Adoring Manfred  

"Time is like running. It goes by so fast. It doesn't feel like you have been with us for more than six months," Tina said to Yuana.

"Yes, it is. And I'm very happy. You and Tari are very nice to me." Yuana also didn't think she had been enjoying her new life as Flora for half a year.

"Flora, next month's rent runs out. I've been trying to find another place that can fit the three of us, but I haven't found it yet," said Tina. She didn't really want to talk to Yuana first, but time was running out for them to find a place to stay.

"Why are you looking for another place? It's comfortable here. Close to work." Yuana looked at Tina.

"The cost of the contract has gone up. It's pretty big, so I don't have enough savings," said Tina.

"Well, we live here together, don't we? We bear it together ...." Yuana held Tina's shoulder. "I'm helping, huh ...."

"Seriously are you okay? You haven't been working long, Flora ...."

"You have helped me a lot. If I don't meet you that day, I don't know what to do," said Yuana. "The help I gave cannot be compared to what you did to me."

"Thank you very much," said Tina. She looked very relieved.

Yuana smiled. Relieved, at least she could do something for her best friend.

Lestari entered the house. "Five o'clock in the afternoon ... must watch TV, Guys!" she said.

She quickly turned on the TV and sat on the sofa.

"What's going on, anyway?" asked Tina. She watched the show that Lestari chose.

"Just watch it," said Lestari with her eyes fixed on the screen.

"Anything special?" Tina sat on Lestari's right side.

"Flora, come here, you will regret it if you don't watch it," said Lestari. She patted her left side.

Yuan was obedient. She sat to the left of Lestari.

On the screen was shown a video clip. Raindrops among the flowers, then move to the terrace of a house. A man was sitting there with his guitar.

"Manfred ...." said Yuana, very slowly.

Her eyes were fixed on the TV screen.

"You're getting more handsome, Fred ... Really. I love you more ... more miss you, Manfred ...." Yuana's heart thrashed. She felt like she wanted to scream as loud as she could.

Yuana didn't blink staring at the TV. She let go of longing by looking at Manfred in the video clip.

"Hm ... dumbfounded again," said Lestari. She turned to Yuana who was not blinking at the TV screen with a serious look.

"Shh ... calm down." Tina also enjoyed the video.

The guest star of the Meet You talk show that time was Mardhika Band. The band members who come from one campus tell the origin of the band being formed. How they finally become known and even entered the recording studio. They continued to soar and were loved by today's young generation. Each of them told a story cheerfully and casually.

"Well, viewers, we are at the end of the event. May we know, the message of these handsome young men, for the viewers, for the fans, please ...." said the host of the event with a big smile.

One by one the band members said the message. They expressed hope for the future, and thanked to all the supporters. Manfred got the last turn.

"To all, keep the spirit. Face life with sure we can. Thank you for the support and attention. Last but not least, for Yuana, I hope you see this event. Wherever you are, I really miss you ... hope I can meet you soon."

Yuana hugged his chest. Manfred said her name. On the TV screen, Manfred expressed his longing for her. He wanted to see Yuana soon. Tears were already at the corner of Yuana's eyes. She quickly rubbed her eyes. She didn't want Tina and Lestari to see her cry.

"Oh, my God ... how long will it continue like this?" Lestari embraced Yuana. "Every time you see Manfred you just want to cry."

Yuana tried to smile. "Glad to see him. He's a nice guy."

"Hey, you know him?" asked Tina suddenly, watching Yuana's face. It was undeniable, Mardhika Band comes from Malang. The same city where Yuana and Tina came from.

"Ehh ... I ... read about him." Yuana was a bit confused to answer. She had to find an excuse immediately. Tina looked at Yuana with a slightly strange look. There was a question in Tina's heart because of Yuana's attitude.

"Yuana must be his girlfriend, yes ... Manfred said that name. She must be a beautiful one. Manfred is so handsome, so ...." said Lestari.

"Yes, of course. A person as cool as Manfred must be accompanied by a beautiful one," said Tina, glancing at Yuana. She wanted to see Yuana's reaction.

Yuana just smiled a little.

"Flora, if you met Manfred, what would you say to him?" asked Lestari. She tilted her position to face Yuana.

"I'd say ... proud of him, he's great ... handsome ...." Manfred's smiling face seemed to be right in front of Yuana's eyes.

"Is that so?" Lestari raised her eyebrows.

"What are you talking about?" Yuana looked at Lestari.

"Manfred, I miss you ... I love you ... I don't want to be separated from you ... But I'm ashamed to have done something stupid, I don't dare to meet ...." That was what Yuana said, in her heart.

"You think his voice is good truly, don't you?" said Tina.

"Yes, sure," said Yuana. Manfred's soft voice was very close to Yuana's ears, often appearing in Yuana's thoughts. His laughter and jokes made Yuana miss him even more.

"Are you sure? As if you've heard directly," said Lestari.

"Hee ... he …." Yuana smiled widely. "If it's not good, it's not going to be popular ... where will people ask him to sing everywhere?"

Again, Tina looked at Yuana. Tina felt that there was something Yuana was keeping. Only Tina didn't dare guess what it was. Could it have something to do with Manfred?

"Let's eat, let's ... it's over. Hungry," Tina asked.

The three girls went into the kitchen. They eat together. This was the fate of the overseas children. It was hard to share it together. Others were like sisters.

*****

Yuana was serving a mother who was buying clothes for her seven-year-old son. It came a foreign tourist with his son. He picked out clothes for her son.

The foreign tourist spoke to one of the waiters, but the waiter looked confused. Finished serving the mother earlier, Yuana quickly approached the tourist and the waiter.

"Excuse me. May I help you?" said Yuana.

"Do you speak English?" The tourist turned to Yuana.

"Just a little." Yuana smiled.

"I wanna take this T-Shirt, my son likes it, don't you, Chris?" The tourist asked his son.

"Yes, Dad. It is cute," replied his son.

"Okay, sir," said Yuana.

"But, is it any other colors with the same design?"

"Oo, let me see. Just wait a minute, sir." Yuana talked to the maid who served earlier. She asked if there was another color of the shirt with the same picture.

The maid quickly searched and picked up three different colors. She gave them to Yuana.

"Here they are, sir. Which color do you like?" Yuana showed a t-shirt in yellow, green and black.

"Dad, how if I take all of them?" asked his son.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Don't you think they are too much?" The father looked at his son.

"No. I wanna show them to mommy." The boy answered quickly with confidence.

"Alright. It's okay, Son." The tourist turned to Yuana. "All of them."

"Alright, sir. Thank you." Yuana accepted them. She smiled kindly. She gave them to her friend to take them to the cashier.

Yuana returned to the children's shoes section.

"Wow, your English is fine." Someone suddenly stood next to Yuana.