K&K (Taste Features)
30. The Unendurable Taste
Five o'clock less than a quarter, Haikal glanced at his watch. Soon Kirana will be home from teaching tutoring. It meant that he had managed to keep his distance from Kirana and stay away face to face with her.
Suddenly a triumphant smile expanded from the corners of his lips. Yup! Inner Haikal. It was as if he had won a hide-and-seek game with Kirana.
Haikal praised her pride, saying that she was not as easy as falling in love with someone other than the late Kezia.
There was a message in his phone's inbox just as Haikal was stopped by a red light. Haikal opened a message from his older brother, Neny.
“Where to? It's Kirana's last day teaching piano lessons. Looks like he's looking for you to say goodbye. Hurry home before regretting!!”
Tin!Tin!Tin! the vehicle horn behind Haikal's car screamed cursing. He nodded and immediately drove the car. Haikal's heart is breaking. A short message from Neny disturbed his mind.
His fingers tapped on the steering wheel. Restless and upset. Why is it like this? He was worried about himself what if he could not see Kirana again. Seeing her smile reconcile her. Kirana's definitely not going to her house anymore. And he had no reason to see the mute girl.
Haikal let out a long sigh and decided to turn back towards the house. Haikal was driving at high speed hoping he could be on time and Kirana had not left.
At 17:05, Haikal was hit by a traffic jam. He instead played the horn in annoyance to the vehicle that blocked his path. Fortunately, the traffic jam did not last long, soon Haikal speeding and several times broke through the yellow lights.
Haikal parked the car in front of the gate. He opened the gate in silence. Kirana stopped walking.
After taking a good breath, Haikal looked at Kirana. He immediately hugged Kirana tightly. Miss Anna, Neny and Niko who were in the doorway were all shocked. Ms. Anna shut her mouth in shock with eyes glaring.
Niko frowned angrily and was about to reprimand her, but the hunt was covered by Neny. A happy smile rose from Neny's lips.
After being satisfied and long enough Haikal hugged Kirana to let go of his longing, he released Kirana who was still dumbfounded with a look of disbelief.
“Sorry yes, I suddenly hug you.” Haikal held both of Kirana's shoulders. His breath is still burning. “I. But I can't help but meet you, Kirana. I can't stop thinking and always miss your sweet smile.” Haikal's eyes look serious.
Kirana misbehaved, she herself confused what to behave like. Miss Anna and Niko looked wide-eyed, Neny giggled happily. Haikal did not care about his family's response and gaze. Right now he felt that there was only himself and Kirana.
“I..I just feel like I'm starting to love you. Not because you are Niko's piano teacher, but..as a woman.” Haikal gulps.
Eventually those words overflowed also from his mouth after a prolonged inner war. Haikal used his fingers and tried sign language. “ I” pinkie fingers. “Love” four letters slowly with alternating fingers. Then, “You” Haikal directly pointed at Kirana. Too complicated for him to spell letters.
Kirana is getting on the clouds. Didn't expect Haikal to even declare love with sign language. Could he be dreaming? the man she loves expresses feelings for her? He never even dared to hope to get a reply of love from the dashing man.
Kirana realizes how many flaws in him that it does not deserve to be together with Haikal, a man who is too perfect and good for her.
Kirana smiled in response.
But Haikal did not understand the meaning of his smile this time. Because Kirana never separated from the smile soothing and reassuring every eye looked.
“Will we get closer? can I always be near you?” ask Haikal.
He is indeed not a man who is good at expressing feelings and stringing words. You could say too conservative speech like that in this day and age. Kirana nodded and gave the best smile she had. A happy and haru smile emerged from the corner of Haikal's lips.
She hugged Kirana.
Then applause came from Neny. But Anna looked coldly. He entered the house without comment. Haikal took off his embrace and turned his head towards Neny and Niko.
“That means om dating with sister beautiful donk?” niko's face was still grimacing. Everyone laughs.
“Why is Haikal dating Kirana?” neny asked his son.
“Niko can't be whipped and spoiled again with sister Kirana.”
“Lho why can't it?”
“Yes now Kirana's sister is not single anymore, there is her boyfriend. Masa’ Niko wants to seduce the boyfriend of the person,” Niko's answer makes a long laugh from the adults.
“Niko can still kok deket-deket and spoiled same sister.” Write Kirana on the note.
“Carely? can? later om jealous and angry again.”
“Yah om will not be angry if you do not kiss kak Kirana carelessly kayak first,” said Haikal, his hands embrace Kirana's shoulder. Attitude to protect and have
“Niko dare kiss sister Kirana?” Neny can't believe it. Niko immediately went inside with a reddened face covered before getting angry from the mother.
***
Haikal takes Kirana home. They are both still accompanied by endless romance. Flowers bloomed in each other's hearts. Like colorful flower petals that burst open in the spring with a bunch of beetles, butterflies and bees partying with each other.
Bravely Haikal grabbed Kirana's hand and grasped it with the left hand he used to set the gears of the wheels.
“Can we take a walk for a while?” haikal Pinta. Kirana according.
Haikal took her to an artificial lake. They sat on the edge of the lake while looking at the night hawker sellers around the lake. Sparkling twilight cover lamps lit up brightly, replacing the solar and accompanying the moon.
“ I...want you help me take off someone,” Haikal said stammeringly.
Kirana was not surprised.
He understood, because he had heard a little tragic story of the failure of Haikal's marriage and his fiancee from Neny.
“She is the woman I have always loved and cannot forget. She was my fiancee who died five years ago in an accident. We were about to get married for three months, and the disaster came. I can never forget it. I don't even have any interest in other women other than him or rather can't love another woman anymore. But he was in another world. Her shadow never disappeared from my memory. Once I love her and can't forget her the more my life is fucked up. I also suffer with that slump.” Haikal looked sad.
Kirana rubs her shoulders. Haikal raised his head and looked straight ahead.
“But, for some reason since there was you, Kirana, everything changed. There is something else in my heart that gives another glimmer of happiness to you. I tried to get rid of that feeling, but I couldn't. I love you so much and unconsciously I miss and get anxious not to see that smile for a day. I tried not to betray my fiancee, and maintained the stance of not getting married at any time. I can't. I can't lie about how I'm starting to love you. And I don't think he'd like me to live in a slump without someone being by my side. There are shadows and similarities in you. Not a face of course. Merely, I feel like I see his figure in you. I don't know what.” Haikal was staring fixedly at Kirana.
“But I don't want to make you his shadow. Help me to let go of her disappearance and see you as a whole. Seeing you as Kirana, an extraordinary simple figure. Not him anymore.”
“I won't force you. And I'll patiently wait until you actually let it go. I will not make you forget him completely, because after all he is part of your life, the past. Yesterday was purely yours. I can't interfere. You just have to keep looking ahead. Seeing your own life. Let all pass along with the many good futures we will face. I'll help live a better life by being by your side.” Kirana wrote it, because with sign language throughout it Haikal will be difficult to understand.
Haikal was moved, he hugged Kirana warmly again. The girl who will be his future.
For Kirana, it doesn't matter if she's currently Haikal's escape. There were only two women in her heart, the dead woman and herself. Just waiting for time for him to be fully in Haikal's heart.
At least, he became a solace and a fountain of happiness for Haikal, the man he loved. At least, he still has someone to love, dear and be a reason for him to stay in this world.
***
Every afternoon Haikal would pick up Kirana and take her to eat from one restaurant to another. Sometimes Niko goes with them. The days passed beautifully the young couple.
That afternoon Citra was doing some photoshoots in Jakarta. This time he was not accompanied by his mother, because he had the flu. Citra and mbak Moni stayed two days at a hotel close to Restaurant Familial.
The next night after tired of shooting and signing several advertising contracts in local magazines, Citra stopped by herself at Anna's French restaurant. He had rented a sedan car while in Jakarta.
Until now when his salary was large with many jobs, he was not interested in buying a car. Citra wants to pay the bank debt in order to get back her confiscated house.
He took off his half-oval brown glasses over his hair.
Her makeup is very fashionable these days, considering she is a rising model. The original Hermes bag was a gift from a male designer hanging luxuriously on his skinny arm. Long tapered legs walk gracefully.
“Bienvenue,” greet a waiter.
Direct image points to a table near the window window display desired, location startegis to see the traffic outside. The waiter nodded with a friendly smile.
The image was looking at the menu when Kirana had stopped playing at 8 p.m. He had obtained permission from the manager's mom, because Haikal asked of course. Haikal was waiting and stood up to give a round of applause. He welcomes Kirana from his desk, then embraces her bahunyna and walks out.
Sit position Citra at that time turned back towards the direction they both walked. If Citra finds out and sees that her surviving sibling has just passed by, there will definitely be a novelty tonight.
Haikal opened the door for Kirana. When Kirana was in the car, Citra just turned to the road and saw a man she knew.
The image narrowed his eyes, his heart seemed to be beating hard. The man who had accidentally collided with her. The image of standing wants to pursue the man, but his intentions are undo. He saw another girl in the car and the car was gone.
The image took a long breath. Maybe it's not his lucky day. He sat back. Whether just admiring or he really likes the man, Citra does not know for sure. It was just that twice seeing the man's face, his heart was pounding violently. He has no appetite anymore.
In his mind, it was a fortune if he was the girl in that shiny black car. And luck for the girl to get a place next to the dream man.
***
Haikal takes Kirana to a Japanese restaurant. It would not be interesting if dinner at the restaurant itself, while every day Kirana has worked there.
The romantic dinner was lovely. This time Kirana does not need to bring notes, because Haikal has been learning sign language for days and now perfectly and proudly practiced to show seriousness to Kirana.
The hue of life spirit in the future emanated from the face of Haikal who had been cold would fall. It was as if he had woken up from a prolonged nightmare. He is more friendly to everyone, when he was very introverted, rigid, tend to be choosy and a little authoritarian.
Kirana has restored the old Haikal figure, a friendly, warm, open, and romantic figure.
