Arya lay fast asleep, his body wrapped in a thin, crumpled blanket. The silence of the night surrounded him, broken only by the steady rhythm of his breathing in the small boarding room. Yet somehow, that night felt different. His closed eyes suddenly opened—not into the world he knew, but into something entirely different.
He found himself standing inside an abandoned temple. The stone walls were crumbling, covered in moss and cracks, creating an eerie and desolate atmosphere. Wild plants crept between the stones, adding to the sense of decay. A thin mist hung in the air, and the atmosphere felt heavy, charged with something he couldn't put into words. His chest tightened with unease, but his legs refused to stop moving. It was as if something was calling him deeper into the ruins.
On a pile of scattered stones sat an old man in a white robe. His face was half-hidden behind wrinkles and long white hair. His eyes were shut tight, as though in deep meditation or prayer. Arya felt drawn to him, as if the man were silently inviting him to come closer. Without realizing it, Arya's feet carried him forward.
"Who is he…?" Arya wondered, curiosity battling with a gnawing sense of dread.
When he finally stood right in front of the old man, the figure slowly opened his eyes. His face came into clearer view, but something was off—his gaze was empty, expressionless, and yet Arya felt an unsettling depth pulling at him.
"Go back…" The old man's voice was soft, but it echoed inside Arya like a thunderclap. It wasn't just heard—it resonated through his whole body. The sound shook his heart, filling him with fear and a strange, indescribable feeling.
Arya's body trembled. His feet shuffled backward on their own, panic rising in his chest. He tried to speak, but before he could ask anything, the old man vanished into the thickening mist.
Arya woke with a jolt, drenched in sweat, his breathing ragged. He sat upright on the bed, disoriented. Realizing it was only a dream, he tried to steady himself. But before calm could settle in, he sensed something odd.
Right in front of his face hovered a figure staring intently at him. Rika. She was floating above his bed, wide-eyed, watching him without blinking.
"Why are you staring at me like that?!" Arya almost fell off the bed in shock.
Rika frowned and sat down beside him, pouting. "Don't scare me like that!"
Arya rubbed his chest, his voice still shaky. "You scared me first…"
Rika puffed her cheeks. "Hmph! I bet you were having some pervy dream, weren't you?" she accused, crossing her arms.
Arya ignored her, too drained to argue. He glanced at his phone—already noon.
"Crap, I overslept…" he muttered, scrambling out of bed and grabbing a towel.
Rika tilted her head. "Where are you going?"
"I've got class. Lab work this afternoon," Arya said while putting on his jacket and tying his shoes.
"Lab? Laboratory? That sounds cool!" Rika's eyes sparkled with excitement, like a kid hearing about magic.
Arya sighed. "Listen, you can't come with me today. Especially not to the lab."
"Why not?" Rika asked, stepping closer.
"Because I need to focus. I don't want you making a scene," Arya said flatly, shutting the door behind him.
Rika stood frozen at the doorway, her face puzzled and a little hurt. "Why is he mad…?" she whispered, though deep inside, she felt something more complicated—an unease she couldn't quite name.
The boarding room fell quiet. Left alone, Rika wandered aimlessly, puffing her cheeks in boredom. "Even ghosts can get bored," she muttered.
Her ears perked up at a familiar sound drifting from outside.
"Jajannn~~!"
Rika's face lit up instantly. She hopped to the window and peeked out. At the end of the alley, a street vendor pushed his cilok cart, calling out to the neighborhood.
"Cilok! I want cilok! I haven't eaten human food in so long!" she squealed, practically bouncing with excitement.
Without a second thought, she rushed out of the boarding house. In her excitement, she forgot herself and floated half a meter above the ground.
"Mister! Wait, I want to buy!" she shouted, waving her hand.
The vendor stopped, turning with a smile—but his expression quickly froze. His eyes widened in terror, his hands trembling.
"H-Han… han…" he stammered.
Still hovering, Rika cheerfully pulled out some money Arya had left on the desk. "Here! I want cilok, please!"
The vendor went pale, his body shaking uncontrollably. Then, with a strangled gasp, he collapsed right where he stood.
"Wha—?! Oh no, Mister, wake up! I just wanted to buy cilok!" Rika panicked, lowering herself to the ground. She shook him desperately, but the man remained unconscious.
A little later, Rika sat sulking on a tiny plastic stool beside the cart, munching cilok with a guilty look. "I paid for it… it's not my fault he fainted…" she mumbled through a mouthful.
One hour passed. Arya returned from campus, only to be greeted by chaos. At the edge of the boarding house, Dio stood fuming at Rika, fists clenched as though ready to strike.
"You reckless ghost! Do you even know what you've done?! He fainted, and now the spirits around here are in disarray! Do you understand the consequences?!" Dio shouted furiously.
Nagini, standing beside him, gripped his arm and waist, holding him back. "Dio, calm yourself. She didn't mean it. Don't lose control…"
"Didn't mean it? She broke the rules again! She deserves punishment, Nagini!"
Arya froze mid-step, eyes locking on the woman beside Dio—Nagini. Something about her presence unsettled him deeply.
But before he could dwell on it, his attention shifted to Rika, who was still calmly eating cilok, swinging her legs and waving at him.
"Oh! Arya, you're back! Want some cilok? It's a little spicy, but sooo good!" she said with a bright grin.
Arya sighed heavily, pressing his palm to his forehead as he approached.
"Rika," he said flatly, "you made the cilok guy faint, didn't you?"
Rika froze mid-bite, her cheeks flushed pink. "I-I just wanted to buy some! He's the one who collapsed out of nowhere!"
Dio tried to lunge forward again, but Nagini yanked him back. Arya shot him a look, silently urging him to stop.
"Dio, drop it. She doesn't understand the rules you're ranting about. All she wanted was cilok."
"But she—" Dio began, only for Arya to cut him off.
"Pointless. You can't force Rika to take anything seriously." Arya turned back to her. "Rika, next time, wait for me. We'll buy it together so this doesn't happen again."
Rika lowered her head, guilt clouding her face. "Sorry… I just really wanted a snack."
Arya softened, patting her on the head. "It's fine. Just tell me next time. Now come inside, before Dio actually explodes."
Nagini chuckled quietly, finally easing Dio's anger. "She may be troublesome, but her soul is pure. Don't be too harsh on her, Dio."
Rika stood, clutching the last skewer of cilok. She looked at Dio sheepishly. "Sorry, Mas Dio…" she said with an awkward smile.
Dio grumbled and turned away, but Arya noticed his ears turning red.
And so, another day passed with the usual chaos that only Rika Alena could bring.