Chapter 7
Everyone Knows
Keira knew the post was up even before Celine showed her the screen.
She knew from the way the mood in class had changed.
From the two kids in the back who had suddenly started whispering.
From Tasya reading something and immediately turning toward her.
From Farah, who was usually calm, letting out a long sigh.
And most obviously—
from Celine standing in front of her desk with an angry expression.
"Asshole."
Keira looked up.
"What?"
Celine set her phone on the desk.
"Look."
Keira looked at the screen.
A post from @TheNextHallway.
A photo of her and Jovan standing side by side in the hallway that morning.
Jovan was slightly bent toward her.
Keira herself was looking at him.
Without context, the photo really did look like two people having a serious conversation.
But the caption underneath was no longer a joke.
So Jovan's family is caught up in a case.
Is Keira defending him now because they're back together, or because she knows something?
Keira read it twice.
Tasya was already standing beside her.
"This is too much."
Farah nodded.
"Way too much."
Celine pointed at the last part.
"This is what pisses me off. 'Because she knows something?' What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Keira didn't answer.
Her chest felt tight.
Not because her name had been mentioned again.
She was starting to get used to that.
What bothered her was the tone of the sentence.
As if something was being implied.
Something bigger than relationship gossip.
"What do the comments say?" Keira asked.
Tasya immediately took Celine's phone.
"Don't read them."
"Give it to me."
"Kei."
"I just want to look."
Tasya stared at her for a few seconds.
Finally, she handed over the phone.
There were already a lot of comments.
Wait, what does Keira even know?
What if she knew about his family's case all along?
No wonder they broke up.
Or did they get back together because she felt sorry for him?
Admin, if you have info, just say it already. Don't give us half the story.
Keira scrolled.
One comment made her stop.
Apparently Keira went to the hospital last night too.
Keira's finger froze.
Tasya immediately looked over.
"What?"
Keira showed her the screen.
Celine read it.
Her expression changed at once.
"Wait."
Farah moved closer.
"Who knows you went to the hospital?"
Keira didn't answer right away.
Tasya knew.
Bima knew after Keira arrived.
Jovan obviously knew.
Jovan's family.
Maybe someone at the hospital.
But a student from school?
"Did you post it?" Celine asked.
"No."
"Your story?"
"No."
"Tasya?"
"Not me either."
Farah stared at the comment for a long time.
"If this really is someone from school, then they got the information from somebody."
Keira handed the phone back.
"Or they followed me."
Everyone fell silent.
Celine, who was usually the loudest, didn't make a joke right away.
"That's not funny."
"I know."
Keira's phone vibrated.
Jovan's name appeared.
Jovan: You saw it?
Keira replied.
Keira: Yeah.
The typing dots appeared immediately.
Jovan: Don't read the comments.
Keira almost smiled bitterly.
Keira: Too late.
Jovan: Someone said you went to the hospital.
Keira: I saw it.
There was no reply for a long time.
Then:
Jovan: I'm going to find the admin.
Keira typed back immediately.
Keira: Don't start anything.
Jovan: I just want to know who it is.
Keira: That's usually how you start something.
The message was read.
No reply.
Keira frowned.
Keira: Jovan.
Still no answer.
Tasya looked at her face.
"What happened?"
"He's going to find the admin."
Celine immediately said, "Good."
Farah looked at her.
"Celine."
"What? I want to know too."
"The problem isn't wanting to know."
Keira stood up.
Tasya immediately caught her by the arm.
"Where are you going?"
"To find Jovan."
"Why?"
"Because when he's angry, his definition of 'just talking' can change."
Jovan was behind the gymnasium.
He wasn't alone.
Bima stood in front of him.
Galen was beside him.
Dito sat on a concrete bench, looking at his phone.
As Keira approached, she immediately heard Jovan's voice.
"Who has access to that account?"
Dito shrugged.
"Apparently the admins keep changing."
"According to who?"
"Apparently."
Jovan closed his eyes.
"That was incredibly useful information."
"You're welcome."
Bima turned and saw Keira.
"Well, well."
Jovan immediately turned around.
His expression shifted slightly.
"What are you doing here?"
Keira crossed her arms.
"Making sure you don't do anything stupid."
Dito let out a small laugh.
Jovan looked at him.
Dito immediately pretended to cough.
"I'm not going to do anything."
Keira looked at Bima.
Bima held up two fingers.
"So far, that's true."
"So far," Keira repeated.
Jovan sighed.
"I just want to find out who the admin is."
"And then what?"
"Talk."
"Talk?"
"Yeah."
"Normally?"
Jovan stared at her.
"How low are your expectations of me?"
"Realistic."
Galen covered his mouth to hide a smile.
Jovan clicked his tongue.
"The problem now isn't the post about me."
Keira knew.
"The hospital comment."
Jovan nodded.
"Not many people knew you went there."
"Exactly."
Bima put his hands in his pockets.
"I already asked around."
Keira turned to him.
"And?"
"No one admitted knowing who the admin is."
"Obviously," Dito said. "If the admin were easy to identify, student counseling would've shut the account down ages ago."
Jovan looked at his phone.
"When did that account start?"
"Probably two years ago," Galen answered.
"Who made it?"
"No idea."
Dito raised his hand.
"I have a theory."
All four of them looked at him.
Dito grinned.
"The admin is Mr. Hendra."
Keira closed her eyes.
Bima kicked his leg.
"Ow!"
Jovan rubbed his face.
"Why do I have friends like this?"
"Destiny."
Keira almost laughed.
But not for long.
Because Jovan opened the post again.
His expression changed.
"There's a new comment."
Keira moved closer.
Jovan showed her the screen.
Another anonymous account had written:
If Keira really doesn't know anything, why did she go to the hospital before the news about the case came out?
Keira froze.
Bima frowned.
"This is getting weird."
"Very," Galen said.
Jovan reread it.
Then he looked at Keira.
"You went to the hospital before this morning's news went up."
"Yeah."
"That means this person knows the timing."
Keira nodded slowly.
Dito stopped joking around.
"Who knew Keira went to the hospital last night?"
"You," Jovan said to Bima.
Bima immediately raised his hands.
"I didn't tell anyone."
"I know."
"Keira?"
"Tasya."
Jovan nodded.
"Me, Mom, Melia."
"Nadine?" Galen asked.
Keira shook her head.
"I didn't tell her."
Jovan looked at the screen again.
"Then maybe someone saw you."
"Or..." Keira stopped.
"What?"
"Someone at the hospital knows us."
Bima nodded.
"Maybe."
Dito looked at them.
"Or the admin followed you."
Everyone fell silent.
Dito slowly lowered his phone.
"I was joking."
No one laughed.
"Okay, now that's actually creepy."
Keira stared at the post.
She had always felt that @TheNextHallway knew a lot.
Who was fighting.
Who was hanging out with whom.
Who left class.
Who got caught by a teacher.
But all of that still made sense for a school gossip account.
This was different.
The hospital wasn't school.
Jovan's family's case wasn't a student issue.
And someone seemed to be deliberately tying her to all of it.
"Van."
Jovan turned to her.
"Don't look for the admin by yourself."
He frowned.
"Why?"
"Because we don't know who it is yet."
Jovan nearly interrupted.
Keira continued,
"And if they really know that I went to the hospital, this isn't just some bored kid."
Jovan went quiet.
Bima nodded.
"I agree."
Jovan clearly didn't like it.
But finally he said,
"Okay."
Keira eyed him suspiciously.
"For real?"
"Yeah."
"Don't do it behind my back."
"Kei."
"Promise."
Jovan stared at her for a long moment.
Finally:
"Promise."
Keira nodded.
"Good."
Dito whispered to Galen, "You two sound like a married couple."
Jovan threw an empty water bottle at him.
Dito ran.
The problem didn't end with one post.
At lunchtime, the account deleted the old caption.
Then replaced it.
No new photo.
No explanation.
Just black text on a white background.
If you think Jovan's family case only started now, you're wrong.
There's a reason he's been disappearing for months.
There's a reason he and Keira broke up.
And someone at this school has known everything from the beginning.
This time, the entire school really exploded.
The junior-class group chat was going wild.
People started making theories.
Some thought Keira had known about the case for a long time and left Jovan because of it.
Others accused Jovan of deliberately hiding everything.
Some started dragging Nadine into it.
Others somehow connected Devin to the whole thing.
Celine dropped her phone onto the desk.
"This admin wants to die."
Farah looked at her.
"Don't say that."
"Metaphor."
Tasya looked at Keira.
"You okay?"
Keira didn't answer right away.
"I'm okay."
Tasya clearly didn't believe her.
Keira reread the last part.
Someone at this school has known everything from the beginning.
Someone.
Not Keira.
Not Jovan.
Or maybe the admin was bluffing.
But what if someone else really did know?
"Who knew about Jovan's family problems before now?" Keira asked.
Tasya shook her head.
"If you mean students, I don't know."
Celine sat up straight.
"Bima."
"Besides Bima."
"Maybe Galen."
"Anyone else?"
Celine thought.
"The futsal team?"
"Jovan said there weren't many people."
Farah suddenly spoke.
"What if the person they're talking about isn't Jovan's friend?"
Keira looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"His parents."
Tasya frowned.
"Whose parents?"
"I don't know."
Farah set down her pen.
"If the case involving Jovan's dad's company includes adults, maybe one of the people involved has a child who goes to school here."
Keira fell silent.
That made sense.
And that made it much worse.
Celine slowly said, "Okay. That's way creepier than my janitor theory."
That afternoon, Keira still had to attend a Student Voice Week meeting.
So did Jovan.
Mr. Hendra already knew about the gossip going around.
He didn't mention Jovan's family case directly.
But before the meeting began, he said,
"If any student uses a school forum or anonymous account to spread allegations about another student's family, save the evidence."
The room immediately went silent.
Mr. Hendra continued,
"I don't care if that account considers itself entertainment. There are limits."
Jovan lowered his head over the documents.
Keira watched him.
Mr. Hendra added,
"And I don't want anyone turning this meeting into a place to ask personal questions."
Several students immediately looked away.
"Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
The meeting began.
For the first time, Keira and Jovan didn't argue much.
They worked quickly.
Maybe because they were both too tired.
About forty minutes later, Keira received a message.
Unknown Number: Don't trust everything Jovan tells you.
Keira immediately tensed.
She looked around the room.
Everyone seemed normal.
Celine was discussing something with the documentation team.
Bima was sitting on the other side of the room.
Jovan was explaining the schedule to Mr. Hendra.
Keira looked at the screen again.
A second message came in.
Unknown Number: He hasn't told you everything.
Keira felt her palms grow cold.
She didn't reply.
A third message.
Unknown Number: Just like before.
The words made Keira stop breathing.
Just like before.
Whoever this was knew exactly where she was most vulnerable.
Keira typed:
Keira: Who is this?
There was no answer.
She tried calling.
The number was inactive.
"Kei."
Keira immediately turned around.
Jovan was standing beside her.
"Why are you so pale?"
Keira locked her screen.
"I'm not."
Jovan frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"Wait."
Keira stood up.
"Come with me."
Jovan didn't ask questions.
They left the meeting room.
Keira stopped in the empty hallway.
Then she showed him the messages.
Jovan read them.
His expression changed incredibly fast.
From confused.
To angry.
"The number?"
Keira showed him.
Jovan immediately pulled out his phone.
"Don't call it."
"I just want to check."
"I already did."
"And?"
"It's inactive."
Jovan read the message again.
"Just like before."
He looked at Keira.
"They know about us."
"Everyone knows we broke up."
"That's not what I mean."
Jovan pointed at the screen.
"That line was deliberate."
Keira knew.
Because the heart of their old problem had been one thing.
Jovan didn't tell her things.
And Keira stopped trusting him.
Whoever sent the message knew how to pry open an old crack.
"Do you believe them?" Jovan asked.
Keira immediately looked at him.
"Believe what?"
"That I'm still hiding something from you."
The question sounded light.
Jovan's face wasn't.
Keira knew her answer mattered.
Very much.
"Is there something you haven't told me?"
Jovan fell silent.
Only for a second.
But Keira caught it.
Her heart dropped.
"Van."
Jovan rubbed the back of his neck.
"Kei—"
"Is there?"
"It's not—"
"Is there or not?"
Jovan closed his eyes for a moment.
"There is."
Keira let out a humorless little laugh.
"Of course."
"Kei."
"Of course there is."
Jovan immediately stepped closer.
"It's not what you think."
"I haven't even thought anything yet."
"Your expression says otherwise."
Keira stared at him.
"Then what is it?"
Jovan was silent.
Keira waited.
She was beginning to feel something painfully familiar.
The feeling from before they broke up.
When questions got half-answers.
When Jovan said later.
When everything started making Keira guess for herself.
"Van."
"I can't tell you yet."
Keira took a step back.
That line.
Again.
Jovan realized it immediately.
"Shit."
Keira laughed bitterly.
"Seriously?"
"Listen first."
"What did you say yesterday?"
"I know."
"You said if there was a problem, you'd tell me."
"I know."
"So what now?"
Jovan lowered his voice.
"Because this isn't my secret alone."
Keira stopped.
Jovan continued quickly.
"I can't tell you without someone else's permission."
Keira stared at him.
"Does it have something to do with your dad's case?"
"Yeah."
"Is it dangerous for you?"
Jovan hesitated.
"Van."
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Is it dangerous for your family?"
Jovan didn't answer as quickly this time.
Keira exhaled.
"Okay."
Jovan looked surprised.
"Okay?"
"I'm not going to force you."
Keira looked straight at Jovan.
"But don't lie to me."
"I'm not lying."
"If I ask you something and you can't answer, say you can't answer."
Keira lowered her voice.
"Don't make up another story."
Jovan nodded.
"Okay."
"And if it starts affecting me, you have to tell me."
Jovan fell silent.
"Promise."
He looked at Keira.
"Promise."
Keira nodded.
The uneasiness hadn't gone away.
But this time was different.
At least Jovan admitted there was something.
He wasn't hiding behind being tired.
He wasn't saying later without an explanation.
Maybe that was progress.
A little.
Keira's phone vibrated again.
They both looked at it immediately.
The same number.
A new message.
Unknown Number: Ask him who Bagas Wiratama is.
Keira read the name.
It wasn't familiar.
She turned to Jovan.
His face immediately went pale.
Keira didn't need to ask whether he recognized the name.
Obviously he did.
"Who is Bagas Wiratama?"
Jovan didn't answer.
"Van."
Jovan looked toward the end of the hallway.
Then back at Keira.
"This is what I said I couldn't tell you yet."
Keira felt the back of her neck grow cold.
"The person sending these messages knows."
"Yeah."
"Then your secret isn't known only by your family."
Jovan clenched his jaw.
"Yeah."
"Who is he?"
Jovan looked at Keira for a long moment.
Finally, he said,
"Someone who worked with Dad."
"At the company?"
"Yeah."
"And?"
Jovan let out a long breath.
"He disappeared."
Keira froze.
"Disappeared?"
"He stopped going to work. Didn't go home. His number was disconnected."
Keira stared at Jovan.
"And he has something to do with the missing money?"
Jovan didn't answer.
That was enough.
Keira felt the pieces begin to fit together in her mind.
Company funds.
An account under Jovan's mother's name.
An employee named Bagas who had disappeared.
And now someone at school knew that name.
"How do you know about him?"
"Dad mentioned him once."
"And what is it you can't tell me?"
Jovan gripped his phone.
"Kei."
"I'm not asking for everything."
Keira stared at him.
"Just tell me why this man's name scares you."
Jovan was silent for a long time.
Then he answered quietly,
"Because before he disappeared, Bagas came to my house."
Keira froze.
"When?"
"A week before Dad was hospitalized for the first time."
"Why?"
Jovan swallowed.
"To give me something."
"What?"
Jovan hadn't had time to answer.
The meeting-room door opened.
Mr. Hendra appeared.
"If you two want to take care of personal business, do it later."
Keira immediately put away her phone.
"Sorry, sir."
Jovan nodded.
"We'll come in."
They returned to the room.
But the question stayed in Keira's mind.
What had Bagas given him?
The meeting ended when the sun was almost setting.
Jovan didn't explain right away.
Not because he was avoiding her.
Mr. Hendra had asked several students from the field division to move some equipment.
Keira waited in the Media Room with Celine.
But after five thirty, Jovan sent her a message.
Jovan: Kei, I have to go to the hospital.
Keira replied immediately.
Keira: What's wrong with your dad?
Jovan: Not Dad. Mom wants me to come.
Keira: Is it about Bagas?
A long pause.
Jovan: Maybe.
Keira stared at the screen.
Keira: Okay. Be careful.
The typing dots appeared.
Jovan: I'll explain what I can tomorrow.
Keira read it twice.
Not later.
Tomorrow.
And there was a clear limit: what he could explain.
For some reason, that was enough to make Keira feel a little calmer.
Keira: I'll wait.
Jovan's reply came.
Jovan: Now that's a dangerous thing to say.
Keira almost smiled.
Keira: Why?
Jovan: It makes me want to get back quickly.
Keira rolled her eyes.
But she smiled anyway.
Keira: Focus on the hospital.
Jovan: Yes, ma'am.
The conversation ended.
Celine, who had been watching from beside her, immediately said,
"You're smiling."
Keira locked her screen.
"No, I'm not."
"You were just now."
"No."
"I have eyes."
"Good for you."
Celine narrowed her eyes.
Then her expression grew more serious.
"Kei."
"Hm?"
"That number earlier..."
Keira turned to her.
"What about it?"
"Did you try looking it up in a contacts app?"
"Not yet."
"Try."
Keira picked up her phone again.
They entered the number into the caller-identification app Celine usually used.
It loaded for several seconds.
A name appeared.
Not a full name.
Just:
R. W
Keira frowned.
"Who is R.W.?"
Celine shook her head.
"I don't know."
Below it were several user labels.
RW Cakrawala
Reno W
Vice Principal's Office
Keira stopped.
"Reno?"
Celine immediately opened the student list on her phone.
"Is there a Reno at school?"
She typed.
Several results appeared.
Reno, tenth grade.
Reno, twelfth grade.
Then one name.
Reno Wijaya — XI-3
Keira stared at the screen.
XI-3.
Kevin's class.
The guy who had gotten into an argument with Jovan.
Celine fell silent too.
"Kei."
"Don't jump to conclusions."
"I haven't."
"We only have a name from an app. It could be wrong."
"Yeah."
"But..."
Keira looked at the screen again.
Reno Wijaya.
Had she heard that name before?
Maybe.
His face didn't immediately come to mind.
Celine opened social media.
"Here."
An account appeared.
A photo of a boy with short hair and glasses.
Keira recognized him as one of the students who had attended several Student Voice Week meetings.
Division—
Keira leaned closer.
"What division is he in?"
Celine opened the committee structure.
A few seconds later, her expression changed.
"Documentation."
Keira froze.
Documentation.
Someone who had a reason to be everywhere.
Someone who often carried a camera.
Someone who could take pictures without seeming suspicious.
Celine whispered,
"If the gossip-account admin is from documentation..."
Keira finished the thought silently.
He could photograph anyone.
Anywhere.
But the hospital still wasn't explained.
"Don't tell anyone yet," Keira said.
Celine looked at her.
"Including Jovan?"
Keira hesitated.
Then shook her head.
"Jovan needs to know."
That night, Jovan still hadn't read Keira's message.
Keira waited until almost nine.
Finally, her phone rang.
Not a message.
A call.
Keira answered immediately.
"Hello?"
Jovan's voice was quiet.
"Kei."
Something was wrong.
Keira sat up straight.
"What happened?"
"Do you still have the number from earlier?"
"Yeah."
"Send it to me."
"Why?"
"Kei."
Jovan's tone made her chest tighten.
"What's going on?"
Silence.
Then Jovan said,
"I know who Bagas Wiratama is."
Keira frowned.
"You already said he worked with your dad."
"That's not it."
"Then what?"
Jovan took a breath.
"Bagas wasn't just Dad's employee."
Keira waited.
"He's Mom's biological younger brother."
Keira froze.
"Your uncle?"
"Yeah."
Keira didn't know what to say.
Jovan continued,
"And the letter he gave me before he disappeared..."
His voice grew lower.
"...contained a list of transactions."
Keira felt the back of her neck grow cold.
"What transactions?"
"The missing funds."
"So he knew who took it?"
"I think so."
"Who?"
Jovan was silent.
"Van."
"I don't know for sure yet."
"Where's the letter?"
Silence.
Too long.
Keira immediately understood.
"It's gone?"
Jovan let out a humorless laugh.
"No."
"Then?"
"I have it."
Keira stood up from her bed.
"What?"
"Bagas gave it directly to me."
Keira couldn't believe it.
"You've kept it all this time?"
"Yeah."
"Why didn't you give it to the police?"
"Because he told me not to give it to anyone until he came back."
"Van, he's been missing for three months."
"I know."
"And you still—"
"Because Mom's name is in the letter."
Keira stopped.
Everything came back.
The account under Laras's name.
Jovan's fear.
Bagas disappearing.
"In what capacity is your mom's name listed?"
Jovan took a breath.
"Not as the recipient."
"Then?"
"As a witness."
Keira was silent.
"Bagas wrote that Mom once saw the person transferring the money."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Why not?"
"The person's name was deliberately crossed out."
Keira closed her eyes.
"So now someone is looking for that letter?"
Jovan didn't answer.
Keira immediately knew.
"Van."
"Mom said someone broke into the house two weeks ago."
Keira's heart began beating faster.
"What was missing?"
"Nothing."
"Then they were looking for something."
"Yeah."
"Is the letter safe?"
Jovan was silent.
"Van."
"It's safe."
"Where?"
"Don't ask."
Keira exhaled in frustration.
"Jovan."
"Kei, seriously. The fewer people who know, the better."
Keira almost got angry.
But she stopped.
Because this time there was a real reason.
Jovan wasn't simply shutting her out.
"Fine."
She sat back down.
"But that number might belong to Reno Wijaya."
Silence.
"Who?"
"A student in XI-3. Documentation for Student Voice Week."
Jovan immediately said, "I know him."
Keira tensed.
"Don't go after him now."
"I just—"
"Van."
Silence.
"You promised."
Jovan sighed.
"Yeah."
Keira continued,
"We don't know if it's really him."
"I understand."
"And if he knows Bagas's name..."
Keira stopped.
Jovan finished for her,
"Then he has a connection to someone outside the school."
They were both silent.
That was the worst part.
This wasn't high school gossip anymore.
Someone was using gossip as a way in.
Getting close to Jovan.
Getting close to Keira.
Mentioning a name that should only have been known by a handful of people.
"Kei."
"Hm?"
"Don't be alone tomorrow."
Keira frowned.
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Don't scare me."
"I don't want to either."
Jovan's voice softened.
"But until we know who's sending these messages, don't go home alone."
Keira fell silent.
Usually, she would have argued.
This time, she didn't.
"Okay."
Jovan sounded surprised on the other end.
"Just okay?"
"What? You want me to argue?"
"No."
"Then okay."
Keira played with the edge of her blanket.
"Van."
"Hm?"
"You don't be alone either."
Jovan didn't answer immediately.
Then she heard a small laugh.
"Deal."
The next day, Reno Wijaya didn't come to school.
Keira found out from Celine.
Jovan found out from Kevin.
And around ten in the morning, @TheNextHallway uploaded something new.
Not a photo of Keira.
Not Jovan.
Not a rumor about their relationship.
A photo of a brown envelope.
There was handwriting on it.
For Jovan. Don't trust anyone until you read this.
The caption was only one sentence.
Did someone lose something?
Jovan saw the post from his classroom.
Keira saw it from the class next door.
And for the first time since all the chaos began, they thought of the same thing at the exact same moment.
Bagas's letter was no longer safe.