Aksara Taste (For Flavors That Will Not Be Perfect)
CHAPTER Seven

"*You if the clutch comes off it do not suddenly.” said Arfian reminded.

While my breath is still up and down. The bemo that jumped forward almost made my heart stop beating for a while.

I cursed in my heart. If it wasn't for my father's request, I wouldn't be willing to do this. Plus I'm not friendly with bemo, even since orok. The reason was the same, as he often went on strike.

“I can't, Fian. I'll rent another car to learn!” cerocosku is impatient while removing the cross-sectional safety belt on the body.

I want to get home soon, complain to my father that bemo made my heart almost die of function.

“Ngapain you rented another car, Al? Bemo, it's okay. Only you can't.” said Arfian, mocking. But, I have no intention of serving him this time. Lazy looking for words to reply to his words.

There is no more patience left. I have been learning to drive for almost a month. So far, there has been no significant development.

“Aduh, bemo!” I shouted in frustration with a face of surrender.

Safety belt bemo still crossed in the body. As if tied to death, do not want to escape even though I have opened many times. Makes my chest tight because it's holding back the upset. I think the sweat has poured down my temples and cheeks. The hot weather of Yogya that blends with the air in the car makes me even more tormented and suffering.

“Sini, here, let me help.” Alfian said as he advanced his body towards me. With a very close distance, he tried to help take off the safety belt bemo.

“Release the clutch the same way you stepped on the gas. Don't rush, you have to slow down. Later not only you are the hangers, but passengers beside you are also.”

I didn't respond to what Arfian said. Especially after that our views met. And suddenly froze my brain.

I can hear his breath.

I can see black on the ball.

I can feel something I've never felt before.

For a long time, we were just looking at it. I saw myself in his ball. I looked at the young man's gaze that was fixed on a single point on my face.

He looked at me clingy. Then he gets closer. In my right ear she held on and whispered lightly. “I just found out you have a mole under your left lip. Sweet as it turns out, like Ristretto.”

My breath was almost gone the moment I heard what Arfian said. All the diction I had stored in my brain suddenly evaporated into the air just like that.

I don't know how close the distance between us was until he realized the presence of the thin brown mole under my left lip*.

***

The memories made me wonder, how could I fall in love with an Arfian whose work is busy rehearsing? In fact, I accepted her love and we were in a relationship. Truly, three years is the best time that will always be memorable.

So how can we go back to the times when we used to be friends, while each of us is now an ex? How can I still keep a taste for Arfian, when in fact it's a feeling I want to put up? How could there be a thick Ristretto melt when I looked at the young man fixedly? How can there be such a sweet taste as sugar when I see him laughing.

How could I have thought I was happy?

***

Today it's the sun's turn to say good morning. Her warmth crept. Slowly challenge. Scattered. Flows through my body the last week of light hibernation. Accompanying oxygen to my organs most of which still need a lot of intake.

I took a deep breath. Enjoyed every second of the time I spent. Letting Mas Rudi wait while nagging was not careless. I don't want to waste a chance. When will there be a sunny day like this in the rainy season?

“Kalo would like to medi it on the mountain, not on the terrace of the house. Payah.” grumbled Mas Rudi as soon as I just got in the car.

I looked at her in annoyance, looking for where she had put her sanity all along.

“Mas nih, yes, just waiting so much doang already mengedumel.” reply I defended myself.

As I crossed the safety belt, Mas Rudi immediately forwarded Bemo to the editorial office. “Your friend, tuh. Call from earlier. I lift, I don't even say.”

Rushing kurogoh mobile phone in backpack pocket. Suddenly I realized, something must have happened until Rayhan called me many times. Without a second thought, I called the young man back.

“Al, where are you?”

Rayhan attacked immediately before I could say hello.

“Why, Ray? I'm again on the road to mau-“

“I'm just waiting for you in the editor's lobby.”

My feelings are not good, like something bad is going on with Rayhan.

***

I looked around the lobby. Make sure that the young man is still waiting for me here. Turning your eyes to different corners of the room. I'm trying to find Rayhan's figure that might be hidden behind the crowd.

“Alya!” someone shouted from the entrance. Made some people in the lobby look towards him.

Rayhan ran with wide strides. His face was like a ghost hunt. His breathing was irregular the moment he arrived in front of me.

“This, I've finished all. Please love Mas Zifran. I can not enter today.” he said seryaa handed a pile of manuscripts to my hands.

I gawked as I stared at the pile that was almost a kilan in height.

“You staying up?” I asked, noticing the dark circles under her eyelids.

“Kalo Mas Zifran nyariin me, you look for a reason. Whatever. For the next five days I will not be able to enter.” Rayhan put on a face of mercy.

“You're on leave? Ray!” I tried to wake him up. I hope he's not mentally ill.

A pile of work and hundreds of manuscripts were waiting at the editorial table. How could Rayhan have taken a leave of absence while office activities were this dense?

Rayhan ruffled his head, frustrated. “My friends operation tomorrow day after tomorrow, Al. I can't leave him.”

I looked at him wrong. “But, you, you can get him after you work, Ray. Or you go to the office. At least Mas Zifran saw you in the editor room.”

“Operation in Germany, Al.” said Rayhan sounded desperate.

I exhaled a heavy breath. Confused, thinking about how it would be if Mas Zifran knew this. But, I also can't force Rayhan to follow my advice. He would die for his best friend anyway.

Rayhan is waiting for an answer. His panda eyes made me feel unbearable. My little heart is filled with pity. With a rough decision I nodded lightly. Make Rayhan hurry to leave the editorial lobby. Riding a taxi that has been waiting for him since.