The Winter Promise

Chapter 29: The Birthday of Maul.

Today is Maul's fifteenth birthday. On this day Maul invited me and Riki to her house to have a party there. He said today he wanted to invite his friends to party with us.

Right now, Riki was already in front of my house to pick me up. Since my house and Maul's house are a good distance away, we plan to go there to use the motorcycle that Riki owns.

“Oi Mar, are you ready yet?”

Riki called me from the front of the house.

“Yo..”

I got out of my house and locked the gate.

“Where did we go Mar?”

“Say we'll burn, right? Looks like we went to the supermarket first Rik. Maul asked me to buy her a sausage to burn later.”

“He hasn't bought it yet?”

“Sounds like he forgot.”

“...Looks like I know a cheap and nice place to buy sausage.”

Riki slightly looked up at the sky to remember something in his mind.

“That's true!?”

I was a little interested when I heard that. Because I used to buy sausages at the supermarket for breakfast but I think the price listed there is too high. It's true that my parents gave me money to buy the sausage, but if only we could get sausages with the same brand and not much different taste but at a cheaper price, it could save me money and add to my pocket money.

Some of you may think that I am committing an act of corruption here. If that's what you think it's wrong. My mother always gave me the kitchen money to buy my breakfast and dinner, but she freed me up in the use of that money, and the rest of that money I could use to buy something else. Means that I can use the money as little as possible but I can

used to buy items of the same quality, that means I am very good at managing money here.

“Yes, yesterday I drove my mother to buy frozen food there.”

Oh right, I just remembered that Riki's mother opened a booth at the weekly bazaar held near my house.

“Alright, then we buy it there only.”

“Ok.”

We went there on the motorcycle that Riki had brought.

Arriving there, I saw a stall that was not too big but the visitors who came were very crowded.

“So this is the place?”

I asked RIki to make sure she came back.

“Of course, let's go in.”

Riki walked into the stall followed by me.

When we were in the stall. I saw a lot of people buying food that was sold there, and even they bought not just one or two, but almost a full basket. It seems like the buyers who are here on average are sellers of frozen food or the like.

We also went directly to a food cooler in which there are many sausages with various brands.

“Hmm... Which one do we buy?”

I looked at him first too.

In choosing like this, the first thing I saw was the price, the second was the amount, and the last was the taste of the sausage itself. Because the amount is more important than the taste. But if in my experience from the frequent shopping for sausages anywhere, all the sausages here must have a pretty good taste, because the price ranges from thirty thousand to one hundred thousand.

“We didn't buy this one alone? My mom used this sausage a lot to sell.”

Riki showed me one of the sausages over there.

Let's see how much it costs... Wow, it's actually cheaper here. I used to cook the sausages shown by Riki at home and when I bought it in the supermarket it could cost up to fifty thousand, but here it was only thirty thousand. It's a big difference, it looks like next time I'll just buy a sausage here.

“Bby, I often cook it also at home.”

“Then we want to buy how many packs?”

“About how many people burn later?”

Riki started counting with his hands.

“I, you, Riki, Rina, Miyuki, Kirana, and Kichida... Everything so seven people.”

“Wait!... So the people who burned them?”

I was a little surprised because they were the friends Maul meant to be. It seems like Riki also used the same thing when inviting me to climb to Mount Prau. Why could I have stuck this up twice.

“That's how it was, last night maul just told me.”

“Kichida is coming too? How can?”

“It looks like when the summer festival event, they have already become close friends.”

Oh right that's right, I didn't really know much about what happened back then because I parted with them. There was so much I missed when I wasn't with them.

“Then buy two stoves. One pack of ten, two packs I think is enough.”

“Ok.”

We took two packs of sausages from the food cooler and then paid for them at the cashier.

***

“Welcome my friends!”

We had already seen Maul welcoming us right in front of her house.

“What are you doing here?”

I asked her wonder what she was doing just now.

“Of course waiting for you.”

“For what?”

“You know, today Miyuki, Rina, and Kichida want to come to my house. How I'm not happy. I think this is my best birthday gift.”

Maul looks very happy.

“Already, this is the sausage you asked to buy.”

I also gave the sausage to Maul.

“Thank you... How much? Let me change your money later.”

“Just calm Mul, just think of it as a birthday gift from us.”

Riki said that as if he were the one buying this sausage. Though the money used to buy this sausage is my money, but because I don't really care about it so yes, after all, my money will also come back.

“Then it is better we go directly to the backyard only. I've prepared the materials and equipment there.”

And we went to the backyard of Maul's house.

When I got there, I could see the corn, fish, chicken, and sausages I was carrying.

“A lot! You sure the sausage was used too?”

I asked Maul after seeing so much food. I'm not sure we can all spend it.

“Entahlah, but my mother said just cook everything, later also run out.”

“By the way your mother where Mul?”

Riki occasionally glanced at the kitchen not far from there.

“My mom is away with her friends, so is my brother, while my dad is always at work.”

“Hmmm... so.”

“From us talking about it, we better quickly prepare everything for the girls come.”

Maul gave me a knife and Riki.

“You want to do all this?”

I picked up some corn that was there and prepared to peel off the skin.

“Most stay we prepare the season only. Everything my mother has prepared all.”

“Ok.”

I peeled all the corn there. After peeling all the corn, I immediately made a seasoning consisting of soy sauce, chili, salt, and some other herbs.

“You are proficient also for this kind of affair Mar.”

Riki saw me who was busy making condiments.

“Do you forget who taught me something like this.”

Because the one who taught me to make this spice was Riki when we were climbing on the mountain. Actually Riki is also quite proficient in terms of cooking something instant.

“Assalamaiku... Maul..”.

The voices of the girls came from the front gate.

“It looks like they've arrived. I go ahead first to greet them, the rest I leave to you guys yes.”

Maul went ahead to greet the girls.

“Ok.”

“About when we want to burn all this Mar?”

Riki put some charcoal into the burnt to the brim.

“Oh... You want to make charcoal first yes.”

I also looked at my watch to see the time now.

“I forgot to ask this, when do we want to start burning?”

“I guess after maghrib, but I don't know when exactly.”

“Then you burn it later Rik. If you burn now the charcoal, later when we want to use the bar is also up.”

I suggested it to Riki because the time distance is now until Maghrib is still long.

“What do we want to burn it with? Gasoline or kerosene?”

“I don't know Rik, just ask Maul.”

We continued our work to prepare all the spices to burn them.

Just when we had finished our work, Miyuki came over to us who were in the backyard.

“What are you two doing?”

“Of course are making seasonings for later tonight.”

“Can I help you guys.”

“You're late Miyuki, we've done everything.”

Riki answered him while showing the spices in the bowl in his hand.

“Yah's... I'm late then.”

Miyuki looked disappointed to hear that.

“Already, we better join the others.”

“Hum!”

We went straight to the living room to join Maul and the girls.

When we got there, I could see Maul chatting with all of them. I also saw Rina, Kichida, and Kirana sitting on the same sofa.

Maul asked me and Maul very casually.

Did he forget that he made us work here. If I wasn't on my birthday, I would have asked him for a reward.

“It's ready, just burn it.”

Riki gave his thumbs up to Maul.

“Alright then, you guys sit down. I've prepared cold drinks to you.”

Wow, apparently he was a target too.

I sat down on the sofa there and drank the prepared drink.

“You've been here from when Ar?”

Lina asked me while I was enjoying a cold drink.

“Maybe from noon.”

“Why don't you tell me Ar, can I also help you guys.”

Rina was dissatisfied that she had no contribution in this event.

“Iya Kak Riki, why didn't Brother tell me too!”

And Kirana too.

“Not even delicious, you do not have to spend a lot of energy and just enjoy it. Anyway our work is not much, so your help is not needed.”

Because everything was done by Maul's mother. Thank you aunt, thanks to you I don't have to spend more energy.

“Oh Yes Maul, happy birthday yes! This is a gift from me.”

Miyuki gave a gift to Maul.

“Happy birthday Maul!”

Followed by Rina, Kirana, and Kichida. Only Amar and Riki did not give Maul a gift.

“Hiks... Hix... I'm so moved. Thank you all!”

Maul looks very happy because she got a gift from the women.

“You are too much Mul, every year you also get a gift from your mother right.”

“Be quiet Mar, you just didn't give me a gift.”

“Hah!”

I was so upset when I heard that. It felt like I wanted to hit her head a little. Did he forget what I just did? If it wasn't for her birthday, I'd be lazy to do it.

And we talked until night.

Right after the Maghrib prayer, we all went straight to the backyard to do a burning event. Riki also swiftly prepared the charcoal and began to make embers.

I also began to thrust every sausage I had bought into the skewer and then in the sausage I sliced a little by using a knife so that the spice can seep into.

While I was slicing through the sausage, Miyuki took me very seriously.

“What's up?”

“...No, I'm just surprised.”

“Hah!?”

“What chili and tomato are in the seasoning that you cut it?”

Miyuki pointed at the seasoning that I had prepared this afternoon along with Riki.

“Iya.”

“It turns out you can cook also yes.”

“Of course, almost every day I cook for myself.”

“Masa? Lazy people like you cook. Where are your parents?”

Miyuki doesn't seem to believe that I used to cook.

I was so lazy to serve him.

“That's right Miyuki, Amar is used to cooking at her house because her parents always work and leave early in the morning home at night.”

Luckily Riki helped me explain it to Miyuki. This way I can continue my work.

“Can I help Ar?”

Rina came up to me and asked me for a job.

“I'm also Mar.”

And Miyuki too.

“Then you two help me prepare the sausage. I want to help Riki burn his fish and chicken.”

“Good.”

Rina and Miyuki started working, and I approached Riki who was still making embers.

I also saw Kichida who asked Maul for a job. When viewed from the gestures used by Maul, I think Maul told Kichida to take a plate in the kitchen. Because after talking to Maul, Kichida immediately went to the kitchen.

“Banya has become Mar, now where to first burn?”

“We burn the chicken first Rik, make it four times to burn yes. Let the chicken ripen evenly.”

“Ok.”

Riki did exactly what I told her to do.

“It looks like I forgot something.”

I saw Maul who was looking for something.

“What's Mul?”

“I forgot to bring margarine from the kitchen, can you take it Mar?”

“Ok, but you're the one who replaced me fanned the chicken yeah.”

I gave the satay fan to Maul.

In this way I managed to be free from exhausting work.

I went to the kitchen to get some margarine. When I got there, I met a confused looking Kichida. It seems he doesn't know where Maul keeps the dishes.

You Maul, at least when you tell someone to, explain in detail.

“If you're looking for dishes, they're on the shelf there.”

I pointed to a shelf not far from Kichida.

“Thank you.”

Kichida took the plate from the shelf.

Okay fine! Now where can I find the margaria.

Then my eyes fell upon a packet of margarine on top of the refrigerator. I picked it up and decided to leave the kitchen.

“Wait!”

Kichida stopped me when I wanted to take my first step.

I was a little confused and wondered what he wanted to do.

“What's up? Are you still looking for something.”

“You must be mad at me right..”

Kichida spoke in a very small tone, to the point that I only heard her voice vaguely.

“Hah? I can't hear what you're saying.

“I'm sure you must hate me, right?”

Oh... So that's what he asked.

“...One day, I was very surprised to see Miyuki's previously quiet and always moody attitude change and then change into Miyuki who is usually, cheerfully and always doing good with her friends. Whereas before her friends had hurt Miyuki's heart. Then I found out and Nakashima told me that Miyuki met you.”.

The nakashima? Who else is he. What one of Miyuki's friends I met on the train.

“...I'm also sure that Miyuki told me everything about me right, that's why you're so mad at me.”

Looks like Kichida misunderstood me.

“What do you think, why should I be angry?”

“Of course, all the men who were told about it will definitely be angry with me.”

Kichida's still down, not daring to look me in the face.

I also breathed a little.

“It looks like you've misunderstood here... I've never hated you for that, and why should I hate you. Is there any benefit to me hating you? Of course there is none, even that is very

inconveniencing. I honestly don't care what happens to Miyuki. It's just.. it's a pity if a woman as beautiful as her puts on a moody face every day.”

Then little by little Kichida started to raise her head and try to look at me.

“So don't think too much.”.

I left Kichida in the kitchen.

“Oi Mar! You are a long time ago, the charcoal will run out loh.”

Riki called out to me while waving his satellite fan.

“Iya, I had trouble finding the margarine.”

I went straight to Riki and Maul and gave them the margarine.

“This is Ar, the sausage is ready.”

Rina gave me a sausage-filled plate.

“Can I try to burn it?”

Kirana seems very interested.

“Alright, but carefully scorched yes.”

Riki gave his satellite fan to Kirana.

Me, Riki, and Maul went aside to give them room to burn.

“Entah why now we are not three anymore ya.”

Maul looked at the girls who were burning.

“That's... But somehow only women are increasing.”

I don't think about this kind of situation.

“Let Mar, at least it is a good thing.”

Then I looked up at the sky and looked at the moon that was slightly covered in clouds. Although I felt a lot of troublesome things that would happen, but somehow for the first time I felt no problem with it.

the End Chapter 29