Dum Spiro, Spero
How Can I Say Good Bye
“Mas Abi!!”
“Halo hello Mas Abi!!! Is Mas Abi ndak at home?!!”
“Mas Abi! Yuhuu! I miss you!!!”
The cries of the latitude that he had not heard for a long time made Baskara's smile widen. With a frenzied look and a swing of light steps, the man walked towards the front door, ready to welcome the chatty boy who had been a few days away.
“Mas Ab—“ cries Latang stalled in the throat, because the innocent door he had been brutally pounding on had been opened from the inside. Then, at the handsome man with a charming smile that appeared from inside the house, he widened the smile. “Hai, Mas Abi.” Her broom, showing off her neat rows of teeth.
“Hai also, cah ayu.” Baskara greeted back, with a special greeting that never failed to make a red pseudo appear on the cheeks of Lintang shamelessly. The girl smiled to herself, misbehaving just because of a simple greeting. Which, only Abhimanyu could do.
“He-he-he, Mas Abi knows that Latitude again kangen called so.”
Baskara only smiled faintly hearing the Latitude's confession. “What's up here this afternoon-afternoon?” tanyanya.
The girl immediately lifted a paper bag that she held tightly, thrusting it to the front of Baskara's chest. “Mau anterin make Mas Abi same Mbak Anin. Holidays to Bali, loh. Just for information, anyway, because during Lintang ndak no news for five days, Mas Abi absolutely ndak nyariin.” He said, ending a funny throbbing movement.
Baskara was anxious, so after he received a paper bag that was stretched Latang, the man then damaged the girl's hair to make the owner more excited. The red hue on the cheeks became more and more, even with a smile that has now widened to the ears.
“Mas Abi knows you are holiday again, so Mas Abi does not want to disturb.” He said after pulling back his hand from the head of Latitude.
The pretentious girl squeaked in disbelief, then asked in a suspicious tone, “Times anyway?”
Baskara nodded, “Iya. Annoying people on vacation is illegal law for Mas Abi.”
As if he had just heard the most precious life motivation of a famous motivator, Lintang looked at Baskara with a look of admiration. In fact, as the sparkles from both his eyeballs appeared, it sparkled like a freshly lit incandescent lamp.
“Wah, Mas Abi knows that Mas Abi is really cool?”
Chuckles, Baskara replied, “Tahu,” in a joking tone.
“Good.” Half latitude exclaimed. I don't know what made him so enthusiastic. “Mas Abi emang must be aware that Mas Abi is cool, so that Mas Abi can reduce the level of cool Mas Abi sedikiiiittttt aja.”
Baskara raised his eyebrows, a sign that he did not understand enough to be taken where this chatter was. “Why should it be down?”
“Ya so that Mas Abi ndak make other guys out there more insecure because there are humans as cool as Mas Abi on the face of this earth.” Said Lintang, while smiling meaningfully.
Again Baskara was made anxious by the behavior of the Latitude. He remembered the past when he first came to Jogja with Sabiru. In the past, this latitude was still timid. This anxious boy was initially difficult to interact with himself and Blue who was a new person. Their conversation will never last long. Just a pleasantries that end in a clearly awkward atmosphere.
But look at it now. Not only has been able to build a pleasant atmosphere, this child has also begun to dare to throw a fight. Which in the end made Baskara realize that time turned out so quickly passed. It felt like just yesterday he started living in Jogja, but in reality, it has been almost a year since their first arrival.
“Mas Abi,” Latitude calls in a soft voice.
Baskara cleared her throat slowly, while her net still clashed with the girl in front.
“Lintang actually has one request, but do not know what can Lintang say or ndak to Mas Abi.” Either just the feeling of Baskara alone, or the look of Lintang's eyes did turn a bit sad.
“What request, cah ayu? Tell me, if you can, Mas Abi will give you.”Answer Baskara. At least, let her hear first what this girl was about to ask for. As long as it is not asked to be courted as it has been, it seems he can fulfill it.
“Lintang...” Lintang hung his words, seemed to think more to arrive at a decision whether he would actually convey the intention or not.
Looking at the hesitant Lintang, Baskara then returned to commenting on a gentle smile. “Say, cah ayu.” He tried to convince.
Given the green light, Lintang also convinced themselves to continue the intention. The girl seemed to take a deep breath, then exhaled slowly before continuing.
“Lintang .. can you ask for a hug with Mas Abi? Kangen, he-he-he.” The boy's speech ended an awkward nudity.
Baskara thought, what Lintang would ask is a thing that is quite difficult to be granted so that the girl seemed hesitant to express. Apparently, just a hug.
“Bby.” Baskara answered without hesitation. Then his arms stretched wide, ready to welcome the small body of Lintang into the embrace.
Welcomed so, the latitude does not immediately scatter. The girl looked up, staring at Baskara with eyes of disbelief. As if it was too difficult for him to believe that the hug he asked for was actually given by the man he assessed heavily without following the frills of the question ‘why?’.
“Kok even dumb? Said he wanted to be hugged?” Baskara widened his arms. His smile also returned, his net staring at Lintang to convince the girl that the embrace he offered was real.
“Totally can?” ask the latitude again. Still hesitating, but his feet began to step forward. And when Baskara nodded her head, the girl held Baskara with both arms.
Warm fast. Not only on his body, but also to his heart when Baskara's arms also covered his small body. Lintang closed his eyes, rested his head in the chest of the field of the idol, quietly eavesdropped on the rhythm of the heartbeat of the man for then he stored it in memory.
The aroma of the distinctive Baskara perfume meets the Latitude respiratory cavity. Greedily the girl breathed so deeply, as if wanting to suck up the fragrance so she could keep it to herself.
“Mas Abi,” call him again, still with closed eyes enjoying the warm embrace of Baskara.
“Why, cah ayu?”
“Don't go, yes. It's okay if Mas Abi ndak can be his girlfriend Lintang, but please don't go.”
Hearing the request, Baskara's heart slipped. How can he fulfill Lintang's desire not to leave, while inside his head there are already plans to return to Jakarta with Sabiru in the near future? How should he explain to Lintang, that he and Sabiru cannot stay here forever because their real lives are elsewhere?
Baskara did not want to upset Lintang, but he also did not have the heart to make a promise that he clearly knew he would not be able to keep.
“Nothing.” Baskara answered quickly. He tried to make a smile to cover up his feelings of anxiety, hoping Lintang was innocent enough to read that his smile was just a distraction.
“Yakin?”
“Iya.” In order to avoid further questioning, Baskara then pulled Lintang into the house.
“Mbak Anin is coming home soon, we are just here watching tivi, Mas Abi want to prepare dinner first. We'll have dinner three, yeah.” Said Baskara after sitting Lintang in the living room.
“Lintang can help cook ndak?”
“No need, you wait here aja.”Baskara refused subtly, then darted away to the kitchen while carrying her own concussion.
...****************...
From a distance, Blue can already see the existence of Lintang cars parked in front of the fence of the rented house. So long did not see the arrival of the girl apparently made Blue's reaction to be a little different. No irritability, no jealousy, no desire to grab the cute Latitude curls. Instead, he instead wanted to quickly park Vero in order to meet the chatty guy.
Vero's wheels stopped turning, Blue went down briefly to open his own fence, then immediately gas tancap take Vero to the usual parking lot.
“Thank you for coming home safely today, Vero. Let's work together again tomorrow.” His whisper while wiping the handlebars Vero. It is a mandatory ritual. He's been implementing it since the first day he took Vero on a road trip from home to work. So that Vero feels appreciated, he said.
After performing the obligatory ritual, Blue rushed into the house. The front door is wide open, it seems that Baskara deliberately did it in order to avoid the coming of Slander Dajjal considering that he is with Lintang now.
“Oi,” Blue greets in its own style as soon as Lintang is busy sitting on the living room sofa, watching tivi while snacking on banana chips.
Lintang turned his head, then smiled at Blue who walked towards him—also in a smiling state.
“Welcome home, Ma'am Anin.” Say hello to the centil girl while offering a piece of banana chips.
Blue tickled for a while, but still grabbed the chips that Latitude thrust and chewed patiently.
“Mas Abi to where?” ask while looking for a comfortable sitting position.
“In the kitchen, again ready for dinner.” Lintang answered while thrusting another chip.
Blue shook his head, refusing to accept one more bribe. “Tumben hour this time already cook dinner, usually also wait for me to go home first.” Wonder said.
It was not a question that he addressed to anyone, but Lintang instead casually replied, as if the answer he gave was true and no one could argue.
Said the girl, “Maybe because there is a Latitude here. Mas Abi said he wanted to have dinner three.”
Sabiru is obviously grieving, “Lo think you are special is that?”
Damn, Lintang nodded confidently. “The youngest brother is usually the most special, right?”
“West sister?” Blue frowned confusedly.
“Iya, youngest sister. Latintang kan youngest sister Mas Abi with Mbak Anin.” Speak Latitude while grimacing.
For the first time, Blue was anxious over the boy's unusual behavior. So, he reached out, pinched the nose of the Lintang bangun to make the boy screech.
“Ih! What the hell, Ma'am!”
“Lo adorable.” Blue pulled Lintang's nose once more, then quickly fled.
“MBAK ANIN NGESELIN!!!”
The blaring Latitude scream covered by Sabiru's laughter was no less echoing. With her feet still stepping towards the kitchen, the girl was wide-eyed, laughing at Lintang's annoyed facial expression that had been recorded in her memories before she escaped leaving the girl alone.
Meanwhile, Baskara who was almost finished with cooking activities turned her back with a face of astonishment. Not usually he found Sabiru could laugh so contentedly while being interacted with Latitude like now. Often, he was the girl who fought to a brawl and insisted on each other. Dizzying.
“Kesambet what's round-trip ngak so?” ask Baskara. The tail of his eyes tried to keep an eye on Sabiru's movements, because he also had to focus on pouring vegetables into a large bowl to then serve at the dinner table.
Blue wiped the seeped clear fur in the corner of his eyes. His laughter slowly died down. “Lo's youngest sister is funny.” He said in the midst of trying to muffle the laughter completely.
“West sister?” just like Sabiru a moment ago, Baskara also looked confused.
“Latitude,” says Blue. “Says he's our youngest brother. Funny, yes, there are only.”
Baskara did not answer, instead looking dreamy with a look that looked far ahead. It was as if his gaze could pierce through the kitchen barrier and find Lintang still sitting in the living room. For some reason, instead of feeling happy, he was even sad now. Imagining how beautiful the look on Lintang's face when they had to part later made Baskara become unbearable to say the word goodbye.
“Heh! Even dumbfounded!” the thump in the arm resuscitated Baskara from the reverie. Slightly stuttered he turned his gaze to Sabiru.
“Mandi gih, abis it we dinner three.” Baskara tried to divert the conversation.
Even though feeling strange with Baskara's attitude, Blue still did what the man ordered. Immediately he went into the room, to come out again shortly afterwards while carrying a towel and a change of clothes.
“Lo temenin deh our youngest brother, pity tuh watch alone.” He said last time, before his body disappeared behind the bathroom door. Leaving behind Baskara who was even busy with his own head.
