The Horizon Boundaries

Ch.3 The Protector

Maisa sat in front of the study table. He wrote something in a little diary. A cool night wind blew in through the open window of his room, rubbing against the window curtain. Maisa closes her diary and goes to the balcony to enjoy the cool of the night. Her hair was broken in the wind.

There was a knock on the door. Maisa turned towards the source of the voice. Kio stood in front of the door with his arms crossed over his chest, his face not revealing any expression. Maisa closed the balcony door and approached her.

“Call Papa down!”

Kio uttered with a tone of ogah-ogahan. He did not want to linger and immediately went to his room next to Maisa's room, slamming the door hard enough. Maisa is shocked. The girl shook her head in response to her brother's attitude. He decided to hurry to meet his father who was relaxing in the living room. He sat down in the chair next to his father.

“How was your lecture today? Papa hope you don't throw a tantrum" Chandra said in a cold tone.

Maisa tried to smile sweetly. “Take it easy, Pa. Maisa doesn't do anything anymore, really."

“Papa just wants you to prove your promise!” Mr. Chandra cut him off right away before Maisa resumed the conversation.

“Alright, Pa. Maisa will try,”

Both silent. The sound of television echoed. Mr. Chandra glanced at his daughter who was still smiling sweetly looking at him implying there was clearly a hidden intent. Mr. Chandra cleared his throat slowly taking the book on the table and reading it.

Maisa inched slowly towards her father. Look at the books you read. His father still busied himself with books.

"Pa..."

"Hmmm..."

"The book's exciting, huh?"

There's no answer. Maisa braved herself holding her father's arm. Mr. Chandra is edging away. Maisa's hand held the wind.

"Go there to your room" Chandra said without seeing Maisa's face.

"Good." Maisa replied with a lunglai. His face was a little pouting. This time he did not get close to his father.

Okay, let's try it next time.

Maisa rushed to her room. It turned out that Kio had been waiting for him in front of the room. Maisa stopped her steps. He was surprised to see his brother. Usually, Kio will only go to his room if there is something important. The rest never. He'll meet his brother at the dinner table. It rarely reprimands. His father did too. Maisa asked her goal in as gentle a tone as possible. Kio looked at him with an iceberg-cold look.

“I just want to tell you one thing. If you meet one of my friends, you better stay away. I don't want you to be friends with them.”

"Oh... Okay fine! What else?"

As expected. Kio would only approach and also warn him if there were any related issues about him. But Maisa just smiled, nodding in understanding. He did not want to argue at length with Kio.

The girl grinned wide, approaching him. Kio was immediately on guard. His sister intended to hug him, but managed to avoid him. He heard his sister's voice chuckling softly. Kio pushed him away.

"Healthy right?" Kio turned so he pointed at his head.

Maisa was shaking her lips. "Healthy dong."

Kio immediately returned to his room while rubbing both of his arms. Both his shoulders went up and down, a bit goosebumps.

The smile on Maisa's face faded. He returned to his room with a disheveled face. Closing the door slowly, leaning his back against the door. His hands ruffled his hair. Maisa does not know the fake smile that is always shown will last until when. Her tears suddenly flowed.

The sound of incoming messages resuscitated his consciousness. His hand rushed to grab the phone at the table. Next to her hand were tears. Chat group from his friend once asked him the news. Maisa smiled back at their chat. It was the excitement that made him miss his friends.

Jain: Hey sweetheart what are you doing there? Miss you.

Kiki: Start again with the dreadful words. Fucking crocodiles.

Evan: Sa, pecan only those two creatures. Mulu.

Maisa: @evan hehehe, @jain I also miss you all.

A few months earlier.

Kick a basketball to fill an indoor basketball court on Campus Y. The kids are practicing basketball. Maisa is busy recording the results of the match train occasionally provide input.

"Ka Jain, quickly return to position. Continue offense!" he exclaimed at the young man with hair painted teal color who had just passed on his partner.

Someone hugged him from behind hard enough to make him take a few steps forward. He knows who did it. A black haired girl with a big smile.

"C'mon, Ki. I love to surprise people."

Maisa clucked in annoyance, her hands ruffled around her waist. Kiki, the girl in front of him just laughed out loud. His ignorant hand pinched Maisa's waist. Maisa took a few steps away. The girl kept attacking him. I don't want Maisa laughing.

Basketball ended a few minutes later. Jain and one of his friends approached the two girls who were chatting. He took over the bottle in Kiki's hand and downed it to the toilet.

Kiki's face was red. Maisa smiled faintly at the closeness of the two. Evan stood before him thrusting his hand. Maisa raised her eyebrows, looking at Evan's hands and face.

Evan grunts gregetan. He snatched the mineral water next to Maisa. Maisa just chuckled softly in response to Evan's annoyance.

"Gaes, there's something I need to talk to you about later" Maisa said interjected.

His three friends looked towards him. The past few days, Maisa seemed to be thinking about something, but it was still hard to say it. He doesn't want to make his best friend sad. But this time he couldn't delay it any longer.

Jain, Kiki and Evan are shocked to hear Maisa's decision. Everything feels sudden.

“You want to stop being a basketball manager? Why?” evan asked after a moment of silence.

“I want to move to Jakarta," said Maisa briefly.

Of the three of them, Jain was the most sad. He already considers Maisa like his own sister. They've been together since childhood sharing grief. Jain was the one who understood Maisa the most. Maisa is a strong and fragile girl.

"It has to be sudden, right? We've been together a long time. Or you don't love us anymore, Sa?" says slowly.

“I love you guys. Too bad. I've taken you guys like my own family. I'm happy to be back in Jakarta but I'm also sad to be parting ways with you." Maisa's eyes started to glaze over.

Jain understood the real reason Maisa moved, even though the girl did not say so. Jain pulled Maisa's hand and hugged her.

“OK! We must have missed you. Play often to Jogja.”

Maisa nodded and smiled. Jain let go of his embrace. Evan and Kiki take turns hugging Maisa.

“Frequently play, yes!” said they both.

Maisa could only nod. He cried out in tears. Jain rubbed the tears dripping down Maisa's cheek.

“Don't cry dong. Time there will cry too. There are many challenges to be faced, you know! And you can't cry.”

Maisa smiled, tightly grasping the hands of her three friends. To Maisa the three are like her guardian angels. “Thank you all!”

Jemari Maisa is busy replying to the group chat from her three friends. Her sad face returned bright.

Sorry Jain, guys. Sorry, I can't keep my promise not to cry.