You know Lupus, right? Well, turns out he has a cute little sister named Lulu. She’s fifteen years old but already in seventh grade. According to Lupus, Lulu is a mischievous girl, although a bit sensitive. Besides collecting dolls, her hobbies include playing the portable keyboard and singing at the top of her lungs. It sounds like banging on a tin can. It drives the neighbors crazy. She even writes her own songs, like “Don’t Ask Where Boim Is Going…” (who’s even asking?)
And when she’s feeling playful, like most girls with a romantic soul, Lulu likes to write poetry. But according to Lupus, Lulu’s poems are completely out of imagination. Totally nuts. Lupus gets goosebumps just reading them. There’s only one masterpiece by Lulu that deserves to be mentioned here. It’s her farewell poem titled “Broken Needle.” It goes like this:
If there’s a broken needle,
Who will thread it?
But you have to be careful dealing with a creature like her. If she throws a tantrum, oh boy, it’s hard to handle. You have to offer seven days of offerings with garden flowers, bathe in seven wells, hike up seven mountains, provide seven different chocolates… and the list goes on, except for the seventh month.
I’m serious, I’m not kidding. So just be cautious when dealing with a creature like Lulu. But even though she can be scary when she’s mad, deep down she’s a sweet girl. Especially when she smiles… so sweet. Many people at school like her. They like to hang around her, if you know what I mean… hehehe. And on this sunny afternoon, the sweet girl is walking alone, still in her school uniform, carrying a small bag with Lupus’s picture on it. Lupus drew it on purpose. You see, Lulu likes to be all artsy and draw her own face everywhere.
Just for your information, Lulu goes to school in the afternoon. You know, so she can take turns guarding the house with Lupus. Because if the house is left unattended, it tends to wander off. Imagine the trouble of finding it again? And even though she can take a rickshaw, Lulu prefers to walk home from school. It’s like exercise, you know. But the real reason is she just wants to show off. Check out the nice scenery, like cool guys jogging, rollerblading, or riding bikes.
Or if she happens to come across a friend getting scolded by their mom in front of their house, Lulu likes to stop by. Show some sympathy.
“Santi is really out of control, Lulu,” said Santi’s mom, a friend of Lulu who was getting scolded in front of her house that evening because her math test scores were terrible. “She’s always playing all day long. After school, she doesn’t come straight home. Who knows where she goes. Comes home late. The next morning, instead of studying, she’s playing again. How can she be smart?”
Santi just hung her head near the fence.
Oh, when I come home from school, I go straight home, Auntie,” said Lulu seriously.
“Well, listen to that, Santi…” interrupted Santi’s mom.
“And the next morning, I rarely play around, unless it’s a holiday. Because my mom works, Lupus goes to school, so I take care of the house. While reading and stuff,” continued Lulu.
“Pay attention, Santi. Hear what your friend has to say!” interrupted Santi’s mom again.
Santi lowered her head even more.
“In class too, I always listen to what the teacher explains, Auntie. Never fooling around.”
“You’re a good kid. So, how did you do on your math test, Lulu? Did you get a nine?”
Lulu stayed silent for a moment. She looked at Santi’s mom’s face seriously, “No. I got a four, just like Santi.”
Santi’s mom was shocked.
And when she arrived home, Lulu immediately counted her savings in her room. Wow, looks like it’s enough, she thought happily.
She did have plans for that money. Andi, Lulu’s friend who’s great at basketball, is having a birthday. It sounds ordinary, but not for Lulu. Because that mischievous guy secretly has a crush on Andi. Andi, who likes to wear cute pet hats, Andi who has an athletic body, Andi who steals glances at Lulu when she’s watching basketball, Andi who’s in the second grade, Andi who once reprimanded her in the library. Well, if you ask Lulu anything about Andi, she’ll explain it with sparkling eyes. Because apparently, Andi also has a crush on Lulu.
And now, Andi’s birthday is coming up. Of course, Lulu suddenly became busy. Thinking, what’s the most appropriate gift for that cool kid?
But one day, while Lulu was hanging out at the shopping center, she saw a store selling cute pet hats. There were hats shaped like sailor hats, there were hats like old-fashioned detective hats, in red, blue, black, yellow, wow… they were just adorable, especially with cute badges on them.
Lulu immediately thought of Andi. Andi who also likes to wear cute hats like that. Wow, this would definitely be an exciting gift for him.
Lulu started saving money to buy that hat.
On Sunday morning, Lupus screamed hysterically when he found a cute hat, light blue in color, in Lulu’s bedroom. It was still wrapped in plastic and neatly placed on the study desk.
Since forever, Lupus has always wanted to have a hat like that so he won’t get too hot when chasing after buses. So without even asking Lulu, Lupus immediately opened the plastic packaging and looked at himself in the mirror while wearing the light blue hat. Oh man, Lupus looks even sweeter with this cute little pet hat, he thought while admiring himself.
Then he started walking around the house with his new hat. Lupus seems really happy with his new toy.
Until Lulu came back from the store, carrying red onions…
“Lupus!!! Give me back my hat!!!” Lulu shouted loudly.
Lupus was startled.
“Give it back! You’re so bold taking other people’s stuff. It’s expensive, you know!!”
“Oh, this is your hat, huh? Why can’t I borrow it for a while? You usually borrow my t-shirts too!”
“Just give it back,” Lulu said while snatching the hat roughly,
“This is a gift for someone else, not for me.”
“Oh, Lulu, it’s such a waste to give such a nice hat to someone else. You should give it to me instead. I’ll definitely love it.”
“Yeah, right.”
Lulu immediately took the hat and wrapped it back in the room.
Lupus could only bite his finger in regret.
Something feels off. It’s Andi’s birthday tomorrow. But why hasn’t he spread the invitations yet? Usually, according to friends, Andi would spread the news and invitations a week before his birthday. Well, he’s pretty rich after all. They said once, just for his birthday, he rented a place at the Mandarin. Even had a disco.
But until today, nothing?
Ah, maybe later in the afternoon, Lulu thought as she carefully put the neatly wrapped hat back in the locked drawer. Can’t let Lupus snatch it again. Then she headed to school.
She bumped into Santi before entering the classroom.
“Hey, Lulu. Here’s your chemistry notes. Sorry for borrowing them for so long,” Santi said.
Lulu received the book while checking its contents. Maybe Santi scribbled something in it. Suddenly, pluk! Something fell out of Lulu’s book. “Hey, what’s this, San?”
Santi picked it up.
“Oh, it’s my invitation. Luckily it didn’t get lost…”
“What kind of invitation? A party?”
“Sorry, do you have a thing for religious events? This is an invitation from Andi.”
“Andi?”
“Yeah. It’s his birthday tomorrow. Did you get the invite? Let’s go together, huh?”
“Um… uh, yeah. I already got it…” Lulu stumbled.
Santi left. Leaving Lulu in silence.
When Lulu got home after school, she still hadn’t received an invitation from Andi.
Lulu wasn’t sad. She was just annoyed with Lupus.
“Damn, you’re always lucky, Pus! That cute hat was meant for you,” Lulu exclaimed as she arrived home. Lupus felt like he hit the jackpot when Lulu threw the wrapped hat at him.
“Really?”
“I’d rather give the hat to you than give it to someone who’s picky about friends like Andi. Ugh!” Lulu grumbled.
“Well, you’re so kind, Lu. How can I repay you?” Lupus happily said. Then he ran straight to the big mirror. Admiring himself looking even cuter with the blue hat.
From now on, he won’t get too hot when chasing buses.
“What’s up with Andi, Lu? Didn’t he invite you to his birthday?”
Lulu just stayed silent. But Lupus caught a glimpse of Lulu’s slightly teary eyes. As if she was holding back disappointment.
Lupus immediately cheered up, “Hey, if that’s the case, why don’t you come with me this weekend, Lu?”
“Why?”
“Just trust me. You know, Gusur’s grandpa is throwing a party. He just slaughtered ten chickens this afternoon. Awesome, right? We’ll feast…”
“For what occasion, Pus?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s to celebrate Gusur’s seventh month. Hahaha…”
Whether she liked it or not, Lulu laughed too. And they quickly rushed to the bathroom, getting ready to go to Gusur’s house. Because if they were even a little late, they wouldn’t get any food. Understandable, because there’s Boim, Gusur, Anto, who are all crazy about eating…”
