HALF-WING

Let's Fight the Ego

On the gravel path, Hana treads step by step with Zia beside her. The cloudy afternoon did not make Hana undo her intention to take the book left in the classroom.

"What's important about the novel you read, Han? So you're going back to school?"

"Yes, huh? Come to think of it, it's not that important. But do not know why else want to read the continuation. All afternoon walks, today my mood is ugly."

"Why indeed? Your mood is often very ugly."

"I don't know, tired of being a jealous person but can't always reveal. Drain the energy."

"It's natural that you're jealous of your own boyfriend. If I were you, too, I would. Any girl in the world would, too, Han. Tell me what you are feeling. That guy, it's not easy to be sensitive if you don't talk directly."

Along the way Hana still meets some students who have just come home, it seems extracurricular or other activities.

Arriving at the school gate, Hana passed Aji who was sitting on his motorbike alone.

"Why are you here alone, Ji?"

"This is just coming home. No business for a minute." Aji revived his motorbike after putting the phone in his hand.

"What are you two doing here?" Ask aji back.

"Some one missed in class. I asked Anterin Zia to get that stuff."

"Oh. I went home first, yeah."

"Be careful."

Aji runs her bike down the street, leaving Hana and Zia to continue her footsteps towards the school grounds. Seen some vehicles are still parked neatly, indicating the school is not completely deserted.

The atmosphere of the school seemed very peaceful, not so many students were still living, only sounding like human voices, it seemed like extracurricular students. Some of them have started to go home too.

Hana passed through the music room that still had a lot of shoes scattered on her doorstep. Maybe Aji has just been following extracurricular music. Even though it is not required, 12th grade students can still participate in activities.

Hana continued her steps towards the corridor, where Hana's class was at the end. Sounding like someone was laughing, Hana wondered who the child from her class had not yet returned home.

Getting closer, Hana finds someone very familiar, Ruri. With a student, Farah. Yeah, just the two of them.

A few seconds Hana was silent, her blood was like it wanted to boil, her face was red.

"Sister Hana, Brother Zia? What show are you guys here for?" Farah asked excitedly, like getting a collapsed durian, "Loh, Kak Hana and Kak Zia turned out to be friends? I just found out."

Zia smiled strangely, exceeding the strange atmosphere that occurred at that time. "I nganterin Hana, something's missing."

"Oh yes. Don't misunderstand me, brother. We are not just two doang, there was Kak Aji too. Here we just want to go home, really when Kak Hana there Kak Zia here."

Hana walks into the classroom with Ruri looking panicked. Hana does not answer any of Ruri's calls, she just goes into class, looks for the intended object, and soon after she leaves class.

"I'm going home first. Hmm, I found the stuff." Hana hurriedly left, followed by Ruri behind her. His pace was so fast that Ruri chased after him with half a run.

"Hana!" Call Ruri once more.

Zia held Ruri's hand, preventing her from pursuing Hana further. "Udah, don't chase anymore, just let's go. Hana will be angry."

Ruri ignored Zia's words, took Zia's hand aside, and returned to pursue Hana who was almost far away.

Ruri grabbed Hana's hand tightly. "Hana, I'm sorry, I'm wrong."

Hana tried to remove her hand from Ruri, this time it was so strong that Hana felt a slight pain on her wrist.

"Since when have you been so rude!"

Ruri who had just regained her senses, instantly took off her grasp. "Sorry, Han."

Hana again wants to leave, but is held back by Ruri's two hands.

"Remain, Ri! Shame to see people."

Ruri shook her head, she was so persistent in holding Hana's hand.

"Pick freelancing, or do you want us to break up?"

Once again Ruri let go of Hana's hand. He could do nothing but let Hana into the dormitory. Hana's sentence really made Ruri unable to twitch.

Ruri came home with a heavy feeling, repeatedly he let out a rough sigh and clenched his teeth firmly.

***

In class the next day, Ruri observes Hana very uninspired. It seems like Hana is really angry with him.

Since morning Hana did not look at Ruri though. Repeatedly Ruri tried to get him to talk in various ways, repeatedly turning her face away from Ruri.

Ruri had run out of sense to persuade Hana, whether she should seek attention in any other way. Ruri sat right next to Hana, equalizing her body position like Hana sleeping on her desk.

Lama Ruri was in that position, waiting for Hana to wake up.

As soon as Hana felt sore, Hana changed the direction of her face. And how shocked when he found Ruri's face was only one inch away from him.

"God! Shock me!"

Ruri smiled widely, Hana finally let out a voice.

"I thought you realized that I was behind you, so you were. He was shocked at it."

"Well smile again. I'm surprised to know!"

"So much not talking all day?" Ruri pinches Hana's nose, a little Ruri habit on Hana.

"Not hold on! There go! I've been waiting for the same 'fuck' you." Hana satirized with great emphasis.

"Darling..." Ruri said softly.

"I don't understand the way you think, already have a boyfriend but still nervous with other girls. Where the girls are both gatel again."

"He's got a problem again, I'm sorry that he's venting to me."

"Udah. It's so free to talk to you." Hana packed the stuff into the backpack.

Ruri's heart raced very fast, apparently he had made a mistake, even though he intended to explain what really happened.

"Hana, for a second, don't go. I want to solve this problem now. If you avoid it again, our problem will not be solved. I beg you, Han."

Hana threw out her breath, then looked at Ruri sharply. "Yes, stay away from your flirtatious 'gigs' for mercy. Easy, right?"

Ruri twisted her brain so as not to speak wrong again.

"What else? Reveal everything, as much as I can."

Hana's gaze grew even more glittering, before a sharper sentence slid back from Hana's mouth.

"liks. You're talking like it's just for me, right?"

"Dam ... How do you like that?"

"You never want to beat me up, the proof is that you forgot what I said."

Ruri hunchback. He wanted to convey the answer to Hana through his mind, because he could not explain.

"Should time be kept? All this time I've been freaking you out, have I ever set you up? Never, right? Ri, I really don't want to if you have to bend like gini, I don't want to make you depressed. But you're just as happy."

"I, I'm sorry. I always promise you, but I still repeat my mistakes."

"This is the last one, Ri. I don't want to be the fool who always apologizes for you. To be honest, I am jealous, and I am a possessive person. But I don't want to make you uncomfortable, so all this time, as much as I can bear."

Ruri felt pain in her chest. Yang Ruri knew, Hana was not the type to play around with her words, and this time Hana sounded very serious.

Ruri tries to digest every word Hana says, deeply absorbing it, even though she does not fully understand. After all, Hana wouldn't be so angry if she didn't make a mistake.

"Don't let it go, I don't want to be the only one who looks bad."

A palm landed softly on Hana's head. Ruri rubbed it slowly, "i thought, I was the most patient between the two of us, it turns out you are more patient, you are cool, can fight your own ego when it is not easy, but it is not easy, and not everyone can do that including me."

"Why don't you ever get mad at me coming back, anyway?"

"Well? Strange you are, Han. Why even ask to be scolded back?"

"I'm always the one who gets angry with you, the same one you are. I feel bad."

"No, you're not evil. I have promised myself, until whenever I will not be angry let alone be rude to you. Other promises I may forget, but for this one, you can keep my promises."

Spontaneous Hana thought more deeply about the sentence thrown by Ruri until wrinkles appeared on her forehead. Hana could have trusted him wholeheartedly, but she knew the big risk if someday she was too hopeful on Ruri's promise, she was afraid that her disappointment would not be playful either.

"Anger as you please, long nagging if necessary. But don't cuddle me like I was, I really can't." The look in Ruri's eyes showed sincerity.

"But if I'm sprained again, I don't want to communicate in any form. I can't do that either."

"It's okay to go first. But not for long, huh? I'm waiting for your scolding."

Hana brushed her beautiful lips, like rose petals that opened slowly. From Ruri's words, Hana hopes that she can smile even longer.

***