21–1 Tarmin's Ketoprak (Indonesian Peanut-Sauce Salad)
University of Indonesia campus, 10:00 PM.
Students from the evening classes pour out, heading home.
Two identical twin girls in pink leather jackets stroll casually along the sidewalk toward the Seroja Indah Apartments.
Rani: "What a tiring night class."
Rina: "Yeah, especially with a killer lecturer."
The twins giggle.
Meanwhile, in a nearby parking area not far from the apartment gate, a tall, well–built man and his two friends are busy devouring plates of ketoprak.
"Weladalah.. wedus!"
Yes, these are Giono, Karto, and Turiman — The Green Gang.
Giono: "Well, would you look at that… Tarmin, why's your ketoprak so spicy tonight?"
Tarmin: "Only used two chilis, Boss."
Karto: "Of course it's spicy, Min. Those were bird's eye chilis!"
Turiman and Tarmin grin like horses.
Turiman: "After ketoprak, it'd be perfect to order coffee, right Boss?"
Giono: "Sheep… That's exactly what I was thinking, Man!"
Karto: "Black coffee, right Boss?"
Turiman: "Two spoons of coffee, half a spoon of sugar."
Giono: "Weduss… And don't forget, stir exactly 18 times."
Tarmin chuckles quietly.
***
21–2 Yu Karmi's Snack Table
Giono gulps down a glass of mineral water, face red from Tarmin's chili blast.
Giono: "Sheep… You trying to prank me, Min?"
Tarmin just chuckles, while Karto and Turiman smirk.
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Giono: "Hey, Karto! Go order three coffees from Yu Karmi…"
Next to Tarmin's ketoprak cart is a long table and chairs, covered with snacks: bread, cakes, chips, instant noodles, and coffee. This snack table belongs to Yu Karmi.
Karto: "On it, Boss…"
Giono: "Karto, make sure one is black…"
Karto: "Two spoons coffee, half spoon sugar."
Turiman: "Stir exactly 18 times. No more, no less."
This time it's Tarmin's turn to grin like a horse.
Giono: "Hey, Tarmin! Want coffee too?"
Tarmin: "No thanks, Boss."
Turiman: "Tarmin's afraid the coffee will fight the ketoprak…"
Tarmin frowns. Karto bursts out laughing.
Giono: "Wedus… Don't worry, Min. The coffee's on the house…"
Karto and Turiman grin like mischievous goats.
***
21–3 Four Suspicious Young Men
Under the dim streetlamp, in the parking lot, Giono, Karto, and Turiman enjoy their coffee and cigarettes.
At Yu Karmi's table, the three chat about nothing in particular. Suddenly, Karto glances toward the apartment gate.
Karto: "Hey, Turiman! Take a look at the entrance."
Turiman turns toward where Karto's pointing.
There stand four young men, each holding a pair of nunchaku, twirling them like fans.
Turiman: "Suspicious…"
Karto: "Yep. They've been there since before we started eating ketoprak."
Turiman: "Looks like they're waiting for someone…"
Karto: "Judging by the weapons, they're clearly waiting for an enemy."
Turiman: "I think they're gonna beat someone up."
Karto: "Yup, Man…"
Giono, who had been ignoring them, now looks toward the apartment gate, brow furrowing.
Giono: "Karto, pay for the coffee."
Karto: "How much, Yu? Three coffees, four packs of peanuts."
Yu Karmi: "Twenty thousand, Mas."
Karto hands over the money.
Giono: "Pay for the ketoprak too, To."
Karto: "Three ketoprak, how much, Min?"
Tarmin: "All together, twenty–six thousand, Mas."
Karto hands him thirty thousand.
Karto: "Keep the change, Min…"
Tarmin grins like a horse.
***
21-4: Giono Becomes Suspicious
As the leader of the Green Gang, Giono could already read the movements of the four young men armed with nunchaku
Giono: "Weladalah... Karto, you and Turiman, keep an eye on them."
Karto and Turiman nodded.
Giono: "Don't let them start trouble here."
Karto: "Got it, Boss!"
Turiman simply nodded in alertness.
Tarmin whispered something to Yu Karmi.
Suddenly, one of the four young men pointed ahead.
Giono, Karto, and Turiman turned their heads toward where he pointed.
Two twin girls in pink leather jackets were walking cheerfully toward the apartment gate guarded by the four men.
Giono: "Weladalah, wedus..."
***
21-5 Giono Just Watches
Karto: "Boss, looks like they're going to mess with those twin girls..."
Turiman: "Cowards. Four against two..."
As a seasoned fighter, Giono could tell from the twins' light footwork that they were not to be underestimated.
Giono: "Karto, Turiman... stay put and watch."
Karto and Turiman nodded.
Sure enough, the four young men ran up to the twins and surrounded them.
The ninchakus spun around, creating a cage.
The twins—Rani and Rina, experts in throwing knives—showed no sign of fear.
Sensing trouble, Rani and Rina glanced at each other.
Rani: "Rina, are you scared?"
Rina: "Are you scared, Rani?"
The two laughed lightly and took their stances.
Giono simply observed, holding an empty plastic cup.
Karto and Turiman were itching to jump in—though often silly, they were excellent fighters, which was why they served as Giono's right-hand men.
One of the four young men, Sopian, twirled his nunchaku in front of Rani and Rina.
Sopian: "Hey, Pendi! Let's grab these two mbelgedes girls!"
Pendi: "We'll make it look like an accident..."
The four of them closed in tighter on Rani and Rina.
***
21-6 Nunchakus Encircle Rani and Rina
Sopian lunged forward, swinging his nunchaku at the twins, followed by the other three.
The flurry of swings and strikes kept Rani and Rina hemmed in.
So far, they had been able to dodge.
Occasionally, they struck back with punches and kicks, but their movements were limited.
Rina: "Rani, get the knives ready!"
Rani nodded, pulling four knives from inside her jacket.
Giono, Karto, and Turiman grew tense.
Karto: "Cowards... you martabak ketan!"
Turiman: "Shame on you, ganging up on women!"
Karto: "And with weapons too..."
Giono ignored their chatter. The cup in his hand began to tremble.
To be continued
Author's note:
Thank you for reading NAGINI! ????
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? Expanded and refined dialogue
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