The Lives of Five Hundred Thousand
Flashback 3 (POV Raihan )

I stared at the departure of mba Nuri, she said back to her house because it was getting late in the afternoon. His father had offered to take him home but Nuri refused him on the grounds that his house was close. Is my house really close to his? If it really is happy it feels. At least his departure from my house today was not his last departure and while I was still able to meet him at his house.

"Mom..can I ask you a question?" I asked after we moved into the living room.

Mother glanced at me and asked, "would you ask what Rai is?"

"Do you know where Nuri's house is?" I asked my mother seriously and wished she would tell me.

"Chiee..it looks like someone's into the semsem." Not the mother who answered him even the father who answered with a seductive tone.

"Don't misunderstand me dong yah, I have a debt of gratitude mba Nuri. In addition to the debt of gratitude I also have a debt of money with him." I hurried to explain.

Mother rolled her eyes aside and asked, "Huh, what Rai, you have money owed Nuri? how can an online merchant's boss owe a girl a debt?"

"It's not so, ma'am, it was Nuri who paid my medical expenses. I was going to change the money but in my wallet only fifty thousand left. Actually mba Nuri himself does not want to change the money he said that if I replace it later the reward for him can be lost."

"Neither is he! if only I had a son who is an adult, I want to mate him with Nuri. Besides being beautiful, Nuri is also good, suitable if made a daughter-in-law yes no ma'am?" Father replied as his gaze led to mother asking for her opinion.

"But unfortunately well, we only have one son and a little boy too" replied the mother and they laughed together.

My saliva feels stuck in my throat. I was very upset to hear their chat. Dad fantasized about having a grown boy and wanted to match his adult son with mba Nuri. Did he forget that this only boy despite his young age was able to make money on his own? even if I were to get married at my current age of seventeen I believe I would be able to provide for my wife with my existing efforts. Mother too, the light of light told me I was still a child. Do they think age is a benchmark for someone's maturity? do they not know that there are people who are adults but behave like children? There are also those who are still children but the attitude is very mature like me is wrong for example. My friend admitted that my attitude was more mature than my age.

I tried to get up from the chair I was sitting in and then walked away from my mother and father who were busy chatting and the contents of the chatter only made me upset.

"Hey, Rai.Where are you going?"asked when I realized I was standing and walking slowly.

"To my room, my sultry here," answered me without looking at my mother.

"The AC is on normal light!" said father. However, I did not heed my father's words but continued to tread slowly.

"Wait Rai.Let's help!" prevent the mother while standing upright.

"No need, I can do it myself." I refused and she stayed in place.

"Let's just Mom, later also if he falls from the stairs that feel the pain is also his own."

I gripped the stairs tightly as a form of my frustration at the attitude of my parents who still consider me a child. Once father spoke like that despite only joking intentions. What if I fall really?

I finally arrived at my private room after struggling to climb the stairs. I'm putting down my tired body. Tired after a day of activity in addition to the small calamity that hit me. Crossing my hands under my head and looking straight up at the sky I imagined the figure of Nuri Mba, the angel who had helped me.

"Nuri Aisha, a name as beautiful as her face, as beautiful as her heart." I muttered with a smile that could not be separated from my lips.

I didn't know I was living in the same village as him. Why did I just find out if there is a woman as beautiful as mba Nuri in this village? Right my father said, I who never joined the youth in my residence and never played in the neighborhood where I live make me not recognize people who live in a village with me. It's not that I'm arrogant, but I don't have time to play. My day is spent in school and running my online business. Therefore, not many people in my village know if my parents have a son and may include mba Nuri.

My own parents are not actually natives of this village. We came from the city of Surabaya and suddenly moved to this village since I was first class Junior High, my second sister is in second grade High School and is currently studying in Jakarta and my first sister is married and comes with her husband living in Bogor city. I myself do not know what the reason father brought us to live in this Kenanga village? a fairly large village inhabited by more than four hundred family heads.

One week later. My legs have healed even though the wound is not too dry but quite movable and can walk normally. I have also done my activities as before, attended school and run my business.

This morning I plan to visit Mba Nuri's house, in addition to being in touch, honestly I feel missed him. I walked down the street to the house mba Nuri according to the instructions that have been told by the mother. It was not difficult to find where his house was. The location of the house is scattered and aloof in the middle of the yard is quite spacious, it looks simple but beautiful because it is surrounded by a variety of flower plants and I think Mba Nuri is typical of women who like to grow flowers.

I walked near the door of his house. Then I opened my sandals and climbed on the terrace. When I was about to knock on the door, I heard the sound of people fighting inside the house. I was sharp in my hearing and it was true that the male voice and the female voice were arguing.

"Today I gave you two million, why are you asking for more bang? do you think I'm a money-making machine?"

"Your salary is great Nuri, I'm sure your money is still a lot. I'm gonna borrow some instead of ask."

"Here is the reason for the minjam. Always ask for money for reasons borrowed but never returned."

"I don't want to give you back Nuri's money but I don't have any money."

"How do you want to have money if his life is just lazy.you already have a wife and children bang, why still not change!"

"Don't teach me you, Nur, because I know more than you."

Silent...

But then the door opened and appeared the figure of a mature brown-skinned man with an unpleasant face in view. I who was standing in the middle of the door gasped in shock and then stepped aside to give way to the man before me as he himself stared fiercely at me. He walked haughtily past me, then a small pot containing a flower plant in his kick until it broke apart. After that, he left on foot.

I'm still on the spot. I feel confused to continue to meet mba Nuri or go back home. But in the midst of my confusion, a beautiful woman I was looking for appeared from behind the door.

"Mba Nuri's...!"my greeting.

"Raihan.why are you here?" ask mba Nuri with her confused face. I did not answer it but my gaze was focused on the side of her blushing smooth cheeks. I'm sure the man slapped Nuri.

Suddenly I became furious at the man earlier, the woman who had filled my mind at the end of this had been hurt. Then I asked, "Who was that man?"

"Man, which man?" mba Nuri instead asked back with an attitude that was made as calm as possible even though the actual look in her eyes showed sadness but I did not want to touch her with questions that could make her sadder.

"The man who just got out of the mba's house."

"Oh, are you from here on Rai?" ask mba Nuri in a probing tone.

"O. don't I just came." I lied because I couldn't be frank if I had heard their quarrel.

"He's my brother Rai!" mba Nuri said arriving. And I'm just flinching the letter O.

Mba Nuri small mangosteen mangosteen. Then he invited me into his house and we sat down and chatted in the living room. We told him a lot about my school, about his job, about my family, but one thing I didn't ask him was about his family. I was so happy to see her laughing when I told her something funny. When we were busy telling stories in the interlude of Becanda, there was the cry of a woman who called the name mba Nuri.

"Lady....Nuri..!" shouted a mother. But Mba Nuri was still in her seat.

Then a middle-aged mother appeared in the living room with sharp eyes glaring towards mba Nuri while carrying a piece of clothing then speaking in a loud voice.

"Why haven't you ironed Nuri yet? stupid or budeg you! I've been telling you over and over again but you're not just working on it." This middle-aged woman scolded Mba Nuri in front of me as if she didn't think I existed. While mba Nuri glanced at me at a glance, she seemed to feel uneasy over her mother's rude attitude.

"I haven't had time yet Mom!" answer mba Nuri.

"How has Nuri been? what because you're serving this little boy so you don't have time to iron my shirt?" Mba Nuri glanced at me with an anxious face.she seemed to feel very bad for me. I was so upset at this mother calling me a child.

Then a suit landed right on Nuri's mba's face and made both me and Nuri's own mba shocked. Her mother had thrown her clothes into Nuri's face and said, "you ironed my clothes quickly because I want to wear them now."

Mba Nuri grabbed the clothes covering her face. His eyes were dewy but he held it back from flowing into his cheeks. After that, he turned his head towards me and said in a stifled voice," ma.sorry yes Rai, I.can't accompany you for long."

"I'm sorry mba, because I've been treated like this."

"Mom.it's not your fault Rai! I was wrong because I didn't do his orders right away and he was angry. Forgive my mother's attitude, right? and next time we tell him again."

I nodded and I went home to Mba Nuri. On the way home to my house, two events that I saw in the house mba Nuri earlier I can conclude that mba Nuri was not well enforced by his family.

My friendship with mba Nuri is well established. We often meet just to tell a story or just eat together.

One year later. Our friendship relationship is still good and communication is smooth. I am currently with Mba Nuri having lunch at a restaurant. I bought it because in the next two weeks I can't see him because I have to focus on my last exam of school.

"You study diligently yes let pass so that your parents are proud of you," he said but his match was diverted in the other direction and like holding back tears. I feel like Nuri has a problem. There's no way she's crying over me wanting to take the final exam, I thought.

"Mba why? is there a problem?"

Mba Nuri turned her gaze towards me and replied, "oh, no Rai. I'm just moved because you're graduating soon."

I smiled and in my heart I said, "And after graduation I will express my feelings to you all along!"

Two weeks later. My final exam is over. A smile on my lips because soon I will graduate and will reveal my feelings to mba Nuri. I walked towards the house mba Nuri, two weeks did not meet it felt like longing. However, after arriving at his yard, I found a small tent and a large number of people there. I asked one of the people who walked up to me and asked what event was there? he replied that this event is a wedding event mba Nuri. I felt like my world was collapsing as soon as I got the very harsh reality that the woman I loved had been married to another man.