The mask.

49.

The poncho had fully recovered, although the burns covered most of his face and body. The man lives with Bondan, the old doctor offers him a place to stay when Ponco has recovered but has no intention of going home. Poncho learned a lot how to make herbal medicines, he also learned which plants are poisonous and which are not. Although not deep into how to make it, but the man knew which ones were poisonous when he looked.

Ponco is a little happy living with Bondan, the old man always takes care of himself and talks to him even though Ponco rarely retaliates. As if tireless, the old man always and always invited Poncho to talk. Unfortunately it was not enough to make the evil intentions of the Poncho disappear, he still blamed everything on Rama and intended to calculate all the debts between the two of them.

On the other hand, Bondan was happy. In his old age he was not alone, there was someone he could talk to now. Moreover, that person was talented enough to learn. Bondan also taught everything he knew willingly.

"Young man, don't give up, even if your face is hurt pretty badly, but it's still treatable. Well, even though the scar didn't disappear completely," the old man comforted Ponco. Poncho only nodded half-heartedly. "Tell me a little bit about you, young man," continued the old man trying to get Ponco to speak for the umpteenth time.

Poncho thought for a moment, then he replied. "There's nothing I can tell you," he said flatly.

"No one lives without a single story during his life, young man. There must be even if the story seems unimportant" the old man replied wisely.

Ponco looked straight at the old man in front of him, he let out a long sigh and closed his eyes. "I have never met my father and mother, neither of their faces are in my memory. As soon as I could walk, there was only the darkness and the harshness of the world around me. That's how I live," I'm an honest Poncho.

Bondan smiled warmly. "Try to make good memories after this, do not continue to sink into the darkness of the past. If you need an old man, I can be a father to you. Well, even if it's just the adoptive father," kekeh Bondan did not want to burden the young man in front of him.

A slight warm feeling infiltrated the heart of the Poncho. However, he brushed off quickly. Until his goal is achieved, he must not let his heart weaken.

"I'll excuse you first" said Ponco fled quickly, he did not want to continue the chat earlier, he was afraid his heart was shaky. Ponco does not want to forget everything, he must repay Rama.

Bondan let out a long sigh, shaking his head helplessly. "Poor child, his heart must be so hurt that he does not want to talk about all his bad memories" Bondan murmured.

The poncho kept running and stopped at a fairly old tree. He took a deep breath, throwing away all the warmth he had just received. "I should get out of here as soon as I finish learning all the knowledge from that nagging old man!" tukas Ponco nodded confidently.

"We'll meet again, the nameless! And I hope it's all over until there's no debt left between us?!" continued Poncho with a fiery look. Whether the bad fate is what is intertwined between the two, even though Rama never disturbed the Ponco, but Ponco always felt afraid and also worried.

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After that day, Kiara always joined with Rama and Andi every chance. The girl had no other intentions, she just wanted to be friends. Rama remained indifferent, but also never forbade Kiara from joining him. If Andi is not asked, the young man accepts Kiara's presence with pleasure. He and Kiara always walked in front and chatted with each other, Rama walking behind as if being made a bodyguard by the two.

As if he did not care, Rama only responded when needed. Many rumors say that Kiara and Andi are in a relationship, and Rama becomes the third person, just blame his face which is always flat if they walk three. That is what makes Rama misunderstood. Unfortunately the three people did not bother, it was up to people to talk anything about them.

"Ra, come home and stop by the house, okay? Nek Lidya told you to stop by," Andi's job was to convey the grandmother's words to their new best friend.

"really?" kiara asked with a probing gaze, because she had often been lied to by Andi in the same way. Therefore Kiara became more alert so as not to fall in the same way.

"Truly, why is it a lie too. Ask Rama if you still don't believe it?!" timpal Andi put on a serious look.

Kiara looked back. "Indeed Andi serious, Ram?" ask the girl who is indeed the level of trust in Andi is very thin now.

"Truly don't believe him, buset dah. It's my turn to lie to be believed, when I seriously don't believe. Ha-ah, weird," grumbled Andi misuh-misuh himself.

"Mistake yourselves a lot of deceit, so I'm not sure if you're the one who said, An," Kiara said.

"Right, right, Ram? I'm not lying, am I?" Andi dragged his best friend as a witness that for this time he did not lie at all.

Rama nodded lazily. "Yes" the young man replied briefly. Why should I ask him, can immediately call his grandmother just to make sure. Having extra friends is really hard.

"No, what did I say?!" tukas Andi raised his chin.

"Huh, who told the fraudster, where can I immediately believe!" timpal Kiara is not to blame. Rama looked with a flat gaze, these two people in front of him were still busy arguing. Rama sighed tiredly, in the future it would definitely make a little more dizzy.

"Welcome to a world full of fuss," Rama whispered to himself.

"What did you say, Ram?" asked Andi who heard her best friend muttering.

Rama put on a flat look. "Nothing!" reply brief.

Andi scratched his cheek, believing that he heard his friend whispering alone, he might have heard wrong. Andi shrugged his shoulders lightly, he could have heard wrongly. The three continued walking and went home together to the house of Rama and Andi.

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Arriving home, Kiara is warmly welcomed by Nek Lidya. The old woman invites Kiara to enter her room, call it Kiara will be used as a doll by the grandmother for today. Kiara smiled awkwardly, wanting to refuse but unable. The grandmother gave a sincere and sparkling look, hopeful that she would be willing. Half-heartedly, Kiara nodded in agreement. After what to dress up like, it's up to the hostess.

Luckily Kiara didn't have to wear Nek Lidya's old clothes, the grandmother bought her some pieces of clothes for the girl to wear today, so she won't look out of date at least. "Beautiful, how pretty?!" hatch the grandmother with a satisfied look. "Ahh, I'm glad to be able to borrow the granddaughter from the Rian," the old woman continued in a carefree tone.

"Come on, come on, let's go out and enjoy afternoon tea," Nek Lidya asked excitedly. Kiara nodded obediently, following the steps of the hostess without a word. The girl was not sure of her current appearance, but she could not say anything either. Just blame the warm gazes that kept flooding her.

"You didn't wait long, did you?" said the grandmother who had just arrived at the back garden.

"We've just been here, Nek Lidya, haven't we, Ram?" answer Andi quickly. Rama just muttered while nodding his head.

"Good," said the grandmother approaching. "Let's sit down, beautiful lady," the old lady continued, inviting Kiara to sit down. Kiara nodded and thanked the old grandmother.

"Good," Rama replied without even glancing at Kiara.

A darling punch stopped by the young man's arm, Rama was a little jolted. "At least give a compliment properly! What's good, just look at it yet, already play praise first?!" the grandmother's nagging her grandson.

"Beautiful, Nek Lidya is the best?!" andi's turn to praise, in addition to heading to Kiara, he also gave praise to the grandmother who dressed Kiara.

"Well, thanks for the compliment it should be like Andi. Sincere, sincere from the heart?!" timpal the granny was satisfied.

Rama rolled his eyeballs lazily, he sighed. "Good," he said, giving a compliment while looking at Kiara. He did not even let go of his gaze for the grandmother to see that she was looking at Kiara, the object to be given praise. Nek Lidya smiled in satisfaction, whereas Kiara felt embarrassed and awkward from being constantly stared at.

After dinner, Rama is told to drive Kiara home. For a thousand reasons, the task he was supposed to do was given to Andi. Rama lay down on his bed.

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Half a year passed quickly, Kiara got closer to Andi and Rama. You could say being a true friend. Many were envious and tried to get into their group, but Andi knew which ones really wanted to make friends and which ones just wanted to take advantage. All that comes close to them is a group that wants to take advantage of them, fun can be shared, sadness becomes personal property. Andi does not like such friendship, Andi wants to be hard to be happy to be borne together, that is the friendship that Andi built with Rama so far.

"Compared to best friends, you two look like brothers" Kiara said one afternoon when their class was over.

"Of course, both smart and handsome, right?" andi said with super maximum confidence.

"So, what a pity is this guy?!" grunts Kiara screeched mockingly.

"There are more super pede, really than Andi," said Rama. Lately the young man's mouth has begun to lighten to chimed in the chatter of his two friends.

"Who?" kiara and Andi asked curiously, both of them turned to look at Rama with curious gazes. Rama pointed at Kiara with a flat face adorned with a mocking smile.

"Me?" ask Kiara in disbelief. Rama nodded in confirming. "When am I?" ask the girl again.

Andi clapped her hands once. "Ahh, I remember, at the beginning we met, right?" the guy guessed right.

"Yup!" reply Rama lightly.

"Ahh, forget it, forget it, it's a disgrace! The past I want to throw away from my memory, so I don't want to!" kiara said quickly. "Why do you have to remember, anyway?!" grunts Kiara annoyed.

"Hmm, maybe because I didn't forget," Rama replied sounding annoying. Andi laughed at the reply from her friend.

"Btw, Ram, can you get me, not on the weekend?" ask Kiara to change the topic.

Rama looked at Kiara, telling the girl to give more explanation. "Gini, you know" said the girl, taking a deep breath. "Late next week there will be a reunion, so I need a partner to attend" the girl explained.

"So!" reply Rama refused, where would he want to come to such a strange event. He was not an exhibition item that could be brought to and fro at will. Not to mention if it reaches the ears of his grandmother and Grandpa Kiara, it is certain that the matchmaking event will be re-established. That was why Rama refused without giving Kiara a chance to negotiate.

"Come on, Ram, I'll help you too!" persuade Kiara again.

"If you need a partner, ask Andi. I don't like dizzy shows?!" Rama leaves Kiara without hearing the girl's chatter further.

Andi's hand patted Kiara's shoulder slowly. "Don't be offended, yeah. Rama is so, really. Same I also often sniff, even though the person is really good!" Kiara nodded in understanding hearing Andi's words.

"Can you get me?" ask Kiara expectantly. It's not that he can't find another partner, but he wants to be with someone who won't benefit from him. Andi and Rama are the right people according to Kiara, both will not seek profit, nor can they do evil or plan something strange on him.

"Sure, just tell me I have to wear what clothes, I'm going to nemenin you!" reply Andi promised.

"Thank you, An. Know that I'm going to talk to you earlier," Kiara said half-sorry.

"Yes, why should Rama try?!" Andi rolled his eyeballs a little careless himself as a backup.

"He-he, because I have often asked you to go first. How do you know that Rama also wants to be asked first, as a friend, do I have to be fair?!" kiara clearly grinned the horse.

"Gosh, if you want to show off the look of Rama's god to your friends, then you're sure of him" Andi shook his head.

Kiara scratched her cheek while glancing in another direction. "That too, anyway," he confessed. The two looked up and shared a laugh together. Andi did not feel angry at all, instead he laughed at Kiara who was rejected outright by his own best friend.

After laughing, Kiara caught her breath. "What if we buy clothes together to look compact, okay? To my reunion," said the girl.

"Okay, anyway. I don't really know about clothes either. If Rama does not need to be asked, he wears what will be a saucy lepty. So he never dizzy to take care of what clothes are suitable for him," Andi cerocos accepted Kiara's invitation. Both promised to shop on Friday.

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