Park
As Kak Ros took Nabila away, Rayan suddenly came up with a mischievous idea to mess with Rizky. His goal was simple—to get Rizky closer to Nabila.
"Zikri, later you pretend to ask permission to enter Rizky's room. When you leave, press the door handle from the inside so it can't be opened from the outside," Rayan whispered, grinning mischievously.
"Eh, but what excuse should I use?" Zikri asked hesitantly.
"Just say you need to borrow a charger," Rayan answered confidently.
"Alright, alright… But what if Kak Ros finds out? I'm kinda scared," Zikri replied, his voice filled with worry.
"Don't worry, I'll handle it. Just trust me," Rayan patted Zikri's shoulder reassuringly.
After making sure their plan was solid, they approached Ahmad and Qadir, who were hanging out with Rizky in the park.
"Oooh, look at this guy—someone's getting close to her!" Rayan teased, nudging Rizky.
The others joined in, cheering and teasing him. Rizky just smiled, taking it all in stride.
"Alright, it's almost Maghrib. Let's head back to the villa," Rizky said, urging his friends to leave before it got too late.
On the way back, Ahmad grinned and teased, "Whoa, Rizky must already be missing Nabila, huh? You've only been apart for a little while."
Rayan joined in excitedly, making Rizky smile faintly.
"Alright then, I'll head home with Qadir," Ahmad said, since his house was in a different direction from Rayan and Zikri's.
"We're leaving now," Ahmad and Qadir said together, waving as they walked away.
"Okay, see you guys later," Rizky, Rayan, and Zikri replied.
Villa
As soon as they arrived, Rizky and the others performed their Maghrib prayer. The sky had turned deep orange, fading into purple as the last traces of daylight disappeared. Maghrib was the shortest prayer of the day, performed right after sunset, before the night fully set in.
After praying, Rizky stepped out to the pavilion where his friends were gathered.
"Come sit here! You'll get a perfect view of Nabila's window," Rayan teased, chuckling as he nudged Rizky.
"Ah, come on, you're unbelievable," Rizky replied, shaking his head.
Rayan exchanged a glance with Zikri, subtly signaling him to put their little scheme into action.
"Hey, Rizky, can I borrow your charger for a bit?" Zikri asked casually.
"Sure, just grab it from my room. I didn't lock the door, so you can just walk in," Rizky answered, completely unaware.
"Alright, I'll get it now," Zikri said, heading towards Rizky's room.
A few moments later, Zikri returned to the pavilion.
"Did you get it?" Rizky asked.
"Yeah, yeah," Zikri replied, keeping his voice neutral, trying to suppress his grin.
They continued chatting for a while, but soon Zikri pretended to feel unwell.
"Ugh, I think I'll head to my room first. I'm not feeling too great," Zikri said, rubbing his forehead.
"Alright, I'll go to my room too. It's time for Isya anyway," Rizky responded, stretching his arms as he got up. "Can't delay this one, Isya is the last prayer of the day."
"Yeah, I'm heading to see Kak Ros," Rayan added, acting as if nothing suspicious was happening.
Rizky'sRoom
Rizky walked toward his room. Upon reaching the door, he turned the handle.
Click. Click.
The handle wouldn't budge. Frowning in confusion, he tried again, this time with a little more force.
Click. Click.
"Why won't it open?" he muttered, glancing around.
He knocked on the door, hoping someone would hear and come to help. But only the night breeze responded in silence.
Meanwhile, Rayan, who had just left the pavilion, hurried to find Kak Ros and ask for a favor.
"Kak Ros, Zikri isn't feeling well. He's got a slight fever. Can you buy him some medicine from the pharmacy?" Rayan asked.
Kak Ros eyed him suspiciously. "That's all?" she asked, unconvinced.
"Yeah, Kak. That's all." Rayan replied casually.
Without questioning further, Kak Ros immediately left for the nearest pharmacy.
Seeing her leave, Rayan quickly rushed back to his room, feeling triumphant. Deep inside, he cheered, "Yes! The plan worked!"
Not long after Rayan returned to his room, Rizky came down from the upper floor and headed toward Rayan and Zikri's room. His footsteps echoed clearly as he descended the villa stairs.
Zikri'sRoom
Knock, knock… "Zikri!" Rizky knocked on the door, his voice carrying a hint of panic.
Moments later, the door opened, and Rayan's face appeared.
"Eh? What's going on?" he asked, feigning curiosity.
"My room's locked. I can't open it," Rizky replied, still trying to process what had just happened.
Zikri, who was lying on his bed, looked weak, covering himself with a blanket as if he was truly unwell.
"Ah, really?" he mumbled softly, pretending not to know.
"Yeah, just check it yourself," Rizky insisted.
The three of them headed to Rizky's room. Rayan grabbed the door handle and gave it a try.
Click. Click.
"Oh yeah, it's stuck," Rayan said, keeping a serious expression.
"Well… it happens sometimes," he added casually.
"And how do you usually open it?" Rizky asked, growing frustrated.
Rayan nodded toward the window. "Normally, we climb through the window next door and unlock it from the inside."
"Are you serious?" Rizky stared at the upstairs window in disbelief.
"Yeah, look. There's a ladder. That's what it's for," Rayan said, dragging the ladder outside.
OutsideNabila'sRoom
Rayan placed the ladder right in front of Nabila's window.
"Alright, climb up. Just open the window and get in," Rayan said nonchalantly, as if this mission was no big deal.
Rizky hesitated, gripping the ladder tightly.
"Eh, but I think I saw Nabila upstairs just now," he muttered, looking at the window with a cautious expression.
Rayan patted his shoulder casually.
"She's not there. I saw her leave with Kak Ros," he reassured, holding the ladder steady.
Still half-doubtful, Rizky finally lifted his foot onto the ladder, preparing to climb.
But then…
A sudden noise came from inside the room.
"Eh? What was that sound?" Rizky paused, his foot still on the first step.
Rayan glanced up briefly before shrugging.
"Oh, that's just the water pump," he replied casually.
Rizky remained skeptical.
"Are you sure? It sounds more like a hairdryer," he asked, now more cautious.
Rayan chuckled.
"You ask too many questions. That's how water pumps sound in Malaysia, a bit different from Indonesia," he lied, still trying to convince Rizky.
"Then I'll call out to her first," Rizky insisted.
"Fine, go ahead if you don't believe me," Rayan responded, now slightly annoyed.
Rizky took a deep breath.
"Oi, Nabila?" he called out loud.
InsideNabila'sBathroom
Nabila had just finished drying her hair with a hairdryer.
Rizky's voice calling her from outside was drowned out by the noise, so she didn't hear a thing.
Turning off the hairdryer, she let out a light sigh, then looked at her reflection in the mirror. She adjusted her hijab, making sure every fold was in perfect place.
The bathroom in the villa was spacious and modern, divided into separate sections—wudu area, shower, and toilet—neatly arranged in an elegant minimalist style.
After ensuring her appearance was ready, Nabila stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards her bedroom.
OutsidetheRoom
"See? No one's there. I told you. Just go up," Rayan urged while slightly shaking the ladder.
Still not fully convinced, Rizky finally started climbing.
Step by step, he carefully ascended.
"Tek… tek… tek…"
Each step made a small creaking sound, but he kept going.
As he approached the window, the sound of the hairdryer suddenly stopped.
"Eh, why is it so quiet now?" he thought, his heartbeat quickening.
His grip on the ladder tightened. There was noise before, but now, silence.
Inside Nabila'sRoom
Nabila had just stepped out of the bathroom, still fixing her hijab. But then…
Her eyes darted to the window!
A hand was pulling the curtain aside and slowly reaching for the window handle. Her heart almost jumped out of her chest!
"Ya Allah! What is that?!" she panicked internally.
Without a second thought, she grabbed a nearby bottle of mineral water.
In just seconds, the window was fully pushed open—and Rizky's face appeared behind it!
Without giving him a chance to explain…
PLAK!
"PERVERT! PERVERT! PERVEEEEERT!!"
The mineral water bottle landed hard on Rizky's face.
"Eh, I was just—" Rizky barely got the words out before the second hit came.
PLAK!
"Nabila! Stop! Ouchhh!" Rizky panicked, raising his arms to shield his face.
But Nabila didn't care. She continued her relentless attack.
The ladder started shaking!
"Rayan! Hold this! It's shaking—"
Too late.
"AAAAAAAHHH!!"
BRUKK!
Rizky crashed to the ground, falling along with the ladder. The loud thud startled some birds in the nearby trees, making them fly away in a panic.
"Ugh! Ow, ow, that hurts!" Rizky groaned, wincing while holding his back and legs.
Nabila, still standing by the window, was initially shocked. But after confirming that Rizky wasn't seriously injured, her worried expression quickly turned to annoyance.
Without hesitation, she poured the remaining water from the bottle onto Rizky's head.
"Serves you right! PERVERT!" she snapped before slamming the window shut.
Meanwhile, Rizky lay on the ground, completely defeated.
"Ya Allah, this is so painful… Why is my fate like this…"
AtthePavilion
From a distance, Rayan and Zikri, who had been secretly watching, burst into laughter.
"I didn't expect it to be this hilarious!" Zikri gasped, almost falling off his chair from laughing too hard.
However, their fun didn't last long because Kak Ros had just arrived at the villa's courtyard after buying medicine from the pharmacy.
"Eh, what's going on here?" Kak Ros asked suspiciously, noticing Rizky sprawled on the ground.
Rayan and Zikri immediately pretended to be serious, rushing to Rizky. "Eh, what happened to you, Rizky?" Rayan asked, acting as if he had just noticed.
Rizky, still in pain, could only glare at them. "I regret listening to you, Rayan!"
Rayan tried to suppress his laughter but forgot that Kak Ros was watching with sharp eyes.
"Ohhh, so you're the mastermind behind this!" Kak Ros immediately grabbed Rayan and Zikri's ears.
"You sent me out to buy medicine, and this is what you were plotting?" she scolded, growing more annoyed.
"Oh, so when you said you had a fever, you meant this kind of heat, huh? Now let's make your ears even hotter!" Kak Ros snapped, realizing she had been tricked.
"Ouch! Ouch! Sorry, Kak Ros!" Rayan grimaced in pain, while Zikri could only accept his fate.
"No mercy! Now, take this ladder inside!" Kak Ros ordered, handing the ladder to Rayan.
Rayan could only nod, still wincing as he carried the ladder away.