Neighbor Husband

Episode 2 - His identity

“Luke?” said the man.

“Abang knows him?” ask Ina. Her eyes looked at Luke and her husband in turn.

“Hmm ... well, we were one class first at SMA,” said Dede.

“Oh, really? Means my upperclassman too, dong,” exclaimed Ina.

Luke smiled wryly. His fingers held the cell phone tightly. “Why should he stay here? When I'm like this?” luke said in his heart.

Luke looked at himself. He was wearing a T-shirt, training pants, hair tied sober, and a face that was not touched by powder coating. That's not interesting.

While the man looked neat in a navy shirt, his short hair was neatly styled and had a beautiful wife who was very friendly.

“Eh, but I don't remember having an upperclassman?” ina looked at Luke. Yes, Luke's hair looks reddish blonde and his skin is pale white. He was named Lukella, which means red-haired girl.

“Oh, the-”

“Luke was rarely in school. He spent more time in quarantine as a participant of the Provincial physics and astronomy Olympiad,” explained Dede, cutting off Luke's speech.

“Wah, really? Great,” praise Ina.

“Halah, bullshit. My only advantage is white and a little clever. But I am not a popular student,” Luke said in his heart. He recalled the bitter memories of sitting in High School.

“It's good to see you again, Luke. Where do you work now?” ask Dede

“I ... I wrote,” replied Luke hesitantly.

“Oh, you become a writer? Wow, that's delicious. You can work free hours. Unlike us who became zombies at eight to five in the afternoon,” said Dede.

Luke scowled. He was not expecting this meeting. “You yourself work where?” ask Luke flat, just a pleasantries.

“I work in one of the private companies near here. Well, ordinary contract employee. But my wife's home. I hope you can be a good friend to him,” said Dede. Ina nodded happily.

“Uh, I don't want it,” thought Luke. But he kept trying to put a smile on his face.

...*****...

Luke's mind was all fucked up all day. He could not finish his writing at all.

“Author? Huh, what?” Think Luke.

None of the books have been accepted by major publishers. He's only been unemployed since completing his S2 two years ago.

Previously he thought that taking a physics education with a myriad of achievements, it would be easier to get a job. Apparently not. Good relationships with insiders are more prioritized, compared to skills and achievements. How ironic.

Until now Luke is still sending dozens of applications to various places. He also sent his essays, short stories and novels to various online publishers to meet daily needs.

“Why should he show up when my life falls apart, anyway?”

Luke looked at his face in the mirror. Her hair was reddish curls, large eyes, as well as thick eyebrows and lips. Haah, it is only white people who should be proud of him. The rest he has a standard stature like other Indonesians. The height is quite standard, 155 cm.

Although beauty is not an absolute thing as a binder for men, but still the first thing to see is to look attractive. Just look if you read job openings, ‘Appearance Pulling’ is preferred.

“No, Luke. You have to be confident. You have your own advantages. Your father and mother must be sad to see you humble yourself like this,” Luke told himself.

Then he gathered the mood. Her hair was neatly combed, then tied to a ponytail. Don't forget to put the powder on his face. She prefers simple make up. Luke chose the right clothes to wear to the market.

After a half-hour tour of the traditional market, Luke completes his kitchen needs for the next week's supplies. When he was about to move to the stop waiting for city transportation, his eyes were fixed on a store that was quite interesting. Doubtful he stepped there.

“Ah, just buy. Who knows someday it will come in handy,” murmured Luke.

“Good morning, Brother. Want to find what cosmetics?” greet the shop staff kindly.

...*****...

The sparrows are jumping on the branches of jasmine flowers. Sometimes they fight over the crumbs of beans that Luke spreads. Meanwhile, a small cat slept soundly on his lap. Dede smiled seeing it. His face looked tired, like he had just come home from work.

“Your habits are still the same as they used to be, yes. Gardening, feeding the wild animals,” said Dede.

Luke doesn't say. He was not too surprised by the presence of the man in front of him.

“Your nature is so sweet and soft,” continued Dede.

“Hmm yes .. Your look used to be quite tomboyish, even though your hair is now long. People rarely know your gentle and loving nature,” explains Dede.

“People near me don't understand that either,” Luke continued.

“You still like me?” ask Dede.

Likey? As someone who had loved him for three years in High School, how could he forget? But does he really like it? What he felt was a very painful pain.

“Luke? How do you even daydream?” tegur Dede's.

“Go home. Your wife must be waiting for you inside,” Luke said. He left Dede still staring at him.

...*****...

Srrr .. Luke soaked his whole body with water. Here there is no shower, just use a plastic dipper. Huff.. She rubbed her hair with a ruffled. He hoped the cool water would clear his head, but it did not.

“Am I capable of neighbors with him? How long will he stay here?” muttered Luke. His mind wandered far away. Given the events of fourteen years ago, all three of them sat in the first grade of High School.

“Luke, please pass this paper to Dede Purwanto, class XF. Tell him, he has to remedial physics with me no later than tomorrow morning. Otherwise, the report value does not pass,” said Mr. Datson, their cute but killer physics teacher.

“Good, Sir,” replied Luke. He immediately headed to class XF looking for the student mentioned earlier. He looked for her long enough, because he did not know the friends of this class.

“Dede Purwanto?” luke asked a student appointed by some of his friends.

“Iya, what's up?”

“This, I was told to hand over this paper by Mr. Datson. He also said that the remedial physics will be no later than tomorrow morning. Otherwise your grades will be red on report.” Luke delivered Datson's message.

“Oh, thank you,” he said with a smile.

The deg! “Sweetest smile,” Luke said inwardly.

“You're the XA class kid who got the highest physics score, right?”

“Mmm.. Yes,” replied Luke timidly.

“You want to teach me physics for remedial tomorrow, right? I've been remedial twice, nih,” pinta Dede.

“Bby aja. But I can't go after school. Because I took the school bus home,” replied Luke.

“If the second break later how?” ask Dede.

“Bby.”

“Wah, thank you, yes... ehm..?”

“Lukella, just call Luke.”

“Trims, Luke. Later on my second break to your class, deh,” replied Dede cheerfully.

“Duh, what a sweet smile,” Inner Luke.

Since then Luke has always admired Dede Purwanto, an ordinary student with a mature brown skin who is not so popular. But able to ensnare his heart, to ultimately make him hurt and traumatized.

Slippage. Something touched Luke's back. He immediately opened his eyes and looked back.

“Hiyaaa..!” squeal Luke.

Duk! Duk! Duk! “Luke, what's up?” call Tyas, neighbor number five. He banged on Luke's door.

“Nothing, Brother. There was a rat,” Luke lied. His eyes stared at a white object floating in front of him.

“Totally?” ask Tyas again. He seems to be very worried about Luke.

“Yes, it's really okay,” exclaimed Luke.

“Ish, who the hell put a white shirt here? I thought it was a ghost,” Luke grumbled when his consciousness had returned. Hmm. Who else hangs their clothes in their bathroom?

(Connected)