Orange Juice
Early in the morning, Burhan headed to Seroja Indah Apartment, where Nagini was staying.
Burhan: "Hello, Nagini. I’m almost there."
Burhan held his phone to his ear with his left hand, while his right hand gripped the steering wheel.
Nagini: "I’m already in front of the apartment. At the usual spot."
Sure enough, Nagini was waiting in front of the apartment.
Burhan pulled his car over and opened the door.
Burhan: "Come on, Nagini. Please."
Nagini nodded.
After Nagini got into the car, Burhan drove slowly.
Burhan: "What should we eat this morning, Nagini?"
Nagini stared at the road ahead while playing with the tip of her hair.
Nagini: "It’s up to you, Burhan. As long as there’s rice."
Burhan smiled, then steered the car toward a cafeteria on Kemang Raya.
Nagini: "You like this place, Burhan?"
Nagini pointed at a building with the sign: Kemang Raya Cafeteria.
Burhan nodded.
Burhan: "Back when I was a kid, my parents used to take me here often."
Nagini glanced at Burhan.
Nagini: "So, you actually have childhood memories."
Burhan nodded again.
After parking his car, Burhan invited Nagini into the upscale café.
They sat at a reserved table, and Burhan called for a waitress.
Burhan: "Waitress, come here, please."
A young girl approached.
Waitress: "What would you like to order, sir?"
Burhan took the menu book and pointed at the dishes.
Burhan: "We’ll have this one, and this one."
Waitress: "Alright, sir. Anything else?"
Burhan: "Nagini, do you want to order something?"
Nagini: "Order that orange juice like last time, Burhan."
Both Burhan and the waitress smiled.
Burhan: "Two orange juices!"
Waitress: "Okay, sir. Please wait a moment."
The waitress went to the café kitchen to prepare their order.
Even though it was still morning, the café was already busy — it was, after all, a holiday.
At the corner table, two young women giggled while taking pictures of their latte.
A middle-aged man sat alone, busy typing on his laptop while sipping strong arabica black coffee.
The table near the window was filled with a family; their little child kept whining for more hot chocolate.
A couple was feeding each other, while waitresses moved back and forth carrying trays of bread and orange juice.
Burhan: "Do you see that couple at the front, feeding each other?"
Nagini looked in the direction Burhan pointed.
Nagini: "What do you mean?"
Burhan: "Do you also want me to feed you like that?"
Nagini’s cheeks instantly turned red. She pinched Burhan’s arm lightly.
Burhan just chuckled.
***
Bitter Coffee and Fried Bananas
Meanwhile...
At Mayor Wardoyo’s residence that morning, Giono was having a conversation with Wardoyo.
They sat facing each other. On the glass table in front of them were two cups of bitter coffee and a plate of fried bananas.
Beside them was a swimming pool with crystal-clear water.
Giono: "Weladalah, now you’ve become rich, Wardoyo."
Wardoyo only smiled.
Giono: "Your house is huge. Doesn’t your wife get tired of cleaning it when it gets dirty?"
Wardoyo chuckled at Giono’s joke, his old comrade in the military.
Wardoyo: "My wife doesn’t do the cleaning, No."
Giono: "Then who’s strong enough to mop a house this big? Two floors, too."
Giono sipped his coffee and ate a hot fried banana.
Wardoyo smiled again.
Wardoyo: "I hired local residents to help with cleaning the house and cooking."
Giono nodded repeatedly, trying to grasp the lifestyle of the wealthy.
He chewed on the fried banana while gazing at the clear water of the pool.
He glanced at Wardoyo, who sat calmly, also looking at the pool.
***
Pindad SPR-3 Sniper Rifle
After a long chat and catching up, Giono finally revealed the purpose of his visit to Wardoyo’s house.
Giono: "Wardoyo, do you still keep my weapon?"
Wardoyo: "Of course!"
Wardoyo stood up and gave a signal.
Wardoyo: "Come on, let’s go find your weapon."
Giono stood as well and followed Wardoyo’s steps.
They went down a narrow staircase into the basement storage. A dim hanging lamp lit the place, the walls made of rough concrete.
Wardoyo: "Here we are."
In the corner of the room, Wardoyo opened a steel cabinet.
Giono peeked inside. His eyes instantly lit up.
Giono: "This is my weapon?"
Wardoyo nodded.
Inside, neatly placed, was Giono’s sniper rifle wrapped in black cloth.
Wardoyo: "Go on, check your weapon, No! Isn’t it rusty?"
Giono slowly stepped closer and unwrapped the black cloth covering his rifle.
Giono: "Weladalah, wedus! You’ve taken good care of it."
Wardoyo chuckled under the dim basement light.
Wardoyo: "Of course, Giono. I always oiled your weapon so it wouldn’t rust."
Slowly, Giono lifted his rifle.
Giono: "My weapon is still flawless, Wardoyo."
Wardoyo smiled.
Giono stroked the rifle as if it were an old friend. The raised letters SPR-3 pressed against his palm.
Yes, Giono’s weapon was the SPR-3 sniper rifle — Pindad’s most advanced and finest creation.
Giono: "Wedus tenan! At last, I can caress you again."
Giono’s eyes welled up with tears.
To be continued32Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwQQ3zIZNq
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