The Eternal Fragments of Moonlight
Chapter 15: Before The Rain (Part II)

I knew Mira before people recognized her as an idol in school. When I was in tenth grade, my seat was right behind his stool. For an entire year looking at his back there, it was enough for me to recognize its shape in great detail. I won't deny that it was the most beautiful year I've ever had. The days that I knew that Mira would welcome me every morning at school with her warm smile, became an important part of my life that would never be changed.

It all started when I was doing a little bit of chirping with a tall student sitting next to a bench, his name...

"Gue?" Ronny interrupted.

"Yes that's elo, Ron. My first year at school." My answer.

That time was probably between the second or third day we attended Tunas Bangsa High School. When I finished with my laugh, I heard Mira giggling in her lap but immediately returned to maintaining the attitude when I turned to her.

I just do this pattern over and over again every time I get a chance. Until finally at one time Mira could no longer hold back laughter and finally she also laughed with me and Ronny at that time. Holding his stomach, he said.

“You're funny.”

From there our familiarity began, then Dian whose stool was beside the bench Mira became part of us shortly after. Or maybe it was me and Ronny who were actually part of them.

The four of us spent a lot of time together both inside and outside of school. That was the first time Mira and the others visited my house. When I showed her the different types of flowers in the back garden, Mira was immediately interested. Then from then on I matched her with that little bright yellow flower. Buttercups.

At that time Mira was not active in various organizations, so she still had a lot of free time after school. People started to get to know her when we were in the eleventh grade, after Mira started taking part in various activities of OSIS and her badminton exul. So since then it has been known as “Mira the idol”.

Because of our close relationship, one day I was judging Mira with a rubber band used in my lunch package. While aiming correctly, thrust the rubber band into the back of Mira who was sitting in front of me. I pulled the rubber band firmly to make it stretch more. But my hand slipped while doing so and finally the rubber was sliding with the maximum spring style. Bounced right into the middle of Mira's back.

The sound of his shots rang out loud, to the point of making the entire classroom speechless. I myself was shocked because my initial intention was only to disturb Mira a little not to hurt her.

Mira also moaned in pain while holding her back which became the rubber pad of my bracelet. His hand rubbed the area like an old man with gout. I haven't apologized to Mira yet, I heard Dian yelling at me.

“Rigger boy! How dare you drag BH Mira huh?!” And then the whole classroom became chaos.

I love to fight Mira. Things like messing around with the end of her hair that had been pulled back, gently blowing her neck so that she was strangled, or even using her pencil that I borrowed to pick her up were things I often did to her. Of course I did it because we were so close. So that Mira never really gets angry when the kujahili. Maybe this is why Dian considers me “disrespectful” to Mira and always puts on a wary face when I am nearby.

I really like to judge Mira, but I do not do it just because I am a ignorant person. It's just that I thought, only in this way could I get his attention.

But from the many things that can describe my closeness to Mira, in the depths of my heart, I realize that actually Mira only thinks of me as a friend who is ignorant and witty. Not more. Not like I've seen her as the woman who has been my life's goal ever since.

Then, when we ended our study in the tenth grade, everything finally became clear. Before the entrance bell rang when we were in the final exam week of class, Mira suddenly invited me to meet in front of the IT Club sekre. At that time he said.

“Aji, emm... Can I tell you nothing?”

“Eh? What is troubling your mind right now, Buttercup? Until you have to ask me to walk hundreds of miles like this.”

"H, heee..." He doesn't react as usual to my jokes. So I decided to put an end to my disgusting behavior. At the time I thought he was facing a serious problem like a possible family problem.

“Aji, I want to tell you this, same as you. But you have to promise you won't tell anyone, will you? Especially Dian.”

“Why is it the same Dian?”

“Just don't!” He's a little panicked.

“Appointment?”

“Iya promise.”

Mira gathers courage first by adjusting her breath before she reveals the secret she has.

“I... I again like someone.”

The deg! My heart seems to stop. I feel my heart as if it's squeezed. It occurred to me that the person he meant was me. But my constellation filled my head, reminding me that of course it wasn't me.

“You want that time I ever told you that I like to get caught in the rain when the trip home from school?”

Ah that story. Thought.

“Well I also told you, if there are students who also happen to be caught in the rain with me? Lately I'm the same he's been stuck in the rain there, at the Rampan Teduh."

“A, I don't know her name yet, but I've seen her in tenth grade two. From his appearance, it seems like he is a good child.. What do you think Aji?” Mira looks agitated.

What Mira said next I can't hear very well. Like it just disappeared carried away by the wind that blows. In my mind, I still hear her saying that she likes someone and that's not me.

“Aji!” Mira's voice made me realize a reality I was facing.

“So, the guy who got caught in the rain with lo it... the guy you like?”

Mira nodded while holding her two blushing cheeks.

“A, I don't know why I like him either but, lately I've always thought of him. Why yes? I'm also confused. The more I try not to think, but I even think more of it.”

Enough Mira.

“While in fact we have never spoken at all when caught rain there. Not even greeting each other. But do not know why it feels.. I deg-degan if there is him.”.

Stop the.

“Maybe, this is what love is at first sight huh? Hihi.”

Damnit.

“This... this is my first experience to like someone, so... Hence Aji, I need advice from you! What should I do?”

That was the first time I had known an embodiment of a feeling I had never felt before. Heartbreaker. A term that I had previously only heard from movies and love song lyrics, at that time I could feel for myself what he looked like.

I felt as if something very precious that I had had now been snatched from my grasp. Mira's heart now belongs to someone else. My heart, of course, will not be able to accept it. But I have to get used to it. Because in the future, this feeling will always color my days with Mira.