Mr. Punk is sick. Instantly, Lupus’ class became lively. Boim, the durian playboy who hated physics the most, because whenever he studied physics, he felt like the dumbest person in the world, burst into joyful laughter like a crazy monkey. His slightly snub nose was busy mumbling with his hands raised.
“Oh, God. Finally…finally, this happiness has arrived. Please, keep it for me, because the uglier Punk gets sick, the happier I am!” he said in a melancholic tone, resembling a rainmaker.
That kid is crazy. Celebrating when the teacher is sick. Meta, Ita, and Utari, who were the smartest in physics and Mr. Punk’s favorite students, of course, strongly protested Boim’s behavior.
“Im, what’s wrong with you? Try to be a decent person! How can you be happy when the teacher is sick? You should feel sorry for him, he’s sharing his knowledge with us!” Meta scolded Boim, who was still busy mumbling.
Boim pretended not to hear. Or maybe he’s a bit deaf! Yeah, maybe. Because he doesn’t like to buy earwax cleaners. He prefers to spend his spare change on snacks rather than earwax cleaners. But when Meta dared to tap his shoulder, Boim immediately jumped up and took a fighting stance.
“Why are you tapping me? Are you crushing on me?”
“Come on. I just wanted to tell you. Why are you so happy when Mr. Punk, I mean, Mr. Pangaribuan, is sick? He’s our teacher. Show a little concern!”
“Only crazy people aren’t happy to avoid difficulties!”
“You’re the crazy one!” Utari chimed in, helping Meta.
“Who? Are you calling me crazy?” Boim counterattacked.
“You’re the crazy one. How can you not be crazy when the teacher is sick and you’re happy about it?” Ita replied, breaking her silence. She meant to clarify Utari’s statement. These Charlie’s Angels are really tight-knit.
“Ah, forget it. You guys are just jealous. Can’t stand seeing others happy. Do you know what would happen if Mr. Punk wasn’t sick today and taught us? I would be in big trouble. He planned to give us a surprise quiz. And the homework he gave us last week, we have to turn it in today. I haven’t done the homework and I’m not ready for the quiz. So, is it strange that I’m happy when Mr. Punk is sick? Deal with it, a strict teacher like him deserves to be sick once in a while. It’s been almost two years since we’ve been here, and he’s only getting sick now. That guy is weird. So, sorry if I’m so happy today!”
Meta, Utari, and Ita pouted. Their faces turned red with frustration.
“Uh, always procrastinating and never ready for exams, that’s your specialty. When will you be ready for an exam if all you do is show off in front of girls? You should be cool. Look at yourself, Boim, look at yourself…!” the trio finally scolded.
“You guys are the most envious creatures. I thought only Andi was the jealous one, but it turns out you all are too. Small in size, but your jealousy is as big as a mountain. Fine, I’m going to the cafeteria. I don’t care about all your jealousy!” Boim said in a peak of anger. That’s his habit when he’s really cornered. Because he has a principle: ‘Even a dog barks when it’s cornered.’ (That kid is really dumb. Consciously, having a principle like that is the same as equating oneself with a dog).
Meta, Utari, and Ita giggled. Boim walked away, raising his shoulders a bit. But he still managed to sneak away. So his lips pouted, which already looked like a truck bumper. The song he sang was a nostalgic one, don’t ask where I’m going…
With Boim’s swagger to the cafeteria (as usual, he wants to borrow money!), the classroom remained noisy. Understandably, the kids tend to have a principle: while the strict teacher is absent, make the most of this opportunity.
Someone started making guesses.
“Small, black, but slaps when flicked. What is it?” Andang prompted his friends. Gito, Anto, Aji, and our artist Fifi Alone, feeling challenged, were startled and emotional.
“A train seen from afar!” Gito guessed randomly. Meaning, it’s lucky if it’s guessed right. If not, then it’s hopeless.
“Wrong!” Andang proudly countered, because his riddle wasn’t guessed correctly.
“A mosquito falling into asphalt!” Anto guessed.
“I know! I know! Idi Amin hanging out at the Eiffel Tower!” Fifi said, not wanting to be left out.
“Nonsense! All wrong. Pathetic, how can you guys not know such an easy riddle?” Andang boasted even more. Fifi, who may act like a celebrity, but has limited thinking ability, started sulking.
“This is wrong, that is wrong, then what is the right answer, Ndang?” she pouted playfully while hanging on Andang’s shoulder (is she Tarzan?).
“The answer is a lizard’s poop! Small, black… but try to be gentle if you dare!” Andang finally answered, unable to resist Fifi’s charm.
The kids were annoyed.
Finally, the class became even more chaotic and unbearable. This is what happens when there’s an empty lesson period. Some students started throwing chalk at each other. Boim, who had just come from the cafeteria, was immediately greeted warmly with a piece of chalk as soon as he entered the door. Thank goodness, it hit him right on the forehead. Those who witnessed this rare scene burst into uncontrollable laughter. The continuation is predictable, Boim started complaining like a grandma who lost her dentures.
“Who just hit me! Confess now. Don’t you know there’s a handsome person like me? Don’t mess around, even my grandpa has never slapped me on the forehead!” he scolded while putting his hands on his hips. His body curved like a cowboy facing a bandit.
Gito, who realized that the chalk he threw hit Boim’s forehead, just smirked. Luckily, the other friends quickly covered their mouths. Ita, Utari, and Meta, who were already annoyed with Boim, were actually grateful.
“It’s a shame, It,” Utari said.
“What’s a shame?” Ita asked, not quite understanding Utari’s point.
“It’s a shame that the thing that hit Boim’s forehead was just chalk. If it was an eraser, his forehead, which looks like a highway, would have speed bumps! That would be cool!” Utari chuckled.
Ita giggled. Boim got even angrier. Because he couldn’t find out who threw the chalk. But a moment later, he ended up joining the chalk war. And he was surprised when a pair of underwear landed smoothly on his face. Whose underwear is this? He cursed in his mind, and when he lifted it up, there was a note inside the underwear that said: Boim le Bon. It was indeed his underwear, kept just in case, because he really enjoys wetting himself in class during physics exams.
Boim got furious again. Who dares to steal from his bag?
On the other side, Fifi, who was curious about Andang because she couldn’t guess his riddle, started making enemies again.
“I also have a riddle, Ndang, it’s not just you?” she said while tousling her Farah Fawcett-style hair. “This riddle is a bit difficult, so anyone else can help solve it. Even the whole class. But I’m sure you won’t be able to guess it, because it’s too challenging for your ratio. So, it’s impossible!” she teased confidently.
“Sure, go ahead, what’s the riddle?” Andang asked eagerly. The others also listened to what Fifi was about to say.
“Try to guess, what kind of cake has its wrapper inside!” she said loudly.
“Wrong guess!” the students almost simultaneously replied, and they were right. Fifi felt embarrassed.
“You cheaters! If you already knew, you should have said something. Now Ike doesn’t have to bother making a riddle!” she grumbled in the midst of her embarrassment. The kids burst into laughter. Finally, even that artist got hit with the stone!
Now the classroom is in absolute chaos without a teacher. But it turns out there’s this slim figure who’s not interested in joining the commotion. The guy with John Taylor-like hair sits alone in the corner, engrossed with his chewing gum.
The whole class just realized that Lupus hasn’t been acting crazy since earlier. Weird. He’s usually the most active one. Especially during empty lessons, Lupus is usually the instigator. Throwing wild guesses, making weird noises by banging on the desk, or teasing the girls passing by the classroom because he needs to pee.
But funny enough, today he’s different from his usual self. Which angel made Lupus so bored like this?
Ita, Utari, Gito, Fifi, Meta, and Aji, who suspect that something is wrong with Lupus, try to approach him.
“Why are you so calm, Pus?” Utari asks.
“Did you get cursed by a stingy genie?” Fifi guesses randomly.
Lupus shrugs. They’re getting more curious.
“Maybe you’re fighting with Rina again? Or, oh yeah, Boim and Joko once told us that you’re heartbroken over the village girl who got proposed to by an engineer, right? Or, do you remember Popi? If not, why are you daydreaming?” Ita bombards him with questions.
“I’m feeling sad. I’m even surprised myself. It’s because of Mr. Punk’s accident. Despite being mean and ugly, he’s still our teacher. We should be concerned. Don’t you guys know the tragedy that Mr. Punk is going through?” Lupus says softly.
“No, what happened to him?” the kids ask almost simultaneously, crowding around Lupus.
“This morning, I happened to pass by the teachers’ office. I saw the teachers there looking tense. They were discussing. I overheard that Mr. Punk got hospitalized because he was hit by a car. They said his condition is quite serious. I feel sad because on my birthday, Mr. Punk was kind to me.”
Upon hearing Lupus’ story, the kids are shocked. Their faces show concern.
“I thought it was just a normal illness. So, what should we do, Pus?” Meta, who is Mr. Punk’s favorite, asks.
“That’s what I’ve been thinking too. Or how about this, tomorrow after school, we all visit him together. Let’s show Mr. Punk that we are good students, even though we can be annoying sometimes. What do you say, agreed, yeah-yeah-yeah?” Lupus suggests, insisting.
“Agreed!” the kids respond in unison. The plan is then spread to the rest of the classmates. The commotion stops for a moment. Boim, who was teasing Wiwi, becomes annoyed. Ruri, who was in the middle of gossiping, feels disappointed. Lupus stands in front of the class and presents his plan to visit Mr. Punk. Most of the kids, except for Boim and Ruri who are anti-Mr. Punk, respond warmly. They agree. Finally, it is decided that tomorrow after school, they will visit Mr. Punk at the hospital.
Money is collected collectively to buy fruits. Meta is appointed as the treasurer. Boim reluctantly donates his crumpled hundred bills.
“Well, this is just a show of solidarity among friends!” he says nonchalantly. Meta actually refuses Boim’s donation, but Lupus stops her.
“At least as a sacrifice. Just accept Boim’s gift!” he comforts Meta. Boim gets even more annoyed.
Their plan is indeed well-prepared.
The next day, according to the plan, the second-grade kids gather in the classroom after class. Everyone is wearing grayish-white costumes, except for Fifi. Turns out she brought an extra outfit from home. No wonder, when the school bell rings, Fifi rushes to the back in a hurry. Apparently, she wants to change her clothes first. Wow, her outfit is so fancy, black pants with yellow stripes, a jacket vest, complete with her black glasses. She’s trying to look all fancy.
“Oh, this is just about maintaining my appearance. I don’t want my fans to be disappointed when they see me wearing a school uniform. So that’s the demand of being an artist, to look as stylish as possible in front of the public!” she answers Lupus’ question, who was a bit annoyed by her appearance.
Turns out, it’s not just Lupus who’s annoyed. Everyone is. How can she dress up like a model when we’re just visiting a sick person? But she’s got that artist mentality, she doesn’t care. Forget about public opinion, as long as my fans don’t get disappointed, that’s what’s lingering in her mind. So, it needs to be understood.
Lupus then assigns quick tasks. Gito is assigned to buy fruits. Meta, Ita, Utari, and Yunita are assigned to buy flowers. Meanwhile, Lupus himself is busy writing something on a piece of paper. After everything is done, they head to the hospital.
There, they find Mr. Punk with his head wrapped. Both of his legs are suspended. Mr. Punk is lying helpless, but he still manages to glance with the corner of his eye. The first thing he sees is Lupus carrying a bunch of flowers. Then followed by Meta, Utari, Aji, and so on. Fifi almost misses it because she was flirting with a cool young doctor. She hasn’t even taken off her glasses yet. In the group, it turns out Boim is also there. The troublemaker who is not in the same class and is not taught by Mr. Punk seems to be joining in. When asked, his reason is, “Well, Fifi is here, this is my chance to get closer!”
Lupus then hands over the flowers to Mr. Punk, who accepts them with a big smile. Mr. Punk’s hidden eyes, peeking from under his prominent forehead, immediately read Lupus’ writing:
Dear beloved Mr. Pangaribuan, get well soon. We know that without you, we mean nothing as students. Come back to us like you used to. With your enthusiasm, with your discipline. Because, it turns out that’s what makes us more disciplined. Don’t forget, get well soon, Sir. Whatever the reason, students can’t be separated from their teacher.
Take care,
The students of class IIa2
Mr. Punk’s eyes well up with tears.
“Well, you kids are really good kids, even though you like to make me angry. With your support, I am determined to recover quickly. Because at least, I am still needed among you. Thank you for the flowers, Puz. I will display them in my hospital room as a source of motivation to get better!” Mr. Punk says in his unique accent (he can’t pronounce ‘s’), while tightly hugging the flowers given by the kids.
Mr. Punk is touched.
Lupus is amazed.
Ruri and Boim realize their mistake.
Meta, Utari, and Ita shed tears.
They are moved. They are all good kids. Despite their mischievousness, they can also show respect to their teacher.
