ALPENIA (The Cruel Small Town)

A Reinforcement

Annisa and Ikbal still haven't got a clear answer. They only suspect that the death of Eksa's sister is a very weak clue. Because after two days in the halfway house, they did not find another irregularity. All of its residents look safe, despite having a very jutek attitude.

"Anyways, you should call me if there's anything strange going on here" Annisa told Eksa. He has provided his contact number which can be contacted at any time. In fact, if his new friend needed a place to tell a story, he would try to listen.

Eksa nodded in understanding. "Yes, definitely. Besides, that also makes information to your father, right?" tanyanya was wrong. He thought, if the visit of Annisa this time is a request or a letter from the owner of the house layover.

Annisa only nodded once. He let Eksa think so, so that the young man was not dragged further, and he was also not suspected.

"Gue hope you play to the Alps. You will always be welcome in my house" continued Annisa while smiling sincerely.

Eksa nodded back. The young man who was standing towered beside her who had instead answered Annisa's question.

"If Eksa comes to your house, then you must be willing to accommodate two people. Because, wherever he goes, I must be next to him" sambar Candra grimly.

Annisa's friendly face slowly faded. "Yes. You can come too" he replied as necessary.

"Thank you for the invitation" said Candra.

Annisa twitches her eyes. Instead of not liking Candra, he was just a little tired of the young man's non-serious attitude.

"Foolah. I'll go home, yeah!" Annisa bends her knees, touching the green grass in the yard, to align her body with Eksa. Soon, he groped the little body as a farewell greeting. "Take care of yourself, yeah!"

"Lo also be careful on the road. Keep on being a good guy. Many hearts will feel touched by your attitude, Annisa!" balas Eksa's.

Annisa took off her embrace from Eksa, and stood up straight again. He frowned as he looked at Candra who was stretching out her hands before him.

"Gue's not hugged?" guyon Candra with a mischievous smile.

"Don't ngarep!" ketus Annisa, then turn around.

"Don't fuck around!" keep Ikbal relaxed. Then, he followed Annisa's footsteps who walked ahead of him.

***

Ikbal propelled his motor at medium speed. He's a little awkward now. Because from earlier, the girl sitting behind him had only answered all his questions and jokes coldly and as necessary.

The young man did not know what else to say. Until, a scene of two middle-aged men managed to avert his gaze.

Finally, Ikbal pulled the bike over by braking suddenly. This made Annisa who was daydreaming her father finally stunned, after his helmet collided with the helmet worn by Ikbal.

"What's wrong?" ask Annisa a little kicep.

"Is that your father?" Ikbal asked as he directed his gaze towards an outdoor cafe across the street.

"Yes! And your father also sat in front of him!" annisa replied while nodding her head.

Without further ado, Ikbal immediately put his bike back on. Not to go, but to find a parking spot safe enough, so that his father and Annisa's father did not catch them both.

Ikbal just put his shoulders down. He may have known about his father's activities. They rarely even greet. After speaking, it must be with a high tone and piercing words from his father who he always heard.

Ikbal and Annisa find the right hiding point for both of them. A chest-high ledge, the cafe's divider with a souvenir shop, managed to hide their bodies to be invisible to both fathers who were talking quite seriously behind the wall. They listened carefully while ducking.

"You don't know the nature of my daughter. He will be very angry if this is not fulfilled" Andi said with a serious look. He did not know that his son was listening to his words behind a ledge.

"But the thing you're asking for is pretty weird, Andi. I'm afraid I can't do it" Aji replied, exhaling deeply.

"You serious? All this time, I've been helping your business. From clean to dirty though, I never thought twice" Andi said still urging the friend in front of him.

"I knew. And I'll be grateful for our working relationship. But this time, it felt too against my principles," explained Aji.

Annisa and Ikbal throw confused gazes at each other. They do not yet know the ins and outs or what problems their respective fathers are talking about. However, they would continue to put up ears to get an explanation.

"You can ignore me? This is all I did for Intan. I know, you have the kid. Let the boy be a gift to my daughter!" andi is clearly not giving up.

"I—aku really can not for this time," rejected Aji who is still tight with his stance.

Andi was inflamed by the rejection he had received so many times from the person he considered to be that friend. Though, she thought Aji would help her voluntarily.

"You are a selfish human being! Just look, if you ever need any more help from me, I'll turn my face away and reject you like you do me now" Andi said, hitting the table. He immediately got up to his feet, and left Aji in the pretty quiet cafe.

Annisa and Ikbal looked back. They guessed at each other, whether the thoughts in each head were the same, after hearing the scuffle from their father just now.

Until, after seeing Aji and Andi's car leave, then the two young men intend to come out of their risky hideout. However, when they were about to stand, their heads even fought against each other, because they might be too focused on their respective minds.

Annisa and Ikbal both rubbed their slightly influential heads after being pitted accidentally just now.

"Aduin again!" annisa said, pitting her head against Ikbal's shell for the second time. This time, intentionally.

"Why should it be pitted again?" asked Ikbal who was a little clueless about Annisa's actions just now. In fact, being pitted just once is already sick enough. The girl added one more time. Although the second one was painless.

Annisa puts her shoulders. "Gue forgot why. But, my mother once said, there's a shame if it's not pitted once again, after once unintentional."

"That's weird!" sahut Ikbal.

"Udah, now focus! Are our thoughts about our fathers the same?" ask Annisa.

Ikbal nodded his head. "Intan told me the same story, if he wants Hilfa back as his birthday gift."

Annisa thought the same thing. "And from what your father said just now, impressed that my father kept Hilfa somewhere, right? Then, my dad was the mastermind behind the kidnap all these years?" he shook with trembling.

Ikbal exhaled quite a long breath. "Gue don't know, Annisa. But from now on, I think you should be more careful with your father, Nis. I'm afraid you're okay."

Tears slowly slid from Annisa's eye patch unplanned. However, as soon as possible his fingers wiped the traces of water roughly. He won't cry for a cruel man like his father anymore. Now, his greatest wish is to get justice for all parties. For his father, also for the victims who have been harmed. He will try to investigate even harder.