REBOUND ― EPILOGUE
3 years later.
“MINIMONI FOUUUUUULLLL!”
Praaaaaaaang!
“LILIIII! BEHAVE!!!!!!!!!!!”
Win menutup telinga sambil meringis mendengar kekacauan di lantai bawah. Suara Thanaerng barsahut-sahutan dengan Minimoni yang mengeong, diiringi gelak tawa Lili yang memenuhi seisi rumah. Entah barang apa yang pecah barusan, Win hanya bisa berharap itu bukan medali timnas miliknya.
“Yang, masih cocok nggak?”
Win memalingkan wajahnya ketika mendengar suara Bright. He held his breath, his boyfriend is absolutely extremely breathtaking. Looks unbelievably gorgeous in that white suit.
“Masih,” Win berdiri, membenarkan letak kerah jas milik Bright, kemudian mereka berdua sama-sama menatap cermin besar di hadapan keduanya. “Gila, cakep banget.” komentar Win.
“Aku?”
“Geer. Aku muji wajah aku sendiri,” Win mengibaskan rambutnya dengan satu tangan, melihatnya, Bright mengacak-acak rambut Win yang sudah disisir rapi.
“Ih, jangan, dong!” Win mendorong Bright menjauh, namun ia kalah cepat, Bright justru menarik tangannya mendekati tubuhnya. Then Bright leans in, he's so close, so close 'till Win can't feel his legs anymore. He's breathing and not breathing and all he feels is him, everywhere, filling everywhere, and then Bright whispers, “Kiss me.“
For the first time since they had ever dated, Win kissed Bright first. And it just feels... different. His lips are softer, soft like a first snowfall, like biting into cotton candy, like melting and floating and being weightless in water. It's sweet, effortlessly sweet.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Bright whispers again, Win feeling the pounding of his heart against his skin. “For what?”
“For kissed my flaws and made them perfect. I'm feeling alive again because you, darling.”
Win menahan dirinya agar tidak tergelak, “Apa kamu manggil aku tadi? Darling? Belajar darimana lo?”
Bright giggles slowly, “Ah, gak seru kamu, ah.” Then he kissed the top of Win's hand. “Shall we?”
Mereka berdua akhirnya keluar kamar dan menuju lantai bawah. Di ruang tamu, sudah tertata kursi-kursi yang melingkari meja panjang, dengan berbagai jenis makanan terhidang di atasnya. Dekorasi bunga mengelilingi setiap sudut rumah, di lantai berserakan mainan Lili, tapi tidak apa, itu membuat suasana menjadi lebih semarak.
“Nah, ini dia yang ditungguin! Lama banget, sih?!” Terdengar suara Thanaerng menggerutu, ia terlihat membawa semangkuk salad dan meletakkannya di atas meja. “Cepetan turun!”
Bright mengamit lengan Win, dari seberang ruangan, ia melihat Neen sedang memperbaiki letak bunga berwarna putih. Her favorites. Melihat Bright dan Win mendekatinya, Neen tersenyum dan melambaikan tangan. “Wow, look at you.” Bright smiles thinly, he bowed and said thank you to his ex-wife.
“Who would have thought... you will take this path again,” ucap Neen. “Neither do I,” balas Bright. “Thanks to you again, Neen. For the past years, for everything that we've been through as friends, as a couple, and parents for Lili. You still remain my best woman ever.”
“Ah. Don't say that in front of your boyfriends,” Neen memukul lengan Bright pelan, “But I agreed, Kak. Without your help, we won't be here.” Win menimpali. Neen tersenyum, “It was the least I could do for you both,”
The doorbell rings and Lili jumps off her room followed by Thanaerng to get the guest in. Suara sorakan terdengar dari halaman rumah Bright, yang kemudian berubah menjadi cicitan halus dan lembut saat menyebutkan nama Lili. “Coach Bright, we are here!!!!!!!!” nyaring suara Neo terdengar hingga ke dalam, kemudian terdengar suara pukulan diikuti dengan gerutu protes Dew, “Heh! Gue Coachnya sekarang!”
3 tahun berlalu sejak Win lulus kuliah dan resmi menjadi pemain basket profesional. Setelah ulang tahunnya yang ke 23, Win ditransfer dari tim U-23 menuju U-25 dan kembali berlaga bersama timnas hingga ke tingkat internasional. Piala Dunia FIBA yang berhasil dimenangkannya bulan lalu adalah piala terakhir yang ia berikan untuk timnas.
Mulai bulan depan, Win akan berlaga di NBA. Ia ditarik bergabung oleh salah satu klub basket professional di Amerika Serikat. They told Win that they have been eyeing him for a long time, and when they met in FIBA last match, they immediately offered Win the opportunity to join and a contract to become a professional basketball player in their club.
Win can't help but surprised. He called Bright from USA, crying because he was confused. On the one hand, he clearly wants to accept the offer, but on the other hand, he also doesn't want to live far from Bright.
Long before that, Bright actually had a desire to retire as a Coach. He felt his ambition in basketball was enough and it was time for him to rest. But Win didn't allow it, he said Bright was still worthy enough to share his basketball knowledge, so he complied. But as soon as he hears that Win is getting a good chance in the USA, Bright finally tells Win what he's wanted all along.
He wants to go back to being a doctor.
Bright selalu ingin berbagi dan bermanfaat bagi orang banyak. Ia merasa cukup membantu dengan apa yang ia bisa di GMM Klub, ia berhasil membawa anak didiknya menembus timnas, memenangkan banyak pertandingan, dan terus memupuk bibit-bibit pemain muda yang berkualitas. Bright feels enough. Kini ia ingin berbagi dalam hal lain, ia ingin membagikan ilmunya yang pernah ia dapatkan ketika masih sekolah, ia tidak ingin apa yang pernah ia pelajari menguap sia-sia.
He felt he made a mistake at the time, and this time he was going to make up for it.
And that's how they finally agreed. Win accepts an offer to compete in NBA, and he will moves to America, followed by Bright, who will continue his specialist medical education there.
And now, they throw a farewell party today, attended by their closest people, Neen, Thanaerng, Neo, First, Dew, Mond, and all GMM Club members.
“Omg, Coach Bright! Aduh, apa saya sekarang harus manggil dr. Bright?” Dew menyalami Bright yang baru saja selesai mengambil foto ID untuk sekolah spesialisnya dengan jas putih dokter. “Terserah lo aja, Coach Dew,” Bright memberi penekanan di akhir kalimat, sementara Dew tersenyum sombong, “Hehehehe, ternyata gini ya, rasanya jadi Coach. Kayak berasa punya kekuasaan untuk foul,”
“GMM jadi klub foul semenjak lu jadi Coach!” Neo menjitak kepala Dew dari belakang, “Masa kemaren kalah sparing sama anak SMA?!”
“Hey!” Dew mengaduh, “It just a fun game, Coach Bright. Suer. Main-main doang, gak serius. We are going easy for them, ya masa sih kita main pake spirit penuh lawan anak SMA? Kasian nanti mereka terkapar,” Dew memberikan alasan.
Bright hanya geleng-geleng kepala, ia melepaskan jas dokternya,“Yaudah, sini foto sama gue. Bikinin from this to this dong ntar di IG klub.”
“Sini-sini saya fotoin, Coach!” First mengambil kamera di tangan Bright, “Hey, gue sekarang Coachnya!” protes Dew lagi. “Iyaaaa, iyaaaaa Coach Dew! Sungkem sini sungkem,”
It all feels surreal.
Win still feels like he's dreaming when Lili calls him “Papa” even though he and Bright aren't married yet. He felt like he was still dreaming when yesterday he packed his suitcase and stuffed all his jerseys and basketball shoes in there. He will be going to USA, he's really going to play basketball for the world's top clubs. Unbelievable.
Bagi Win, mimpi tertingginya hanya menembus timnas. Cukup dengan bermain di tingkat nasional dengan jersey merah putih saja sudah membuatnya bangga. Dia sama sekali tidak pernah mengira bahwa satu mimpi yang sudah ia raih menuntunnya ke mimpi-mimpi yang lebih besar, mimpi-mimpi yang ia anggap mustahil namun sekarang menjadi nyata.
But with Bright by his side, everything suddelny got easier.
“Di Las Vegas ada drive-thru wedding, by the way,” ucap Thanaerng. Win melirik adik tiri pacarnya itu, “Apa maksud lo?”
“Ya in case tiba-tiba kalian pengen married, tapi males sewa WO, drive-thru aja. Lebih baik daripada kawin lari.”
Neo dan First tergelak. Jokes kawin lari selalu lucu bagi grup si paling timnas. Win memelototi kedua temannya, kemudian kembali mengaduk sirup. “Gak keburu nikah dulu ah, mau main basket dulu.”
“Itu duda keburu kepentok bule-bule Amrik,” celetuk Thanaerng lagi, membuat Bright yang mendengar perkataan itu langsung menjambak rambut adiknya. “Sembarangan!”
Thanaerng mengaduh, ia balas menjitak Bright. “Heh, lu ya, duda. Besok lo udah ke Amerika sama Win. Plis lo jangan aneh-aneh di negeri orang! Lo disini nitipin gue rumah segede stadion sama lo ninggalin kucing garong lo itu, belum lagi gue harus jagain Lili kalo Kak Neen jaga di rumah sakit! Kan! Kalo dipikir-pikir, lo mau deket apa jauh tetep nyusahin gue, deh!” Ia mengomel panjang lebar.
“Makanya, nikah. Biar lo ada temen jagain Lili sama temen tidur di rumah ini.” jawab Bright cuek. “Lo aja kaga ngajak Metaverse nikah! Gue aja yang lo umpanin,” balas Thanaerng. Neen hanya geleng-geleng kepala melihat Bright dan Thanaerng berdebat. Ia kemudian menengahi, “Kalo kamu takut sendirian disini, tidur rumah aku aja.”
“Ya maunya gitu, Kak.” ucap Thanaerng. “Siapa juga orang gila yang mau tidur sendirian di rumah 15 kamar.”
“Gue, anjir. Lu kalo tidur di rumah bokap kan gue tidur sendirian disini.” kata Bright. “Gila kan? Ya lu orgil,” gerutu Thanaerng, “Apa gue kos-in aja yak rumah ini?”
Bright menjambak rambut Thanaerng lagi, “Lo boleh jastip M&M sepuasnya, tapi jangan kos-in rumah masa depan gue sama Win,”
“IDIIIIIHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,” Thanaerng pura-pura muntah, “Nikahin dulu, duda! Jangan ngomong doang, lu!”
“Foto bareng, yuk!”
Mond berteriak dari ruang tengah, ia sedang mengatur letak kamera bersama First dan Neo. Semua orang kemudian mendekat, mereka mengambil posisi masing-masing. Bright dan Win berada di tengah dengan Lili di duduk di tengah-tengah pangkuan mereka, Thanaerng berdiri di sebelah Bright sementara Neen di sebelah Win, Neo, First dan Dew duduk di bawah Lili, diikutii anggota klub yang lain.
“Siap-siap yaa!” Mond menekan tombol timer. “Hitung dari 10!” Ia kemudian berlari dan mengambil posisi foto bersama yang lain.
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Click.
Bright kissed Win on his cheeks. He whispers something that made his boyfriend turns red and smile shyly. Win could only grip Bright's hand tightly.
All his dreams, life, and the whole world, he held it now.