COLORLESS LOVE
Anara is an orphan girl. Her father and mother died when Anara was 9 years old. Meanwhile, his twin brothers Afdhal Alif Fikrie and Akhtar Alfi Faizal are only 3 years old. At that time, Anara's parents would go to the market to sell. Anara's father is a chicken seller in the market, while Anara's mother is a vegetable trader. As usual, Anara's father and mother left the house early in the morning. They went around 2 am to get fresh vegetables from the wholesaler. And broiler chickens directly from breeders. That night it rained lightly, soaking the earth, causing the road to be slippery and Anara's father's eyesight to blur. Anara's father lost his balance, which caused the motorbike he was riding with his wife to roll over. Instantly, the motorbike hit the large truck in front of it, which caused Anara's father and mother to fall and get under the truck that was passing by. The bodies of Anara's father and mother were run over by a truck, so that their lives could no longer be saved and they died at the scene. Anara and her two younger twins Alif and Alfi are now orphans and live with their grandmother who loves them very much. Living in a shack house with her grandmother and her twin siblings does not make Anara feel humiliated and inferior. Anara grows into a beautiful girl who is smart, independent, smart, and also strong. In order to support her three grandchildren, Grandma Azizah sells yellow rice and various kinds of cheap fried foods in front of her house. Anara, who doesn't want to burden Grandma Azizah, sometimes helps Grandma Azizah by selling wet cakes that she makes herself. The knowledge that Anara got from her mother during her lifetime was really useful for her. Anara is good at making various cakes and various kinds of home cooking. Usually Anara will sell her cakes at school, offering them to her friends and teachers. After returning home from school, Anara returned with her wares to go around the village. After it's finished, then Anara will come home with the money from her merchandise.
Chapter 22
Today Alif, Alfi and Neo join Grandpa Badrun looking for fish in the river. They went in the afternoon, because it was quite cool at that time. They have prepared equipment for fishing.
"Can we take as much fish, Grandpa?" asked Neo.
"Sure! No one forbids us to take as much fish here! As long as you can catch the fish. Look there, the fish are all big, if you manage to bring just one big fish, Anara will be happy!" said Grandpa Badrun.
"Why only big fish?" asked Neo curiously.
"Because all this time Grandpa rarely comes home with big fish, because it's really hard to catch. Big fish are much more agile and slippery when caught, unlike small fish they are still easier for us to catch with this net. Anara will also cook big fish with delicious grilled spices if you catch a big fish and bring it to her. Well, do it young man!" Grandpa Badrun said encouraging Neo.
The soul of an adult man like Grandfather Badrun knows very well Neo's gaze on Anara, not the usual gaze between master and maid. But another look, namely love which is very difficult to express and indeed is not recognized by Neo himself.
"I'll try to catch that big fish, Grandpa! I want to enjoy eating grilled fish for sahur tonight." Neo shouted excitedly with quite a distance from Grandpa Badrun.
"Be careful!" Grandpa Badrun replied half shouting.
"Cheer up, Brother! I hope you get lots of big fish." Alif shouted which was greeted with a thumbs up by Neo.
"If you get a big fish, Brother can get close to Sister Anara. I let my brother marry my sister." Alfi said rolling his eyes mischievously at Neo.
"Ishhh, what do you know little kid huh?" Neo's face was red, it could be seen by Grandfather Badrun.
"Now, don't bother your future brother-in-law! Let him do what will make your sister happy." Said Grandpa Badrun.
"Okay, Grandpa!" Alif and Alfi answered simultaneously.
Grandfather Badrun, with the help of Alif and Alfi, has caught quite a lot of medium and small fish. Intrigued by the catch of the big fish that Neo was looking for, Grandpa Badrun let Neo keep looking for the big fish even though it was almost sunset.
"Do we still want to wait for Brother Neo to get a big fish, Grandpa?" asked Alif.
"We'll wait a little longer! We'll see how your brother-in-law's broker will try to convince Grandpa about his feelings for your sister! He is a cold man who is good at hiding his feelings for your sister, even though inside his heart he loves your sister half to death." Grandfather Badrun's chirping made Alif and Alfi compactly roll their eyes lazily.
"How did Grandpa know that Brother Neo loves Sis Anara half to death?" asked Alfi.
"Ishhh, little kids just want to know!" replied Grandpa Badrun chuckling.
"Grandpa himself told us earlier, but Grandpa also forbade us to find out! What a strange geezer!" Alif cursed while pouting his lips making Grandfather Badrun chuckle even more.
"You guys are still too small! Learn first to be able to know what love is! If you are smart then Grandpa will tell you." Said Grandpa Badrun.
"No need!" the twins Alif and Alfi answered in unison.
"Eh? Angry him!" Grandfather Badrun chuckled again.
After almost five minutes of waiting, Grandpa Badrun finally called Neo and took him home. It was getting dark and soon the evening call to prayer reverberated.
"Neo! Let us go home! Soon it will be evening! You better just give up! You admit that you lost and can't get Anara's love that easily!" shouted Grandfather Badrun.
"Ishhh, how can I lose! I didn't lose!" replied Neo as he approached.
"So? Are you going to keep trying to find that big fish until tomorrow?" sneered Grandpa Badrun with a chuckle that showed his toothless teeth.
Neo just smiled faintly as he approached. His face looked radiant and full of confidence. Making Grandfather Badrun, Alif, and Alfi curious.
"I'm suspicious of Brother's face like that! Don't tell me you caught a big fish?" said Alif.
"See for yourself!" said Neo arrogantly.
"The bucket is empty, hahaha…" Grandpa Badrun teased.
"Ishhh, where is an empty bucket. Look at this!" point Neo proudly.
Grandpa Badrun, Alif and Alfi compactly grabbed the bucket that Neo was holding and looked into the bucket. Their eyes widened when they saw what was in the bucket that Neo had brought.
"Haaah ... three large fish???" Alif and Alfi's eyes were completely rounded, almost out of place, seeing three large fish caught by Neo this time.
"Great brother!" praised Alif.
"I'm sure that you will like it!" said Alfi.
"Are you serious about Anara? If you're serious, don't be shy, just admit it!" Grandpa Badrun quipped.
"Ishhh, Grandpa! What is it?" Neo's face turned red.
"Cieee… who are shy but like it!" Alif's teasing made Neo feel uncomfortable.
Neo doesn't seem to have any Pay attention to the words of Alif, Alfi and Grandpa Badrun. He immediately got up from the river and walked away from them first, to avoid their words that would embarrass Neo even more.
"Come on, quickly!" asked Grandfather Badrun to Alif and Alfi.
"Grandpa, why are you walking so fast! I'm having a hard time chasing him!" protested Alfi.
"Hurry up! Soon it will be evening!" replied Grandfather Badrun.
"It's wrong to challenge Brother Neo! So this is the end!" said Alif.
They immediately followed Neo and kept pace with the handsome young man's footsteps heading to Grandma Azizah's house. No one knows that Neo's heart is currently on fire, because he is going to give the big fish to Anara.
That means Anara will be happy when Neo brings her a big fish that Grandpa Badrun has never given her before. This is the first time Anara will catch a big fish, and Neo catches it himself for Anara.
"Older sister! Grandma! We're home!" shouted Alfi and Alif from outside.
"Oh, it's fun looking for fish in the river! Until you forget the time!" Anara said opening the back door.
"Eh? Sister don't be angry! Brother Neo brought a surprise for Sister." Alif chirped.
"Shock? What surprise? Mostly small fish like the ones you often bring home when they run out of the river." Anara pouts her lips making Alif and Alfi roll their eyes lazily.
Neo just smiled faintly at Anara's words. Before entering, Neo took off the shirt that covered his body first. Neo's shirt and shorts were completely wet.
"Brother wait there! I'll bring you a towel first." Anara said when she saw Neo take off his shirt, while the twins Alif and Alfi had already entered the bathroom to clean themselves.
Neo waited outside smiling at the three big fish he had caught. Even though it's just fish, Neo is sure that Anara will be very happy to see Neo bring her the fish that Anara has wanted all this time.
"Brother, here is the towel!" said Anara surprising Neo.
"Anara! Here I brought fish for you!" Neo handed Anara a bucket full of big fish.
"I'll just take it inside..." Anara's words stopped when she felt the bucket she was lifting was very heavy.
"Why?" asked Neo when Anara lowered back the bucket containing the big fish.
"So heavy!" said Anara.
"Heavy? Even though there are only three fish!" Neo raised an eyebrow making Anara stare closely.
"What's in the bucket all the stones huh?" asked Anara chuckled.
"Eh? No such thing? That's a big fish, I caught it especially for you, Anara!" said Neo slipped.
Hearing that, Anara's mouth gaped wide with perfectly round eyes almost out of place, Anara then closed her mouth when her eyes saw three large fish in the bucket that Neo was carrying.
"Haaah ... is this really a big fish, Brother?" Anara looks happy.
"Yes! It's all for you!" said Neo.
"Thanks, brother!" said Anara happily.
"You're welcome." Reply Neo.
Anara looked at the big fish in the bucket, suddenly tears rolled down her cheeks making Neo wonder.
"Why are you crying?" asked Neo.
"I remember Mom and Dad. In the past, Daddy would often bring us big fish to eat, and Mommy would make delicious grilled fish for us." Anara said with teary eyes.
Unknowingly, Neo grabbed Anara's shoulder, which was slightly shaking from crying, into his arms. The handsome young man took Anara's body into his arms, stroking Anara's back slowly. Anara returned Neo's hug tightly.
From a distance Grandpa Badrun saw this very rare event with a happy smile on his wrinkled face.
"Anara will definitely live happily with Neo. He is a good and responsible man. Neo will always take good care of Anara." Grandpa Badrun muttered with a sad smile.
"Thank You." Anara said as she broke her hug from Neo.
"For?" asked Neo.
"Brother's kindness to my family has always made me happy. My two twins, even Grandma, feel happy with my brother here. I myself feel that I have an older sister who will always look after and protect me." Anara said.
"So, all this time you only think of me as a big brother?" asked Neo disappointed.
"Yes!" Anara answered honestly.
Anara, who was too innocent, had unknowingly made Neo's feelings collapse in an instant with the beautiful girl's narrative. So far, Neo's love has been one-sided, that means Neo won't be able to get what he's wanted all this time.
"I'll take a shower first then!" Neo walked away making Anara frown.
"Eh? What is wrong with him? How fast is it changing? Sometimes good, very sweet. But sometimes very cold and ignorant. You weird iceberg!" muttered Anara.
Neo, who can still hear Anara's words behind his back, can only hold back the disappointment in his heart for Anara.
"Poor you, young man! It turns out that Anara still doesn't understand the feelings you've been harboring all this time! your own fault why not say right to Anara." Grandpa Badrun said behind the window of his house facing Grandma Azizah's house.
Neo splashed his body with cold water, even though his heart and chest felt hot but the cold water was unable to make his mind cool too. Neo is really disappointed with Anara's story, which turns out that all this time she only thinks of him as an older sister. Then blame it if Neo really fell in love with Anara?
Neo hopes that this is just a dream, when Neo wakes up he will know if Anara has been returning his love. Give Neo a chance to take care of and love him for the rest of his life.