Red Threads

Swapped

"Ma, Papa's not home yet, is he?" Mika threw a glance out the window glass from the direction of the living room. The sky is getting dark. However, there was still no sign of someone he was waiting for going home.

"Papa said, there's still overtime in the office. Wh why? Tumben you're looking for Papa?" Yulia's gaze shifted from the magazine on her lap to Mika, with a faint frown.

Mika shakes. "Lately, Papa has been overtime a lot. Any new prosekan?" As far as Mika, the project that Papa worked on was completed two months ago— a week after Nagra's death case was solved temporarily.

"Say, heck, so. If it's important, why don't you try Papa's phone?" This time, Yulia looked at Mika more intensely. Little suspicious. It's not usual for Mika to ask about Martin's work.

"No, no, deh. Mika go to the room first, Ma." Mika chooses to move out of her place, before the question after question that she throws makes Yulia suspicious.

Actually, he just wanted to tell me about the recording of Raga that he heard from Kai's phone today. But not to Julie. He knew that the woman would be devastated if she knew that fact. It was enough that he saw Yulia as ruined last year.

Mika lay her body on the bed. His eyes looked at the ceiling of the room which was sparkling by star-shaped stickers.

"Is it true that the dead will join the stars? I miss you, brother." Mika mutters. After having improved since Beni's capture, the pain came again. This time it was deeper and deeper. This search will not be easy. The killer showed no trace of him at all, like last year.

Mika's daydream ends when her phone vibrates on the nightstand. He immediately grabbed the flat object, and smiled slightly as he looked at the line of names on the screen.

"Hello, Honey."

A soft laugh was heard from across the street, which made Mika instantly grimace. "When did you call me baby?"

"Since..." Mika thought for a moment. Trying to remember if he never called Kai with the title Darling. "Since this day."

"Would you start loving me?"

"Considered you? Otherwise, why would I want to date you?" Mika clucked in annoyance.

Kai laughed. This time it was harder. "Tomorrow I'm done in third-hour class. I picked it up at your house, yeah. We'll meet Beni together. All of you are equal Ajakin Raya Anggita."

"okay."

"OKAY. I'm still trying to call Raga. She said Alana was able to communicate a little. Hopefully there will be results. See you, Ka."

"See you."

Mika took a long breath. Is it with the cure of Alana that this mystery will be solved soon? I don't know. Mika could not think at all. His head was too full of Raga's tape. By conjecture about the real perpetrator of the murder. And, about Beni's reason for obeying the killer's orders.

He was sure, that reason was more than money. The luxury owned by the Beni family could even be used to buy some housing. Then, why did Beni sacrifice himself to be involved in the case? Alana's? Is it really just Alana? It feels, Mika wants to remove her head and replace it with a teddy bear head that is sitting sweetly beside her head.

Mika knew, she would not find the answer to all those questions in just a few minutes. So, he decided to contact Anggita. At the very least, sharing with the girl would make his mind a little relieved.

♥

Be ill.

One will not grow strong before being dropped. He always believed in that word. He even saw for himself, how the pain brought Mika down and made the girl stronger every day. He just never thought, if the pain should be so deep.

"Ke—why?" Anggita's lips quivered when she said that. He tried to be normal, but failed. Supposedly, he could be ordinary when he heard the news. He had even thought, if the sentence would be thrown from his lips Mama.

"It's for Mama's career. She has already submitted herself as a legislative candidate. Mama does not want the media to highlight the failed home life of Mama. That would make people's views of Mama ugly. I don't want to be considered a candidate for the legislature who failed to maintain the household." Merin explained at length. His tone sounded ordinary, but the look in his eyes said as if he did not want to linger in the house.

"Why indeed? Not just Mama. Many legislative candidates fail in marriage. Many of them can also hold board seats. But, why Mama..." Call tears shed from the corner of Anggita's lips. Roughly speaking, Anggita immediately wiped away the tears before Merin saw her.

Damnit. Anggita condemns his own weakness. He should be able to let out all his anger at the woman in front of him, not even useless tears.

"Indeed. Nevermind, Anggita. You won't understand. The important thing is that you will still meet all your needs. You want some money? Mama will give. You want a new car? With pleasure, Mama will buy it. But, never once did you call me Mama when we met in a public place, be it on purpose or not."

Angita shook his head. He doesn't need that. He just needs family. He needs his old family. He did not know what had possessed Merin to become like this. What mistake has he made, so that the woman no longer wants to recognize him as a child in public?

Merin is still young. The woman had just turned thirty-seventy years old. With a perfectly groomed face, like a girl in her twenties, anyone would definitely not have expected if the woman had given birth to a child who was now eighteen years old.

"I want to stay with Mama." Anggita's hard to say that. He had thrown away all his ego saying that he did not want to see Merin again. In fact, no matter how hard he tried to stretch the distance, he still could not see the woman's back away from him.

"No way, Anggita. You won't let me into my current life. Mama's career is good. If you force it, everything will fall apart. Mama's reputation will be destroyed, and you will not get pocket money from Mama. Where do you want to get money from other than Mama? Papa you? He's gone already! He won't care about you anymore!"

"Mama lied! Papa still cares about Anggita. Papa still calls Anggita every night."

Merin laughed mockingly. "That was a few weeks ago, before Papa you finally decided to remarry his mistress."

Angita. Her father had not contacted her since two weeks ago. He tries to understand. He thought, Her dad is too busy with work—or trying to calm himself down like he is. "Storage?"

"You think who destroyed our family first? Mama?" Merin laughed loudly while shaking her head, as if she had just seen a very funny scene in front of her. "Your father started it all, Anggita. So, look, right? Now all you have is your mom. If you don't comply, please seek your own life."

Think of it as melting. He hoped that the earth would swallow him right then and there. He hoped that he could melt like dust. He could no longer feel his feet. His body was cold. His body stiffened and shook.

Is that true?

Papa is going to marry again, and leave her?

Does he have no one now?

Not yet had Anggita normalize the heartbeat, feeling, and trembling in his body, Merin had already moved from the sofa. The woman walked haughtily towards the large mirror in the living room and observed her reflection, tidied up her clothes, and smeared a bit of makeup on her beautiful face.

"Mama has to go. If you need anything, please contact your assistant. Her business card was put on the TV side table. Mama's already thrown away Mama's old number," said Merin indifferently. He does not even care about Angita who is still paled like a mannequin. He continued to soar, leaving a large house that was now like a quiet empty space and died.

Angita laughed bitterly. Something pressed against his chest from within as that back left him further and further away, until it disappeared behind the wooden door that stood firm. The door seemed to mock him who was not even strong enough to withstand the weight of his own body. She was too fragile, when she realized her mother's warm gaze was no longer hers. He was thrown in, when the roar of his Mama's car engine sounded further and further, leaving silence. The destruction was felt more and more when he saw the name Mika plastered on the screen of his phone. "Looks like the universe is changing our lives, Ka."