The days at Zenith Warriors had returned to normal. But for Raka Aditama, nothing was truly normal anymore. He had started paying closer attention to more things. Especially the relationships between students, the groups in power, and how certain problems always disappeared before they reached the teachers.
That afternoon, Raka was crossing the back courtyard with Farel. Suddenly, a voice came from near the stairs of the gym. “Where is it?”
A Class 11 student stood with his head lowered. Three students in Student Council uniforms stood in front of him. One of them was Darren, a member of Alexander’s group and a Student Council officer.
“I told you, I don’t have it.”
Darren shoved his shoulder. “Don’t lie.”
The other two students laughed.
Raka stopped. He recognized Darren. The boy was often seen with Alexander.
Farel whispered, “Don’t meddle.”
Raka didn’t answer. But before he could do anything, a voice came from behind them.
“Stop.”
Alexander Gavin Wibawa stood several yards away. Darren immediately let go of the boy.
“Alex...”
Alexander walked closer. His gaze shifted from Darren to the student being bullied.
“What are you doing?”
Darren tried to smile. “Just kidding.”
Alexander looked at him coldly. “This is what you call kidding?”
Darren fell silent.
Alexander took the plastic bag containing white powder from Darren’s hand and put it in his pocket.
“Go.”
The student left immediately.
Darren looked dissatisfied. “Alex, he really—”
“Enough.”
Alexander’s voice remained calm. “It doesn’t matter who you are or how close you are to me.”
He looked at Darren. “Don’t do anything like this again.”
Darren lowered his head. “Okay.”
Alexander then turned around.
But he stopped when he saw someone at the end of the corridor.
Mr. Arman.
The new teacher stood there silently. He had seen everything.
Alexander looked at him for several seconds. Arman only gave him a faint smile.
“Good.”
Alexander didn’t answer.
Arman walked closer. “I’m glad someone stopped him this time.”
Alexander slipped his hands into his pockets. “I just don’t like unnecessary problems.”
Arman smiled. “Of course.”
Raka watched their conversation from a distance. Something felt different.
Alexander usually seemed like the kind of person who let problems continue as long as they didn’t cross a certain line. But this time, he had stopped it himself. And more interestingly— he had done it exactly when Arman was watching.
Raka looked at Alexander. Alexander glanced at him briefly. Their eyes met.
Neither of them said a word. But Raka began to wonder.
Did Alexander really want to stop the bullying? Or was there another reason behind his actions?
Meanwhile, Arman was still watching Alexander. His expression remained relaxed. But his thoughts were different.
He was beginning to realize that Alexander wasn’t merely an influential student. The boy might know far more about Zenith Warriors than he had let on.
After learning about Adrian and beginning to work with Arman, Raka became even more careful. He couldn’t draw too much attention to himself. Arman had also warned him not to immediately believe something just because it looked like an answer.
Raka remembered that warning. He also began watching Alexander more often. Not because he wanted to look for trouble. But because Alexander was one of the hardest people at school to understand.
He had influence. A lot of students knew him. Some students visibly grew wary whenever Alexander walked by. Even some teachers seemed to choose their words carefully when speaking with him.
Alexander himself rarely showed excessive emotion. He didn’t need to shout to make other people fall silent. One look was enough.
Raka still didn’t know whether Alexander was truly the person controlling many things at Zenith Warriors or merely someone who happened to wield considerable influence. But the longer Raka watched him, the more things failed to match his initial assumptions.
Alexander didn’t always act like someone who wanted to cause trouble. Sometimes, it was the exact opposite. And that afternoon, Raka saw one example.
The last class had just ended. Students began leaving the classrooms. Some headed to the cafeteria. Some went to the field. Others went home early because they had no extracurricular activities.
Raka walked across the back courtyard with Farel. They weren’t in a hurry. Farel was talking about something related to a school assignment. But Raka wasn’t paying much attention. His gaze occasionally shifted to the surrounding area.
The gym was not far from where they were walking. The stairs leading to the back of the building looked deserted. But as they drew closer, they heard a voice.
“Where is it?”
Raka stopped. Farel stopped too.
The voice had come from near the gym stairs. Raka turned.
Several students stood there. A Class 11 student stood with his head lowered. Three students wearing Student Council uniforms stood in front of him.
Raka recognized one of them. Darren.
Darren was a member of Alexander’s group. He was also a Student Council officer who was often seen with Alexander. Raka had seen him several times around the main building.
The boy wasn’t the talkative type. But he was fairly well-known.
Raka studied the situation. The Class 11 student looked uncomfortable. One hand gripped his bag tightly. Darren stood directly in front of him.
“I told you, I don’t have it.”
Darren stepped closer. “Don’t lie.”
He shoved the student’s shoulder. Not very hard. But hard enough to make the student stagger back several steps.
The other two students laughed.
Raka immediately understood that this was not an ordinary conversation. Farel tugged lightly on Raka’s arm.
“Don’t meddle.”
Raka didn’t answer. His eyes remained fixed on them.
Darren moved closer again. “Where is it?”
The Class 11 student shook his head. “I really don’t have it.”
Darren looked annoyed. “If you don’t have it, why did you say yesterday that it was ready?”
“I never said that.”
Darren was about to shove him again.
But before his hand could move—
“Stop.”
The voice came from behind them. It wasn’t loud. But it was enough to make everyone fall silent.
Darren turned immediately.
Alexander Gavin Wibawa stood several yards away. His hands were in his pockets. His expression was calm. He didn’t look angry.
But his gaze made Darren stop moving at once.
“Alex...”
Darren took a small step back.
Alexander walked closer. His pace was calm. He wasn’t in a hurry.
His gaze shifted from Darren to the Class 11 student standing with his head lowered. Then it returned to Darren.
“What are you doing?”
Darren tried to smile. “Just kidding.”
Alexander looked at him. “This is what you call kidding?”
Darren’s smile disappeared. The other two students immediately fell silent as well.
Alexander stood in front of them. There was no shouting. No threats. But the atmosphere suddenly changed.
Raka watched from a distance. He hadn’t expected Alexander to show up. He had expected even less that Alexander would stop Darren.
Alexander then looked at Darren’s hand. There was a small plastic bag in it.
Alexander took it. Inside was an unidentified white powder. He didn’t open it. He didn’t try to touch the contents. He only looked at it briefly before putting it in his pocket.
Darren looked startled. “Alex, that’s—”
“Go.”
Darren fell silent. “Alex...”
“Go.”
Alexander’s tone remained calm. But this time, it was firmer.
Darren lowered his head. Then he gestured to the other two students. They left.
The Class 11 student who had been standing there remained silent. Alexander turned to him.
“You too.”
The student raised his face.
“Go.”
The boy nodded quickly. He grabbed his bag and immediately left the area.
Within seconds, the space near the stairs was deserted again.
Raka continued watching. Farel stood beside him.
“See?” Farel whispered. “That’s why you don’t meddle.”
Raka didn’t answer. He was only more curious now.
Alexander walked a few steps. But Darren, who was almost gone, suddenly stopped.
“Alex, he really—”
“Enough.”
Alexander didn’t need to raise his voice. Darren fell silent immediately.
Alexander looked at him. “It doesn’t matter who you are.”
Darren lowered his head.
“Or how close you are to me,” Alexander continued. “Don’t do anything like this again.”
Darren looked dissatisfied. But he didn’t argue.
“Okay.”
Alexander turned around.
But then he stopped. His gaze changed when he saw someone at the end of the corridor.
Mr. Arman.
The new teacher stood there silently. He had seen everything.
It wasn’t clear how long Arman had been there. Raka had only just noticed him too.
Arman stood several yards away. His expression was relaxed. There was no surprise on his face. No anger.
He was simply watching Alexander.
Alexander looked back at him. For several seconds.
Then Arman gave him a faint smile.
“Good.”
Alexander didn’t answer.
Arman walked closer. “I’m glad someone stopped him this time.”
Alexander slipped his hands into his pockets. “I just don’t like unnecessary problems.”
Arman smiled. “Of course.”
The two stood facing each other.
Raka watched their conversation from a distance. Something felt different.
It wasn’t just about Darren. It wasn’t just about the Class 11 student. It was about the way Alexander and Arman spoke to each other.
They didn’t seem like an ordinary teacher and student. There was caution between them. As if they were measuring each other.
Arman smiled. Alexander didn’t. But there was no open hostility.
Raka tried to understand. Alexander had stopped the bullying. If he truly didn’t care about the rules, he could have let Darren continue. He could even have interfered in some other way.
But instead, he had stopped him. And more interestingly— he had done it exactly when Arman was watching.
Raka narrowed his eyes. Was it a coincidence? Or had Alexander done it deliberately?
Raka didn’t know.
Arman then walked past Alexander. Before leaving, he glanced back.
“Make sure there aren’t any more problems.”
Alexander answered briefly. “I know.”
Arman left.
Alexander remained standing. Raka and Alexander looked at each other again from a distance. Their eyes met.
Neither of them said a word. But this time, it was different from before. Alexander didn’t smile. Neither did Raka.
There was only a difficult-to-explain look between them. As if they both knew that something was changing.
Farel took a breath. “Rak.”
Raka didn’t turn. “Hm?”
“Stop staring at him.”
“Why?”
“Because if he notices, we’ll be the ones in trouble.”
Raka finally looked away. “He stopped Darren.”
Farel shrugged. “So?”
“Do you think that’s normal?”
Farel thought for a moment. “When Alexander speaks, people usually listen.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Farel sighed. “Rak, I don’t know what’s going on in his head.”
Raka nodded. “That’s what makes it strange.”
They then walked away from the back courtyard. But Raka couldn’t get what had happened out of his mind.
Alexander had stopped Darren. But why?
Maybe he really didn’t like bullying. Maybe Darren had crossed a line. Or maybe Alexander didn’t want any trouble reaching the teachers’ attention.
There were many possibilities. And Raka didn’t know which one was true.
Meanwhile, Arman was walking toward the main building. He slipped both hands into his pockets. His expression remained relaxed. But his thoughts were elsewhere.
He kept replaying what he had just seen. Alexander. Darren. The Class 11 student. The plastic bag containing white powder. And the way Alexander had stopped everything.
Arman didn’t immediately assume Alexander was a bad person. Quite the opposite. He was beginning to realize that Alexander was more complicated than he had thought.
An influential student could have let his subordinates do whatever they wanted. But Alexander had stopped him instead. Why?
Arman didn’t know yet. But he knew one thing.
Alexander wasn’t merely an influential student. The boy might know far more about Zenith Warriors than he had shown so far.
Arman kept walking. He passed several students, returning their greetings with a smile. But his thoughts returned to the topmost room.
Alexander knew about that room. Alexander guarded that place. And now he had shown that he could control his group as well.
Arman began to see a pattern. Alexander had influence. He knew about certain places. He knew how the students moved. He also seemed to know the boundaries that couldn’t be crossed.
The question was— where had all that knowledge come from?
Arman stopped in front of a window. From there, he could see the back courtyard. Alexander was no longer there. Darren was gone too.
Arman sighed. “That boy...”
He didn’t finish the sentence.
Meanwhile, Raka was still walking with Farel. They passed the gym. Raka looked back at the stairs where the incident had taken place.
He stared at the area for several seconds. There was nothing there. As if nothing had ever happened.
But Raka knew what he had seen. And he wouldn’t forget it.
After learning about Adrian, Raka began to realize that Zenith Warriors had many layers. The first layer was an ordinary school. The second was the groups of students. And there might be another layer, much deeper than that.
Raka didn’t yet know where Alexander fit into all of it. But one thing was becoming clearer.
Alexander wasn’t easy to read.
That afternoon, as some students began heading home, Raka returned to the classroom to retrieve his things. He saw a small note on his desk.
There was no name. Only one short sentence.
Don’t ask too many questions.
Raka stared at the paper. He didn’t know who had left it there. He looked around.
The classroom was nearly empty. There was no one there.
Raka crumpled the paper. He wasn’t panicking. But he was now more certain that someone had begun watching his movements.
He thought of Alexander. Was this from him? Or someone else?
Raka didn’t know. He tucked the paper into a book. He wasn’t going to throw it away.
Not because he was afraid. But because every little thing at this school might mean something.
In the teachers’ room, Arman was organizing several documents. His thoughts were still focused on Alexander.
Then someone passed in front of the door. Alexander.
Arman saw him. Alexander saw Arman too. They looked at each other again.
This time, Alexander stopped.
“Sir.”
Arman smiled. “Yes?”
“Still working?”
“Teachers usually work.”
Alexander gave him a faint smile. “I see.”
He was about to leave. But Arman called out to him.
“Alexander.”
Alexander stopped. “Yes?”
Arman looked at him. “About what happened earlier.”
Alexander remained silent.
“You did the right thing.”
Alexander didn’t answer immediately. Then he said, “I just didn’t want the others causing trouble.”
“Why?”
“Because a small problem can become a big one.”
Arman watched him.
The answer was simple. But Arman felt there was another meaning behind it.
Alexander then left. Arman watched his back until it disappeared at the end of the corridor.
“This boy knows something.”
Arman was certain. But he didn’t know what.
And for now, he wouldn’t ask. He knew that asking too many questions could make Alexander withdraw. It was better to observe. Like Raka.
Arman smiled faintly. Without realizing it, the two of them shared the same habit. Observing before acting.
Meanwhile, Alexander walked toward the stairs. He stopped for a moment. He stared at his hand.
The small plastic bag he had taken from Darren was still in his pocket. He didn’t open it. He wasn’t interested in its contents.
What mattered more to him was who had brought it and what it was for.
Alexander knew that some students had begun doing things they shouldn’t. He didn’t like it.
Not because he cared about the school rules. But because he knew that small problems could attract the attention of the wrong people.
Especially now. With Arman beginning to investigate Zenith Warriors’ past. And Raka beginning to move alongside that teacher.
Alexander couldn’t let another problem arise. But he also didn’t want to reveal too much.
That was why he had stopped Darren. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Or at least, that was what he told himself.
The day was growing late. The sky was still overcast.
Raka left the school building. Before leaving the grounds, he looked toward the gym. Then toward the old building.
Two different places. Yet both felt as though they were hiding something.
Raka remembered his conversations with Arman. About Adrian. About the topmost room. About the incomplete report.
Now a new question had appeared.
What was Alexander’s connection to all of it?
Raka didn’t know. But after what had happened that day, his view of Alexander had changed slightly.
Alexander wasn’t as simple as Raka had thought. He wasn’t just a student with a great deal of influence. He wasn’t merely the leader of a group.
There was another side to him that Raka didn’t yet understand. And that side made Raka even more cautious.
Elsewhere, Arman stood in front of the window in the teachers’ room. He watched Raka walk out. Then his gaze shifted to Alexander in the distance.
Those two boys. They were different. But they both kept something hidden.
Arman sighed. “Zenith Warriors...”
He looked at the school building. “What is this place really hiding?”
There was no answer. Only the sound of wind carrying the last traces of rain.
That day, Raka realized one thing. Alexander’s gaze had changed.
Or maybe Alexander was not the one who had changed. Maybe Raka had only begun to see another side of him.
Meanwhile, Arman was also beginning to understand that Alexander wasn’t merely an influential student. The boy knew something. Something that might be connected to Zenith Warriors.
And if that suspicion was correct, their search for Adrian might bring them even closer to Alexander.
But for now, no one moved. No one asked questions. No one made accusations.
They only watched each other. Raka watched Alexander. Arman watched Alexander. And Alexander watched both of them.
Three people. Three interests. One school.
Meanwhile, the secret of Zenith Warriors remained hidden behind its walls.
And without realizing it, the small incident near the gym stairs that day had changed the relationship between them.
Not because of a fight. Not because of a threat.
But because of one simple action. Alexander had stopped Darren.
Yet for Raka and Arman, that action only opened up more questions.
Did Alexander really want to stop the bullying? Or was there another reason behind his actions?
No one knew. Not yet.
But one thing was certain.
The looks they had once exchanged merely in recognition had now changed into watchful stares. And the longer they watched each other, the harder it became for each of them to hide what they truly knew.
At Zenith Warriors, a small action could sometimes become a major clue. And that day, one gaze had changed.