Be aground

The wrong feeling

Jealousy, maybe that's the right word to describe my current feelings. Seeing the reaction Runa received a call from a friend of Vienna. Not the habit of the girl, still want to serve a guy who clearly likes her. So many years together make me memorize how the habits of Runa.

Like the other day, Runa's emotions rose again when I expressed my objection to her attitude towards the guy. Maybe I'm too possessive, but I just want to protect what I already have. Am I being selfish?

I can easily guess what I'm thinking, but for now I can't guess what's in his heart. Like there is a distance formed since the man was present after Runa's visit to Jakarta the other day. I will not give up, I have it first, I take care of it with all my heart.

"Jun, we're out at the Cawang toll road, yeah." Runa's voice directed the way to disperse the monologue that was going on in my mind.

"OK." Drive the car to the side of the road with a signboard for the exit of the toll road.

Luckily the streets were not too jammed, we entered Jakarta before dusk changed night. The sun seems to be tilting towards the west. Leaves orange light in the middle of the gray sky of this city.

The closer you get to the toll exit, the more unsettled I think. It was as if something bad was waiting for me on the other end.

"Later, we'll just turn around at Pancoran." Back the voice of Runa gave instructions.

"Ready, Non," I said trying to get rid of the increasingly bubbling discomfort. "We want to eat first, don't we?" ask me when I pass by a fast food restaurant.

"Later at the motto house, how? I'm still not too hungry, but I said that Maktuo has prepared a dish to welcome us." Runa's face looked uninspired as usual. Even though if I take a meal to a fast food restaurant, usually he is immediately excited.

"All right then." I agreed, then went back to silence.

Azan magrib Sayup-sayup rang out, as Runa instructed me to stop in front of a two-story house with pastel-colored paint that looked so beautiful.

"Come on!" take Runa out of the car.

I followed him down. Standing next to the girl, waiting for the host to open the gate. Before long, there was the sound of a padlock that was opened from behind the fence after Runa pushed the bell behind the fence wall.

"Eh, Non Runa. Let ... Let's go in, Non," invited a woman in her sixty years who opened the gate.

"Assalamualaikum, Bi Sumi. Sorry to take more nicotine," said Runa greeting the woman he called Bi Sumi.

"Waalaikum greetings, Non. No hassle. Let's go in, Aden." This time bi Sumi turned to look at me to let her in.

"Thank you, Bi," I said, joining bi Sumi.

"Mother pray, Non Runa if you want to shower directly into the room Non Vienna only. Her friend can use Den Indra's room, aunt cleaned it." Bi Sumi explained as she walked into the house.

"sorry. I'm getting troublesome, Bi," I said. "I want to pray first."

"Oh, no. Auntie didn't bother. Come on, Den Please." Bi Sumi opened the door that was located next to the living room.

While Runa climbed up the stairs that were located across from the door of the room, waving a glance at me before disappearing behind the staircase wall.

The fresh and soothing aroma of pine instantly smelled as I entered the three-by-three-meter sized room. In the corner of the room there is a single bed, side by side with a shelf filled with books and posters of international football club symbols decorate the walls of the room.

"This is the bathroom, Den." Bi Sumi opened the brown PVC door with a wooden pattern, which was next to the room door. "Sweets and sarongs, there yeah, Den." Back the friendly-faced woman showed me where the prayer tool was placed with her thumb.

"Thank you, Bi," I said a little awkwardly.

Runa's voice was heard calling when I finished praying.

"Mom's just as Maktuo's been waiting at the dinner table, you're done?" ask when I open the door.

"It." I followed Runa into the room that was located parallel to the living room, bounded by a bulkhead from the high display cabinet.

"How are you, Arjun," greeted Runa's mother with a warm smile as usual. His face was still as I remembered, not too much of a change, except now it was a bit thinner than it was the last time I met.

"Alhamdulillah, healthy Aunt." I welcome the middle-aged woman's hand with that hoarse voice.

"It's getting hotter, Jun. It's been a long time since we've met, yes" he said. True said Runa, nothing has changed, the spirit of the tone is still the same.

"Obviously, Tan. The more handsome what it is," my snub, scratching the head that does not itch. Then switch to makto—kakak Runa's mother. Her face is similar to Helen's aunt Runa's. The only difference is that Runa wears a veil, Runa's mother does not.

"Well, eat. This is all there is. Don't you hesitate." Maktuo Runa let us eat.

The aroma of spices-laden cuisine typical of Minang cuisine served on the table, reminding me of the aroma at the Padang restaurant. Really appetizing. I ate voraciously, finishing my plate without leaving a grain of rice behind.

"Where did Arjun come from?" ask me after we finish eating.

Before replying, I glanced at Runa, who was busy helping bi Sumi clean the tableware. The girl seemed indifferent to her timing questions to me.

"People are also Padang, Maktuo."

"City township?" Maktuo asked again, making me feel like a sick person being interrogated.

"No. Bukittinggi Maktuo," I said politely.

"Oh, I'm afraid you're mah," (our village) said maktuo more sounding like cheering. "What's it like?" Another question glides.

"Get down, Maktuo." Fortunately I remember my mother saying something about our tribe, otherwise I might be able to stamp a child who did not understand its origin.

"Ondeh! Means you're all my friends, it's forbidden to get married!" the sentence thrown by the woman with the thick Minang accent sounded like lightning to me. My heart seemed to jump out of the chest cavity, while my bones seemed to be forcefully pulled out.

"What do you mean by Maktuo?" tanyaku and Runa together. Runa's face looked pias, probably the same as my current face.

"You are as I please, forbidden to marry" Maktuo repeated his sentence.

"So that means we can't get married?" this time, Runa asked. He left the dishes, sat down next to the maktuo.

"Yes, the rules are so. So before your relationship goes too far, you better split up." His words made me and Runa feel like they were sentenced to death.

We were just looking at it, staring at it. Never would have imagined this would happen. How could I just let go. Runa also seemed unable to put out his words. The atmosphere in the dining room was suddenly quiet. Maktuo looked at us both.

"I'm sorry, if what you're telling you is painful, but you have to understand our customs. Even though we are far from the country of origin, do not forget our cultural roots" he said firmly.

My brain is frozen. Is our relationship just this? Can't be more? A thousand questions crammed into my brain. Makes me unable to think, how next.