Red Threads

Beni's Explanation

 "Arn. He's right there!" Mika exclaims.

"Gue really, right? He must have joined the school basketball team "Kai smiled with satisfaction because his guess did not miss. "We'll wait there, yuk. At least they'll be running the exercises."

Kai walked ahead of Mika towards a long cement bench not far from the school's indoor field. Mango trees shade where the bench is located, so that afternoon sunlight can only peek from the cracks of the leaves.

Mika sat on the bench with Kai beside her. They did not engage in conversation for a while. Only the howling of the wind and the rustling of leaves from the trees above them could be heard. Kai was busy tapping his fingers on the surface of the bench, indicating that he was impatient.

"Do you know Beni very well?" Mika opened her voice, breaking the silence that occurred between her and Kai.

"Not really, anyway. I just know her." Then, as if remembering something, Kai turned to Mika. "Lo said you've met Beni, right? That day there was something strange, wasn't there, from him?"

Mika frowned. "How weird?"

"Yes, weird." Kai held up his index and middle fingers on his two hands. Then, making a bending and upright motion on the finger, hinting that he gave a quotation mark on the strange.

Mika scratched her head that was not itching. He tried to remember every detail of his meeting with Beni, that day. However, after recalling further, he still did not find any strangeness. Until finally Mika can only shake weakly.

Kai let out a long breath. "Lo once thought, no, why did Raga move to school in the middle of the semester?"

Mika is back. He had never thought about that before. However, then he discovered, it was indeed strange. Usually, it will be difficult if students move to another school in the middle of the semester.

"Okay, forget about Raga. I'm gonna ask you one thing." Kai turned his body facing Mika completely. His eyes looked at Mika very deeply, making Mika's heart beat fast. "If Nagar's case is over, may, no, I shoot you one more time?"

"Huh?" That was all Mika could say. I don't know, where the whole vocabulary that had been stored in his head went. After that, he just nodded. Not out of thought, why should Kai ask that. She meant, why did Kai have to ask her permission first? Wouldn't it be better if the guy did it straight away?

Then, Kai laughed a little. His hand scratched his nape clumsily. "Stupid, yeah. I also asked you. Don't need to be answered. I know the answer."

Mika did not know, what was the meaning behind Kai's current facial expression. The boy's lips clenched tightly, forming a straight and thin line. However, in his heart, he hoped that the look on his face was not a bad sign. Somehow he had to say, but he didn't want to lose the guy. He didn't want Kai to step back.

The thought instantly collapsed from Mika's head, as the door of the indoor field opened wide. Instantly, he and Kai stood up. They observed one by one the students in basketball uniforms walking out of the room. Unknowingly, Mika squeezes Kai's hand, causing an amused smile on the guy's face.

Two minutes later, the person they were waiting for was seen coming out of the room. Beni goes hand in hand with a school basketball coach, who knows what they're talking about.

"Art!" Kai waved, as soon as the coach left first.

Beni looked towards Mika and Kai with narrowed eyes, for a while. Before the end, a wide smile was engraved on the lips of the boy. Beni runs over to Mika and Kai.

"How are you? Crazy one! More handsome than you." Beni doing high five with Kai.

"My good news. You have no intention of having a crush on me, right?" Kai put on a shuddering face, thus making Beni laugh. Meanwhile, Mika smiled awkwardly upon hearing that conversation.

"Tumben's here. Don't tell me you miss me again." Beni narrowed her eyes suspiciously, which Kai responded by landing a soft patch on Beni's head.

"It just so happens I'll have to be around here again. So, I stopped by. Just want to know the contents of your school, anyway. Uh, it just so happened to see you just finished training." Kai delivered the lie casually and smoothly, so it didn't sound like a lie at all. Mika was even surprised, from where Kai got the reason that he thought was quite reasonable.

Beni mangosteen, then his gaze fell on Mika. "Eh, you used to be the same Raga, right? How is it with Kai now?"

"Eh, that..." Mika scratched her head. Confused looking for the right word to explain the complicated relationship between her and Raga.

Knowing the confusion on Mika's face, Kai immediately replied. "He broke up with Raga. Now he's my crush. Boyfriend, more precisely."

Mika grimaces. Meanwhile, Beni narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"So, lo nikung Raga?" Beni's view turned to Kai's hand when he wanted to hold Mika's fingers.

"Not nikung, we compete in a healthy way." Kai shook his shoulders, and then he laughed.

Beni chuckling. "Crazy! I don't understand your friendship with Raga anymore. You may like the same girl."

"Yes, that's it. You won't understand how absurd our relationship is." Kai chuckles. "Eh, we want to talk while we stand, right? You're not rushing home, are you?"

Beni looked at his watch for a moment. "No. Just calm down."

"okay, good. I also need to ask you a few things." Kai flicked his fingers enthusiastically. Then, he invited Mika and Beni to sit down.

"What's wrong? Seriously as it is." Beni stared not understandingly, and was curious about Kai.

"Have you known Nagra for a long time?" Kai knew it was a silly question. He even knew that Beni knew Nagra since Junior High. However, as a lure, he felt that the pleasantry question did not hurt.

"From SMP's. I know him from Raga. Why?"

"Lo ever see him again, no, High School time?"

Beni was silent for a moment. "Earlier. I'm on the same road again Alana, same Raga too. I accidentally met him at the minimarket."

"Lo didn't see him again after that?" Beni answered Kai's question with a slow slit.

"Come, Ben. You know, right, that Nagra's dead?"

Beni nods. "Gue knows. Raga told me."

After that, Kai pulled Nagra's phone out of his jacket pocket. Kai turned the flat object screen that displayed the short line on Beni. "This is a message from you, right?"

Beni was silent for a moment. His eyes were still seriously staring at the phone screen before him. Then, he finally nodded slowly. "Yes, it's from me."

"Why did you send such a message?" Mika keeps her tone still sounds ordinary, so as not to be impressed to corner Beni.

Beni sighed. "That day, I was upset with Nagra. I sent the message after I found out that Alana is with Nagra. But I don't mean anything. It's just an expression of annoyance. I've been chasing Alana for a long time, but even Alana is dating her."

Mika could see a disappointed look on Beni's face. "But, you know, no, if they never—" Mika did not continue her sentence. Kai threw a sharp look at her. Giving a signal that he does not open up if Nagra and Alana have never dated in front of Beni.

"Never what?" Beni looked confusedly at Mika and Kai, alternately.

"Nothing. Forget that! Ben, I don't know, why would you send a message like this to Nagra?" Kai took over the interrogation.

"Come, Kai. You ever fuss, no, how does it feel when someone you love even be with someone else? You ever fathom, no, how was the time when the feeling of worry suddenly came?"

"Gue knows how you feel, Ben. But, you, you know Nagra."

Beni hissing. He took a deep breath, then closed the matan for a moment. "Gue knows Nagra, but I'm not close to him. I don't know how he is. Lo shadow me, Kai, all this time I've been taking care of Alana if Raga does not exist. And, all of a sudden, he's the same as Nagra, someone I don't know very well. How am I not worried? I'm afraid something will happen to Alana."

Kai mangosteen. He understood how that felt. She feels the same way every time she sees Mika with Raga.

"After you broke up with Alana, you've seen that girl again, haven't you?"

"Never." Beni answered quickly. "Gue never knew about her. Every time I ask Raga, he always shifts the topic. Until now, I'm still trying to find information on Alana's whereabouts."

"Alana depression." Mika's reply made Kai and Beni flinch. Kai is shocked to discover that Mika will tell him that. Meanwhile, Beni was shocked by the reality he had just known.

"Depression, what do you mean?"

"Yes, depression. He's like a crazy man. A few days ago, I met him." Mika ignored Kai's sharp gaze telling her to shut up immediately.

"Damn it! Why doesn't anyone ever tell me?" Beni hit the surface of the table in front of him, annoyed.

"Patience, Ben. We can look at Alana later. Now, there's something more important than Alana's existence." Kai paused his sentence. "Gue is the same Mika again investigated the case of Nagra's death. I don't know why the police stopped this case at that time so, before handing the case over to the police, we tried to find the culprit first."

Beni took a long breath. The scarred look on his face had still not completely disappeared. The man's breath was long and deep. It was obvious that Beni was still trying to neutralize her shock. A few seconds later, the man said. "Do you have any plans to find the culprit?"

Kai and Mika shook their heads together. To date, they do not know what they will do. So far, they have only combed through the possibilities.

"But we have someone to suspect." Mika.

"Who?" Beni was excited to hear the next answer.

"Ragas."

Beni's mouth opened slightly hearing that answer. His pair of eyes widened. Can't believe if they'll say that name as the suspected killer. "Ke—why can you accuse Raga?"

"Because, all the evidence points to him" Mika replied.

"Evidence? What evidence?"

"CCTV Recording" Mika replied. Then, he remembered something. "You're close to Alana, right? Did you know that Alana used to go to nightclubs?"

"Alana went to the nightclub? It's not possible. She's a good girl, Mik."

"But, Ben. I saw for myself that day he went into a nightclub with a guy. I don't know who that guy is."

"Where? Night clubs? Guys?" Beni tried to string together the key words Mika said in her head. A few seconds later, he snapped a finger. "Why don't you guys try to find out about the club?"

"I'm not sure if that guy's still there."

"Yes, Ka. Why don't we go there. The city won't know the answer, if it doesn't try."

"Well, Kai's right. You guys try to get there first. Sorry, I can't help." Beni put on a sorry face. Then the guy saw his watch. "Udah afternoon, I'm back, yeah."

"Be careful, Ben. Sorry, we've disrupted your time." Kai welcomes Beni's hand.

Beni nodded and brandished her thumb. "Anytime, Bro. I'll go back."

After Beni's departure, Mika and Kai shut up. Kai was busy typing something on his phone. Meanwhile, Mika was immersed in her own thoughts and questions. How can he find the man while he does not know his face? At that moment, the position of the man was on his back, so that he could not see the man's face.