RELINQUISH

It was rather a short journey for both of them to reach a two-story building in a small alley. Perhaps just ten minutes if only they had walked from that economics faculty's front gate, where Daniel had previously been standing still, waiting for Deo to pick him up.

But the boarding house itself, is a building with a total of twenty rooms that were actually quite spacious and comfortable within, just all of them are lined up tightly together in a hallway with iron-barred windows at the end… Probably to prevent anything that had previously happened in that place from happening again, whatever it was.

"So which room is yours?" Daniel asked, strangely with a very suspicious posture while still hugging the big bag in front of his chest.

"Stop it. I know you acted like a thief because you wanted to mock this place, but it bothers me too much if anyone sees me strolling next to you, Daniel. So just stop doing that." Deo responded as he turned the key to one of the room doors.

Then they went inside.

"And what about my room? What happened to mine?" Daniel threw himself, face first onto the bed.

"I believe that three months ago, you had paid it a year, the same time as Fanya and I paid ours, correct?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, the landlady keeps asking Fanya about whether you will ever come or not, because there are many other people who also need the empty room."

"And then?" Suddenly Daniel sneezed, his hand motioned for Deo to continue what he was saying while adding, "I'm allergic to dust. Sorry."

"Okay… Anyway, whenever asked such, Fanya always gave the answer that you would come here to stay with us. She consistently refused when the landlady insisted on returning your rent money, just so that someone else could use the place. And then, uh… I think that's all… Thanks to her, I guess."

"Thank you, Fanya."

"Yep." Deo gave a nod of assent.

"So where is she now?"

"She still has classes at this hour… Probably. I also have to go back to campus soon."

Holding his backpack while swinging the key chain in his right hand, Deo leaned against the door of the room, where he noticed how Daniel suddenly got up as if something suddenly crossed his mind, thus he decided to stay and listen.

"If you two have classes now, then it's fine. All you need to do though, in the evening, ask her to go home with you and I will wait here and give her a surprise. Sounds good?"

"..."

"What's wrong?"

"There's no way I would do that, you dumbass." The fat boy stuttered as if he was nervous by something he had accidentally imagined himself. "I mean, Fanya will likely get home in an hour, while I still have class until six in the evening."

"Ah… I see."

"You're always like that." Deo sighed.

"Like what?"

"No… Nothing. Anyway, I have to go now. If you're hungry, there should be some snacks on that cabinet. Just help yourself to some, alright?"

Daniel's closest friend's swift farewell was echoed by the softly shutting door.

His footsteps also slowly felt like they were moving further away until the room, which Daniel still found strange for himself to be alone in, turned into absolute silence.

And it was very quiet, even when Daniel took a deep breath while trying to stand up, he could hear the rattling of the worn window glass right next to him which was not closed properly… Thus he intended to approach it first to close it tightly, before then to the part of the room that Deo had previously appointed for him to inspect for the presence of snacks.

"Yeah. Of course you have snacks in this small cabinet, you fat ass." Daniel took a pack of potato chips and immediately began munching on them.

"And also here."

The boy clutched the food beneath his armpit and chattered to himself, his mouth still full. All of that was done just so his other hand could open a second wooden box that was next to each other. To prove what he suspected was his friend's eating habits.

"And here too."

Unfortunately his guess was wrong this time, the small cupboard in the third row did not contain any food at all, but instead a pile full of adult magazines. Causing him to choke in surprise then complaining to himself.

"But why!?" He asked. "Why is this next to the food cupboard, Deo?! It should've been hidden! Why are all these things in a place that is so easy for anyone visiting to stumble upon?!" Both hands lifted as if certain that someone was there to agree with him.

He drew a deep breath, letting its stillness steady him as he sank to the floor. His gaze lingered on the myriad of posters adorning the walls, their presence instantly familiar. The boy had seen them all before, back when he used to visit Deo's house as a kid—grim depictions of apocalyptic scenes, haunting photographs of riots and somewhat critical if not radical quotes from the rebels.

All the things that used to look so cool whenever Daniel saw them, but now the only thing that crossed his mind was worry.

"If there is someone who doesn't change, it's you Deo. Not me."

~~~~~

Guinaian, besides being known as a ring city in the middle of green forests, is also known as the "new city of students." The city is home to numerous prestigious schools and universities, particularly elite private institutions that stand among the finest in Indonesia. While the one that Deo and Fanya attend doesn't belong to this exclusive category, gaining admission there is no small feat. In other words, to be able to be in such a place is not something easy to achieve, therefore both of them are in fact quite capable students in terms of proficiency. But it has become a hierarchy, when someone dons a certain campus black blazer adorned with its emblem, others—whether consciously or unconsciously—begin to measure their own status against that person's. It's a silent acknowledgment for some are seen as superior to those around them.

Especially when the person in question had a face that could turn heads… Long, silky, straight black hair that is left to be brushed by the breeze and clean, pale complexion. She was by no means a high school student, but the pleated black skirt, falling just above the knee, was enough to make many people mistake her for one as she walked down the street that day.

The girl was silent and undecided. Standing before a shelf of sandwiches, moments after stepping into the convenience store, eyes darting between the options. She tried to decide on a snack to pass the time, since she was waiting not only for a call on her smartphone but also for the chocolate milkshake she'd ordered, which was being prepared at the counter across from the cashier. It was only natural that the thing would take some time; the long queue was also all ordering the same type of drink as hers… Thus the girl decided to take a seat on one of the chairs inside the convenience store. Unlocking her smartphone screen at the same time when it rang, an incoming call from "Senior Raymond" which she immediately answered even as a sandwich hung halfway from her mouth.

"Hello? Are you busy right now?"

"No, senior." The girl swallowed half of the sandwich.

"Don't you have any more classes today?"

"No, senior. Should I come pick you guys up now?"

"Ah, actually we're not finished here yet. But you can get ready if you want."

"The guy won't talk?"

The man on the other end of the line went silent for a moment, as if he was double-checking before responding. "Nah, he talks. Kamiko's doing her thing right now. We both know what she's like."

"I see."

"It's just… The guy is still in shock… Was probably traumatized. He keeps saying that he killed this boy and he was forced to do it. Basically just repeating the same thing. The number three is also shown on our measurement device."

Just from that number, something crossed the girl's mind. "This was the first time he's ever killed someone."

"That's right. At least he was certain there had been no strange incident when it happened. He was sure no magic was involved— the fire was caused purely by gasoline."

"So? Doesn't that mean we can close the case now?"

"That's what I don't get either. Kamiko suspects this case might be connected to the severe fire that occurred in the same village a few months ago." The voice faded for a moment before the man let out a sigh, a quiet expression of helplessness. "I don't know… Something about the intonation and pronunciation in Indonesian that I still don't quite get."

"What?"

"I mean, I'm still learning Indonesian, so maybe I missed something he said—something that Kamiko caught, even though we're both still learning the language."

Somehow the girl who had previously laughed a little in confusion now felt that she really understood her senior's feelings.

"I see…" She responded.

"Or perhaps Kamiko simply understood things far better than I did… I guess she became our captain not without reason, right?"

"Yeah."

"What about you? Are you doing well in college?"

"It's fine… I guess."

"A lot of people told me about that place, you know." The man laughed warmly. "I'm not as smart as you… I'm not even as smart as Kamiko, for crying out loud. I mean, for you to be able to study in such an elite place, honestly, it makes me proud just to have teammates as well educated as you both."

"Thank you, senior."

"Just don't push yourself too hard, okay? Remember to take a break once in a while."

"Yeah."

"That's all I wanted to say, really. And speaking of which, I think you can get ready now… Looks like Kamiko just finished dealing with that guy. I'll send you a photo of our location."

"Roger that, senior. See you there."

The girl ended the call as she heard her name called from behind the counter—her sweet drink was ready. Wasting no time, she rushed over to get it.

Walking leisurely out through the glass door until her steps abruptly halted when two others also stopped right in front of her.

Something across the street had caught their attention. Leaving everyone hesitant to move any further, as a group of people shouted angrily at a man in their midst, their voices rising in fury… Yet another punk in another city.

"Again and again… I swear to god, it's the same people everywhere! Ever since that thunderstorm first appeared, this city has slowly turned into a dumping ground for young scum!"

An old man in front of the girl complained to no one, refusing to accept that this was something normal, where people should simply learn to tolerate… Just like how the young man beside him was casually drinking a canned coffee with one hand in his trouser pocket—a demeanor that seemed suspicious enough to draw the old guy's wary gaze.

"Boy… You're not one of them, are you?" The man asked.

"No sir."

"Your hairstyle says otherwise. And those weird bracelets don't help either."

"I can assure you that I am not, sir. I just like rock music, but that's all."

"Huh… If you say so."

The young man chuckled softly. Relieved that any suspicions he'd had about himself were now dispelled, before turning around to look for a place to throw away his empty drink can, a place that was right behind the girl whose eyes reflexively looked down to avoid the sudden eye contact. Where she also moved one step to the left, recognizing from his gestures what the man intended to do with the trash in his hands.

However, the numerous black bracelets on his wrists were too familiar for the girl to ignore; she was very sure that she had seen the same hands more than once before, so by that sole reason, she decided to give in to the curiosity she had.

And that's when their eyes met.

A visage that one person recognizes but another does not.

~~~~~