“Get your hands away from there, Satria!” Maya shouted, her voice trembling violently. Her eyes widened as she stared at Satria’s hand, which was almost touching the surface of the rusty metal box.
Satria pulled his hand back, his face tightening in surprise. He turned toward Maya, then toward Arlan, who was also standing frozen, holding his breath.
“Why? It’s just an old garbage box buried beneath the pavilion, Maya. Why are you screaming like that?”
“It... it might be part of the old foundation, and it could be dangerous if it’s moved carelessly,” Arlan cut in quickly, trying to defuse the situation even as his heart pounded. He stepped forward, positioning himself between Satria and the box.
“As a documentary photographer, I need to photograph its original position before it’s moved. It’s standard procedure.” Satria narrowed his eyes, studying Arlan.
“Standard procedure? You two look like you’re staring at a bomb about to explode, not some archaeological object. Isn’t that right, Maya?”
Maya steadied her breathing, struggling to control the tremor in her fingers.
“Arlan’s right. We don’t know what’s inside. It could contain chemicals or old construction materials that are unstable. Let the experts handle it later. For now, please, let’s go back to the project office.”
“You’re acting awfully strange today,” Satria muttered as he dusted his hands with a silk handkerchief. He cast one more glance at the box before turning away.
“Fine. I’ll have my men secure this area. But I want to know what actually scared you so badly, sweetheart.”
Arlan could only remain silent, watching Maya walk away with Satria. He saw the way Satria possessively draped an arm around Maya’s shoulders, as if marking his territory. Arlan clenched his hands until his nails turned white. He knew exactly what was inside that box. Inside were the promises he had broken five years ago.
An hour later, Arlan was at Orange Café. The café’s quiet atmosphere and strong coffee aroma could usually calm him, but not this time. He sat in a corner chair, staring blankly at the window as it gradually clouded with a thin veil of Astina City’s fog.
“You look like you just watched a corpse climb out of its grave, Lan.” The deep voice broke through Arlan’s reverie. Danu Perkasa pulled out the chair across from Arlan without asking, an old guitar slung over his back.
Arlan looked up and forced a faint smile.
“Worse than that, Danu. We found the box.”
Danu stopped halfway through ordering his coffee. He stared at Arlan seriously.
“The time capsule? At Swara Park? You’re kidding.”
“The workers found it while digging the pavilion foundation,” Arlan replied softly. He took a sip of his already-cold coffee.
“Maya nearly had a breakdown. Satria’s getting suspicious. Everything’s become so complicated now.”
Danu let out a long breath and leaned back in his wooden chair.
“I told you coming back to Astina was a bad idea. You’re only going to reopen old wounds that had already started to heal.”
“I didn’t have a choice, Danu. This project is the only way I can get back to working professionally,” Arlan argued, though his voice sounded uncertain.
“Liar,” Danu cut in sharply.
“You came back because you wanted to see her again. You wanted to know whether she was still the same Maya you left five years ago. And now you know the answer, don’t you?”
Arlan fell silent. He stared at the grains of sugar on the table.
“She’s engaged, Dan. To Satria Adiguna.”
“I know. All of Astina knows,” Danu replied. He leaned forward, lowering his voice.
“Listen to me, Lan. Satria isn’t some nobody. He’s established, logical, and most importantly, he was there when Maya fell apart because you left.”
“I never meant to destroy her,” Arlan whispered.
“But you did!” Danu raised his voice slightly, making several other customers turn toward them. He quickly cleared his throat and continued in a calmer tone.
“You left without a single word. You turned off your phone, disappeared overseas, and left her waiting on the day of your engagement. Do you know how long she cried at Swara Park every night?”
Arlan closed his eyes. The image of Maya crying alone beneath the old banyan tree haunted his mind.
“I know I was wrong. I was a coward.”
“And now you’re back, bringing your camera and old memories with you,” Danu said sarcastically.
“You think finding that box will make everything go back to the way it was? You think Maya will call off her engagement just because she sees an old photograph and some ridiculous promise letter you wrote as teenagers?”
“I’m not expecting that, Danu. I just... I just want her to know why I left.”
Danu gave a short laugh, one that sounded bitter.
“Why? After five years? It won’t do any good anymore, Lan. Maya’s built a very high wall. Satria is the cement holding it together. If you try to tear it down, you’ll only hurt yourself and make Maya suffer again.”
“Satria seems awfully possessive of her,” Arlan said, trying to steer the conversation away from his guilt.
“Of course he’s possessive. He knows who you are, Arlan Dewangga. He knows your history with Maya. He’s not stupid. He’ll do anything to make sure Maya stays by his side,” Danu warned.
Arlan stirred his coffee restlessly.
“He belittled me in front of the workers. He wanted to show that he has everything I don’t.”
“And he’s right, isn’t he?” Danu asked bluntly.
“He has stability. He has a clear future with Maya. And you? You’ve got nothing but a messy past and a camera that captures sad shadows.”
Arlan looked at his friend with wounded eyes.
“You’re supposed to be on my side, Dan.”
“I’m on the side of the truth, Lan. And the truth is, you’re a threat to the peace Maya worked so hard to build. If you really love her, you should finish your work as quickly as possible and leave this city again.”
“I can’t just leave before that box is opened,” Arlan said firmly.
“There’s something in there that Maya needs to see. Something that isn’t just about me, but about all of us.”
Danu rolled his eyes.
“You’re stubborn. Do you know what Satria will do if he finds out what’s really inside that box? He’ll destroy it, Lan. And he’ll make sure you can never get near Maya again.”
“Let him try,” Arlan challenged him in a cold tone he rarely used.
“Don’t get cocky,” Danu shot back.
“Satria has connections everywhere. He could end your career overnight if he wanted to. He sees Maya as his greatest achievement, and he won’t let anyone take her away from him.”
Their conversation stopped when the door of Orange Café jingled. A tall man in a neatly tailored suit entered. It was Satria. He appeared to be looking for someone, and his eyes immediately settled on Arlan and Danu’s table.
Satria approached with a smile that never reached his eyes.
“Ah, Arlan. We meet again. I never would’ve guessed you liked spending time in a dump like this.”
Arlan remained seated, calm despite the tension in his arm muscles.
“This place has character, Satria. Something money can’t buy.”
Satria chuckled and pulled out the empty chair beside Danu.
“Character? You mean dust and cheap coffee? Fine. I actually came here to speak with you privately, Arlan. Without Maya interrupting.”
Danu glanced at Arlan, then stood.
“I have to go. I’ve got a busking gig in the town square. Lan, remember what I told you.”
After Danu left, the atmosphere at the table became intensely tense. Satria leaned back, staring at Arlan with a predator’s gaze.
“Let’s be honest, Arlan. I know who you are. I know you’re the man who left Maya five years ago.”
Arlan wasn’t surprised. He had expected Satria to investigate him.
“And?”
“And I want you to stay away from her,” Satria said in a low, threatening voice.
“Your job at Swara Park is only to document the renovation. Do that, take your money, and disappear again. Don’t try to revive any memories, especially anything involving that metal box.”
“Why are you so afraid of an old box, Satria?” Arlan asked calmly.
“If your relationship with Maya is so strong, that object shouldn’t mean anything, right?”
Satria leaned forward, his face only a few centimeters from Arlan’s.
“I’m not afraid of the box. I just don’t like the garbage from the past dirtying my future. Maya is my fiancée. We’re getting married next month. Don’t you dare ruin it.”
“Married?” Arlan felt as if his heart had been squeezed. Maya hadn’t told him about a wedding so close at hand.
“Yes. We’ll be making it official soon. So consider this my first and last warning.” Satria stood and straightened his jacket.
“Stay in your place as a hired photographer. If you cross the line, I won’t hesitate to remove you from this project... and from this city.”
Satria walked away without waiting for an answer. Arlan sat rooted to the spot, his world seeming to spin. The wedding was only a month away. He was almost out of time.
He reached into his jacket pocket and felt the small key he had quietly taken from the excavation site before Satria saw it that morning. The key was rusty but still sturdy. It was the key to their time capsule.
Arlan knew he had to make a choice. Follow Danu’s advice, back off, and let Maya be happy—or open the box and risk everything for one last chance to explain the truth.
As he was about to stand, his phone vibrated. A short message from an unknown number came in.
‘Meet me at Swara Park at ten tonight. Alone. There’s something I need to talk to you about concerning the box.’
Arlan stared at his phone screen, his heart pounding. Was it Maya? Or was it a trap set by Satria?
The fog outside Orange Café grew thicker, swallowing the streetlamp glow one light at a time. Astina City seemed to be hiding an even greater secret behind its silence. Arlan drew a deep breath, slipped the key back into his pocket, and stepped outside into the cold night. He didn’t know what awaited him in the park, but he knew that tonight, everything was going to change.