The Story Behind the Curtain
Who's Rafa

At first everyone was indifferent to Rafan's debate with Zulaika, but when Rafan alluded to the problem all eyes were on him. As if a broken cassette was tuned, Zulaika's past memory returned vividly and it made the child's mother angry. His anger grew, his eyes reddened and the vessels in his neck throbbed.

“Don't equal ‘kan me with that woman!” snapped Zulaika scolded his 32-year-old son.

“What's the difference Bu?” rafan asked with teary eyes.

“Very different I was with him. Your status is not the same as that kid!” firmly Zulaika with glaring eyes.

“True Bu, my status is not the same as Alkaiz.” Nodding slowly.

“The boy clearly knows who his real father is, if Rafan—Rafan's speech is stopped when a hard slap lands on his right cheek.

“Hit harder Mom! So that Rafan can make up for all the mistakes of the man,” said Rafan slowly, but sharply.

Perhaps everything was silent, but this time the younger brother of the late Suprianto opened his voice.

“Rafan watch what you say, son! Don't hurt your mother anymore,” said Derlan preventing her nephew from continuing his actions against Zulaika.

Rafan looked at his father's sister and walked up to his uncle.

“Om, maybe first Rafan can withstand the cry of Rafan when bullied. But, this time Rafan must do something that Rafan thinks is right,” he said without hesitation.

“Do you think marrying a woman who is pregnant with someone else's child is right?” Grunts annoyed.

"Can I not offend that anymore!” snapped Rafan, just this time he said rudely to the mother.

Everyone gasped at the look on Rafan's face that changed drastically.

“What's the difference between me and Khaiz?” Rafan again asked the same question.

“Clearly different Rafan!”

The man pulled the corner of his lips which created a slanted smile, after the Goddess chimed in Zulaika's words.

“Yes my difference with him is very clear.” Nodding profusely.

“He can know who his father is while I am .. I do not know who my real father is.”

Bak was struck by lightning during the day, which is what Zulaika is currently feeling as well as other family members.

“I ... I ‘ is suitable to bear the title of illegitimate child, My mother!” rafan said without aling-aling again.

“Lucky Om Supri married Mom, who at that time was pregnant with Rafan. Rape child,” he concluded with teary eyes.

Rania who did not know about this was surprised instead of playing, the shoulder-haired girl sighed.

“From SD to SMA, Rafan is bullied by those who have a biological father.” Rafan stood up straight then approached Nimi—cousin who was one school with Rafan first.

“Try you to tell me, that Budemu! How do I fight the fear that always haunts me every time I go to school. Quickly say, Nimi!” screeched Rafan with a rising voice.

The woman who was the same age as him fell silent without revealing her face. Yes, Nimi lowered her head. He does not dare to answer Rafan's words because the student who likes to tease him is uncle Derlen's son.

It was Zulaika's niece who leaked the secrets stored in her meetings.

\*\*\*

Thirty-two years ago in which Zulaika was still 20 years old. His strife made the teenage boys very crazy about him, when Zulaika came home from college there was a teenage boy who had been waiting for him in front of the gate.

“I want to talk to you four eyes,” said the man ventured.

The notoriously friendly Zulaika nodded without saying anything. Their footsteps went hand in hand to the basketball court, where Wendy's friend had been waiting for them.

As Wendy opens the door her friends prepare to do a surprise when she throws her love question to Zulaika.

“Untuk apa kita datang ke sini? Bicara di luarkan bisa Wen,” kata Zulaika lembut.

“A-there's something I can't talk about out there,” replied Wendy nervously.

Zulaika turned his body to look at the fellow faculty member.

“What is it?” Staring full of curiosity.

This is where Wendi's friends are bothered, they prepare a show that will be guided directly by Wendi.

Do you know a secret hidden in the night sky

The expanse of the night sky is decorated with the moon and also stars that are close to each other

Do you know the jealousy of the sun hiding behind the clouds

He stands behind the clouds and sincerely reflects his light for the moon wants to be with the moon

Like the star that accompanies the moon every night

The cheers of Wendi's friends filled the room and next they shouted.

“Receive Laika!”

Wendi knelt before him with a rose in hand. Zulaika looked at Wendi and the other friends in turn, looking uneasy at the look on Zulaika's beautiful face at that time.

Thrilling moments have arrived, during which Zulaika must answer Wendi's questions.

“I ... I can't accept your love, Wen. Not that I have a lover or something,” said Zulaika restless, “aku do not want to disappoint my parents. He wanted me to become a medical scholar with good grades,” timpal soft Zulaika.

Broken, yes at that time Wendi's heart was broken and she was also embarrassed by her friends who had helped prepare all this. However, the young man covered his embarrassment with the sweetest smile he was treating.

Since Zulaika's rejection, Wendi turned into a silent personality who rarely spoke. Before that incident Wendi was known as a cheerful young man who liked to joke and many friends who were entertained with his silly attitude.

However, this week he has not been in college all his friends are confused by the disappearance of Wendi. Zulaika who heard the news immediately blamed himself for making the young man go on strike in college.

The curly-haired girl sauntered over to Wendi's friend who was busy gathering at the campus park.

“It looks like he's heading here,” point at Higi with his eyebrows.

Yogi— close friend Wendi frowned staring at the arrival of Zulaika.

“Do you want to come here?” ketus Yogi without looking at Zulaika's face.

“I want to ask where Wendi lives, your friends.” Zulaika was still standing beside the tree.

“What are you asking this for?” sahut Hesti—boyfriend Yogi.

“I was about to apologize to her, I guess—" Zulaika's words stopped because Yogi snatched.

“Feel that she deserves to be insulted, yes! You are indeed beautiful Zulaika, can't you pretend to accept it even if it's only a week.” Both of Yogi's eyebrows were raised.

“It will add to his pain if he finds out that I cheated his feelings,” said Zulaika who now looks at their faces one by one.

“And I'm sure .. You'll hate me more if I do that to your best friend,” said Zulaika with trembling lips.

“Have not been kinked to defend yourself!” exclaims Nesti.

“Please let me know Wendi's house and meet her,” soft Zulaika said.

Seeing the sincerity in Zulaika's eyes, Yogi tore through hard and recorded an address for Zulaika.

“Thank you Yogi.”

“Hopefully Wendi would like to hear your explanation.”

Zulaika nodded and sauntered away leaving them.

“Wait!” peekkik Hesti's.

The mature brown girl ran over to Zulaika—the girl her friend liked.

“My advice if you want to go there do not be alone, invite friends so you are safe. Because the road to Wendi's house is very quiet,” said Nesti warned.

Zulaika gave a small nod and threw a smile at his interlocutor. The curly-haired girl hurriedly stuffed all her books into a bag, after which she walked quickly to her friend Gina.

Zulaika invites Gina to go to Wendi's house, in the middle of the road the angkot driver warned them to be more careful going to the area because of the many crimes that occur in the flamboyant alley of flowers.

Sure enough when they walked in the alley there was not a single person they met, the darker the day made the atmosphere even more gripping. The two girls held each other tightly, Gina who was timidly clutching Zulaika's clothes very tightly.

“Ika, we go home. I'm scared!” said jumpy.

“We'll be here soon, Gin. Patience don't scare me too!” he lamented with eyes that glanced to and fro.

When they reached the end of the netra alley they both caught the figure of a long-haired man sitting.

“Excuse me Bang,” greet the two of them.

The long-haired man did not reply, the sharp glare of his eyes made the two young girls look scared. Zulaika and Gina speed up their step movement all the way to Wendi's house, from the meta of Gina's tail seeing the man following them.

“Ika, why is he following us? Don't-don't he want to do evil,” whispered Gina who is currently very worried.

“In count to 3 we run.” Zulaika started counting and within seconds the two girls ran until they found the patrol station.

“Gin, how is he still following us?” zulaika asked with a loud breath.

“Not k-wirm again, Ka.” Gina answered the question her friend stuttered.

Their steps stopped and Zulaika invited Gina to sit at the patrol post, still regulating her breathing rhythm. Suddenly their eardrums heard the sound of laughter coming from behind the big tree.

Suddenly, they glared at a group of men approaching them.

“Why run sweet girl?” tanyanya grinned.

“Better the same we have fun here,” said another man while glancing at his skinny friend.

“Yo’i,” exciting other men.

The four men approached and committed a crime that resulted in the two girls screaming hysterically. Their roars no one heard, Isaac cried and the writhing body could not keep the thug from doing so.

\*\*\*

As if back to the tragic event, Zulaika screamed so much that everyone panicked, as well as Rafan. He ran to his mother who was scared.

The touch of Rafan's hand made her mother's cry even louder, the annoyed Rania pushed Rafan.

“Go away from my mom!” the girl's snapping makes Rafan peck to see his mother who fell unconscious who is currently in Handoko's bopong.

“Tadi Om has warned you, to stop everything. But, you still did it without thinking about your mother's condition. Even though it's been a long time your mother still remembers clearly the tragic incident that destroyed her life and also killed Gina your mother's best friend,” Derlan explained at length.

“If you want to defend your wife convince your mother slowly and do not offend the event again,” added Derlan slowly.

The shocked Rafan still sat dumbstruck thinking about Derlan's words.