Chapter 3
Jakarta, 13th August 2011
The hectic atmosphere in the hall of the multipurpose building had reached its climax. The dragon dance teams joining the national dragon dance championship on that day, began to enter the hall one by one. Each team's supporters cheered up their own teams and regions. At the moment, North Sumatra Province was definitely represented by two teams – Eternal Solidarity and Black Crow teams. It had been public rumor that these two teams had been competing endlessly and finally today both of them managed to represent North Sumatra Province playing in the final stage of the Indonesian national dragon dance championship, in Jakarta.
"Look, Brother Rendy… The three Makmur siblings are directly welcome by the young girls' hectic screaming. I think they come here only to see and enjoy the three Makmur siblings' cute and good-looking faces, rather than watch the tournament," said Ahmad Sentosa to Rendy Ibrahim who was sitting next to him.
"Talking about face, it's okay… I admit that I lose. But, talking about dragon dance attraction, it's not certain yet. Let's see later. Black Crow team will be the first in this morning's tournament," said Rendy Ibrahim with a cynical smile on his face.
Rendy Ibrahim sneered and he stared sharply at Eternal Solidarity team who had just entered the tournament hall. Loud whoopee and applause were heard everywhere in the hall. Occasionally, there were some young girls screaming out Erick Vildy, Erwie Vincent, and Erdie Vio's names.
Erick Vildy was still cool and he kept arranging their stuff. Erdie Vio was seen waving his hand to the audience. His waving hand was replied with more hectic screaming from the young girls. Erwie Vincent merely smiled when his name was called several times by the young girls.
"Got nothing to do, Die?" Erick Vildy laughed slightly funnily, "The more you wave your hand to those girls, the more their screaming will be."
Erdie Vio burst in laughter, "I'm waving hand to my fans. I've never thought before that our names will be famous until Jakarta here. As my gratitude to my fans trying their best to come here, I wave hand to them."
"Yeah, our team has won several championships, Brother Erdie," said one of the Eternal Solidarity members. "We've also entered the big three several times already. Every time we win, it's you three brothers who are interviewed, are broadcast in television, and are posted in magazines."
"Of course…" said Erdie Vio with his indeed highest stage of confidence among the three Makmur siblings. "It's us who are the most good-looking, so it's obvious we're always sought by the journalists, especially the female ones."
All Eternal Solidarity members burst in laughter.
"Please, Die… Your confidence… Very high…" said Erick Vildy bursting in laughter, too.
"May we be the first winner this time," uttered Erwie Vincent, still with his relaxed, cool, and calm face.
"Why, Wie?" asked Erdie Vio.
"If we become the first winner, there will be more fans for us. People will know us due to our achievements in lion and dragon dances, not because of anything else…" said Erwie Vincent with his grinning face.
Erick Vildy also grinned a little bit, "Hopefully, Wie… Honestly, sometimes my ears are also hurt due to the hectic screaming and applause."
Erdie Vio laughed, "Wie Wie is indeed an idealistic and romantic man. It's definitely wonderful if we can be the first in this tournament. Our name will be known by more people and of course, business will be more profitable. Thus, keep up your spirits, Friends… Okay…?"
"Okay…!" answered all Eternal Solidarity members with one voice.
"Excuse me…" a middle-aged man's low and heavy voice was heard behind them.
All of them turned back simultaneously. They saw a middle-aged man, around in his early fifties, standing there, in the middle among the crew and officers who were preparing everything before the tournament started.
"Yeah…? Is there anything we can help?" asked Erdie Vio with his high confidence.
"Yes… This… This… Anyway…" the middle-aged man was seen wanting to ask for some help, but it also seemed he did not know where to start and he was slightly guilty.
"What's the matter, Sir?" asked Erwie Vincent.
"If there's anything we can help, just say it, Sir. We can try our best to help," said Erick Vildy smiling calmly.
"Anyway, Youths… I saw that those young girls' judgment about three of you wasn't very bad, was it?"
Erwie Vincent kept smiling with lots of meanings hidden inside. Erick Vildy kept scratching his head which wasn't actually itchy. It was merely Erdie Vio replying the middle-aged man's opening sentence with his broad smile.
"Anyway, it's like this, Youths… The pop star whom we invited from Jakarta to fill up the opening show, was suddenly affected by diarrhea this morning. Her manager and her representative have just called us and said that she wouldn't be performing in the opening show. It's definitely impossible for us to look for another pop star in a short moment like this. So, I'd like to ask… ask… if… if… if it's possible for three of you to fill up the opening show for a moment."
Erdie Vio ogled his eyes with lots of mysterious meanings to his two siblings. At that moment, Melisa and all Eternal Solidarity members started to cheer up boisterously inasmuch as the three Makmur siblings were offered a kind of sudden and unexpected job.
"How do I put this, Sir…? We…" Erick Vildy had not got enough time to finish his sentence.
"Please, Youths… We beg you…" said the middle-aged man. Anxiety began to pop up from his facial expression.
Erwie Vincent got his own conclusion in his mind. This middle-aged man would have been scolded by his boss suppose there had been something wrong with the show.
The three Makmur siblings looked at one another for a while.
"Okay… we'll have to discuss it first, Sir," said Erwie Vincent eventually.
"We'll confirm you again ten minutes before the opening show. Can't we…?" asked Erdie Vio with his broad smile.
"Okay… I'm at the corner over there, Youths… You can find me there," said the middle-aged man pointing to another corner of the auditorium. "Again, thanks very much, Youths… Thanks very much for your help."
The three Makmur siblings nodded their heads steadily. The middle-aged man walked away quickly. Then, Melisa and the other Eternal Solidarity members yelled again.
"Here comes the problem. From where can a dragon dance player be a singer and a dancer?" Erick Vildy began to grumble.
"Don't worry, Brother…" said one member of the team. "I remember during the farewell party of junior high school, you three brothers ever sang a song, and danced too. I still remember it now… If I'm not mistaken, that song is also about encouragement and youth spirit. That song can be sung here too I think."
"That song…" Erwie Vincent frowned his forehead a little bit. "I forgot already… Must see the lyrics once again."
"And must see the dance once again in Youtube," said Erick Vildy resting his chin and sighing his long breath.
"I still keep the video, Rick," said Erdie Vio bursting again in his laughter, followed by the hectic yell from all Eternal Solidarity members. Obviously, it was Erdie Vio who possessed the highest spirit filling up the opening show of the dragon dance championship.
"So, we just sing that song and the lyric-division is just the same with what we did during the farewell party of our junior high school, right?" asked Erick Vildy to his two siblings.
"Yeah… Just like that…" said Erwie Vincent snapping his smile.
"Don't blame me if my lyrics and dance are wrong… It's been a long time… My memories aren't clear anymore…" said Erick Vildy.
"Don't worry… Both of us will refresh your memories," said Erdie Vio ogling his eyes to Erwie Vincent. "I'll ask for ten minutes from that middle-aged man. We'll have some briefing first before entering the stage."
"Yeah… Yeah…" Erick Vildy grumbled slightly, but he followed when his two siblings were going to the other corner of the auditorium pointed by the middle-aged man a moment before.
"We're going there… Take care of the stuff here…" Erwie Vincent left a message.
"You can do it, Brothers…!" shouted some of the Eternal Solidarity members.
Erdie Vio replied by waving his hand to his partners in Eternal Solidarity team. Seeing the three Makmur siblings crossing the hall and meeting the MC, the hectic screaming and applause were definitely heard again.
"So, how is it, Youths…?" asked the MC in his early fifties.
"The song is already in this cell phone. Can it be connected to the sound system?" asked Erwie Vincent giving his sibling's cell phone to one of the sound system officers.
"Testing first," said the MC.
In fact, it could work. The opening music of the song which they had ever sung during the farewell party of their junior high school was heard throughout the hall.
"Thanks very much, Youths. Without three of you, I don't know anymore how to arrange this opening show of the dragon dance tournament," said the MC.
"Can we ask for another ten minutes? For a little bit briefing…" asked Erdie Vio.
"Okay… Okay… Ten minutes later, you guys stand by here," said the MC.
The three Makmur siblings nodded their heads steadily.
"Anyway, Youths…" the MC's voice stopped the three siblings' steps. "Later on, what should I call three of you? You'll be singing in trio, won't you? It's impossible I call your names one by one. I'll call the name of your team as well – Eternal Solidarity team, but besides the name of the team, there must be another name representing three of you all in one, so that when I'm calling your names later on, there won't be any stiffness."
The three Makmur siblings looked at one another.
"You're usually the most creative, Die," said Erick Vildy.
"It's up to you, Die," uttered Erwie Vincent.
"Mmmm…" Erdie Vio seemed to think about it for several seconds. "How about 3E?"
"The beginning letter of our names, isn't it? Okay… Not really bad…" Erick Vildy nodded his head.
"Okay then…" said Erwie Vincent with his relaxing smile.
"Just call us 3E from the Eternal Solidarity team," said Erdie Vio to the MC still waiting for their answer.
"Okay then… Ten more minutes okay…?" said the MC.
Ten minutes passed very quickly. Erick Vildy was very nervous waiting beside the tournament arena. Erwie Vincent looked at his surrounding with his snapping smile. Erdie Vio was the most confident among the three Makmur siblings. He gave his most wonderful and marvelous smile to the young girls who began to cheer up in hectic atmosphere when seeing the three of them standing beside the MC.
"Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen… The Indonesian national dragon championship in Jakarta, on 13th August 2011 begins. The opening show of the national dragon championship this morning is a song about youth spirits and dreams – sung directly by 3E from Eternal Solidarity team," shouted the MC.
Of course that became a big surprise for the audience that morning. The young girls, teen girls, and even middle-aged mothers gave their standing ovations for 3E's performance that morning.
Rendy Ibrahim and Ahmad Sentosa looked at each other for a while. Both of them could not believe it! Besides joining the dragon tournament in Jakarta, 3E also took part in filling up the opening show. It was really beyond their prediction before!
Three E entered the stage arena. The music began. The song and the dance flowed throughout the auditorium that morning.
***
Three E gathered again all their team members inasmuch as their competition turn would come soon.
"Okay… I'll review once again our performance scenario… How many sets of three and four?" asked Erick Vildy.
"Two sets, Brother," replied the third pole player.
"Okay… After that, there will be waving eight, five head six tail, monkey to monkey, sleeping top, then we go to pre-fan movement, fan movement, and the wheel movement… Everybody has got it, haven't you?" muttered Erdie Vio.
Everybody nodded their heads steadily.
"Okay… Afterwards, we go to kuo ciang long, teddy bear, and sien feng… Can't you? We'd better review this sien feng part once again. Try your best not to make any mistake, will you…?" said Erick Vildy again.
"And don't forget the starting and the final posts, either. Later on we post them again," uttered Erdie Vio. "However, these starting and final posts also influence the judges' scores."
All members nodded. Meanwhile, listening to the scenario being reviewed, Melisa arranged all the music formulas once again.
"Wie… Could you please review the music following the big kuo ciang long? It seems that I've forgot a little bit," said Melisa also scratching her head which was actually not itchy.
"tang cer… tang cer… tang… chi tang chi tang chi chi tang…" Erwie Vincent showed her the music formulas by beating his two drum-sticks each other. "You'll be playing the large dragon cymbals, so it'll be a little bit difficult. Just concentrate then…"
"Okay… Concentration… Concentration… I must concentrate…" said Melisa going back to her seat with her mouth mumbling the unclear words, memorizing the music formulas she would be playing later on.
Fifteen minutes had passed very quickly. The Eternal Solidarity team was called by the MC. Soon, the sound of the drum, cymbals, and gongs were heard throughout the tournament hall. The dragon pearl and the dragon's body danced to the right and left, here and there around the tournament hall. The audience kept cheering up in the hectic atmosphere.
***
The winners' names were being announced in three languages. When the panel of judges announced the winners' names, all were extremely nervous in their own seats.
"The third winner this year is the team from North Sumatra province – the Black Crow team…" that sentence was followed the hectic cheering from the audience. Ahmad Sentosa and Rendy Ibrahim's facial expressions were seen a little bit disappointed though they were still smiling. Yet, the judges' scores were absolute and they could not be protested.
"The second winner this year is the team from Jakarta here – the Blue Sky team," this sentence was also followed by the hectic screaming from Blue Sky team's supporters.
"The first winner this year is… This is what all of us have been waiting for the whole year, Ladies and Gentlemen…" MC intentionally slowed down his announcement speed so that it could have its own tension in everybody's mind in the auditorium, "The first winner is the team coming from North Sumatra province – the Eternal Solidarity team."
The audience cheered up in the hectic and noisy atmosphere and clapped their hands endlessly. Three E were called upon to the tournament arena to receive the grand trophies, small trophies, medals, certificates, and the grand prize which was one motorcycle.
It could be guessed that Rendy Ibrahim and Ahmad Sentosa's expressions became as black as coal hearing the Eternal Solidarity team's name announced.
Their faces were even blacker and blacker when many girls, young girls, young women, and even the middle-aged mothers went down to the tournament arena giving souvenirs to 3E. Rendy Ibrahim stomped his foot once to the floor before leaving the auditorium angrily.
The hectic atmosphere went on for several moments. A lot of fans asked for taking pictures together. A lot of journalists came to interview 3E shortly afterwards. The blitz of the camera glowed everywhere in the hall.
***
Sydney, 15th July 2018
"Still looking at the competition photo in 2011, Rick?" asked Melisa stepping into Erick Vildy's room that morning.
Erick Vildy put back his photo into his wallet.
"No… It was only visible when I took out my ATM card just now," said Erick Vildy trying to look as calm as possible. "I want to pay for this hospital fee a moment before. I've no idea that you settled the payment yesterday evening."
Melisa snapped her smile.
"When can I get out from here, Mel?"
"Tomorrow… Before coming here, I've gone to the senior high school which is your new teaching place. I've attained your permission today. You take a rest and recover your strength again."
"Where do you know about my new teaching place?" asked Erick Vildy a little bit confused.
"Of course I do know it… I've got many informants, Rick," said Melisa opening the catering breakfast she had prepared. The food was put on the small movable table in the room. The table was directly moved in front of the patient.
Erick Vildy gobbled the food just in several minutes.
"Hmm… Just say that you've been extremely hungry at the moment," said Melisa snapping her smile again.
"The chicken porridge is very tasty. Although I hoped to eat chicken rice, this chicken porridge is also acceptable…" said Erick Vildy in his slightly grinning face.
"Early in the morning you may not eat rice; it's difficult to digest. Moreover, your body condition hasn't yet been stable. You can eat rice tomorrow morning," said Melisa again putting aside the cutleries which had just been used.
Once when Melisa turned to Erick Vildy again, she saw that guy still looking at the competition photo in 2011.
"Still saying that you merely bumped into that photo accidentally when you were taking out your ATM card?" said Melisa with a skeptical smile.
"We finally managed to be the first winner, Mel. In this dragon dance national tournament at that time, we managed to be the first winner. Absolutely, there wasn't any mistake. Yet, that became our first and our last first winner," Erick Vildy's tone got low and flat.
Melisa Rayadi sighed her long breath.
"After that, there was still one tournament again in Batam. At that moment, we solely got the second winner. There you met Stella Kuangdinata. After that, there was again one dragon national tournament in Jakarta. Still remember, don't you? Getting the second winner as well, wasn't it? It was the time when 3E were asked for their photos to be gathered into a pictorial book which was posted into the big screen of the auditorium before three of you sang a song filling up the opening show. Afterwards, Eternal Solidarity team never joined any competition anymore. You yourself had seldom paid any attention to the studio again, and so had Erwie, and so had Erdie. Just fancy what would happen to the members when their three captains began to pay less attention to them. It's me who is too naïve. There's no what's so-called eternity in the world."
Erick Vildy gazed out through the window.
"Yeah… Yeah… Perhaps I was too focused with Stella, so I ignored Eternal Solidarity team, and so did Erwie, and so did Erdie. Perhaps we were too obsessed with that girl so we became blind and didn't know that she was dating with three of us simultaneously."
"And until this second you can't even forget her…" said Melisa Rayadi directly turning away her body. She did not want Erick Vildy to see her stagnating tears.
"I… I…" Erick Vildy could not finish his sentence.
"Where are 3E right now?" mumbled Melisa still with the same position. "Where do 3E go? Where are the solid 3E, with their one mission, one vision in dragon and lion dances, with their one soul, one heart, one dream, and one word?"
Erick Vildy kept thinking for quite several moments, not being able to give a satisfactory reply.
"Do 3E really… really… break up? Is that right…?" this time Melisa Rayadi turned round her body and Erick Vildy saw her sad eyes.
"I myself don't even know what my position is in my two siblings' hearts and minds, Mel," said Erick Vildy sighing his long breath. "How can I tell you if 3E have really broken up or not?"
"Whom must be blamed is that cursed girl! Fortunately, she isn't around anymore. If she was still around, I would chase after her anywhere and take a revenge from what she had done," said Melisa a little bit annoyed.
Melisa Rayadi turned again to the window and gazed through the not-really-busy streets of Sydney that morning.
Both of them were drowned into silence and stiffness for quite several moments.
"Mel…" Erick Vildy called her name finally.
Melisa Rayadi's standing position was still unmoved.
"I… I…" Erick Vildy got difficulties in expressing what he felt in his heart and mind. He was not a foolish man. Definitely he knew what this woman had been feeling about him so far. Yet, these times Stella's shadow was always surrounding his mind and memories. That shadow made him afraid of having the second new relationship.
"Thanks… Thanks very much because you've been standing by my side, always helping and supporting me. You've always been supporting me for these years. I know even if I thanked you for one thousand times, that wouldn't be enough to pay back all your good deeds to me," said Erick Vildy eventually. "I know…"
"You know that I don't need any paying back, Rick…" said Melisa again. This time her shoulders were seen trembling. Erick Vildy could see that the woman was trying to hold up her tears which had been at the edge of the dam.
Erick Vildy felt very guilty this time. Oh gosh, Rick…! Can you see the woman really loving you has cried out her tears because of you? What kind of man are you! If you can't dry up the beads of tears from her eyes, you're truly not a gentleman!
Erick Vildy slowly got down and stood beside his bed.
"Yeah… I know I can't give you anything to repay what you've been doing for me these times. I… I don't have anything which I can give to you. I can solely give you… give you… give you my love…" said Erick Vildy finally, after gathering his strength and courage.
Melisa Rayadi turned around directly. Astonishment and happiness mixed each other deep down in her soul. This time, she let her tears rolling down freely from her eyes. Both laughter and crying popped out freely. Erick Vildy smiled warmly. He stretched out his arms.
It could be guessed after that. Melisa Rayadi jumped to the warm and lovely hug. Her tears made her prince's back wet. Erick Vildy held up his princess' head. Slowly, his hand rose up and wiped away her tears which had turned into a little stream. Again Melisa Rayadi lay her head to the prince's chest.
This hug… The hug which I've been wishing for, which I've been expecting for quite a long time, is now mine – genuinely mine for solely me myself… Is this the happiness which every woman has been expecting from their real love in this world?
Melisa Rayadi was drowned again in her silence. She knew any words could not describe the happiness she was feeling deep down in her heart. It sounded as though there had been a kind of sweet and melodious song sent from the heaven above.