Kaivan answered quietly, his tone carrying the weight of loss. "Everything's gone. Including the Tome Omnicent."
A pause. Then Felicia's voice, firmer this time: "I'm coming. Right now."
Kaivan shook his head slightly. "Don't. I'll call again later."
He hung up slowly, as if sealing a decision he couldn't take back.
From across the room, Ethan stood still, his eyes filled with curiosity and unease. He could feel that something far greater than himself was unfolding before him, but fear kept his lips shut.
Finally, in a small, trembling voice, he asked, "What is... the Tome Omnicent?"
Kaivan turned, eyes sharp yet weary. "An old book. Brown cover," he said, voice clipped but intense. "Where did you sell it?"
Ethan looked down, guilt weighing on his words. "An antique shop. Might be closed now... but I can take you there tomorrow."
Kaivan paused, then nodded, cold and resolute. "Tomorrow morning."
Ethan tried to ease the tension. "I'm sorry… I didn't know that book was important."
Kaivan only sighed. No forgiveness. No words of comfort. He walked over to the old sofa and sat upright. The dim light caught his eyes, making them gleam faintly, distant, untouchable.
Awkwardly, Ethan went to the kitchen and returned with two glasses of water. He handed one over. Kaivan accepted it silently. Then, after a hesitant pause, Ethan offered, "You can stay here tonight."
Kaivan gave a small nod, just enough. He took a slow sip.
In the quiet of the night, two men from different worlds sat in a cramped room, connected not by choice, but by a fate that had yet to unravel.
The next morning, under a pale gray sky, Kaivan and Ethan walked down an empty street. The crisp air eased the tension just a little, but the silence between them remained heavy, like a wall separating two lives that would never align.
Kaivan stopped. His voice was calm but carried weight. "Why did your friends betray you?"
The question lingered, not just curiosity, but a test of empathy. Ethan fell quiet, his breath uneven. When he finally spoke, his voice was bitter.
"I just wanted my share. They refused. I fought back… but lost."
He lowered his head. His words settled like reopened wounds. Kaivan listened quietly, reading more from the tone than the meaning. To him, betrayal wasn't just an event, it was a lesson that shaped the spine of one's soul.
Their steps stopped in front of an antique shop. The building was small, its sign faded and paint peeling. The air around it felt dense, like a held breath. Ethan knocked on the wooden door. The sound was soft but clear.
Moments later, the door opened. An old man stood there, hair silver, eyes cold. He looked at them without emotion, without kindness.
Ethan gathered what courage he had left. "Sir, I'd like to buy back the old book I sold yesterday," he said, his voice trembling but firm. Inside, guilt and determination clashed.
The old man raised an eyebrow, his tone flat. "Ten million rupiah."
Silence fell. Ethan's eyes widened. "Why so much? You only paid me one million yesterday!"
The man shrugged, indifferent. "Its value has gone up. If you don't want it, leave."
Behind Ethan, Kaivan stepped forward. His gaze was unwavering. "Fine. We'll return with the money."
No argument, no hesitation. He grasped Ethan's arm and pulled him away. Their footsteps echoed faintly down the stone street.
Outside, the sky had turned a colder shade of blue. The wind stirred fallen leaves, whispering secrets that hadn't yet ended. Their pace slowed, each step heavier than the last.
Ethan finally stopped, frustration breaking through. "Why didn't you say anything back there? He was clearly scamming us! Aren't you angry?"
The question hung in the air, waiting for an answer that could shake more than the worth of a book.
Kaivan halted, turning slowly. His gaze pierced through Ethan.
"Silence!" His voice thundered, shaking the air. "That book is worth ten million. Even a billion wouldn't compare. Don't lecture me about value when you don't even understand what it means!"
Ethan froze. His breath hitched. He couldn't respond. But Kaivan didn't stop.