[~~~] Arabic dialogue
"~~~" Indonesian dialogue (Default)
Mr. SATRIO'S POV
I still remember that night…
Right at midnight. A notification popped up on my phone.
On that cold night I got out of bed and started reading a message sent by my close friend, Hamzah.
'If anything happens to me, please take care of my only son, Halim.'
That was all Hamzah sent. Nothing else.
At first, I was confused by the message. But… I don't know why, that night air felt colder than usual.
I stared at my phone screen for a long time. And at the same time… my heart was beating faster than usual.
And when the sun rose… unexpected news came.
My wife and I were truly shocked. Apparently… last night Hamzah's car had been completely crashed by a train. It happened at 11:54 PM.
My wife and I tried our best to contact Hamzah and his wife, but no one answered. Also, that night was the last time Hamzah's phone was active.
The police managed to find Hamzah's phone near the railroad tracks. But strangely, Hamzah and his wife were never found. The phone screen was even cracked and unusable.
In the end, the police couldn't find Hamzah or his wife, Nadia.
Hamzah and Nadia vanished without a trace.
There was nothing I could do except look at the last message Hamzah sent me. In it, Hamzah asked me to take care of his son, Halim.
Halim was a 10-year-old boy and still in elementary school at the time. He was a cheerful kid who also enjoyed playing football with his friends.
It's unbelievable. A child who has just turned 10 years old… has lost something so precious.
At first, Halim was confused about why we suddenly took care of him. He also asked about his parents. And of course, it wasn't easy to explain what had actually happened.
And when Halim learned that his parents couldn't come home, that cheerful kid lost his smile. Halim really couldn't believe he had lost his parents.
Halim became less interactive with us, even with his friends. He often locked himself in his room, holding family photos, and cried alone in bed.
Honestly, I had never had a son before. And my wife… Fatimah couldn't have children because she had a condition that prevented her from getting pregnant. That made Fatimah stressed all the time.
But whatever happened, Fatimah and I had to carry out the mandate Hamzah gave us. And I also swore to God that I would not let Halim grow up without hope.
With all her love… Fatimah took care of Halim as if he were her own son. Fatimah always prepared meals for us every morning, afternoon, and night. Fatimah would soothe Halim whenever he had nightmares. And Fatimah also taught Halim to wash his own clothes so he could be more independent.
And I? My job was to protect Halim from all kinds of threats and teach him some important lessons. I taught Halim about Islam, the meaning of patience, the meaning of life, manners, Arabic, and the power of prayer that gently touches the heart.
I also taught Halim the martial arts I learned when I was very young. Because I knew… Fatimah and I wouldn't always be by Halim's side. So Halim had to be able to protect himself even if we weren't around.
Every afternoon, Halim practiced martial arts in the backyard. I taught him all the basic techniques, I told Halim about the weak points of the human body, and I also made sure to share some martial arts principles with him.
'From the eyes, courage comes. From the breath, calm arrives. And from intention, honor appears.'
That was the first principle I gave Halim when I first brought the youngster to the backyard, where he practiced martial arts every day.
I never taught Halim to attack without reason. Martial arts aren't about hurting others, but about self-control, managing anger, and protecting those who can't protect themselves.
Halim was still very young then. His legs weren't that strong, and his hands often trembled whenever he had to block an attack. But there was something different about Halim. The young man never complained, not even once.
Halim was a kid who learned things quickly. Sometimes even too quickly. But I knew Halim wasn't the impulsive type. The young man just really wanted to learn.
Sometimes, I asked myself. Is learning enough? Is that enough to keep Halim safe in a world that's sometimes crueler than what can be beaten with hands and supported by feet?
But when I saw Halim stand up, bow his head before a fight, pray before taking a step, and protect the people he loved without ever hurting anyone without reason...
I knew… all that knowledge wasn't wasted. And one day, Halim might teach the same things to others.
Time passed like the wind. Our lives changed, including Halim's. Halim grew fast, faster than he should. Even his behavior changed. Halim transformed himself, from a weak and clingy kid… into someone with a mind as strong as steel.
And… the day finally came. I received news about a new job placement from the agency where I worked… in Jakarta. A city very far from here.
Also, I remembered. In Jakarta, there was a doctor who could cure Fatimah's illness. But the doctor couldn't stay long in Jakarta. Soon, the doctor would travel to a distant country. This was our only chance to meet the doctor.
At first, I was confused. If Fatimah and I went to Jakarta… who would take care of Halim here? Halim couldn't go with us because he had to go to school. Besides, Fatimah and I would be in Jakarta for several months. Did we need to hire someone to look after Halim? Or did we need to take him to a daycare?
Fatimah and I decided to talk to Halim first. We both told him about our move to Jakarta, and we also asked Halim… whether he needed someone to take care of him here? Or whether he just wanted to go to daycare? And Halim's answer was really unexpected.
Halim told us not to worry about him. The young man chose to stay alone in this house.
Of course, Fatimah and I were really unsure about that choice; we tried to convince Halim that he needed someone to look after him. But Halim just smiled.
Then, calmly, Halim said…
'I'm grateful… Mr. Satrio and Mrs. Fatimah never stopped helping me. But I don't want to be a burden to both of you. Mr. Satrio and Mrs. Fatimah have helped me many times… but I'm confused about how I can repay all your kindness.'
Fatimah and I were silent. Halim kept talking, but this time…
'I remember. At that time, Mr. Satrio once told me that we would all be alone someday. And I understand… I understand that our togetherness… can't last forever. There will surely be a day… when we will be in faraway places.'
Tears started to flow down Halim's cheeks.
Halim kept talking…
'You don't need to worry about me, Mr. Satrio. Likewise for Mrs. Fatimah. You also don't need to think about me. Because with Mrs. Fatimah's help… now I can finish all the house chores. Besides… I'm no longer afraid of nightmares. And I also don't want… to see Mrs. Fatimah crying alone again. I just want Mrs. Fatimah to recover from her illness.'
Halim tried to hold back his tears… and forced himself to keep smiling.
The young man continued speaking…
'Seeing Mrs. Fatimah always crying alone… that makes me sad too. This is the only chance… so Mrs. Fatimah won't cry anymore. If I go to daycare, or hire a babysitter… it will only trouble Mr. Satrio and Mrs. Fatimah. Because Mr. Satrio will surely need quite a lot of money for Mrs. Fatimah's recovery. And I… certainly don't want to bother you both.'
Unbelievable. I never thought… a young person like Halim would say that.
Halim continued talking…
'Once again… Mr. Satrio and Mrs. Fatimah don't need to worry. I'll be fine here. If I'm chased by someone I don't know, I will protect myself like Mr. Satrio taught me back then… or run to that place and hide there. As long as Mr. Satrio and Mrs. Fatimah are okay… I will be okay too.'
Halim was still a kid and very young, but the way he spoke wasn't like a little kid. It felt like a dream…
Fatimah and I couldn't hold back our tears. Tears after tears slowly fell to the floor.
We both hugged Halim gently, as if the young man were our son.
So warm… this is what it feels like to have a son.
SWITCHING TO HALIM'S POV
Monday Morning
The sky looked bright, with sunlight shyly slipping through the gaps in the leaves. The morning air was still fresh, but it couldn't shake off the loneliness sitting on my shoulders.
Usually, I walk to school with my best friends. But today's different. I don't know why… they all suddenly had something else to do. And now, I'm on my own.
Hi. My name's Halim. I'm a student. But I'm not the most popular kid in school, and I'm definitely not the smartest either. I don't even think of myself as someone special… or anything like that.
I'm just an ordinary teenager.
A kid who usually keeps to himself.
A teenager who just wants to enjoy life like normal.
IN THE SCHOOL HALLWAY
My footsteps echoed softly in the hallway of Al-Ilmi School, that's what this place is called.
Some students were already starting to show up, but my eyes weren't on them. Instead, I kept looking at my watch.
It's 6:41 AM. Still some time before class starts at 07:00 AM.
I let out a small sigh and headed toward my classroom. But a few seconds later… everything happened so fast.
*Bugh!*
"Ouch!"
"—Ah!"
Someone just bumped into me really hard.
I stumbled back, lost my balance, and fell to the floor.
I'd been looking at my watch, so I wasn't paying attention to what was in front of me. And because of that, my back hurt.
"Ow…"
"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!"
My eyes are still tightly shut because it hurts. But I can hear a girl's soft voice, panicking and really sincere.
The moment I opened my eyes…
"...…"
I saw a young girl in front of me, staring back with a worried look.
That girl had bright, clear skin, and she was really pretty. Her uniform was the same as every other girl at this school, but I'd never seen her before. That girl didn't even look like she was from around here. She looked… foreign.
We kept looking at each other, both of us silent.
I don't know why… but the world felt completely still for a few seconds.
Time itself seemed to stop. Until…
"I'm so sorry! I gotta go!"
The girl quickly apologized, grabbed her bag, and rushed off.
Meanwhile, I was still sitting on the floor, watching her leave.
Slowly, I stood up. That's when I noticed something lying on the floor.
A purple pen, with a tiny cat charm on the end.
"…Huh? Why is this pen here?"
Seeing that pen just made me wonder…
Why is a pen like this on the floor? Whose pen is it? Could it belong to that girl who just bumped into me?
I picked it up. Then I glanced in the direction that girl went, but she was already gone. I had no idea where she went, or even who she was.
If I just left the pen there, anyone could pick it up without permission.
So for now, I'll keep it in my pocket.
I'll ask her about it if I ever see her again.
And for some reason… I can't shake the feeling that this isn't just any ordinary purple pen.
INSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Finally… I made it to my classroom after a morning walk that felt way longer than it really was… even though my house isn't that far from school.
Inside the class, I spotted someone sweeping the floor. It's my best buddy, Karim.
"Assalamualaikum…"
"Waalaikumsalam, Halim."
"…You here all by yourself, Karim?"
"Yeah. Everyone else is still on the way."
Karim's my closest friend, and he's the same age as me. We've known each other since we were little kids. We've got a lot in common, one of them is football. He's the best football player in this whole school.
Oh right, I just remembered something. Yesterday, Karim took a nasty fall on the field while we were playing football. A hard tackle from the other team sent him down in pain and lying on the sideline.
I should ask Karim about that.
"By the way, how's your leg doing?"
"My leg was just a little sprained yesterday. Nothing serious."
"Not enough warm-up?"
"Maybe."
You might be wondering if Karim is my only close friend? The answer is no.
My other best buddies just walked into the classroom. Rizky, Dzaky, Ali, and Arif.
"…Assalamualaikum."
"Waalaikumsalam…"
"Karim!"
"Halim!"
"What's up, boys."
The first one to come in is Rizky. He's the type who's always joking around and almost never serious, even when things are serious. Rizky's fun to be around, but he can also be a little dangerous. Once he starts joking, the line between 'funny' and 'too much' disappears fast. Still, his jokes always keep this class from feeling like a boring prison.
Behind Rizky, there's a quiet kid, Dzaky. He might look like just another student, barely talking to anyone and face always blank. But don't let that cold vibe fool you. When Dzaky's chilling, everything's fine. But if he starts getting annoyed? Yeah… you'd better protect your head and legs.
Among all of us, Ali's the toughest and the oldest. He's taller than anyone in class and his voice is always firm. Ali's the most mature in the group. It's not just because he's a year older than us, but because of how he talks and makes decisions. Whenever we need clarity or a wise choice, we count on Ali. Never mess with this guy. Seriously. Never.
And last, the smartest kid in class, Arif. He's a unique one. Arif's mind is incredible. He can solve math problems in his head as fast as a calculator. For Arif, getting top scores in every subject is basically 100% guaranteed… or maybe more. Because of his genius, everyone calls him 'The professor.'
But right now, there's one thing I'm really curious about.
"Wait a sec. Did you guys all come here together? I thought each of you had your own thing to do."
"We just ran into each other on the way."
"Better to walk together, right? Otherwise, all the boys at school would scream like girls just because the professor made a sound."
"…What sound?"
"Boom!"
"Pfft…"
"Hey, Ali. Watch your spit."
"...…"
Whatever Rizky just said had Ali, Dzaky, and Karim fighting to keep from laughing. Ali nearly spit on me. Rizky was bringing up that incident from school.
Meanwhile, Arif just stayed quiet, looking a bit annoyed by Rizky's words.
And me? I just watched them all without saying a thing.
"…I only did it once, and it was totally an accident. But I keep getting teased over and over."
"I still remember that moment. I'll never forget the look on Arif's face a week ago—"
"Can you stop talking about this? I'm sick of it, you hear me?"
"Relax, Arif. I'm just joking."
You're probably wondering what actually happened at school. And yeah, you probably want to know what happened to Arif a week ago.
I could tell you the whole story. But just know, Arif gets seriously mad if anyone brings it up right in front of him. And honestly, I don't feel like dealing with Arif's anger right now.
But don't worry. I'll still tell you everything… even if Arif might kick me later.
So, a week ago, Arif invited me to the school lab. Arif said he wanted to show me the results of his new project.
Hearing that, I was curious. So, I said sure and followed him to the lab.
Inside the lab, Arif started working on his project while I just stood by watching. At first, everything seemed fine. But 20 minutes later… things started getting weird.
I stared at the test tube in silence. The liquid inside had been clear before. But now, it started turning orange… then red… wait, what? Why was it suddenly going dark black?
The weirdness didn't stop there. A few seconds later, I saw the tube start to shake. And I swear my brain sent me a warning signal right then. It was like my mind was saying...
'I have a bad feeling about this.'
I was already uneasy watching that tube shake, but not Arif. The professor looked totally calm, like this was nothing unusual. Arif just kept focusing on the tube. Then I heard Arif say...
'This is weird…'
Slowly, I started backing away after he said that. I even asked Arif about the project,
but Arif calmly said everything was fine.
And right at that moment, we heard a sound…
*BLOOP*
That… did not sound reassuring. We both froze, staring at the tube as the noise echoed.
Normally in movies, when you hear a sound like that, the next thing is an explosion. And even though I knew this wasn't a movie, I stepped back farther anyway.
The tube kept shaking harder. Smoke even started coming out of it. I was seriously uncomfortable now. Then, at the same time, Arif admitted he'd just made a mistake.
Turns out I was right. Arif had finally realized he messed something up. And apparently the professor had also just noticed I wasn't standing anywhere near the experiment anymore.
I warned Arif to step back from the project, but the professor didn't listen. He stayed right there, trying to save his experiment. And a few seconds later…
*BOOM!!!*
It all happened in an instant. I'm sure everyone in the school heard that explosion, no doubt about it. I even heard people screaming outside right after it happened.
The whole lab filled with thick black smoke. Hot air blasted across my face. I quickly covered my nose with my arm, rushed to the windows, and flung them open to let the smoke out.
That's when I realized I was alone in the lab. Arif wasn't there anymore. I called out for him a few times, but no answer. At first, I honestly thought his project had sucked him into another universe. But that idea disappeared the moment I saw the lab door open. Turns out Arif had stepped outside right after the blast.
What a genius move. The professor caused the explosion… and then left me inside all by myself. Genius… or maybe too much of a genius.
But a few seconds later, I heard people laughing outside. It sounded like Rizky and the rest of my friends. I had no clue what was going on out there.
I headed toward the door, but stopped when someone walked back into the lab. It was the professor who had left me in this smoke-filled room, Arif. But something about him was different.
Arif's face had completely changed. He looked like he'd just walked through a storm of asphalt. Thick black soot covered his whole face, and only his eyes were still white.
Now… I understood why there was laughter outside. No wonder Rizky and the others were cracking up.
Even I had to turn my body away from Arif and trying my hardest not to laugh. But in the end… I'm so sorry, Arif. I couldn't hold it in.
The end.
*The school bell rings…*
The school bell goes off, that loud clang telling everyone the first class is about to start. Chatter and laughter slowly fade as students hurry back to their seats.
I head to my desk too. Mine's in the very back row. Arif sits right in front of me, and Karim's on my left.
"…???"
But the second I sit down, something catches my eye. On my right side, there's a desk and chair that definitely weren't there before. Weird… who put those here?
Then my gaze lands on a girl sitting at the desk in front of that empty spot and reading a book. She's wearing a hijab and round glasses.
There's an empty desk right behind that girl. She might know something.
Good thing I know that girl. I'll ask her.
"Latifah."
"Yeah?"
"Whose desk is that? Who's sitting behind you?"
Latifah glances back at the empty desk and then looks at me again.
"I don't know. When I got here, it was already there."
"Oh…"
I just nod, staring at that empty seat for a few seconds before turning back around. I'll figure it out later.
By the way, the girl with the hijab and round glasses is also one of my closest friends. Of all the girls I know here, she's the closest to me. Everyone calls her Latifah.
If Arif is the smartest guy in class, Latifah's the smartest girl. And if you're wondering which one's actually smarter. Honestly, it's a tie. They think differently, but both are crazy brilliant.
Latifah and I have known each other since kindergarten. Her mom once told me I was her very first friend. Since then, we've barely ever drifted apart. But we've always kept things respectful and always some space between us.
For me, Latifah's just… different. Not like other girls. She's not only smart, but also super friendly, patient, and always talking about the books she's read, things she notices on her way home, or even some random dream she had the night before.
And yeah… a lot of people think we're more than friends, but that's not it. We're not some couple from a romance novel, and Latifah doesn't want that either. At my age right now, I'm still not allowed by Mr. Satrio to have a girlfriend. There's nothing I can do except follow his rules.
Honestly, being Latifah's best friend is more than enough. Not every close friendship has to turn into love, right?
"Oh, that reminds me. Did you hear Mrs. Salamah's announcement yesterday, Halim?"
"…The one about the inter-school Olympics?"
"Nope."
"The one about exams?"
"No. You really haven't heard it?"
"…Guess not."
"I thought you'd know already. It's kinda important."
"…So what is it? Tell me."
"Yesterday, Mrs. Salamah said a new student's joining our class today."
That instantly reminds me of the girl who bumped into me in the hallway earlier. Could it be…?
"You know what, Latifah? That just clicked. I literally got bumped into by some girl in the hallway a little while ago."
"Really? Who?"
"I have no idea. I've never seen her at this school before."
"...…"
Latifah pauses for a moment… then asks.
"Tell me what she looked like."
"Huh? You actually wanna know?"
"Well, you brought it up, now I'm curious. Come on, describe her."
I stop and think back to that hallway moment. The mystery girl who crashed into me. A few seconds later, I start describing her.
"She didn't look like most Indonesian girls. Maybe from another country. She wore a hijab and the same school uniform as everyone else, but honestly… I've never seen anyone like her before."
"Was she pretty, Halim?"
"I… don't know how to answer—"
"Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh…"
"Waalaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh…"
That voice… calm but commanding. Mrs. Salamah, our homeroom and Arabic teacher.
The classroom falls quiet instantly. Everyone rushes to their seats.
Mrs. Salamah is a unique teacher. She's warm, always smiling, and super patient with a subject most of us find tough. But don't get it twisted, one sharp look from her and the whole class freezes.
Today she walks in holding the attendance book and our Arabic textbook. She sets them on her desk and then faces us with a steady but friendly voice.
"Good morning, everyone. Did you all hear the announcement I made yesterday?"
"What announcement?"
"Hey, Dzaky, you know anything?"
"Nope."
Turns out I'm not the only one out of the loop. I thought it was just me.
Some students nod, but most look confused.
"…Today, we have a new student joining our class. And this student comes from a faraway country."
"A new student?"
"From a faraway country?"
"A new kid's coming here?"
"Whoa, I'm curious now."
"Is it a boy or a girl?"
The classroom instantly buzzes. Whispers hear from every direction. Students glance at each other and talking under their breath.
And I? I just stare at that empty desk beside me and saying nothing.
"Please settle down…"
"Ssshh…"
Mrs. Salamah gestures for quiet. Then she turns toward the door and speaks in Arabic.
[Please come in, Khadijah…]
Every eye in the room shifts to the door.
The new student walks in, and—
"Woah…!"
"It's a girl?!"
"Cute!"
"She's so pretty!"
Yep, it's a girl. She's wearing a hijab and the same uniform as the other girls. It's the same girl who bumped into me earlier.
Not gonna lie… I'm totally shocked.
The new girl walks in calmly, with a sweet smile on her face.
And suddenly the whole classroom gets even louder than before. Not just the boys, even the girls can't stop staring at how pretty she is.
"Halim, is that the girl who ran into you in the hallway?"
"Yeah…"
I answer that with a nod, but my eyes stay locked on the new girl. Everyone else is staring too, like her beauty has everyone under a spell.
[Khadijah, please introduce yourself to your new classmates. You can speak Indonesian, right?]
The new girl nods her head slowly.
Mrs. Salamah turns back to us.
"Please stay quiet. She's going to introduce herself."
In less than five seconds, this classroom goes dead silent.
All eyes are on the new girl now.
The new girl stands there, giving us that gentle smile. And yeah… her eyes meet mine… just for a few seconds.
Then, the new girl begins.
"Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh…"
"Waalaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh."
Her voice is so… so… soft.
My heart actually skips a beat.
Then that new girl switches to Indonesian to introduce herself.
"Hi, everyone. My name's Khadijah. Nice to meet you all."
TO BE CONTINUED…