At first, I walked a few steps behind them. Their conversation sounded distant, like a muffled background noise. They were laughing about something—maybe something we used to joke about together—and for a moment, I froze, unsure whether I should laugh too. My memories of our relationship felt distant, incomplete. I couldn't quite recall the stories, the laughter we once shared, or the small things that made our bond feel natural and easy. Because of that, I kept imagining that maybe I didn't belong anymore, that whatever we had was gone the moment I stopped seeing it.
But then one of them turned around, saw me, and immediately waved me over with a beaming smile, as if nothing had changed.
So I stepped forward, matched their pace, and made a short comment about the joke—half hesitant, half hopeful. They laughed out loud and grinned at me as if I had never left, as if the space I had feared between us had never existed. That's when I realized—maybe I had been the one pulling away, too focused on what I couldn't remember to feel what was still real. The warmth, the rhythm, the comfort—they were all still there, waiting for me to stop doubting them. Maybe I couldn't recall every memory, every inside joke, but they didn't need me to. They were carrying the thread for all of us—I just needed to hold on and start weaving something new.
Not long after, we arrived. But our plan to enter was interrupted by a strange piece of paper stuck to the lab door. It was an odd, yellowed sheet with curled, brittle corners, held in place by a strip of old tape. It looked out of place—a charm inked in faded red, with sharp lines and a deliberate design that resembled a protective seal… or a warning. No title, no official stamp—just an eerie, silent presence that felt like it had been placed there with serious intent long ago.
"What is this? I don't remember ever seeing anything like this on the lab door," said Najam, reaching toward the paper.
Before his hand could touch it, Darmaji placed a firm hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
"Wait," said Darmaji.
"What's wrong?" Najam asked, confused.
"That's not just a regular piece of paper. It's a spiritual sealing tag—meant to contain negative energy that can harm anyone who touches it. The four upward-facing arrows and the central pentagram, combined with Sanskrit and ancient Javanese characters in each section, are clear signs. This seal was first discovered in a hidden temple deep in the Jayawijaya mountain forests by a wandering mystic named—" Darmaji began explaining, before being abruptly cut off by the sound of tearing paper.
Riiip.
We all turned to see that Najam had already torn the paper from the door, crumpled it into a small ball, and stuffed it into his back pocket.
"Okay, now let's go in," he said casually.
"Hey, wait a minute!" Darmaji shouted, grabbing Najam's shoulder again.
"What now?" Najam replied, growing more confused.
"You can't just rip it off like that! Weren't you listening to what I just said?!" Darmaji cried, clearly upset.
"Yeah, yeah—negative energy, evil curse, or whatever. Now come on, let's go," Najam said with a grin.
Seeing this, Darmaji sighed dramatically and muttered to himself while kneeling in the opposite direction of the door.
"Forgive me, ancient gods and spirits of the archipelago…" he whispered, striking a prayer pose.
I walked over to Najam, who was chuckling at Darmaji's theatrics.
"Um… is he going to be okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, he's always like this. I'm pretty sure everything he just said came from some anime or manga he read," Najam replied nonchalantly.
He looked toward the lab door again.
"You said Kawaya was eccentric—like an otaku or a weeb, right? That paper kinda matches everything Darmaji said, which means—" Najam began before he was interrupted by a new voice.
"That paper wasn't actually a real curse seal," said a girl wearing a pink beret with a gold emblem and a military-style pink jacket with gold buttons and a matching belt.
"Eh—Diana?!" Najam exclaimed, turning around.
"Hi everyone," Diana greeted with a smile as she looked at us one by one.
"Um, hi," I replied.
"Hi, Diana. It's rare to see you still at school this late. As far as I know, our class doesn't have any activities today," Betania said, sounding curious.
"I had an appointment with a senior to pick up the kombucha tea I ordered. I asked someone to deliver it to me an hour ago, but it looks like I ended up having to come myself," Diana explained, shooting a sharp glare at Darmaji.
Feeling the chill of her stare, Darmaji dropped to his knees and bowed toward her.
"My apologies, Nyai," he said meekly.
"You should be grateful our classmates are here—my mood improved because of that. But if you ever make me wait again, I'm sure you know what'll happen," Diana replied with a cutting tone.
"Eeeek! Y-yes, Nyai," Darmaji stammered.
"I've always wondered what kind of power you have to make Darmaji act like that," said Najam.
"Oh? Are you saying you want to be my servant too?" Diana teased.
"No thanks—not what I meant."
"Well, just know that messing with my property is never a good idea. So keep your impulses in check," she said with a huff.
I leaned toward Najam and whispered, "Is it just me, or does she seem really mad at you?"
"Yeah… I kinda get that feeling too," he whispered back.
"Maybe she thinks you're the reason Darmaji was late?"
"Possibly. But either way—I don't really care," Najam said with a shrug.
Betania then turned to Diana with excitement.
"Wait—Diana, the kombucha you came to pick up… don't tell me it's the same secret tea you promised we'd all drink tomorrow?" she asked eagerly.
"Yes… I was hoping to keep it a surprise, but I guess that plan's ruined. If only Darmaji hadn't met you guys and told you everything," Diana said with a sigh, glaring again at Darmaji.
"Um, to be honest, we didn't even know what Darmaji was doing here until you said it just now," Betania replied with a sheepish smile.
"Wait—really?" Diana looked surprised, then turned to Darmaji.
He nodded quickly, confirming what Betania said.
Diana then looked at Najam suspiciously.
"Yeah, we just bumped into him on the way here. He didn't tell us anything about the tea," Najam added sincerely.
"I assumed you were with him and already knew. So why are you here?" Diana asked.
"We came to meet our senior, Kawaya Wahyudin. One of his classmates told us he was here," I explained.
Hearing that, Diana stared at me closely. After a moment, her expression turned grim, and she let out a sigh.
"Don't tell me I just spoiled my own surprise by accident?" she said, disappointed.
"Pretty much," Betania said with a small smile.
"I knew it. I should've trusted my instincts—when I saw Sahabi among you, I should've turned around immediately. But no, I was too annoyed from waiting and assumed Darmaji already told you," she muttered bitterly.
"Yup, when you see this guy, you better turn around fast. You know the rule," Najam added with a laugh.
"Okay, Sahabi, this is all your fault. You've completely ruined the surprise I worked so hard on," Diana said, annoyed.
"Wait, hold on—how is this my fault now?" I protested.
"Sorry, buddy, more or less this is one of the same things as the recommendation of the best spots or places to visit problem that I told you before. You're like the class's unluckiest charm. Secrets just can't stay secret around you. Whether on purpose or not, once you're involved, the truth always comes out," Najam said with a grin.
I never thought I had a skill like that.
"Wait—isn't this just a coincidence?" I asked, still in denial.
"You can't really call it a coincidence when it happens more than 90% of the time," Diana said with a smirk.
"Eh? Seriously?" I asked, looking at Betania.
"Sorry, Sahabi… but honestly, we're all victims of this at some point," she replied, amused.
"Yup. So just accept it's your fault—and you owe me an apology," Diana said, looking satisfied.
"Um, okay… sorry, I guess," I said with a sigh, still baffled.