The wall clock showed 8 PM. The sound of crickets and the rustling of leaves could be faintly heard from outside the house. Aliff and Razak, who had just finished their homework, heard a strange noise coming from their mother's room.
"What is Mom doing?" Aliff asked Razak.
"Who knows? Let's take a look."
The two brothers peeked through the slightly open door. Inside, they could see their mother busy packing various clothes and items into a large brown suitcase.
"What are you doing, Mom?" Aliff bravely asked as he opened the door fully.
Their mother turned, pausing her activity for a moment. "We're moving to your sister's house tomorrow morning."
"Huh?!"
"What?!" Razak exclaimed, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Moving? Why all of a sudden? And... a sister?" He looked at his mother in disbelief. "You never told us we had a sister!"
Their mother took a deep breath, sitting on the edge of the bed and patting the empty space beside her, signaling for her children to come closer.
"Hmm, didn't I tell you? Actually, you've met them, but Aliff is the only one who hasn't met them yet. Maybe you don't remember because you were still a baby," she began to explain. "Now I'll tell you, you actually have three sisters."
"Three?!" Aliff and Razak exclaimed in unison, their eyes wide in disbelief.
"Yes, two of them are married and have children, and one of them is still in school," their mother explained while continuing to fold clothes. "They have been living in another city since you were both very little."
"But why didn't you ever tell us?" Razak asked, still struggling to accept this reality. "So all this time, we had sisters we didn't know about?"
Their mother smiled softly. "I have six children—three girls and three boys. You two are the youngest."
"Three boys?" Aliff pouted. "Aren't there only two, Mom?"
For a moment, silence enveloped the room. Their mother appeared hesitant before continuing, "Tomorrow we will move to your eldest sister's house. Her name is..."
"Wait, Mom!" Razak interrupted. "You haven't answered Aliff's question. Who is the other boy you mentioned?"
"Later... I will tell you everything later. For now, can you help me pack our things? We need to leave early in the morning."
Aliff and Razak exchanged glances.
*Why do we suddenly have to move? And who is my sister? Mom said Razak has met them, but I'm the only one who hasn't... Hmm...*
"By the way, is Dad coming with us?" Aliff asked.
"Unfortunately, no. Dad has to work here, so he can't come with us, dear."
"Oh..."
That night, the two brothers helped their mother pack in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
***
On the train, Aliff stared out the window, feeling guilty for not informing his friends that he was moving.
Aliff, Razak, and their mother sat on the train after their father dropped them off. He went back immediately.
"Is Dad really not coming with us, Mom?" Razak asked.
"No, Dad has to work here," their mother gently replied.
Their journey took several hours. After getting off the train, they also had to take a bus. After hours of traveling, they passed various landscapes—from urban to rural. Aliff, who usually talked a lot, stayed silent this time, his eyes fixed on the bus window.
"Hey," Aliff whispered to Razak, who sat next to him. "What do you think our sisters are like?"
Razak shrugged. "I don't know. I'm curious too. It's strange that we never knew about them all this time." Mom said I had met them, but I don't remember anything.
The sun had set by the time they finally arrived in Klang City. The city lights twinkled.
"Alright, kids," their mother said, opening the map on her phone. "Your sister said she lives in this flat." She pointed to a row of flats standing tall in front of them.
The flats stood side by side—Flat A, Flat B, Flat D, and so on—each five stories high. They decided to enter Flat A, where their sister lived.
(For this novel, I will make the flats slightly different from the original, and there will be many places in Klang that do not exist in the real world.)
As they walked up the stairs to the fifth floor, Aliff began to show signs of fatigue. His legs trembled after walking a long distance from the bus stop to the flat.
"I think this is her room," their mother whispered, stopping in front of the door numbered 45.
"Mom... Aliff is tired..." Aliff complained, his small body collapsing on the floor in front of the door. His usually cheerful face now looked pale from exhaustion.
Razak, though also tired, still managed to stand upright.
Their mother knocked on the door with her right hand. There was a brief silence before footsteps were heard from inside the room.
The door slowly opened, revealing a beautiful 18-year-old woman. Her long black hair was neatly styled, and her calm eyes reminded Aliff of their mother's eyes.
*They look alike, thought Aliff and Razak...*
"Hi Siti, it's been a long time..." their mother whispered.
"So she's our sister?" Aliff and Razak looked at their older sister.
*She is very beautiful. Was Mom also this beautiful when she was young?...*
Siti immediately hugged their mother tightly. Tears flowed down her cheeks. "It's been so long, Mom."
"Yes, it has," their mother replied.
"What?!"
Siti's gaze shifted to the two boys still standing at the door. Her eyes widened, shocked to see Aliff slumped from exhaustion.
"Oh no, come in!" she urged in a panic. "You must be very tired after such a long journey."
Razak helped Aliff to his feet, and both followed their mother into the spacious and cozy room. Inside, they were greeted by a sight that left them in awe.
Two other women, slightly younger than Siti, were sitting on the sofa, looking in their direction.
"Alright, you two, these are your sisters.
"This is Aminah and Sarah, and this is Siti."
Aliff and Razak remained silent, trying to process the situation. Suddenly, their family, which had originally consisted of just three people, had suddenly expanded so much.
The family reunion was suddenly interrupted when one of the room doors opened.
(A brief explanation: This flat has three bedrooms and one bathroom inside.)
From behind the door emerged a tall 19-year-old man. His black hair was messy, and there was a faint scar on his left cheek. His sharp eyes...
*He resembles Dad, thought Aliff.*
"What?! Mom is here?!" he exclaimed in surprise. "When did you arrive?"
"Just now, Zain," their mother replied calmly.
Aliff and Razak were mesmerized, gazing at their brother. Zain, a name they had never heard before, was now standing in front of them.
The flat they were staying in was indeed unusual. With three separate bedrooms, a spacious living room, and a fully equipped kitchen, it resembled a luxurious apartment rather than an ordinary flat.
"So..." Zain approached, his eyes examining his younger brothers. "This is Razak, and... are you Aliff?"
"You've grown, haven't you, Razak?" Zain smiled, his smile reminding them of their father.
"Have we met before?" Razak asked.
"Yes, we met, but at that time, you were still a baby, so you probably don't remember."
"Hmm...
"Mom!!! It's been so long," Sarah, the youngest girl, hugged their mother.
"You're still like a little kid, Sarah," Aminah said.
"Shut up, don't interfere," Sarah replied.
Aminah was Sarah's older sister, 18 years old, just like Siti, but Aminah was born five minutes later, which is why Siti was considered the older sister, not Aminah.
"You're still as spoiled as ever, huh?"
"What can I say? Sarah has been like this since she was born, hehe."
"Have you eaten, Mom?" Siti asked.
"Not yet," their mother replied.
"Then I'll start cooking. You can put your things in my room and Zain's room."
(Siti and Zain sometimes stay in this flat; this is actually Sarah's residence. When their mother comes, they will give their mother their room, besides, both Siti and Zain rarely come to the flat since they have their own homes.)
"Sarah, help Mom."
"Ugh... I know," Sarah replied lazily.