Meeting Point

permission to be your personal driver

"Azka that, too good until people are reluctant and submit to him. Maybe you have heard about how Azka can be the leader of the Lion Gang. But, among all the people who had led the Lion Gang, only Azka was able to make Lion Gang even better"

"But, how is it possible that a person as great as you, an organization of such influence, could simply submit to Azka?" Aretha asked increasingly curious.

No one does not know Lion Gang, as said by Fahrul, Lion Gang is famous as a street singer. Even though Azka was the right hand of the sebskum chairman, but how can those who have such power, submit to Azka.

Jovan glanced at Aretha at a glance, then looked back at the focus towards the streets. "As I said before, Azka was too kind until the people bowed to her. Although during his reign, Azka prohibited the spread of alcohol and illegal drugs in the Lion Gang. But everything is not as cruel as you think Tha, everything goes in an organized manner. Well, although Azka gave the order quite firmly, but Azka never forced anyone to change as soon as possible. He never forced the children to rehabilitate, he never forced the Lion Gang children to stop drinking alcohol. Everything is done gradually and without coercion. Children who do rehabilitation, do it on the basis of their own wishes. For once a week, Azka always invites children to study in pesantren. His katana anyway, for spiritual flush. So gradually, we started to change towards a better one"

For a while, Jovan exhaled a few times. It turns out that the story of Azka, was able to drain all his emotions. Jovan raised his head several times, trying to prevent his tears from dripping. "Indeed, in the process it didn't go that easy, many of Lion Gang's children were against Azka's decision, even some of them decided to go out and build their own gang. But, one of the big reasons why the Lion Gang children could submit and obey Azka, because Azka embraced them when they slumped. When people hated them, even their parents chose to give up on them, but Azka did not. With his determination, he continued to spread goodness, until finally, his kindness was fruitful to other good"

Without feeling, Aretha's tears fell down both of her cheeks. The girl was well aware that Azka was a good person. Even the man was still willing to accept himself when people threw him away, when Azka should have hated him too. Now, Aretha realized, all the good that Azka had done during her life, was not the good that was made up. Aunt Lia has successfully raised a child, she has managed to raise a child who always sows goodness in the world.

"Jo, do you know the reason why Azka entered Lion Gang?"

Jovan stopped his car because they had reached the gate of Aretha's house. Afterwards, he looked at the clingy Aretha "I don't know much about Azka, but there was one word Azka had said to me. He said, when we become religious people, then we are required to color the era, not colored by the era. Wherever we stand, we must plant goodness. Because Islam is the Rahmatan Lil A'lamin" replied Jovan.

"Good for all nature" the monologue of Aretha.

"But Tha, there is one thing I never understood, Azka always avoids women, she never even comes into contact with any women. But with you, he does not even hesitate to hug you, even though you and he do not have blood relations. Are not those things forbidden in Islam, well I myself do not really understand about Islam anyway, but as far as I know, men and women who are not Mahram. So it is illegal for the law to touch even if only holding hands"

With her smile, Aretha several times nodded her head "because she is my sister, and I am her sister. Therefore he dared to call or hug me Jo" he replied with a smile that did not fade at all from her beautiful face.

"You mean?"

"The story is very long Jo, but for sure, Azka and I have a blood relationship. In our bodies, the same blood flows"

Because Aretha felt very proud to have an older sister like Azka. He was proud because he had always been guarded by his brother. Surely, Aretha did not want people to misunderstand Azka. She does not want to tarnish Azka's good name, she does not want Azka's name to be broken just because Azka dares to be in close contact with a woman who is not her mahram.

Although people would think badly of her, even if people would hate her, Aretha did not care. If by saying all these facts can correct the name and honor of Azka, then Aretha will do so with pleasure. Because all that is not comparable, compared to all the struggles that Azka has been doing so far.

Because Azka is too good to be an antagonist.

****

I don't know when was the last time Aretha felt the warmth of the house, I don't know when was the last time she tasted her father's cooking. But now, for the first time in many years, my father cooked him a special fried rice. The fried rice that Aretha always misses.

Very greedily, Aretha ate dishes that were impossible for her to feel if all the bad things that happened to her never happened. It is true with what Allah SWT says. Maybe, you don't like something, but there is good for you. Indeed, there must be wisdom in every destiny that God has set.

"what did you go to school?" ask me to start a conversation.

"up in angkot yah" replied Aretha.

"loh? Didn't you pick me up yesterday?" asked Dad in wonder, because the last few days, his daughter was always picked up by his friends.

Aretha shook her head "no, I forbid them to pick me up. They were not the drivers who would always pick me up, and again I could go alone. I don't want to rely too much on them" he replied.

Proudly, the father rubbed Aretha's head. It was unexpected that her daughter had grown into a mature teenage girl. He was too long gone, to miss the happy and sad moments experienced by his beloved daughter.

"for today, let me take you to school. Permission to be your personal driver"