Jovan froze.
The envelope in his hand was still unopened, but his mind was already filled with questions.
Who was the person behind them?
Why had he followed them all the way to this house?
And how could a letter bearing his name have been kept in a place that had been abandoned for so long?
Raka slowly turned toward the hallway.
“Who’s there?”
There was no answer.
The figure at the end of the hallway stood motionless in the shadows.
Dimas took a step back.
“Jovan... I don’t think we should stay here much longer.”
Jovan gripped the envelope tighter.
“I want to know who he is.”
“Don’t do anything reckless,” Raka whispered.
Several seconds passed.
Then the figure finally moved.
His footsteps sounded as he slowly approached.
Jovan could make out a man in a dark jacket standing beneath the dim hallway light.
He looked exhausted.
He was probably in his forties.
“You shouldn’t have come here.”
His voice was deep.
Jovan stared at him.
“Who are you?”
The man didn’t answer right away.
Instead, his eyes went straight to the envelope in Jovan’s hand.
“You found the letter.”
Jovan grew even more suspicious.
“You know about this letter?”
The man sighed.
“Unfortunately, yeah.”
Raka stood beside Jovan.
“If you know, then explain.”
The man looked at all three of them.
“You’re too young to get involved in this.”
Dimas answered immediately.
“If it’s really dangerous, then why was the letter written?”
The man fell silent.
Dimas’s question made the atmosphere even more tense.
Jovan stepped forward.
“I just want answers.”
The man looked at him.
“You look like your father.”
Jovan stopped short.
“You knew my father?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he now?”
The man didn’t answer.
And his silence made Jovan even more certain.
“You know something.”
The man looked down at the floor.
“Your father was searching for the same truth you are.”
“And?”
“And he found something he was never supposed to find.”
Jovan clenched his fists.
“What?”
The man looked toward the letter.
“Open it.”
Jovan was startled.
“Isn’t everyone telling me to stop?”
“Because they’re afraid.”
“What about you?”
“I’m afraid too.”
That honest answer left Jovan speechless for a moment.
The man walked closer.
“My name is Bayu.”
Jovan studied his face.
“Bayu?”
“Yes. I used to work with your father.”
“Doing what?”
Bayu didn’t answer right away.
“Finding something.”
“What?”
Bayu looked at him.
“A secret a lot of people were hiding.”
Jovan looked at the envelope in his hand.
“What’s in this letter?”
Bayu shook his head.
“I never read it.”
“You’re lying.”
“I do know the letter exists. But your father never showed me what it said.”
Jovan was still doubtful.
“Why was this letter in Arman’s house?”
Bayu was silent for a few moments.
“Because Arman was the last person to meet your father.”
The words hit Jovan hard.
“The last person?”
“Yes.”
“Then he knows why my father left?”
Bayu didn’t answer.
Jovan stepped closer.
“Answer me.”
Bayu sighed.
“I don’t know everything.”
“But you know part of it.”
Bayu looked at him.
“Your father didn’t leave because he wanted to abandon you.”
Jovan fell silent.
“Then why?”
“Because he was trying to protect someone.”
“Who?”
Bayu looked toward the letter.
“You.”
The room immediately fell silent.
Jovan didn’t understand.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“From what?”
Bayu didn’t have time to answer.
Suddenly, the sound of breaking glass came from downstairs.
They all jumped.
“Is there someone else in this house?” Raka asked.
Bayu immediately grew serious.
“You have to leave. Now.”
“What?”
“Go!”
Bayu sounded panicked this time.
Jovan didn’t move.
“I’m not done.”
Bayu took a breath.
“If you want to know the truth, read the letter. But not here.”
“Why?”
Bayu looked toward the stairs.
“Because the people who don’t want that letter opened are here.”
Footsteps echoed from downstairs.
Not just one person.
More than one.
Dimas began to panic.
“Which way do we get out?”
Bayu pointed to the bedroom’s back window.
“Through there.”
Jovan looked toward the window.
“You’re coming with us.”
Bayu shook his head.
“I’ll distract them.”
“Why are you helping me?”
Bayu gave him a faint smile.
“Because I failed to help your father once.”
Jovan fell silent.
Before climbing out the window, he looked at Bayu one more time.
“I’ll find out everything.”
Bayu merely nodded.
“That’s exactly what you’ll do.”
Jovan, Raka, and Dimas finally escaped through the back of the house.
They ran across the dark yard without stopping.
Only after they were far enough from the house did they stop to catch their breath.
Dimas braced his hands on his knees.
“I have one question.”
“What?” Raka asked.
“Why did Jovan’s life suddenly turn into some kind of mystery movie?”
No one laughed.
Because they knew this wasn’t a game.
Jovan looked at the envelope in his hand.
Now he had more questions than ever.
That night, they went home with one new person in their story.
Bayu.
And one fact that made it hard for Jovan to sleep.
His father hadn’t left him.
His father had left because he was protecting him.
Jovan finally opened the envelope he had been holding all this time.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
The first line made his eyes widen immediately.
Jovan,
if you’re reading this letter, then I’m no longer able to explain everything to you in person.
But believe me...
everything that happened wasn’t because I wanted to leave.
There’s someone you need to meet.
His name is Bayu.
Jovan stopped reading.
He stared blankly ahead.
Because for the first time, he realized it.
His father had known that one day he would find this letter.
And his father had prepared a path for him.