LONLIN: Twins 13

After Six Years

Dillon POVs

The sound of the bell echoed, making the mother who was from dawn struggling in the kitchen scream for me to open the door immediately.

I waltz to the front door, turn the key, end up on the doorknob, and...

The waiting finally came.

"Assalamualaikum."

"Getishalight."

And then, no more conversations. It all feels awkward.

I thought there would be a casual greeting like, Hey! Dillon how are you? Or you still look the same as you used to, Dillon. Yeah, another normal greeting.

The sound of quick rhythmic footsteps from behind, made me free from the crickets of the moment.

"Devlin! Why don't you ask to be picked up, baby?" Mother squandered hugging the girl who was still standing on the outside of the doorway.

The one being hugged was just a smile, not answering a mother's question just now.

"Let's go in. Why are you standing outside like this?" Mom pulled him into the house by asking these and those questions.

Devlins.

Devlins.

Devlins.

He's high now. If I guess it's about 165 cm tall, right in my ear. The skin is yellow, not too white and not too dark. His bright brown eyes were still an identity I easily recognized. Her nose is sharp even though tiny is not inferior to the anime-anime I watched. His eyebrows are still thick, so no need for the help of eyebrow pencils. Her lips are Cherry-colored with the help of lip dyes, perhaps. Not much has changed from him.

Her hair? I don't know, because now Devlin's wearing a hijab.

"Dillon! Why stay there?" Mother's voice echoed to me. Immediately I closed the door that was still open.

When I arrived at the living room, they had climbed up the stairs to Devlin's room.

Breakfast since dawn prepared Mother would be the next activity. Mom just kept telling me this-that-anu as usual. What is different is only, if it used to be Devlin's voice that will always dominate, but now the girl just smiles knot and sometimes giggles slowly in response.

I just shut up. Let the mother and child enjoy their time together.

The spoon in my hand stopped moving, as the corner of my eye saw Devlin's outstretched hand fill my my microwear that was half-living. The hand was still the same; it looked frail with its gentle movements. The hand I used to hold here and there when I was in a crowd.

After breakfast, Devlin and Mother immediately washed the tableware while talking again.

At 11 pm, Devlin looked busy helped mother put the clothes she brought with her suitcase into the closet.

At 3 pm, we were standing in front of the bathroom door with a wet face, it looks like he was out of ablution.

At 6pm, I heard he was teaching.

At 7pm, after eating, Devlin went into his room and did not come out again.

All day long, we didn't talk to each other. Marvellously.

"Dillon, look! Devlin cooked it all." I was immediately greeted by an enthusiastic chatter of my mother, when she had just come down the stairs. That proud expression I only responded with a flat look. Don't know how to.

"Eh? Where is he now, huh?" Mother looked back and forth, though her hands were still pouring water into the glass.

"Quick call Devlin, Dillon. Make breakfast."

I'm tergugu. How do I call him? Rejecting mother's orders is also free.

The first place I went to was the side porch of the house. There I saw a rose blooming in a pot lined up neatly terraced already in a state of drenched. Mother's favorite purple plastic shepherd also still shows water droplets hanging there. That means the sprinkler plant is still not long to carry out the action. I widened my gaze and managed to find Devlin crouching with his head down.

I frowned, then tried to steal to see what he was doing. It turned out that Devlin was petting the small, invisible cat so gently and the fact was quite capable of making me comment on a smile.

"Come, eat."

He looked at me. I didn't seem surprised by my voice just now.

"I." my steps came to a standstill, as Devlin began to speak.

I turned around and found him standing.

"Can I borrow the bike for a minute?" he continued with his index finger pointing at the yellow bicycle standing at the corner of the veranda.

Yes, Allah. So I'm that alien to him?

I was silent because I gave up on continuing.

"Fast eat." Finally, only words with that unfriendly intonation came out of my mouth. Although at a glance, I can see the look of Devlin's face turned gloomy and this unlucky leg still stepped away, even though he knew his sister might be injured.

***

The devlin POV

"Can I borrow the bike for a minute?"

"Fast eat."

Disappointed to hear how he responded. I guess he'll say, can you bike? Normally, you would always force me to ignore it for you.

Dillon's.

Not much has changed from him. He's still taller than me. His skin is still as white as it used to be. His nose, his eyes, his eyebrows, his lips are still like the Dillon I remember. Just... He he's not like Dillon my next number.

You completely forgot about me, huh, Dillon?

"Let's eat, baby."

I'm obeying. Sit next to Mom. I used to sit next to Dillon. Long ago.

"Mother." My mother listened to my call. His hands also stopped scooping the rice onto the plate.

"Let's go for a second, huh?"

Mother raised her eyebrows confused. "Where are you going?"

There was no reaction from Dillon. He still eats his food.

"Oh," she smiled, and then continued, "You want to go for a walk, okay? Jakarta has changed a lot, dear." Shut up for a while, then glance at the son sitting before him. "Delivered by Dillon, huh? I have business in a minute, I'll follow."

I turned to look at Dillon and there was still no reaction.

Why does it hurt, huh?

"No need. Gibran said he'd pick you up."

Mother was surprised, then chuckled seductively. "Mom understands."

I took a slow breath. Suddenly no appetite.

"Devlin's."

Romaku feathers bristling. This is the first time Dillon has mentioned my name in six years.

"Can not, do not make a tame cat to play into this house. I don't like it."

Heart's slipping. There is pain in there that makes me reluctant even to just exhale.

"OKAY. Sorry."

He's looking up. Staring at me with an incomprehensible look, then snorting and moving out of his chair, leaving behind the remaining food.

"Dillon's."

"I'm going to college, Mom. It's too late."

My vision was suddenly blurry by the thin water that suddenly burst into force to exist.