Aira And Aria

3. Dear Senior Brother

For the senior brother I always bumped into.

Introduce my name Aira.

Sorry, Brother, I've been a little careless lately. And somehow it's always the brother I hit. I was completely unintentional. And sorry also for not being able to introduce myself well, even I have not had time to ask the name of Brother. So again sorry, brother.

It looks like this is not a love letter because there are too many apologies. But I still want to say sorry a thousand times, because maybe I'll hit Brother again. If that happens again, please tell Brother's name yes, let me remember. Thank ye.

***

“Sorry a thousand times he said?”

I couldn't stop laughing after reading Aira's letter. Even now I lay myself on the bed and reopen the light blue letter I got last afternoon.

I finished reading the other letter. It contains only words that are written forced due to orientation demands only. Looks like all I care about is a letter from a new kid named Leony. Bimo must be upset if I show him the letter.

By the way, I'm thinking something. I've never been friends with a mute man. I never thought about how we communicated. I don't even understand sign language at all. The only possible way is to communicate using a chat app. But just thinking about it makes me feel bored. Maybe I wouldn't be able to fit in with someone like that.

Even so, I felt strange because somehow I thought as if I must meet again with Aira. I mean... meet for sure, but can we be friends like normal people? Or should we not start a friendship at all? Because maybe Bimo and Raka would definitely mock him.

I didn't mean to think about any of that. But somehow I became more curious about the girl who later appeared in my dreams tonight. What exactly is deep in my heart, unconsciously I have thought about it?

***

“My oaths are the same lo, Yes!! Even though we are both not in OSIS, but why only lo doang famous? Where do the new kids know you from, anyway?” Bimo whines after I show off a letter from Leony that he admired from day one.

“Gue is not signed in OSIS but remains active club. Not like true unemployment. Maen game only. When do you want to be known as a first-class child?!”

“Why don't I join the club too, anyway?!”

“Eh, kribo! Should I show you a chat when we're first class? When I asked you to join a basketball club but you said 'true men are not showing off'?”

“Iye iye, I was wrong.” Bimo finally admitted defeat.

“Eh, which Raka? Tumben did not look. Usually if you take a break directly here.”

“Kayak who doesn't know him. He immediately pedekate the same first-class kid who gave him a letter. Crazy not yet?”

“Gercep really her, haha.” Bimo laughed very hard. “Lo itself from so many who love letters no one is interested?”

“Emmmm...” I gave my words because I was distracted by someone who was walking not far from there. Aira with her long hair that was always unraveling, walked alone towards the library. “Not yet.”

“No hurry, anyway. I was too quick to judge people. So always get weird,” added me again.

“Ah, it's a strange time. Girls are all like that. Lo kudu understand them.”

“That's exactly what, they want a lot. Sometimes it is understandable but it makes no sense. Tired me, Bim. There is no girl who if she wants to say it. Klo nothing on them, no need to make it up.”

“Many wishes you, Yes! Good luck handsome.”

I walked quickly to a place I rarely visited. Maybe three times a year. It was because the teacher asked for help to get some books. And this time my goal was not to book, but to meet people who might be reading in there.

Feels weird…

Though many of the underclassmen are much sweeter and prettier than Aira. I don't know why I feel so attracted to that girl. I don't know because I just feel curious about ‘unik’ from Aira? Maybe I'll understand better if I've talked to him a lot.

My school library is quite spacious, but it always seems lonely. So it's not hard for me to find the person I'm looking for. I see he's picking up books on the shelf. I purposely walked sideways from the opposite direction to her. Acting as if doing the same thing.

The two of us are very close. Eventually our arms collided. Aira looked very surprised. He seems to be focused on looking for something.

“Eh, you again,” I said mince words.

Back to the same reaction I got. He nodded quickly.

“No need to apologize. You have said a thousand times, so there are still nine hundred and ninety-nine.”

The girl laughed. It was a bit strange because he didn't speak at all. I thought a mute person could still make a sound just to laugh.

“You like to read books huh?”

The girl nodded.

“Waw, cool. I if I read a book, just a few pages directly asleep,” connect me while grinning. I saw Aira laughing again at my words. “Ya already, then please continue. I'm afraid I'm disturbing.”

Just as I was about to leave, I felt my shirt pulled back. Aira pulled him. More precisely he was trying to hold me back from leaving.

“Eng, why?”

He pointed at me, then pointed to the floor and put the palm parallel to the ears— while putting on a questioning face. Somehow I could immediately realize that he was asking 'what are you doing here?'. He seemed confused because my story explained that I did not like to read, but now it was in the library.

“Okay, got caught huh? I came here on purpose because of you.”

Aira's mouth was round as if making me hear her saying 'ohhh' very long. Shortly after, he seemed to be remembering something. He pointed to the front of my uniform where my name was stitched there. I remembered I still had a debt to him.

“Oiya, almost I forgot. I'm Aria. Aria Son Space.”

The look on Aira's face exuded a hint of shock.

“Keren yes, our name is the same if behind.”

Aira nodded. This time he showed his name sewn on a uniform. Although it's actually not necessary because I already know what his name is.

Aira Nanda Pramoedya's.

A beautiful name that will adorn a new leaf in my High School life.

“Salam knows yes, Aira.”