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All Stories About Arez II

Renzana Alcatraz

Jakarta, 2013

"Araz."

"Aerz."

A woman's cry called my name in front of the hospital pharmacy, making me turn to the source of the voice. Eomma who forced me to take a check up, lifted the medicine bag high up at me. At the same time a very young man, also turned his head in the same direction. Maybe we are seven or eight years old. I don't know for sure.

The look we met. I'm reviewing the smile. Likewise with. We walked in the same direction with different goals. He approached the father, while I approached the eomma who was still waiting near the hospital's medicine installation.

That was my first meeting with Arez. Without ever knowing if in the future, destiny brought us back together. In the same place.

At first I hesitated to say hello. He was sitting alone on a hospital park bench in a dim twilight. His face looks pale. Like it's not healthy. I offered him the water I brought and he took it. He said he was waiting for his father to come and pick him up.

"Btw, I'm Araz. Lo, Arez, right?" tanyaku. The man smiled. Then nod.

"Inget is also lo Bang of my name. Sori, I can say I-lo, right?"

I just laughed while knocking on my cranium. "Gue has a pretty strong memory. Just relax, I don't feel like an old snob who should be respected."

"Lo negrasa funny is not bang, our names are similar and we are met in a unique way. Now we just sit together gini while enjoying twilight. In the hospital."

"Haha... Unique how do you mean?"

Arez examined my face. Then he said, "We both look healthy, but actually sick again. Is your heart in trouble? Sori, I actually saw Brother when he got into the heart poly."

My smile expands in response. Arez is a person who does not like to mince words when conveying something he thinks. From his face also looks like a broad-minded figure. Young and smart.

"Yes, since birth. Going to the hospital is normal for me."

"At least you can still think using a healthy brain, Bang," he said sounding desperate.

I saw the cloudiness silently perched on his face as the twilight sky began to darken and the garden lights began to light up. I thought at the time, what made Arez so visibly frustrated? Physically, he did not look sick. Except for her paled face the first time she met.

But our conversation did not continue. A man who claimed to be his driver had picked him up and brought him home. Without ever knowing, if he suffered more than me.

After our meeting in the twilight that day, we accidentally met again in a cafe. Seven months later. At that time, I decided to take a short break from my activities as a freelance photojournalist in a national media. He came alone. Sit in the corner of the room while enjoying a cup of coffee with a little creamer. His face was much paler than the last time we met.

"Well, I think we really have a destiny bond. I often meet accidentally."

"Haha... Can you just make it. Alone, is it?"

"Both of. If you want to stop," he said with a laugh.

"I get goosebumps, you don't like guys, do you?"

"Damn lo, Bang. I even just broke up with my girl."

"Oh yeah? You got a girl?"

I answered Arez's question. "Ribet," I replied briefly as I sat in the chair in front of Arez. Where might I say I don't want to date if it will only hurt the people I love in the future, just because I don't live long. "Trus lo yourself why break up?"

"He's pregnant."

"E buset, the son of a person lo hamilin trus lo broken up?"

"Damn, I'm not that bad, Bang."

"Well continues?"

"Pregnant with one major he. I was even told responsibility. It's good to accuse me of impregnating people's children."

"Yes, that's it. How do you know if she's pregnant?"

"He used to ask me to buy young pineapples. Don't know what to do. But the last month he did not complain about PMS if I ajakin out. I just asked. Uh she ngaku. Trus asked me for responsibility. I never planted a seed, I don't want to take responsibility. Yes, break up." Yeah."

"Wah... I salute the young man. ABG kayak you already have the experience of dating in a family of people. How can you also know the schedule?" I said I was concerned, but also curious. Arez laughed at my sympathy and silly questions.

"Ah, rather than Om-om but have no dating experience," he sneered as he stuck out his tongue. "Yes you know, he must be alesan PMS if again males I ajakin way. Well this month does not complain about anything he, except ask for a young pineapple buyin every day."

"Well, I sympathize with you yeah, uh this even reply insult. What do young pineapples do?"

"Haha... Sori Bang, I'm just saying facts. How do you know, let a miscarriage be possible."

"Bidih, the fact is a fact, but it seems obvious that you mean it is insulting."

Arez's laughter is still breaking. He even held onto his stomach which might hurt from laughing at me. "Enak time ya if I have an older brother like lo, Bang."

"Hmm?"

"Gue is an only child, never fathom how to have a brother. After meeting you, then we can chat gini, it feels comfortable. I'll talk to my brother again."

Arez's words slapped my sensitive side. I remember Adhyaksa. My younger brother of Arez's age who just returned to Earth three months ago. The same disease as me.

Maybe because of that, my relationship with Arez grew closer. I like to find the figure of Adhyaksa who has not been so familiar with me because of my selfishness as a brother. I prefer to stay away from my parents and study independently even with difficult conditions due to my health. He wanted to share his story and complained with me about whatever it was.

But I always pushed him to avoid. Get away, so he doesn't depend on me. Without ever knowing, if the disease behind his ribs, it gnawed him faster than time.

Unconsciously I was crying. Arez who was sitting in front of me looked confused. Moreover, seeing me until sobbing due to holding tightness that suddenly squeezed. But furthermore, Arez's words made me smile even though it did not relieve pain in the chest.

"Bang lo so much as he wants ya have adek like me?"

"Gue does have a stir, but he has been asked to be with God" I said flatly.

"Sori, I don't know, Bang."

We were both silent as we stared out the window that was already getting dark. I don't know since when. Busy with each other's thoughts boisterous like the atmosphere of Jakarta before evening. Until finally Arez's sentence made my defense collapse.

"Bang, so my brother yes. Let me have a place to share in loneliness."