While clutching a suitcase, the contents of which are not much and certainly not much, Alif walks the challenger to his house. From a distance of ten meters, the handsome, somewhat sloppy-style boy can already smell the delicious aroma of Mpok Indun's fried chicken, deliciously. His mother. (A nickname for Betawi's older sister, in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia).

It's fun to go home and eat right away, Alif thought. It was tiring during the hours-long journey from Batam island to Jakarta, he passed by spreading charm to and fro with the harems, including the beautiful flight attendant like plus sexy voluptuous. Tempting people requires energy, right? That's why the bachelor was already starving.

"Assalamu 'alaikum. Nyak! I'm home!" (Nyak means mother) Alif shouted cheerfully from the front door of his house, right on the terrace. Alif looked at the terrace, still the same shape as two years ago before he left to wander. There is a couch to sit on, sometimes it is used for a beautiful sleep. Complete with a wooden table where Mpok Indun usually serves fried reinforcements, cakes, or whatever his mother usually cooks in the kitchen.

"Assalamu 'alaikum! Nyak! Come on! Just think about it, don't you see if the residents of the house appear? Are you not welcomed?" Alif grumbled because he felt that the only handsome, mighty, and cool single child on the entire planet was not greeted with joy when he returned home.

A few moments later, a woman in her fifties appeared wearing a homely robe and a makeshift skullcap covering her still black hair like a young girl from inside the house. Immediately cheerful and rushed to welcome Alif.

"Masha Allah! You're home, Tong! (means boy in Betawi) Oh my God, sweet child! I miss the one and only Nyak's handsome boy!" Immediately Mpok Indun hugged Alif tightly while jumping for joy.

"Nyak! I miss Nyak too! Very very miss, Nyak!" said Alif with a spoiled face.

Immediately Mpok Indun's eyes filled with tears as she looked up and down the bachelor child. "Why is Nyak's son so thin? Are you not eating enough? Poor. Tired of work, for sure, Tong!" Mpok Indun even piss.

"Yes, Nyak, You know I worked on the project. It's heavy, Nyak, heavy. Nyak won't be able to, let's just let it go," said Alif in the drama.

Suddenly Alif's head was hit hard by a coconut leaf roll. Babe Rojali with a fierce face was already standing beside Alif. The fifty-two-year-old man had his hands on his hips in a steady position.

"Babe! Why did you get hit on the head?" Alif protested fiercely while holding his head in pain. (Babe means father).

"Yes! Did I hit you? Why do you dare to fight me? Come on!" Babe Rojali immediately took action with the Betawi silat stance in front of Alif.

Alif snorted in annoyance. "It's my fate to have a Babe like this. Your son came home from wandering instead of being hugged, kiss my cheeks, offered to drink coffee, cake, what a cake! Even beaten me! Then let's take Babe to CPHB! Nyaho! (The Betawi Language means: gotcha!)"

"What is CPHB? I just heard it! If the National Commission for the Protection of Children and Women, I know that!" said Babe Rojali.

"CPHB, Commission for the Protection of Handsome Boys! Babe doesn't know! Only the pretty ones can be registered there. Like me!"

Bugs! Alif's head was hit again by Babe Rojali.

Alif grimaced in pain and then ran behind Mpok Indun.

"Please, Nyak! Just look at the behavior of Nyak's husband. For two years your son doesn't come home but gets beaten up! What's not serving you? What's the lack of love? Because of you, Nyak!"

"You bastards! Do you want me to roll you up with a Flying Lizard on a Missile?" Babe Rojali re-mounted the horses.

Alif wanted to run away, but Mpok Indun held him and glared at his husband. "Bang! Elah! What are you doing, Bang? Why do you keep hitting your son? Our kids just got back overseas and got beat up like a thief!" (Bang or Abang is a nickname for a brother or elder brother or husband).

"You don't have to worry about this kid! Then he gets a big head!" He glared back at Alif. "There is evidence that at this age, there is still no result of unemployment! It's not clear to go abroad, you never send money. Eh, now you don't even bring anything back! What a fool you are! Are you in Batam? Sweep the bridge with your hair?" Babe Rojali just kept babbling. Alif becomes discouraged and upset.

"Well, for once, Babe, you shall appreciate my hard work. Traveling is not easy, Be. Moreover, there are no relatives there, the job opportunities are difficult, if you can, the cost of living is high, Be. I also send money to Nyak and Babe! You're not good, Be."

Babe Rojali made a move to hit Alif's head again but was immediately blocked by Mpok Indun. Alif tries to hide behind Mpok Indun's body, which is still old but still looks old. They already look like the ondel-ondels (Betawi doll) fight in the storm.

"Bang! You're fine, Bang! You're old enough to beat the kid. Let Alif eat, rest first." Mpok Indun started to panic.

"We don't need to give you food, you bastard! Tell me to send your money? It's only been three times, you've been gone for two years and there's no news. The reason is that the boss is holding your salary, your money is robbed, what else? I'm bored! You'd better go again where have you been!"

"Okay, okay! If Babe doesn't want to come here, let me go! I don't want to come back again!" Alif sulked uncontrollably.

"It's okay, at least!" Babe Rojali tried to pull Alif. Alif's hair was found to be tangled even though it had been adjusted to cool with pomade.

"Ouch, Nyak! Help!" Alif is in pain.

"How long have you worn your ear piercing? At least your job isn't going right there? You admit it! Your song sounds like metal! But your wallet is like the devil!" Babe Rojali was still furious.

Mpok Indun started to take a deep breath, gasped for air, then finally shouted. "Shut up!!!"

The house shook, the ceiling swayed, the spider that was still spinning its spiderman-style web immediately ran away, the ants who were gnawing at the sugar in the jar that Mpok Indun forgot to close ran, the tuyul (a baby famous ghost who like stealing money) who just changed the underpants are ready to act, help return to the employer, don't be a thief.

"Shut up, won't you? Do you want to sleep outside when you're swarmed by mosquitoes?" Mpok Indun shouted indignantly, his skullcap was drooping, his hair was tangled with high tension.

Alif and Babe Rojali were frightened and immediately nodded in agreement. They then entered the house.

***

After lunch, Alif intends to go for a walk and try out Emen, his favorite motorbike, which he has lived in for two years. Thank goodness Babe Rojali wanted to take care of his motorbike. Babe turned out to be good too. Alif wanted to cry of Bombay. (It means melodramatic).

Suddenly Alif's motorbike key was removed from its place. The motor automatically stops running.

Alif was confused and turned his head fiercely to see who was an ignorant person pulling out his motorbike key, it was like the police who had a ticket on the road.

Immediately, Alif saw two smug faces nearby. Two young men his age.

"Damn! It's just like a mafia boss, your style, Lif! It seems like you have just returned from Batam City!" Bobi exclaimed, patting Alif's shoulder firmly.

"Leather jacket, shoes are okay, a classy watch. Fake or real?"

"Holy shit! It's not my style, Boss!" Alif chirps while smacking a match, ready to sulk.

"Give me cigarettes, Boss! You're already rich now that you've finished working on the project!" said Aldebaran alias Ale to Alif.

The two youths shook Alif's motorbike until Alif was about to fall.

"You're really sad! Can't you see my body is thin like this! I've been tricked a lot in Batam? My salary is run by the foreman so you know! Instead of sympathy, I'm even pointing at you!"

Bobi and Al are even more aggressive in pushing Alif.

"Cuh! You're the most dramatic, Bro! Your body is too skinny...." Bobi demonstrated the international movement that men already know.

"Damn! You're the culprit, I'm not, Man! If you want, there are many in Batam. You just have to choose. Prices vary, man!"

"Well, that's right! That's why your salary is running out, right? Your reason is just the same as your bangs!" Al accused again.

Alif laughed. "I'm still a virgin, Silly! A limited-edition handsome virgin that's why I take care of my chastity!"

Suddenly Bobi and Al immediately laughed and grabbed Alif, forcing the young man to get off the motorbike.

"Come on. Don't be too stylish! Where are you going? We are already here, you just want to go!"

Alif laughed. Joking fun with his two best friends since childhood. Alif is the most handsome, but they have something in common, namely that they are still single and their work is unclear. Yes, of course! Today I'm looking for a girl to be with a lawyer. Your head is far away! Just looking is not enough, Man! (Babe Rojali's face appears).

***

That night Alif sat on the terrace enjoying his Nyak-made coffee. Just wear a t-shirt and drawstring sit back and lift one leg to the table. Immediately slide to play mobile. Find the latest news. This time, Manda, a sexy ex-Alif who looked like Kylie Jenner in high school, has broken up with her boyfriend, a tycoon in Jakarta. Alas! Little hope, Bro! That's right. Manda posted a photo of a pose in front of a luxury car that her boyfriend had just bought. The girl's hair looks beautiful dyed blonde, fits perfectly with clear white skin, and has a Spanish guitar body.

Alif exclaimed excitedly seeing the photo. "Eh, damn it! It's like your lips are turning upside down! It's a bitch!"

Alif swipes the screen and sees Al's status on his IG feed. Al wrote a romantic quote with a photo of him and Zaskia, the village flower in Menyan village, their village.

"Oh, come on! You're still a sadboy! Two years I've been gone, still chasing Kia! You're an expired bucin! (slave of love)" Alif giggled then wrote a comment on Al's status mocking his friend.

Babe Rojali came and lowered Alif's feet from the table so that the handsome young man gasped in surprise.

"Be polite!" Babe Rojali said then took a seat in front of Alif.

Bik Cenul, a neighbor two houses away across the street, came with a plate of sponge cake.

"Assalamu 'alaikum. Ma'am! Mbak Indun! This is how I cooked the cake." Bik Cenul shouted cheerfully in front of the house.

Alif, Babe Rojali, and Mpok Indun who emerged from inside the house answered Mbok Cenul's greeting.

Mbok Cenul was immediately shocked and happy to see Alif's figure there.

"Oh my God! Here the young boy. Oops, so handsome you are, Lif!" Without being invited first, Bik Cenul hastily put down a plate of cake on the table and took a seat beside Alif.

"How are you?" asked Bik Cenul.

"That's great, Bik," Alif replied, smiling sweetly at Bik Cenul. It was a charming death smile.

Bik Cenul immediately smirked and pinched Alif's hand gently.

"How handsome is this! Are you married?" asked Bik Cenul.

"No, Mbok." Alif drank his coffee casually.

"Why? Opo ora onok candidate? (Java language means: Don't any girls like you?) Or... what's it call? Single?" Bik Cenul's eyes sparkled, looking curious and ridiculous. The fat middle-aged woman then hit Alif's shoulder. "Ah, kepiye iki? (Java Language means: how is it?) Handsome man why no one wants? I want to be with you." Bik Cenul giggled to herself.

Mpok Indun cleared his throat. Bik Cenul immediately felt awkward, but then giggled again. "Lisa is happy to know this."

Then Mpok Indun and Bik Cenul were busy chatting. Meanwhile, Babe Rojali is making coconut leaves creation from the young coconut leaves he took this afternoon. There was a relative who wanted to hold a celebration and asked Babe Rojali for help.

Alif is still fiddling with his cellphone. Tired of social media, he intended to stream watching the latest action movies, but his attention was turned to a figure standing in front of the house right in front of his house.

The big house that used to belong to West Sumatran immigrants, a merchant couple who had a large trading booth in Tanah Abang (shopping area). Alif knew they had moved right at the same time Alif left to wander to Batam.

Alif's eyes were glued to the figure of a woman who stood like a statue on the terrace of the house. She wore a long white dress that hung down to her feet, waist-length hair, and pure white skin, but she looked very pale. Her face is very beautiful, with round eyes, a sharp nose, luscious red lips, and a long split chin. An unusual beauty especially in that village. Alif had never seen a woman with such unique beauty in the village. But his eyes seemed empty. The woman seemed to be daydreaming, staring blankly at the plants on her terrace.

During that time, Alif was amazed to see the woman's figure. So beautiful and elegant. Like a marble statue. Although it seems a bit strange.

Suddenly, Alif's hairs goosebumps. The boy turned to his father.

"Well, who's that girl? The new occupant of the front house, huh?"

Babe Rojali without looking at Alif's gaze nodded. "Yes."

"What's her name, Be? Since when did she live in Uda Fazil's former house? Does she live with who, Be?" Alif's barrage of questions was only confused by Babe Rojali, who was busy making leaves again.

Alif was immediately shocked when the woman standing in front of the house looked at Alif. So sharp and deep as if to pounce on Alif. Enchanting and deadly at the same time. Suddenly Alif felt a strange feeling towards the woman.

Alif's shoulder was suddenly tapped. Alif jumped in surprise and reflexively said istighfar (words in Islam beg for Allah's forgiveness).

Bik Cenul smiled at Alif. "Coffee, Lif? Why are you looking at Kumara so much? She's scary. Don't look at her," said Bik Cenul.

Alif's brows furrowed in confusion. "You mean the girl, Bik?" Alif asked, pointing at the woman.

Bik Cenul was immediately frightened. "Don't be pointed at, Mas! (mas is the name for brother in Javanese) Aunt already told you not to look at her. She's scary!"

"How scary? What's wrong with her, Bik?"

Bik Cenul glanced at the woman named Kumara then got goosebumps and immediately looked away. "She never leaves the house during the day. He rarely talks to the neighbors. Her face is also exactly pale... hey... like a devil."

Bik Cenul lowered her voice. "This village is afraid to see her. That's how she acts. She never left the house in the afternoon. At night, she likes to stand in front of her house. Sometimes he sings and doesn't make it clear. Hiii scary!"

Alif laughed. "It is also different for each person's character, Bik. Is it because that he is called a devil? That's human."

Bik Cenul shook his head. "Dunno. Human but why does it look like a demon. It can be a devil's friend. Now a lot of weird people."

Bik Cenul then said goodbye to Mpok Indun and the others. Alif thought about Bik Cenul's words for a moment. If you think about it, it's weird. The appearance of Kumara that Alif saw was also strange. And suddenly the woman was no longer on the terrace of her house.

Alif rubbed his neck.

***

Continued