
Kei Hasan, an athletic man with strong jaws, stared at the stage house in front of him. A traditional house typical of Negeri Sembilan made of wood and still standing with a strong.
The stilt house is an evolution of Rumah Gadang in West Sumatra combined with elements of Malay architecture, Malaysia.
Some time has passed. Kei still remembers when he was a child, it was in this stage house that his grandmother and grandfather often told him about the house that had been occupied by their extended family from time to time.
Several times underwent renovations but did not eliminate the original design, as established by their ancestors who came from the land Minangkabau hundreds of years ago.
Kei smiled faintly. As Kei, Ken and Naya sit on the floor listening to their grandmother and grandfather tell stories. While sister Ifah prefers to be in the kitchen with Mama, make snacks for them.
Naya, whose two parents migrated to Negeri Sembilan before Naya's birth, was the most enthusiastic among the three of them.
Naya who had never seen the land of her parents directly, it was, it is felt to be in the Minang Range and follow the trail of Minangkabau nomads who come to explore through the Strait of Melaka to reach Negeri Sembilan.
Kei who is very considerate with Naya, neighbors think that the sister often sees the clear eyes of Naya who glazed over. Occasionally his clear black eyes were patterning and gnashing beautifully. Eh?
Kei stopped his steps. For a moment his view turned to a modern minimalist style house that stood right next to his big family stage house.
The two houses are limited only by a low wooden fence and there is a small door on the fence to connect the two.
Suddenly something was missing at once present in his chest. Don't ask, what? Because Kei himself could not answer. I don't know. There was a sense that he himself still could not interpret it.
Kei continued his steps again, down the spacious courtyard with shady trees that always create a shady and comfortable atmosphere.
The true atmosphere was always missed, but he tried to kill the longing. He continued to build a high fortress inside him, even though he knew the fort was now almost destroyed.
This is the reason why he rarely goes home. Although nek Syarifah often asked him to come with various reasons. Don't miss grandma? Bilis fish is over, send it right away!
Kei always avoids for work reasons. Bilis fish requested by the grandmother, often he asked the Son who delivered directly to Seremban. To answer the grandmother's longing, every weekend Kei tries to keep video calls as busy as he can.
It'sit's nothing. Kei was just guarding his fragile heart. Kei did not want the memories of the past that had injured him so deeply, again making it dark to the eyes.
Kei is almost giving up. It turns out that hurting a lot of people doesn't make him happy. It was the torture he felt. Although the original goal was only Tan Sri Abdul Hamid and Puan Sri Latifah, there were other cautions that were also injured. The hearts of those he truly loved. There's grandma, sister Ifah and ... Naye.
That is why for several years he refused to return to Seremban.
But the call of Sharifah three days ago was like a decree to a Kei Hasan. He did not know, why there was no sentence of rejection at the request of the grandmother to deliver the fish directly, which is now in the paper bag that is being lined up.
Kei still remembers last month, when Mak Lung Salma, his father's eldest brother called, telling Kei about the wedding of his cousin, Zahra. But Kei did not promise his presence on the grounds that he would be out station for work.
But this is where Kei is now. Climbing one by one the steps of the Long Roof House typical of Negeri Sembilan, the hereditary dwelling of his extended family.
Kei's long legs go wide through one by one neatly arranged steps.
When it was right in front of the entrance, Kei slowed his movements even more to avoid the sound. Kei deliberately entered secretly. He wanted to give a big surprise to his grandmother. Hence he deliberately advanced his arrival a day from the time he had promised.
As his hand opened the door, Kei lowered his head into the house. His eyes were staring at every corner of the room. Unseen by anyone.
Kei stepped in. Tracing room by room in that big house. Starting from the room 4 x 4 which functioned as a family reading room, kitchen, then he moved to a relaxing room where the grandmother usually sat in a long wicker chair. But he still has not found his grandmother.
Slowly Kei moved towards a room, which he believed his grandmother was resting there. But all Kei found was a neat and clean empty bed, a sign that had not slept since morning.
Believing that the door to every room in the house had never been locked, Kei pushed open the door and stepped in.
"Aarrgghhh!!!"
Kei stunned. Not because of the high screech without a tone that stopped in his eardrum, but more to the scenery in front of him.
Kei's eyes were imprinted on a body that was in front of a mirror. A girl??? Almost naked!!!
Kei's gaze with the sharp netra like an eagle is reluctant to switch. Time seems to stop!
"may ... Nayya! You why? Grandma said surau, here. Wait shock!" The voice of Sharifah's grandmother is like pulling Kei from the labyrinth of time.
Shortly afterwards we heard footsteps approaching in haste.
"Key?"
...***...
Naya was wearing her clothes still with a body that shook violently. His hands moved with tightly closed eyes.
Naya rested her body on the bed of carved teak wood. Slowly he touched his chest. His heart beats faster.
Back Nay clenched his two eyelids, but what appeared was even a tall sturdy body that was looking at him closely. Without blinking, without words. Kei!
"Aarrgghh!"
Nay screamed again, but only for a moment. After which, both of his hands immediately smothered his own mouth.
"may ... Naiya ... It's grandma. Grandma's in, huh?"
The sound of the Sharifah was accompanied by the sound of the door being pushed from the outside.
Naya was still sitting on the bed hugging a pillow. Face bent.
"Nearly praying Maghrib. Grandma's been waiting for Nay since the last hour".
Grandma sat beside Naya, her hands outstretched gently rubbing the back of her daughter-in-law's granddaughter.
Naya, who is without hijab, looks so beautiful in a young peach-colored robe.
"Sir, why can't Grandma and Mama say that this room, Bang Kei's room?"
"Kei's room, Nay's room is also, that" said Syarifah nek without burden with the accompaniment of a thin smile.
The smile was so thin that Naya did not notice it.
...***...
To be continued