Felzein's brow knitted together as he leaned in, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
"Boyfriend...?"
His gaze darted around the room, grappling to fathom the sudden oddity of the moment.
There stood Rosa, her companions, and a stranger whose face was unfamiliar to him.
Every eye in the room rested upon him, hungry for a reply, an affirmation to Rosa's bold claim.
Swallowing thickly, Felzein felt as though he had unwittingly stepped into a scene of a play whose lines he had never learned.
Yet Rosa's eyes held his, pleading silently, a desperate appeal for his cooperation, just this once.
Though perplexed, Felzein could not deny the earnestness in her gaze.
With a reluctant breath, resigned to the charade, he acquiesced.
"Ah… Y-Yes… I… I'm, in fact, Ocha's boyfriend," he murmured, his words tinged with uncertainty.
Welly's gaze sharpened, as though attempting to unearth any hint of falsehood etched upon Felzein's features.
"Oh, so you're Ocha's beau, then? I'm Welly, Melati's partner," he declared, extending his hand with a confident air.
Felzein took the offered hand, a subtle flicker of perplexity shadowing his expression.
Leaning slightly towards Rosa, he murmured, "Which one is Melati, exactly?"
His eyes roved the room, settling on the four other women who stood nearby.
Rosa stifled a sigh, nearly slapping her palm to her forehead, silently cursing, "Good heavens…"
Yet she recognised it was no fault of Felzein's. Their acquaintance had been nothing more than apothecary and customer, after all.
"The one wearing the mask… the white hijab," she whispered, carefully concealing her mounting frustration.
At last, having grasped the situation, Felzein nodded quietly.
With a casual tone, he immediately slipped into the role, "Oh, I'm Felzein. Let's just call each other by our first names, makes it more familiar," he said, keeping his voice light.
Welly nodded in return, but before he could reply, Rosa shot Felzein a look that demanded an answer.
"So, then…?" Rosa asked, feigning impatience.
Felzein met her gaze, puzzled, "What now? What am I supposed to be? A frog or something?" he thought wryly.
Yet, having committed to the charade, he responded, "Well, alright then… we did agree. Come on, hurry up," he urged, playing along.
Rosa smiled triumphantly and linked her arm through Felzein's, all sweetness and charm.
"Melati's coming too, babe… please?" she coaxed, winking slyly to signal he should stay in character.
Felzein fought back an exasperated sigh, "Fine, no problem. Welly can come along too if he wants," he replied, shooting a glance at Welly.
"Absolutely not," Rosa interrupted swiftly. "Melati's planning a surprise for Welly. No way he's coming. Right, Mel?"
Melati, who had remained silent until then, simply nodded quickly, "Yes," she said softly.
Felzein caught a glimpse of the tension hidden behind Melati's mask.
Meanwhile, Welly watched the three of them with a questioning look but eventually gave a slow nod, still clearly unconvinced.
Felzein exhaled softly, striving to keep calm amid the sudden awkwardness. To avoid raising suspicion, he stepped closer to Welly and whispered,
"Sorry, mate. I honestly don't know what kind of surprise they're planning for you," he said, trying to sound casual.
Welly chuckled quietly, seemingly unbothered, "Women will be women, mate," he sighed. "I'm counting on you to look after Melati, yeah?"
Felzein nodded, offering a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, mate. She's in safe hands."
Hearing this, Welly finally appeared somewhat reassured.
Without further questions, he bade them farewell and stepped out of Koba Baru Pharmacy, leaving the three of them inside.
Rosa and Melati finally released a long, trembling breath, as though a crushing weight had been lifted from their shoulders.
Yet across the room, Dewi, Rasya, and Wina, quietly observing the scene, exchanged glances heavy with suspicion. Something was not right.
"What on earth has just transpired?" each wondered, thoughts tangled in shared confusion.
Felzein's gaze remained fixed on Rosa, his eyes wide with unspoken questions, awaiting the explanation that hung stubbornly in the air.
Then his attention drifted to Rosa's hand, still wrapped tightly around his arm.
A soft clearing of the throat broke the silence, "Ahem…" he murmured, gently reminding her of her lingering touch.
"Oh... Sorry," Rosa murmured, cheeks flushing as she withdrew her hand hastily.
Felzein sighed, his expression settling into seriousness, "Please, explain. What exactly did you mean just now?" he asked quietly, though inside he wrestled with the sudden, bewildering turn of events.
Rosa hesitated, her eyes flickering towards Melati, silently seeking consent.
Melati nodded faintly, resigned but resolute, giving Rosa the quiet permission she needed.
With a slow, deliberate motion, Melati pulled down her mask, revealing bruises blooming like dark shadows across both cheeks.
A collective gasp escaped Dewi, Rasya, and Wina. Their eyes widened in disbelief at the cruel evidence before them.
"Melati! What on earth happened to you?" Wina's voice trembled with concern.
Dewi's tone softened, laden with sympathy, "Who did this to you, Melati?"
Rasya stood frozen, shock rendering her silent, her face betraying the turmoil she felt inside.
"It was… Welly," Melati confessed, voice barely above a whisper.
"What? Welly?" The word hung in the air, echoed in disbelief by Dewi, Rasya, and Wina.
The room fell into stunned silence, the weight of her words sinking deep.
Felzein's own shock was palpable. The man he had only just met, and barely sized up, now revealed in a harsh, unforgiving light.
Seeing Melati's trembling form, her eyes brimming with tears, Rosa drew in a shaky breath and spoke with measured solemnity.
"Melati… she's been a victim of abuse," Rosa's voice wavered, the pain behind it raw and real. "And it's been going on… for nearly a year."
She laid bare the truth, each word cutting through the heavy silence, leaving nothing concealed.
"That wretched man!" Rasya exclaimed, unable to contain the storm of anger that surged within her after hearing Rosa's account of what Melati had endured.
Without a second's hesitation, she wrapped her arms tightly around Melati, holding her close as if to shield her from the cruelties of the world.
"Stay strong, Mel… you're not alone," she whispered, her voice trembling with empathy.
Melati gave a faint, fragile smile. Though her lips curved, the sorrow behind her eyes remained unmistakable.
"Thank you, Rasya…" she murmured, barely above a breath.
Felzein, who had thus far listened in solemn silence, finally stepped forward, his brow furrowed with concern.
"You didn't report him to the police?" he asked gently, yet firmly.
She shook her head, almost imperceptibly, "My parents don't even know… Welly's threatened me more times than I can count," she replied, her voice cracking under the weight of fear and resignation.
Dewi's expression hardened, "But what about the bruises on your face? What if your parents see them?"
Melati dropped her gaze to the floor. A sigh escaped her lips, long and weary, "Perhaps it's just my lot in life…" she said, barely audible.
"No, absolutely not!" Dewi snapped, her voice rising in disbelief. "You must go to the police! You can't let this go on!"
Her hands trembled with righteous fury. It was unthinkable, how could a man lay a hand on a woman, on Melati, with such callousness?
Felzein's heart ached. There was something in the way Melati sat. Silent, withdrawn, marked, that stirred something deep within him. He couldn't simply stand by.
He turned towards Dewi, "May I have a pair of sterile gloves, please?"
Dewi blinked, startled, "Sterile gloves? What for, sir?"
He offered her a soft, enigmatic smile, his gaze flickering briefly to Melati, "With a little luck… it might just bring her healing," he replied.
His words hanging in the air, laced with quiet mystery.