Lutfi Gilang's

11. Endeavours

i

I arrived at the door of the Risma family's private house after leaving the front yard wide enough.

I took a break when he was busy looking for the key.

"Wait, wait!" the rush of fatigue forced me to stop stepping. "Why rush?" He's nanya.

I pointed with my eyes towards the sky that began to bring dark clouds, a sign that it would soon rain.

"Oooh.... overcast, huh?" He's nanya.

I'm nagging.

"You ... didn't stop by first?" He's just another.

I'm shaking.

"Yes, it's cloudy. He he he...." He hit his forehead.

I'm nagging again.

"But.. but be undaunted, just a moment. Yea?" her door. "Just for a second,"

I breathed, but according to. Step back onto the terrace and wait for him to finish searching for the key. That's about three minutes.

"Ah, meet!" He exclaimed while throwing a smile that I didn't care about at all. Then averted his eyes with a confused look and brought his belongings in, then left his sleeping son in my arms.

Five minutes later, he came out and took his son to carry, then handed over the money.

I received and counted it. Rp. 140,000,-. Fitting, according to the section, half of the price paid by Mr. Edi's car. Although, I was a little annoyed that my rations carrying her luggage did not go into the count. Yeah, well, I'll take it as charity. Although I am alone, I actually have no desire to come to this house. So, I did lose along with him.

Okay, okay. Charities. Good. I'll try to accept it.

I set foot back to get out of her house. But back he stopped.

"A-anu. Waita minute!"

I haven't been able to answer that he has run into the house. Doing recklessness by leaving the door of his house open. If I were a criminal, I would have stolen his belongings. But, of course I didn't do that. Even if I have been harmed.

Huh, well, fine. I will try sincerely with the loss of 140 thousand money.

I appeal to the readers of this book, if you are helped by someone, do not easily believe in him like what Mother Risma did. Got to! After all, it's always 'there's shrimp behind the rock'. So, stay alert!

The woman came back after 15 minutes of waiting. His breathing was dull, his clothes wet with sweat, several times he also rubbed his face with a cloth on the end of his arm. But his smile still flashed as he looked at me. "Pardon me, lama....yeah?"

I'm nagging.

"Here," he said as he handed her a lunchbox.

Refused it.

"You-you... You don't like it, do you?" His face turned sad. "But I've been cooking."

Hearing her complaints made me almost pity.

"Yes, if so, sorry to waste your time" he said again.

The rain fell down, soaking all over my body

Lah... How is this?

"I took an umbrella, first" he said. Enter the house with heavy steps, then come back and give it to me.

I refused again, and prepared to rain. I haven't been able to run, he pulled the backpack I carried. Forcing me to shut up and face him.

"Yes, I know, I've been bothering you a lot. But I'm sorry too. I give this as my apology and my gratitude." He explained with tears. "Can't you appreciate a woman's effort?!"

Hearing her cry made my brain momentarily display a memory of the past.

🌹🌹🌹

ii

Sunday in 2011.

As usual, Lutfi and I would visit an orphanage to share food and toys, and play with the children there. Funneling our hobbies to young children. However, before we got there, we still took the time, stopping by the park for breakfast.

I sat down by the side of Lutfi who was preparing breakfast. "I don't think I have breakfast yet."

"Loh, why?" He's nanya.

"Nausea" I replied.

"Wind up, what?"

"I guess,"

"Hmmm...." Lutfi muttering. "Must have breakfast! Let it not hurt."

"But—"

"Ga can push!" the serobot. "Now you try to drink first."

I received a glass of warm tea that he gave me. Drink slowly. Enjoying all the warmth that radiates from my body.

"Where?" tanyanya. "Little, right?"

I nodded and threw a smile. "Thank you,"

"Either. Now breakfast, huh?" her door.

"But" I tried to resist.

"I've cooked to know, don't you want to appreciate my efforts?!"

Hearing his tone rising, I relented. And obey his orders.

Lutfi took the lunchbox from inside the backpack, opened the cover, and showed the contents inside.

"Well, fried rice." I said excitedly.

She smiles. "Yes, I cooked this specially for you. So, eaten, huh?"

I'm nagging. Waiting for Lutfi to split the two halves for me and for him.

"Why wear it?" I nanya after seeing the banana leaves used as a base for fried rice in the lunch box.

"Yes, this let the oil on out. You don't like greasy food."

I'm so happy to hear that.

"So, if someone else bares food, it's welcome, huh? Kasian tau, it's a real effort, even you immediately refuse."

"He," I laughed.

"Basic!" he patted my right shoulder. "Don't repeat!"

I'm nagging.

"Yes" I replied.

"Yes what?!" tanyanya asked for an explanation.

"Yes promise,"

"Yes promise, what promise?" It was like he was doing an interview test for me.

I exhale. "Yes promise that again. Promise me next time I'll get the food that everyone else loves."

Lutfi muttering.

"Why?" I'm nanya.

"You're not sincere, you don't have to be forced" he said.

"Ga sincere?" ask again.

"Yes," he answered. "kalo ga sincere, yes do not promise everything."

"I'm iklas, really." I said.

"That, right?"

"Well, what's more, anyway?"

"Say it's not sincere, but iklas."

"Your gear is the wrong time" I said, kidding.

Lutfi patted my right shoulder again. "Accuse me if I'm a budeg?!"

I was surprised to hear that. "E-engga, really! I didn't accuse you of being that."

"Yes!" yells.

"Engga!" shanka.

"Yes!"

"Engga!"

"Yeahaaaa!"

"Yongkahaaa!"

Lutfi again patted me on the shoulder. "So men won't budge, so stubborn, anyway!"

"D-well, sorry" I said trying to end the debate.

"Sorry what?!" the question, still on a high note.

"I'm sorry, because it's a bit of a bitch."

Lutfi grunting. Manyun. With both hands crossed in front of his chest.

"Yes, yes, sorry. Next time it's not like that." I tried to persuade him.

"God!" He still insists on crashing.

I laugh.

"Why laugh?! Funny thing?!"

I'm nagging.

"What's? What's so funny?!" tanyanya still expressed annoyance.

"So you: 'Heh!'" I said imitating his gurgle. "Like a cow."

Lutfi again patted my right shoulder. "Inhibitedly, even now the same kebo."

"Cow!" my tangkis. "Why can it be Kebo?"

"It's similar" he said.

"Engga!"

"Finish!"

"Engga!"

"Tuh, tuh, right."

I grinned and held Lutfi's punch on my right shoulder.

"Bad habit, you know!" said.

"Joking, I said.

He mutters. "Try, still want ga, what was the promise?"

I'm nagging. "Still," I replied.

"Try what promise?" testified.

"Promise if there are people giving food should not be immediately rejected, but accepted first, to appreciate his efforts to make the food." I'm explaining.

"Well, pinter." said Lutfi at last. "Come on breakfast, yeah,"

"Yes dear," I said a male cock in a beating heart.

Lutfi's face flushed red, I'm sure that it was happy to be mixed with shame.

🌹🌹🌹

iii

Now, in 2018.

Remembering that time, remembering the memory of when I was with Lutfi, made my heart moan. Disappointed to myself who still reneged on all the promises I had made with Lutfi.

I'm a terrible man, because I can't keep it without a promise. Even after I promised I would deny it. "Lutfi, sorry." Heart says.

Screaming at a mother with tears. I wanted to apologize to him, but I couldn't speak. I don't want to, there's something special about me in his heart or brain. But, I also don't want her to end up having a grudge against me. Not to mention, he already knows my job and the company I work for.

I was afraid, just in case he would spread this rumor, and make my reputation as a writer decline. In any case, I hope that Danu Banu's name will remain well regarded among writers and readers.

I took the lunchbox from Mother Risma's right hand and ignored the umbrella in the other hand, making her startled and instantly changed with a confused look.

"Thank you, I said and passed through the rain without an umbrella.

The last time I saw him was a big smile on his young face. Very young to me. It was impossible if she turned out to be a one-child widow. And the last time I heard from his voice was: "Thank you. I hope we can meet again".

The last time I expected I would never be able to see her face and voice. The last thing I expected wasn't to deal with him, again. Under any circumstances. Don't make!

Yeah, I hope so. I don't want to see that person again or anything.