That afternoon, the sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden glare over the bustling city, but Nuriana paid it no mind.
She wove her way through the crowded streets, her grip tightening around the steering wheel, knuckles white with tension.
The rhythmic ticking of her watch felt deafening in the silence of her thoughts, each second stretching unbearably.
"How was Havi? Was he still there?"
A tightness coiled in her chest, a mixture of dread and urgency. The twenty-minute drive felt like an eternity, each red light a cruel taunt.
And when she finally pulled into the hospital's car park, she barely waited for the engine to still before flinging open the door and striding towards the entrance.
The air inside the hospital was thick with antiseptic and the low murmur of voices. She barely noticed.
"Miss! Wait a moment! Where are you headed?"
A voice called out, an officer from the medical records desk. But Nuriana did not stop.
"Where else? Inside, of course! Or did you think I was coming to visit your house?" she shot back, her voice clipped, impatient.
The officer sighed.
He had only meant to tell her that Havi had left over an hour ago, but there was no space for explanations, not when she was already halfway down the corridor, driven by something too fierce to be reasoned with.
He recognised her, of course. He had seen her before, her face etched with the same look of quiet desperation.
She was no ordinary visitor. Whether friend, family, or something more, he wasn't quite sure.
But the way she rushed through those doors, as if the very world depended on it, told him enough.
That afternoon, the sun hung high in the sky, its golden rays spilling over the restless city.
The heat pressed down upon the streets, warping the air in shimmering waves, but Nuriana scarcely noticed.
Her mind was elsewhere.
Fingers tightening around the steering wheel, she manoeuvred her way through the dense traffic, her heart drumming a frantic rhythm in her chest.
Every second that passed felt stretched, elongated by the weight of uncertainty.
How was Havi? Had he regained consciousness?
The questions swirled in her thoughts, each one more insistent than the last.
By the time she reached Hadiyaksa Hospital, her nerves were taut, pulled to their breaking point.
She barely allowed the car to settle before pushing open the door and striding towards the emergency ward.
The moment she reached the entrance, she drew in a steadying breath and shoved the door open. But as her gaze swept across the room, her steps faltered.
Something was wrong.
"Havi..." she murmured, the name barely escaping her lips.
But he was not there.
Her eyes flickered from bed to bed, her pulse quickening as she searched for him.
Yet the place where he had lain was now empty, the sheets folded with precision, a silent testament to his absence.
A slow, creeping dread coiled in her chest.
Without hesitation, she turned on her heel and strode towards the nurses' station, the confusion in her eyes stark and unguarded.
"The patient, Havi. Where is he?" she demanded, her voice laced with urgency. "He was in that room just now."
The nurse at the desk glanced up, assessing her with a calm, almost knowing expression.
"The patient, Havi, was discharged an hour ago, miss," she said evenly. "He left the hospital shortly after that."
The words struck like a blow.
"He left? Without telling me?"
"What?!" The disbelief in her voice cut through the quiet hum of the ward, drawing the attention of those nearby.
"Miss, please lower your voice," the nurse admonished gently. "This is an emergency ward."
Nuriana inhaled sharply, grounding herself against the weight of unwelcome stares.
Swallowing her frustration, she exhaled slowly and muttered, "I'm sorry."
Without another word, she turned and strode towards the exit, her mind clouded with questions.
"Why did he leave without telling me?"
That thought refused to loosen its grip as she stepped into the blinding light of day.
Just as she reached the hospital's main doors, a voice called after her once more.
"Miss!"
The tone was firmer this time.
Nuriana, already teetering on the edge of impatience, turned back with an exasperated glare.
"What now?" she snapped.
The medical records officer regarded her with an air of quiet resignation before finally speaking.
"Your friend left an hour ago."
Nuriana narrowed her gaze, then let out a dry, humourless laugh, "Yes, I'm well aware!" she bit out before turning away once more.
But just as she reached for the handle of the door, a thought struck her.
She hesitated, her grip slackening. Then, slowly, she turned back to face him.
"You work in medical records, don't you?" she said, a measured calm lacing her voice. "That means you must know where he lives."
The man hesitated, shifting uncomfortably, "I'm afraid patient details are confidential..."
"Give me the address," she interrupted, her patience fraying at the edges.
The officer cast a furtive glance around the room, as if weighing the consequences of his decision.
Then, with a barely perceptible sigh, he leaned in, lowering his voice.
"Loban Village," he murmured, reciting the full address.
Nuriana echoed it under her breath, rolling the name on her tongue, "Loban Village?"
The name was familiar, yet distant, an unremarkable place she had never had cause to think about. Until now.
A moment of stillness passed before resolve hardened in her chest. She nodded once, "Right. I'll go there."
Before turning away, she reached into her pocket and produced a crumpled banknote, slipping it discreetly into his hand.
The change was instantaneous. The man's expression softened into something far more agreeable, a satisfied smile stretching across his face.
"Thank you, miss! Much appreciated! Do stop by again!" he said cheerfully.
Nuriana offered no response. Instead, she inhaled deeply, steadied her thoughts, and stepped through the doors into the waiting world.
No matter what, she would find Havi.
The sky remained impossibly blue, the afternoon heat now clinging to the city like a heavy veil.
The streets pulsed with life, horns blared impatiently, hurried footsteps echoed off the pavement, and voices wove together in a chaotic symphony of urban existence.
But Nuriana registered none of it.
Without a moment's hesitation, she climbed into her car, fingers curling around the steering wheel.
Her heart drummed an insistent rhythm beneath her ribs, but she welcomed the rush of determination that coursed through her veins.
With a flick of her wrist, the engine roared to life.
And then, without looking back, she pressed down on the accelerator...
...towards Loban Village.
Towards the truth that awaited her.