Sometimes dreams can become reality. Don’t believe it? Well, just last night Lulu dreamt of fighting with Lupus, and in the morning she woke up with an inhumane kick from Lupus. Wow, that kid is so heartless! Lulu immediately got angry and said, “What’s this all about? Starting a war first thing in the morning!”
“You stole my chocolate, didn’t you? Come on, fess up!”
“Don’t accuse me without any evidence!”
“Who else could it be if not you? The evidence is strong. Last night, I put it in the fridge around eleven o’clock. Then I went to sleep, but now the chocolate is gone without a trace. It must be you who stole it!”
“You’re just making baseless accusations. You know, I went to bed at ten o’clock. Until now. So how could I have stolen your chocolate!”
“Then who else could it be?”
Lupus was really confused. Especially because this Sunday morning, Lupus had made plans to go jogging with Poppi at Senayan. And last night, Lupus had bought expensive chocolate to give to Poppi. But now, the chocolate was gone. The suspicion immediately fell on his little sister, Lulu. That kid is a mischievous chocolate lover, just like Lupus. The accusation was reasonable, especially since there was no one else at home. But without any evidence, Lupus could only get frustrated. Especially when he nonchalantly pulled the blanket back and curled up again.
Lupus was really annoyed. Then, with a heavy heart, he grabbed his sneakers and his racing bike. Outside, the air was biting cold. Dew froze on the tips of leaves. It was very chilly. The frogs that had been happily croaking last night were now fast asleep. Only the birds were chirping noisily.
Senayan was bustling with the chirping of children busy exercising. Lupus pedaled his bike slower, while searching for Poppi. They had agreed to meet near the children’s exercise area. Suddenly, Lupus felt his bike getting a bit heavier. Instinctively, he turned around and found Poppi holding onto the back of his bike with her roller skates.
“Hey, running late again, huh? You said you’d be here by half past six.”
“Not like that, Pop. I’ve been up since five o’clock.”
“But why are you late?”
“Well, I fell back asleep!”
“Hu… better not talk to me!” Poppi pouted.
“Well, I got home late. From your house, I missed the bus. Waited for a ride for so long, it was midnight. My poor mom couldn’t sleep until one in the morning.” Lupus got really frustrated.
“Why, were you waiting for you who didn’t come home?” Poppi was curious.
“No way! It just so happens that she got assigned to do the night patrol by Mr. Erte. Well, it’s because of the election. Security has to be maintained, you know!”
Poppi pouted.
Lupus then parked his bike next to Poppi’s car and started running around the field. Poppi chased after him on her roller skates. They were having a blast racing each other. For a moment, Lupus remembered his missing chocolate, the one he was supposed to give to Poppi. If he had the chocolate now, Poppi would be overjoyed. Ugh, Lulu is so annoying. She better watch out!
At eight o’clock, Poppi made a quick stop at Lupus’ house. They had a little drink (but not enough to get drunk – it was just some fridge water), and then said goodbye because Poppi had to take her mom to the supermarket.
“Byeeee!” Lupus shouted from a distance. “Remember to send me mail once you get there often!”
Poppi stuck out her tongue in response.
And as Lupus entered the house, his grudge against Lulu, who was busy doing morning exercises alone, resurfaced. Lately, Lulu had been really into morning exercises. Typical teenager, trying to get in shape and not look chubby. Even her food intake is being restricted now. It’s not like before when she had an insane appetite, to the point where Lupus’ portion would sometimes get snatched. Lately, Lulu realized that having a crazy appetite like the character Gusur from the Sableng artist could be dangerous. She got worried, afraid that she might end up chubby like Gusur and get teased by the cats. Yeah, Gusur would take the cats’ portion if he wasn’t satisfied with just two plates. But Lulu was a bit off, because the only way to reduce her appetite is not through exercising – it’s through self-awareness.
But Lulu still diligently exercised. She said herself that her face now looks better than before. She’s harboring a big dream. She wants to star in a sequel to Return to Eden as Stephanie, who gets cursed. Hehehe, well, all we can do is pray for her success. After all, she’s an entrepreneur, so it’s allowed. And sweet Lulu is done with her exercise now. Shortly after, she started wiping off the sweat pouring down her neck like a giant corn. Then, without a care, she threw her sweaty towel, which landed right on Lupus’ face. What a hassle! Lupus instantly got angry.
He was already annoyed, especially since he had planned to prank Lulu in the afternoon when he got back from cycling around the complex. Luckily, Lulu wasn’t home, so Lupus quickly wrapped a piece of broklak (you know, that stomach cleansing medicine that looks and tastes somewhat like chocolate. Have you ever tried it? Give it a shot if you want!) and put it in the fridge, hoping that Lulu would snatch it later. It was a mean plan, but because his heart was already so frustrated, Lupus resorted to any means necessary. Naughty kids like Lulu need to be pranked once in a while. Just so they know how it feels!
After neatly wrapping the fake chocolate, Lupus pretended to go play at the neighbor’s house. By the way, he ended up falling asleep. Maybe he was exhausted from cycling around the neighborhood. Or maybe he’s just a lazy kid who wants to sleep all the time, trying to compete with a sloth.
And in his deep slumber, Lupus had a dream about Lulu. In his dream, Lulu kept going back and forth to the bathroom. Every now and then, she would clutch her stomach in pain. And back to the bathroom again. Lupus knew it was all because of the broklak that Lulu ate. So, that means she must have snatched the fake chocolate that was placed in the fridge. Finally, she got what she deserved! Now Lupus felt satisfied with his revenge and could sleep peacefully, curling up in his bed.
But in the late night, Lulu was still suffering with her constant trips to the bathroom. As the sweet older brother, a sense of pity started to rise in Lupus’ heart. Well, she may be the worst sibling ever, but she’s still Lupus’ little sister. They share the same grandpa and the same maid. Especially when Lupus peeked through the door and saw how miserable Lulu’s face was. Her usually bright and cheerful expression had turned dull. It seemed like she was carrying a million sorrows. According to the Sableng artist’s version, it was a thousand calamities.
Lately, Lupus started feeling sorry for her. Slowly, regret crept into his heart. Especially when he looked at Lulu lying weakly in her bed, with a pale face that resembled a corpse. Her once-red lips were now turning blue.
“Lulu… are you okay, Lu?”
Lulu didn’t respond, only her empty gaze met his.
“Lu… say something, Lu… say! But… but… but… like that!”
Lulu remained silent.
Lupus started to panic and shouted for his mom.
“Pus… wake up, Pus. What’s wrong with you? Why are you acting so weird?”
Lupus’ body shook, and when he woke up, Candra stood beside him with a puzzled expression. Oh, it was just a dream, huh?
“Go take a shower, Pus. It’s past Isha prayer.”
“What time is it?”
“Eight.”
“Damn, I gotta go. Thanks for the dream…”
“What dream?”
Lupus didn’t answer. He immediately rushed home. Thankfully, it was just a dream. Imagine if it was real, how pitiful Lulu would be. Just because he failed to give chocolate to Poppi, he ended up making his only sibling suffer.
As soon as he arrived home, Lupus went straight to the fridge. He wanted to save his trap broklak. But to his surprise, when he opened it, the fake chocolate was gone without a trace. Lupus felt defeated. So, the dream had actually come true. Lulu really did eat the broklak. Ah, poor Lulu, how pitiful you are!
“Yo, where’s Lulu at?” Lupus asked in a panicked tone.
“She just went with Suli. Said they were gonna study together!”
Man, she’s really going through it! Lupus immediately imagined how much Lulu must be suffering, constantly running back and forth to the bathroom. It’s crazy how she’s always out and about. What if her stomach acts up while she’s out on the streets? That would be a hassle. Lupus also worried that Lulu’s suffering might actually be like the story in his dream. Passing out and all!
“Where is Lulu studying, though?” Lupus grew even more anxious.
“Probably at Suli’s house. Why do you keep asking about Lulu all of a sudden?” his mom questioned.
“Oh, nothing. By the way, I’m gonna head out for a bit, Mom. Need to buy something. I’ll pick up Lulu on the way back.”
“Huh, what are you gonna buy? Lulu didn’t ask to be picked up. She said Suli would take her home.”
Doesn’t matter, I’ll be the one to pick her up,” Lupus insisted.
“Hm… I’m getting suspicious. Maybe you actually have a crush on Suli, huh? That girl is pretty cute, you know!”
Lupus just smirked.
“Why the heck are you picking me up?” Lulu snapped when Lupus suddenly showed up at Suli’s house with his racing bike. Geez, that kid’s temper is out of control. She doesn’t even know that the broklak she devoured is about to kick in.
“You haven’t even started studying yet, just go home!” Lulu insisted.
“What were you guys doing all this time?” Lupus asked eagerly.
“We were just warming up. You know, gossiping and stuff.”
“And after that, you’ll study?” Lupus asked with excitement.
“Not necessarily, don’t accuse me!” Lulu retorted.
“Ugh, whatever! So when are you coming home?”
“It’s gonna be a while, basically when our lips turn black from gossiping – that’s when we’ll consider going home. Suli’s driver will take me. Just leave already!”
“Damn! But seriously, you’re getting a ride home in a car?”
“Yeah, what’s with you? How do you suddenly know about that?” Lulu questioned.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just worried that you might get a sudden stomachache on the way back. But if you’re getting a ride, then it’s all good. Oh, and I’m heading home now. Say hi to Suli’s family, including the maid. And earlier, when I was passing by the store, I bought two bars of chocolate. Want some?”
Lulu looked at Lupus in surprise. Wow, why is Lupus being so nice all of a sudden?
“Don’t be suspicious, this chocolate is legit. Come on, good luck studying. Hopefully you guys become super smart. It’ll be useful for washing dishes!” Lupus exclaimed.
“What’s the connection?” Lulu snapped.
“Figure it out yourself!”
Lupus then left Lulu, who was still dumbfounded by his strange behavior. Yeah, Lupus did that because he wanted to make amends. He really regretted it, when he pranked Lulu with the fake chocolate earlier. Hopefully the reaction to the chocolate Lulu ate won’t be too intense.
In the morning, Lupus woke up when Lulu pulled his leg. The bedroom window was already open, letting in the cool air.
“Wake up, Pus, I made you some toast.”
Lupus was still half-awake, half-dreaming.
“Um… I want to confess, Pus.”
“Why so early?”
“Never mind. It’s because I actually ate your chocolate on Saturday night. Sorry, I didn’t realize it was yours. I was sleepwalking. I woke up in the middle of the night and unconsciously went to the fridge and ate your chocolate until it was gone…”
“What? That’s a lie! How could you sleepwalk and eat a whole bar of chocolate?”
“Well, when I sleepwalk, I tend to do weird things. It’s because I was really hungry while sleepwalking. But I have to confess this sin to you, because it turns out you’re a nice person. I even went out of my way to pick you up from Suli’s house just to give you chocolate. You must be rich, huh?”
“Not really… hey, didn’t you have a stomachache last night?”
“No, why?”
“Did you steal my chocolate again, on Sunday afternoon?”
“No! Don’t accuse me like that!”
Lupus was shocked. Wait, so who ate the fake chocolate then? Could it be his beloved mom? He immediately ran to her room.
But it turned out his mom didn’t eat it either. So who did it? “Oh yeah, Mom forgot. Yesterday afternoon, your friend came over here, Pus. Who was it, the one with a chubby belly and not that cool. They said they had something important to do!”
Lupus immediately guessed, not cool, chubby… it must be Gusur.
“Yeah, they waited for you for a long time. They even asked for a drink. Mom told them to get it themselves from the fridge. And they seemed busy rummaging through the fridge. They looked really hungry. Not long after, they said goodbye and their mouth was full of mumbling. Mom was worried they might have brought onions for their catering!”
After hearing his mom’s story, Lupus burst into laughter. He imagined Gusur running back and forth to the bathroom. Who else could have eaten the fake chocolate if not him? He was insatiable, he even ate toothpaste.
In the morning, with a mischievous grin, Lupus quickly packed his things and headed to school. He couldn’t wait to see Gusur. That kid must have slimmed down a bit. At least his weight will drop by two kilos.
And when he arrived at school, Lupus did indeed find Gusur sitting alone, lost in thought. His face was pale, and he looked so weak. And the worst part, Gusur looked so light.
Lupus couldn’t hold back his laughter anymore, it burst out uncontrollably!
