Why Different?
He's Back
A cup of hot chocolate Juan placed on the table, still in disbelief at what was happening and who was sitting opposite him at the moment. Many times Juan blinked, until occasionally rubbing his eyes to convince himself that he was not hallucinating. The figure in front of him was he skinned, he looked from head to toe— to check in case he turned out to be crazy.
“So,” after being convinced that the figure in front of him is indeed real, Juan began to open his voice. He stared fixedly at the bead of someone, then he continued. “Where have you been, Eleena Sabiru?”
The woman, who was named, lowered the head covering on the hoodie and reached out to pick up the hot chocolate Juan had provided. “Somewhere, no one knows us.” Then, the woman took a little sip of her chocolate. The still-full cup he then clasped with both hands, as if he needed more warmth now.
For a long time, no one spoke. Juan is still not fully accustomed to the existence of women who have disappeared with his best friend for 5 years. He still felt like a dream, so all he did was continue to look at Sabiru getting closer and closer from time to time.
“Gue accidentally see your photo in upload one of my friends who have long lost contact.” Blue started the story.
His head then began to fill with footage of events that took place 13 days ago, during which he for the first time re-discovered pieces from the past he had left behind for years.
That afternoon, Blue was packing her and Baskara's clothes. They plan to move to a new, larger house as Baskara's condition has begun to improve and the man begins to actively work online, which requires a more adequate dedicated workspace. It's all done, all right, they just have to wait for the car invitation to come to take them to move to a new house when he was even made fixated when he found a photo of Juan tucked in the account of one of his close friends during his early days moving to Surabaya, Albertus Soegijapranata.
Initially, Blue was not convinced that it was Juan because the man was far behind, like a background image supporting Albert the main character was selfie alone in front of a cafe. However, after he enlarged the photo that Albert uploaded to the maximum limit, he was sure that it was indeed the Juananda Saputra he knew.
Then came the idea in his head to send a message to Albert that he had not asked the news for a long time. Modelled on his sober talk skills, he asked Albert about how the man's life was now and where the man lived. Fluently, unsuspectingly, Albert answered all of Blue's questions until he came to the conclusion that Albert was in Jakarta. Other information followed. Blue also finally knew where Albert worked, the man happily gave his address.
“Albertus Soegijapranata?” Juan interrupts in the midst of Blue's activities telling the story behind her appearance before Juan at this time.
Blue nods assuringly, “Iya, that Albert.”
“Wah...” the word just popped out of Juan's lips. He often heard the words ‘The world is not as wide as the leaves of Moringa, but for the moment he is now facing... Is the world really this small?
Blue understands how Juan feels, because he also does not think that Albert, the kunyuk who became the only friend who cares for him who is half crazy, is also not sure, apparently also will still be involved in future events, years later.
“Lo says you should move to a new house. Is that mean you actually do not go anywhere, and still around Jakarta?” there was one moment that felt miss for Juan, so he asked.
However, she instead found Sabiru shaking her head, which of course made her even more confused.
“Gue equals Baskara just returned to Jakarta 3 days ago.” Blue Speak.
“Before?”
“Moving-move.” Said Blue, turning on a bright smile when recalling how messed up he and Baskara lived for years before today. “In the first year, we stayed in Surabaya. But had to rush to move because Baskara's bokapnya has been tracking until there, even constantly urge my aunt to tell me where I and Baskara live.”
“The years after that, we moved from one city to another. Bali, Medan, Bogor. Everything we visited, and we will immediately move if there are already signs of Baskara nyari us in that city.”
“And what finally brought you back to Jakarta?” ask Juan. Because he was curious, what finally made the pair decide to return to the city where their heartbreak began.
Not directly replied, Blue again sip chocolate in the cup— which is now not hot. “Because of you.” He replied later, when the chocolate cup had returned he put it on the table after half of the contents had successfully moved into the stomach.
“Who?”
“Lo and Reno.” Blue clarifies. “Gue told him about lo, and in the end, you—Pain Killer friends, still be the ones who have a lot of influence for him. Even nyokap and bokapnya can not bring him back, Ju. But you did. Just because he squirms a photo lo that is not even too clear when in zoom.”
Again, Juan became mute. His feelings are mixed. Pleased, sad, moved. Everything gathered in the chest, jostling for validation first to make Juan even end up overwhelmed.
“But, Ju,”
Hearing the word ‘tapi’, Juan again devoted attention to Sabiru.
“Of course we will.” Juan. Not once in his shadow did he ever think of rejecting Baskara's arrival again. Even though the man left without a word of farewell, Juan would still cheerfully welcome his return, celebrating their reunion in lavish euphoria. Because from a long time ago until now, Pain Killer is home. When two of his pillars disappear, and the house is threatened with collapse, Juan will obviously not refuse when one of them returns home. Because that way, they can defend the house until one other pole returns.
“Yeah, I know you guys will definitely receive him again. But, there's something you need to know, Ju.”
“What?”
As if he was accumulating a tremendous amount of energy, Sabiru took a few breaths before starting to speak. “The current axis, is no longer the old Baskara. A lot has changed from him, which might make you feel foreign. He was not as happy as he used to be, and his heart also became much more sensitive than the previous one. So, Ju, if one day you guys finally meet him, please make sure you guys didn’ ask him a question we know he wouldn’t give the answer. Don't ask him anything about what really happened a few years ago. Don't mention anything about Fabian's mother and mother. Let him tell you guys the things he wanted to and keep the rest. Just accept him again, Ju, don't make him remember again the bad memories that made him almost lose himself.”
As Blue said that, Juan was completely clueless. He did not know what a significant change had happened to Baskara, and what had really happened so many years ago that it had caused such a great disaster. Because until now, Juan and Reno—even people around them—know about the case of the murder of Raya only to the extent that the culprit is Sera. The motives and other things that underlie the occurrence of the event are not at all clear—no one tries to make them understand.
But then, he nodded his head. What happened does not need him to know, if it does not get there his capacity to know. Because isn't it important that he can welcome Baskara back, so that the nearly collapsed Pain Killer can stand up straight again?
“I promise.”
“Thanks, Ju.”
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At 2 am, Juan delivered Blue to the front yard of the cafe, where an online taxi unit was waiting to take the woman back to where she and Baskara lived. He had already offered to drop off, only until a radius that Blue thought was safe, yet the woman quickly refused because she did not want to take the risk.
“Do not follow me, do not try to ask information to this taxi driver, do not do anything to find my whereabouts and Baskara. We will appear in front of you when the time is right.” Blue gives a warning for the last time.
Juan snorted lazily, but still moved his head up and down the sign in agreement. “Not to worry.”
Blue doesn't answer anymore. Quickly, the woman got into the taxi and in a short time, the taxi drove away from the quiet cafe courtyard.
“Be careful on the road.” The sentence Juan could only say after the taxi nearly disappeared from view. Then, he turned towards the cafe to really prepare to go home.
Since the whole area was clean and he only needed to turn off the lights, Juan did it quickly. Not to forget, he made sure all the doors both front and rear doors were locked well before he covered the parking area to the right of the cafe building. There is a special parking area for staff—including himself.
Juan got into the car, started the engine and then put the seatbelt into his body. And when his foot was about to step on the gas pedal, Juan's movement stopped.
The rest of his chatter with Sabiru still loomed in his head. It was about the difficult times Baskara faced for several years after his departure. Starting from having to move places by relying on cash that he drained from savings before escaping, dangling in the streets looking for work before his cash runs out, he said, until you have to routinely come to see a psychiatrist to overcome mental health problems that plague him in a row.
While he and Reno were still alive with only half of their lives, Baskara was fighting with very few lives left in his body. Not imagined at all by him, what will happen to his good friend if there is no Sabiru accompanying. Perhaps, Pamudya Baskara will only remain a name.
Long enough to reflect, Juan finally continued to run the car. He must go home immediately, to lay down his tired body and head, to welcome other events that are no less emotionally draining and energizing.
Seriate
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Baskara's just passing by, guys. Either they will meet at this work or not wkwk
