Two Lunar Luminaries

The Hard Way

As soon as I got home, Iris went straight into the room, took a shower and laid herself on the bed. He did not help his mother, accompany Chrysanthemum or read the journal of Mr. Ibrahim. today only, just for today, he wants to rest. He doesn't want to think about anything. Slowly, very slowly, Iris closed her eyes and fell into dreamland.

When he opened his eyes, it was dark, the lights of his room were off, making him wake up in the darkness. Iris got up and sat for a while on her bed, after having enough awareness she stood up, walked towards the switch and turned on the room lights. The wall clock in the room shows at 20:00 WIB.

Iris came out of the room, her mother was tidying up the kitchen and her father was reading a file in the living room. Chrysanthemum was sleeping in his room.

“Iris, here a minute.” His father's voice called.

Iris who was still standing in front of the door of her room immediately walked towards the living room and sat down on the chair beside her father.

“Dear this year you are still trying to participate in social olympics, really?” ask the father

“Yes yeah, I'm coming.” Answer Iris. He had no idea where this was going or what his father was going to say. Her father never questioned her activities at school all this time and always let Iris do what she wanted to do.

“Make what?” asked the father again, his tone sounded flat, even so Iris could not digest the purpose of her father's question. Seeing the look of confusion on Iris' face her father added.

“You are already in class 12 is not it time you focus on UN and SBMPTN, it is no longer time for you to participate in such activities, right?” obviously the father.

Iris was silent, a little more beginning to understand the direction of her father's conversation. He never thought that his father had the same views as Mr. Idris.

“That's exactly it, I participated in this Olympics to increase the opportunity to enter Anatropology UI.” replied Iris, again trying to look calm.

“Open father has told you to take education only. If you take Antroploggi will be difficult to find a job later, just take an education whose career level is clear.” Obviously father.

Iris kept silent for a moment thinking how she would answer this statement of her father.

“But I have no intention of becoming a teacher well.”  Finally that was what Iris could tell her father, not the answer

rational, except his feelings.

His father who was still talking while reading the documents, immediately glanced at Iris and slowly put down the documents he read. Giving her entire focus of thought to Iris.

“Why?” he asked, still in a calm tone. During this time the father is always telling his children to become a teacher or take a college major in education, because the career level will be clearer. Iris never denied when her father expressed that wish, but also did not agree.

“I have no interest in becoming a teacher, that's aja.” Iris replied briefly while bowing her face.

“Lantas you want to be what?” ask her father again, this time with a slightly raised tone of voice.

Bu Seruni who had since noticed them started to become alert and walked over to them.

Seeing her father's reaction made all the guilt of the conflicting thoughts in me disappear and move on with anger. Iris hates how her father made the life decisions he made. His eyes felt hot and his entire body was tensed up again. He clenched his hands tightly again.

“Dad want me to remain a teacher even though I have absolutely no interest in it? ignoring my dreams and hopes?” Iris said to her father.

All his father's movements stopped when he heard Iris. He realized that this conversation was not over.

“Not everyone lives by realizing their dreams. You need to be able to see things around and adjust. You are a smart and rational child, you should understand that. After all, if you take anthropology or pure history you will have difficulty finding a job later. I don't want you to go through

difficult life” replied the father without looking at Iris.

“Dad thought being a teacher would make my life easier? You think I've lived life the easy way?” said Iris while looking at her father fixedly.

“You mean?” his father said while returning Iris's gaze.

“Daddy knows clearly how hard life is as a teacher, but you want me to be a teacher? You want me to go through all the hardships you've been through?”

Iris' father's face stiffened at Iris's words, “You underestimate the teacher's profession.” Said

“That's not the point,” Iris said with a sigh, without being able to contain a drop of water falling down her cheek. He's been through a lot today and he's tired.

“Lantas what? What's so wrong with being a teacher?”

“Dad is always exhausted. I was always at school and not at home. Dad always prioritizes my students when I know I need you. Dad is always busy but we never have enough money to make ends meet. We always have trouble. I have to try hard to cover it all up. Dad want me to go through all that trouble too?” obviously Iris while trying hard to control her tears and sobs.

His mother was already beside him and tried to calm him down, but Iris kept her hands off. He wants to take out his whole heart. He doesn't want to be stopped.

“Dad thought I was living this life so easily? No, I always take the hard road. When other children can focus on learning, I have to divide my time by helping my mother. When other children can participate in various kinds of tutoring I have to take care and teach my sister. I have never walked the easy path in my life. And I never complained about it. I never asked you to change your profession. I appreciate my father's dreams. Can't you do the same? I know it's going to be hard, maybe a lot harder than it is now, but can't you support me, respect my decision?”  Iris said again.

His chest shook violently. He could not stop his tears. Her crying was unbearable. Her mother was already crying beside her while trying to hold her tightly.

Her father was speechless to hear all of Iris's exposure, not expecting Iris to keep all of these difficulties alone.

“Dad even did not know if mbak Lily had aspirations to become an architect and not a teacher.” Iris said after her crying subsided, as if trying to give her father a final attack.

Seeing her father who was just silent made Iris even more tired. He let go of his mother and got up from the chair. Then ran as hard as he could out of the house.

He did not care about his mother's call, nor was he afraid of the dark. He just ran without a purpose. He did not care, he just wanted to run and stay away from everything that seemed to choke him.