Mardinal: The Assassin's Adventure
Chapter 11: Pecel Nek 'Cel

It doesn't feel like it's noon. The sun was rising, clearly visible in the clear blue sky. The air blows very cold to touch the skin. The path on the edge of the river looks very quiet, so long no one passes. On the other side of the road there was also a stretch of green grass swaying in the afternoon breeze.

Two teenage boys walked casually along the path. The one in uniform was a bit of a mess, walking carrying a skateboard while whistling. While the other one is still in neat uniforms, wearing round glasses, and looks quite geeky.

“Waaah! Doesn't feel like school is over,” said the messy young man cheerfully after whistling. “The taste, how. A little less ramenya.”

“You ‘schooler just looking for her anarchist,” circus geeky. “Eh! I heard, the Gamma have done a quick check and repair on the city road where the explosion occurred.”

“Gamma is already there? Gosh, gercep them too. Lucky, I got away.”

Mardin was lucky to be able to quickly leave from there before the Gamma members of the Jaguara Guild came. If they had found Mardin's whereabouts there, maybe he would have been hunted as a dangerous Rogue.

As they walked leisurely, Mardin was excited to find a wheelchair-bound grandmother selling pecels on the side of the trail.

The grandmother was seen sitting quietly in a wheelchair near a tree while looking straight at the beautiful view of the river that sparkles due to the reflection of the sunlight. Above it is an umbrella mounted on the back of a wheelchair, the only tool to protect it from the sun and rain. In his lap there are various types of mixed ingredients for the pecel menu, ranging from vegetables, peanut sauce, to fried-fried.

“Nek ‘Cel! Nek ‘Cel!”

Mardin ran over to the grandmother. Dimas himself only bobbing his head to see the childish behavior of Mardin, then decided to walk after him.

This Dimas friend if you've met pecel, it's nice to ask for forgiveness. Pecel is Mardin's favorite food, especially if the pecel is made by Nek ‘Cel. Therefore, Mardin became a subscription Nek ‘Cel for a long time.

The nickname Nek ‘Cel for this pecel trader is not a real name. No one knows his real name. She just wants to be called Nek ‘Cel or Granny Pecel by her buyers.

“Wah, Nak Mardin..”.

From his wrinkled face, Nek ‘Cel smiled to see his subscription buyers come cheerfully, enthusiastically want to buy and feel his homemade pecel.

“You bought Grandma pecel?” tanya Nek ‘Cel friendly.

“Yes, Grandma!” answer Mardin cheerfully. “I pesen three servings. Two wrapped, one eating here. Want to meet Grandma for a moment, you see.”

“You're a good boy, Nak Mardin. No need to bother accompanying Grandma here. Grandma is used to selling alone.”

Mardin chuckled for a moment. “Heheee. If I go straight back to the cost to be lonely as well. Mending in the day first, relax us. Yes, no?” Then he asked Dimas who was already standing behind him. “You want to too, Dim? I pay, deh.”

“Totally paid in?” tanya Dimas enthusiastically. “Ya, already. I ordered two. One eats here, the other takes home.”

“Yeee…. Turn bought, ngeljaktir buy two,” ledek Mardin slightly advance his lips, pretend annoyed.

“Aelah~ Mumpung temen to payin. Rarely do you want to pay for your own money,” reply Dimas anyway.

“And I give you a treat so you can get Nek ‘Cel here.” Mardin smiled at Nek ‘Cel. “We wait under the tree here yes, Nek.”

“Iya…. Wait for Grandma to make it, yeah. Sorry if it's a bit long.”

Mardin nodded, smiling politely. “Nothing, Grandma. We are also not in a hurry to be pursued by Satpol PP. Adoh!”

Suddenly Dimas hit Mardin's shoulder. “You think we have a raid to be pursued by Satpol PP? Anyway, on our planet there's nothing like that. There are Gamma noh, their role is almost the same as a security officer.”

“Iye, iye. I just want to joke.” Mardin walked up to the tree while stroking his hit shoulder.

“Garing really fragile wooden kayak.”

This hot afternoon, sitting relaxed under a tree accompanied by a gentle breeze makes the atmosphere cool. Especially while eating pecel, it feels more and more nampol.

“Haaah..” Mardin put his skateboard on the side, sitting next to a tree. “Enak yes AC.”

Sitting beside Mardin, Dimas was confused. “Lah? Where there is AC in the open like this.”

“Angin Cepoy-cepoy.”

Dimas stared flatly at Mardin.

Mardin even returned to grin with a big smile showing his teeth kinclong.

Nih, if this tree can be cut down, Dimas slash continues to be beaten directly into Mardin's brain to be sane. Long tired Dimas had mental illness like Mardin like this.

“Mard.”

“Yak?”

Dimas tried to calm down, hold back emotions. “Mending don't joke anymore. I swear, you're so crisp, Mard. It's crisp, stale again. Ampe mules dangdutan ku stomach nahan emotions because of kegaringan lawakmu.”

“If stale ‘kan is not crisp, but so mushy lemes kayak that has more impotent.”

Dimas took a deep breath, then exhaled it. There was a big tree above them.

Come to think of it, it's good to hang yourself because you can't bear the pain of having broken temen.

“Hahahaha Mardin instead did not see Dimas' flat reaction to his nyeleneh nature. “Sorry ‘lah, Dimas. You know myself I like ngaco-ngaco dikit, so.” Then, Mardin switched the topic while pulling out a sprig of grass. “Tomorrow ‘kan holiday, nih. There's a plan, aren't you?”

Dimas even glared asked so. “Don't you want to ask me out tomorrow?”

Without a doubt Mardin was shaking Dimas' head. “Do not think macem-macem ‘lah, cumin coriander. I want to take you on a walk, go around town with Bobby and Cungkring as well. The four of us go, let's say boyband again catwalk. Satisfied?”

“Ahahaha Now it's Dimas' turn to be bad. “Joking only ‘lah, Mard. We ‘mah are still straight.” He also answered Mardin's question earlier, “Tomorrow I want to work early in the workshop. You know yourself ‘kan I again need money for my mother's treatment.”

Mardin nodded in understanding, starting to bite down on a sprig of grass that he pulled out.

As Mardin recalls, Dimas' mother is suffering from brain cancer. Dimas needs more money for medical expenses while meeting daily needs. Dimas' father had died since Dimas was a child as a victim of a monster. Dimas is the backbone of the family.

Because Dimas is a genius, well understood with the science of machinery, then he works in a motorcycle workshop. Not only that, Dimas also opened engine repair services in his garage. Mardin's own skateboard and cleaver were modified from Dimas, while the concept idea remained from Mardin.

That's why they can be best friends. Dimas helped Mardin in modifying his weapon. While Mardin helps Dimas and protects him from school bullying, as well as the dangers of the monsters and Rogue who still roam the city. Mardin also did not forget to pay Dimas modif services with a large fee to help his best friend collect money for his mother.

Both of Mardin's eyes began to stare at the blue sky, daydreaming about something. Come to think of it, Dimas is still lucky to have a mother. He can still be filial and love his mother as much as he can. Unlike Mardin who has no one else in this world.

If only Mardin still had parents, he wanted to be a dutiful child as well.

...~*~*~*~...