The classroom was unusually quiet during the break. Most students were busy revising for a surprise quiz, while others whispered about weekend plans. Siti and Asmawati, however, were huddled in their corner as always, their conversation spinning in an entirely different world—video games.
"I've decided," Siti said firmly, a proud smile on her face. "The next game I'm playing is Kena: Bridge of Spirits. I really like the way it looks—so bright, so magical. And the Rot are so cute! I want to see them running around."
Asmawati smirked, sipping her Milo through the straw. "Of course you'd pick the cute one. You and your adorable forest spirits."
Siti stuck out her tongue playfully. "Not everything has to be scary or violent. Sometimes games can be beautiful, you know."
"True, true." Asmawati leaned closer, lowering her voice mischievously. "But… what if we play something together? Something scarier. Like Dead by Daylight."
Siti froze. "What? No way."
"Come on! It's multiplayer horror. You run, I run, killers chase us—it's fun!"
"That sounds terrifying."
"That's the point."
Siti shook her head quickly. "No. Absolutely not. I'm not ready for that. I'll scream so loud my mom will think I saw a ghost."
Asmawati grinned like a cat with prey. "So you admit you're too scared?"
"I—no—it's just—"
"Scaredy-cat," Asmawati whispered dramatically, tapping her desk. "Siti Suhaili, future gamer, but still scared of pixel monsters."
Siti pouted, her cheeks turning red. "You're so annoying sometimes."
"Then prove me wrong."
Siti sighed heavily, staring down at her notebook. Asmawati's teasing was relentless, and the word "scaredy-cat" echoed louder than she wanted to admit. Finally, she groaned.
"Fine. I'll play Dead by Daylight… but only after I finish Kena: Bridge of Spirits. Deal?"
Asmawati smirked, victory shining in her eyes. "Deal. I'll be waiting."
---
That evening, the sun dipped below the horizon as Siti hurried home. She tossed her schoolbag on her bed, powered up her PS5, and opened the PlayStation Store.
Her cursor hovered for a moment over Dead by Daylight. The cover art alone made her nervous—dark silhouettes, a looming killer. She bit her lip, whispered, "Bismillah," and pressed Buy.
The game began downloading, the bar slowly filling. Siti stared at it for a while, her heart torn between fear and curiosity.
Then, she switched tabs and scrolled to the soft, glowing cover of Kena: Bridge of Spirits. She clicked play, and the room lit up with gentle colors and soothing music.
"Yes," she whispered with relief. "This is where I'll start."
Behind her, the download for Dead by Daylight continued silently, like a shadow waiting for its turn.
But tonight, her world would be filled with light, magic, and tiny, adorable spirits.