3E

by Hendry Koeinata

3E - three brothers with three different personalities... 3E - three different life-principles and perspectives... 3E - three different plots at the beginning, but later on, they're connected one another... And there comes a Silver God from the nature heaven of gods to the human world for to regain something which he's lost...

THOSE WHO CAME OUT IN THE STORY (part 1):

1. Erick Vildy Makmur… tall, white-skin, with his good-looking face becoming the idol of young women, quite emotional and sensitive, being easy to get angry, being easy to get sympathy and sensible towards others and his surroundings.

2. Melisa Rayadi… a young woman with an average height, with her strong as well as robust personality when she was dealing with her love and the man she loved.

3. Erwie Vincent Makmur… tall, white-skin, again with his good-looking handsome face becoming the target of young women, but slightly quiet, cool, and calm, with his hoarse sexy voice, categorized into the most romantic man when he was dealing with love and feelings.

4. Julia Dewi Sofia Luvin… the characteristics of a wealthy and rich princess, but keen on cooking, full of considerations and calculations about everything she did.

5. Erdie Vio Makmur… again, tall, white-skin, with his cute and handsome face becoming the aim of young women, keen on talking and negotiation, slightly extrovert, full of enthusiasm and optimism, as well as high confidence.

6. Sabrina Marcelina Tiogana… a young woman with her medium height, also slightly extrovert, open-minded, always being straightforward and frank about everything she felt.

7. Faiz Makmur… concluding that his business opponent had been using dark magic in achieving his success.

8. Florencia Quincy Makmur… a mother who did not understand what actually had happened to her three sons.

9. Samuel Luvin… not believing in everything related with superstitions.

10. Isabella Huang Luvin… also being interested in listening to her future son-in-law's adolescence stories.

11. Aldo Morales… whose working period is very short.

12. Li Ming Neng… an overseas man working in US, still being lack of understanding about friendship and socialization.

13. Stella Kuangdinata… thinking that she had obtained the three princes as well as the whole world.

14. Quiddie Smith… reckoning that she had not known her colleague well in spite of two-year teaching in the same university.

15. Yolanda Velasquez… being not able to accept her lecturer's harsh words and blunt criticism.

16. Joseph Brown… being not able to accept being dictated very rudely by one of his subordinates.

17. Master Ce Hui… a young Buddhist nun, famous with her predictions which were 80% true.

18. Alejandro de Santino… the characteristics of a rich and prosperous prince, always using his dad's power to solve all his problems.

19. Ana Simanjuntak… being asked to make a cup of warm sweet tea.

20. Iwan Agustan Sembiring… being astonished with his trainer's past stories.

21. Siska Jessica Angkasa… not being able to believe what she saw about her trainer's queer and mysterious supernatural power.

22. Rendy Ibrahim… being very sure that his team could win the tournament.

23. Subur Kapoor… a player of the lion's head, being afraid of height.

24. Paul Johnson… a genuine Australian young lad, mastering what had been taught by his trainer only in one month.

25. Ahmad Sentosa… always liked gossiping others' bad words behind their backs.

26. Qenny Winston Lee… an entertainment manager who thought his protégé was too kind.

27. Hasan Alex Winarta… a middle-aged businessman who only cared about his own profit and safety.

28. James Huang… wishing to achieve his parents' dream buying a new apartment.

29. Ben Carter… losing his beloved mom when he was still little.

30. Gilbert Yuwin… thinking that don't ever lock a door and throw away the key as we would still come back again someday later.

31. Black Stone Demon… whose ambition and obsession started this story.

32. Ruby Goddess… who was in charge of taking care of the three lucky stars well.

33. Silver God… going to the human world for his quintessential mission.

34. Super God… knowing everything merely by counting them with his fingers.

Suddenly I feel that the hope will vanish…

Suddenly I feel that all expectance will disappear… Waiting lies no more meanings… All laughter will turn to tears…

Suddenly I want to turn this body away, going back to the past, going back to when I didn't understand the difficulty of an adult's life, going back to when there were only a few of children's bedtime fables which have now been forgotten, going back to when there was limitless dream as well as imagination, going back to when I was still looking at the future with optimism.

Suddenly I feel that this life has no more meanings… Suddenly I begin to understand nothing… All the dreams and imaginations from the past turn to perplexing questions. Where should I go? For what do I live? For what do we live when we are bound to die someday later on? Is the death the final answer to all these perplexing questions? Do I have to die first in order to figure out why I was born? If there were a Creator, knowing everything in the universe, I think this small and small question of mine will not be a burden for Him, will it?

Chapter 1

Sydney, 10th July 2018

The summer seemed to pass bit by bit. A puff of the autumn wind began to blow through the whole town. More and more people seemed to wear coats and caps when they were going outdoor. In spite of this, Sydney still looked crowded with all its inhabitants' going to schools, offices, and starting their own businesses activities. All public vehicles were packed and congested with students going to schools, young adults going to college, adults going to work places. Occasionally, there were some bicycles and private cars going to and fro the main road of the city.

Erick Vildy once in a while sipped his hot milk that morning. He looked at his watch for a while. It was still eight o'clock in the morning. His class would begin at ten. Sitting in the middle of the university cafeteria and facing to the main road in front, was an enjoyment for Erick Vildy during this two-year teaching period in this university.

"You don't have a class today, do you?" there was a woman's voice behind him.

Erick Vildy did not turn back. He smiled for a moment because he had known whose voice that was.

"Not now… Ten o'clock later on… I get an academic writing class. You? Why aren't you in the class? You can still be relaxed here, can't you?" asked Erick Vildy staring at the woman standing in front of him at the moment.

Knowing Melisa Rayadi since they were kids, definitely Erick Vildy had known this woman well. He had completely memorized this woman's behavior, personalities, movements, and even all her thoughts and opinions. From Melisa Rayadi's behavior at the moment, Erick Vildy could at least guess there had to be something coming up, and of course that problem had a connection with him.

Melisa Rayadi did not reply anything. She got a difficulty in finding a perfect way how to explain the problem to Erick Vildy. She wanted Erick Vildy to be responsive towards this matter, but simultaneously she also wanted this matter not to trigger Erick Vildy's anger. Giving up the war inside her own mind, she finally landed herself onto a chair in front of Erick Vildy.

"What's going on? There must be something awful, isn't it?" Erick Vildy began to frown his forehead.

Melisa Rayadi could merely nodded her head.

"And that something bad must be connected with me, isn't it?" Erick Vildy asked again. "What on earth is happening?" Erick Vildy asked again when he did not get the response he wanted from his conversation partner.

Melisa Rayadi sighed for a while. Erick Vildy ordered another cup of drink inasmuch as his hot milk had been finished.

"The girl whom you scolded yesterday is coming today with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend doesn't accept your scolding his girlfriend. They're now in the dean's office. The dean asked me to call you upon to his office. The dean and the girl's boyfriend are seemingly expecting a kind of explanation from you, Rick," Melisa Rayadi finished her short narration anxiously.

"The girl whom I scolded yesterday? Is she the Yolanda Velasquez coming from Spain, isn't she?" a pair of Erick Vildy's eyebrows began to rise up a little bit.

"Indeed..." said Melisa a little bit agitatedly. It was obvious that Erick Vildy began to be furious. "That's why I told you, Rick… We're now teaching in Australia, in an international university, and in an international class as well, so we'll be meeting a lot of foreign students coming from everywhere, not only from Australia and Indonesia. I even think the students from Indonesia will rebel against you if you scold her rudely like what you did to Yolanda yesterday. Moreover, this Yolanda is from Spain, and perhaps since she was a kid, she has never been treated badly like that, Rick."

Erick Vildy's lost his temper at the moment. Melisa Rayadi sighed again at her seat. She had known Erick Vildy very well since they were kids. Although he was now a lecturer and was teaching in an international lecturing, his real bits and pieces had not changed. Sometimes when he was cool and calm, he could turn into a brilliant man with lots of fantastic ideas. Nevertheless, when he was losing his temper, he could turn into a temperament and emotional guy. All his words and movements would be very rude, harsh, and unpredictable. That was what Melisa did not want to occur today.

"She can't master anything! I'd been explaining again and again and yet, her academic writing was still out of order. Her tenses and basic grammar usages were still erroneous! When talking about the coherence between the topic and her essay, it was even worse! If you were me, I think you would've been scolding her even ruder and louder. There are 50 students in that class. Ten students are not able, and I even think that they're not suitable majoring English literature. One of the ten students is her! The other nine did not really care about my words. They even promised to study harder for their English ability as well as understanding. I can't really figure out what her objection really is!" Erick Vildy's eyes seemed to burn with anger.

"So, what did you say to them when you figured out that they couldn't really master your lesson?" Melisa asked again.

"Yeah, I said to them forthrightly. Actually, they aren't suitable majoring English literature. I wonder why they can be accepted in the major, moreover in a prestigious university like this! If they don't want to catch up their lateness with the others starting from this semester, I asserted them to get ready for another major!"

Melisa put both of her hands in front of her mouth. Her eyes were a little bit bigger, keeping staring at Erick Vildy who was standing in front of her.

"Gosh, Rick! I indeed know that your English is excellent and you can even pass this university's teaching entrance examination. Yet, you must again and again remind yourself, Rick. She doesn't come from Indonesia, not from any Asian countries – same like us! She comes from Europe, from Spain, Rick…! The culture there, and the way the parents educate their offspring are totally different from our customs! Look! Her boyfriend is coming for an explanation!"

"I don't think I need to explain anything! That isn't my fault! It's her own mind which can't grab what I've taught!"

"The dean is waiting for you in his office, Rick. I think you still have to prepare a rational explanation. Her boyfriend thinks that your words are too rude, not educating at all, and even felling her mental down. You must still explain your reason behind those anger and words, Rick," Melisa kept being unshakable with her opinion.

Erick Vildy closed his eyes for a moment. He clenched a fist with lots of anger.

"I detest the most being asked to apologize for an error which isn't actually mine!"

"Like your problem with Erwie and Erdie in the past time, isn't it?" Melisa asked again while squinting her eyes.

"Don't ever talk about those two persons again, won't you!" Erick Vildy's voice tone rose up three octaves higher. He seemed to shout rather than speak.

Erick Vildy pushed his chair to the back. He gulped the rest of his hot coffee rudely. He took his wide steps leaving the campus cafeteria. Melisa Rayadi followed him. Realizing that he was being traced, he stopped his steps and turned back for a moment.

"Why are you following me?"

"Of course I'm following you to the dean's office, so that you can't do something you'll regret someday later," Melisa uttered briefly.

Erick Vildy snuffled for a moment. He turned front again and continued his steps to the dean's office. It was actually a really bad morning for him.

Mr. Joseph Brown let Erick Vildy sit on one of the chairs in his office. Melisa Rayadi did not enter. She was solely standing by the door outside and she overheard the conversation inside the office from the little space of the unclosed door intentionally done by Erick Vildy when he entered the room the moment before.

"Yolanda Velasquez is one of your students, isn't she?" asked Mr. Joseph Brown trying to select the appropriate words.

"Yeah, that's right… What's the matter, Mr. Joseph?" asked Erick Vildy as though he had been a knight being ready to go to the front zone.

"Let me introduce him for a moment. This is Alejandro de Santino, Yolanda Velasquez's boyfriend. I hear that you scolded Yolanda only because she didn't really master the lessons that you were teaching. Is that right, Mr. Erick Vildy?" asked Mr. Joseph Brown.

Alejandro de Santino forwarded his body a few centimeters, "I think… I think… I think your attitude is less appropriate. Yeah, first when Yolanda enrolled herself in this English literature department, her parents in Madrid there didn't really agree, either. I didn't really agree, either. I think this lady is more suitable majoring fashion designing, rather than English literature. Nevertheless, inasmuch as Yolanda is so keen on this department and in the future, she'd like to be novelist or a scriptwriter, I hope that you are also like me and her both parents, that you can encourage her, not to ruin her mental and spirit instead."

Erick Vildy raised up his hand for a while.

"Can I know from what side you can conclude that I've ruined her mental and spirit?"

Yolanda kept pulling her boyfriend's sleeve.

"Please stop it, Alejandro. I've told you we won't get anything from this useless conversation…" said Yolanda to her boyfriend.

Yolanda had known her lecturer's character as well as personality. If her lecturer was forced deeper and more severe, his defense and strength would become higher and higher as well. She started to regret her own decision letting her boyfriend meet her lecturer this morning. She had got a kind of instinct that this morning could turn into an awful morning for her.

"Of course by scolding her rudely, you have ruined her mental and spirit, Mr. Erick Vildy. Moreover, you also said that Yolanda wasn't suitable at all in this English literature department and suppose in this semester, Yolanda didn't want to catch up with her other peers, she would have to consider majoring other departments. I think… I think… I think that character doesn't reflect a lecturer. That attitude of yours is like a judge who wants to ruin the suspect's mental and spirit before sentencing your verdict to him. I'm sorry for being very impolite. However, I think even though you're a lecturer, you're still a human. Any human in the world still requires what is so-called self-introspection."

"When I'm done with my self-introspection, I still can't see where my mistake is, so that you can come to me early in this morning and confront this matter to me. I didn't give any corporal punishment to her at all. I solely reprimanded her. Perhaps I lost my control to my words a little bit, inasmuch as this is already her third semester, and meanwhile she still can't master some of the basic tenses-usage and English grammar. Do you think that your girlfriend is appropriate for majoring English literature?"

Alejandro de Santino was seen squinting his eyes for a while, trying to hold his horses.

"I merely gave her some firm reprimand. There are still many other departments. If you think you yourself aren't really suitable in one particular department, why should you force yourself like that? If you can't even get this firm reprimand as your morale booster for your better change in the future, I don't think your girlfriend can maintain her existence anywhere in the world, Mr. Alejandro."

Suddenly, Alejandro de Santino beat the table in front of him. Mr. Joseph Brown was shocked. The middle-aged man tried to fix the position of his spectacles. Melisa Rayadi standing outside was also astonished. It was only Erick Vildy sitting still at his place.

"The one you're teaching is my girlfriend, my future wife, Mr. Erick Vildy! I think you must take care of the way you're talking!" the firm and low voice had started here.

"Being a lecturer, I've taught my best to Yolanda. If that best attitude of mine is misinterpreted, I don't have any other option, either," said Erick Vildy trying to hold his anger and emotion.

"I hope that you can maintain the justice here and speak up a satisfactory explanation to Yolanda, my girlfriend, Mr. Joseph," shouted Alejandro de Santino towards Mr. Joseph Brown. "Or else, Yolanda will move to another university."

"Calm down… Calm down… Calm down, Mr. Alejandro. I will talk over this matter with Mr. Erick Vildy. I think you can come back again tomorrow and I'll try my best settling this problem. Can you…?" Mr. Joseph Brown seemed a little bit afraid of Alejandro de Santino's anger.

"Yeah… It's indeed like that," said Alejandro de Santino with his sharp eyes. Yet, Erick Vildy kept staring at him without any doubt and hesitation.

Alejandro de Santino held his girlfriend's hand. Both of them passed by that office. Those were Mr. Joseph Brown and Erick Vildy left in the room.

"Can't you be a little bit more gentle and polite, Mr. Erick Vildy? Your attitude doesn't reflect a lecturer's character at all. I wonder a little bit why the human resource department can accept you here and why you can teach here for almost two years," said Mr. Joseph Brown with his freezing stare.

Melisa Rayadi realized that Erick Vildy would soon lose his job in the university. Yet, she knew that Mr. Joseph Brown was a firm boss, and all his words and orders were undebatable. She wasn't brave enough to step into the dean's office and defense her childhood friend coming from the same country and city. She was merely standing still outside the room with her panic which became the order of the day.

"Why are you afraid of those students and their guardians?" asked Erick Vildy directly to the point.

"You… You… You even dare to question my leadership and management system here, don't you, Mr. Erick Vildy? You're nobody here! You have no rights at all interfering to my management system! Please keep that noted!" shouted Mr. Joseph Brown at that moment.

Erick Vildy kept staring Mr. Joseph Brown in front of him, as though he was waiting for that middle-aged man to finish all his arguments and ideas.

"You must know, Alejandro de Santino's father is one of the biggest shareholders in this university. If it isn't the share from his father, this university won't turn to one of the prestigious private-sector university in this city. You must keep that noted and you must realize whom you're dealing with! You can't do whatever you like! Suppose Alejandro de Santino's father were here, you…"

Erick Vildy interrupted Mr. Joseph Brown's long unfinished narration.

"Suppose he were here, he wouldn't be like you, like his crazy son who keep talking about the illogical things! Are you clear, Mr. Joseph Brown?" Erick Vildy raised up his tone and intonation.

Erick Vildy had run out of his patience. Melisa Rayadi was right indeed. He definitely could not be a patient man, as patient as a tortoise, in a condition he had to say sorry about the mistakes which he surely did not do.

"You… You…" Mr. Joseph Brown's mouth kept opening widely, being shocked with the real Erick Vildy's character in front of him.

"Listen, Mr. Joseph Brown! I'm genuinely working in education, not in business. I can't be like you, being a hypocrite, and turning the truth and the lie upside down each other, only because of the position and the money you gain! It was obvious I merely reprimanded Yolanda Velasquez; I absolutely didn't give her any kind of corporal punishment! Because of his pride and prestige, Alejandro de Santino would want to use his power and position to tread onto me so that I can apologize for something which is truly not my fault! One question, Mr. Joseph Brown… Are you using your brain?"

Surely, Mr. Joseph Brown could not hold his horses anymore, "Out of my room, Mr. Erick Vildy! Get out of my room right now!"

Joseph Brown's loud screaming was heard from his office. Melisa Rayadi covered her ears with both of her hands.

"Without your asking me, I want to step out from this office as well, Mr. Joseph Brown! I'm not teaching here anymore! You can search the other lecturers, together all of you can lick those rich and wealthy students' butts!"

Erick Vildy went out from the dean's office directly, leaving the dean alone with his widely-opened mouth. Melisa Rayadi tried to go after her mate coming from the same country and the same city.

"Rick! Rick! Hold on! You want to quit and that's all?"

"Yes! I can't stand with all these hypocrisy and politics dramas! Not in Medan, not in Sydney, all the people are just the same! It's disgusting, isn't it?"

"So, what are you planning at the moment?"

"Of course I will search another university or another school, Dear Melisa… I don't want to end up in vain here and return to Medan solely for being laughed by others, especially by those two! It's impossible, isn't it?" Erick Vildy said in low and angry tone.

"You obviously know that it isn't the places which are wrong; it is the people who get something wrong here. Medan isn't wrong; Sydney isn't wrong, either. Yet, it's the people who are wrong, Rick…" said Melisa.

"Yeah, I've got it now… Wherever I go, it's just the same… It's the people who make the place comfortable or not, not the place itself. Yet, I will remain here. I won't return before I achieve my goals. I won't return only for being laughed by others, especially those two! Never!" said Erick Vildy clenching his fist.

Melisa Rayadi was shocked a little bit. She stared at Erick Vildy with a sad look. She grabbed what Erick Vildy actually meant by his latest sentence.

"Almost five years…" said Melisa Rayadi in her gazing look, "almost five years, and you haven't even forgot that girl, Rick… You haven't taken her out of your mind…"

"Of course I'll always remember… I'll always remember all our times and memories in the past, remember the love we shared. I'll always remember those all, Mel, even though she doesn't live in the world anymore…"

Erick Vildy walked away. Melisa Rayadi followed the man's leaving with her sparkling eyes. Tears began to roll down from her eyes.

The night had come to Sydney. Sydney was still active during the late evening because it was the busy harbor city. There were many big and small ships leaving and heading the port.

In the city center, there were many cafes and shopping centers packed with many visitors from various countries. The workers working here were mostly hired from Asian countries, not from Australia itself.

Melisa Rayadi was seen enjoying her ice cream in one of the cafes particularly selling ice creams. She was seen licking her mint and chocolate ice creams. Her other friend, was also seen enjoying her dark chocolate ice cream.

"So, finally Erick has quit from work this morning and doesn't teach at the same university with us anymore?" Quiddie Smith asked while looking at her conversation partner with lots of curiosity.

"It seems so," replied Melisa Rayadi briefly.

Melisa Rayadi turned to Quiddie Smith again. She was doubtful whether to talk about her problems with this friend of hers or not. Yet, inasmuch as Quiddie was indeed a crossbreed between an Australian and a Chinese, of course she could at least understand the eastern people's problems which were interpreted into western people's culture.

"What's going on?" Quiddie Smith smiled for a while. "Honestly, Mel… Knowing you for these two recent years in the university, I think I haven't known you enough. Am I right?"

"Knowing me from what?" Melisa Rayadi also smiled.

"For instance… What are you from Erick Vildy's point of view?" Quiddie Smith went directly to the point. She thought Melisa Rayadi who suddenly asked her out tonight, must have got some problems to be shared. Melisa Rayadi must not have known with whom to be shared again about her problems.

Melisa Rayadi sighed for a while. "We've been friends since we were kids. Going to school and even to the campus together… When we graduated from our bachelor degree five years ago, he decided to work here in Australia. I followed him here. And, two years ago, one of his dad's acquaintance here recommended us teach in one of the private-sector universities. So, here we are as you see us today."

"Oh, so you both teach in the university due to an acquaintance?" Quiddie Smith had got it clear at the moment. "That's why I've been wondering… You're just 26 and 25, but you can already be lecturers and teaching the bachelor degree."

"Of course… It's impossible the bachelor degree graduations are allowed to teach the bachelor degree itself. We first worked in an Asian restaurant in the suburb. The boss was a Korean. Later on, we met Erick's dad's business acquaintance there, and he recommended us our current job. However, now he's lost that job. I don't know what to do anymore. If his dad and mom call me from Indonesia later on, I don't know what to say to them."

"You love him, don't you?" Quiddie Smith asked frankly.

"Oh gosh, Quid! How easy for you to say that word! Frankly, many years have passed by, and even until now, I don't have any courage to express that word to him," Melisa sighed for a while again.

"You easterners are rather weird…" Quiddie shook her head. "If you really like him, just say it. Why do you have to keep it in your heart? This life is short. Later on, don't regret that you haven't expressed your feeling to Erick Vildy. Right?"

Melisa Rayadi smiled sadly. "Since we were in the senior high school, he loves another girl, Quid. Even until now… How do you think I can have my chance to express this feeling of mine to him?"

Quiddie Smith looked at her conversation partner without saying any word. She understood that Melisa's position these years must have been very hard. If she were Melisa, she would have turned to another love. It was obvious she would not have been able to remain in an empty hope and imaginative dream for quite a long time. This time, it was Quiddie Smith sighing her breath. Is this what's so-called love, the real and real agape love? She obviously knows that the man she's been expecting loves another woman, doesn't turn to her at all, and she's still supporting and helping the man wherever he goes. Wow… Fantastic…!

Again, Melisa's mind returned to the past…

Medan, 21st September 2012

Melisa Rayadi was holding a box of cake in the medium size. She was hiding behind the drums, behind the dragons and lions which were kept in Erick Vildy's dad's dragon and lion dances studio building. She knew Erick Vildy was still settling some administrative matters and he would go home the latest among all the studio members. It seemed that the man started to go down the stairs from the third to the second floor. Melisa Rayadi had known Erick Vildy's figure so well since she was a kid that she could recognize the way he walked and even his footsteps on the floor.

Once Melisa was sure that Erick Vildy had reached the second floor, the candles on the cake were lit up. Yet, once she would bring the cake out from her hidden place, she heard other footsteps, also approaching where Erick Vildy was standing.

"You haven't gone home, have you, Stel?" asked Erick Vildy a little bit astonished.

Stella Kuangdinata approached Erick Vildy as well. From her back, she also took out a box of cake – but with the smaller size – together with some burning candles on it.

"Happy birthday… Happy birthday… Happy birthday to you…" the happy birthday song sung by Stella Kuangdinata was heard. All Melisa's hope and her background world smashed into pieces. Melisa Rayadi, hiding behind the dragons and the lions, started to sob bitterly.

"Happy birthday, Rick… May all your dreams come true… May you be always healthy and happy…" Stella Kuangdinata grinned a little bit.

"Thanks very much…" said Erick Vildy putting his lips onto his princess' forehead. "Besides Erwie and Erdie, you're another one remembering my birthday. Thanks, Dear…"

"Of course… One year being together, it's obviously impossible I can forget your birthday…" said Stella a little bit sheepishly. "I've prepared a little celebration for you tonight, Rick… Just go to Sun Plaza, shall we?"

"Okay… Okay… How about also inviting Erwie and Erdie to go together with us? They can be said as my brothers already. Moreover, one year dating with you, I haven't introduced you to them. Tonight in my birthday occasion, I'll introduce you to them. How is it…?"

Stella Kuangdinata looked blushful again. She turned her body and now Erick Vildy was standing behind her.

"I… I… I want to celebrate your birthday, only with you, Rick… Not with anybody else… I know tomorrow you still have a lot of time for your birthday celebration with them. Yet, at least… tonight give your time only for me… Can you…?"

At last, Erick Vildy nodded his head.

"Okay… Okay… My pleasure… Wait for me in the car for a while, Stel… I settle these first, and afterwards, we go to Sun Plaza… Okay…?" said Erick Vildy pointing to some dragon and lion dances musical instruments which were still on the floor.

"It's already seven o'clock… Don't let me wait for so long, Dear…" said Stella touching her lovely prince's chin for a while before finally walking away from the room.

It was Erick Vildy alone in the room. When he was collecting the dragon and lion dances musical instruments from the floor, suddenly he heard a soft cry. He stopped for a moment. It was obvious the soft cry derived from the same room. He tried to concentrate again to detect where the soft cry sound was coming from. Finally he realized it, the soft cry came from behind the dragons and lions being packed at the corner of the room. Erick Vildy went straight to the corner. He put some lions and dragons aside. He was startled spotting Melisa's existence there, sobbing bitterly with her tears rolling down from her eyes like a waterfall.

Melisa Rayadi was also shocked inasmuch as her existence there had been figured out by Erick Vildy. She quickly wiped and dried her eyes. However, when she stood up, of course Erick Vildy could know that the girl had just been crying. Erick Vildy looked at a drum beside Melisa. He saw a cake on the drum with some little burnt-until-half candles.

"What are you doing here, Mel? Haven't gone home yet, have you?" Erick Vildy did not know what to say to neutralize the stiffness between them.

"It's alright… I'm settling these dragon dance musical instruments. I'll go home shortly afterwards. You can go home first. It's been seven o'clock. You're being waited in the car," said Melisa as calmly and coolly as possible. Perhaps she did not realize that her voice was quavering.

Realizing he had spoken up the wrong words, Erick Vildy patted his forehead.

"Thanks very much, Mel…" Erick Vildy finally said something after being quiet for five seconds. "Thanks for remembering my birthday. I… I… want to celebrate this year's birthday with you as well, but… but… but…"

This time, Melisa Rayadi turned her body, trying to give her most beautiful smile, her most relaxing smile.

"It's alright, Rick… I understand you… You can go home first. I will lock the gate later," said Melisa giving her cake to Erick Vildy, "Sorry… You came so long. Only until the candles burnt until the middle, did you come here. Happy birthday, Rick… May your dreams and goals quickly come true."

Melisa Rayadi spoke up those words with a little bit grinning on her face.

Erick Vildy took the cake with lots of guilty conscience, with a little bit of grief mood mixed with lots of happiness and dilemmatic confusion in his mind.

"Thanks very much, Mel… Thanks very much as you've remembered my birthday," said Erick Vildy accepting the cake.

Melisa Rayadi replied the man's latest sentence with a smile – and actually a rather sad and grief smile. She turned her body again and now Erick Vildy was standing behind her. She pretended to settle the dragon and lion dances musical instruments on the drum. Unintentionally, her tears rolled down again to the drum in front of her.

The reflection of the tears from the light was caught by Erick Vildy's sharp and cautious eyes. He could not say or do anything. Stella was waiting for him in the car. He could merely turn his body away, leaving Melisa Rayadi – his childhood friend – in her falling to the endless cliff of sadness and disappointment.

"Whose cake is that?" asked Stella a little bit kidding when she saw Erick Vildy coming out holding a cake in his arms.

"From my mom of course…" said Erick Vildy trying to hide his grief and sorrow in his grinning face. "Okay… Let's head for Sun Plaza…"

Shortly afterwards, the car was heard leave the yard of the studio building.

Melisa returned to the real world.

"That happened during his 20th birthday. He met that girl during a national Indonesian dragon dance tournament in Batam. That girl only requires one year of time to make Erick not be able to forget her until now. But I… I…" Melisa's eyes began to be sparkling due to her tears, "I have spent more than ten years, and until this moment, I haven't achieved the love I've been expecting for so long."

"But he accepted your cake at that time, didn't he?" asked Quiddie sorrowfully.

"Yeah, but in his mind until now is Stella, not me, Quid… No matter how hard I try and struggle, he never turns to me although only once, Quid. What is inside his heart and mind is only Stella, Stella, and Stella…" said Melisa Rayadi standing up directly from her seat.

"Okay then… You must be bored listening to my love failure story. I'm done with my ice cream. You've done with your ice cream, haven't you? Let's go back…" said Melisa Rayadi heading towards the cashier table and doing some payment.

Quiddie Smith was silent afterwards. Inasmuch as Melisa Rayadi was seen wanting to go back already, she decided not to ask anything more again. There is a lot of chance later on, she thought in her heart.

Chapter 2

Sydney China Town, 14th July 2018

Iwan Agustan Sembiring lifted up his partner's body. He managed to raise up his partner's body onto his head. The lion drum, cymbals, and gong began to play the delightful music, becoming faster and faster. The lion on the poles started to dance to the right and to the left.

Subur Kapoor playing the lion's head was now standing on Iwan's head, his partner in the lion dance. He looked down for a while. Subur Kapoor, an Indian teenager, who was also afraid of height, started to tremble for a while when he realized the height of the pole was more than one and a half meters.

Erick Vildy paying attention to the lion dance practice from below, could catch up Subur's trembling eyes.

"Don't look down, Subur! Look forward! Concentrate on what's in front of you! Not what's below you!" Erick Vildy spoke a little bit louder so that his voice could be heard among the sounds of the drum, cymbals and gong which were indeed loud.

Subur tried hard to concentrate to the front. Slowly, his shaking body started to fade away.

"Look in front, Bur!" said Iwan under him, "Now go down and we go to the next scenario, shall we?"

"Hah? Next scenario? What's that?" Subur began to be panicked. He forgot the next scenario. Perhaps, the shaking feeling before influenced more or less of his memory.

Iwan Agustan thought that his partner had been ready. He put down Subur Kapoor's body directly to the two poles in front of him. Next, the lion moved two steps forward. Shortly afterwards, the delightful background music were played again.

"Rise up again, Bur…" said Iwan Agustan lifting up Subur's body again.

Nevertheless, Subur had not been ready yet at the moment. He got astonished at once when his body was lifted up to the air. When Iwan Agustan put him down to the poles again, his feet had not been stable and he did not know which pole he would step on. Consequently, his body and the lion's head struck to the wooden fence at the end of the poles. Subur Kapoor's whole body fell off the wooden fence. The lions' body still tied to Iwan Agustan's body was also pulled to the end of the poles and at once his body hit the concrete fence under the wooden fence just now. Iwan Agustan's body was stuck at the concrete fence. The lion's head and body were also stuck at the concrete fence. As a consequence, Subur Kapoor's body was hanged by the edge of the high building which was their practice base.

"Help…! Help me…!" Subur's screaming was heard.

Everybody was panicked. The background music stopped immediately. Everybody ran to the site of the accident. Erick Vildy turned his brain around and around. He was the one who established the lion and dragon dance studio. All his members' parents had put their offspring's safety in his hands. Accident like this obviously became his responsibility. He had to save Subur.

"Raise up your hand, Bur!" shouted Erick Vildy stretching down his hand.

Subur Kapoor tried his best to raise his hand so that he could cling to Erick Vildy's hand. However, his hanging position was too down below so he could not cling to Erick Vildy's hand which was far above him. He tried again and again swinging his hand above so that he could cling to Erick Vildy's hand. It was unfortunate for him, the cloth of the lion's body began to be torn apart and his body went down and down.

"No! The cloth is torn apart, Brother Erick!" shouted Subur at the moment. Some of the lion dance music players, who were girls by chance, started to scream watching the tension.

At last, the cloth of the lion's body started to be ripped into two parts. The lion's body was split into two parts as well. Subur fell off the tenth floor of the high building, followed by his screaming up to the silent dark night sky.

There's no more choice! There's no other alternative! I must use that power!

Erick Vildy jumped down freely. Some of his members who were standing still, got astonished seeing their trainer's bold action.

Subur Kapoor's body seemed to reach a part of the building which looked like a half curving dome two floors below him. His body slid down in full speed on the half dome. His screaming became sharper and higher. Erick Vildy managed to reach the half curving dome. With one sweep from his hand, he managed to catch Subur Kapoor's hand before his body slid down again.

"Brother Erick Vildy!" said Subur Kapoor gently in the middle of his fear and sorrow.

"Calm down! I'm your trainer. I won't leave you alone in danger. I'll save you. A moment please…" said Erick Vildy still trying to smile in the middle of the fear and panic surrounding them.

"But, we're stuck in the middle of this building, Brother Erick Vildy. Going up is definitely impossible. Going down is certainly the end for us. How is it?" again panic began to surround the young lad's face.

"Then, we just go up…" said Erick Vildy briefly and directly.

He pulled Subur's hand with his full strength. When Subur had stood in an upright position, Erick Vildy stomped his feet once. Never been thought by Subur before, they flew up at once with high speed. All the members standing on the roof floor watched the miracle in amazement. All of them were amazed, not being able to say anything when Erick Vildy and Subur Kapoor's bodies landed perfectly on the ground.

"No more problem… Perhaps you're still shocked. Sit down first for a while here and calm down your mind," said Erick Vildy letting Subur sit on one of the lower poles.

While he was still gasping for breath, Subur sat down silently.

"Ana… Make him a cup of warm sweet tea," said Erick Vildy.

Ana Simanjuntak who was a crossbreed between a Bataknese and a Chinese, ran into the building as quickly as her feet could take her. Then, she came out again with a cup of warm sweet tea. Subur who was still shocked gulped the warm sweet tea to the end at once.

"What was the thing we have just seen, Brother Erick Vildy? What was that actually?" asked Iwan Agustan staring at Erick Vildy with his opening eyes and mouth.

"Which part is injured?" asked Erick Vildy taking off Iwan Agustan's T-shirt.

He saw big bruise on Iwan Agustan's left chest. With a sweep from his hand, red light came out. The red light was directed to Iwan Agustan's left chest. Second by second passed by and finally, the bruise on Iwan Agustan's left chest was invisible. Again and again, all the lion and dragon dances members watched the incident in amazement.

"Is it still hurt?" asked Erick Vildy again.

Iwan Agustan tried to touch his left chest. It was incredible! It was not hurt at all anymore!

"Who are you actually, Brother Erick Vildy?" asked Ana Simanjuntak at the moment. "One year you've been running this dragon and lion dances studio here. One year we've been practicing dragon and lion dances with you, and until this second we've just figured out that you're quite unique and special, Brother. Who are you actually?"

Ana Simanjuntak stared at Erick Vildy, frowning her forehead, as well as the other studio members.

"You guys must promise me, not to tell this to anybody, including your family members and your friends outside there who don't join this studio. Will you?" asked Erick Vildy staring at his members one by one.

All of the members nodded their heads at once. Nobody said anything more after that. All were waiting for Erick Vildy's answer with their deep curiosity.

Erick Vildy turned his face to other direction and started his story telling, "Frankly, even I myself don't have any idea what power this is, Friends. It's merely a kind of queer and mysterious supernatural power and it's already been inside me since I was born. At least, that's what my dad and mom have told me."

"So, it's a kind of mysterious power with its unknown root, isn't it?" mumbled Iwan Agustan still with his frowning forehead.

"There are a lot of inexplicable phenomenon in this world, Iwan. Besides what we've known and studied so far, I'm dead certain there are still a lot of theoretically-inexplicable phenomenon out there, and so is this queer and mysterious power of mine. My mom told me that in the morning when I was born, the overcast sky was everywhere, wholly-dark, as though it was going to rain extremely heavily. Shortly afterwards, the lightning was striking here and there. However, it wasn't raining cats and dogs – it was only drizzle rain. Yet, the lightning was still striking here and there until I was born, until my crying sound was heard. And, the strangest and the most illogical thing was…"

"What was that, Brother?" asked Paul Johnson, who was a dragon and lion drums player, who could master what was taught by Erick Vildy merely in one month.

"After my crying sound was heard, the lightning struck very strongly once and it struck to the glass window of the room where my mom was giving birth to me. Of course the glass window broke into pieces. The doctor and the nurses were astonished. But, what came after that was their real astonishment."

"What was that, Brother?" asked Sisca Jessica Angkasa, who was a genuine Chinese.

"There came the other two babies, lying right beside me, on the same bed. The doctor and the nurses were definitely confused because it was obvious that my mom gave birth solely to me. So, where did the other two babies come from? Until now, that becomes an inexplicable mystery. The doctor, the nurses, my parents themselves, and all our family-relatives only reckoned my mom had given birth to triplet-babies. And, when we were five years old, three of us realized that we possessed this mysterious power, yet we didn't know where it came from and when it was there. That's the story, Friends…"

"And so far, your three powers have never been figured out by the others, besides your parents and relatives, have they?" asked Subur Kapoor who could calm down himself bit by bit at the moment.

"Several times we were figured out…" said Erick Vildy with his gazing eyes. "Many journalists and psychics came to home, to school, to interview three of us. However, we still didn't say anything. We moved from one school to the next for five to six times when we were in primary and junior high schools. When we were in senior high school, we made up our mind not to tell anyone about this matter, including the senior high school girls who were approaching three of us at that moment."

Erick Vildy was a little bit blushful telling everyone about his adolescence story. Some of the members smiled wryly listening to Erick Vildy's story.

"If it hadn't been for saving Subur a moment before, I wouldn't have shown you this power. Therefore, on no occasion must you tell anyone about this power of mine, even to those who don't come to the studio tonight. Just reckon that anything didn't happen tonight and the practice was running like usual, will you?"

All the members nodded their heads slowly.

"Great then… You all have promised, and thus you must not break your promise…" said Erick Vildy starting to feel sick and dizzy.

As the seconds were passing by, Erick Vildy felt as if there had been many stars around him. His world seemed to spin round and round. He could not distinguish which was right, left, below, or above anymore. Eventually, his dizziness reached its climax and his whole world broke into the darkness with many stars around.

"Brother Erick Vildy! Brother Erick! Brother!" he could still hear some members' screaming before his whole world turned to darkness.

When the eyes were opened, the first shadow which could be caught was Melisa Rayadi's figure, who seemed very anxious with her remaining tears stagnating by her eyelids.

"You've finally recovered, Rick…" said Melisa Rayadi caressing her prince's head and face. She did not want to care much anymore. Although she knew that the man had never been feeling the same towards her, only in this way could she express her anxiety about what had happened to her prince.

"Where am I? In the hospital, aren't I?" asked Erick Vildy looking around.

"Yeah… You used that power again! How many times should I tell you that you mustn't use that power again, Rick? Every time you use that power, you must end up in the hospital like now. Why are you so stubborn and obstinate?"

"But, I ever used that power once and I was alright, Mel. Why am I in the hospital again this time?" Erick Vildy kept wondering why in confusion.

"At that moment, you used it together with Erwie and Erdie. Have you forgot that? At that time, three of you were chasing after a robber taking my handbag away," muttered Melisa quickly without giving any opportunity to Erick Vildy for any argument.

Erick Vildy then remembered what happened at that time. At that moment, he and his two siblings were using the power together. He had forgot that. Suddenly, he felt the distance among three of them became farther and farther. Oh, Buddha… Is the distance among us farther and farther? I don't even know those two's whereabouts at this moment. I'm too snob to call back to Medan, to ask Dad and Mom about those two's whereabouts. Will the brotherhood among us be over soon?

"Okay then… You must take a rest first… I'll settle your administrative matter downstairs…"

Melisa Rayadi squeezed her prince's hand for a moment and then she walked away from his room. She closed the door slowly. Outside, she saw Iwan Agustan Sembiring and Ana Simanjuntak, waiting anxiously.

"How is he, Sister Melisa?" asked Ana.

"He's been better, Ana…" said Melisa a little bit more gently. She gave a kind of gesture to Iwan and Ana to walk to the side of the corridor so they could talk something private. "You saw Brother Erick Vildy's queer and mysterious power just now, didn't you?"

Iwan and Ana nodded their heads.

"I beg you not to tell anybody carelessly about this matter – including the members who are absent tonight. Will you?" asked Melisa staring at her two conversation partners seriously.

"I promise not to tell anybody else," said Ana raising up her right hand to the air.

"Yes, Sister Mel… We promise not to tell anybody else," said Iwan Agustan nodding his head directly. "But, in fact Brother Erick Vildy possesses a kind of supernatural power which I merely see in films. Thinking and thinking, it's cool to possess a kind of power like that, isn't it?"

Iwan Agustan kept imagining what cool things he would have been doing if he had possessed a kind of supernatural power like Erick Vildy's. Ana Simanjuntak at once poked his waist.

"Enough! Don't daydream too much. It's already eleven now. Do you want to go home or not? Tomorrow you'll be working in the morning shift, won't you?" asked Ana Simanjuntak reminding Iwan of his working shift tomorrow Sunday.

Melisa Rayadi smiled funnily. Besides Paul Johnson and some other members who were the genuine Australians, the others – like Ana Simanjuntak, Iwan Agustan Sembiring, and their peers – were the overseas young adults, working and studying simultaneously in Australia. Then later on, they met Erick Vildy, became interested to dragon and lion cultures, and eventually decided to join the dragon and lion dances foundation founded by Erick Vildy. Twice to thrice a year, they will be performing dragon and lion dances attraction to enliven the shops' grand-opening, the restaurants' grand-opening, and the other festive events related with Chinese culture in Sydney China Town.

"Okay… You can go back first. Brother Erick Vildy has been better. Indeed, he mustn't use that power alone. This is the consequence when he uses the power alone. I think, if it hadn't been as dangerous a situation as what happened in the studio, he would never have used the power," uttered Melisa again.

"Besides Brother Erick Vildy, there are still his two siblings who also possess the same kind of power. Is that right?" asked Iwan Agustan.

"Yeah, approximately…" Melisa sighed her long breath, "When the power is used together, nobody will be injured. However, when the power is used separately, whoever among the three of them will be the same like what's happening to Brother Erick Vildy at the moment."

"Two other Brother Erick Vildy's siblings aren't here in Sydney, are they, Sister Melisa?" asked Ana.

"Yeah… They're in two other different places," said Melisa.

"If that power must be used by three of them together, then why are they separated in different places, Sister Melisa?" asked Ana again.

Again and again Melisa sighed her long breath, "It's a long story, Ana. Furthermore, that's a bad memory for Brother Erick Vildy. If you guys want to know, perhaps you can find another perfect time to ask him, okay…?"

Iwan Agustan and Ana Simanjuntak kept quiet afterwards. Shortly, they left the hospital. Afterwards, Melisa Rayadi settled Erick Vildy's administrative matter downstairs.

Medan, 22nd September 2012

"Don't post our last night's photos to Instagram or Line, Rick… Please… Don't post them… Our intimacy is only for both of us. I don't want to show it off everywhere and share it with many people. Can I…?" Stella's coaxing voice was heard here.

Fortunately Erick Vildy had not posted his yesterday's little birthday celebration at Sun Plaza to Instagram or Line yet. It was fortunate for him to ask Stella first. Otherwise, perhaps Stella would be disappointed and upset to him. He did not know what to do anymore if the girl was upset to him.

"I exactly thought that you'd be pleased if I posted our yesterday's photos to Instagram or Line, Dear. I thought by announcing our relationship to the social media, that meant I'd declared our relationship to many people. I thought you'd be delighted with that."

"Give me more time, Rick," said Stella turning away to another direction, "I haven't told Dad and Mom about our relationship, Rick. Please… Give me two months of time again…"

"Have… Have… Have your dad and mom ever shown the indication that they don't really agree with our relationship?" asked Erick Vildy slightly anxious.

Stella shook her head, "No, Rick… It's only in the latest year of my senior high school, my dad and mom want me to study well and not think about any relationship first. Yet, I'm dead certain once I explain properly to them, they can understand me. Please give me time again, Rick…"

Erick Vildy nodded his head. However, shortly afterwards, he was astonished at once in his dream!

He really couldn't believe his eyes and ears. His shadow had now turned to Erwie Vincent's figure! He got shocked seeing that the scene he was enjoying, was also being enjoyed by Erwie Vincent, his sibling as well as his childhood best friend until now! Oh, Buddha… Why must this happen? Why must this occur to us…? Why…?

"When you've attained your parents' approval, does that mean I'm free to introduce you to my dad and mom, to Erick and Erdie, and to all my peers?" asked Erwie Vincent with his warm smile decorating his face.

"Yeah… Give me more time, Wie," said Stella repeating the same and the same sentence. "I love you, and suppose I was opposed by my parents to be together with you, I'd run away from home."

Erwie Vincent hissed while he put his index finger at his princess' lips.

"Don't say that. I'm dead certain your dad and mom will let you be with me. I'm sure the power of our love can defeat anything, Stel. I'm sure…" said Erwie Vincent caressing his princess' head gently. Erwie Vincent was indeed a gentle and responsible man. It would be twice when he was dealing with love and feelings.

"Thanks very much, Wie… Thanks for understanding my position at this moment. I'm dead certain when I'm by your side later on, that becomes unchangeable thing for me in the world," said Stella immersing her head deeper into Erwie Vincent's embrace.

Again, Erwie Vincent got startled in his dream as well. His shadow had now turned to Erdie Vio's figure! He really got shocked in his dream that night. He stepped back dizzily a few steps. His background world broke into bits and pieces. He couldn't accept this betrayal! He couldn't accept why he lost in the competition against his own siblings as well as his childhood friends until now, in obtaining Stella Kuangdinata's love! Oh, Buddha… Why must this happen? Why can we be trapped in the same chain of love…? Why…?

Erdie Vio landed an intimate kiss to his princess' lips. Stella tightened her embrace and their both pairs of lips linked and fitted each other in an endless and deep intimacy.

"I promise… When your parents have approved our relationship, I'll certainly marry you, Stel," said Erdie Vio with his high enthusiasm.

Stella smiled funnily. Erdie Vio was indeed a man with full enthusiasm, optimism, and the highest spirit of life among the three Makmur siblings. Yet, don't ever disappoint him. Once he was disappointed and losing his belief about one thing, in the future he would never show the same spirit and enthusiasm anymore.

"Why does it have to be that fast? You can't precede Erick and Erwie, Die…" said Stella still in her funny smile.

"Suppose I'm the first who meet my sweetheart, I'm dead certain they'll approve my relationship, Stel. They aren't only my siblings and my childhood friends until now, Stel. They've almost become my soul mates. I'm dead certain they'll support anything which becomes my happiness," said Erdie Vio still with full enthusiasm glowing in his eyes.

Stella nodded her head steadily, "Yeah… Give me more time, Die… I'll slowly explain it to my dad and mom. I'm also sure they'll always support and approve anything which becomes my happiness."

"The future is still far way away, Stel," said Erdie Vio tightening his embrace. "But, if we face it together, I'm sure the best will be waiting for us at the end of the road."

"Yeah… You're always optimistic, Die," said Stella.

"Of course…" uttered Erdie Vio with his grinning face. "Thinking with optimism, everything surrounding us will be good. Thinking with pessimism, everything around us will be negative as well. Am I right?"

"Yeah… I'm listening to your optimistic words, Die," said Stella again immersing her head into Erdie Vio's embrace.

Nevertheless, in the next seconds, Erdie Vio was also struck by thousands of shock, sadness, anger, dismay, and disappointment, one thousand folds stronger than the nine-Richter-scale earthquake. Suddenly his shadow changed back to Erick Vildy. He also stepped back dizzily a few steps. His feet were shaking severely and lost their power to sustain his body. His background world also shattered into pieces.

Oh, Buddha… Why must this happen? I don't accept why she betrayed me with two of my siblings and my childhood friends until now! I can't accept it…! I really can't accept this lost! Everything would be different suppose she was with another guys. I would step back and give up. But, why must it be my two siblings and my childhood friends until now? Why…? Why must this occur to three of us?

Suddenly, Erdie Vio's heart screaming faded Erick Vildy's dream away. Spontaneously, he awoke from his dream with his gasping breath. He looked around him. He was still in hospital. He looked at the clock a while. It was only two early in the morning. He saw the infusion syringe was still stuck on his left wrist. He could not get down from the bed. Because of not being able to do anything more, he only gulped a glass of water lying on a small shelf beside his bed. Afterwards, he decided to lie back on his bed.

Five years have passed by… Five years…Yet, until this moment, I'm still thinking about the same matter. I'm questioning something… Haven't I been able to take Stella out of my mind? It is obvious she was just fooling and deceiving me, for a particular purpose. Until now, I don't even really figure out what her purpose actually was. I obviously know all was just a drama, all wasn't real, and those times I was solely living in fake happiness. Isn't that enough for me to take her out of my mind and start my new life here…?

Or is it…? It's not Stella who's still living under my memories, is it? It isn't Stella, is it? Suppose it isn't Stella, then what's still sticking to my mind until now…? Is that Erwie and Erdie…? Oh, Buddha… Why does the matter about human's mind and soul have to be very complicated like this?

A bit of guilty conscience began to pop up in Erick Vildy's mind.

Wie… Die… Where are you at the moment…? Actually I can phone back easily to Medan, and ask Dad and Mom where you're staying at the moment. However, my prestige and dignity prevent me doing that. Oh, Buddha… I begin to regret why I can possess such high prestige and dignity…

Erick Vildy passed the night with deep restlessness.

Chapter 3

Jakarta, 13th August 2011

The hectic atmosphere in the hall of the multipurpose building had reached its climax. The dragon dance teams joining the national dragon dance championship on that day, began to enter the hall one by one. Each team's supporters cheered up their own teams and regions. At the moment, North Sumatra Province was definitely represented by two teams – Eternal Solidarity and Black Crow teams. It had been public rumor that these two teams had been competing endlessly and finally today both of them managed to represent North Sumatra Province playing in the final stage of the Indonesian national dragon dance championship, in Jakarta.

"Look, Brother Rendy… The three Makmur siblings are directly welcome by the young girls' hectic screaming. I think they come here only to see and enjoy the three Makmur siblings' cute and good-looking faces, rather than watch the tournament," said Ahmad Sentosa to Rendy Ibrahim who was sitting next to him.

"Talking about face, it's okay… I admit that I lose. But, talking about dragon dance attraction, it's not certain yet. Let's see later. Black Crow team will be the first in this morning's tournament," said Rendy Ibrahim with a cynical smile on his face.

Rendy Ibrahim sneered and he stared sharply at Eternal Solidarity team who had just entered the tournament hall. Loud whoopee and applause were heard everywhere in the hall. Occasionally, there were some young girls screaming out Erick Vildy, Erwie Vincent, and Erdie Vio's names.

Erick Vildy was still cool and he kept arranging their stuff. Erdie Vio was seen waving his hand to the audience. His waving hand was replied with more hectic screaming from the young girls. Erwie Vincent merely smiled when his name was called several times by the young girls.

"Got nothing to do, Die?" Erick Vildy laughed slightly funnily, "The more you wave your hand to those girls, the more their screaming will be."

Erdie Vio burst in laughter, "I'm waving hand to my fans. I've never thought before that our names will be famous until Jakarta here. As my gratitude to my fans trying their best to come here, I wave hand to them."

"Yeah, our team has won several championships, Brother Erdie," said one of the Eternal Solidarity members. "We've also entered the big three several times already. Every time we win, it's you three brothers who are interviewed, are broadcast in television, and are posted in magazines."

"Of course…" said Erdie Vio with his indeed highest stage of confidence among the three Makmur siblings. "It's us who are the most good-looking, so it's obvious we're always sought by the journalists, especially the female ones."

All Eternal Solidarity members burst in laughter.

"Please, Die… Your confidence… Very high…" said Erick Vildy bursting in laughter, too.

"May we be the first winner this time," uttered Erwie Vincent, still with his relaxed, cool, and calm face.

"Why, Wie?" asked Erdie Vio.

"If we become the first winner, there will be more fans for us. People will know us due to our achievements in lion and dragon dances, not because of anything else…" said Erwie Vincent with his grinning face.

Erick Vildy also grinned a little bit, "Hopefully, Wie… Honestly, sometimes my ears are also hurt due to the hectic screaming and applause."

Erdie Vio laughed, "Wie Wie is indeed an idealistic and romantic man. It's definitely wonderful if we can be the first in this tournament. Our name will be known by more people and of course, business will be more profitable. Thus, keep up your spirits, Friends… Okay…?"

"Okay…!" answered all Eternal Solidarity members with one voice.

"Excuse me…" a middle-aged man's low and heavy voice was heard behind them.

All of them turned back simultaneously. They saw a middle-aged man, around in his early fifties, standing there, in the middle among the crew and officers who were preparing everything before the tournament started.

"Yeah…? Is there anything we can help?" asked Erdie Vio with his high confidence.

"Yes… This… This… Anyway…" the middle-aged man was seen wanting to ask for some help, but it also seemed he did not know where to start and he was slightly guilty.

"What's the matter, Sir?" asked Erwie Vincent.

"If there's anything we can help, just say it, Sir. We can try our best to help," said Erick Vildy smiling calmly.

"Anyway, Youths… I saw that those young girls' judgment about three of you wasn't very bad, was it?"

Erwie Vincent kept smiling with lots of meanings hidden inside. Erick Vildy kept scratching his head which wasn't actually itchy. It was merely Erdie Vio replying the middle-aged man's opening sentence with his broad smile.

"Anyway, it's like this, Youths… The pop star whom we invited from Jakarta to fill up the opening show, was suddenly affected by diarrhea this morning. Her manager and her representative have just called us and said that she wouldn't be performing in the opening show. It's definitely impossible for us to look for another pop star in a short moment like this. So, I'd like to ask… ask… if… if… if it's possible for three of you to fill up the opening show for a moment."

Erdie Vio ogled his eyes with lots of mysterious meanings to his two siblings. At that moment, Melisa and all Eternal Solidarity members started to cheer up boisterously inasmuch as the three Makmur siblings were offered a kind of sudden and unexpected job.

"How do I put this, Sir…? We…" Erick Vildy had not got enough time to finish his sentence.

"Please, Youths… We beg you…" said the middle-aged man. Anxiety began to pop up from his facial expression.

Erwie Vincent got his own conclusion in his mind. This middle-aged man would have been scolded by his boss suppose there had been something wrong with the show.

The three Makmur siblings looked at one another for a while.

"Okay… we'll have to discuss it first, Sir," said Erwie Vincent eventually.

"We'll confirm you again ten minutes before the opening show. Can't we…?" asked Erdie Vio with his broad smile.

"Okay… I'm at the corner over there, Youths… You can find me there," said the middle-aged man pointing to another corner of the auditorium. "Again, thanks very much, Youths… Thanks very much for your help."

The three Makmur siblings nodded their heads steadily. The middle-aged man walked away quickly. Then, Melisa and the other Eternal Solidarity members yelled again.

"Here comes the problem. From where can a dragon dance player be a singer and a dancer?" Erick Vildy began to grumble.

"Don't worry, Brother…" said one member of the team. "I remember during the farewell party of junior high school, you three brothers ever sang a song, and danced too. I still remember it now… If I'm not mistaken, that song is also about encouragement and youth spirit. That song can be sung here too I think."

"That song…" Erwie Vincent frowned his forehead a little bit. "I forgot already… Must see the lyrics once again."

"And must see the dance once again in Youtube," said Erick Vildy resting his chin and sighing his long breath.

"I still keep the video, Rick," said Erdie Vio bursting again in his laughter, followed by the hectic yell from all Eternal Solidarity members. Obviously, it was Erdie Vio who possessed the highest spirit filling up the opening show of the dragon dance championship.

"So, we just sing that song and the lyric-division is just the same with what we did during the farewell party of our junior high school, right?" asked Erick Vildy to his two siblings.

"Yeah… Just like that…" said Erwie Vincent snapping his smile.

"Don't blame me if my lyrics and dance are wrong… It's been a long time… My memories aren't clear anymore…" said Erick Vildy.

"Don't worry… Both of us will refresh your memories," said Erdie Vio ogling his eyes to Erwie Vincent. "I'll ask for ten minutes from that middle-aged man. We'll have some briefing first before entering the stage."

"Yeah… Yeah…" Erick Vildy grumbled slightly, but he followed when his two siblings were going to the other corner of the auditorium pointed by the middle-aged man a moment before.

"We're going there… Take care of the stuff here…" Erwie Vincent left a message.

"You can do it, Brothers…!" shouted some of the Eternal Solidarity members.

Erdie Vio replied by waving his hand to his partners in Eternal Solidarity team. Seeing the three Makmur siblings crossing the hall and meeting the MC, the hectic screaming and applause were definitely heard again.

"So, how is it, Youths…?" asked the MC in his early fifties.

"The song is already in this cell phone. Can it be connected to the sound system?" asked Erwie Vincent giving his sibling's cell phone to one of the sound system officers.

"Testing first," said the MC.

In fact, it could work. The opening music of the song which they had ever sung during the farewell party of their junior high school was heard throughout the hall.

"Thanks very much, Youths. Without three of you, I don't know anymore how to arrange this opening show of the dragon dance tournament," said the MC.

"Can we ask for another ten minutes? For a little bit briefing…" asked Erdie Vio.

"Okay… Okay… Ten minutes later, you guys stand by here," said the MC.

The three Makmur siblings nodded their heads steadily.

"Anyway, Youths…" the MC's voice stopped the three siblings' steps. "Later on, what should I call three of you? You'll be singing in trio, won't you? It's impossible I call your names one by one. I'll call the name of your team as well – Eternal Solidarity team, but besides the name of the team, there must be another name representing three of you all in one, so that when I'm calling your names later on, there won't be any stiffness."

The three Makmur siblings looked at one another.

"You're usually the most creative, Die," said Erick Vildy.

"It's up to you, Die," uttered Erwie Vincent.

"Mmmm…" Erdie Vio seemed to think about it for several seconds. "How about 3E?"

"The beginning letter of our names, isn't it? Okay… Not really bad…" Erick Vildy nodded his head.

"Okay then…" said Erwie Vincent with his relaxing smile.

"Just call us 3E from the Eternal Solidarity team," said Erdie Vio to the MC still waiting for their answer.

"Okay then… Ten more minutes okay…?" said the MC.

Ten minutes passed very quickly. Erick Vildy was very nervous waiting beside the tournament arena. Erwie Vincent looked at his surrounding with his snapping smile. Erdie Vio was the most confident among the three Makmur siblings. He gave his most wonderful and marvelous smile to the young girls who began to cheer up in hectic atmosphere when seeing the three of them standing beside the MC.

"Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen… The Indonesian national dragon championship in Jakarta, on 13th August 2011 begins. The opening show of the national dragon championship this morning is a song about youth spirits and dreams – sung directly by 3E from Eternal Solidarity team," shouted the MC.

Of course that became a big surprise for the audience that morning. The young girls, teen girls, and even middle-aged mothers gave their standing ovations for 3E's performance that morning.

Rendy Ibrahim and Ahmad Sentosa looked at each other for a while. Both of them could not believe it! Besides joining the dragon tournament in Jakarta, 3E also took part in filling up the opening show. It was really beyond their prediction before!

Three E entered the stage arena. The music began. The song and the dance flowed throughout the auditorium that morning.

Three E gathered again all their team members inasmuch as their competition turn would come soon.

"Okay… I'll review once again our performance scenario… How many sets of three and four?" asked Erick Vildy.

"Two sets, Brother," replied the third pole player.

"Okay… After that, there will be waving eight, five head six tail, monkey to monkey, sleeping top, then we go to pre-fan movement, fan movement, and the wheel movement… Everybody has got it, haven't you?" muttered Erdie Vio.

Everybody nodded their heads steadily.

"Okay… Afterwards, we go to kuo ciang long, teddy bear, and sien feng… Can't you? We'd better review this sien feng part once again. Try your best not to make any mistake, will you…?" said Erick Vildy again.

"And don't forget the starting and the final posts, either. Later on we post them again," uttered Erdie Vio. "However, these starting and final posts also influence the judges' scores."

All members nodded. Meanwhile, listening to the scenario being reviewed, Melisa arranged all the music formulas once again.

"Wie… Could you please review the music following the big kuo ciang long? It seems that I've forgot a little bit," said Melisa also scratching her head which was actually not itchy.

"tang cer… tang cer… tang… chi tang chi tang chi chi tang…" Erwie Vincent showed her the music formulas by beating his two drum-sticks each other. "You'll be playing the large dragon cymbals, so it'll be a little bit difficult. Just concentrate then…"

"Okay… Concentration… Concentration… I must concentrate…" said Melisa going back to her seat with her mouth mumbling the unclear words, memorizing the music formulas she would be playing later on.

Fifteen minutes had passed very quickly. The Eternal Solidarity team was called by the MC. Soon, the sound of the drum, cymbals, and gongs were heard throughout the tournament hall. The dragon pearl and the dragon's body danced to the right and left, here and there around the tournament hall. The audience kept cheering up in the hectic atmosphere.

The winners' names were being announced in three languages. When the panel of judges announced the winners' names, all were extremely nervous in their own seats.

"The third winner this year is the team from North Sumatra province – the Black Crow team…" that sentence was followed the hectic cheering from the audience. Ahmad Sentosa and Rendy Ibrahim's facial expressions were seen a little bit disappointed though they were still smiling. Yet, the judges' scores were absolute and they could not be protested.

"The second winner this year is the team from Jakarta here – the Blue Sky team," this sentence was also followed by the hectic screaming from Blue Sky team's supporters.

"The first winner this year is… This is what all of us have been waiting for the whole year, Ladies and Gentlemen…" MC intentionally slowed down his announcement speed so that it could have its own tension in everybody's mind in the auditorium, "The first winner is the team coming from North Sumatra province – the Eternal Solidarity team."

The audience cheered up in the hectic and noisy atmosphere and clapped their hands endlessly. Three E were called upon to the tournament arena to receive the grand trophies, small trophies, medals, certificates, and the grand prize which was one motorcycle.

It could be guessed that Rendy Ibrahim and Ahmad Sentosa's expressions became as black as coal hearing the Eternal Solidarity team's name announced.

Their faces were even blacker and blacker when many girls, young girls, young women, and even the middle-aged mothers went down to the tournament arena giving souvenirs to 3E. Rendy Ibrahim stomped his foot once to the floor before leaving the auditorium angrily.

The hectic atmosphere went on for several moments. A lot of fans asked for taking pictures together. A lot of journalists came to interview 3E shortly afterwards. The blitz of the camera glowed everywhere in the hall.

Sydney, 15th July 2018

"Still looking at the competition photo in 2011, Rick?" asked Melisa stepping into Erick Vildy's room that morning.

Erick Vildy put back his photo into his wallet.

"No… It was only visible when I took out my ATM card just now," said Erick Vildy trying to look as calm as possible. "I want to pay for this hospital fee a moment before. I've no idea that you settled the payment yesterday evening."

Melisa snapped her smile.

"When can I get out from here, Mel?"

"Tomorrow… Before coming here, I've gone to the senior high school which is your new teaching place. I've attained your permission today. You take a rest and recover your strength again."

"Where do you know about my new teaching place?" asked Erick Vildy a little bit confused.

"Of course I do know it… I've got many informants, Rick," said Melisa opening the catering breakfast she had prepared. The food was put on the small movable table in the room. The table was directly moved in front of the patient.

Erick Vildy gobbled the food just in several minutes.

"Hmm… Just say that you've been extremely hungry at the moment," said Melisa snapping her smile again.

"The chicken porridge is very tasty. Although I hoped to eat chicken rice, this chicken porridge is also acceptable…" said Erick Vildy in his slightly grinning face.

"Early in the morning you may not eat rice; it's difficult to digest. Moreover, your body condition hasn't yet been stable. You can eat rice tomorrow morning," said Melisa again putting aside the cutleries which had just been used.

Once when Melisa turned to Erick Vildy again, she saw that guy still looking at the competition photo in 2011.

"Still saying that you merely bumped into that photo accidentally when you were taking out your ATM card?" said Melisa with a skeptical smile.

"We finally managed to be the first winner, Mel. In this dragon dance national tournament at that time, we managed to be the first winner. Absolutely, there wasn't any mistake. Yet, that became our first and our last first winner," Erick Vildy's tone got low and flat.

Melisa Rayadi sighed her long breath.

"After that, there was still one tournament again in Batam. At that moment, we solely got the second winner. There you met Stella Kuangdinata. After that, there was again one dragon national tournament in Jakarta. Still remember, don't you? Getting the second winner as well, wasn't it? It was the time when 3E were asked for their photos to be gathered into a pictorial book which was posted into the big screen of the auditorium before three of you sang a song filling up the opening show. Afterwards, Eternal Solidarity team never joined any competition anymore. You yourself had seldom paid any attention to the studio again, and so had Erwie, and so had Erdie. Just fancy what would happen to the members when their three captains began to pay less attention to them. It's me who is too naïve. There's no what's so-called eternity in the world."

Erick Vildy gazed out through the window.

"Yeah… Yeah… Perhaps I was too focused with Stella, so I ignored Eternal Solidarity team, and so did Erwie, and so did Erdie. Perhaps we were too obsessed with that girl so we became blind and didn't know that she was dating with three of us simultaneously."

"And until this second you can't even forget her…" said Melisa Rayadi directly turning away her body. She did not want Erick Vildy to see her stagnating tears.

"I… I…" Erick Vildy could not finish his sentence.

"Where are 3E right now?" mumbled Melisa still with the same position. "Where do 3E go? Where are the solid 3E, with their one mission, one vision in dragon and lion dances, with their one soul, one heart, one dream, and one word?"

Erick Vildy kept thinking for quite several moments, not being able to give a satisfactory reply.

"Do 3E really… really… break up? Is that right…?" this time Melisa Rayadi turned round her body and Erick Vildy saw her sad eyes.

"I myself don't even know what my position is in my two siblings' hearts and minds, Mel," said Erick Vildy sighing his long breath. "How can I tell you if 3E have really broken up or not?"

"Whom must be blamed is that cursed girl! Fortunately, she isn't around anymore. If she was still around, I would chase after her anywhere and take a revenge from what she had done," said Melisa a little bit annoyed.

Melisa Rayadi turned again to the window and gazed through the not-really-busy streets of Sydney that morning.

Both of them were drowned into silence and stiffness for quite several moments.

"Mel…" Erick Vildy called her name finally.

Melisa Rayadi's standing position was still unmoved.

"I… I…" Erick Vildy got difficulties in expressing what he felt in his heart and mind. He was not a foolish man. Definitely he knew what this woman had been feeling about him so far. Yet, these times Stella's shadow was always surrounding his mind and memories. That shadow made him afraid of having the second new relationship.

"Thanks… Thanks very much because you've been standing by my side, always helping and supporting me. You've always been supporting me for these years. I know even if I thanked you for one thousand times, that wouldn't be enough to pay back all your good deeds to me," said Erick Vildy eventually. "I know…"

"You know that I don't need any paying back, Rick…" said Melisa again. This time her shoulders were seen trembling. Erick Vildy could see that the woman was trying to hold up her tears which had been at the edge of the dam.

Erick Vildy felt very guilty this time. Oh gosh, Rick…! Can you see the woman really loving you has cried out her tears because of you? What kind of man are you! If you can't dry up the beads of tears from her eyes, you're truly not a gentleman!

Erick Vildy slowly got down and stood beside his bed.

"Yeah… I know I can't give you anything to repay what you've been doing for me these times. I… I don't have anything which I can give to you. I can solely give you… give you… give you my love…" said Erick Vildy finally, after gathering his strength and courage.

Melisa Rayadi turned around directly. Astonishment and happiness mixed each other deep down in her soul. This time, she let her tears rolling down freely from her eyes. Both laughter and crying popped out freely. Erick Vildy smiled warmly. He stretched out his arms.

It could be guessed after that. Melisa Rayadi jumped to the warm and lovely hug. Her tears made her prince's back wet. Erick Vildy held up his princess' head. Slowly, his hand rose up and wiped away her tears which had turned into a little stream. Again Melisa Rayadi lay her head to the prince's chest.

This hug… The hug which I've been wishing for, which I've been expecting for quite a long time, is now mine – genuinely mine for solely me myself… Is this the happiness which every woman has been expecting from their real love in this world?

Melisa Rayadi was drowned again in her silence. She knew any words could not describe the happiness she was feeling deep down in her heart. It sounded as though there had been a kind of sweet and melodious song sent from the heaven above.