Romance In Makara Orange

First Meeting From The Past

Vira has finished the second plate of chicken pecel that he ate with nasi ujut. Kosa just looked at him with a big smile. Can't believe the skinny posture like Vira is able to eat so much food.

“Abang why smile yourself so?” ask Vira who actually makes Kosa laugh.

“Ih asked even laugh. Weird!” vira added.

“Vir, this Friday Brother thesis proposal hearing. Want to come?” ask Kosa.

“Yah Abang, Vira had promised Mr. Faisal the arrival of Thursday and Friday. Updated to wednesday how?” vira Pinta.

“Hahaha, does the brother who has a campus get to spend the day? Basic you!”

“Yakali Aja Bang, Prof. Ibrahim wants to hear. That person is so good!”

“Polite ah Vir ngatur Professor. If Vira can't come, it's okay. Only doang koq proposal hearing!” sergeant Kosa.

“Abang Monday to Friday next week to Serang ya Vir! Five days we may not see you. So later you can not pick up Vira at the station home internship.”

“Abang why to Serang?” vira asked curiously while stirring the remaining ice to become liquid in her glass.

“Kan Abang once said that Brother was asked to help him become his assistant Matsuoka Sensei at the Japanese Study Center, The first meeting and next Monday he has plunged the field.”

“For a long time, why?”

“Yes long ago if qualitative research. Interview here and there, let alone the same village device. A trip to every village that samples it's the old Vir! You have five days of research in Karawang too, right? It was in the city of loh let alone this in the village.”

“Abang that takes care of everything?”

“Yes not. Who maintain the bureaucracy of the sample village there are lecturers from Untirta there. The interview was also Matsuoka Sensei. Brother is just part of the printout that is needed while there. Pretty Vir. The honor is great and Brother can also learn a lot.”

 

The day passed and this Thursday was the first day Vira officially interned at the office of board member Pak Herman Sasongko. The middle-aged man in glasses and hair that was almost filled with gray welcomed him when he met.

“Welcome Elvira Kinanti. What a good name. I love the interns from my alma mater. Always diligent and his work is amazing,” said Mr. Herman in a flamboyant style that makes Vira smile.

“Please her guidance Mr. Herman,” pinta Vira with half body bent as a form of respect.

“Later you can ask Faisal about the work to be done. Sometimes I ask you for help and you have to be ready. Can?”

“Each Sir, I can!” vira said in a loud voice.

“Good then, I went inside first” said Mr. Herman and left Vira to his room.

“Elvira, I'll have a commission meeting at two o'clock on the case of human rights violations against workers. You become a listener! His work is listening and catets are important. But later at 12 noon there are people who deliver food from Mr. Ruth's mother. Later you move the food to the white porcelain plates and bowls in the Father's room. Know your job?” mr. Faisal's orders.

“Any Pak!”

“Later with me Yes Mba Elvira mindahin her food. I ajarin,” sahut Bu Fatmah.

Vira nodded though in her heart asking why moving food alone needed to be taught everything. Strange assignment and not in the description of his internship.

Mr. Faisal and Ms. Fatmah are allowed to go out for dinner at eleven in the afternoon. It's their custom because later when Mr. Herman has lunch, they're still in place. The office is not empty. While the apprentice student lunch the last after Mr. Herman finished eating.

The office door was knocked on and opened by a young man with a clean face and a slight beard. Vira got up from her seat and approached the man.

“Oh, this is the Mas that intersects food for Mr Herman huh?” ask Vira.

The young man with a slight beard looked at him and was a bit surprised. He nodded and said his greetings. Then hurry to Mr. Herman's room. There was the sound of Mr. Herman happily welcoming him.

Vira believes that the man is not an ordinary courier and already knows Mr. Herman well. But why was the man a bit surprised when he saw her, Vira thought she did not understand. Vira had not known him before.

Soon, Mr. Faisal and Ms. Fatmah entered the room laughing. They were satisfied with their lunch.

“Mba Elvira, your food has come?” ask Ms. Fatmah.

“Already Ma'am, but the courier went into the room Father and has not come out until now,” replied Vira.

“Oh his son is cute huh? That's Mr. Herman's youngest son. Let alone. Let him take care of the food Mr.” said Ms. Fatmah.

“Mba Elvira wants to eat now? Later let my Father's business handle.”

Vira looked at Mr. Faisal who was then responded with a nod. Vira then took her brown knitting bag and went out for lunch.

With a leisurely pace Vira headed for the elevator. Today his stomach is not too hungry because Vira had anticipated it by buying bread and onigiri in a mini market near the station. Nonetheless, Vira wanted to try some seemingly good food at the Pujasera Canteen where she ate yesterday.

“Vira wait a minute.” There was a man's voice that made him turn his head and was surprised to see who called him.

“Iya true. I accompany down ya!”

“Mas koq know my name?” asked Vira was astonished.

“Eh, that.. was told by Ms. Fatmah,” she replied a little awkwardly.

“You son FISIP UI yes?” ask the man.

“Iya, koq Mas tau?” vira's eyes frowned again.

“Dikasih tau Bu Fatmah too. Want to have lunch together downstairs?”

“Eh, didn't you eat with Mr Herman? I mean the same Mr?”

“Not yet, it was just between Mama's dishes. Papa the food must be maintained, understand already aged.”

“Eh Mas, I don't know his name yet. UI child also right?” Suddenly Vira was reminded of the information that Mr. Faisal explained yesterday.

“Oh, sorry, right. I am Ganindra, just graduated from the Faculty of Engineering.”

“Waah senior, cool dong! Techniques are difficult," said Vira with a tone of amazement that made Ganindra smile to hear it.

At first Vira felt strange, because it was as if Ganindra had known him when Vira was completely opposite. Not once did Vira ever meet Ganindra even though the campus was only a few hundred meters away.

But as they talked along the footsteps to the cafeteria, the awkwardness diminished. Vira feels that something has connected her to the figure of the man who keeps the same facial lines as Mr. Herman, the councilor who is her boss now. It's just that sometimes Vira feels that Ganindra's gaze is pointing down more often than looking directly into her eyes

Vira ordered the same food as Ganindra, a hodgepodge that he said was the best-selling in the Pujasera Canteen. The cafeteria was full because it was lunchtime. Many sounds clashed with each other in the air that made them more silent and eat the food served.

Ganindra takes Vira back to the Lobby. His face looks bright. Vira feels Ganindra thinks of him as an old friend who just met again. Though frankly Vira still considers his fleeting togetherness with Ganindra is something strange, beyond reason.

The meeting on human rights violations against workers lasted about two hours. It turned out that this meeting was a general hearing meeting with representatives of miners. There are many mining rights left by the company that even threaten the lives of workers. They asked for changes in employment laws, especially the mining sector.

Vira listened carefully and recorded the key points as Mr. Faisal asked. His heart was filled to hear the words of this mining worker representative. During this time Vira only followed in the news in the newspaper and online only. This time, the experience was new to him. More valuable according to him than just reading a book that he used to do.

“Vir, tomorrow after Friday prayers Mr. there is a meeting at Kemenhukham Kuningan. You want to come?” asked Mr. Faisal after Vira handed over the minutes of the meeting.

“Eh, really Sir?”

“Yes right, you think my invitation is pretend?”

“Eh that's not what Sir means. That...it....I can come with Mr!” Vira becomes his own rage.

“You don't have to go to the office but just go there. I will share location.”

“Any Pak!”

 

Returning home, Vira met Melati at Palmerah Station which was located closer than the Parliament Building although the route to Depok was further away.

The two pried each other excited because they were on the same platform. The platforms were filled with lines of collared office workers with eyes that kept staring at his phone.

“Crazy, we can meet here, even though we are interning in the same building. Ajiiiib!” exclaiming Vira who was greeted by jasmine.

“So to Senayan every day what is Vir?” ask Melati.

“Let's go home with us,” said Melati again with a face so happy.

“Thursday friday but sometimes wednesday too if needed. Yes love the love of work!” answer Vira.

“Yaaaah, I'm tuesday thursday. But Thursday can be good. But my job is so relaxing, Vir. Then the Expert Staff of Bu Muthia up to four people plus administration satf and two-person apprentice student. Unfortunately, the office is full if it comes all. Fortunately the Expert Staff rotated in. But Ms. Muthia is very good, her work is close, eat, chat aja,” confided Melati.

“Mel, slide to sinian Mel so that dapet wagon women,” invite Vira to pull the arm Melati a bit to the side so as not to get carried away by the flow of passengers who crowded the platform.

“Bos I'm the same my expert staff is very good. I was given a job that made me pinter Mel. Cool it! I think it's gonna be as stressful as an internship but it's pretty cool, make me happy."

The commuter line train door opened, Vira and Melati entered so quickly into the carriage due to the push from behind. Without any planning, their bodies were already pressed into a quieter central part.

“That's like this Vir, which makes me stressed. If this is the story Vir, I just want to have a rich girlfriend who can take me with a luxury car. Guaranteed my life, Jasmine while laughing.

Vira laughs. His mind floated on the metallic black sedan he had been riding in. Imagine the comfort he had felt and also the sensation given by the owner. Makes his body warm.

He quickly shook his head. Aaaah, don't remember, don't remember, don't remember, he wrote in his heart, trying to forget.

Vira checked his phone. Intending to inform Kosa that he will be up to about an hour if there is no interference. But his eyes accidentally saw the notification of Mas Cokro's number. There were more than twenty messages he had not read since Mas Cokro last time to the Bekasi house.