Part 1 : Cupid

I squirm when the sunshine sting my skin.

What time is it now? I asked myself as I reached for my smartphone beside me.

Me eyes widened when it was written at 06.45 a.m. I got up grabbed the towel and ran to the bathroom.

It only took five minutes for me to shower and change clothes.

“Don’t you have breakfast, La?” asked my mother.

“I don’t have breakfast, Mom. I’m late,” rejecting me.

“Your own fault why wake up late. Do you watch Korean dramas until three in the morning, right?” guessed my mother right.

“Hehehe…”I blushed.

“Keep on with your bad habit. If you get typhus again, feel it.”

I laughed at the expression of my mother who was anxious to face me, whose hobby is staying up late just to watch Korean dramas.

“I go to school, Mom.” I said goodbye while kissing the back of my mother’s hand.

“Take care, Baby.” My mother ordered.

I nod.

I got on my motorcycle and rushed to school.

I’m not feeling well, surely I’m late.

And sure enough, the school gates were closed. But I saw a boy my age with disheveled hair standing in front of the gate too. Who else if not Brandon.

Brandon smiled triumphantly whe he saw me coming. Must be in his heart cherring because now he has a friend who also came late.

“You’re late too, La?” asked Brandon, whose answer was clear, right?

“Are you feeling happy?” I quipped.

Brandon laughed. “Very happy.”

I rolled my eyes lazily.

“Why did you come late? You are not like this as usual,” asked Brandon in surprise.

“Last night I was too engrossed in watching Korean dramas until morning.” I answered briefly but was able to make Brandon laugh out loud.

“You are so busy laughing at me.” I said sarcastically.

“Oh, of course. This will be a historic moment for a model student to arrive late,” joked Brandon.

I pinched his waist tightly until he moaned in pain.

“You really are a vengeful person.” Brandon grumbled.

“Oh, of course.” I answered proudly.

Two security guards who had not seen the bridge of their noses now came to us. They asked in contrived stern voices.

“If Brandon, I can understand. Isn’t he already a subscriber to come late? But she, you? What is your name?” asked the tall security guard to me.

“Ella.” I answered briefly.

“Yes, you are. I used to see you coming at six in the morning. Why are you late today?”

“I woke up late. Will we continue to be interrogated here?” I asked getting annoyed.

Seeing me who was already in a badmood, finally the two security guards opened the gate for me and Brandon.

“You’re so awesome, La.” Brandon said in awe.

“What’s so cool?” I asked confused.

“Your terrible gaze seemed to be able to make the two security guards unable to move and finally opened the gate for us. You’re cool.”

“Hey, Brandon, we’re late doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to study. Never mind, I want to go to class first.” I said as I ran from the parking lot to class.

When I arrived in front of the class, I didn’t just enter. I knocked on the door of the classroom and said hello.

“Please come in,” said mrs.Laras, my mathematics teacher.

I entered the classroom followed by Brandon behind me.

A short message came to my smartphone. I opened it secretly.

Arga: What r u doing, La? Have u been in school?

I thought the messenger was John, but I was wrong.

Quickly my fingers type word for word.

Me: I'm in class n I'm studying.

Not long after, a text message returned to my smartphone still with the same sender, Arga.

Arga: Okay, keep up, La.

I closed my smartphone and returned to work on the problems with focus.

The class was silent for a long time, until the bell rang after class.

“Okay, I think today’s mathematics lesson is over. See you at the next meeting,” said mrs.Laras.

“Thankyou, Mom.” We said one class in unison.

“What’s the lesson after this?” Mrs.Laras asked.

“Biology Mom.” I said.

“Okay, please wait for the arrival of the biology teacher. Do not be rowdy!” said mrs.Laras then walked out of the classroom.

But my class is still my class, it can’t be if asked not to be noisy.

Isti and I talked together – talking about how we will continue our education.

“Do you still want to fight for a seat in medicine?” Isti asked.

I nodded firmly. “Of course. Being a surgeon has been my dream since I was in the second grade of junior high school.” I said with great confidence.

“Good. I wanna see my best friend is beautiful in her white coat..”

I smiled. “How about you? What program do you wanna take?”

“I wanna take a physics course.”

“Are you sure?” I asked.

Isti nodded confidently. “I really love physics.”

I applauded excitedly. Indeed my friend this one is really different than the others. At a time when many people don’t like physics, she is diligently studying physics.

“You are great, Isti. Someday I’ll make you psysics teacher for my children.” I said proudly.

‘Please pray. Let’s be successful together.”

“of course.”

“Hey, what are you talking about, guys?” asked Alice who came suddenly beside me.

“Isti and I are discussing what study program we will choose when in college.” I explained.

“What study program did you choose, La?” asked Alice.

“Medical.”

“Are you serious?” I nodded firmly.

“Aren’t you afraid of blood?” asked Alice.

“Did you forget who helped Brian during the accident in front of the school?” asked Isti to Alice, trying to remind.

I remember when Brian was the victim of a hit and run by a car driver. The blood coming out of Brian’s head was very much. I ventured to stem his blood with my jacked while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

“Ah you’re right. Ella, you really are like a doctor in the drama Romantic Doctor Teacher. So cool,” said Alice while continuing to give me a thumbs up.

“How about you, Isti?” asked Alice.

“I wanna take a physics course.”

“Wow, so cool. Do you wanna be like Isaac Newton?” Isti blushed at Alice’s said.

“How about you, Alice?” I asked.

“I wanna be a nurse.”

“Wow, you will be my partner.” I said cheerful.

“Please pray.”

“Always.”

“Oh yeah where’s Amara?” I asked. My eyes swept around the classroom and I saw Amara arguing with Zidane.

“As usual, she was fighting with her enemy,” said Alice in a lazy tone.

“I imagine what if they are match.” I said making Isti and Alice laugh out loud.

“I vowed to sing five songs at their wedding,” said Alice with laughter.

Since the beginning of being in the first grade of senior high school and above until this final grade, Amara and Zidane have become mortal enemies. There are all sorts of strange and nonsensical things they argue about. In fact, not infrequently they play chase like two children plying in a park.

“Damn you!” Amara cursed Zidane when the man doused her with his drinking water, making Amara’s straight hair become wet.

“Don’t you realize that Amara and Zidane have a similar face?” I asked.

Isti and Alice were silent for a moment while staring at Amara and Zidane’s face alternately, then they nodded – agreeing with my statement.

“They are really destined,” said Alice who agreed by Isti.

“You are sure wanna sing five songs at their wedding right?” I asked teasing Alice.

“Hahaha…yes, I’ll sing for them,” said Alice firmly.

Tiinggg…

A message entered my smartphone, surprising us who were busy gossiping.

Arga sent a pict.

He came home? Means John also came to my home. Yipppiiiii….. my mind jumped with joy.

“Is that your new crush?” asked Alice.

“Have you moved on from Joe?” asked Isti.

What’s wrong with them? Yes, I did move on from my upperclassman who hung our relationship for two years. But not with Arga. I like John, his friend.

“Not with him. I like his friend.” I replied.

“then why did he send you the message? Does he like you?” asked Isti.

“No. we’re just friends. He’s just an intermediary between his friend and I, he also already has a girlfriend.” I said.

Isti and Alice nodded in understanding.

We talked again, this time talking about different things.

Long enough the class was left rowdy without a teacher coming into our classroom and teaching. Until the bell rings.

I packed my stationery in my bag and walked towards the school parking lot.

I ride my motorcycle fast, this is because I can’t wait to meet John. John hasn’t come home for weeks, it makes me miss him very much.

I arrived in front of the house. I saw two bicycles parked in the yard.

Wait a minute, two bikes? Why not three?

Ah, my feeling are just getting worse. And yes, John isn’t in there. There was only my mother and two younger siblings with Bram and Arga.

“Hi, Ella.” Arga greeted me cheerfully.

“Where’s John?” I asked dryly.

“Ouch, forgive me for not bringing your love John here. He has an event with his little sister,” said Arga feeling guilty.

“What is the event?” I asked confused.

“I don’t know. What is clear is he is having an event with his little sister.”

“Younger sibling?” Arga nodded.

I nodded in understanding.

“Don’t worry, Ella. He left greetings for you,” said Arga trying to make me not disappointed.

“Oh yeah?” I asked happily.

Arga nodded.

“What did he say?”

“He said greetings to Ella, greeting a little sweet.”

“Why only a little? Why not many?” I protested.

“be patient, someday there will be a very sweet greeting for you hahaha…”

“Okay.” I answered not knowing what else to answer.

My mom and my siblings are busy talking with Bram, talking about things that I don’t think are exciting at all. Meanwhile Arga and I just silent.

I opened my smartphone, watched Super Junior, my favorite Korean boyband.

“Do you understand the language?” asked Arga who had been watching.

“Of course.”

“Wow, where did you learn from, La?” asked Arga in awe.

“Many sources. Starting from Korean dramas, watching KPOP videos, and finding out on google.”

“Do you study alone?”

“Of course. How could my parents spend a lot of money to teach me to learn a language that they think is less important?”

“You’re awesome, La. Will you teach me Korean?” begged Arga.

“You want?” I asked.

Arga nodded excitedly.

With a passion that is no less passionate, I teach Arga to speak Korean. Still at the basic, level starting from hangul, greeting in Korean, to word that are often heard.

“You’re really great, La. You are good at language,” praised Arga excessively.

I’m laughing.

Talking with Arga until late afternoon was also fun even occasionally the man teased me, matched me with John.

“Why are you so excited about matchmaking me with John, Arga?” I asked.

“Because John is my best friend. I think you two are suitable to be a lovers.”

“Really?”

“Of course. I’ll voluntarily help in your future marriage.”

I laughed at the words of Arga.

Married? Things that never occurred in my brain before. I’m too ambitious to be a medical student and want to continue my master in Korea. Ah, because of watching medical dramas too often, I was very motivated to actually become a surgeon.

“I wanna be a surgeon in Korea, Arga. Will John be waiting for me that long?” I asked.

“Of course. Even if it takes 5o years, he’ll still be waiting for you, Ella. Believe me.”

I’m laughing.

Hopefully what you say is true, Arga.