The morning sun was still reluctant to show itself fully, only faintly greeting the earth as Naufal hurried through the airport.
The watch on his wrist showed 6:30 a.m. WIB. Its ticking kept time with Naufal's purposeful stride as he made his way down the departure corridor.
The familiar sounds of an airport morning—the clatter of rolling suitcases, passengers' chatter, and the hiss of the air-conditioning—filled his ears.
Yet amid the crowd, Naufal remained focused, his eyes scanning every detail around him as if he were searching for something—or someone. His face was tense, touched with worry.
The rows of seats on either side of him were packed with passengers busy with their own activities. Some were absorbed in books, their heads bowed behind pages filled with stories.
Others were busy with their smartphones, fingers dancing across the glass screens, perhaps texting back and forth or playing games.
Still others chatted casually with friends or family, their laughter occasionally rising above the airport's din.
Naufal watched them all, as if searching for peace amid the turmoil inside him.
A pat on his shoulder broke through his reverie. He turned, and a relieved smile spread across his lips.
"Uncle Dika," he greeted warmly.
Dika Prasetya, a Javanese man Naufal had known for more than ten years, was one of the mechanics at the airline where his mother, Adelia, worked.
Back when Naufal was little, whenever he accompanied Adelia to the office after school, Dika always welcomed him warmly.
Those childhood memories came vividly to mind, offering a little comfort amid the storm battering his family.
"What brings you here, Naufal?" Dika asked gently.
"I'm looking for Mom," Naufal answered briefly, his voice edged with worry.
His anxiety wasn't only because his mother wasn't home, but also because of the bad feeling that had haunted him since earlier that morning.
"Your mom's off today, isn't she?" Dika asked, slightly puzzled.
Naufal fell silent for a long moment before finally saying,
"Dad sold our house without Mom knowing, Uncle. And all my education savings are gone, too."
His voice trembled as he held back his anger.
"What? Who told you?" Dika asked, frowning as worry began to overtake him.
"The person who bought the house came by yesterday. And earlier, I accidentally read a message Aunt Lila sent Mom. She said she saw Dad in the waiting area with Aunt Chintya, waiting for their flight," Naufal explained.
"Maybe Mom came here to meet Dad."
Dika stopped in front of the door and listened to the murmur coming from inside. The atmosphere seemed rowdier than usual.
"What's going on?" Dika murmured, intrigued.
He immediately approached a member of the cleaning staff who was mopping the floor near the door.
"Ms. Adel is freaking out, bro," the cleaner answered in a whisper.
"She's furious."
"Why?" Dika asked, his voice rising slightly.
Before the cleaner could answer, the door opened. Lila, Adelia's coworker, appeared with a shocked, slightly pale face.
"Oh—Naufal?" she exclaimed, staring at him with an unreadable expression.
Naufal and Dika's presence at the office door seemed to signal that an even bigger problem was unfolding.
Lila drew a long breath, trying to calm herself before explaining what had actually happened.
"Come in first," she invited, opening the door wider.
Naufal and Dika entered the room, their steps accompanied by mounting curiosity and worry.
The room was more crowded than usual. Several employees had gathered in one corner, whispering among themselves. A tense atmosphere hung over the room.
Adelia sat in the middle of the room, her face flushed with barely restrained anger. Her eyes were glistening with tears, and her gaze was sharp and furious. Not another word came from her mouth.
Naufal and Dika exchanged glances. Lila moved closer to them and explained in a low voice, "Earlier, Fatar and Chintya were sitting in the check-in area, waiting for their flight. It was delayed for an hour, so Adelia was still able to catch them and curse them out in public when she arrived. Of course, that wasn't acceptable. Mr. Andi immediately pulled Adel into the office so she wouldn't disturb the public."
"Has the plane boarded?"
"Yes. Fatar and Chintya are already on board. I was wrong. I shouldn't have sent that photo—it obviously set Adel off. It got her chewed out by Mr. Reza for causing a scene. But what could I do? I was furious when I saw it. Chintya really has no heart," Lila said.
Naufal felt his chest tighten. He couldn't imagine how devastated his mother must be right now. He walked over to Adelia, wrapped his arms tightly around her, and tried to give her a little strength and peace amid the storm crashing over their family.
"Let's go home, Mom," Naufal whispered.
"You go ahead. I want to take the next flight, to the same destination as your father and that woman."
"Are you going to demand the money Dad took?" Naufal asked.
"Money can still be earned. But those who betrayed me deserve to be taught a lesson!" Adelia's voice still trembled with anger.
"Don't, Mom. Just let Dad leave with Aunt Chintya. God knows Dad isn't a good man for you. That's why He gave that bad man to a woman who's just as bad."
Adelia was stunned. She had never imagined that such a simple sentence would come from the mouth of a seventeen-year-old.
"Mom, you're too valuable for someone like him. You need to realize it—you don't have to wait any longer. Let this be the moment you let go of the person who wounded your heart," Naufal said.
Dika joined in, patting Adelia's back.
"Your son is right, Del. Even if you could catch up with them, what would you do? Curse them? Shout to everyone that they're traitors? It might make us feel incredibly satisfied. But that's not how we answer their cruelty."
"I promise, Mom. I won't become a failure after everything you've done raising me," Naufal vowed, his words finally breaking Adelia's sobs as she held her son.
That night, Naufal sat on the porch, gazing up at the sky. It was dark, with only one star visible above.
Naufal stared at that star without blinking. Though it looked incredibly small beneath such a vast sky, the star still tried to become a point of light that could brighten the darkness of the night.
Naufal smiled. That night, he learned something from the star he was watching. No matter how small the light a star gave off, it had to be able to offer at least a little brightness to the vast darkness.
Earlier, on the way home, Adelia had said,
"Grandpa and your uncles don't need to know about the trouble we're facing. I'll fight for your future," vowed the woman who had given birth to Naufal.
"Okay, we'll fight together, Mom. I'll make you proud to have me as your son," Naufal promised. "Be a witness to my promise tonight, Star! One day, I'll make Dad regret everything and kneel to beg Mom's forgiveness!"