LOVE STRATA 1

CS1 Coffee and Winnowing

Coffee shop thatched-roofed bamboo booths, became the destination of Anjani, Ken, and Dika, when previously passed by Juno and Meli. The coffee shop looks so simple, but looks clean with a neat order. There are three long tables complete with plates containing fried bananas, fried ketelas, and sugar donuts that are also sold there.

Juno ordered three cups of milk coffee for herself, Ken, and Dika. For Meli, Juno ordered a cup of warm tea. Finished mentioning the order of his friends, Juno sat down next to Anjani. Only Anjani has not ordered a drink.

"Hey, what message do you want?" juno asked Anjani.

"Black coffee without sugar" Anjani replied.

"Eh, sure?" tanya Juno made sure.

"Yes" Anjani answered briefly.

Juno was slightly astonished at Anjani's change in attitude. Since returning from playing water in the river, Anjani did not joke as much as usual. Instead of chatting, Juno often finds Anjani daydreaming.

Stepping closer to the stall owner, Juno mentions Anjani's order. However, not exactly as Anjani said. Juno whispered in the shop owner's ear to add a spoonful of sugar to Anjani's black coffee.

Finished with his order, Juno sat on the bench where Ken, Dika, and Meli gathered. Anjani sits on a separate bench, and Juno does not want to disturb him.

New topics about Mario's return and Anjani's attitude change were soon raised into conversation. Not a casual chat with a reasonable tone of speech, but made a little whisper so that not many hear.

"What's wrong with him?" juno asked as he gave an eye code pointing towards Anjani who was silent on the bench next door.

"Oh, suddenly it's so. Maybe he's upset that Mario picked Alenna up to go home" Ken explained as he chewed on a fried banana.

"Anne? Is she here?" ask Meli with a loud tone.

Buk up!

Anjani suddenly clenched his right hand, then hit the table. After hitting the table, Anjani took a fried banana, fried ketella, and a sugar donut then ate it alternately. Meli, Juno, Ken, and Dika seemed to feel the annoyance of Anjani that was vented on the foods.

"Ups, such an Anjani looks a little scary" Meli said in a slightly whispered tone.

"I want to meet the bule in person. Is she really as pretty as the one in the photo at the time?" ask Juno.

"The beauty of the delay, Jun. Really beautiful," said Dika in response to Juno's question.

"Uwu, so more curious, nih!" Juno.

Meli is upset to hear Juno and Dika's chatter that constantly discusses Alenna's beauty. Though Meli wants to discuss a way to make Anjani cheerful again, and reassure that the holiday will still be exciting even though there is no Mario.

"Sir Ken, what does Alenna have to do with Mario?" ask Meli.

Just like when Dika asked on the river earlier, when Meli asked about Alenna and Mario's relationship, Ken just shrugged his shoulders as the answer. Ken didn't want to go further, and there was no intention to tell his friends.

"Maybe Mas Mario has a personal secret and does not want to be known by others including Mas Ken," Juno said.

Ken flicked his finger just after Juno was done with his conjecture. That means, Ken agrees with Juno. Ken immediately also asks tos with Juno, as a sign that he is as thought. Finished with the tos, Ken switched the conversation in hopes that his friends would not discuss Mario and Alenna again. Exactly, the drinks that came at that time can be used as a new topic.

"Well, this is a jumbo portion!" Meli.

Not only Meli, there was Ken and Dika who were also flabbergasted to see their ordered drinks. Juno, Ken, and Dika ordered milk coffee served in a medium-sized clear glass, as well as Anjani's ordered black coffee. While the warm tea Meli order actually served in a large glass, like two servings made into one.

"Come, have a drink!" juno invited his friends.

Juno brought her milk coffee to drink on the bench Anjani, to accompany and comfort her. As soon as he sat down next to Anjani, he realized something.

"Loh, did your coffee spill? How come there's no?" ask Juno astonished.

"It's over" answered Anjani briefly, then ate a sugar donut.

"Wait-wait. Where did all the bananas and fried ketelas go on the plates? Why is this doughnut sugar? Isn't it still full?" june asked back astonished.

"i've eaten. You're the one who bought it, right?" ask Anjani.

"I-iya, anyway. Haha .... Continue on! I'm glad to see you eat a lot like this. By the way, I'm back sitting there, huh? You continue eating the sugar donuts. Da!" Juno.

Juno rejoins Meli, Ken, and Dika. Not to forget Juno also brought his milk coffee. While sitting next to Ken again, Juno felt that her friends were laughing at her.

"Hey, why laugh like that?" ask Juno.

Juno smiled, then sipped her milk coffee. Juno really doesn't matter if Anjani also spends her milk coffee. After all Anjani's annoyance was only vented through food and drink, so Juno was not worried that Anjani would starve.

Juno then briefly ordered another cup of coffee for Anjani, but this time coffee with a normal taste. Not too bitter and not too sweet. Juno also kindly delivered the coffee to Anjani's desk.

"This time calm your heart and enjoy this coffee" Juno said with a smile.

Anjani could feel the sincerity from Juno's words. Juno's smile seemed to be able to touch and soften her heart. Anjani appreciated that. It would be very bad if Anjani ignored Juno's kindness.

"thank you. I'll enjoy the coffee" Anjani said with a smile.

"Well, that's a smile. So, wanna join us in sitting there?" ask Juno.

"Awhile more. I spent the doughnut sugar first," explained Anjani.

Juno nodded, then rejoined his friends first. Most importantly, his heart was already relieved from being able to see Anjani smile.

"Don't Alenna is a woman who wants to be betrothed to Brother Mario. Ah, sure I am. It's worth Anjani getting upset," said Meli shortly after Juno joined the chat again.

"You mean Anjani is jealous?" kennel asked half a whisper.

"He? Does Anjani have a crush on Mas Mario?" june asked curiously.

"Yes it might be. The proof is that the reaction is like that!" dika said in response.

"St-shh. It's all uncertain. It could be Anjani just upset because the holiday event is a little not according to plan. Aye, right?" Meli made another accusation.

"True," Anjani said.

Apparently Anjani has moved from his seat, and began to join other friends. Anjani also heard the allegations that had been expressed by Meli, even confirming.

"There's no need to talk about Mario and Alenna anymore. Now, let's eat the sugar donut!" invite Anjani who has already taken sugar donuts on the plate in front of Dika.

"Anjani, are you hungry or doyan?" ask Ken while he takes the sugar doughnuts.

"Obviously someone paid. Can you, Jun?" anjani asked with a sweet smile.

"Ahaha, please! I'm happy if my friends are comfortable enjoying the holidays. Yuk, spend!" Juno.

Although Juno had to spend more, but she enjoyed it so much. Fortunately, the price of pastries in his village is not as expensive as the price of cakes in the city. As a result, even though Juno and his friends spent a lot of cakes, but the total bill was not up to one hundred thousand rupiah.

***

Thirty minutes passed, Anjani, Meli, Juno, Ken, and Dika separated. Ken and Dika come to Juno's house, while Meli goes to Anjani's house. They will all rest, before later in the afternoon and tomorrow return together to enjoy a vacation in the village.

On the way back home, Anjani and Meli were busy discussing the exciting things to be found in the village. Joy certainly accompanies the conversation between the two. Until the moment they passed the leatherback tree, Anjani again fell silent.

The tree reminded Anjani of Mario. Anjani also remembers the familiarity of that night with Mario, painting a crescent moon smile. Tonight Anjani will return to practice, whether it will work to make him smile with such a mood.

"Sst, how about daydreaming again, anyway?" ask Meli to surprise Anjani.

"No, no" replied Anjani.

"Anjani, you have a crush on Mario's brother, huh?" ask Meli later.

Anjani suddenly stopped stepping because she was shocked to hear Meli ask like that. Quickly Anjani shook her head and dismissed Meli's allegations.

"Yaudah, if you don't have a crush, then your attitude should be normal, Anjani. If it's still like that later it's not just me who guessed, Brother Ken, Dika, even Juno could have thought so. Already, now there is no daydreaming event anymore. Okay?" said Meli while blinking her eyes.

Anjani agrees with Meli's words, "Okay, Mel."

Actually, Anjani did not really understand what his heart felt. Suddenly Anjani was upset when he saw Alenna hugging Mario.

Is this what you call jealousy? If so, does that mean I've saved the flavor for Mario? inner Anjani.

***