BLACK CAT
Grandpa

A young man was seen climbing the steps of a stilt house on the side of a bar and immediately sitting in front of an old man in his 80s.

As soon as the young man sat on the terrace floor of a stilt house that looked like a traditional Malay house in ancient times, it appeared that an old man known by the name of Tengku Mahmud took two betel leaf sheets, which he said, put the chalk and gambier and some other herbs including the contents of betel nut fruit divided by four then fold the betel leaves that have been seasoned and give it to the young man.

Tigor, the young man who had just been sitting was slightly frowning because he did not understand what leaves contained the cleavage of betel nut, gambier and chalk and some other materials were given to him.

"Look. Why did you give this betel leaf to me?" Ask Tigor.

"Well. Just eat. It's good for dental health!" Said the old man answering Tigor's question.

"Uh.. It must be bad." Said Tigor looking urgently received the betel leaf fold.

"Just chew and don't do much. Refusing my gift means seeking disease!" The old man's snapping made Tigor inevitably forced to accept as well.

Tigor began to chew on the betel leaf until his mouth was now flushed red like it was bleeding.

"These betel leaves have many benefits. Later if you have an eye pain, you can simply take three sheets of this betel nut, in the mash and soak in water. After that strain the water to separate with the remaining dirt of the betel pulp. Put your face in the water soaking betel leaves earlier with eyes open. Leave it on for a few moments. With God's permission, the sick eye will be fine." Grandpa Mahmud said.

"Thank you kek. But something's stuck in my heart and I have to ask you directly, 'Cake." Tigor.

"Are you still curious about me, why can I guess you, why do I know so much about you and your father?"

In response, Tigor simply nodded.

"It's amazing this old man. He can guess right." Tigor said in his heart.

"Your grandfather named Parulian was my best friend from childhood." Grandpa Mahmud said.

"Grandfather knows my late grandfather?" Ask Tigor.

"Son's son. Not just know. But looking at her is just like I see my own palm."

Geck...

"You know. Even your Bonar's father was my adopted son." Grandpa Mahmud said as he touched Tigor's forehead.

"real Cake? Who and where did Grandpa come from?" tigor asked curiously.

"Why didn't I ever know my late father had an adoptive father?" Said Tigor muttering.

"That was your father's insolence. Uh but it's not your late father's fault either. I'm the one who won't let him admit that I'm his foster father."

"Why Cake?" Tigor asked in surprise.

The young man was more and more attracted to the old man before him.

Now it's just Tigor. Was he able to pry little by little about this old man's background.

"We as people who lived in the past that if there is content will certainly look for opponents. Unlike the current era which is tight with the existence of law enforcement police. If you fight, you will be arrested. In the past, we young people who just came out of the padepokan or down the mountain, will be wandering buana looking for experience. It is not uncommon to enter another college just to test how deep science we have." Said the old man. "That's why I have many enemies." Said again.

"Then, how did Grandpa get to know my grandfather? Are you brothers?" Ask Tigor.

"No. We have no blood relation at all. Your grandfather was a batak. While I am from the Deli Malay tribe. I came from the Asahan River while your grandfather was from Sidimpuan tapanuli south there. My meeting with your grandfather was when we were about 13 years old and it happened that our parents both handed us to a teacher precisely in Aceh to be educated. that's where I'm friends with your grandfather."

"We are educated not just about writing read only. We are taught to deepen the science of religion. In didik deepened the science of kanuragan, religious order, moral nobility, and much more about the philosophy of life. How we behave to our fellow man, how we crave ourselves to the Creator. Reciprocity between fellow living beings and self-righteousness toward God."

"There are people who are too fanatical about religion to ignore neighboring neighbors. Some are so busy with the world that they forget God. Now this is what we are instilled in the need for balance. When your brother needs you, help him. Because it is useless for you to submit to rise to prayer sunah thousand raka'at, but when your brother, your neighbor is sick, you just ignore him and just busy with your worship even though you have the ability to help. Because your neighbor has the right to help you. If you ignore this right, which door of heaven will open for you?" Ask the old man.

"Whoever is your neighbor, whatever tribe he is, whatever religion he belongs to, as long as he is your neighbor, your neighbor, your neighbor, he has become your brother and has the right to get help. If you ignore this, then you have failed to make God happy. This balance is what we need. Not only prayer, fasting, Zakat, and Hajj can bring you into heaven. By looking after your neighbors, helping others, helping orphans, old parents, the point is, doing good in this world without causing harm, it can also lead you to the service of God."

"I don't mean you do good, help others until you forget to worship God. But that balance is what we need to implement. That's the basic lesson I learned from my teacher back then along with your grandfather." Said Tengku Mahmud.

"Then Kek, how did you get so many enemies. Didn't you get that kind of education. My grandfather forbade my late father to admit that you were his adoptive father. Why is it so Cake?" Tigor did not understand.

"That's an ungodly student like me and your grandfather. Initially after we both graduated from the pesantren as the two best students. Surely neither I nor your grandfather were satisfied. I assume that I'm better than your grandfather. And vice versa. Then I asked to have a fight with your grandfather where no one lost and won until we finally made an appointment to meet again next year in Sipirok to do a rematch."

"Since then your grandfather and I began to wander around looking for teachers to increase the treasury of knowledge that we have. It's just that, the difference between me and your grandfather is, if he's just studying with the origin of the studies. If I don't. I will challenge everyone to fight with me. If I lose, I'll study with him."

"There are many places I go to to find knowledge. Even I got to Johor Malaysia, Kedah and Kelantan."

"Gee. Until Negri came out, too, grandfather." Tigor.

"Ult born was the Republic of Indonesia or the State of Malaysia. It was still Nusantara. And we as a group of people, free to go in and out wherever we want. For days I rowed sampan against the waves to get to the Malay land and finally I arrived. At that time, many colleges that I went to and fought until one when I could be defeated by a swordsman precisely in old Kedah. And I studied there for almost a year."

"When I went back to Asahan, I started looking for your grandfather and we went back to fighting precisely in Sipirok. I defeated your grandfather at that time with the style of Gayung together. Still unsatisfied, your grandfather asked to hold another fight with me a year later. I agreed and we went back to find a teacher and fought again next year. I was defeated by your grandfather. And we made another appointment next year. But damn it is your grandfather met your grandmother and they got married. On their wedding day, I came and smashed the collateral to keep us fighting for seven hours. When we were both tired, we realized that what we did was stupid." Tengku Mahmud said with a bitter smile reminiscing about his past.

"So Cake, you used to be heavy enemies huh?" Tanya Tigor was getting more enthusiastic.

"In terms of martial arts, I am your late grandfather's greatest enemy. But only that. In the matters of life, he is my brother, my best friend and we love each other like siblings. When your father was born, your grandfather came to his old enemy. Maybe just like me who likes to fight. Your grandfather fought and lost. The defeat caused him to lose his life. I feel so angry and lost. A month later I went to the man who fought with your grandfather and I managed to put seven daggers on his body. With this, my grudge paid off."

"I raised your father as an adopted son, supporting your late grandmother and your late father. Many have suggested that I marry your grandmother. But since I sincerely assumed your grandfather was a brother, then I rejected the matchmaking and married the girl of my choice. But until my wife died, I had no children. That's why I love your father so much. But I refused if he told anyone else that I was his foster father. Because what? Because I have many enemies. Just like your grandfather who died at the hands of the enemy. I don't want him to die because of my enemies. He won't be able to."

"When he graduated from school and became a policeman. I didn't let him see me and I chose to isolate myself in Kuala Nipah. Until I got word that your father had been killed by the Skull Gang. For the past eight years I've been following you around and keeping you safe from people who want you dead. Do you think that's as smooth as it can be to escape from that mafia group. Counted over 30 people who died at my hands for protecting you."

"What's? So all this time Grandpa knew my suffering? Eating without eating, living in the air, sleeping under the bridge. Why didn't Grandpa meet me and my sister and take us to move to your cake house?" Tigor asked disappointed.

"My grandson. A piece of iron must be burned, beaten to become a sword. You are the same. You have to enjoy your pain in order to become the power to take revenge. Remember that! That pain. Don't forget that!"

Tigor was only bowed at the words of his adoptive grandfather. There were no tears on her cheeks. Not sad tears, or weak ones. But tears of vengeance.