The next morning arrived, its light doing little to lift the gloom that had settled over the house. Kian had spent a restless night on the living room floor, a blanket his only comfort. Over a simple breakfast, Ariana introduced him to her aunt and cousin as a good friend from college, the label feeling both insufficient and necessary.
It was then her cousin, Hazon, voice thick with a responsibility far beyond his years, spoke up. "Mom," he said, not meeting anyone's eyes, "I'm going to stop studying. I need to get a job."
A silence fell, broken by Ariana. She moved to her brother's side, her voice firm yet gentle. "Hazon, don't talk like that. You need to continue your studies." She then turned to her aunt, her own resolve solidifying. "I am the eldest daughter of this house now. I will earn for us. I will take care of you both." 😍
Tears welled in her aunt's eyes, a mixture of grief and profound gratitude. "Thank you, my daughter," she whispered, the words carrying the weight of a newfound reliance. "Sister," Hazon said, looking at Ariana with a determined spark in his eyes, "I promise, I will study hard. I will get into a good college, just like you."
Later, as Ariana prepared to leave, she told her aunt, "I have to return to college today."
"How will you go, child?" 🚂
"Kian and I will take the train,"Ariana replied.
"Alright then, be careful," her aunt said, hugging her tightly, the farewell laden with unspoken fears and blessings.
At the train station, Ariana paused to look back one last time at the cityscape of her childhood, now forever marked by loss. Then, she and Kian boarded the train, the rhythmic clatter of the wheels on the tracks becoming the soundtrack to their heavy, silent journey back.
______________________________________
After a two-hour ride, they reached their college town and took a taxi back to campus. The familiar grounds felt strangely distant. Weary to her bones, Ariana sent a quick message to her aunt confirming her safe arrival, then, pleading exhaustion, bid a quiet goodbye to Kian and retreated to her dormitory.
As Kian walked toward his own dorm, his mind a whirl of concern for Ariana, he was intercepted by his friends, Arif and Jason.
"Kian!" Arif called out, his expression serious.
"Ah, Arif. What is it?" Kian asked, a sense of foreboding cutting through his fatigue.
"That man," Arif said, lowering his voice. "The one who was asking about you? He was here again yesterday, lurking around our department. I confronted him, and he asked about you directly." 📖
A cold knot tightened in Kian's stomach. "What did you tell him?"
"I said you'd gone abroad on personal business," Arif replied. "When he heard that, he just... left."
"Thank you for telling me," Kian said, his voice steady despite the sudden turmoil inside. "I'll look into it."
Once alone in his room, Kian collapsed onto his bed. He ran his fingers through his newly short hair, gripping it tightly as if to anchor himself. The grief of the funeral, the weight of Ariana's new burdens, and now this—a persistent, unknown shadow. The question echoed in the silence of the room, a new kind of dread taking root.
"Who is he?" 🔍