SILENT SENTENCE

10. THE SILENT NOTE

DEKA came home with a dull face, his eyes were still wet after crying for too long in the park. He even skips the last lesson, and on his way home he hopes to meet Ken, the only person he wants to meet the most. But the house was not what he wanted.

“Ken!” Deka called, but his brother was nowhere to be seen. Hurry him up the stairs and walk straight to Ken's room where the door is closed.

Slowly, Deka opened the ivory-white painted door so that it opened, displaying a neat room with items that kept slick. He looked at the bookshelf whose height slightly exceeded him, recalling the sickening incident as he scolded Ken and pushed him violently. Is Ken okay? Was the man's back not bruised and painful after being hit by a hard shelf?

Deka sat down, inhaling weakly as Ken was nowhere to be seen. In the bathroom, he was not there. Deka was very apologetic, apologizing for the second time.

However, will Ken give her an apology after what she's been up to? He's gone too far, isn't he? Though he had promised not to be bad and cold again, but he very easily denied it all.

Eyes were fixed on a fairly thick book, the cover was ivory white like the paint of the door earlier. Deka smiled little, it turns out Ken really likes the white color ivory.

He doesn't know the smallest thing, but Ken knows he likes warm tea as an antidote to his nightmares. Why not know this little thing? Could it have been too far from Ken, his own sibling? Deka chose to sit in the study chair, reading sheet by sheet the ivory-white-coated book carefully.

-o0o

My head was dizzy last night.

My stomach is a little nauseous and my breath is tight. Ouh, maybe an ulcer, huh? When I just took a break, Deka came and got angry.

I'm confused, what's my fault? Apparently, the PR forgot to do. Ouch.

-o0o

Chuckling despite feeling regret made it a little difficult to open the diary to another page. Deka gulped once before proceeding to read the new sentences, written in deep red ink.

-o0o

Deka's sick, pity my sister. The doctor said he had a fever. It's my fault for bringing him an umbrella late for school. They get soaked wet. I'd like to apologize.

-o0o

Deka's fingers trembled as it flipped to another page. Ken only wrote his outpouring in short sentences.

-o0o

There was a sense of shame when the friends in the class ridiculed me. Apparently, there are still people who are not happy that I go to school in the same place as them.

-o0o

“HAAH..” The breath of Deka was short. The words Ken wrote made him claustrophobic.

-o0o

I have a secret and Deka does not. Very afraid Deka would hate to know that the secret was never told to him.

-o0o

BECAUSE of this sentence, Deka frowned, hoping that he would already know about the secret that Ken mentioned. However, he had a blank brain, why was it so painful to read Ken's sad stories in this diary? Why did she realize that Ken really cared so much? Gradually, Deka's tears trickled down, all the words Ken wrote in the book were almost all about their forgotten brotherhood. It turned out that the book was a diary, with dates and days at the very top of each sheet. What makes Deka powerless to hold back tears is when reading some series of words that look untidy writing.

-o0o

Tonight, Deka's going to be his birthday! I'll ask Ayu for help, she must know the right gift. Hehe... Ayu has a crush on my sister.'

-o0o

Deka asked me to hide. I also wanted to attend a sister's party myself, but Deka wasn't ngizinin. Maybe next year Deka will invite me too.

-o0o

Deka's tears grew louder, apparently what Ayu all said was true about Ken who only asked Ayu for help to choose the right gift. However, just because the photos Bian sent him had made him misunderstand and preferred to damage their brotherhood again. So that he and Ken were not as familiar as before, everything that was engraved and then damaged in an instant.

The writings that Ken made in his diary are more than enough proof, that Ken is not only dear to Deka, but also very caring. However, whenever Deka was rude to Ken, why would her brother never want to retaliate in the least? Why has Ken been so hard on himself all this time? Time and again getting inappropriate scolding and ridicule about the shortcomings he has, Ken still looks as usual.

Many times Deka tried to contact Ken, but the network was always busy. As the confusion and anxious feelings grew, the door of the room was opened until Deka who was still sitting at the study table gasped. He stood up reflexively.

“KEN!”

Deka unconsciously exclaimed loudly when the person he was waiting for entered the room. Ken's face was very pale, the thick jacket he was wearing was even covered up to his neck.

“Ken, i... I didn't mean to read your diary and... I'm not—”

“Deca.”

“Ken, I'm really sorry, it—wait first! Ye... Say something? Something that..yang.tadi.. My name?” Deka pointed at his chest, stammering as his ears unintentionally heard the sound Ken let out.

“Deca.”

Again, his name was called by Ken. Wait up! Ken said eloquently. Is that not wrong? Deka was not amnesiac, she knew Ken could not speak normally, so it was impossible to suddenly mention his name earlier.

“Ken..”.

Deka stood sculpting, his mouth locked when a sad gaze was fixed directly on him. Ken is seen smiling faintly then pulling Deka's wrist gently.

It's chilly.

“K—Ken?”

“You haven't eaten yet, ‘kan? Come into the kitchen, let me have company. Don't let you get sick, dek.”

Tesss... Tesss... Tesss... The tears again could not be restrained in both pelupur Deka. He did not mishear, this is not a hallucination due to fatigue and confusion. Those long eloquent words had indeed come out of her brother's mouth! Ken's not mute anymore? Deka was very happy, but he was also confused how it could happen all of a sudden. Or maybe all this time he just got bullied!

Ken's cold hand continued to carry Deka, down the stairs then turned towards the kitchen. Ken took off his grip and prepared food for Deka, smiling happily as Deka began to eat the food despite his stiff movements.

“Ken, you're not—”

“Eat a lot, so you are healthy and higher.” Ken cut Deka's speech.

The sister nodded, continuing to spoon the rice mixed with carrot soup and beef. Long enough that Deka ate her food, she drank from the glass that Ken also prepared. Why is white water so bland? When taking a sip, the chest feels so heavy and tight.

“I have a gift for you, Deka.”

Deka was only silent because he was still crying, his confusion was even greater about Ken's ability to speak. He stood up, only stepping limply without stopping crying in silence. Following Ken up the stairs, Ken opened the door to Deka's room and entered again followed by the owner.

“Kado from me, open.”

Ken handed a box to Deka. For some time, Deka did not hold back her tears. He remembered that the box was the one he had seen in Ken's room, on the study table. At that time, anger and jealousy dominated Deka too much, so no matter what else. It turns out that the box that Ken had not finished wrapping was a prepared gift.

“Ja—fur collared jacket?”

Ken smiled and nodded. Deka looks sparkling, her face red from crying constantly. He quickly put on a dark brown jacket with that soft hairy collar.

“You are many! I love this!”

Deka thrust his body into Ken's arms. The one who was hugged was silent. Deka did not see any drops of water from Ken's eyes either. A call was heard from downstairs.

“DEKA! YOU'RE HOME, SON? COME ON DOWN, PAPA AND MAMA NEED TO TALK!”

“That's Mama! Mama should know that you can talk, Ken! You are healed!”

Deka waited for nothing, immediately running out from inside his room and leaving Ken staring painfully at the slightly open door.

‘Yes Allah, thank you.’

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