I'm with you, Mr. Teacher

The Meaning Behind a Shabby Paper Sheet

"What's wrong with music?" teak Fishing.

Sandalwood did not answer immediately. He just sounded like a long breath.

"It's not the wrong music. I'm too lousy to be able to make peace with him, the past, and the guilt that goes with it."

Jati understands that. But what guilt does Sandalwood mean? Although the curiosity is getting clustered, Jati does not want to rush to dig too deep. He did not want to make the girl beside him even more uncomfortable.

Without notice, their slow steps have created a fairly long distance from the Semawis Market area. They walked through the central supermarket, accompanied by the slow roar of the vehicle engine passing by. Both of them realized when suddenly the rain spatter slowly filled the night. Without a second thought, Jati pulled Cendana's hand, taking her running around to a minimarket across the street, to avoid the rain.

"Feelings, the star was still cheerful," Jati continued while rubbing her slightly wet arm.

Sandalwood just smiled as he could.

"Sit, yuk!" Teak chin movements pointed to a pair of iron chairs befriending a round table arranged beside the minimarket entrance.

"You wait a minute, yeah. I want to buy a drink first," said Jati after the two sat opposite.

Cendana assented with a nod.

A few minutes later, Teak reappeared with two hot chocolate cups and a few sandwich packs. One of the hot chocolate cups was directly thrust into the sandalwood.

"Kneep for body heat." Teak smiled as hot as the chocolate that had just received Sandalwood.

Just about to suck a warm drink in his hand, Teak's attention was distracted by the presence of scavenging scavengers who joined the ride in the right corner of the terrace. The middle-aged woman put down a sack containing half a bottle and a used plastic glass. He then deftly checked the condition of the baby in his carrier, making sure it was not wet, even though his own clothes were almost perfectly wet.

The mother patted the baby's butt slowly which began to fuss, while humming softly. I don't know what song. However, the combination of the sound of rain and the voice of the mother, in fact, is effective in calming the baby. A moment later, his cry was no longer heard.

"Look, deh, how a person really can not be separated from the music. The baby stopped crying after hearing his mother hum."

Sandalwood stopped sucking the drink, after realizing what had been noticed by Teak. He turned to the right corner of the terrace. Seeing the loving sight of a mother to her child, Sandalwood's eyeballs suddenly warmed. He forgot to be treated the same by his mother. What he remembered, Cakka who always comforted him when he was sad.

Before his tears rolled back, Sandalwood took his eyes off of it. He switched to pretending to be busy watching the paper cup in his hand.

Teak picked up the two remaining sandwiches, then approached the scavenger. Seeing the warm attitude of Teak when handing over the sandwich and returning the scavenger's thanks while slightly bowing his body, something in the corner of Sandana's heart again shook violently. Ah, that guy is always attractive under any circumstances.

"This rain is also music, singing nature," fishing rod teak again, after sitting back opposite Cendana. "Even the sound of a broken twig, the rattling of a door hinge, the beating of a shoe on the floor, everything can be music. So you shouldn't feel uncomfortable when dealing with music."

Sandalwood is not ready for the story, but he does not know how to start. He finally chose to shut up.

Jati always tries to understand the condition of Sandalwood. He will not force what Sandalwood is not ready to share. He just wanted to make sure the girl in front of him was okay, and could one day reconcile with the music.

"Reverse, yuk, sir. Later Ranum and Jaka confused nyariin." Sandalwood said after observing the circumstances outside. The rain has gone.

"Yeah!"

Both of them were about to get up when Sandalwood's phone shook. WA of Ranum.

Ranum: Sori, yes, I went home first. Mama is very excited to drink Jamu Jun. You're okay, right, go home with Mr. Jati?

Not finished Cendana read Ranum's message, Teak's phone also vibrated. WA of Jaka.

Jaka: Sorry, sir, I'm going home first. Mama called, said there was a friend of mine from out of town. Please anterin Sandalwood go home, yes.

"Well, Ranum comes home first" complained Cendana.

"Jaka also went home first," said Jati, holding back laughter, after believing all this had been planned from the beginning by the two children.

"Huh? How, can?" Sandalwood frowned in disbelief.

Teak sniffed his shoulders with a contrived expression. "Well, I'll take you home, yeah."

Sandalwood did not nod, but also did not shake.

"You still need to be in Semawis Market?"

Sandalwoods.

"Oh yeah, we'll take a taxi online from here, yeah."

Sandalwood agreed. Actually this is a golden opportunity to establish more familiarity with Teak, but after the incident at the banana booth plenet earlier, Cendana can not talk too much.

***

"Ka, seriously, is that okay?"

"Udah, you calm down."

"Anyways, if it reaches Cendana or Pak Jati angry, you are responsible." Ranum still seemed hesitant to completely leave Sandalwood.

"Big!" Jaka had already moved out of his chair.

"Eh, don't forget my teletin's the same as Ridho, yeah." Ranum followed Jaka left the booth which they had made a hiding place from Jati and Cendana.

Jaka brings together the tip of his thumb and index finger to form the letter O without turning his head. Okay, said.

"Alright if not," Ranum threatened.

It is not easy to invite Ranum to cooperate in this mission. However, after Jaka promised to bring her closer to Ridho, the chairman of OSIS, the girl immediately willingly without the need to pry her background too far. All he knew, Cendana seemed to like their Math teacher.

***

After the online taxi that drove them passed, Jati immediately pulled out her phone. He intended to directly order an ojek online, after making sure Cendana arrived home safely.

"Mr have a minute to stop by? I want to show you something." Sandalwood spoke from the threshold of the gate.

Jati's busyness on her phone immediately stopped. The call just now was very unexpected, given the attitude of Sandalwood who still seemed closed so far.

"Can?" Both eyebrows raised.

Sandalwoods nodded.

"Isn't it okay with your parents?"

"They're not home at this hour."

"If so, you better not. I'm not good."

"Mom can let me go with Auntie."

"Auntie?" Make sure you don't hear wrong.

"Aibi is more entitled to give permission who I can bring into this house," said Cendana.

Despite feeling awkward, Jati did not bother him any further. He smiled as he pocketed his phone.

After accompanying Jati to ask Auntie for permission to see what she will show, Cendana took Jati to a room. Seeing typical male ornaments in this room, Jati sure, this is not the Sandalwood room.

"This is Cakka's room, huh?" Teak immediately concluded. He looked around again after Cendana agreed with a nod. There are many trinkets that smell of music. Starting from the guitar-modeled wall clock, a single trumpet-shaped sofa, a piano key patterned bed cover, and not to miss the entire wall surface coated with wallpaper with not-not-beam images.

"Sakka always comforts me with this guitar."

Teak who had been watching one of the walls of the room filled with posters of world musicians, turned to look at the guitar Cendana meant. Teak approached and immediately took over the black acoustic guitar. Instinctively, Jati fingers directly play a light melody.

"Mother can play guitar?" Sandalwood did not expect.

"Eh ...." Teak realized. "Little." He smiled strangely as he put the guitar on the bed.

Sandalwood went to the study table in the corner of the room. Upon his return, he carried a shabby piece of paper that Jati instantly recognized.

"So because of this paper, you were in such a panic when it was snatched away?"

Sandalwood sat side by side on the edge of the bed after Teak received the paper he presented.

Seeing the line of words forming a stanza that has a number note under it, Jati sure, this is the lyrics of the song. "The Greatest Brother", as the title suggests.

"That was the first and last song that Cakka managed to create for me, presented on my birthday. Really, it's the most beautiful gift I've ever received."

Teak can feel the newness thickening in the words of Sandalwood.

"Cakka wants to be a famous musician. But his wish is strongly opposed by Papa. According to Papa, music cannot guarantee the future. Papa wants his son to be a person to be proud of, who has a high social strata. In Papa's eyes, the musician is not at all proud."

Teak listened carefully, trying to be a good listener.

"Sometimes I find it funny, often Cakka's position is more like a brother than a sister." Sandalwood laughed lightly, even though the corner of his eyes had been inundated with tears. "When Papa-Mama doesn't seem to want to know more about us, Cakka sometimes takes over their roles." This time Sandalwood was unable to dispel the vibrations in his voice.

"By the way, Cakka seems very talented, deh. the combination of notes he chose, cool, loh." Jati intended to divert the atmosphere, pretending to re-observe the shabby paper in her hands.

"Emang, you understand?"

"Little. The rest are from nebak, anyway." Again, Jati smiled strangely. He returned the paper to Sandalwood, before the release went too far.

***