The Shah of First Love

AMAR'S FIGURE

In the room, Kani was texting Amarendra.

Kani:

I leave from here tomorrow with you, Father, we will not meet at the Terminal.

Amarendra:

Yes, sorry for my rather sane attitude in our meeting this time. Loved you.

Kani:

I miss your hugs and kisses.

Amarendra:

Please don't ever lure me, really, not that I'm not interested let alone uninspired. I'm afraid we're blurred, just hug and kiss on the forehead, don't get swept away again because I'm going to have a hard time stopping.

Kani:

Yeah, sorry that I was busy and ignored you, I'm not gonna do that anymore. I was just upset yesterday because you were contacted once and didn't call me. I don't think it's enough if we just text a few times, I'm used to you calling and we exchange stories.

 Amarendra:

My job is a bit heavy now, I will try to do it again. There's no need to discuss if you don't do that, it hurts.

You were so pretty earlier, the more you grew up I was afraid you were taken by people.

Kani smiled widely and rolled over on her bed.

Kani:

I depend on you, how many years we've been clinging to each other, I'll never be able to get close to another guy like me.

You're getting mature and handsome, Maren. It's just a bit charred like never before and I'm on my mind with your blisters.

Amarendra:

Thank you for your honesty. Maybe later on your birthday, you won't see Amarendra but see charcoals walking and hugging you yellow-skinned Langsat, beautiful, like the light of the morning. The black clouds will embrace you...  

Kani stuffed her mouth with the edge of the blanket, she couldn't help but laugh at reading it. He continued to convince that Amarendra was not so empty as to be equalized with charcoal and black clouds all.

In his place, Amarendra shouts and bodo time with his charred skin. He tried to avoid it would not be useful, it remains a charade as well.

Amarendra asks Kani for a break and Kani also asks for the same.

After Amarendra explained about his increasingly crowded job, Kani tried to understand him and stopped acting like a child. He never again served Kalingga which he only made friends when he was bored. He did not want to hurt Amarendra especially if the man knew it and Amarendra kept his promise, would say if busy or not, more often send him messages when he had time to touch his phone.

Kalingga who is again ignored by Kani will not be silent anymore, if the rival is only Amarendra the delinquent, he will desperately seize Kani, his inner self. He's going in to take Kani. Kani is quite mature, unlike before, Kalingga has even told his mother that he likes Kani. Kalingga is ready to challenge the girl who is getting more successful because of her beauty. Kalingga was really amazed at Kani's change. Much different than before.

*****

Mr. Muji noticed the figure of Amar who was basking under the morning sun, covered in sarong cloth. His eyes squinted occasionally due to the glare. Mr. Muji approached and Amarendra smiled.

“Maren!!” yell at them school friends. Amarendra lowered his head and Mr. Muji looked at the two young men who were either calling. They turned in directions to nowhere. Understand the position of Amarendra. Amarendra already said do not call his name other than ‘Amar’ here. They are even the origin of sounds like Yana who is always flabbergasted.

“Cold..ini Pak.” Haryawan gave one cup of warm sweet tea but Mr. Muji gave it to Amarendra. Amarendra hesitated but he finally accepted too.

“Father is very respected by everyone, as long as I am here, I learned a lot from Father. You are like Father and brother to all of us,” chirped Amarendra and Mr. Muji turned his head, he looked at the face of the young man who was doused in sunlight.

“But this is so hated my first child. He once said I thirst for the praise of others and never think about his feelings. I was always quiet when I knew it was being taken advantage of and that was always the spark of our quarrel. I was silent when trampled on not because I was weak, I was also eager to fight back when my son was slandered, I was humiliated, toyed with but I thought again that the humans needed each other. If I put forward emotions whether it will be like what it will be, I will be remembered as an arrogant figure and let alone respected, glimpsed do not expect.

“I am a very weak and insignificant person for my son. He doesn't know I'm the most broken person when he sees her grieving. Kaniraras, she's about 19 years old. He has gone through a lot of problems in his life, I am silent because if I desperately defend him it will create chaos if the child I defend is in fact proven to be wrong. If at that time I defended, he would never be Kani who understood that the reality of life was to be accepted not to be fought.

“At your age, I am also grumpy, my wife when still a girl does not even want to glance at me who is arrogant. One time, my cousin's sister experienced something similar with Kani, mentioned about pregnancy and still in school. I came forward to defend, loudly saying that my cousin's sister was a saint, devoutly worshiped person, just always staying at home, she said, how could she possibly humble herself by giving up her chastity to a man other than her husband.

“But in fact I'm a fool, my cousin sister is really pregnant. Shame and disappointment were not playing, I felt all sorts of uncleanness spilling on my own face and when Kani was also accused of being pregnant, I was angry, I let go of hurting her physically and mentally, it was a big mistake for me after it was proven that my child was not pregnant. He's just a victim of slander. I was selfish for not daring to apologize to my own child, hoping to do so over time through the attitude that I regretted and apologized to him. But my son is already disappointed.”

Mr. Muji stinged, his hands swayed digging into the small red soil he was incising. Amarendra could not afford to look at him and Kani should have known that his father was not as bad as he thought.

“I am sure your child is also confused about how and just express it through anger. But someday, I'm sure your son should not get sorry but he should be grateful because if you don't do that, he will never be able to stand on his own two feet.” Amarendra smiled, his arms swaying touching the skinny shoulder and slowly massaging it.

Mr. Muji was silent, then he smiled and agreed to what Amarendra said in his heart.

Time to work and both get up. Amarendra wrapped his hair in a cloth, half his face as well. Just the eyes he showed. The air is very cold but an hour of hard work will make it angry because sweat has not been dust that makes the nose and eyes poignant.

Haryawan who had been watching Amarendra with Pak Muji slowly approached. Amarendra listened to his greeting without taking his eyes off what he was working on.

“Pak Muji discusses his biggest son with you, Amar?” Haryawan whispered and Amarendra stopped his work.

“What's really why? Fellow workers reasonable exchange stories about family, I also so.” Amarendra lowered the cover half of his face and from behind, his shoulder was patted by a short man who always put on a sour face, Jarwo.  

“I once offered my son to Mr. Muji's son, Mr. Muji did not want, the prestige of having a daughter-in-law of a porters as well. Say her son has to go to high school, in fact be babu!” He was so satisfied, and Amarendra clenched his lips tightly. “Beauty is also free if personal sucks. Lucky my son did not force to marry Mr. Muji's son.”

“Don't now Mr. Muji has realized that his desire to send his son to school is inferior to reality. You will be introduced to his son Mr Muji, Amar?” Haryawan.

“Do not want, his son is a dissident! She was even pregnant but was aborted. Mr. Muji is a fool. Don't want, there are many other girls.” Jarwo shook his head, made a disgusted expression and Amarendra was eager to refute him, that was not true!