Morning light slipped through the cracks in the temple stone like golden needles piercing the night's lingering darkness, waking me with an ironic gentleness in the middle of an island that felt like an eternal nightmare. I opened my eyes slowly, my body still stiff from restless sleep. Before I could gather my thoughts, that familiar voice echoed again from the small speaker on the wall—a flirtatious melody played slowly, like a siren's song calling victims toward the abyss. The monitor in the corner of the room turned on automatically, displaying MonoGaru's wide smiling face. Its torn wings fluttered gently, as if mocking me personally.
"Fuhahaha~ Good morning again, my sweet students! The day has come, and Akademi Harapan is ready to welcome you with a big smile! Oh yes, don't forget—this afternoon you must gather in the hall because I have a special announcement! Don't be late, or… the consequences could be quite 'interesting'~!"
The voice vanished instantly, leaving only the echo of soft laughter ringing in my ears like a devil's whisper. I rubbed my face, my head still spinning from last night's circling thoughts—the escape plan, the strange discoveries on this island, and now a special announcement that sounded like a new trap ready to snare us.
What else was MonoGaru planning? Another death test? Or something even more cunning? I got up and walked unsteadily into the dorm corridor, where several other students had already woken and were going through their morning routines as if today were just an ordinary school day—as if this island weren't a death prison ready to finish us off at any moment.
Sinta was already busy in the common room. Her woven bag lay wide open on the table, her hands stirring green leaf potions she had picked yesterday, her voice murmuring softly as she tasted the mixture. Yusuf sat in the corner, carefully inspecting his potted plant, his fingers touching the small leaves as if whispering to them. Zahra stretched in her chair, straw hat in place, her voice rising as she talked to herself about farming plans. Krisna sat at another table, his paintbrush sketching faint patterns on blank paper, his empty eyes focused as if creating something from nothingness.
They looked… normal, as if the island's mysteries hadn't fully touched them. I felt strange—like an outsider who couldn't join their flow. I was too ordinary compared to them, who seemed to have the strength not to let the darkness claim them.
I decided to head to the cafeteria on the second floor of the Main Building. The classroom corridors felt quieter this morning, the thick dust on the floor showing the footprints of those who had walked ahead. In the cafeteria, the strange machines still stood silently like loyal guardians, their rusted buttons ready to be pressed.
I exchanged a ticket for breakfast—warm nasi uduk with fried chicken and sambal—and sat alone at one of the long wooden benches. The sound of spoon against plate felt lonely in the vast, empty room. At the next table, a few others were already there, chatting softly like a normal morning routine. Adi and Zayn discussed plans with firm voices. Lira hummed softly while enjoying her sweet food. Selena talked about old TV dramas, laughing with Vina who chimed in. They seemed… connected, like a group that was starting to trust one another. I felt different—like a brick that didn't fit in the wall, unable to blend in.
But suddenly, someone approached my table. Zahra came over uninvited, her straw hat tilted as she drew near. "Reno, are you free?"
I lifted my head, spoon pausing in mid-air. "Yeah, why?"
Zahra decided to sit in the chair across from me, leaning closer and letting out a relieved sigh as if a weight had lifted from her shoulders. "Good. I wanted to talk for a bit. Is it true you can build anything quickly with whatever materials are available?"
"Yeah, it's true. Why?"
Zahra smiled widely, her voice rising with excitement. "Finally! I didn't want to talk about this with anyone because it's embarrassing, but… I want to build my own plantation on this island."
I frowned. "Why? We can escape if the plan works. Why are you thinking about farming…"
Zahra shook her head slowly. "That's true, but we… need food. This island is remote, with no access anywhere. Food is the second most important thing after water—we can't rely on the cafeteria forever."
I paused for a moment to think. She had a point. "That's true too. But… wait… there's a cafeteria with fresh food that we can get anytime without worry."
Zahra shook her head again. "That's also true, but we don't know how long those machines and whatever is behind them will keep working. They'll run out eventually. We have to prepare before that happens."
I thought hard, placing my spoon gently on the plate. Zahra continued. "I found some seeds in the hut Yusuf discovered yesterday. They can be planted. I want to try making some field plots."
"Okay… so what does that have to do with me?"
Zahra smiled widely again. "I need a small hut for farming. And I want to connect water from the well Krisna found to the fields so they can be irrigated every day."
I touched my chin, thinking again. "It's possible… but we need materials and tools. It won't be easy to find all that on an island like this."
"I already talked to Vina. There might be equipment and materials in the harbor warehouse. Want to come later?"
Thinking it over repeatedly, I felt doubtful about the plan she was talking about. We were already busy with a more important plan… one that would determine everyone's fate.
"Zahra… there's a more important plan right now. We should focus on that first."
Zahra shook her head, this time more firmly than before. "That's important, but we need a Plan B in case the escape fails. We don't know how long we might have to stay here."
I stayed silent for a moment, looking at her eyes full of enthusiasm, and finally could only agree. "Okay… I'll help."
Zahra grinned broadly and patted my shoulder hard. "Thank you, Reno! I'm counting on you."
Startled, I held the shoulder she had patted and watched Zahra leave with her cheerful steps.
"In my whole life… no one has ever said that to me," I muttered quietly to myself.
After breakfast, I stood up from the long wooden bench in the now-quiet cafeteria and headed to the hall. The time for MonoGaru's important announcement was drawing near. As I walked, I glanced at the MonoWatch on my wrist. Its screen blinked, showing nothing particularly important except the time and its basic features.
My heart beat uneasily—what was MonoGaru going to say? Had it been watching us all this time? Had our movements been exposed? Those thoughts felt like small cracks in the wall, growing wider with every passing second.
When I entered the hall, the vast room with its stone podium in the center and the large dark screen felt colder than last night. Afternoon light seeped through the high ceiling cracks but wasn't enough to dispel the long shadows on the dragon-carved walls. I found Aulia and Adi already there. Their voices were low, but tension was clear on both their faces. Rian wasn't far across the room, his hand touching one of the stone statues flanking the hall, his eyes narrowed as if trying to decode a secret from the stone itself.
Aulia looked up when she saw me. "Reno, you're here. We've been discussing what MonoGaru might announce. I'm worried… our movements yesterday might have been noticed."
Adi shook his head weakly. "If it knows we explored the island and planned to escape, this announcement could be a trap. We need to prepare… for the worst-case scenario."
Rian finished examining the statue, tapped his MonoWatch, and a holographic map appeared in the air in front of him—a faint blue screen with red marks he had made, lines indicating surveillance points and safe gaps.
"Calm down, everyone. Our movements so far haven't been fully detected by MonoGaru. I confirmed it myself with Krisna and Nova. Thanks to their help—Krisna can erase our traces with his symbol drawings that confuse the cameras, and Nova sabotaged some cameras and guards, though not significantly. This map shows we're still safe, at least for now."
Aulia nodded, slightly relieved. "Thank you, Rian. That's reassuring. Still… we do need to prepare…"
One by one, people arrived. The hall gradually filled with all sixteen of us. We sat on benches that had somehow been arranged there, hearts pounding as we waited. The air felt thick with tension, like the moment before a storm breaks.
When the time came—the MonoWatch vibrated softly, showing exactly noon—the podium at the front suddenly lit up with spotlights. Bright light stabbed our eyes like knives, and MonoGaru appeared like a theatrical opera performance—leaping from the darkness with its torn wings fluttering dramatically, its red eyes glowing, its smile wide like a crack in porcelain.
"Haa~looo~ My sweet children, all of you! Thank you for gathering on time. How was your first day at Akademi Harapan? Did you explore the whole island? It must have been fun, right? Seeing all the beautiful zones I prepared especially for you~!"
Some responded with annoyance and dissatisfaction, voices murmuring like small waves. Bima spoke the loudest.
"Fun? This island is like a prison with weird forests and places full of traps!"
Zayn was just as loud. "You think this is a vacation island? It's a prison! We don't like your crazy rules!"
"Nothing good here. Just mysteries and danger. It benefits no one at all," Vina replied, staring with clear anger.
MonoGaru only chuckled softly, its voice echoing, torn wings creaking gently. "Wow, wow~ Such varied answers! Good that you've enjoyed exploring everything. You must now realize there is no way or method for you to escape from here."
The room fell instantly silent. Everyone froze. Cold sweat began running down my back like sudden rain. My heart pounded hard. The thought that our escape plan… might have been exposed filled my mind.
I glanced at Aulia, who gripped her scarf tightly, Adi beside her clutching his pen until it creaked, and Rian holding his MonoWatch as if he couldn't believe it. Every face grew paler, breaths held like waiting for an explosion.
MonoGaru continued. "This island is located in the middle of the ocean, in the vast and remote Pacific waters, full of dangers—fierce storms that can sink ships in an instant, hungry sharks lurking beneath the waves, and merciless ocean currents. Anyone thinking of escaping… is simply looking for death. My sweet students won't possibly escape, right? Wahaha~!"
We grew more panicked. Hearts beat wildly, cold sweat flowed faster, the room felt colder as if the Pacific wind it mentioned had suddenly slipped inside. I felt my hands trembling slightly. My mind spun wildly—had our boat plan already been leaked? Or was this just a guess?
The faces around me exchanged fearful glances that couldn't be hidden, like a group that had just lost their last hope. Breaths came in short gasps, eyes widened, and small murmurs began rising like surging waves.
But MonoGaru quickly changed the subject, its voice turning flirtatious again as if nothing had happened. It raised its small hands once more. "Ah~ But enough about escaping. There's something far more important today!"
The large screen behind the podium suddenly lit up with a low rumble. Thick blue light filled the room like an electrical storm, displaying horrifying details that looked crudely scratched: images of bloody knives, hanging ropes, robots with weapons, and large red blinking words—KILLING GAME.
MonoGaru spread both arms wide. "After completing the School Orientation Period yesterday, it is now time for every student to begin their real lessons! That is, by testing one another—kill or be killed, survive or be executed, until only the last two people worthy of becoming the new hope of this world remain~!"
The room erupted again, but this time with burning anger. Adi stood up first, his chair scraping loudly backward. His voice rose like thunder. "I won't participate in such a cruel game! Are you insane?!"
MonoGaru tilted its head, red eyes blinking. "Why? Why~? You already knew the rules from the beginning."
Adi stepped forward, his face flushed red, voice trembling with rage. "Humans should not kill one another, especially innocent people!"
MonoGaru's expression changed instantly—from cheerful to completely blank. Its red eyes went dead like a flame suddenly extinguished, its torn wings stopped moving. The room fell silent again. Our breaths were held, hearts pounding harder like drums about to burst. Then the screen changed one by one, like slow, piercing slides—scenes and fragments of photos or videos showing each of our pasts, taken at times we didn't know.
Images of Aulia in the middle of a failed mediation, her face covered in innocent blood. Photos of Adi designing plans that unknowingly killed political opponents. Videos of Selena acting in scenes that led to many people being framed. Images of me in the ruins of a building that collapsed because of my mistake, victims' screams echoing faintly from the speakers. Our traumas, our sins—everything was displayed, silencing every mouth, turning faces pale like living corpses, cold sweat pouring, hands trembling uncontrollably.
Zayn suddenly stood, gripping his chair tightly. His face flushed with wild anger, and he hurled the chair toward MonoGaru with a rough shout. The chair flew fast, but before it reached, a robot beside the podium moved suddenly, shooting the chair with a blazing red laser. The chair turned to ash in an instant. The smell of burning filled the room like a death warning.
Vina was also consumed by anger. She stood with a sharp, trembling voice, her thin gold necklace swaying violently. "Where did you get all those pictures?! How dare you peek into our past?!"
MonoGaru chuckled softly. "Huuu~ Humans really are hypocrites, aren't they? You say you don't want to kill innocent people, but look at your pasts—you did anything for your own goals, including sacrificing innocents. How are you any different from the other humans out there? You are Ultimates—more talented, more cruel!"
The room grew hotter. Anger burned like lava ready to erupt, but fear kept us from moving. Aulia stood slowly, her batik scarf swaying, then spoke with a trembling voice.
"We are different. We can choose… not to do that again. The past does not determine our future."
MonoGaru mocked, its red eyes blinking derisively. "Can you promise that? You are Ultimates, blessed with talents far above ordinary humans. Surely you can commit cruelty beyond them too. Huwahaha~!"
Lira stood. "I won't do anything that cruel! I sing… to make people happy. Not to kill!"
Sinta clenched her fists. "The potions I make… are not poison."
Selena followed, her voice trembling uncontrollably. "I… can't stand blood and violence! All of that… and this… I won't play the role of the villain."
"My ability… is to save many people. I won't… kill others," Dion said.
MonoGaru replied with small claps, but it wasn't appreciation for their answers—just mere formality and mockery.
Then the screen behind it changed again—a red digital timer appeared, blinking: 24:00:00, beginning its countdown with slow but inevitable seconds.
"Wonderful idealism! But unfortunately… the Killing Game has already begun. If no one kills within these 24 hours, then all of you will be killed along with that idealism of yours~!"
Every robot in the room suddenly moved with a horrifying metallic creak. Their weapons—ancient swords with gleaming tips, mechanical bow arrows, iron spears ready to be thrown—pointed directly at us. The robots' eyes glowed red like boiling blood. The room echoed with the sound of mechanisms preparing, and the smell of hot metal began to spread like fire ready to burn.
MonoGaru laughed again, its voice flirtatious but like a death sentence. "Don't think this is just a test again, okay… my children. Have fun~! And happy killing~"
We panicked completely. Hearts pounded like broken war drums, cold sweat poured like floodwater, hands trembled uncontrollably, suppressed screams and fearful murmurs erupted at once.
The nightmare… had finally begun.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
We returned to the dorm in oppressive silence. Our footsteps echoed softly in the stone corridor like the slowing tick of a clock heading toward the end. Dim afternoon light slipped through the small windows, forming pale lines on the floor, but not enough to drive away the cold creeping into our bones.
I walked at the back. My wrist throbbed from the MonoWatch, which now displayed the red blinking 24-hour timer. The dorm's common room felt even smaller now. The carved stone walls seemed to press in from all sides, and cold sweat made the air feel heavy.
Everyone sat with pale faces, widened eyes, and short, ragged breaths. No one spoke first. We sat in a circle on the cold wooden chairs, like a group that had just witnessed the end of their own world. The timer on the MonoWatch still blinked in our minds—24 hours—only one day to live or die, and no one knew who would start.
Zayn stood first. His hands clenched tightly, his voice rising with burning but controlled anger like fire ready to consume everything. "I won't let that crazy puppet's words affect me. There must be someone behind it—someone who wants all of this to happen!"
Rian nodded slowly from the corner, his thick glasses slightly askew, his hand touching the MonoWatch as if searching for answers on the small screen. "With current technology, it's impossible for anyone to create a robot like MonoGaru. Even the laser weapon that turned Zayn's chair to ash… definitely couldn't have been made unless there's someone far too genius… behind it."
Bima slammed the table hard. The wood creaked like breaking bone. "Has our plan already been exposed?! That's why it said all this now! If it knows we planned to escape, we'll die first!"
Lira sat in her chair, gripping her necklace tightly, her voice soft but trembling. "I don't want everything to go wrong. I don't want to join that Killing Game. I… don't want to kill or be killed."
Selena added, her two-toned hair covering part of her pale face. "You guys… you won't do all that, right? We… won't kill each other… right?"
The room fell silent again, filled only with ragged breaths and the timer that seemed to tick in our heads. Everyone stayed quiet, eyes meeting but with no certain answers—only deepening fear.
Anya spoke softly from behind her thin veil, her voice cold but trembling. "MonoGaru must have access to archives. It knows all our pasts and displayed them to corner us. This isn't coincidence—it's a weapon."
Dion looked at Adi, his voice calm but pressured. "What now, Adi? Is our plan still on?"
Adi remained silent, staring at his notes with empty eyes. The pencil in his hand had stopped moving, as if his thoughts were trapped. Aulia gently stroked her batik scarf, her eyes thinking hard, like searching for a middle ground in the thickening darkness.
Nova, standing far in the back, his long black coat like a static shadow, spoke softly but firmly. "We have to keep going with the plan. It's the only choice we have right now."
Krisna gently disagreed, eyes on the floor. "Even if those five people manage to escape… there's no guarantee we can call for help within 24 hours. The Pacific Ocean is too vast."
The quiet Yusuf added, his voice soft but heavy. "MonoGaru said this island is extremely remote in the Pacific. It would take days of sailing to reach the nearest inhabited place. If they fail… we all die."
Everyone thought deeper, harder, more panicked. The room felt even smaller, our breaths short and ragged, cold sweat running down foreheads and backs, eyes meeting but with no certain answers.
Aulia slowly stood. Her eyes tried to pierce the darkness enveloping us all. Her voice came out, but this time it trembled faintly like a leaf about to break. "Please calm down, everyone. We… we must continue the plan without being shaken by MonoGaru's words. It only wants us to doubt. We still have time, we still have hope."
Bima immediately objected, his voice relaxed but full of anger, hands clenched on the table. "Calm down how? Like Krisna said earlier, is there any guarantee that the five chosen people will return within 24 hours to call for help and save us all? If they die at sea, or the boat sinks, or MonoGaru catches them first—we're finished!"
Aulia fell silent. Her body trembled slightly, her mouth locked tight as if holding back words that couldn't come out. She tried to open her mouth once, twice, but no sound emerged—only short, trembling breaths.
Dion, losing patience, interrupted. "Zayn, you're the Ultimate Organizer, right? Come up with another plan. This one isn't safe enough anymore."
Zayn scratched his head hard, his hair messy, his voice full of frustration but still trying to stay firm. "I know! But so far, that's the most solid plan I have. Backup plans are too risky—or there's no chance at all. The odds are tiny. If we change it now, we could die even faster."
Bima dropped his head onto the table with a loud thud, his voice a groan like someone who had lost everything. "In the end there's no way, huh? Even though Adi, Aulia, and Zayn already put it all together, there's no guarantee. We're done."
The room fell silent again. No one spoke. Everyone stayed quiet, faces full of despair like a fire that had just been extinguished. Empty eyes stared at the floor or walls, breaths short and ragged. Even Aulia was furious with herself, gripping her hands so tightly her fingers turned white, her eyes glassy but not crying. Adi repeatedly opened and closed his notebook, searching for answers in old scribbles, but his hands trembled. Zayn repeatedly stamped his foot on the floor, the sound of his shoes echoing like a broken clock, trying to force his brain to think.
I had been silent the whole time, unable to say anything, seeing myself like a mere shadow with no meaning amid their light. I wasn't like them—not an organizer, not a navigator, not a diplomat. I was just… an architect.
Finally Aulia tried to speak again. Her voice trembled but tried to be firm, as if forcing herself to be the last hope. "I… will make sure everything goes according to plan. I promise."
Bima lifted his head again, his voice tired and full of anger. "How? What can you promise? How exactly?"
Aulia bit her own lip. A thin line of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth, her eyes glassy. "I… will do anything. I will make sure we all survive."
Rian asked in a tired but sharp voice. "How do you plan to do that in 24 hours? You know yourself—"
Aulia continued giving her reasons, her voice trembling more but like a forced mantra. "I will… make sure. We can… we can do this together."
But it only sounded like empty promises, hollow and fragile. One by one, people pressed her. Voices rose like waves turning violent. Zayn: "You can only promise? That's not enough!"
Anya replied cynically. "Words full of lies… just like fabricated history. Stuffed down people's throats… and told to agree without thinking."
"Aulia… don't say that if you're not sure," Selena replied.
"We need solutions, not empty words," Vina added similarly.
Adi slammed hard, standing with his chair pushed back. His voice rose like thunder. "Enough! Aulia, you should just SHUT UP!"
The room fell silent again. All eyes turned to Adi. He hated what he had said, and what everyone was doing. His face reddened, hands clenched.
"I hate fake promises the most—hope forged only with empty talk. Because I've done it myself many times."
The situation grew worse. Bima grabbed Adi's collar tightly, his voice rising with anger. "You tell us to shut up? If we just stay silent, we all die! Do you want everyone to start killing each other? Tell us what we should do!"
Adi punched Bima hard. His right fist landed on Bima's cheek, sending Bima crashing to the floor with a loud thud. Everyone was shocked, eyes widening, breaths held. Bima held his cheek. Thin blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes still burned with anger. Aulia covered her mouth with her hand, eyes glassy.
I was still standing in place, breathing raggedly. The sound of Adi's fist landing on Bima's cheek still echoed in my ears like the final blow before total destruction. Bima sat on the floor, his left hand holding his reddened cheek, blood slowly flowing from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes still blazed—anger that could no longer be contained, like a fire that had just been given strong wind.
Bima clenched his fists. Veins bulged on his arms, and with one hard push he stood up. His red eyes locked onto Adi. "You think you can just hit me like that?!" His voice rose, rough and full of grudge. He stepped forward, his right fist already raised, ready to retaliate.
Zayn immediately moved forward, hand outstretched to stop him. "Hey, stop! We don't need this right now!"
But Bima could no longer be held back. With one quick motion, he flung Zayn's arm aside like swatting a fly. The push made Zayn stumble backward until his back hit the stone wall with a loud thud. Zayn growled in pain, but before he could get up—Bima had already advanced on Adi. His right fist flew straight toward Adi's face, who was still standing with ragged breaths.
Aulia stood frozen in place. Her hands trembled violently like a tree in a storm. Her pupils shrank until they almost disappeared in her widened irises from fear. She didn't move, didn't speak, only stood like a statue. I saw her from the side—her face pale, lips trembling but making no sound. Suddenly that memory slammed into me again.
The photo. The large screen had displayed it mercilessly earlier: Aulia in the middle of a bloody conflict zone, her hands and face covered in other people's blood, her eyes full of tears while her body couldn't move. Around her, victims fell one by one because her mediation had failed.
She had stood there, powerless, watching the fighting continue, lives lost because she couldn't find a middle ground. That was her past, her trauma—and now, the same thing was about to happen again. In front of her eyes, two people who were supposed to be part of the hope were starting to destroy each other, and she couldn't stop it. Yet she… was the bravest among us, the one who always thought positively, the one who always mediated and brought light in the darkness. But this time, she was dimming, like… a pillar cracking in the middle of the building she herself tried to hold up.
I clenched my hands so tightly my nails dug into my palms, looking around—everyone else didn't dare, didn't speak, didn't act to stop it. They only watched, eyes wide, breaths held, like spectators unable to move in the middle of a tragedy. My gaze shifted to Aulia—she slowly reached out her hand, as if trying to stop it but lacking the strength or courage anymore. The pillar was cracking further… and a cracked pillar… would bring down the building, burying many lives.
I swallowed hard. My throat felt dry like swallowing sand. The courage I had hidden behind my silent attitude slowly began to rise. I immediately ran, taking quick steps across the narrow room, pushing through them.
"Stop!"
I shoved my body between Adi and Bima, hands outstretched to hold back Adi's chest, which was still being pushed backward. Adi's wild punch landed on my shoulder—hard, painful like a hammer striking the wrong target—but I didn't retreat. Bima growled, his voice rough and full of anger.
"Move, Reno! Our business isn't finished!"
I remained standing between them, my shoulder still throbbing with pain, but I ignored it. "It doesn't have to be like this. This is exactly what MonoGaru wants."
Bima paused for a moment, breathing heavily, his fist still raised but no longer moving. Adi was still fallen behind me, silently wiping blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes empty but beginning to focus on me.
I continued, making my voice clearer even though it trembled. "It wants everyone to feel despair. It's cornering us to kill each other so the Killing Game really happens. If we stop believing in the plan we made, it's the same as giving up and agreeing with it."
Bima shook his head, his voice still rough. "Your words are just empty talk. We have no guarantees anymore."
I shook my head back, my hand still holding Adi's chest so he wouldn't stand. "Everyone worked hard all day yesterday—exploring, making plans, nurturing hope. But with one small pressure, a countdown and time, you've already lost hope. Time cannot stop human hope."
I slammed my right hand against my own chest. The sound of the impact echoed softly in the silent room. "I'm just an Ultimate Architect—who can only build. But even so, I still build in the rain, storms, heat, earthquakes, destruction, and with whatever materials and tools are available. Many say building takes time, takes effort, and is impossible. But I hate time the most, because time is also what destroys anything I build. That's why I try so hard—to make buildings that time cannot erode—to prove to everyone that hope… will never crack like the pillars I build."
I pointed at Aulia, who was still standing frozen, her hand hanging in the air as if trying to hold something that had already begun to collapse. "Look at her. There's still a pillar that believes this building hasn't cracked yet. She's always the first to find the middle ground, always thinks positively, always becomes the light in the darkness. If she cracks now… if we let her crack… this building will collapse, and we'll all be buried with it."
The room fell silent again, but this time it wasn't the silence of despair—it was silence full of reflection. Everyone looked at one another. Eyes that had been empty began to tremble faintly, like a small fire that had just been rekindled.
Sinta covered her mouth with her hand, eyes glassy. Yusuf nodded slowly, gripping his potted plant tighter. Zahra wiped her eyes, her voice trembling.
"I… I feel guilty. What Reno said earlier seems right. MonoGaru really wants us to fall apart like this. If we start destroying each other now, it might really turn into the Killing Game."
Selena slowly twirled her small mirror, smiling faintly. "Thank you, Aulia… for not stopping thinking for us. Even though earlier… I know it was really heavy for you."
Lira nodded in agreement, gripping her woven bag tighter. "True. You're always the first to look for the middle ground, even when the world has already collapsed. I… don't want you to crack because of us."
Zayn, still in pain with his back bruised from Bima's earlier push, approached slowly. He looked at Bima, who was still standing with heavy breaths, fists clenched but no longer raised. "Bima… you won't agree with MonoGaru, right? You won't let yourself sink into the despair it wants."
Bima growled softly, fists still clenched, his eyes on Adi who was still on the floor, thin blood at the corner of his mouth. He let out a long, long breath, as if releasing a burden that was too heavy.
"I… don't care anymore. Do whatever you want."
He sat back down, resting his head on the table with a soft thud, his shoulders slumping like someone who had just lost their final fight.
Krisna, Dion, Rian, and Yusuf approached Zayn. Their steps were slow but firm. Krisna spoke first, full of conviction.
"If what Reno said is true, then we should start the plan immediately before time runs out."
Dion nodded in agreement. "Right. We can't just sit here waiting for the timer to finish."
Rian rubbed his eyes. "Better to fix the boat engine quickly than stay up all night again."
Even the quiet Yusuf added, "I'll check the necessary items too."
Zayn nodded, pushing down his pain to step forward again. "Okay. This time we need Anya and Vina to join in refining the plan. I need your input."
Anya's veil glinted slightly as she rose from her chair. "Alright. If that's the only way."
Vina flicked her hair as she nodded. "Finally we're moving. We really need new perspectives."
Seeing one by one everyone beginning to regain hope—even if fragile like a campfire in the wind—I let out a breath full of relief. My shoulders, which had been tense, relaxed a little. I turned to Adi, who was fixing his clothes. The blood at the corner of his mouth had dried. His face was full of regret but also new determination.
I extended my hand to him.
Adi looked at my hand for a moment, then reached out. His grip was strong even though it still trembled. He stood slowly, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, his voice soft but firm. "My view of you might not have been wrong, Reno. You're… more than just an ordinary builder."
He patted my back gently, then walked toward Zayn, his steps steadier than before.
I spoke softly, almost inaudible. "This possibility… is probably all I can do."
From the other side, Aulia approached. Her hands were still trembling slightly, but her eyes—the eyes that had been filled with despair and fear earlier—had changed again. From dark and cracked, they turned into eyes full of belief, eyes that still saw light amid the destruction. She suddenly took my hand, warm and gentle.
I panicked. The words came out nervously. "W-why are you suddenly holding my hand?"
Aulia showed a truly sincere smile—a smile she rarely showed—one like the morning sun after a long stormy night. "I am very grateful to you, Reno."
I was stunned for a moment. This was the first time I had seen the usually stoic Aulia show such an expression—a warm smile, eyes glassy but full of gratitude. "That… wasn't entirely because of me. It was because of you, Aulia. You… are the pillar for the others. I'm just an ordinary builder."
I tried to laugh even though it sounded forced, purely to cover my trembling. "Ahaha… as a builder, I don't want to see the building collapse again just because the pillar is broken."
Aulia chuckled softly. The sound was gentle and clear like a small bell in the silence. That sound stunned me again—this was the first time I had heard Aulia laugh. Even if small, even if brief, it was like light suddenly slipping into a dark room.
She spoke softly, her voice polite but full of warmth. "Please continue to help me going forward, Reno."
I only replied briefly, my voice soft but certain. "Y-Yeah… okay."
Her hand held mine for a moment, warm, before gently letting go. We looked at each other, and for the first time since arriving on this island, I felt… there was something more than just an escape plan. There was hope that was no longer fragile—hope built from our own cracks.
The room that had been filled with anger and despair now felt brighter, even though the afternoon light had begun to fade.
We hadn't won yet, but we… hadn't lost either.