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 9
"Aliiif…! Alfiii…!" shouted Grandfather Badrun from outside.
Anara looked in the direction where Grandfather Badrun was standing. Quickly she opened the back door of her house. Anara, who was making wet cakes, immediately saw Grandpa Badrun standing with his hands on his hips in front of his house.
"Hey Anara! Where are your brothers?" asked Grandfather Badrun when Anara opened the door.
"Alif and Alfi are inside, Grandpa. Want me to call them?" bid Anara.
"Yes! Call them! Grandpa wants to take them to the garden! Grandpa wants to pick bananas in the garden." said Grandfather Badrun.
"Okay! I'll call Alif and Alfi first, Grandpa!" Anara then enters and looks for Alif and Alfi in the house.
Anara finds Alif and Alfi laughing and joking with Neo. Seeing that unusual sight Anara was stunned. Anara could see the happiness in her twin brother's eyes.
"Alif…! Alfi...! Grandpa Badrun is waiting for you outside. Grandpa wants to take you to the garden to pick bananas there. Meet Grandpa now!" Anara ordered without wanting to disturb her twin brothers and Neo.
"Okay, Sis!" Alif and Alfi answered.
While Neo joins in with Alif and Alfi. Neo seems very interested in joining Grandpa Badrun to the garden to pick bananas.
"Can I come with you, Grandpa?" Neo asked with a sweet smile on his handsome face.
"Come along!" invite Grandfather Badrun.
With the spirit of 45, Neo immediately went after Grandpa Badrun along with Alif and Alfi. The three of them immediately followed in Grandpa Badrun's footsteps to Grandpa Badrun's banana garden.
"Wow... a lot of ripe bananas, Grandpa!" exclaimed Alfi happily.
"Help Grandpa carry these bananas!" asked Grandpa Badrun.
Alfi and Alif, who often go with Grandpa Badrun, are very happy when Grandpa Badrun asks the two of them to go wherever Grandpa Badrun goes. Especially when they were on school holidays, and Grandpa Badrun took them to the garden or to the river to catch fish.
"Do you often go with Grandpa Badrun to the garden?" Neo asked in a whisper because he was a little curious.
"We would be happy if Grandpa Badrun took us anywhere, especially if Grandpa took us to the garden and to the river to catch fish." Alfi replied enthusiastically.
"Wow... if that's the case brother, I would also like to be invited to go to the river with Grandfather Badrun! When are we going to the river?" asked Neo enthusiastically.
"Who knows!" Alfi and Alif shrugged their shoulders in unison.
"If you want to go to the river with Grandpa. In the afternoon we will go to the river. We'll be fishing there! Let Anara cook delicious food for us with the fish we get in the river." Grandpa Badrun's chirping joined in.
"Wooow… it's so exciting Grandpa!" Neo laughed happily at the thought.
Alif and Alfi are always happy when they are taken to the garden by Grandpa Badrun, often when they come home their clothes get dirty because they play too.
It has become a habit for Anara to find her two younger siblings' clothes coming home dirty. But Anara and Grandma Azizah are happy because their two younger siblings can be happy with Grandpa Badrun.
"Let's pull, Brother…!" shouted Alfi and Alif.
"Auhhh… tired!!!" Neo whined pretending to be limp.
Currently Neo is pulling a wide banana leaf while Anara's twins, Alif and Alfi, sit on it.
How happy they are playing even if only with simplicity. Not expensive but so valuable it can make the two orphans laugh happily.
Tes…
Grandfather Badrun's tears were already dripping down his already wrinkled cheeks. Grandfather Badrun looked at the three of them with a look that could not be interpreted.
"Aminah… Abdullah… look at your twins! Just playing with banana leaves alone, they look so happy! What else invites them to play so sincerely loves Alif and Alfi." Grandpa Badrun immediately wiped his tears so Neo, Alif and Alfi would not see him.
"Why is Grandfather Badrun crying?" thought Neo, who did steal glances at Grandpa Badrun.
"Are you guys done playing? We're home now! Soon it will be noon time!" Grandpa Badrun reminded him.
Alif, Alfi, and Neo stop their activities when Grandpa Badrun invites them to go home. Neo looked sadly at Grandpa Badrun when he saw the remaining tears that were still between the corners of Grandpa Badrun's eyes.
"What made Grandpa cry?" asked Neo curiously.
"Thank you for loving Alif and Alfi. Since childhood they have never felt the love of their parents. But seeing them laughing while playing with you just now, Grandpa is happy because Alif and Alfi are surrounded by people who love them just like you. Grandpa hopes you can love Anara with all your heart." Grandfather Badrun looks fondly at Alif and Alfi who are busy playing with weapons made from tree trunks.
Deg…!
Neo's chest pounded erratically hearing Grandpa Badrun's narrative. For some reason, when he saw Alfi and Alfi for the first time, Neo felt very fond of Anara's twins. But to love Anara like Grandfather Badrun's request, I don't know...
"Now! Give this banana to Anara! Let him process these bananas into delicious food for you to enjoy. Anara is good at cooking. You will not regret marrying Anara later." Grandfather Badrun patted Neo's shoulder gently.
Before finally Grandfather Badrun stepped into his house. Leaving Neo standing still in front of Grandma Azizah's house.
Anara opened the kitchen door and found Neo standing frozen while carrying some bananas, given by Grandpa Badrun.
"Sir!" say hi Anara.
Neo looked up briefly with a straight face. Neo's clothes are dirty with bananas in his hands.
"I prepared a towel for you to take a bath! Soon it will be noon time." Anara took the banana in Neo's hand. While Neo came in and sat on a chair in the kitchen.
Anara kept the bananas on the floor then went to get towels for Neo, Alif and also Alfi. Neo immediately went into the bathroom first to clean his dirty body.
"Alif, Alfi. Help Sis peel this banana, before you go take a shower." Anara asked her twin sister.
"Okay, Sis!" replied Alif and Alfi in unison.
A few minutes later Neo finished taking a shower and passed Anara in the kitchen preparing lunch. While Alif and Alfi immediately went into the bathroom.
"Sir! Just keep the clothes in the bathroom! I'll be washing clothes later this afternoon." said Anara when Neo was about to leave the kitchen.
Neo turned his body to put away his dirty clothes, at the same time Anara almost slipped and fell because the floor was wet. Lucky Neo quickly caught Anara's body.
Tap…!
Neo pulled Anara's slim waist, so that Anara's body was now in Neo's arms. Both of their hearts were pounding wildly.
Anara's hands were already on Neo's chest, while Neo's hands were warmly wrapped around Anara's body. Both of them felt warm breath brushing their faces.
"So… sorry!" Neo then released his hug from Anara.
"Thank You!" Anara said looking down.
"Oh God…! What's wrong with my heart again? why is it that every time I'm close to him my chest always beats like this? Am I really having a heart attack?" Anara and Neo thought together in a monologue with their faces already blushing holding their own heartbeats.
"Alif…! Alfi...! Neo…! Let's go to the mosque! It's already noon time!" asked Grandpa Badrun to shout outside Grandma Azizah's house.
Those who were summoned immediately came and approached Grandfather Badrun who was ready to go to the mosque, perform the midday prayer in congregation at the mosque.
"Anara, when are you guys going back to town?" asked Grandma Azizah suddenly.
"I'm up to you sir, Grandma!" replied Anara.
"It seems that if Grandma is not mistaken, Neo really likes living here. Does Neo always smile happily like that at home, Anara?" Grandma Azizah asked, making Anara speechless.
"I rarely pay attention to Master, Grandma! I'm busy working in the kitchen, while Master is busy studying." replied Anara as it is.
"Then what about his family. Are they good like Neo?" asked Grandma Azizah.
"Sorry, Grandma! I have to look for spices in the kitchen for a while." Anara left because she did not want to say the wrong thing.
Anara knows that she is wrong and dishonest with Grandma Azizah, if all this time Anara has only lived together in a rented house with Neo.
Anara didn't want Grandma Azizah to think badly of the two of them. Anara doesn't even know Neo's family yet.
"Lunch is ready!" Anara invites her family to have lunch soon.
"Waaaw… Sister cooks my favorite food!" Alfi shouted happily which was greeted with applause by Alif.
"Neo, let's eat! Sorry if there is only village food like this!" said Grandma Azizah.
"It's okay, Grandma! In my opinion, dishes like this are much more delicious and delicious to eat, according to my taste buds." Neo munches delicious food.
Anara just listened silently. They enjoyed lunch while occasionally having warm conversations between Alif, Alfi, Neo and Grandma Azizah.
"Anara! Why are you suddenly so quiet? You are okay, right?" Grandma Azizah asked making Anara suddenly raise her face.
"I'm fine, Grandma!" Anara smiled stiffly, at the same time Neo looked at her.
"Are you afraid to see me, Anara?" thought Neo could not escape his gaze on Anara.
"Brother Neo! Why did Brother Neo stare at Anara's sister like that? Did Brother Neo fall in love with Sis Anara? Cieee…" Alfi chirped making Neo and Anara uncomfortable.
cough…
cough…
cough…
Anara and Neo compactly choke on their own food. Grandma Azizah swiftly gave Neo a drink of water, while Anara took her own.
"Lif, if Brother Neo married Sis Anara would you like it or not?" asked Alfi then.
"Like it! Brother Neo is very kind to us!" replied Alif without feeling guilty.
While Neo and Anara only stared at each other for a few seconds, their eyes locked for a few seconds. Anara then lowered her head and averted her eyes, while Neo kept looking at Anara.
"Alif…! Alfi...! After this, don't forget to help Grandma tidy up the cakes, OK?" Grandma Azizah said breaking the silence.
"Okay, Grandma!" Alif and Alfi agreed in unison.
After eating, Alfi and Alif immediately left the dining table, accompanied by Grandma Azizah, who was going to pack Anara's cakes which would soon be picked up by the person who ordered them.
"Anara…!" call Neo.
"Yes sir?" Anara replied turning around with her head down.
"Do you still want to stay here a little longer? Or are you ready to work at my house as a nanny for my niece?" asked Neo.
"I'm up to you sir!" replied Anara.