Aisha didn't wear the bracelet. Nor did she return it. She simply slipped it into Ruqayyah's small bag pocket, leaving it there, meaningless. The gesture felt final, yet strangely weightless—a quiet rebellion against the tangled threads of fate.
The next day, as the sun leaned toward the west, the back of the Big House glowed in warm, golden light. Rays danced across the fish pond that bordered the marsh, and a gentle breeze stirred the leaves, carrying with it the faint scent of wet earth and blooming flowers.
Aisha, Septi, and Bela cleaned the yard while chatting, their laughter mingling with the rustle of the leaves. Septi, never without her phone, occasionally pulled it out, coaxing them into spontaneous pictures that captured these fleeting, ordinary moments.
"Hmm… when we graduate," Aisha murmured softly, more to herself than anyone else, "this time might feel like it passed so quickly."
Septi smiled, her eyes glinting with mischief. "One day I'll say, 'Ruqayyah, you've grown even more beautiful.'"
Bela chuckled. "And I'll say, 'And they say Bi Septi has fourteen children.'"
Septi nudged her lightly. "Nonsense."
Their laughter blended seamlessly with the amber glow of the sunset—simple, gentle, and somehow perfectly complete.
Then, as if punctuating the serenity, a crisp, mechanical voice rang inside Aisha's mind.
[Ding! Host! Congratulations, you've completed the mission of building rapport with the residents of the Big House. Reward: Mastery of all basic mathematics has been uploaded to your brain.]
Aisha froze, eyes widening as a thrill of joy spread across her face. For a brief moment, a grin stretched from ear to ear, pure and uncontainable.
[Host! One more thing: your affinity with a young man named Ardan has increased. Data: Name: Ardan, Age: 22, Appearance: Charming, Affinity: Impressed—70. Reward: Unlocks one door. Note: Two doors remaining.]
She blinked, astonished. "Wait… we've only met once. And he still remembers me?"
A mischievous grin crept across her face. "Hahaha. You're clever, System. Even from afar, you can sense someone's heart. Looks like you're curious about people's lives."
A soft, amused chuckle echoed from the system before it vanished without a trace, leaving only a faint hum in her mind.
Meanwhile, across town, the campus of University B buzzed with student life. In the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, three students—Almira, Tania, and Riri—walked together, gossiping quietly between classes.
Almira, self-proclaimed leader of the trio, was absorbed in checking her face through her phone camera. "Heh, why does my face look so dull? Ardan's gonna totally lose interest."
Tania rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. As if Ardan carries a facial brightness meter."
Almira shot her a sharp look. "What did you just say?"
"Nothing," Tania said instantly, pretending to admire a potted plant. "Wow… the leaves are flying!"
Except there was no wind. The leaves remained perfectly still.
Riri rummaged through her oversized bag, which seemed to contain half a cosmetic store. "Relax, relax. I brought beauty cream—the kind celebrities use."
Almira's eyes lit up. "Seriously? Is it safe?"
"Totally safe. It'll make your face as soft as a baby's bottom," Riri replied confidently.
Almira snorted. "A baby's bottom? What am I, the Pampers edition?"
In the end, they performed a five-minute emergency beauty ritual: patting their faces, blowing on concealer, and blending with a sponge whose last cleaning was anyone's guess.
By perfect timing, Ardan walked past—sunlight catching him like a spotlight in a slow-motion scene.
For a brief moment, his eyes swept over the trio. He muttered under his breath, casual, almost dismissive: "If only… the girl from the bus goes to this university too."
Then he moved on, only to pause a heartbeat later, a faint frown creasing his brow. "I must be out of my mind… remembering the girl from the bus, from that time…"
The three girls immediately straightened into perfect posture, like soldiers at a flag ceremony. Riri even struck a flawless pose while holding her lip balm. Smiles plastered wide across their faces.
"Ardaaan~!" they called in unison, in a drawn-out sing-song tone.
Ardan's expression betrayed nothing but mild irritation. He glanced at them once, then continued walking—no smile, no comment, not even a slowdown in pace.
The girls exchanged puzzled looks.
"…huh?" Tania muttered, raising an eyebrow.
"He's totally indifferent," Riri said.
"Maybe he hasn't had breakfast," Almira groaned, pressing a hand to her still-cream-covered face. "No wonder his mood's bad. I'm exhausted carrying this portable salon."
"All right, let's go back. We failed," she declared, defeat etched across her features.
--------
Elsewhere, Raiz allowed to return home. Upon arrival, he paid little attention to the state of his house—cups scattered across the table, clothes strewn haphazardly from his frantic search for something to wear, and a room that looked as though a storm had passed through.
The next morning, as he prepared for school, he found breakfast waiting on the table. He sat down, beginning to eat, but decided to speak with his parents first.
"Mom! Can I still stay home tomorrow?" he asked, glancing at his mother, Siti, who calmly added rice to his plate without raising her voice.
Siti looked at him steadily. "Yes, but make sure you don't leave the house in the same mess as yesterday, Raiz. I don't want the whole house looking like it's just been through a storm."
Raiz chuckled awkwardly. "I… I'll try, Mom. I really will," he said, shoveling a small bite into his mouth.
At that moment, his father, Hadi, cleared his throat, his calm expression carrying an unspoken seriousness.
"Wait… your mother is really letting you stay home just like that? Two days off school?"
Raiz swallowed hard and nodded, trying not to appear guilty. "Uh… yes. I promise I'll return to the pesantren the day after tomorrow."
Hadi sipped his tea, then added, "All right. Study diligently. Make sure you become the best student in your class."
With that, Raiz grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and shouted, "I'm off!" before running to his motorcycle. Within minutes, the engine roared to life, carrying him toward school, leaving the house quiet and slightly chaotic behind him.
Once he was gone, his parents spoke quietly to each other.
"He's so smart… and obedient," said Siti.
Siti then entered Raiz's room to tidy up. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Astaghfirullah!" she exclaimed. Clothes were scattered everywhere, the bed unmade, and snack wrappers littered the floor.
Hadi approached, concern etched on his face. "What happened here?!"
Seeing the mess, Siti sighed. "If this is what he leaves behind, I can only imagine… What if one day he marries a woman just like him?"
Hadi rubbed his forehead. "Well… I suppose that could happen."
Siti shook her head, trying not to laugh. "We'll be busy searching everywhere… only to find them… in the trash."
Hadi chuckled. "You're impossible." Siti patted his shoulder affectionately, the tension dissolving in shared amusement.