"Come on, Wisnu! You can do it!"
On a weekend afternoon, Talia, Sherly, and I participated in an annual kite-flying competition near my neighborhood. A lush green field buzzed with participants and their enthusiastic supporters. Street vendors also added to the vibrant atmosphere, not to mention the commentator, whose remarks annoyingly raised and lowered the competition's tension.
Initially, I planned to join the city-level provincial competition, but registration had already closed. Talia insisted I participate in this one, saying even a neighborhood-level contest was fine. She wanted to see if I was as good as I claimed to be.
There were thirty participants in the last flying kite contest. All the kites were diamond-shaped, distinguished only by their colors and designs. My kite? I painted it with The Flash logo: a red background with a yellow lightning bolt. Why? Because this kite cuts down opponents as fast as lightning. Or so I hoped.
For thirty minutes, I focused on the sky transitioning into dusk. My hands skillfully maneuvered the high-quality glass-coated string, pulling and releasing as my instincts guided me. I felt the wind, strategized when to defend and attack, and snapped the strings of opponents' kites. By then, nine participants had thrown up their hands, saying, "Ahh, it's cut!" Kids raced across the field, chasing the fluttering kites as they drifted down.
Three competitors remained, including me, to decide first, second, and third place. My two remaining opponents had also racked up nine kills each.
"As you can see, three kites are still battling it out in the sky to prove who's the best!" the commentator announced, building suspense.
"Go, Wisnu! You got this!" Talia, who wasn't just my reel holder but also my cheerleader, shouted encouragement. Meanwhile, Sherly sat gracefully, her head turning right, left, and upward, tracking the kites' movements.
Honestly, I felt nervous. Adrenaline surged, my blood raced. I tried to stay focused and motivate myself. Come on, Wisnu. Just two more. You can do this.
My remaining opponents were high school students, around 17 years old. But their creative and tough kite-flying skills made them formidable. Unlike them, I relied on just one techniqueâbasic, yet deadly. I called it "The Fatal Friction."
For 350 seconds, our kites danced in the air. Then suddenly...
"Oh!!! Look at that! The Cold's string has been cut by The Killer, leaving The Flash as the next likely targetâor could The Flash turn the tables and cut The Killer?" the commentator exclaimed.
The black skull-themed kite, The Killer, was sharp. Despite being sandwiched between my kite and the navy-blue kite, The Cold, it exploited a moment of carelessness and took down The Cold with ease. Hmmm. It's time to unleash my secret trick.
The owner of The Killer and I locked eyes. It was time to settle this.
"Look, folks! The two kites are clashing! Their strings are entwined, spinning, scraping against each other. What will happen next?"
This was nerve-wrackingânot just for me but for the crowd eager to see the outcome. The Killer's fans grew louder with each cut, but so did mine.
The silhouette of the setting sun made the atmosphere even more epic.
"OH! The Flash's string has snapped, like losing consciousness in the face of The Killer's might. But wait!"
As if. That was my secret trick. I made it look like my kite's string snapped to catch my opponent off guard. Then, with a quick move, I dove in from above, pulling hard on my string to cut through my opponent's moment of triumph.
"What an incredible turn of events, folks! A spectacular 20-minute aerial battle, and The Flash emerges as the champion!"
The crowd behind me, including Talia, erupted in cheers. I smiled broadly at their joyful faces. They were residents from all walks of lifeâkids, teenagers, and adultsâenjoying the kite competition.
***
During the prize ceremony, I declined to accept the reward. I joined this competition purely for nostalgia. The satisfaction of winning was enough for me. I asked the organizers to give the prize to the second-place winner.
"Now do you believe I'm really good at kite flying?" I teased Talia.
"Okay, okay, you're great," she admitted.
"Of course, I am. It's Wisnu we're talking about," I joked arrogantly.
"Here's your drink," Talia handed me a bottle of mineral water.
"Ah, thanks. You really know meâI was parched."
The activity had drained my energy. Talia and I decided to relax for a while, sitting on the grass and enjoying the orange sky before darkness set in. Sherly, meanwhile, played with nearby insects.
Suddenly, a teenage boy in a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops approached us.
"Your kite-flying was incredible, Sir." He was the owner of The Killer.
"Ah, thank you. You were amazing tooâI had a hard time keeping up," I praised him.
He blushed at the compliment.
"Uh... excuse me, Sir. May I ask you for something?" he said shyly.
Talia and I exchanged confused glances. What could it be?
"Could I have your kite? I want to become a world-class kite-flying athlete, and I idolize you. Your kite would inspire me." He pointed politely at the kite lying between me and Talia.
"Wow. Thank you. I'm honored to have a fan. Sure, you can have it," I said, handing him the spool and kite with both hands.
"Really, Sir?"
"Yes, take it. I hope it inspires you to bring glory to our country with your talent."
"Thank you so much, Sir!" He eagerly took the red kite from my hands.
"One day, Sir, you'll hear about meâBayu, the world kite-flying champion." He grinned ear to ear.
"That's a great spirit, Bayu. I wish you all the best."
***
A week after meeting Keiko, I contacted Talia. She responded warmly, without questioning my earlier "disappearance."
"Where have you been?"
"Uh..."
"Are you okay?"
"Ah, yes. I'm fine. How about you?"
"A doctor must always be healthy. If a doctor gets sick, who will treat the patients?"
"Oh, yeah. Hehe. You're right. Uh, Talia, can we meet?"
From then on, our relationship grew more intense. We spent more time togetherâhanging out at trendy spots, visiting theme parks, Seaworld, shooting ranges (Talia loved shooting and was good at it), and most recently, flying kites. It was all part of getting to know each other more deeply before I introduced her to my parents.
Two weeks passed,and so far, I felt comfortable. Talia's actions showed she felt the same. Therewas no official dating between us. We were both adults, and I told her I wantedto get married. She said she wanted the same. Were we the right match for eachother? I didn't know yet. But we decided to find out together.