Return to Ancestral House

The next morning, Satya spent a long time in the bathroom so the other three occupants of the boarding house—who were in line—on the third floor, were a little annoyed with his behavior.

The man's thoughts were interrupted when someone among them who also wanted to use the bathroom banged on the bathroom door.

"What are you doing in there, huh?" asked a girl with a frown and a smirk on her face towards Satya as Satya came out of the bathroom. "You're taking too long. Did you masturbate?"

"Sorry…"

Satya lowered his head, heading to his room, while people there were hiding their laughter at the girl's question just now.

"You refused to have sex for free," said the girl as she entered the bathroom. "You'd rather play with soap instead."

So, Satya's face turned redder to hear those words. Also, the others couldn't hide their laughter anymore.

And the same as in the bathroom earlier, in his room, Satya was sitting dreamily on the edge of the bed, still wearing a towel that partially covered his body.

The fear and worry inside him had not disappeared at all, growing and becoming bigger, over what had happened between him, Sonya, and Mr. Hengky.

After spending up to an hour sitting dreamily like that, Satya finally decided that he had to go back to Bali and just leave his job in Jakarta.

So that day, he collected several sets of his clothes into a large bag and some important papers.

Satya left the boarding house without known by the others, most of the residents had already left for work or to their campus. Only Mrs. Henny and a girl who lived in the boarding house were confused when Satya said goodbye to them.

The man left the key to Mrs. Henny, saying only that he was going back to his hometown in Bali.

"You're coming back here again?" asked the girl.

Satya smiled blandly, "I don't know," he said with a heavy sigh. "I can't give you an answer to your question. Sorry, and excuse me…"

The girl and Mrs. Henny looked at each other with frowns. They could only be silent while looking at Satya's back.

"What happened to him?" Mrs. Henny muttered as if to herself.

So far, Satya has never had a problem with the occupants of the boarding house, not even with Mrs. Henny or her husband—well, except for the little things about Satya who often forgets to bring the fence key.

Of course, the man's sudden decision to return to Bali—for whatever reason neither of them could think of—made Mrs. Henny and the girl wonder in their confusion.

"Who knows…!" said the girl.

***

There is nothing that can be enjoyed by Satya by looking out the window from the plane that is about to take him to Bali. There are only white and sometimes gray clouds that he can see there, against the background of the blue hue of the sea that seems to blend with the color of the sky, or also in the green color of the islands down there.

But, does he miss his hometown? Missing this heritage house which for the past few years has been neglected without anyone to take care of it?

Or was it just because he didn't want to get into trouble? Afraid?

Yeah, maybe the main reason is that he is afraid of being dragged into the problems between Sonya Ardhamevia and Mr. Hengky Hernandes, the owner of the private insurance company.

A coward who takes refuge in the faults of others?

Well, maybe so.

Satya sighed heavily and long with his chin resting on his palms. He stared blankly out the plane window.

Then, what will I do when I get to Bali?

This question repeatedly appeared in Satya's head. The job he had been working on for two years in Jakarta he simply left, without even giving any news, not even a letter of resignation.

Satya was just afraid that if he did one of these two things he would meet Sonya again and he didn't know what to do or say to the girl who claimed to be pregnant. Not at all.

In Bali, in his ancestral house in one of the hilly areas, in the middle of the jungle, there is only one old house around there. Far on the east side is the Bujangga Sepang Temple and on the west side is Mount Merbuk. On the south side is Taman Danu Temple and on the north side is Gerokgak Dam.

Should I start a new business by farming, considering that it is a highland? he thought.

Often Satya thought, why did his ancestors choose to build a house in the middle of the wilderness while almost everyone in Bali builds their residence and place of business close to the beach, or close to tourist attractions which will certainly bring more income for the residents.

Or, did my ancestors not predict that in the future Bali will become a tourist destination, not only for tourists who live all over Nusantara but also from various parts of the Earth?

How stupid were my ancestors to build a house in the middle of the forest? Away from the crowds?

Again Satya sighed heavily and long.

And until now, Satya never knew the answer to that question. After all, he didn't have a single relative now that he could ask for information about the existence of the inherited house in the middle of the wilderness.

Or, maybe I should look for work in tourist spots along the coastline on the island of Bali?

Whatever business he will do later, for now, Satya only hopes that he can get to his ancestral house soon, that's all.

***

The length of time taken from Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta to I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali is almost two hours of flight.

Satya arrived safely, and from the airport, which is located in the southern part of the island of Bali, he had to continue his journey by using a taxi to get to the Bujangga Sepang Temple area, to the north of the airport itself. And it took almost three hours.

After arriving in the Sepang area by using a taxi service, Satya again had to use other transportation services to go further north, using an ojek–taxibike–service.

Many times he used the services of various types of vehicles before finally having to continue his journey to go to the house left by his parents which is also the house of his ancestral heritage on foot. Well, Satya walked because the path that was very rarely traveled was the obstacle, even though the path was almost completely covered by grass.

With his face and clothes wet with sweat, Satya finally arrived in front of his ancestral house. He took a deep breath. Nothing has changed in the old house, except for some plants and weeds that seem to make the atmosphere around the old house a little more spooky.

"It will take me some time to clean this house," muttered Satya, "to get back what it belongs to."

Satya still remembers exactly where he last kept the keys to the house before leaving for Jakarta. Under a vase of flowers, now weeds are growing in the vase, on the right side of the front door.

And yes, it took a long time for Satya to clean up his inherited house. Cleaning the inside of the house in every room, cleaning the grass that grows wild around the yard of the house.

Satya had just finished working on it all when the sun had set on the western horizon leaving behind a golden orange hue of its majestic.

There was nothing for Satya to eat for his dinner except a few packs of bread and drinks that he had bought earlier when he left I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport. And that was enough for him.

Satya sat stretched out on the edge of the front porch of the house. Shirtless, he enjoyed the bread in his hands with a large bottle of mineral water as a friend. Gazing at the orange hue on the western horizon, a little can comfort fatigue in its solitude among the dense trees around the old house.

After the sun had completely set, then Satya left the front porch. He headed to the bathroom at the back of the house. A very simple bathroom, reflecting local wisdom that may no longer be found in big cities like Jakarta.

Yes, the bathroom was without a roof, only a room measuring two by two meters with shoulder-high red bricks on all four sides of the bathroom. There was an earthen well which was also bordered by a circular arrangement of red bricks, waist-high.

Satya smiled, using only a bucket and rope, he already got clean, clear, and refreshing water. Well, still the same as before, he thought. Even without the sophisticated technology in the house, Satya is already satisfied with what he has.

Neither with the lighting. A few years ago the house was electrified, illuminating some parts and the outside of the house with the light bulbs that still hang today. Unfortunately, after being left behind for years, the electricity supply to the house has been cut off because no one has ever paid the monthly dues.

But it didn't matter to Satya, he could use the coconut oil lamp that was always in the house.