The After The Rain
Missing You

Forward half an hour from what they had agreed, Atha was already in front of Kinara's house at exactly half-seven. In his hand were two bouquets of sunflowers that looked radiant, more radiant than the original sun that was still timid to appear.

Fortunately, Kinara was typical of people who always prepared long before their appointment time arrived. Armed with Papa's message that we are better off waiting than making others wait, Kinara always makes sure she is ready when the person who promises to pick her up comes.

"We're on the road now?" ask Kinara while wearing her shoes.

"Yes." Yeah." Answer Atha. She wanted to help Kinara, but because her hands were busy holding the bouquet of flowers, she could finally stand still watching Kinara struggling with her shoes.

"Come on," take Kinara with you when you're done. She immediately snatched the two bouquets of flowers from Atha's hand, carrying them into an embrace like they were her own children.

"Pamit used to be the same Om and Auntie," said Atha as soon as her eyes saw old man Kinara walking towards the door.

Kinara turned her head, then immediately turned around and approached Papa and Mama when the two were already on the doorstep.

"Ma, Pa, Nara same Atha left for college first." Kinara grabbed Mama and Papa's hands in turn, anchored the kiss on the back of their hands then followed by a kiss landed on the cheeks of each parent.

The same thing was done by Atha right after Kinara retreated.

"Jagain Nara, yes." Papa's message after Atha finished kissing hands.

"Ready!" Atha showed a respectful attitude. Making not only Papa, but also Mama and Kinara chuckle at his behavior.

Atha and Kinara walked towards the car parked on the side of the road. As usual, Atha happily opened the door and made sure her lover was sitting safely and comfortably before closing the door and running to the driver's side.

"Seatbelt don't forget." Atha's sweat to Kinara.

All that is warned is to grin the horse before moving his hand to install a seatbelt. Two bouquets of sunflowers were kept on their laps, and their cars began to drive through the still-deserted streets.

There was no chatter along the way, so Atha turned on the radio to drive away the silence.

Either because the universe is supporting her passionate feelings towards the mother, or out there are many who miss their long-dead loved ones, the song So Far Away by Avenged Sevenfold is on the air.

At first, Atha just tapped his index finger on the wheel to the rhythm of the music, but over time his lips began to communicate.

"How do I live without the ones I love? Time still turns the pages of the books it's burned. Place and time always on my mind. I have so much to say but you're so far away."

Kinara listened to how Atha sang the song with great passion. And though no tears fell and the young man even wore a faint smile, Kinara knew that deep down, Atha was really trying to drown out her longing for her.

"A final song, a last request, a perfect chapter laid to rest. Now and then I try to find a place in my mind where you can stay, you can stay away forever."

Every verse that Atha sang really reached Kinara's heart. Describing how much he missed his mother, as well as how the young man tried to keep the figure alive inside his head. Provide a space to stay alive and accompany every step he takes.

"Sleep tight, I'm not afraid. The ones that we love are here with me. Lay away a place for me, 'cause as soon as I'm done, I'll be on my way to live eternally."

Then, when Atha arrived at the last temple that seemed to have its own magical power. Kinara's tears fell. Just one drop, because he immediately rubbed it and tried hard so that no other drops would follow.

Atha developed a smile after her lips clenched back. He clasped Kinara's hand back, brought the smaller hand to the front of his face and then sprinkled a warm kiss that was left idle for almost eight seconds.

Then, when their car finally arrived at the area of the public cemetery complex, Atha clasped her hand before releasing the small hand as they were about to get out of the car.

Atha again grabbed Kinara's hand and they began to walk hand in hand into the tomb area. From the gate, they were already greeted by the sight of hundreds of gravestones. They passed through one block at a time until they finally arrived at the block where Atha's mother was buried. The block is quite far away, at the far left of the cemetery.

They walked the block and it did not take long to arrive at the tomb with a headstone bearing the words Amalia Dewi Bint Abdul Ghani, under which there is a date of birth and the date when the woman died.

Atha led Kinara to crouch down beside him. Before raising her hands to pray, Atha placed the two bouquets of sunflowers she and Kinara brought onto the mound before her.

"Hello, Mommy. Today, Atha came with Kinara. She brought you sunflowers." Atha said while wiping his mother's headstone then landed a kiss on the board.

"I miss you so much, Bun." Reveal Atha. As he had promised himself, today he would not cry.

So, finished greeting Mommy briefly as she usually does when visiting, Atha raised her hands parallel to the chest and began to solemnly chant prayers.

Next to her, Kinara did the same. With a sincere heart, Kinara also prayed for the mother of her lover to always be given spaciousness and God willing to give the best place on His side.

Minutes later, after the prayer was over, Atha and Kinara did not move.

Kinara knew, Atha still wanted to spend more time meeting her mother, so he was not fussy at all and just patiently accompanied Atha sitting without any pedestal even though what the young man did for the following minutes was just silence, looking at the tombstone in front of them as if talking to the occupant of the house only through the eyes.

Kinara had never felt the name of her loss. His Grandpa and Grandma, both from Papa and Mama's side had already died when he hadn't even been born into the world. So when that moment happened, Kinara certainly could not join in celebrating the loss with tears of lamentation as it happened around him.

He did not know what it was like to miss someone whose form he could no longer see and whose figure could no longer be touched. Therefore, he never tried to give Atha any consolation by saying such nonsense things; he was already happy in heaven. From up there, he was looking at you with a fluffy smile. You are only dimensionally separated, the rest of you remain at the same point, so there is no need to be sad. Or the sentences that are intended so that someone does not cry over the departure of those who have died.

Every time Atha says he misses his mother, Kinara would only give what she could give without making it clear that her longing for her mother would only end in vain because as much as she cried, the figure would not come back.

Kinara usually offered a hug, a soft pat on the back or just an ear to listen to the bitter wail of Atha for her deep longing.

But today, for the first time, Kinara wanted to do more. Not a hug. Not a pat on the back. Nor is his awareness of listening. Kinara, today, moved slowly to grab Atha's hand, grasping her tightly like that young man was the most precious thing that should not be lost.

Then, staring at the bead fixedly, he said to Atha. "Crying if you want to cry, Atha. Your feelings are valid. The longing you are craving now you can shed. Nothing, in front of me, you can do anything without being afraid."

Kinara just wanted Atha not to hold back. Because all this time, she found out that Atha never cried when she missed her mother. It was as if the young man was deliberately suppressing his feelings in order not to gush everywhere.

Not being able to meet someone who was missed was sad, so it was only natural that Atha was crying. He did not want the young man to harbor his feelings, which would only end up making those feelings accumulate and then explode one day when his heart could no longer accommodate all the feelings that existed.

Given such a green light, Atha seemed to instantly lose control. He inched towards Kinara, grabbed the small body and hugged her tightly. And in that embrace, she cried so much.

While Kinara, listening to the sobs voluntarily.

seriated