Look at Me, Elle
Chapter 8 Leonardo Hardika

"You're more charismatic with such fine feathers, Nath." The sideburns that grew not too dense on Leonathan's cheeks did make the man look more mature and cool, like the compliment of his sister just now.

The man who was busy observing the glass filled with coffee looked up and looked startled as he looked at the face of the man before him. "Nard!" call Leonathan and give the employee a cup of coffee waiting for the customer's order. Taking from Leonathan's hand, he then took his leave and immediately gave the visitors food and drink that had been waiting. "When did you get into the cafe? I was so unconscious" he muttered and immediately passed the employee to get off the bar table.

"You're too busy" Leonardo chuckled. The man embraced the older brother and patted his back. "I've just come, and come straight here to talk a lot about your business."

The unbelieving Leonathan asked, "you're bru coming?" The sister chuckled and nodded, confirming. "I mean, you haven't rested?"

"No, Nath. I just want to sleep in your house. By the way, I'm hungry .. Can you get me something?"

"You!" Struck by Leonardo's arm without power then slapped his right cheek slowly Leonardo many times. "Sit wherever you want, I'll make you your favorite coffee."

"Thanks, Brother!" sahut the younger brother before stepping away and leaving a punch on Leonathan's left arm. He who chuckled continued to step, and swept his gaze across all things. Find a suitable place to rest and talk to your only sibling in the world.

Leonathan so enjoyed his activities in processing coffee to be a drink that provides full energy and burning spirit for anyone who is a connoisseur. His old grieving heart was slightly healed because the younger brother visited the first Mixture cafe. Within three minutes, he had served French fries cheese sauce, doughnuts, and Cappuccino coffee, as well as ice cream pancakes for himself.

"Eat, you must be hungry" he told the cool Leonardo to play mobile. Even the man smiled, Leonathan could see his strokes at a glance. "I don't think it's been a year since we met, Nard."

"Yes, because it's been a long time. As a younger person I went to an older family member, didn't I?"

"I'm not that old, Nard." Leonardo laughed while putting a black phone on a table that was in the same color as his device. Seeing his brother pick up ice cream pancakes, Leonathan unhesitatingly hit the back of Leonardo's hand. "Don't act like you like sweet food!"

Leonardo who was still losing quickly grimaced instantly, but chuckled. "Your research hasn't changed, either."

"Are you turning into a sweet lover?" leonathan asked flatly as he reached for the cup handle, while the younger brother who was still wearing clear round glasses grabbed a plate containing dozens of pieces of fries. "I know very well, you just want to upset your brother. The half-brother," he added, before closing his lips to the rim of the cup, let the cold brew coffee into his mouth and run down his dry throat.

Leonardo, who was chewing on some fries, nodded his head. Drinking a sip of his coffee, he replied, "sometimes I miss our childhood, Nath." Leonathan smiled wryly and threw a gaze out the window, trying to see the times when they were both boys. "You always get hit when I bother you."

With his left leg rested on his right thigh, Leonathan folded his arms before replying, "mama always protects you and cleverly you use that." Taking the pancakes he had cut into pieces, he continued, "stupid me, be the sister you always follow."

Laughing loosely, the man who had the plump eyelashes nodded his head until he coughed. "You know? I was so happy at the time, especially if I remember the look on your face red with anger and annoyance."

"Let me punch you in the face as mama continues to defend you desperately."

"But all of that didn't last long."

"Because you finally know, you're the one who's wrong." Leonardo agreed and put some french fries in his mouth again. "When you're a teenager, you're not trusted anymore. Your rottenness was exposed after mama saw you alone acting in my room."

"Yes, from elementary school to my mother's absence, you're the one who's her favorite son."

"You jealous?" asked Leonathan who almost broke his laughter if he did not get the death kick of his sister. "You think it doesn't hurt?! You idiot!" pekik Leonathan while stroking the shin of his left leg that just got a kick Leonardo. The perpetrator only apologized briefly and immediately switched the conversation.

"You don't mind if I take you to mama's grave?"

"No, when?"

"This cheer if possible."

"All right, now. Wait for me to get my jacket and glasses first."

Leonardo prevented the older brother, "I know you're hungry too, don't be too hasty. My vacation here is still three days."

"That's only three days?" Leonathan who did not wake up was so shocked. "A Leonardo can resist the urge to go into the night world like he used to?" he asked once again because he could not believe the words of his only sister. Still not believing even though Leonardo said 'yes' while smiling, Leonathan still shook his head. "You sure? You're not fooling your own brother, are you?"

"It's because of someone."

"Because of your lover?" guess Leonathan is not wrong and not completely right. He grew curious when Leonardo instead focused on eating and checking his phone, no longer staring at him. "Hey! Tell me, do you have a boyfriend, Nard? Don't you like it when it's arranged by women?!"

With a smile, the man who was carrying his bangs moved his head up and down again many times, until it made his brother gawk at him and glared in disbelief. "I've found the best wife-to-be, Nath."

"You-you? You're getting married?!" pekik Leonathan, who sparkled, was also happy to hear the good news from the twenty-three-year-old man. The man who nodded increasingly widened his best smile to the older brother. "When are you going to make it that day?"

"Of course I want to in the near future, unfortunately he doesn't agree."

"What's wrong? She doesn't trust you completely?"

"Come, Nath .. I feel like he's a little bit insecure about getting the hottest, most beautiful guy of all time like me." Leonathan who heard that was choked by the smooth unchewed pancakes. Irritated by his sister's confession, Leonathan wakes up. Raise your feet from the presence of his brother who was too arrogant and confident. "Nath! Where are you going?! Nath!"

"I don't want to serve an arrogant sister like you anymore. Better to work," said Leonathan who had swung his legs, away from the table in the corner of the room. Leonardo himself was laughing in his seat, then continued his activities to contact someone.

***

"Hi, ma ... Onard's here. It's been a while, yeah, ma."

Not like Leonardo was. The man who used to rarely speak, was now this smooth. Leonathan was even more startled when he heard his sister say all the innermost heart to the woman who filled the man's feelings on the mother's grave.

This is what Leonardo said, "Mama ... Onard found one woman like mama. Onard hopes that you like women who are close to Onard and can step into the holy marriage. Onard was grateful to know and love her, and was more fortunate that she would be able to accompany Onard when we got married. Onard, I hope you like Onard's choice." While stroking the ceramics of his mother's tomb, the man shed his eyes.

Leonathan, who was next to his brother, not only crouched down and kept quiet, but patted his back many times and braced with words, "mommy must be proud of you and agree with your decision, Nard. Trust me, happy mama sees you more positive than ever. You're also my mom's best son, rest assured, I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Nath." - "Thanks."

Leonathan agreed, then stood up without touching the shoulder or calming the sister again, but turned around first while inviting, "let's go home! it looks like it's gonna rain soon."

Swing his legs first while putting his sunglasses on with two hands into his pants pocket. The sister followed after placing a forget-me-not flower on the ceramic of her mother's tomb. Then the two entered the car while running because the sky began to cry, raindrops fell on the body and the burial area.

"You miss mama?"

Leonardo nodded. "You yourself? Didn't miss her? I'm sure you miss him a lot." Leonathan simply answered the question with a chill. Even though he would rather show the strongest side, he no longer wanted to be seen as a weak man even though his own heart needed to let out complaints and heartache. "If you don't say it, I know you, Nath. You're more hurt than I am."

"We're all grown up, can't remember sad memories anymore. I'd rather bury it deep."

"Sometimes as a human being you need to pour your feelings."

"Yes, but not for now. There's something I need to get out, more important than sadness and so on." Leonardo who heard this sentence coming out of his brother's mouth became increasingly impatient to get to the cafe. It seemed, the man was already excited about Leonathan's heart about his brother's feelings for someone.

Upon their return from the pilgrimage to the tomb of the strongest woman for two brothers of Javanese and American descent, Leonathan and Leonardo return to the cafe Mixture. The two talked again at the very corner of the cafe. Because you do not want to be disturbed from the crowd and away from the sound of music that emanates from the loudspeaker in the middle of the room.

As a result Leonathan took his sister in the corner of the wall, at the very end. Just wanting to sit in front of his sister, the woman who had a round belly suddenly hooked her hand on Leonathan's left arm. The man only turned a glance, then looked at his sister who was observing the two humans before him.

"Aren't you working at another Mixture cafe?"

"Obviously, he comes here as he pleases."

Leonardo lightly asked again, "you have no intention of firing him?" this question made Alice stroke her distended stomach many times and look to the right side where Leonathan shook his head. "I know you worked there for a while, but why come here?" this question was asked of Alice who suddenly pinched the two fried potato sticks that came a few minutes ago on the table and ate them quietly. "Is your job done today?"

"Let it go, I'll just cut his pay" Leonathan interrupted lightly. Grabbing the handle of the cup after opening the lid, then sipping the taste of coffee as short as possible and followed by Leonardo who also drank his own coffee. Releasing Alice's hand that was still holding her arm, then shifting her body a little more to the right, away. "I don't want your feelings for me to get bigger, you know. Be as normal as possible," asked Leonathan who certainly held his emotions as hard as he wanted to be blown up.

"But I don't get away from you easily, Nath. You know, I'm trying to get away from you! But it's my feelings that make me unable to let go of you, Nath."

"I'm not asking you to let go, but put on your mind and your feelings as a woman. If you're feeling, you'll think of me too. I no longer love you, until how many times do I have to remind you of this? We're just friends, just friends. No more and no less, Alice. Realize, my feelings for you are no more."

Leonardo who saw the debate in front of him then broke up, "stop it!" holding Alice's shoulders and the sister's shoulders while staring at the two taking turns. "You are no longer a child, grow up as you grow old."

"A person's feelings can't be lied to," Alice pressed down before putting in some of the fries she had comot with an annoyed expression mixed in sadness. "Until whenever I try, my feelings remain unruly. You think my feeling is a robot whose creator is easily set up?"

"You can still think."

"Easy! Stopit! I'm here to talk, not see you guys fighting." Leonardo stared intently at his brother and turned soft when he glanced at Alice. "I agree, human feelings are hard to manage, but nothing is impossible because your heart, yours. You're the one in control."

Leonathan wakes up and replies to his brother, "heavy talking to him, Nard. Alice won't listen." It then passed by the woman who was sitting while looking up at him. "We're connecting our conversation at home, I have to work so that my brain gets cold again. Relax, Nard. If you have to eat here, just spend as much as you can." Leonathan completely lifted his legs and let Alice and Leonard have a conversation together without him.

That night at Leonathan Hardika's residence, the brothers were still in the living room lying on the carpet. Leonathan focused on observing the design of the cafe he would build outside the city, while his brother had stopped playing online games. He started to open his mouth, "I heard you had a problem."

"Everybody who lives in this world has problems."

"I know, but that's not what I meant." Leonathan remained staring intensely at the phone screen by putting his ears well. "Who are you looking for?"

"Who?"

"What are you looking for, who is the woman you're looking for? I hear you're looking for a love of your heart that's suddenly gone after you've done the satisfaction yourself."

"Shut your mouth" he asked, tightening his jaw. "Who told you about this? Alice?" Leonardo followed the movement of the older brother who was lying down to sit down. "Trude yourself, you don't have to think about my love story."

"So you want me to let my brother be a successful singles?"

Sighing, Leonathan moved. "If I have the heart, my fists have made you lie in the hospital, Nard." Then passed, choosing to cool the throat with ice water. Leonathan goes into the kitchen, leaving his brazen, laughing brother behind him.