Red Threads

Surprise from Raga

Everything has improved. There's nothing else Mika needs to worry about. It seems, the saying is true. "The universe never promised a rainbow after rain. However, there will always be a sun after a storm". Mika forgot, where she had read the quote. Only, he always carried that quote in his head. Wherever.

The universe has kept its promise. His life has been much happier since Beni's capture. And of course, Nagra's death case was resolved.

"Ma, Mika went to school first, yeah." Mika kissed Yulia's cheek, then took her backpack from the dining chair.

"Aren't you having breakfast?" ask Yulia.

Mika shook her head, glancing at her watch. "Mika breakfast at school. Afraid late. Assume the same Raya is also in front."

Yulia clucking. "Wait, mama prepare the provisions first."

Mika was about to prevent it, but Yulia's fingers had moved nimble to put rice and vegetables into the food box. Mika only smiled slightly, while continuing to pay attention to Yulia. For seventeen years, this was the first time Yulia had prepared food for him.

"It." Yulia pushed the food box that was already fully filled on Mika. "It must be spent!"

Mika grimaces. Just looking at the box made him full. However, he still nodded. Without wasting any more time—and because Anggita has honked car—ia immediately ran towards the home page.

♥️

"Ka, this afternoon you will be the same way Kak Kai?" ask Anggita, whispering. The atmosphere of the class was very quiet, making Raya who was sitting in front of Mika also turn her head.

"So. Why?" mika replied, in a whisper. He did not want to be hit by a marker throw from Mr. Bono— Physics teacher who is famous for being the most fierce among other twelve grade teachers.

"Gue's coming, yeah." Anggita put on a clear face, which actually made Mika frown. Seeing Mika's expression, Anggita immediately added while lifting her middle and index fingers. "Gue won't bother you. I swear."

"Tumben you want to come with me on the road? I usually never want to." Mika still did not eliminate the suspicious expression on her face.

Angita took a long breath. His face looks tired. Mika doesn't know what happened to the girl. However, he was able to immediately capture clearly that something was happening. Something not good.

"I'm going home today."

This time, it was Mika's turn to let out a long sigh. As expected, something bad will indeed happen. "When do you want to run? Not tired, Git? In the past, you always advised me to face problems. In the past, you advised me to be able to make peace with reality. But, now what?"

"It's different, Ka." Anggita looked at Mika with a tired look that Mika just saw this time. During this time, Anggita never let out that look in front of her. Perhaps, because the girl was trying to look tough in order to comfort her. Or maybe, because Anggita is not ready to share his wounds with others. And, Mika is more likely to choose the first option.

"OKAY. You can come with me. But, promise. After this, you can't run away from your nyokab."

Anggita nodded with great force. "Gue take care of."

♥

As per the initial plan, Anggita actually follows Mika to meet Kai. The girl even willingly gives Mika a ride to the shopping center that Kai has determined, so Kai does not have to bother picking up Mika at school.

"What do you want to eat, Git?" haggar Kai, and immediately answered Anggita with a ring.

"Gue's not hungry. I'll go around first, yeah. You guys eat first."

"Relatedly? I paid for it. Take it easy" said Kai.

Anggita smiled a little, and still shook her head. "Related. I'll walk first, yeah." Before Kai or Mika asked any more questions, Anggita immediately got out of her seat and walked away from the foodcourt area.

Anggita turned to Mika and Kai for a moment. He smiled at those who were busy talking. I don't know, he should be angry or happy with the situation. There was something in the corner of his heart that didn't like to see them happy, while he didn't.

Repeatedly he convinced himself that Mika deserved to get that happiness. However, repeatedly he felt angry at the circumstances that made him unable to feel the happiness with Nagra.

Nagras. Is that guy happy now? Is there a man who can laugh, after the mystery of his death is solved? If so, then why is it that he cannot be happy here after the boy's departure?

Angita turned to the toilet. He observed every inch of his face in the mirror. Dark circles under the eyes make her look tired. Last night, he did not sleep at all after getting a short message from his mother saying that the woman was going home.

"Why do you have to go home when everything is falling apart? Why do you have to go home when your family can no longer be saved?"

I want to curse. But I don't know to whom. He was not unhappy at his mother's return. Please tell me, which child is unhappy when he meets his mother? He just can not accept the departure of his father from home because of the behavior of his mother, a few months ago. Yes, her mother does not know herself. Her mother was only concerned with self-worth. Her mother was just looking for a career. Without ever knowing, just like how her Papa struggled to care for the family to stay fine.

Shaking the phone out of the pocket distracts Angita from her past memories. Just like Nagra's death, he never wanted to remember the destruction of his family. However, those memories continued to arrive non-stop. Bringing him down even more into the deep hole.

Mama: "Where are you? Mama's home. Mama wants to see you."

Aggita pulled one corner of her lips after reading the message. He wanted to meet his mother, but he couldn't behave like a few months ago. Her mother's selfishness has not destroyed her family and her life.

Finally, Anggita chose to ignore the message. The incoming call from his mother after that, he left without an answer. Notnot now. He was not ready to meet, though he knew he would not see his mother again for several months after this. Maybe year. Or maybe two years. Assume not to know. All he knows is that his mother may no longer recognize him as a child for the sake of career and popularity.

The second call went into his phone. Mika's name was plastered on the screen, and made Anggita have to normalize her throat first before answering the phone.

"Why, Ka?"

"Where's lo? The hunt here. There's something you should know. I wait. Not wearing it for long."

Mika instantly severed the connection after finishing her sentence. Aggita observed his appearance in the mirror once again. He pulled both corners of his lips, training a line of smiles to look fine. After exhaling a few breaths, he walked away from the toilet.

♥

"This what?" Anggita frowned confusedly seeing Kai thrusting the man's cell phone in front of him.

"Try the tape!" decreed Kai.

Still with a confused expression, Anggita obeyed Kai's orders. He pressed the play icon on Kai's phone screen. And then, Raga's voice sounded from the phone's speaker.

"A day before leaving for America, I nyamperin Beni. Intentionally, I just want to say goodbye. But, it turns out he was telling me something we never expected all this time. About Nagra's death. The case is not as simple as we think. Beni's arrest doesn't mean the case is over. Beni talked directly to me, if he was just a man. There are others who give him a fee to kill Nagra. I urged Beni to tell me about that guy. But, Beni did not want to open the sound at all. He just gave me the key to that guy. He—the one who told Beni to kill Nagra—ada around us, but not one of us. Sorry, I can't help you solve this case. Alana state still not possible to return to Indonesia. I can only help you with this tape. So, I beg you, take this case out. Nagra deserves justice. And, that guy—the guy who killed Nagra—he's got to rot in jail."

Anggita was silent for a long time after hearing the recording. Only his gaze moved from Mika to Kai, then to Mika again. "Ja—so..."

Kai nodded, as if knowing what Anggita was about to say. "It's not Beni the main culprit. The real killer was still roaming around freely. In fact, it could be, he was laughing proudly because we caught the wrong person."

"Then, why would Beni be willing to help that person? Why is Beni acting like he killed Nagra?" Anggita looked at Mika and Kai alternately. Urging the two people in front of him to immediately give an answer that made his heart relieved. However, what Mika and Kai did was just give a soft saddle.

"Gue doesn't know. I have the same question too. Tomorrow we meet Beni. Maybe, he'll give us an answer." The answer from Kai closed the discussion session about Nagra that they would not find the answer today, without asking directly with the question.

Mika lowered her face deeply. He thought it was all done. He thought the relief of the case would last forever. Apparently, he was wrong. The case didn't end as easily as he thought.