After finishing his morning class, Arya walked slowly through the campus corridor. His eyes darted around, searching for something. His expression carried a hint of confusion, though his steps remained steady.In his mind, he kept recalling the figure of a man who had appeared in his dream the night before—standing beneath a large jasmine tree, pointing at him as if giving some kind of sign.
From a distance, Rika noticed Arya looking lost, glancing around as though searching for something. A playful smile curled on her lips, her curiosity sparking instantly. With her usual cheer, she floated closer, her long hair swaying softly in the air.
"Arya, what's wrong?" she asked brightly. Arya glanced at her briefly but didn't answer right away. Rika tilted her head, then teased, "What, did you drop a coin or something?"
Arya finally stopped walking, speaking with hesitation. "I'm looking for someone… A man I saw in my dream. He was standing beneath a big jasmine tree, pointing at me."
"A man?" Rika frowned, head tilted as she tried to piece it together. Her puzzled look made Arya chuckle faintly.
They continued walking toward the ground floor. Rika, as curious as ever, bombarded him with little questions. But Arya suddenly froze when he spotted a student sitting under a tree near the motorcycle parking lot. The boy was flipping through a stack of papers as if reviewing them carefully.
"That's him," Arya whispered under his breath. Without another thought, he dashed toward the student.
"Eh, Arya—wait! What are you doing?" Rika shouted, startled by his sudden sprint. She floated after him, baffled but intrigued.
Arya stopped right in front of the student. "Excuse me, can I ask you something?" His voice was polite, though rushed.
The student looked up, raising his brow in confusion at the abrupt approach.
Arya clenched his jaw. "Listen, I'm not letting you leave. I just want answers," he said, breath uneven.
The young man closed his papers slowly, his gaze calm but cold. "Answers? About what? I don't understand what you're talking about."
"About the dream," Arya said firmly, folding his arms. "You definitely know something. Don't play dumb with me."
The man sighed and set his notebook aside. "You've got the wrong person. I'm not some dream interpreter."
"Don't fool me," Arya snapped, his voice rising. "In that place, you told me to pick the glowing jasmine. If you don't know anything, why do you keep avoiding me?"
The student rose to his feet, slipping his papers into his bag with deliberate calm. "Look, I'm not who you think I am. And for the record, I'm not interested in some romance between men."
Arya's fist tightened, his patience slipping. "Then I—!"
But before he could continue, a cheerful voice cut through the tension.
"Arya! Why did you run off like that?"
Arya turned, instantly recognizing the figure that appeared right in front of the student. "That kid!"
The young man's eyes widened. His body froze for a moment before he instinctively leapt back, fists clenched defensively.
Arya chuckled at the reaction. "So you can see Rika, huh? Mister 'I-know-nothing.'"
Rika tilted her head, confused by their exchange. "Huh? Wait, are you guys talking about me?"
The young man tried to compose himself, but his face was tense. "I don't know what you mean. I just… Forget it."
Arya stepped closer, smirking. "Don't give me that. If you really didn't know, why did you react the moment you saw her?"
Rika, annoyed at being ignored, waved her hands right in front of their faces. "Hello? I'm standing right here, you know. Are you seriously talking about me like I'm not here?"
Neither Arya nor the student answered. They were too busy staring each other down.
"Just admit it," Arya pressed, face drawing closer. "You know more than you're saying."
The student backed up a step but kept silent.
Rika's patience snapped. She took a deep breath and screamed right in their ears:"STOP IGNORING MEEEEE!!!"
Both Arya and the student jumped back, clutching their ears.
"My ears, Rika! Don't scream like that!" Arya groaned.
The young man winced. "Her voice nearly split my head in two…"
Rika folded her arms, glaring at them. "So? Are you two going to explain what's actually going on, or should I scream again?"
The two exchanged a glance. Neither dared to speak.
"You're both ridiculous," Rika muttered with a long sigh.
Finally, the student relented. With a heavy breath, he spoke. "My name is Dionatra Wirayudha. Call me Dio." He extended his hand.
"Arya Prawisandha," Arya replied, shaking it firmly.
"And I'm Rika Alena!" Rika chimed in cheerfully, suddenly popping between them. Dio flinched, stumbling backward in shock.
"What the hell, you shameless ghost?" Arya muttered, annoyed.
"Who are you calling shameless, you weird human?" Rika pouted, cheeks flushed red.
Dio cleared his throat, trying to ignore her. "Alright, Arya. Let me explain. What you experienced wasn't just a dream. It was astral projection."
Arya's eyes sharpened. "Astral projection? You mean… my soul left my body?"
Dio nodded. "Yes. Your soul crossed into another dimension—the spirit world. But the real question is: why are you able to do that? Not everyone can."
Rika's expression turned uneasy. "So… Arya really entered my world? It wasn't just by chance?"
"That's right," Dio said seriously, locking eyes with Arya. "But you need to understand, astral projection is dangerous. If your soul is destroyed there, you'll die here too. No second chances."
Arya's breath caught. "Wait… if I die there, I actually die here?"
Dio nodded grimly. "And worse, humans who can cross over don't have unlimited time. The longer your soul is separated, the higher the risk you'll never make it back."
A chill ran down Arya's spine. He had never realized just how deadly the experience had been. "Then… how do I stop it? How do I control it?"
Dio shook his head. "I don't know why you can do it. But one thing is certain—you need to be careful. Don't get trapped in that world."
Rika spoke up nervously. "Wait. Dio, you can see me, right? That means you already know about the spirit world?"
Dio let out a long sigh. "Yes, I know. But my job isn't to explain everything to you. My duty is to make sure the spirit world doesn't disrupt the balance of this one. And more importantly—WHY DID YOU FOLLOW A HUMAN HERE, YOU PESTERING GHOST?!" Dio suddenly shouted at Rika, pointing at her.
Startled, Rika covered her ears with both hands. "I-I don't know! I tried to go back, but the gatekeeper yelled at me. He was terrifying, so I ran away… and I ended up at Arya's place. He's the only person I know here." She looked down, ashamed.
Arya frowned. "Duty? What do you mean?"
"I'm a watcher," Dio said curtly. "My family's duty, for generations, has been to ensure the spirit world doesn't interfere with the human one. That's all you need to know for now."
Rika tilted her head, trying to recall. "Hmm… I don't remember seeing you before, Dio. But I do remember a woman in a red dress. She was scary… but beautiful. It felt like she knew me."
Dio's eyes narrowed. "A red dress? That must be… Nagini."
"Who's Nagini?" Arya asked.
"She's the spirit within the keris my family guards," Dio explained. "One of the strongest in the spirit realm. If she appeared near you, then something important is about to happen."
Their conversation fell silent for a moment as each sank into thought. Finally, Arya spoke.
"Then we'll have to work together. Dio, you know a lot about this world. I'm… stuck in it. And this creature—well, she's basically a ghost intern here." He smirked at Rika.
"Quit mocking me!" Rika snapped, folding her arms with a pout.
Dio let out a quiet huff but nodded. "Fine. But this isn't a game. If we make the wrong move, we could end up in places far worse than you can imagine."
Rika's expression softened into a faint smile. "If this means I can finally find my answers… then I'm in."
And so, beneath the quiet trees of campus, an unlikely alliance began—one that would lead them into a world filled with danger, secrets, and shadows yet to be revealed.