."

"I hope so." Alex says slowly. He wondered why the same problem was approaching him.

"You know all the area here?" Alex asked from behind Denis' back after a long period of silence.

"Not really. I used to sit in the back seat and I didn't know the way." Sahut Denis's.

"You're very close to your maid's family."

"They're not just helpers, they're my real parents."

Alex nodded his head. His eyes looked at the expanse of rice fields on the right and left side of the road.

"Did we pass this place last night?"

"Of course."

Alex tells Denis to stop when he sees a shady tree on the side of the road. Denis pulled his bike right under the tree.

Both did not get off the bike. Just sitting quietly enjoying the natural scenery that stretches as far as the eye can see.

"I was taken by Mr. Mijan before. While working in my family, he can buy rice fields and garden land here." Denis's eyes were pawing.

"Your parents let you go with the maid?"

"They don't care about me. I can go anywhere I want." Thin grins adorn Denis face.

Denis returned his motorbike to leave the place for Mr. Mijan's house.

Arriving at Mr. Mijan's house, a motorbike was parked in the front yard. Denis parked the motorbike he was driving next to that motorcycle.

They entered the house and were greeted by Darmini.

"You guys are so long. I'm so worried you're afraid of why." His distinctive voice greeted the arrival of Alex and Denis.

"We're fine ma'am." Alex who replied. Denis just smiled.

"Oh yes. There's Anwar in the back. Asih tells him there's a Denis here. So he came straight here."

"Oh yeah? Where's she?"

"That's another fish in the pond. Let's look back." Ms. Darmini went to the back of the house followed by Alex and Denis who first stored their luggage into the room.

In the back of the night, Mr. Mijan and a man were in the pool.

"Mas Anwar!"

"Dennis! Come down here to get some fish!" The man called Anwar waved his hand at Denis. Denis just smiled slightly while shaking his head.

"When he was a kid, he was so stubborn. Not to be banned from mother and father. The desire to go down to the fish. Take a fish like him." Ms. Darmini chuckles next to Alex reminiscing about Denis' childhood. Alex laughed at Denis' mischievous little laugh.

"His childhood must have been so happy to do so many things." Muttered Alex. Denis who was crouching on the edge of the pool saw Anwar and Mr. Mijan up close.

"Will it be flanked by a mas?"

"You want it flanked? Burn it, huh?"

"Well, can you. Long time no grilled fish made in Anwar." Denis was enthusiastic.

"Son Alex is wrong. He was never happy. That's so sorry for Denis." Ms. Darmini said quietly beside Alex. His eyes looked softly at Denis's face which looked bright there.

"Pity why?" Alex frowned. His eyes looked at Darmini's mother full of curiosity.

"He's that..."

"Mak'e, get a container for the fish!" Mr. Mijan shouted from the direction of the pool. Ms. Darmini immediately circulated from Alex's presence to retrieve the object that Mr. Mijan meant.

Alex approaches Denis who is watching Mijan and Anwar.

"Are you really not going down?" Ask Anwar from the pool. His hands are busy cuddling fish using a tool that is in the form of a net but small size.

"No, not mas. I see it from here."

"Ahh cemen now yes. Afraid mud. Or ashamed that someone saw you dirty?"

Denis laughed a little. He was not provoked by Anwar's disparaging remarks.

Asih seemed busy helping Ms. Darmini prepare charcoal to burn fish. A girl came out of the house carrying other needed tools. Then help bu Darmini weed the fish that have been obtained.

Mr. Mijan and Anwar had already climbed out of the pool. They went to rid themselves of the mud that soiled their entire bodies.

"How are you Denis?" Anwar came in with his clothes that had been changed. His body looked fresh after cleansing. His hands stretched out toward Denis who was warmly welcomed by Denis. They shake hands tightly.

"Good mas. Mr. Mijan said Mas Anwar was married?"

"Yes. You when?" Anwar glanced at Alex with a meaningful smile. "Who is this?"

"Friends. His name's Alex." Alex reached out his hand to greet Anwar.

"What friend is this?" Anwar chuckled while greeting Alex. Alex frowned not understanding the direction of Anwar's joke. Denis did not respond to Anwar's remarks. His eyes were actually looking towards the girl who was with Asih.

"Who is it?"

Anwar turned towards the girl Denis had pointed at.

"That's Mariana, my sister-in-law. He just came from Jakarta yesterday."

"Oh yeah? Where's Anwarnya's wife?"

"Later in the afternoon we will be here. Wait until my son gets home from school."

Mariana looks at Denis and Alex. His eyes were wide open to see the two. Hurry up he walks over with eyes watching Denis and Alex.

"Aren't you on that bus?" His eyes moved agilely staring at Denis and Alex alternately. Denis and Alex throw one another a glance. Then Alex nodded and slightly smiled at the girl.

"Yes." Yeah."

"Yes my. The world is so narrow. You are guests at Mr. Mijan's house. Try if you guys say we're coming here, we can go home together. I was picked up by Anwar." The girl was nyerocos at length. But enough to make everyone flabbergasted to hear his words.

"So you were the bus yesterday?" Anwar's eyes were wide. "I picked up Mariana yesterday at the terminal. How did you not realize there were you?"

"They are arrogant. I'll have a chat with them." Mariana pursed her lips. His eyes looked down at Alex and Denis.

"Hush you this. Speak politely." Ms. Darmini clapped Mariana's hand. "You know who this mak'e guest is?"

Mariana shook her head.

"Son Denis is the son of the master mak'e when he worked in Jakarta." Ms. Darmini rubbed Denis' shoulder.

"And that one's Alex, Denis's best friend. You have to be polite with them. Can't be original when you talk."

"Yes. I'm sorry." Mariana smiled at Alex and Denis. His eyes blinked at the two handsome guys who yesterday caught his attention during the trip. It was unexpected that now he could be reunited with those two people. Is this what you call a soul mate? Inner the girl.

"If you had met Anwar at the terminal, you would not have experienced anything last night." Mr. Mijan interrupted their conversation.

"What happened, sir'e?" Anwar looked at his father. Mr. Mijan then recounted the incident last night that happened to Denis and Alex as told by Denis. Anwar seemed surprised to hear his father's words.

"Gee. So you guys come here to be greeted by terminal thugs? So great you Den, can beat those thugs. If people knew, it could be a city. Descend to have the dignity of those thugs." Anwar shook his head while staring at Denis' amazement.

"You from small are great. Remember when you fought with Candra, her son, Mr. Kades, at that time? His body is bigger than yours, but you can beat it easily." Anwar chuckles to remember Denis' childhood.

"Yes. Then his Kades sir came mad with his father." Ms. Darmini chimed. Denis grinned the horse considering his mischief when he came home the same village Mr. Mijan.

"How did the story go?" Alex is enthusiastic about hearing the story about little Denis.

"Yaa.at that time, we give compensation. Love fifty thousand at that time the Candra was already seneng. Haha.." Mr. Mijan replied with a sigh.

"Yo wes's. The story later. Now we eat first. Come on, Ana, the food's ready, right?" Ms. Darmini told Asih and Mariana to serve their lunch. Rice and grilled fish, plus typical rural and lalapan sambal that became their lunch menu today. They had lunch at the top of Mijan's fish pond. A gentle breeze accompanied their lunch. The hue of happiness was engraved on their faces.

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