Lutfi Gilang's

9. Mbok Iin Warung

i

In the cafeteria, at recess, I sat down at a table with Gyan, Kelvin, and Arya.

Each one eats snacks that have been ordered, while I'm the most different myself. Just drink green bean juice.

 

All this talk is unnecessary. Me, just silent and looking towards the source of the voice, tried enthusiastically.

“I have never seen a upperclassman here.” said Gyan.

I don't know why he suddenly did that. Actually I also want to say: “I you have never seen Gilang to the canteen.”

But I just kept quiet.

“Each generation has their own canteen.” replied Kelvin.

“Oh,” says Gyan. “But the twelfth class IPA above, they are the snacks where?”

Kelvin lifted his shoulders and went back to eating.

“They buy snacks to Minibank.” says Arya.

“Minibank?” Gyan nanya, make sure.

Arya said, Minibank is a school cooperative that is conjured up as alfamart or indomart, so there is an AC. He also said, sometimes there are some upperclassmen who hang out at the Mbok Iin stall, behind the school. He also said, had seen Gilang there several times.

I'm shocked, keep asking: “What is it?”

Arya just nods while eating rames on the plate.

I kind of can't believe it. But after remembering that he often took the security guard out, I began to influence his speech.

It can also be true. Thought.

“Let on can smoke.” says Kelvin.

“Iya.” Ateg agreed, as long as you don't know where. Sweeping me, continue to sit by my side while putting a plate filled with batagor.

I can tell, Gyan, Kelvin, is confused, but Arya is. As if familiar.

“Tumben meet in canteen.” I said.

“Yes, again laper. He he he.” replied.

“Oya, this is Gyan, Kelvin, same Arya, my classmate. Keep this Ateg, my hostess.”

“Hai,” greet them.

“Iya, greetings know.” replied Ateg.

“Teg, you know about Mbok Iin stalls?” my many.

He's nodding. “Say often eat there.”

“Iya?” I was shocked not to believe it, but what else if the reality is that.

“She said headquarters?” Kelvin nanya, but rada sounds telling. Don't know yet.

“I don't understand. But clearly, upperclassmen are often on to it.” replied Ateg.

“Says there serem?” ask Gyan.

“Loh, why?” I'm turning back.

“Soalnya on ga dare to come there. So serem must be, right? He he he.”

“Wuuuu!” Arya exclaims.

“Say on like to drink there.” replied Kelvin.

“Iya?” my question is a little surprised by Kelvin's explanation, and increasingly do not believe that Gilang often went there.

“There?” Gyan and Ateg.

“Iya,” Kelvin replied.

“Another SMA boy is also on frequent follow-up hanging out.” said Arya.

“Kan.” Kelvin.

🌹🌹🌹

ii

Until now, ten years into the future, I do not know the condition of the Mbok Iin stalls actually like how. Because I don't want to know, and don't want to come to places that many students want, especially if it is a headquarters for smoking. So I was just listening based on the explanation of my friends.

Warung Mbok Iin is located behind SMAN Purwokerto, in the North of the motor workshop. The building mostly comes from wood that has been weathered eaten by termites, the walls are still tabag. Both have never been painted, you don't know why. The roof of the tile that has been a long time, the floor is still ground. Similar to doeloe era model houses.

If the hours of rest or lunch, surely there will be many visitors. Though Bu Iin, the owner, only prepared regular home cooking and not very tasty.

There are also rumors, if the visitors are crowded to near Bu Iin, because she is indeed a widow. But, if the High School kids, eat there so they can hang out together smoking, and maybe other things.

In front and right side of the shop there is a yard approximately 2 to 3 meters, fenced around the same wall. Usually used by students to hang out, and the yard for motorcycle parking.

In 2015, when I tried to check it, the Mbok Iin stall said people had closed, because Bu Iin had been brought by her husband to move to Semarang. He said, Ms. Iin married Mamang Budi, the school security guard.

 

Now the Mbok Iin stall has been transformed into a very comfortable baso stall and many visitors instead.

🌹🌹🌹

iii

Back to the story, when I was talking to Ateg, Gyan, Kelvin, and Arya in the cafeteria, suddenly Gilang came to the cafeteria. Not usually.

Can you imagine how I felt at that time? I have a hard time expressing it. Anyway, all I know is, I was wrong.

What he said this morning in class. Really, I'm more embarrassed about it. And indeed, I went back to changing my hairstyle like a normal day.

“Lutfi,” reply.

 

“Ya, Gilang.” I said.

“Ga usually you to the canteen?” ask Ateg.

“From person.”

“Who?” manya curious.

He looked at me sharply, kept talking: “You,”

I smile. Keep remembering the problem, I immediately nanya. “Call, you often go to Mbok Iin stalls, behind the school?”

“Iya,”

So right, my heart says.

“Why?” He's nanya.

Somewhat hesitant, but I ended up too. “Why did you get there?”

“Eating,”

Ow hell! I forgot Gilang would answer that. “Meanwhile besides, why?”

“Nemenin Mamang Budi,”

“Ngapain?”

“Eat,” the answer is flat.

Sebel! Yes, it means other than thatuuuu. Ngeselin.

“Oh, Mamang Budi likes to eat there, again PDKT also.”

“Whose name?”

“Yang has warung.”

“Bu Iin?”

“Ga knows his name.” his answer is relaxed.

I'm so glad to hear that. So it has been proven, if Gilang to the Mbok Iin stall because the security guard who asked to eat there, not his own will. I am also sure, Gilang will not macem-macem if you go with Mamang Budi.

“Wait-wait, Mamang Budi who is it?” Gyan suddenly followed her.

“Satpam school.” Reply Gilang.

“You ate together with Mr security guard?!” Gyan nanya slightly snapped as well. Must be in shock.

I also looked at the other friends in shock. But Ateg did, he just smiled to himself and focused on eating.

“Iya.” Gilang answered innocently, then looked at me. “Lutfi,”

“Iya.”

She smiles. I saw his eyeballs move into my head. It was like showing me something different.

I'm downcast embarrassed. Again only Gilang realized, if I change my hairstyle, and only he is aware. Then Gilang stepped away.

“Eh, where are you going?” I'm nanya.

He stopped holding me. “Ke class.”

“Why?” ask again.

“Sleep,”

“Kok sleep continues?”

“Soal ga ngapa-ngapain.”

“Ikut eat aja, here.” Ateg suddenly offered.

Gilang. “Ga, thanks. Someone will be jealous.” Keep going.

Will anyone be jealous? Who is jealous? Jealous of whom? I'm just nanya myself.

Looked over, and I saw Kelvin acting a little weird, for some reason. He grunts while eating with a ketus face.

What does Gilang mean, Kelvin?

🌹🌹🌹

iv

Disbanding school, I stepped in with Kelvin who happened to be one-way with me. He said there would be business in the Great Mosque with Arya, but Aryanya did know where.

“You always go home by yourself, what?”

“Iya.”

“Then to home, also by yourself?”

“Iya.”

“Fear?”

“Sometimes.”

Well, don't know why it feels like I want to hurry up to the boarding before Gilang sees all this. Because it was right before the last lesson time he said: “I was going to take you home on a bike.”

“Ga pas.” I reply.

“But ga so.” says Gilang. “I know, you'll answer that.”

I smile hearing it. I see him smiling too.

“What if you go home with?”

“Ga wired.”

“But it's unidirectional.”

“I'm going home alone.”

“Oh, so. Okay,”

“Iya.” answer.

If I had to be honest, I could have accepted Gilang's invitation to go home on a bicycle with him, or go home together, but I felt it was not the time. Really it's more because I don't want to look closer to him, and I don't know why. Hopefully he is not disappointed and eventually gives up.

Silence, but still looking at me.

Because of the inconvenience, I have: “Why?”

She shook her head. Still smiling, and still glaring at me.

I exhale. “Udah, by the way aja.”

Gilang justifies his sitting position and then tidies the uniform. “Good, I'm talking.”

“Iya.” I replied gerogi.

He was quiet for a long time, making me impatient.

“Cautious.”

“Hah?”

“Yes, be careful on the road.”

“Oh, i-iya.” I replied disappointed. I think there's something important he wants to reveal, uh it turns out that he's not. I looked up, forgot about it and tried to notice the lesson that was about to begin.

🌹🌹🌹

v

Almost to the T-junction, my eyes were still watching the surroundings, hoping Gilang would not see me who was walking alone with Kelvin. I'm sure, if Gilang saw me with him back then, he must have misunderstood. Or didn't?

“So we will discuss for social service activities on Sunday tomorrow, you want to join?”

“Hmmm... ga tau deh.” I replied. Actually from the beginning I did not really hear Kelvin's explanation of this, I was too anxious if Gilang saw me walk with Kelvin.

It's not that I purposely made the same way with him. I even made excuses to refuse to walk with him. But Kelvin insisted, even wanted to wait for me to sit at the stop for half an hour, stop by the photocopy-an opposite just to make him give up, keep coming back to school to enter WC, and, he's still waiting for me. Made me surrender.

 

When we finally passed the fork that I had previously parted with Gilang. My heart almost cried out in excitement because Gilang did not see all the events just now.

Kelvin paused and entered the mosque, while I continued to walk alone with anxiety that began to fade.

🌹🌹🌹

vi

Until the boarding house, I put myself in bed, imagining how Gilang was disappointed after seeing me go with Kelvin, even though I forbade him to go home with me.

He must have been disappointed to feel that I would prefer Kelvin to him, because whoever he is is is a human whose heart is easily hurt.

Now, everything's happened, there's nothing else I need to regret. But I have to keep talking to Gilang tomorrow, explain everything. Gave me a logical reason why I ended up going home with Kelvin. Hopefully he understands, if not, I'm resigned. It's up to Gilang how. Me and him are just friends.

I saw from the window, the sky was cloudy, as if it was me alone in the room and worried. I'm confused about myself. Tell me he's not who I am, he's just my friend, but why am I so sorry about this?

It felt so tight, that it made my tears just flow.

Really, if I could, I want the sky to collapse and hit me deeply. But still give me a gap so I can say: “Gilang, sorry to refuse your invitation, I regret.”