Soul Riders
Chapter 5 - Secret Admirer
“Come love .. lantern of your love that ..So that I don't fall into darkness .. lest I fall into darkness."
The final lyrics stop Hanum's play on piano keys as a morning ritual. More and more days, the round-eyed girl is increasingly good at kicking notes in tune that are in tune with her merdunya voice. His cleverness in music and singing, increasingly complete the list of perfections that he holds. Hanum is like the embodiment of all beauty, or perhaps it would be more appropriate to call Hanum is beauty itself.
Asih gave a clap of hands, then cupped his fingers to the surface of the skin of the lips which now turned a smile sumringah; admiring his own daughter. Once again he shouted gratitude in his heart for having Hanum. Asih channeled her pride by patting the girl's upright shoulder, and a second later draped her arm from the back to the neck of Hanum's level, until the girl could feel her back tighten.
“How's Mom? did I play it well?” Hanum looked up, turning his body to the right side to release his mother's embrace. Now the two can see each other.
“You're great, Nduk. You can always make the songs sound syahdu and interesting, Mother until confused to comment what else.” praise Asih, began stroking Hanum's jet hair. “Tell me why do you like that song?”
"Okay, I don't know either, maybe because I don't like the dark? like the last verse of his song.” Hanum shrugged both shoulders, giving an original answer.
Asih mangosteen, just accept what Hanum said, “hm? anyway you're great, Nduk." he exclaimed with a thumbs up, “well sweet girl, now let's go to the dresser, I have to tidy your hair.”
Hanum shook his head, “Mother just go down first, I'll do it myself. Don't you want to make breakfast?”
Asih lightly gripped both of Hanum's arms, asking her to rise from her seat and intending to reject her request. The girl obeyed, then pushed back the chair without her backrest. “Mom won't make breakfast before braiding your hair, so don't forbid Mom from doing it. Okay?”
"OK." the girl smiled welcoming Asih's attention as usual.
They came out of the music room, closed the door and left the piano alone there, then headed to Hanum's room right next to him. On the mattress on top of Hanum's favorite blue cotton bed sheet, lay a midi grey skirt and oversized black t-shirt that he had prepared to wear to campus.
Hanum found his father's face from the mirror reflection as he began to sit on the chair; facing the dresser. It scavenges the moisturizer it is infusing with powder onto the surface of the facial skin, and lands the lipbalm on
his lips are already ripe. It also sprinkles violet-scented perfume on the neck, transferring the fragrance there. Behind him, Hanum could see Asih who carefully began to comb his hair, then form it into intricate but aesthetic braids. Asih always liked and enjoyed the activity, as if Hanum had never grown up and had always been her little daughter.
"Look Nduk, you're getting prettier if you're braided like this.” Asih bowed, leaned his head and placed his chin almost on Hanum's shoulders. The look in his eyes could not be separated from the face of his favorite girl in the mirror.
Hanum laughed, “of course Mom, I inherited your beauty.”
Asih shook her head quickly, "you're prettier than Mom and whoever it is." she closed her sentence with a light peck on Hanum's cheek, “oke, put on the shirt, put on it,” she said while pointing to the mattress, “Mom will be down making breakfast. What do you want to eat?”
"Make me omelette ma'am, I want some juice, too. What ingredients do you have?”
“Mango?”
“Yes can, mango juice sounds good.”
“Okay, once done, hurry down.” Asih said it while walking before exiting the door.
Finished with his appearance, Hanum pecked himself once more in front of the mirror, he stood up and turned around to make sure he was satisfied. He rushed out, walking down the stairs that led him into the living room. There he found Tirta who was focused on his work, no, maybe it would be more appropriate to say his hobby. Because, Tirta is the owner of agricultural land, and manager of a privately owned rice mill warehouse. While the activities carried out by Tirta now are not something related to that.
In his sitting, Tirta's stocky body is like a small tent, while his big fingers — as if wearing boxing gloves — is holding an old book, he said, can be seen from the color that has yellowed and looks weathered. Hanum was not surprised, because Tirta had long been a collector of ancient objects. The entire collection he placed in a cupboard covered with glass in the lounge. The book will add to the list of collections. Hanum who walked up to him could catch a glimpse of the contents of the old book, and, all of his spellings were in Javanese. The girl had no interest in reading it.
“Hai Dad, new collection?” greet Hanum after sitting next to Tirta.
“Hai my little girl.” Hanum smiled brilliantly, never mind if Tirta called her a 'little girl' even though in fact she had grown up. “ya so, this is a good book.”
“oya? what is it about?”
“You won't like it, it's about the dark side of man.”
“Sounds scary, I don't want to read it.”
Tirta laughed to see her girl raising her shoulders as an expression of fear, and she found Hanum's face so cute while doing that. Tirta put the old book on the table afterwards.
"yes ... it's better.”
“By the way, you are so beautiful, Nduk.” said Tirta noticed.
Red hue grows on both cheeks of Hanum like the petals of a flower that has just bloomed, “Thanks to his praise Father.”
At the same time, Asih emerged from the kitchen carrying a large tray containing two plates of omelette, one mango juice, and a cup of warm tea. “breakfast has come.” he exclaimed.
“hm ..look delicious ” praise Hanum, “where to have Mom?”
“Shortly, Mom take in the kitchen.”
"OK, take it, we have breakfast together.”
Upon Asih's return to take his breakfast ration, Hanum said something. "Dad, Mom, can I go back to college later I'll take Satya home?” her door hesitated as she spooned the food into her mouth.
“Who is Satya?” Tirta confusion.
“The man you told me about last night, Nduk?” tanya Asih, whom Hanum replied with a quick nod. “daughter we are in love, Yah.” Asih explained to Tirta.
“really? Dad so feel very old now.”
“can not?” hanum fishing rod hopeful.
“hm .. This is how baby, before Dad sees the boy, you better not go first with him. I'll still pick you up. Okay?”
Hanum looks disappointed and smashing face, “keep going with Satya?”
"Take him here first, Father and Mother will be calm if you have seen him.” explained Tirta.
“Mom agrees with your Dad. Get him here first, like I said last night.” Asih assures her husband's words.
“Alright, I will comply with your request."
“Then, where's the smile?” billih Asih's. Hanum also gave his lips even though half forced, in fact not a speck of his sweetness reduced.
Asih suddenly stroked very gently the back of Hanum's hand, “ini for your good, Nduk.”
Hearing that, Hanum's heart melted and touched, he changed his smile from compulsion to sincere.
“Good, now spend your food if you do not want to be late.” Asih said.
After breakfast, the three left only plates and glasses without filling. All their toilets are greedy, because that is the principle, not to waste food. Tirta then got up to pick up the keys to her car hanging from a nail, right next to the glass-enclosed closet; prepared to drop her daughter off to college and then go to work.
“Come Nduk we leave.”
"Come on."
Asih drove Hanum and Tirta up to the porch of the house, waiting until they disappeared from view later.
A few meters from where they were standing, behind the bushes near the courtyard of the house, someone was sitting quietly without the knowledge of the three. His eyes were as if freshly sharpened, keenly paying attention to their activities. While his thin, fleshy hand was clutching a cell phone, which he then used to take pictures. From his position, he even managed to take some pictures freely. He seemed excited to see the results of his work, then grinned with satisfaction when finally Hanum and Tirta drove away with the large car, leaving Asih on the terrace.