Chapter: The Encounter in the Campus
Rendy and Ardian shook hands with the village chief, snd the local cleric, accompanied by the families of the four young men who had once been in peril. The four young men, who had initially been in a dire state, were now slowly recovering. Dr. Herlambang remained behind, ensuring that the necessary medical treatments were fully administered, unwilling to leave any loose ends untied.
Ardian and Rendy bid their farewells to village chief's family, feeling the satisfaction of a job well done. The case in Desa Lingkar Pinus was officially concluded. The village was safe again, the spirits at peace, and the Ghost Detective Agency had completed another successful investigation.
As they walked toward their motorbike, Rendy couldn't help but let out a gleeful laugh, clearly pleased with their outcome. "Praise the Lord! Ten million, bro! A windfall! You know, good fortune always finds a way to us!"
Ardian, who was behind Rendy on the motorbike, chuckled. "You sure that price wasn't too steep? Ten million is a lot, don't you think?"
"Not at all, man! I originally asked for four million, but village chief insisted on giving ten million. I wasn't about to turn down that kind of money. I mean, who turns down a fortune, right? That would be just asking for karma to bite back!"
"Ah, so you just accepted with a big smile, huh?"
"Of course, bro! Come on, you'd be a fool not to take it. You know we need the money to keep the agency running smoothly. The more we have, the better, right?" Rendy's grin was wide as he revved the motorbike.
"I agree," Ardian responded, his voice light. "I'm just glad it worked out for everyone. We got paid, the villagers are happy, and we get to keep doing what we do best."
Rendy slapped the handlebar enthusiastically. "Exactly! We're unstoppable! Let's head back to the city and enjoy our newfound wealth!"
The two sped off, their laughter echoing into the air, a carefree moment amid the chaos of their line of work.
A few weeks later, the sun shone brightly over the campus of Dirtakarta Mulya University, where Ardian, Rendy, and Putriani were students. It was early in the morning, and Ardian had just finished his breakfast. He was sitting by himself, savoring a cup of coffee before lighting a cigarette. As he exhaled the smoke, a familiar voice called out to him from behind.
"Hey, is it you, Ardian?"
Ardian turned around, startled, but quickly recognized the voice. It was a woman's voice, but who? He squinted for a moment, trying to recall where he had heard it before. The sight of the girl made him pause. She was unfamiliar yet strangely familiar. His first thought was how she seemed far too attractive to be calling his name so casually.
"Huh? Who is this? I'm sure I'm still single... yet here's this beautiful girl calling my name at this early hour."
"Hey, It's me, Imah. Mr. Santosa's daughter. The one you helped a few weeks ago. How could you forget me?"
Imah stood before him, smiling sweetly, her tone light and friendly.
"Imah?" Ardian repeated, his eyes widening with recognition. "Oh! You're Mr. Santosa's daughter?!"
"Yes, that's right," she answered, still smiling warmly. "I never thought I'd run into you again, especially here. Isn't it a surprising coincidence?"
Ardian couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head. "What a small world! I didn't expect to find you at my campus. Seems like fate's working in mysterious ways, huh?"
Imah's smile brightened. "It's quite a surprise. Do you mind if I join you for breakfast?"
"Sure, sit down, Miss Imah" Ardian offered, gesturing to the seat across from him.
"Thank you. By the way, don't call me 'Miss,' just 'Imah' is fine," she added as she sat down.
"Alright, Imah," Ardian replied with a smile, tucking his cigarette pack away.
"So, how's your dad and mom doing?" Ardian asked after a moment of comfortable silence. "I'm sorry I haven't had the chance to visit since we wrapped up the case."
"They're doing well, thank you. My dad and mom are both adjusting to the changes, as you can imagine," Imah answered. She seemed thoughtful for a moment before continuing, "I mean, after everything that happened... I'm sure you know what I mean."
"Yeah, about Kinanti, right?" Ardian's voice grew slightly more serious.
Imah nodded. "It's hard to believe. I never thought I'd be living with someone... like her."
"Did she cause any trouble?" Ardian asked, his expression lightening a bit as he leaned back in his chair. "If she's been a problem, just let me know. I can strangle her till she beg for mercy."
Imah giggled softly at his words. "No, she hasn't caused any problems. She helps out at the house, washes the dishes when my mom's tired, makes food when she can... She even keeps watch at night. I guess you could say she's been helping us a lot."
Ardian raised an eyebrow, a playful smile forming on his lips. "Wait a minute, is she your family's live-in maid? She's been doing all that?"
Imah burst out laughing. "I guess you could say that! She's more like an invisible caretaker. But, honestly, she's been a great help."
Ardian's smirk widened as he leaned in closer. "Doesn't it seem a little odd? I mean, she's doing all these chores. Seems like a pretty sweet deal for your dad to have a mythical maid who also works as a night guard."
Imah couldn't help but laugh harder at his teasing. "You make it sound so weird! But yeah, it is a little odd, isn't it?"
After a moment, Ardian's tone grew more serious. "But seriously, Imah... Are you scared of her?"
Imah paused, considering the question carefully. "Sometimes, yes. But then I remind myself that she's not doing this to harm us. She's just... trying to be helpful, in her own way."
Ardian nodded, his gaze thoughtful. "You know, fear is often something we create in our minds. It's not the spirits themselves that frighten us. It's the fear we have of the unknown. We can either embrace it or let it control us."
Imah's eyes widened slightly, and she looked at Ardian with newfound admiration. "Wow, that's... that's really wise. I never thought of it that way. You really have a way of looking at things differently."
Ardian gave a small chuckle. "Just a little life lesson from me to you. But don't take it too seriously. I'm no philosopher, just a simple detective."
For a brief moment, Imah stared at him, her expression softened by admiration. She then looked down, her cheeks slightly flushed. "You know, you're not just a simple detective... You're... kind of amazing."
Ardian blinked in surprise, a slight smile forming as he leaned back in his chair. "What's with the sudden compliments, Imah? Are you trying to flatter me?"
Imah quickly looked away, her face turning bright red. "N-no, I didn't mean it like that. It's just... you're really different from anyone I've ever met."
Before Ardian could respond, the cantina worker, Ms. Munatih, appeared with Imah's food. "Here you go, Imah. Your food is ready!"
"Thank you, Ms. Munatih," Imah said politely.
As Munatih set the food on the table, she noticed the two sitting together and raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Oh, what do we have here? Imah sitting with a young man? Is he your boyfriend?"
Imah's eyes widened, and she quickly protested. "No! No, he's not my boyfriend!"
Ardian chuckled, shaking his head at the playful teasing. "You're always getting into people's business, huh?"
"Just curious. I've never seen Imah sitting with a guy like this before," Bu Munatih teased, winking as she walked away.
Imah buried her face in her hands, clearly embarrassed. "I swear, Miss. Munatih is impossible sometimes."
Ardian couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. "Don't worry, Imah. It's just harmless teasing. Happens to the best of us."
After a few more moments of playful banter, Ardian stood up. "Well, I've got to get to class. You take care of yourself, alright?"
Imah nodded, still flustered. "I will. Thanks for chatting with me."
Ardian gave her a reassuring smile. "Anytime. We'll talk again soon."
As he walked out of the cantina, his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden coldness that swept over him. His hairs stood on end, and a shiver ran down his spine. Something was wrong. He quickly turned to his left and froze. A tall, emaciated figure stood before him, cloaked in darkness, its eyes glowing red with malice. Its long, twisted tongue hung from its mouth, dripping with saliva. The smell of decay filled the air, nauseating and sharp.
The figure's voice was raspy, each word like a warning from the depths of hell itself. "Stay away from the girl... or die!"
Ardian, unfazed, blinked at the figure, his voice calm and casual as ever. "Great. My cigarette's almost done."
Without missing a beat, he walked right through the apparition, his body passing through it like it wasn't even there. He barely flinched as the dark figure began to dissolve into a cloud of black dust, slowly vanishing into the air.
The corridor was quiet again, but the feeling of unease remained. Ardian sighed, flicking the end of his cigarette and stepping into the mini-market that lay ahead.
Whatever was waiting for Imah... He'd make sure he was ready.