Lenses always managed to keep Rajata out of trouble. Behind the camera's aperture, he didn't feel the hot sun over the village of Bokoharjo that weekend, nor did he feel that he was in a hollow mood. He also didn’t care about the tourists bustling around him. The man was busy looking for photo objects and shooting angles around the Prambanan temple area.
A relief attracts attention. Rajata took a stone, then stood on it so he could take the photo from the direction he wanted.
Suddenly, a voice full of joking screams in the distance startled Rajata. Reflexively, he turned toward the sound. However, it seemed that the movement made his footsteps shaky. The man fell off the rock and his body swayed towards the temple.
In a panic, Rajata tried to protect the camera he was holding. It works. The base of his thumb hit the relief, protecting the camera. An instant later, thousands of fireflies flooded Rajata's eyes when his head hit the temple wall.
For a moment, Rajata lay still on the ground, staring blankly at the sky.
***
Rajata rushed into the car, threw the camera at the passenger seat, then immediately stepped on the gas, escaping from the parking lot of the Prambanan Temple complex. The cabin of the car was hot baked by the scorching sun, but cold sweat ran down his body. Blood dripped from the cut on the thumb of the right hand.
Arriving at the hotel room, Rajata immediately laid down. His head still felt dizzy. The wound on the hand began to throb. Recalling the way he had driven the car earlier, Rajata was grateful to have arrived at the hotel safely. The air-conditioning hum gave a sense of calm. His breathing slowly became regular. Imperceptibly, Rajata fell asleep exhausted.
***
When Rajata woke up, the room was dark. Only the yellowish glow of the incandescent light from the terrace illuminated the room through the uncurtained window. The sun has long been setting. Rajata liked Guest House Monginsidi. He has stayed there several times. But this time, the darkness of the room, plus the old-fashioned feel of the inn, made him shudder. Rajata got up from the bed. Immediately he turned on the room light. A little relief, but not quite soothing. His experience at Prambanan Temple still disturbs his mind a little. Finally Rajata decided to leave the room. Grumbling inwardly, Rajata grabbed the camera lying on the bed, then walked out of the hotel, down the street. He went to Jogja to calm his heart. However, instead, he got a bewildering experience, all because he had slipped off a stepping stone.
The Yogyakarta traffic that night was quite busy, giving Rajata a false sense of security, as if they would all protect him if something happened to him at that time. Rajata walked aimlessly. He didn't feel like he was walking down Malioboro street, where the edges were already filled with lesehan food sellers.
In front of Mirota batik shop, Rajata's steps stopped. The red tent still sheltered the stall there, just like the first time he stopped there many years ago. He decided to stop at a shop that was open for business there. Rajata ordered a cup of coffee, then sat leaning against one of the pillars. Every time he visited Malioboro, Rajata always stopped by here, for some reason, maybe because of his experience during high school. Rajata looked at the scar which was on the birthmark around the thumb of his right hand. His mind drifted to what he had experienced this afternoon in Prambanan. An ambulance was walking across Malioboro, trying to penetrate the traffic jam by sounding a siren. Don't know what emergency they are handling.
The voice of a busker singing 'Yogyakarta', an old song belonging to KLa, awakened Rajata. He hurriedly handed him a piece of money so that the busker immediately moved on. Rajata actually liked the song, but lately he felt harassed by the lyrics. How could he possibly lose and miss someone he doesn't have?
The busker received Rajata's money, thanked him, but then continued singing. Perhaps he wants to show his professionalism, singing the song to the end. Rajata opens social media applications on his cell phone. On a whim, he typed someone's name. He just realized that so far he had never searched the name of this person on the internet, for some reason. The application paused for a moment, performed a search.
Social media applications displayed search results. Rajata was stunned. A girl's face appeared on the screen, not exactly the same face that was left in Rajata's memory. The face on the screen looked mature, although still attractive. He opened the girl's social account profile, making sure this girl was the girl he knew. Merina Tambunan, worked as an auditor at a financial inspection company in Jakarta. Rajata took a deep breath as he read the names of universities and high schools and the year of Merina's class. For a moment Rajata hesitated about adding Merina to his list of friends, but in the end he gave it up. His mind returned to the first time he stopped at this Lesehan stall, many years ago.
***
It was late when Rajata and several classmates arrived at the shop. Rajata's body felt tired after a day of walking around the Yogyakarta palace. Rajata sat leaning against a pillar in a corner. In front of him, Merina sat and was immediately busy chattering with some female friends. Merina's white face was slightly oily, sparkling in the fluorescent light. Jogja that day was quite hot. Many times Merina chuckled, discussing their experiences this afternoon. Her hair, cut short just below the ears, swings with the movement of her head. A busker, seeing the crowd that had just arrived, immediately got into action singing a song that told about the city they visited.
Suddenly Merina turned to Rajata. “Hey! Don't just daydream!” she exclaimed with a big smile.
Rajata stuttered. “Uh, I'm not daydreaming, really, just take another breath. Tired of walking around the palace and Fort Vredeburg all day,” he avoided, while sipping the sweet tea that had been served in front of him all this time.
“Yes, it's really hot today,” replied Merina.
A friend who was sitting next to Merina took her by, and the girl drifted back into the conversation. Every now and then she fixed her short hair behind the ear lobe. It's useless, because the hair strands immediately coveredq1 the ears again.
Rajata smiled wryly witnessing the useless action. “Mer ....” Suddenly, Rajata's mouth said that name without being ordered.
Merina turned to Rajata. “Yes?” she replied, a sweet smile on her strong jaw-boned face.
Rajata was in deep thought, looking for something to say. “I'll go back to the hotel first, okay? It's hot,” he said.
“Uh, want to go back to the hotel, huh? I'm in then!”
The two of them walked back to the inn, along the still busy Malioboro.
“After this, where are you planning to study?” asked Rajata.
Merina smiled. “I want to enter Gadjah Mada University, Jogja seems interesting, I don't know if I can pass the entrance exam,” she replied, “how about you?”
“Bandung Institute of Technology,” replied Rajata, “but it feels too much for me, so maybe I put the Sept. Ten Institute of Technology in reserve.”
“You can do it! You're smart, Ta!”
Rajata laughed. “You're smart too, Mer,” he replied, “hopefully we can both get into our dream college!”
They arrived at the lobby of the inn.
“OK, I'll go to the room first. I want to take a shower, my body is sticky,” said Merina.
“Okay.”
Rajata walked out of the lobby, but stopped a few steps later. He turned to Merina who was still walking towards her room which was in the other wing. “Mer ...,” he said, not too loudly.
Unexpectedly, Merina stopped walking, and turned her head. “Yes?”
“Don't forget to send letters when you're at Gadjah Mada University!” said Rajata.
“Hey! We haven't got a high school diploma yet, the registration for state universities has not yet been opened too. We also still meet tomorrow,” said Merina with a big smile, “Let's just think about sending the letter later!”
Rajata just smiled broadly.
***
“One coffee, ma'am!”
The voice of a woman ordering coffee awakened Rajata from his reverie.
***
Kalyana dropped her backpack on the floor, then slammed herself onto the bed. It was already dusk, even though only an hour ago the plane she was traveling in landed at Adi Sucipto. Kalyana is annoyed, regretting her decision to buy a sudden ticket at a busy hour. She didn't know what she could do in Yogya the rest of the day. Tomorrow, maybe she'll rent a vehicle. The girl took her cell phone and surfed the internet, trying to learn about some tourist attractions in Yogyakarta. There was nothing interesting, all the information that was displayed felt like passing by, only makes her head dizzy. The breeze from the air conditioning system slowly made Kalyana fall asleep.***Phone ringing woke up Kalyana. Reluctantly, she grabbed the phone from her trouser pocket. Call from Armand, as expected. Kalyana hesitated for a moment, before finally hitting the 'Receive' button.“Hello? What's up, Mand?” she said, still lying on the bed, still sleepy.“Have you arrive
“One coffee, ma'am!” A woman's voice disturbed Rajata's reverie.Rajata raised his gaze towards the voice.A girl was buying a glass of coffee and a plate of fried bananas from the elderly lady, the Lesehan caretaker. Rajata watched the girl walked to the next pillar and then sat back against it with her knees bent. While enjoying the fried bananas, the girl took out a tablet and started working. Her black hair was curled upwards, revealing the shape of her face, ears, and neck.Rajata could only be stunned. The girl's figure and voice reminded her of someone she had seen in Prambanan.Then, as if sensing someone was watching, the girl looked up and turned to the side, towards the Rajata. She smiled briefly, then returned to busy with the device on her lap.Rajata was shocked with embarrassment. After hesitating for a moment, he finally stood up and walked over to the girl.“Hello,” said Rajata, standing in front of the girl.The girl raised
At five minute to eight o'clock, the car driven by Rajata entered the courtyard of Hotel 404. He hoped to prove that Kalyana's phone number was really needed. However, it turned out that Kalyana was seen standing on the lobby steps. Her hair was no longer tied up.Seeing Rajata arriving, Kalyana immediately walked over. “Why are you late?” she said as she got into the car.“But it's still five minutes short, Na,” snapped Rajata.“But you said you wanted to come early!” replied Kalyana.“I know, it's still five minutes short.”“But I've been waiting a long time!”“Sorry, Na,” said Rajata, “When have you been waiting?”“From six minutes to eight!” Kalyana replied curtly.“Huh?”Kalyana burst out laughing.“It's only been a minute, Na!” exclaimed Rajata, shook his head and smiled broadly.“For girls, waiting for one minute is too long, you know!”“So, give me a phone number, please, so that next t
While waiting for the lift, Kalyana took out her cell phone from her jacket pocket. She smiled at Armand's unanswered call. The elevator doors opened. Kalyana returned the cell phone to her pocket and stepped inside.Arriving at the room, Kalyana immediately called her lover.“Hello, Na?” said Armand after two rings, “so busy writing the novel that you didn't have time to answer my call?”Kalyana chuckled. “No, I just forgot that my call was silent,” she replied as she took off the jacket.“So how about Jogja?”“Interesting,” said Kalyana, “Last night I visited Malioboro, then last afternoon I went to Prambanan, and I just came home to have dinner at Gudeg Yu Jum.”For a moment Kalyana was silent. On the other side, Armand is still waiting for the continuation of her lover's story.“Well, at least,” Kalyana continued, “I got to know this place before we left for Barcelona.”Armand just chuckled at that. “So are you co
Rajata sat back on the seat of the carriage. Shortly thereafter, the train left the Yogyakarta station for Surabaya.The cell phone in the pocket vibrated. Meanwhile Rajata took the device. The digital screen displayed a notification of an incoming message on social media accounts. He was stunned as he read the name of the sender of the message: Merina Tambunan.“Hi! Are you my high school friend Rajata?”“Yes,” Rajata typed briefly, replied to the message, still amazed.“How are you, Ta? It's not unusual for you to look at my social media accounts?” Merina replied moments later.Rajata smiled, realizing his carelessness in opening Merina's account last night. “I'm fine, Mer,” typed Rajata, “and you?”“I'm fine too, Ta.” Merina's answer came to Rajata's phone a few moments later.Rajata was stunned, wondering what message he should type.“Are you in Surabaya?” Merina's message came in again.“No, I'm in Yo
The announcement of the landing of the plane from Yogyakarta blared all over the corridors at Juanda airport. Armand immediately left the coffee shop and headed for the arrival door which was already filled with pickers. His height helped Armand see the passengers walking out the door. He immediately stepped towards the end of the guardrail when he saw a small girl walking with a backpack slung on her back.Kalyana smiled brightly when she saw Armand behind the crowd of pickers. The man seemed to half run to the end of the fence, and was already there before Kalyana. Armand's arms spread, ready to embrace.Kalyana also spreads her hands and then enters her lover's arms. “Thanks for picking me up, Mand! Hmph ...!” Kalyana's words were cut short when Armand chewed her lips.For a moment, Kalyana tried to break free, uncomfortable being treated so intimately in public. However, the man's lips and tongue always managed to melt Kalyana, making her forget her surround
Kalyana was awakened by the soft hum of the air conditioner. Her body was covered by the blanket, warm. Her thoughts were light now. Every now and then a keyboard and mouse sound can be heard from behind. Smiling, Kalyana turned around. Armand seemed to be sitting on the bed, busy working on a laptop that was placed on his thigh covered by a blanket. “You're awake, Na?” said Armand while still typing. “Uh-huh,” Kalyana replied with a nosy smile, “you are noisy!” “Sorry,” replied Armand, still busy with his work, “I have to finish today because my boss waited.” Kalyana sat up, kissed her lover's cheek for a moment, leaned on the sturdy shoulder, then took a moment to pay attention to the computer. Tired of diagrams and writing full of technical terms she didn't understand, Kalyana got up from the bed, grabbed the nightgown that she hadn't had time to put on, then grabbed her backpack which was lying on the sofa. Feels light. “Where are my clothes?” she
Rajata came out of the bathroom. It was late, but he had just arrived home after working late. A tiring day though satisfying. He managed to complete his assignment right at the end of this week. With his hair still wet, he browsed the internet on his cell phone, looking for dinner ideas.The browser application disappeared from the screen, surprised Rajata. A moment later, the phone call application appeared on the screen. The telephone started vibrating a moment later. Rajata gasped as he read the name on the screen.Merina.The small number in the upper left corner of the phone's screen showed the current time, it's past nine in the evening. Since their meeting last Sunday, he and Merina had not contacted each other again. Rajata kept his phone vibrating, making sure that his old friend wasn't on the wrong call.The phone keeps vibrating.Rajata pressed the 'Accept' button. "Hello," he said opening the conversation, "what's wrong, Mer?""Ta?" s