BRODIN DI JEPANG: SENYUM DI TEMPAT YANG SALAH
Brodin berada di Tokyo pada jam sibuk pagi. Kereta penuh, semua orang diam, wajah serius seperti sedang memikirkan pajak seumur hidup. Brodin berdiri di tengah gerbong, kaos merah sleret-sleret khas Madura terlihat jelas di balik jas hitamnya. Mulutnya tertutup, matanya berkeliling.
Seorang ibu berdiri di depannya.
Brodin refleks tersenyum dan berkata pelan:
Brodin:
「どうぞ。」
Dōzo.
(Silakan.)
Ibu itu terkejut, lalu cepat menggeleng.
Ibu:
「大丈夫です。」
Daijōbu desu.
(Tidak apa-apa.)
Brodin bingung. Di Indonesia, ini berarti “iya tapi malu”.
Di Jepang, itu benar-benar “tidak”.
Kereta berhenti. Brodin turun, masuk ke minimarket.
Kasir:
「いらっしゃいませ！」
Irasshaimase!
(Selamat datang!)
Brodin kaget setengah mati, lalu tersenyum lebar dan menunduk.
Brodin:
「こんにちは。」
Konnichiwa.
(Halo.)
Kasir tidak membalas.
Brodin panik: “Apa aku salah?”
Ia membeli onigiri.
Kasir:
「温めますか？」
Atatamemasu ka?
(Mau dipanaskan?)
Brodin (jujur tapi gugup):
「はい。」
Hai.
(Iya.)
Kasir memanaskan.
Saat menerima, Brodin tersenyum terlalu lebar.
Brodin:
「ありがとうございます！」
Arigatō gozaimasu!
(Terima kasih banyak!)
Kasir mengangguk kaku.
Di luar, Brodin duduk di bangku taman. Mulut tertutup, senyum kecil. Ia menulis di buku catatannya:
“Di Jepang, ramah itu sunyi.
Senyum tidak selalu dibalas.
Dan ‘iya’ benar-benar berarti iya.”
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Brodin in Japan: Smiling at the Wrong Time
Brodin was in Tokyo during rush hour. The train was full. Everyone was silent, looking like they were thinking about taxes forever. Brodin stood proudly in his red Madurese T-shirt under a black jacket. His mouth was closed. His smile was waiting.
A woman stood in front of him.
“Please,” Brodin said politely.
“No, I’m fine,” she replied quickly.
Brodin was confused. In Indonesia, that means yes.
In Japan, that really means no.
At a convenience store, the cashier shouted “Welcome!”
Brodin almost jumped.
“Hello,” he said politely.
The cashier did not reply.
Panic.
When asked if he wanted his food heated, Brodin said yes.
When he thanked the cashier, he smiled too much.
The cashier nodded… carefully.
Outside, Brodin wrote:
“In Japan, politeness is quiet.
Smiles are optional.
And yes truly means yes.”
