Chapter 012 Journey
''Kak Halvir, stop!'' Anindira immediately shouted, ''Poh-pohan, let me pick it!''
''What?''
''That, the leaves of the poh-pohan...''
Anindira whined while pointing towards the thicket of bushes not far from where they were.
''What other leaves do you want to pick?!''
''Come on, this is delicious. Kak Halvir, don't look at it like that!''
''This makes me even more convinced that you are a herbivore.''
''What does that mean?!''
Anindira did not understand what Halvir meant by this.
''Forget it!'' Halvir shouted, ignoring Anindira's curiosity, ''As long as you enjoy it, just do it. As long as it doesn't harm you...''
''Don't worry!'' Anindira replied with a broad smile on her face, ''I know very well which plants are edible and which are not. Because of that, I am quite confident in my knowledge.''
''Yes, yes... as you wish...''
Halvir looked indifferent, but his eyes were sincerely paying attention to things that would make Anindira feel happy. Secretly behind Anindira he would smile, seeing how unique the behavior of the woman who had accompanied him for two months was.
After picking the leaves of the trees, Halvir and Anindira continued their journey.
''We will rest here!'' Halvir exclaimed after determining a suitable place for them to rest.
ZRET
Halvir cut the hanging tree roots.
Anindira immediately prepared to drink the water that came out of the cavity of the tree roots that Halvir had cut.
''Thank you, it tastes very fresh...''
''I will prepare a fire for us to burn the meat.''
''Okay!'' Anindira exclaimed in her usual cheerful manner.
Anindira's answer just now was a language commonly used in the Modern World. That word does not exist in the vocabulary of the Beast Human World. But, since two months, Halvir and Anindira have been together. Slowly but surely they began to understand each other's characters.
''The rips on your clothes have increased again...''
''Kak Halvir, don't make a gloomy face like that!'' Anindira replied, immediately cutting off Halvir's pity for her, ''With your sharp sense of smell. I'm more worried about the smell coming from my body because I have barely showered for two months.''
''It doesn't matter to me, besides you can always clean yourself with the ingredients you have. Therefore, your scent is not bad for someone who hasn't showered for months.''
''Brother, do you have to be that honest?!''
Halvir's honest answer certainly disturbed the self-esteem of a modern girl like Anindira.
''You're so insensitive!'' Anindira exclaimed in annoyance, ''At least, just say ''you don't smell, so don't worry!''. Why must it be explained with a clear intention, if there is a smell that is coming from my body.''
''Again you speak in a language that I don't know. But, I can tell if you are upset... are there any words I said that upset you?!''
''Yes, a lot!''
Anindira answered Halvir, still in her own language.
Although Anindira answered Halvir in a curt tone, Halvir began to understand Anindira. Her anger, her annoyance, or her sadness. Halvir had begun to be able to differentiate them.
''This journey would have been very difficult for you because you are a woman. But for two months there were almost no significant problems. You know a lot about nature, therefore, you are quite good at taking care of yourself.''
''I thank my grandmother for that. She is a botanist. I learned a lot from her...''
''You are lucky, so you have no trouble finding many things that make you smile in the wilderness.''
''Hehehe... without Kak Halvir I would not have survived. Although almost everything is the same as where I came from, there are some things that are no longer found except for fossils. Brother Halvir is also an exception. I don't know if it's extinct or never existed...''
''Of course I'm the only one. How can you expect there to be many of me?!''
''I don't mean it like that... but the supernatural thing that you did is completely non-existent.''
''Supernatural'' that word was not understood by Halvir. But he was also reluctant to ask. Just like some vocabulary that was always mixed up, almost in every sentence spoken by Anindira. Over time, Halvir would understand it by himself, so he was reluctant to ask.
Hehehe...
''Why again?'' asked Halvir in surprise, seeing Anindira smiling happily, ''What makes you grin like that?''
''Hm?! Oh, no... that... I just feel happy. If Kak Halvir wasn't patient enough to slowly teach me, we would both still be stuck with silly acts...''
''You're the only one who makes things silly. I'm not!''
''Ha...?! You're bullying me again...''
''In which way?!''
Serious or silly conversations always accompany every conversation between Halvir and Anindira.
*****
It's been two months since Anindira and Halvir met.
Although not yet full, at least Anindira has understood the basic vocabulary. Therefore, for some things, Anindira can already talk about it with Halvir.
Anindira also knows that the two of them will have a long journey to get to Halvir's hometown. At first, Anindira felt uncomfortable because Halvir always carried her during the trip. But now Anindira is used to it. If Anindira forces herself to walk alone, not only because she doesn't have shoes, but also, the travel time will be twice as long if she relies on Anindira's own strength.
''For a woman, your stamina is good, Anindira.''
''Really, thank you. But, it must still be far behind when compared to the women in Kak Halvir's village.''
''No,'' Halvir answered firmly, ''You are very tough. You are different from most women I know...''
''Kak Halvir just wants to cheer me up.''
''For what? You're not sad...''
Anindira pulled the corner of her lips because she felt a little annoyed with Halvir's straightforward attitude. But to be frank that it could make women feel bad.
''Kak Halvir, do you always talk in this style?!''
''Um,'' Halvir answered briefly.
''Even though you don't worship and praise, at least soften your words... if you stay like this. Women will be afraid of you... it will be difficult for you to get a girlfriend.''
''Girlfriend?!''
Halvir didn't understand the word, but as usual he was reluctant to ask and ignored it.
''There are already many women who are afraid of me, so without you telling me, I already know.''
Anindira could only raise her eyebrows in response to Halvir. She was too awkward to talk to because, according to Anindira, he would be pitiful if he had difficulty getting a girlfriend because of his difficult character.
''In fact, you are good. Even though you can't be sweet-talking... but, that's where your special attraction lies for me.''
Anindira muttered in her heart in response to Halvir's words.
Halvir glanced at Anindira, feeling that Anindira was concluding something.
''You're quite tough for a woman who's alone in the forest,'' he said while looking at Anindira with a calm gaze, ''I don't know about other women. But, you... I feel you're strong. You look tough for a woman. So far, I've met and known several women. From what I know, they're almost always weak and spoiled. In addition, they're also quite fussy and quick to sulk, quite troublesome...'' Halvir said, continuing his sentence.
Anindira could only continue to stare and listen to Halvir's words, because this time Halvir seemed to be pouring out his heart. Halvir looked at Anindira but seemed to be thinking about something else. Halvir didn't speak by dictating as he usually did, so Anindira just calmly listened and paid close attention to him.
''I know, not all women are troublesome. Like... like two women I know very well. You are different from most other women. You are a bit like Zia, who is naughty and talkative... You know, not many women can be comfortable spending time with me besides Ezra and Zia... Like them, you always look me straight in the eye. There is no fear in your eyes, and I am also sure that it is not all made up. You sincerely see me as I am...'' Halvir, who had been talking all this time, then stopped.
Anindira put her head on her knees, which were bent vertically, and the other one was bent cross-legged, with her face looking at Anindira and smiling softly.
''I know you are tired, very tired. Although I don't understand what you are saying. But, I know that you don't complain. You are not spoiled like most women...'' said Halvir while occasionally brushing Anindira's hair, which sometimes fell covering her forehead, ''You are naughty like Zia... But, you are also calm, like Ezra. I don't know your language. But, I can tell when you are upset or uncomfortable, and you also keep holding on and keep smiling. I like everything I see about you, as well as your eyes that sincerely look at me... '' Halvir said calmly, he continued his words.
Anindira was indeed surprised, her face also looked blushing, but her lips curved into a happy smile. This was the second time she saw Halvir smile beautifully like a painting, looking very fitting under the light of the full moon.
They stared at each other for quite a long time. For a few minutes, both of them were lost in the serene and romantic atmosphere in their respective hearts.
The cold temperature ruined Anindira and Halvir's romantic moments. The cold wind continued to blow. Moreover, they were currently at the top of a tree. A very high place, a place where the wind gusts were stronger, Anindira's body began to shiver with cold. Seeing Anindira shaking from the cold at night, Halvir got up and sat behind Anindira, surprising her and making her feel awkward.
Halvir held her back to keep her calm, even though the communication between them was not yet smooth, but Anindira's heart felt that she could understand the intention of Halvir, who was trying to protect her. A few seconds later Anindira began to calm down and did not reject Halvir, who casually held Anindira. Her body felt comfortable and not feeling embarrassed when Halvir sat behind her, Halvir pressed his chest against Anindira's back, Halvir's large warm body, drowning Anindira's tiny body.