The Eternal Fragments of Moonlight
Chapter 1: Present Day

The condition of the classroom is still quiet and quiet in the early morning is very comfortable to be used as a place of silence before the lesson begins. The sunshine in June is warm and the cool air in the morning is the right combination as a encouragement to undergo another day of studying. In the corner of the classroom by the window, at the back of the number two bench, a student was casually reading a small storybook in his seat. He would occasionally look around and check his watch.

“Still 30 minutes” murmured.

One by one the other students came and some greeted the students by saying good morning as they passed by.

“Good morning Alan.”

“Pagi.” Alan replied with a friendly smile.

Alan is a quiet boy. He will not speak unless he needs to. But it will not be difficult to know that he is a good and polite child just from one look. His calm face and hairstyle of his chest combed forward give the impression of friendly but stylish. His sharp eyes under his thin eyebrows gave him a firm but not creepy impression.

Not long after, the expected finally arrived. In front of the classroom entrance were two young women who entered and walked over to Alan. They are Mira and Dian.

“For Alan, wow as usual yes early in the morning gini already standby in class. Diligent of you. Though it is a boy like mepet-mepet in case of time.”

Sitting on the bench in front of Alan's bench, Dian continued. “I'm curious, why do you always come early in the morning gini?”

“Oh I know! Surely you deliberately came in the morning so that we can see through, right?” He answered his own question. “Hmm hayo ngaku!”

“Haha could you, Di. Why also do I want you to pass?”

“If I might not be noticed, but if Mira?”

Dian glanced at Mira, waiting for a response from her. But Mira just looked at Dian without speaking. Or maybe looking at the bench that Dian was sitting on. The bench had been empty for a long time, no one had occupied it. Because the students who should be sitting there are undergoing treatment in the hospital.

“Why do I eat that, Mir?”

“Hmm?” Mira tilts her head. Like an old parrot offered corn.

“Tuh right, you are a habit of suddenly daydreaming yourself. Wh why? You wanna sit here? Or do you want to move benches here? This bench is empty, no one is left. So you can add the same deket.”.

“Ah, hello Alan, good morning.” Mira's greeting to Alan without caring about Dian.

“Pa, morning Mira.”

“Hee... Alan you why? Your face is red so, you suddenly have a fever, yes?” Dian who realized Alan's clumsy gurgle would certainly not pass him by.

Alan's face was getting ripe so Dian constantly teased him by patting his shoulder. While Alan can only stay still while blushing and bowing his face. Seeing what was going on in front of him, Mira finally spoke up.

“Di, I think it's bad I love PR for today”.

“Eh why Mir?”

Mira did not answer him again. He just smiled faintly at Dian.

“O, okay then I go to my bench now.” Dian said as he moved. “Create your PR.. Can you?”

At first Mira looks reluctant. But after Dian continued to seduce her with various sweet jokes, Mira finally became laughing and handed her notebook willingly. Soon after, Dian went to his stool to copy the housework and left Alan alone with Mira.

“Hmm, Alan you again read what?”

“Oh, this is a collection of short stories, Mir.”

“Seru?”

“I, yes.. appreciable.” Alan came back clumsy as Mira brought her face closer when she asked.

“Oh yes, this is the novel I borrowed yesterday.” Mira said while taking out the novel book from inside her bag. “I really like the story, let alone the ending... make me cry.”.

“Haha, good right? I told you, this is one of my best books.”

“It's great, Lan! Hmm but still a much nicer novel that you gave me when I had my birthday yesterday. Hihi.”

“Yes if that novel, another story. It was the best novel I've ever read and fortunately I still got to give it to you.”.

***

Mira's birthday was on April 11, about two months ago. On that morning, at Tunas Bangsa High School where they were attending school, students were seen clustered in the hallway near the School Loby. Surrounding Mira which became the center of the crowd. One by one the students who were there took turns to greet him and say happy birthday to him. Some even give gifts.

As for Alan on one side, he could only monitor from a distance. Several times he was seen clenching his lips while breathing long.  It seems that he also wants to join the camp. But as mentioned earlier, he was a quiet boy. He was not used to such crowds.

Not long after someone embraces her from behind surprising her who is preparing to fight her fears.

“Hey, Alan!”

“Eh, Ron, good morning.” The answer.

Ronny is Alan's classmate whose stool is next door. Unlike Alan, Ronny is a kid who is cynical and likes to do stupid things like most High School children in general. When it comes to lessons, then Alan is a top-ranked student while Ronny is the caretaker. Ronny's not stupid, actually, he's just stupid.

“Uagh, real rame! What's the fuss?”

“Today Mira birthday.”

“Oh pantesan... Lah keep doing diem doang here? Not nimbrungin Mira.” Ronny then whispered. “Later he was taken people loh.”

Alan pensively looked at the crowd there. Then he smiled and muttered. “Could not.”

“Huh, you said what Lan?”

“Not, not nothing.”

Alan and Ronny decided to go to the classroom. As it passed, Alan unceasingly looked at Mira who was busy serving the crowd of students around him. Then when the distance between them was close enough, accidentally the sight of the two of them met. Instantly, Alan turned his eyes and immediately accelerated his steps leaving Ronny who was still far behind.

At that time Alan had never once spoken to Mira. They have been in the same class since the eleventh grade. So you could say his mentality at the time two months ago was not as strong as it is now. At that time he was not strong enough to just face the direct gaze of Mira.

After the first session is over, then begins the time of rest. Ever since the break bell rang, Alan was still sitting on his stool waiting for the right moment to give Mira his birthday present. From now on he only held the novel under the table while occasionally stealing glances towards Mira who had been busy for a long time still being preoccupied by the students who crowded. Certainly Alan felt very anxious at that time so he had not had time to touch at all the lunch on the table.

“Oi Lan, that lunch you won't eat? Soon in.” Said Ronny who had just returned from the school cafeteria. “Later if Laras tau, will mosquito doi!”

“Iya I'll eat.”

Alan's face grew increasingly agitated because he realized that the time of rest would soon run out. Finally, after the umpteenth time he set his breath, Alan took a step to approach Mira who was in the middle of the crowd. But when he arrived at the bench Mira just six steps away from his stool, the entrance sign rang.

“Oke Mir, later chat we continue again.” Said one of the students there.

“Iya, thanks ya temen-temen all.”

“Awas loh Mir, you have promised to come with us karoke today.”

“Iya, yes I'm coming.”

Mira answered one by one the students who now began to gradually leave the crowd. While Alan who still could not give his gift at that time, began to look doubtful with the determination he had made. He began to walk backwards following the increasingly scattered crowd leaving the Mira bench.

However, it seems like fate speaks another way. When Alan was really planning to go and turn his body, one of the students accidentally nudged the book he was holding so that the book fell to the floor. Mira who realized it immediately moved to pick up the book lying beside the stool and it turned out.

“Eh?”

The two of them looked at each other for a while later. Then the next sentence spoken from Alan's mouth was.

“U, profit still time.”

As if he understood what Alan meant, Mira answered the man he had only spoken to for the first time.

“Iya, thankfully still had.” Mira smiles.

I admit Mira's smile is too sweet. Often, as at the time, I was made stiff when I saw it. At that time, from the bench where I was sitting I could only look on in envy watching her smile at Alan.

He is very easy to smile and I think his smile is a little seductive but also pure and childish. Like a bunch of Buttercups.