THE KEBON KLAPA TERMINAL was still rather quiet that morning even though the bus touts were actively courting potential passengers. Vanya carried his battered backpack as he walked indifferently, not paying the slightest attention to the people around him. Occasionally there are also interesting brokers-
took Vanya's hand. "Where are you going, Teh? Jakarta, right? Jakarta, take that bus, Teh... It'll be leaving soon, Teh!"
"Just this bus, Teh, via Puncak," said another broker.
"This one, Teh, goes straight through the toll road, no need to wait around anymore!" the other one doesn't want to lose.
"Wow, Anu pang sip-na mah ngirkan kandaraan kuring, pul ase, pul latroom, pul pideo, pul karaoke, pul push... eh, basically the tancep screen is lost!" Other brokers join in pulling the strings.
"Ah, I can't wait! If you drive a small bus, Neng will enjoy playing because the seat can be used as a swing. So along the way Neng can play on the swings."
Vanya glared. Because he was small, he was offered a swing.
In fact, if it wasn't for hand-pulling, Vanya wouldn't mind taking the bus promoted by the brokers. But pulling his hand, poking his shoulder, makes him angry. Once Vanya almost got into a fight with a bus tout because of this teasing. Luckily at that time he was with Via, his boarding house friend. Vanya couldn't bear to see Via panicking with fear.
"That's it, Nya, just leave it alone! There's no need to deal with it. Then he'll even like it..." said Via, shaking.
If Vanya hadn't been with Via at that time, he would have become a spectacle for people to watch. When it comes to defending "self-esteem" like that, for Vanya the term shame doesn't apply. On the other hand, Vanya's boarding house friends thought that Vanya's actions were embarrassing. That's why they are
I don't like going home to Jakarta by bus with Vanya. It sucks... Vanya's son is hot! Likes looking for trouble! they said.
"Teh, Teteh, there's a friend... On that bus!"
Ah, the ancient ploy! Let Vanya turn around and get on a regular bus which stops at every terminal. Just sorry! Vanya gives up on having to be next to chicken and string beans! Yes, this is something that Vanya actually experienced. Feels like riding a market bus! Let it take the fast bus which is a bit expensive. Just don't eat too much!
Vanya continued walking nonchalantly towards a fast bus. Suddenly his backpack was pulled from behind. Vanya quickly took stance, ready to fight. But it didn't happen! Vanya laughed when he saw Yoyok, one of his playmates in Jakarta who also studied in Bandung, looking at him while frowning.
"His coolness hasn't disappeared since the beginning!" Yoyok cursed.
Vanya was still laughing.
"You know it yourself, Yok! Those brokers all have fake faces! How can you believe it?!"
"Come on with me on the bus!" Yoyok asked half forcefully.
"No! Let me pay, I don't want to!"
Then Vanya hurriedly explained why he wasn't interested in taking a regular bus. Before Yoyok teased him with the words rich, bourgeois, unable to live with concern, and so on.
"Remember the bitter experience of sitting with a chicken?" Yoyo couldn't hold back her laughter. "Okay, I gave in! I'll move to the fast bus with you..."
Finally they were on the same bus. Along the way, Yoyok was just messing around. The story is about Dini, a girl in Jakarta.
"Nya, I miss Dini! You know, when I was in high school I couldn't live a day without seeing her..."
"Duilee... that's how romantic! Ehh, now how come you haven't died, haven't seen her for so long?!"
"There's this!" Yoyok took out a photo from his wallet.
Photo of Dini smiling. Sweet, indeed.
Vanya just grinned.
"What about you, Nya? How come you feel so comfortable pursuing a solo career? It's not nice... there's nothing to miss!"
"Eh, who said I don't miss you!" Vanya was annoyed.
Yoyok was shocked.
"Wow, Vanya already has a girlfriend? Why didn't you tell me? Oh, I'm behind the times!"
"I miss you..." Vanya smiled.
"Who, Nya? What's your guy's name?!" Yoyok is really curious.
"Bajaj!"
"Uncouth!"
"Ehh, I swear, Yok!! I really miss Bajaj! In Bandung my butt was thick, moving from one Honda to another Honda. From one Kijang to another Kijang. God forbid... there were no Bajaj! At most there were only pedicabs, that too in certain places!" Vanya fussed in defense. His face was so serious!
Yoyok could only shake his head while listening to Vanya speak. This friend of his was always full of oddities. Weird and tacky. But that's precisely what makes Vanya look so attractive. It's good to be friends.
Vanya then told stories about Aunt Ela, Vanya's mother's sister in Bandung, whose house Vanya had visited for a week. Aunt Ela is actually quite pleasant. The person is still young and agile. At Aunt Ela's house, everything is available. If you want to eat, just take it, if you want to sleep... just go into the cage (he he he). Everything is free without charge!
"Yes, Yok, everything is free! But when I'm sleeping, Aunt Ela screams, asking for help making cakes. When I'm studying, the two twins of my aunt's children enter the room as they please. They mess up the newly made bed! Then they scream , 'Miss Vanya, let's play war!' And the most annoying thing was, my notes were torn to pieces! Like tearing off a packet of peanuts, then making them into calluses.... All
because it's free! Yes, of course I can't protest. Why are people protesting for free?" Vanya scolded at length.
Without paying attention to Yoyok, who was getting bored of hearing her nagging, Vanya's story continued. Vanya then told him about the boarding house and its residents who had played pranks on him.
"I was being bullied, Yok! I was told to iron their clothes every day!" Vanya reminisces about those times. It felt like at that time Vanya really wanted to go back to Aunt Ela's house. I'll shout about it, but I've never been hired to iron eleven children's clothes every day. Vanya has to wake up very early to do all that, otherwise he'll be late for class! And he had to do this every day for two weeks! After almost two weeks, Nana, the boarding house's elder, called Vanya. Nana said, starting tomorrow, Vanya won't have to iron anymore. The hazing event was sped up by a few days because Vanya seemed to be ironing so hard. The next day, the long line at the ironing room was full of grumbling.
"Nana sucks! Make decisions without saying anything!"
"Yes! I woke up late, my clothes are still crumpled!"
"Nya, why didn't you report it if it was accelerated?!"
"Ehh, I'll add a day, Nya! I'll pay...!"
Vanya wanted to laugh at the panic of his boarding house friends. Who said being a "forced laborer" was good? Every day my body aches and pains! Every time you go to college you look dirty! It'll bring down the market, thought Vanya. Luckily all that has passed.
When he remembered that incident, Vanya surprised himself. How come he wants to be treated like that? Dana was amazed to hear Vanya's story. "You, Nya? You can iron? Seriously! I really feel sorry for your friends, as long as you're the one doing the ironing, nothing will go wrong with their clothes!" Dana teased while not stopping laughing.
Thanks to his conversation with Yoyok (to be precise, it was a one-sided conversation, because mostly Vanya did the talking himself, while Yoyok only occasionally said, "Oh, yeah?", "Masa?", "And then?", "Then?", and other words. the like while nodding sleepily), Vanya, who usually spent his time in a daze, now felt like he was traveling so fast. They have arrived at the Kampung Rambutan Terminal, Jakarta.
"Watch your wallet, Nya..." whispered Yoyok. Vanya nodded, felt his backpack to make sure his wallet was still in a safe place, then followed Yoyok to the PPD 45 bus which went towards Blok M.
"That's 45, Yok!" Vanya shouted excitedly. He hasn't taken a city bus for a long time. Understandably, in Bandung buses are a rare item. Apart from that, the routes are also very limited. So Vanya almost never took the bus while in Bandung. So, please understand if Vanya suddenly goes crazy and acts a little tacky.
Like a child who had escaped from his mother, Vanya ran around on bus 45 which was parked at the tail end. "Come on, Yok! It's still empty!" he asked.
Yoyok laughed at Vanya's innocent look. ..
"Vanya, Vanya...! Let's just take the first one, okay? This one leaves tomorrow morning! Or do you really want to get home tomorrow?"
Vanya's face immediately turned red, realizing her stupidity. Wow, what a shame!
Arriving at Blok M, Vanya couldn't keep calm when he saw the rickshaw squad ready to carry passengers. He wanted to quickly vent his longing for being shaken around in the three-wheeled vehicle.
"Come on, I want to ride a rickshaw... Do you want to come?"
Yoyok of course didn't waste the opportunity to ride for free.
Coincidentally, his house is in the same direction as Vanya's house.
The bargaining event didn't last long because Vanya wasn't as talented as the RT ladies, who had to be clever at bargaining as low as possible. Even if the risk is overlooked.
"How much, bro?"
"Three thousand."
"Two thousand, huh?"
"Can not!"
"Okay, 2,500 then..."
"Can not!"
"Just three thousand then, okay?"
Bajaj's brother was stunned. Yoyok was also stunned. But Yoyok didn't comment much, he hurriedly followed Vanya into the bajaj. Just as the rickshaw door was closed, a scream that rivaled the roar of the rickshaw sounded right in Yoyok's ears.
"Mr Yoyok, right?!"
As if seeing a ghost, Yoyok answered nervously, "Uh, yeah... yeah... yeah..."
"Ms. Dini, do you know that Mas Yok is coming home? Eee... who is that?" accused the girl at Vanya.
"Anu... friend! Friend in Bandung!"
"What do you think? Do you want to continue the conversation, shall I look for another passenger?" asked the Bajaj brother, half threateningly.
Accompanied by the suspicious look of the girl who greeted Yoyok, the rickshaw left too. Vanya looked at Yoyok, curious.
"Who, Y ok?"
"Just ask who! That's Dini's younger brother!!!" Yoyok snapped.
"Duilee is fierce! Afraid of being dumped by Dini, huh?"
Yoyok just kept quiet.
Vanya started to get annoyed
"Watch out, Yok! I'll be aggressive enough to get you on the road!"
Yoyok was still mumbling incoherently when Vanya shouted, "Brother, stop for a moment! Someone wants to come down!"
And it's true, Yoyok was sent down with his face folded in nine. How dare you! But that's Vanya! If what you say is truly proven, it's not just an empty threat.
***
After returning to Bandung, every time he met Vanya, Yoyok didn't want to reprimand him. Sulking the story. Vanya himself did not feel disadvantaged. After all, Vanya has a ton of friends. Not just Yoyok. Especially now that he's in geology, which only contains boys. Cute again!
Finally, Yoyok's defense also faltered. He, who couldn't stand it, started reprimanding Vanya first.
"Nya, I hate you!"
Vanya laughed amusedly.
"Because he was dropped off from a bajaj? Yes?!"
"No!" Yoyok groaned.
"So what?"
"Because of you I was fired early!"
Vanya laughed even more.
"You know? Dini knows me! Why didn't you tell me that you were from Bandung with me at that time!"
"That's it! I've tried my best to defend myself. I lost nothing to you. I just happened to take the same bus home to Jakarta. But it's useless, Nya, Dini doesn't want to know! He still insists on breaking up!"
"Then he's the one who's bored with you, come on!" Vanya said calmly.
"Demon!"
"Yeah, that's right! If he's in his right mind he should be able to understand it! Why would he be jealous of me? Yes, I'm a little cuter than Dini, but I don't have a crush on you, come on! Why do I have such a crush on you? What a waste of time!"
"Demon!" Yoyok cursed again.
Vanya smiled amusedly.
"But it's okay to break up, come on... It's a girl, not Dini!"
"Demon!"
"Come on, you're not creative, ah! What other word than devil?" Vanya is confused. "Eh, come on, Bandung girls are cute, Iho..."
"Devil!"
"Hahahahaha...!!!"