In the middle of 2022, precisely at 04.00 a.m. GMT+7. In a remote village in the Sukabumi region, there is a house that still has walls made of bamboo booths. In one room of the house, a handsome young man aged 18 was sitting on a bamboo bed. He is known as Dedi.
Dedi was busy reading a diary that had a black cover. He looked very somber as he read the handwritten words under the light of an oil lamp, occasionally wiping away the tears streaming down his face.
Dedi showed a tense face. "Beasts, I will not let you live comfortably on earth!" he exclaimed in a trembling voice. He shouted angrily, "So cruel! I must avenge this cruelty!"
"Brak!" Dedi hit the bamboo bed.
Dedi finished reading the diary and placed it on the old pillow before he got up from his bamboo bed. He walked to the wardrobe that had no doors, picked up an old backpack, and stuffed all the clothes on the shelves into the bag.
"Rest easy, Ma; I will repay them for everything they have done." Dedi said in a soft voice while looking at a wedding ring wrapped around his little finger.
Dedi grabbed a black woman's bag and opened it. Inside was a large amount of money and gold jewelry. "This is my initial savings to erase Mama's grief." Dedi muttered as he took out all the contents of the bag and put them into a waste bag.
Dedi chose a black cowhide jacket that was hanging on the wall of the room and put it on. He looked at his reflection in the incomplete mirror while smiling.
After taking a good look at his body, he sat down on the bamboo bed. Dedi's gaze focused on the pair of white sneakers that lay beside the soles of his feet.
"Come with me after them," Dedi asked the pair of trainers as he dusted them off before putting them on.
"I'm ready to avenge all the evil deeds you've done," Dedi said as he clasped his hands together. He noticed the diary lying on the pillow and picked it up carefully before putting it into the backpack.
"Tin-tin." The sound of a car horn.
Dedi immediately left the room with the backpack. He looked at his grandparents, who were still sleeping for a moment, and without disturbing their sleep, Dedi said in his heart, "Aki, Nini, I will leave for a while." After that, he slowly left the house.
Dedi saw a beautiful woman's face smiling from behind the open car window. "Thank you, Mrs. Kartika." Dedi said before he got into the car.
When Dedi entered the car, he saw Kartika, who smiled kindly. Kartika is Dedi's teacher's mother, who is 37 years old and unmarried. Despite being over thirty years old, Kartika still looks elegant and has a beautiful face. People who are not familiar with Kartika would think that she is still a young girl of the same age as Dedi. She had an ideal body and very clean white skin.
"Anything left behind?" asked Kartika as she helped move Dedi's backpack to the back seat.
"Nothing ma'am." Dedi replied while fastening the car seat belt.
Kartika said this while driving a white CRV car. Dedi smiled at Kartika's words, which still sounded like those of a girl her age.
******
In South Jakarta at 08.00 a.m. GMT+7
After traveling for 4 hours with an hour break on the way, Kartika and Romeo finally arrived at a very elegant beauty salon. The building was the result of combining three to four shops into one charming building. It looked very elegant with a black glass wall at the front.
The situation around the salon still looked quiet, and they immediately got out of the vehicle together, but did not immediately enter the salon but entered a restaurant adjacent to the salon.
"Let's have breakfast first," Kartika said.
"Thank you, ma'am." Dedi replied.
Kartika remained standing next to the table while watching Dedi pull a chair to sit on. After Dedi sat down, Kartika just wanted to sit down, so she chose the chair next to Dedi. Kartika deliberately showed her desire to sit alone with Dedi.
A waitress approached them while carrying the food menu and said, please, Sis." The waitress spoke in a friendly voice.
"Two Soto Betawi, two sweet teas." Kartika ordered without asking Dedi first.
"Okay, wait." The waitress replied, then walked away from Kartika's table.
Kartika gently held and squeezed Dedi's fingers, then she softly asked, "I've rented an apartment down the street, but it's small. What do you think?"
Dedi looked awkward seeing Kartika squeezing his fingers. He answered without daring to look at Kartika's face, "I'll just look for a boarding house, ma'am."
Kartika released her hand from Dedi's fingers, then gently supported Dedi's chin, so she could see his eyes. Her face looked disappointed as she asked, "Are you reluctant to share a room with me?"
No, ma'am, I just don't want to burden Ms. Kartika's life." Dedi replied with an innocent look in his eyes.
With a tense face, Kartika immediately responded, "I love you. I'm willing to wait for you until you finish school, you understand!"
Dedi was speechless, glued to their gazes, and his tongue was stiff and speechless after hearing Kartika's heartfelt expression.
"What a fool I am; why should I love my own student? I've spent four years just to get disproportionate treatment from you." Kartika said while shedding her tears. She didn't want to hide her feelings anymore; she really wanted to have Dedi fully, as she had given Dedi four years of attention.
"I want to, Mom; don't be sad." Dedi replied innocently while wiping Kartika's tears.
Kartika released Dedi's chin while turning her head to look at the waiter who was bringing the dishes Kartika had ordered. She quickly wiped away her tears.
"I have to find a way to win Dedi's heart," Kartika thought while staring at the two bowls of Soto Betawi that had a delicious broth.
The atmosphere around Kartika's table became quiet, and the sound of vehicles became the background music that accompanied them during breakfast. Dedi seemed to be enjoying the delicious Soto Betawi soup, especially with the addition of Emping, which made it even more delicious.
"No need to call me mom; just call me Tika," Kartika said while enjoying her food.
"Okay Tika." Dedi replied following Kartika's request.
After hearing Dedi's answer, Kartika looked at him lovingly and stroked his back. She got a love signal: "Do you want to date me?" Kartika asked, and Dedi gave his approval by nodding while chewing the food in his mouth.
"Are you serious? Please answer!" said Kartika with great enthusiasm and a pressing tone.
"I will, Tika." Dedi replied after swallowing the food in his mouth.
Kartika winked cheerfully and said, "Thank you, my love." Kartika replied in a gentle and loving manner.
Dedi thought to himself while looking at Kartika's blushing face, "I'll just fulfill Kartika's wish; she's good; so far she has helped me a lot financially; besides, I still need her support to pay off Mom's revenge."
With an air of excitement, Kartika finished the rice on her plate. Her face looked happy after she found out about the love lottery from Dedi.
After finishing breakfast, Kartika paid for the meal, and they left the restaurant, heading to the salon adjacent to the restaurant.
*****