The Journalist

Chapter 76: Still Not Giving Up

Time shows at eleven o'clock. I sat stunned in front of the bartender's desk with a glass of champagne in my hand. Someone patted my shoulder from behind. He is So who also just came home from work. I did bring him here. For almost two years being in Syria and sleeping in a room with him, made us very familiar.

"For so long as you don't see each other, you're getting busy in your new place" he scolded as he picked up a cigarette and offered it to me.

I took a cigarette out of the pack with only half of what was left.

"I'm resigning from my job!" I said while flanking the nicotine stick.

So close back the lighter that had been lit. With wide eyes, he turned his head towards me.

"Again?" he said he frowned not understanding my actions.

Yes, this is the second time I quit my job when I got a strategic position.

I smiled weakly as I snatched the lighter from his hand. "How else, I'm not in line with them."

"Then? Are you going back to our company? Wasn't that time the editor-in-chief was still willing to accept you?"

"That's possible. The salary there is higher. But ... Our news company also has no buzz whatsoever in finding big news. It's boring for me" I said, reflecting on cigarette smoke.

We also chatted casually while releasing fatigue by pouring each other drinks.

"Hey, Ayano .. are you still raising money for her?" ask suddenly.

I didn't answer. My eyes light as if dimming. For these two years, I have lived frugally and pressed expenses for myself. Seventy percent of my salary I don't use, but I keep it in savings. I am determined to go to Syria one day and negotiate with extremist groups. I hope that the money I am raising can redeem Ameena. However, to be able to free Ameena from the group's captivity, I had to at least prepare a ransom at that time. Only So is the only one who knows of this maniacal effort.

"Ckln ...." So clicked his tongue while shaking in rhythm. It seemed, just by looking at my expression, he had already gotten an answer to his own question.

"It's been more than two years since our return from the country" he said.

"You're wrong .... It's only been two years, not a dozen or decades!" look me up and pour the champagne back.

"You're still expecting a difficult possibility to happen?" So forehead wrinkled to form small folds.

"Even if that hope is only one percent left," I replied.

"Will this sacrifice of yours be worth what you get from it? Remember, you are so different!"

"I don't want to help her get her love back. I just want to keep my promise to pick him up and free him from the group."

"Let's have a wish. Let's say he's alive, safe, and free from the herd, but .. does he still remember you?"

"If he survives, is free from the group and continues to live his life without remembering me again, it doesn't matter. Doesn't that mean God really granted my prayers?"

This time So just exhaled his rough breath. I know he looks hard because he doesn't want me to get hurt too far.

After chatting with So, I decided to go home to the apartment half drunk. Sitting in front of the computer, I threw my body in the front seat of my computer desk while calming my mind. I closed my eyes for a moment and opened them again.

I pensively for a moment. I unconsciously jumped into my own thinking. To be honest, I wanted to pursue a career abroad, so it might be easier to find Ameena. Unfortunately, my mother did not allow it because she was still traumatized by the events I experienced in the Middle East.

I turned on the computer just to check the email from the account on Khai's behalf. No message from anyone. Even so, I routinely send messages to Ameena just to ask her how she is doing.

During two weeks of unemployment, I finally decided to apply for a job to the Capital media which managed to uncover the depravity of the State Financial Bureau. I, who had been wearing a black suit, sat in front of the three supreme leaders who were ready to interview. The three men are still younger than the leaders of the previous two media.

"Harvard University graduate, worked at two of the largest media companies in Japan and had been a freelance journalist at Routers, then why choose to enter the small media that just pioneered?" ask one of them.

"Because I have high hopes for this medium" I said with a stern look.

They nodded at my answer.

I sighed, then went back to saying, "There are many things that are sad and injustice that require public attention, unfortunately just covered up. I want to fight, to voice those who dare not speak out. But, I realized .. I can't change anything by myself. It takes teamwork that's a vision of the mission with me."

I was silent for a moment. If my income decreases, it means the longer it takes to raise money. When I falter, my little heart strengthens to try.

I was accepted in the media. There, I was assigned to the field, conducting searches for cases deemed to have irregularities. The results of the investigations I investigated were wide-ranging in all fields. Starting from school-level bullying, hospital malpractice victims, to murder cases.

On duty, sometimes I have to go undercover to get information directly from the scene or related sources. Although my salary is not as much as in the previous place, but I am happy to be a part of this company. Discuss and exchange ideas with critical editors for news material to be investigated.

During my time as a journalist in three different media, no one knew I was the son of a prominent public figure. I kept my family background a secret, because I didn't want anyone to be special.

In this span of time, I'm still trying to figure out Ameena's whereabouts. From hunting for news about extremist groups, to contacting several war journalists who served there. The conflict in the country never ends. The more years, the more victims of innocent women and children. This further diminished my hope for his safety. Even so, I still haven't given up. I tried to ask for help through the skyline. I used to visit the temple to pray.

One day, while passing in Harajuku area, I accidentally found a mosque, a house of worship from the teachings of Ameena. I stopped my motorbike right in front of that magnificent Turkish-style building. For some reason, suddenly there was a desire to go in there. I thought maybe praying in this place would be more granted. God is always different in every religion.

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I took off my footwear according to the warning at the entrance, then stepped into the place. This is the first time I have set foot in a Muslim house of worship. An old man came to me. I think he's the custodian of this mosque.

"Assalamualaikum" I said, cupping both hands with my head slightly lowered.

"Greetings," he answered.

My eyes shimmered throughout the room that had three floors. There are large pillars, beautiful ornaments dominated by blue and the dome ceiling which has a height of more than twenty meters as a building in the Ottoman heyday.

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"Can I help you?" tanyakanya.

"I want to worship."

"Please! Go ahead! The prayer has just finished. You can pray alone there! It's not too late." He pointed to a place with a long carpet.

"I ... do not know .. how. Can ... you teach me?" I suddenly stammered.

The man's forehead is wrinkled. "Are you a Muslim?"

I shook my head stiffly. The man frowned.

"To worship here, of course you must believe in God first" he told me.

"Oh, so." I turned around, intending to get out of that place.

"Wait!" The man stopped me.

The white-fisted man led me to a closet with a row of thick books. He handed me a book whose first writing was in Arabic. My pupils grow for a moment. Because, the writing on the cover of the book was the same as the book that Ameena had handed me.

.

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Author note:

Chapter yesterday, about the big issue covered by the news dime that made the boom happen in which country yes.so, the cave does not mean to offend the one in this country, which is, even though it's 11 12. In South Korea too, the cave has read he said the scandal of artists or idols made rame media there to cover up major government cases. In the United States, there was once the biggest scandal in which for 30 years the government lied to the public through the media related to the Vietnam war. So, every government has its dark side.

Keep going, for this story, pay attention to the timing. In chapter 71 I've spilled that the story in Japan will be a lot of time jumps. Thanks to those who are still waiting for this novel. Don't forget the likes and comments.