The Shah of First Love

BOSS'S SON?

Amarendra from his place continued to smile, staring at the back of his scuffed and bleeding hand due to the woman's fingernails. Amarendra was silent for a moment and felt that there was something he was missing, he saw a shadow of a ring coiling in Kani's tiny fingers.

“He still wears it?” He was pensive while watching Kani who was already far away. Kani and Kenanga quietly waited while chatting. Twenty minutes a man with a little girl came. Kenanga's husband and son. Kani kissed her niece until she cried hysterically, she intentionally and Amarendra grinned while shaking her head. Kani waved her hand and they all left.

“You're really good at wearing that ring?” Netra. Is that a sign that Kani can't forget it either?

Amarendra was silent, continuing to look at Kani who had grown in height wearing material pants and a loose black t-shirt. Her hair was tied to a papol, tall, some children's hair filling the nape and fringe of her earlobe. The woman slowly took off her hair. Her hair was long breaking to her waist. Amarendra began to be careless and guessing, did the woman want to meet her lover, maybe? Would he be willing if his guess didn't miss?

Amarendra opened the drawer, took the mask and put it on. He went down and covered his head with Hoodie.

Kani has gotten into a bus. Amarendra also entered sitting far away from where the woman was sitting alone.

“You are still the same as you were when I left. Just a little tall and growing up. You're an amazing brother, always looking after your sisters let alone your parents. I'm here, Kani. Looking at your beautiful hair swinging gracefully,” his murmur adored.

Amarendra docked to the window and bowed his body as Kani suddenly looked back and was clearly about to see him.

Kani sighed with wet eyes. Looking back blankly ahead.

The bus was filled with five passengers. Times are different and advancing. It is rare to use public transport to travel. Many people are able to buy their own vehicles now, especially two-wheeled vehicles.

The two remembered how they used to ride the bus together to go to work to different places. The bus that was so quiet made the two more into the inner struggle they experienced.

“A long time ago, Maren. Do I have to step down and open my heart to another man? I don't think I can even make my family calm if I get married. I can't accept everything from other men, I'm already addicted to all your treatment.” Kani wiped her cheeks, muttered inwardly and glanced out the glass bus to see if she was close or not.

While at his residence. Kenanga has arrived there. Done putting his one-year-old son to sleep.

“You are pregnant, still working,” said the worried Mr. Muji.

“I have been banned many times, I have been a permanent employee and he does not need to work anymore. But still.” Ramlan shook his head and Kenanga approached.

“My work is light, Mas. Just in minimarket, tidying up the little stuff and standing at the cashier, it's not tiring.” Kenanga stubbornly and after she gave birth, she would just stop. Today he worked half a day because he had to check himself after his stomach yesterday ached at the bottom.

“We've built up because of your brother's tough attitude. Don't add to it and now where is he? Also did not bring his motorbike,” assault Mom and Kenanga raised her face.

“Somewhere he's going, Ma'am.” Kenanga's worried.

“Ya let it go.” Miss Ismi pasrah.

“What Mothers not worried about?” Mr. Muji is a little harsh.

Mother continued stirring the steaming rice. Kenanga prepared the dishes and the others then all sat down together to eat lunch.

***

Amarendra was transfixed to see Kani sitting daydreaming in a place, the town square where they lived. Far away from the area they left.

Amarendra squeezed his hand, sad to see the woman's face and before sitting in the Square, Kani went to a tourist spot that had been closed due to a landslide a few days ago. Kani turned around and stopped at the place. It's been an hour, just like that, doing nothing.

“Why are you running around like this?” Amarendra wiped his eye patch that he felt was wet. He ask? And he himself is too. Alone, pretending not to think about Kani, but the heart and mind are already adrift with her past.  His two long legs almost stepped twice and came to a halt. His body reflexively reacts as the face is engulfed in grief then sees Kani crying in silence. Amarendra retreated, feeling not ready to show himself.

“Stop, you know for yourself I always want to kiss you when you are sad let alone cry.” Amarendra was only able to look and Kani wiped her thin cheeks.

Amarendra's body moved away. Pressing the hat he was wearing and kept staring at Kani who was now riding an angkot. Amarendra was confused and finally called an ojek to follow the angkot.

Kani stopped at all the places she was with Amarendra often went first. With his hair unraveling, Amarendra would play his fingers there and drop many cradling praises. Amarendra realized that after four places he looked intently at. His eyes were getting heavier and he wanted to drop the water and he held on as hard as he could after Kani went down in the market area earlier. Kani shopping and Amarendra walk far enough to follow the high body of the level with tiny hands tote a lot of groceries. The market is getting crowded and Amarendra is starting to struggle to catch up. He rolled his body, his eyes peeling to every corner but Kani could not be found, disappearing in the crowd.

“What has he gone?” His mind groaned as it still wanted to see Kani. His body weakened and he glanced at his car still there. With a sluggish movement he turned his body and Kani walked in front of him, his eyes both looking at him for a few seconds and Kani froze after he realized something. But Amarendra had already barged into the crowd and he was hiding in Ayas Tamales' Shop.

“Amarendra?” whispered those tiny lips again and again, staggered with all his shopping, looking for where the tall man had been wearing a jacket with a mask covering half his face. He was sure that it was him, whom he was waiting for, how could he not recognize sharp eyes with long, wiggly eyelashes and brow that connect. He clearly saw it.

“Maren.” His teeth tightly clenched, giving rise to a crackling sound, he continued to search with bawling breaths. Kani fell with all her groceries. She almost cried and two foreign women helped tidy up her groceries quickly, before being trampled on.

“You searched for me, Kani?” Amarendra from behind the glass Ayas Tamales touched the window. She sees panic on her face, Kani recognizes her. His lips curl excitedly. Sculpting the promise in his heart, he would quickly meet the woman. His beloved is grown up.  

“Who to look for?” exclaimed a big man in a light blue shirt and long black pants. He heard his employees say there was a man who wanted to meet him, none other than the manager at Ayas Tamales. His work controls, reports, berates the workers who berleha-leha.

Amarendra turned around, still ordinary, not after he took Hoodie down and removed his black mask.

“Pak..” Gasped as he approached, greeting Amarendra's hands respectfully. All the officers of Ayas Tamales, who were mostly women, stared in confusion.

The fat man who was an angry handyman brought the man into his room.

“What is his son, Boss?” ask the female officer.

“Maybe,” other timpal.