Two Lunar Luminaries
Arjuna and Ekalaya
today Putra Bangsa High School gets a special guest. They are the arrival of students from renowned PTN in Indonesia. They came to introduce various kinds of majors in the PTN. Most of them are 3rd and 5th semester students.
The students of Putra Bangsa High School are now one gathering in the school field. In front of the field there is a medium-sized stage for the students to present themselves. The event was supposed to be devoted to the 12th grade, but the teachers decided to let the 10th and 11th grade students take part. So this event was held in the field and not in the school hall.
The students of Putra Bangsa High School lined up neatly in their school field.they were separated by class. They are disciplined enough so that the event can still take place effectively, even though they have to sit on a fairly hot field, because the time has entered at 09.00 am.
Anwar sat in the first row of class XII IPS 1, behind him was Dawn, behind Dawn was Laya and behind Laya there was Agata. Next to Anwar there is Reski, behind Reski there is Melinda and behind Melinda there is Iris. Iris and Laya haven't spoken since their conversation in the park. During the event, Iris focused on listening to the words of her student brothers, she even made her own notes. Laya had a peek at Iris's note and it looked neat and organized. Iris likes to take notes in the form of charts and maps.
Both Iris and Laya tried to focus as much as possible listening to the explanation of the students, only Agata who had been joking and complaining of various comments. Laya had warned him not to be noisy, but that certainly could not stop Agata.
Currently there is only one more major left to be introduced. Iris was busy looking back at her notes, while Laya still looked amazed by Iris's neat and organized notes. He ignored Agata's denunciations.
“Loh yeah, that's not your brother Arjuna??” Said Agata slightly shouting. Until either Laya or Iris could no longer ignore him.
Hearing Arjuna's name Iris instantly reflexively looked at Laya, not knowing that Laya was paying attention to her notes. Seeing the movements of Iris, Laya also reflexively stared back at Iris. The two also met with an involuntary view, Laya could not avoid so much Iris. It was then that Laya realized the expression of shock as well as confusion on Iris's face. The look on her face frightened Laya, the look somehow haunting Laya. He was afraid that Iris would find her greatest weakness, her greatest fear.
“Yeah, that's brother lo bang Arjuna.” Agata said again, breaking the silence between Iris and Laya.
Iris pondered this opportunity to take her eyes off Laya and look up at the stage. A man was explaining something about the International Relations major.
“Halo everyone, before talking more about HI, let me introduce myself first yes. My name is Arjuna, I am a student majoring in International Relations.”
Hearing him mention Arjuna's name, Agata immediately laughed out loud, as if he had just found a treasure. “Kan really brother lo ya, bang Arjuna.” Said.
Laya just looked intensely at her brother with a hardened look on her face. Secretly Iris looked at Laya's face, she looked worried and indecisive, but more than that, Iris could see a hint of anger on Laya's face.
Iris was walking towards class when she saw Laya talking to someone. That person was the student Agata had mentioned as his older brother. They look like they are discussing something important. Laya's face looks flat, while her sister looks enthusiastic about what she says.
Iris did not bother about what happened between them, she resumed her journey to her class.
Shortly after Iris arrived at Laya's class, she joined the class together, Agata. Dawn and Anwar were already in the classroom before them.
“Crazy just now Arjuna so cool gaksi! Kok can ya adek brother equally genius so.” Agata said as soon as he entered the classroom and approached Anwar and Dawn.
At this time the class was quiet because the children were allowed to rest, most decided to buy a drink in the cafeteria because they were thirsty. Anwar and Dawn return to class first because they have brought water from home, as well as Iris and Reski. There were only five of them currently in the class.
Iris and Resti sat at the third table from the front in the right corner of the class, while Anwar and Dawn sat at the second table in the second row. Iris and Reski certainly heard their conversation, especially Agata spoke very antusius.
“For your family secrets yes, how can you bang Arjuna is equally a genius like that.” He said again
“Namely yes” Reply Dawn while looking glaring. Both Dawn and Agata could not see the eternal light on Laya. But Iris saw it, she saw Laya who was standing beside Anwar's table, she clenched her hands strong, the radiance in her eyes dimmed, as if there was a part of her that was
disappear.
Like Iris, Anwar also noticed that, noticing Laya's discomfort with the topic.
“But how can the name lo Ekalaya and brother lo Arjuna?” said Dawn suddenly, and at that moment also the look on Laya's face hardened.
“loh why Ekalaya and Arjuna?” Agata asked without noticing Laya's change of heart.
At that time Iris immediately stood up and shouted Laya's name, “Laya!”
The four friends looked shocked and immediately turned to look at Iris, Reski, he even looked up because Iris was reflexively standing up.
Laya just stared at the confused iris, her heart was still full of all sorts of feelings, and she did not know what to react to Iris's sudden call. He did not know if Iris would get him out of this complicated situation or even make it more complicated.
“On our Sociological tasks, if we finish now, there will be empty hours, than we wait to go home from school to work now.” He said trying to explain.
“Gua agrees, incidentally the cave brought Laptoop, how if we work now in the perbus. Lo, Laya, Sama Reski road first yes ris, nyiapin cave laptoop cave first.” Anwar said, a little bit he understood the purpose and purpose of Iris.
Iris immediately pulled Reski and took her to walk, she also immediately pulled Laya and invited her out of class. Laya and Reski are led by Iris to leave the class.
Once convinced that Laya has left the classroom, Anwar begins a conversation with both of his friends.
“Kalo
can not discuss about Ekalaya with Arjuna in front of Laya yes.” He said to
both of them.
“Why?” tanya Agata still looks confused by what happened.
“It is not the capacity of the cave to talk gini, but the richness of Laya is a bit sensitive when talking about her brother.”
“Oke.” Answer the Dawn without refuting.
“Jelasin little so that later the cave is not wrong talking.” Urge Agata to feel a little guilty. He was indeed the most talkative among the four, and it was enough to worry him if he mispronounced and injured his friends.
“Later to the cave, Lu after they war.”
Anwar did not argue and immediately followed his group to the perpus. It is the duty of Dawn to explain what happened to Agata. He did not know that Laya looked quite agitated when discussing her brother earlier. But he was really wondering why Laya's parents named their children Arjuna and Ekalaya.
***
“Oke already fix nih yes, our task is already done, just forward presentation aja.” Anwar said while tidying up his typing on his laptoop. Then shut down the laptoop.
“Abis where to go Ris?” ask Reski to Iris. He sat in one corner of the library. Reski sat next to Iris, while Laya sat next to Anwar. The perpus was still quiet back then, as most students still enjoy the euphoria of campus recognition events today.
“Caves want to go to the mading room, the children just asked to help edit some articles he said. I was going to ask you to help too, but the cave itself is only if it is.” Reski said, Iris just patted.
Reski is much more active in the activities of the mading club than Iris. Until now, the 11th grade children of their successors still often ask for help from Reski.
Reski also moved after saying goodbye to Anwar and Laya.
“Lo want to go back to class or want to stop by another place Ya?” Ask Anwar now to Laya.
“The rich cave wants to stay for a while here War, someone wants a cave find.” Answer's short. Anwar just nodded at hearing it.
“Oke, cave first if that's guys.” Said Anwar then leaving Laya and Iris.
Stop by Laya and Iris, both of whom choose to be busy with their respective affairs. Iris got up from the chair and went to the history section bookshelf. Laya, meanwhile, chose to open the novel she found on a fictional bookshelf while searching for the book. Actually, Laya doesn't really need to look for something. He just did not want to go back to class, and there was something stuck in his heart that he had to get out immediately. He wants to talk to Iris.
Iris returned to her stool after finding the book she was looking for, sitting opposite Laya. Both are busy drowning in their own world. The library is still quiet today. There is only library keeper Ms Rahayu, who is also busy with her work. There were no other visitors besides Iris and Laya.
“Tadi lo on purpose?” tanya suddenly, while marking the part where she finished reading the book, closed the book and placed it on the table slightly to the side, so as not to cover her eyes on Iris.
Iris realizes Laya's change of attitude is starting to get serious, she actually still wants to read her book, but she decided to answer Laya.
“What?” tanyanya, trying to clarify Laya's intentions.
“Tadi in class, pas cave chat with children, you deliberately call the cave to ngalihin talk?” tanyakanya.
Iris just patted, she clenched her lips which accidentally exposed the dimples of her cheeks. Iris's eyes played everywhere, until she settled on the book to the left of Laya. Iris could not help looking into Laya's eyes that were clinging to her. The gaze of the eyes was too dark, unlike Laya who had always looked bright.
They are not close friends, but Iris often noticed Laya who was joking with her friends, Laya is a friendly and happy figure, but the figure seemed to evaporate at this time, changing with Laya who was looking at him coldly and full of probing, made Iris quite shudder in horror. He had never seen a side of Laya like this before, or even, no one had ever seen him other than Iris.
“Why?” ask again.
“Lo seems comfortable ga.” Replied Iris quietly while still staring at the Laskar Pelangi novel on the left
Layas.
“Cave Tips Ris.” Say Laya quietly
Iris turned her gaze slowly towards Laya, she no longer looked as cold as before. The eyes were shady at this moment, the look on Laya's eyes became calmer.
“So you know too, about Arjuna and Ekalaya? Richness is not possible lo ga tau, considering we have an interest that is not much different.” said Laya, the look in his eyes now radiates sadness.
Iris was inexhaustible, how could Laya in such a short time, show a variety of emotions, ranging from angry, calm and turned into sadness. Iris is not sure and does not know for sure what Laya really feels at this time.
“Kalosoal Ekalaya and Arjuna story, yes tau cave, but only that.” replied Iris tried to respond to Laya as calmly as possible.
“Ironis gaksi, the fact that the father of the cave named his son Arjuna and Ekalaya? Naturally, if people are curious the same reason why we call the cave Arjuna and Ekalaya.” Laya said, this time with a bitter smile. Iris begins to marvel at Laya's ability to show emotion.
“Lo itself, not curious? Have you ever gone to bokap lo?” Iris said, that's when Iris found the look in Laya's eyes shaking, and she swore she saw a hint of fear in those eyes.
Laya shook her head slowly, turning her eyes away from Iris for a while and looking back at Iris fixedly.
“Lo not curious?” ask again.
“Long if the cave says ngak.”
Laya again smiled bitterly at Iris's reply.
“According to you, someone can really love Arjuna and Ekalaya simultaneously?” ask Laya
“According to you it's impossible?”
“Em,.” muttered Laya while nodding “How can someone love Arjuna and Ekalaya simultaneously. Ekalaya prevents Arjuna from becoming the most powerful knight, he defeats Arjuna. It's only natural that Arjuna hates her. Ekalaya lost everything, a little bit because of Arjuna. It is only natural that Ekalaya also hates Arjuna. If they just hate each other, how can someone love them simultaneously?” laya's eyes again look bitter, upset and
sorrowful.
“Lo inget cave time says if you are not the end destination of the cave?” laya asked again, as her eyes looked far away, glaring somewhere. “The final destination of the cave is Arjuna. The cave can be rich Ekalaya who dutuk it same Drona and lost his finger.”
Iris felt like she saw something she shouldn't have seen. Laya's deepest sorrow. The arrogance that Laya stored in the deepest corner of her heart. Fear spread in Laya's life, could she see it.
“Gua thought, you misunderstood something here” Iris said slowly, she did not want to talk wrongly and ended up hurting Laya.
Laya looked at Iris fixedly, waiting enthusiastically for what Iris would say.
“Lo is not Ekalaya, and your brother is not Arjuna. You don't have to be Ekalaya, you don't have to beat anyone. You can be whatever you want, not make your bokap but make yourself. You are just you, Ekalaya. You desire to be you, you desire to be your own Ekalaya. You desire to be the best version of yourself, for you and you only, Laya.”
Laya was speechless hearing Iris's words, Iris's shady eyes looking at her, without judgment. He also smiled as if he was trying to calm all the anxiety of Laya. Her smile looks bright, with dimples that make her look even sweeter. Something inside him shook, a warm feeling as if flowing through his body. Everything seems to be clearer, and brighter.
It was not only Iris' smile that shocked Laya, but what Iris said woke something inside her. During his life Laya thought that he should be like Ekalaya, that he should defeat Arjuna. He made Ekalaya and Arjuna his purpose in life. He wants to revive Ekalaya, but he does not want to end up like Ekalaya.
He shot, hoping to become as good as Ekalaya. He stopped playing and began to study hard in order to catch up with Arjuna. He stopped writing and reading fiction because he had to write essays and read journals and textbooks. He gave up all that he loved and tried his hardest to become as great as Ekalaya, in order to defeat Arjuna, and made a different ending from Ekalaya. He never realized that in the process of becoming Ekalaya, he had lost himself.
Unwittingly a drop of teatu water soaked Laya's cheeks. He immediately lowered his face preventing Iris from seeing her tears. He did not want to look weak, but his body was already unable to bear all these bebens. He was angry at himself for losing so much time and ended up not having the identity, but he was also grateful for finally realizing what was wrong. Laya closed her sentence with her palm, hoping that Iris would not notice that she was crying. As much as his energy held back the sound of his crying.
Iris was silent in front of Laya, not talking, not reprimanding, not making a little sound, but after a few seconds she stood up and walked towards Laya. He sat next to Laya, then turned his sitting position so that he faced Rahayu who was at the end of the room. After that he opened his book again as if nothing had happened. Let Laya sink into her grief. Giving space for her to let out her pain, letting Laya cry until her heart is satisfied, until there is no more sadness left in there.
