A4

I sighed for the umpteenth time that night. I raised my head and looked at the cloudy sky. The swing with the reclining chair I was sitting on seemed to sway slightly as I justified my sitting position.

I was in Koba City Park … the name on it was displayed, but Grandpa said, people prefer to call it the square. Whatever the reason, I'm not in the mood to care about that.

The song titled “Jangan Menyerah” (Don't Give Up) sung by D'Masiv thumped in my ears. However, that's all. I can only listen to that music without being able to watch it properly.

“Ape-ape ikak ne!”

I turned my head. A few meters from me, Grandpa was joking in Bangka language that I didn't understand with some of his friends. One of them was someone who had shouted frivolously in front of the house this afternoon.

So annoying. I thought there really were thugs or something. It turned out that only my grandfather's friends thought Grandpa had brought a female vocation or something like that. Then, Grandpa's friend ended up feeling uncomfortable when I pouted and then entered the room with a jerking foot.

“Bara!”

I just glanced lazily in reply to my grandfather, who was carrying a bottle of alcohol and trying to hide it from me.

“Don't stay away. You just stay there! Get lost later!”

What language is that?

Again, I sigh. Apparently, Grandpa is the same as Dad and Mom. They think I will continue … always have to be beside them? Can only interact with others through online communication?

I'm really tired.

When Grandpa's attention was fully devoted to the conversation with his friends, I stood up and began to sneak like a thief.

I walked slowly away from the special area of ​​the children with extreme caution. Once I was sure that Grandpa was calm there, I ran without actually making a sound. Praise to any god, Rian D'Masiv's voice disguised my steps.

Because the kindergarten was behind the stage, I continued to run around until I reached a small pavement that was still in the square area. Hundreds of people had crowded into the audience area and I complained loudly. There's no way I would cram myself in there.

I'm too foreign here.

So, as a form of entertaining myself, I came out of the concert area. The first thing I did after that was to start exploring all the food and beverage booths with a feeling of hope.

First, I stopped by a booth that specialized in selling ice blend milkshakes. I bought one with chocolate flavor using my allowance at the ATM—this afternoon Grandpa got it for me. The plan is I can only buy this and that if Grandpa accompanies her granddaughter. Good thing I have a rebellious plan.

Then secondly, I stopped at the booth with the Sausage & Sempol (egg wrapping meatballs) banner. With enthusiasm I bought ten sausages at once in large sizes.

This is happiness!

To be honest, I'm actually a bit nervous. This was the first time I had gone to the crowd by myself—totally alone!—after all this time.

So relieved.

After that, I just passed other booths while enjoying a sausage egg with hot sauce with a relaxed feeling. There's a children's stand, meatball stalls and impromptu chicken noodles, boiled peanuts booth, D'Masiv merchandise booth, cotton candy booth, and other stands which made the streets outside the square very crowded with people crammed together.

A few minutes passed, so I decided to return. I don't want to be lectured by Grandpa even once.

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