Today's lecture was a combined class that included both Kaivan and Refan. I arrived early, scouting for a strategic seat—not for the sake of learning, but to be on the safe side in case I found myself dozing off or not paying attention to the material.
Last night’s events had preoccupied my mind. My parents had a fight. This morning, the domestic workers were silent, which led me to believe that all was well. However, I still harbored doubts, suspecting that something was being kept from me.
"Hey, unusual to see you here so early," greeted Nana, having just plopped down in the seat beside me. "How are things with you and Kaivan?" she inquired, capturing my attention.
"What do you mean by 'things'?"
"Oh, you know, man-and-woman stuff. Lovey-dovey," chuckled Nana, amusing herself with her own teasing.
"There's nothing like that. Kaivan and I aren't involved in that way."
"Not or not yet?"
I simply shrugged off Nana’s probing questions about Kaivan. I didn't want to boast and declare anything extreme regarding my relationship with him, fearful of a future that might somehow involve Kaivan. After all, who can truly predict what lies ahead?
"But you two would make a good match, and I see that he really cares about you."
With a soft sigh, I scanned over the other students entering the classroom, including Mail who promptly crouched in front of me.
"Yura, thanks for your help last night. I finally got some good sleep, after struggling the past few days. You really are the best friend a guy could have. Can I give you a hug?"
"No way, you wish," I retorted, making Mail laugh.
I made sure that among the students in the room, there was no sign of Kaivan. He usually made a point of arriving early, but not today, and I was quite sure he was skipping class since the professor entered shortly after Refan did, along with his two sidekicks trailing behind him.
My relationship with Refan was truly sour, especially after I had delivered a message from Anya, his late ex-girlfriend, and frankly, I couldn’t care less. In fact, I felt relieved to have no ties with that man.
"The handsome one didn't show up today, did he Ra?" whispered Nana.
"Who are you talking about?"
"Kaivan Ra, Kaivan. Who else's good looks are you waiting for, unless you think Mail's handsomeness is over the top?"
Today's schedule was quite busy. After the combined class, Mail, Nana, and I slipped off to the cafeteria before our next session. During the final course of the day, my concentration wavered due to an uneasy feeling that was difficult to articulate. It wasn't the unease of a supernatural presence, but a discomfort that was hard to explain. A sudden tightness gripped my chest as thoughts of home crept in.
Once the professor concluded the session, I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got to my feet to pack up my bag.
"Where to?" asked Nana.
"Home, I think I’m not feeling well," I told her, prompting concerns from Nana and Mail to get home safely.
On my way home, my cell phone rang, displaying my home number. The traffic was dense, so I decided not to answer.
"I’ll call back later, I’m almost home anyway," I mumbled.
The gridlock extended my journey. Approaching my neighborhood, my phone rang again; this time it was my father. I pulled over to take the call.
"Hello, Dad."
"Where are you?" asked my father.
I went silent, not because of his question, but due to another voice besides his. I heard sobbing and wondered where my father was. "Yura," he said again, bringing me back from my thoughts.
"I'm close by."
"Okay, Dad will wait."
"Dad," I said nervously. "Did you and Mom fight again?" I surmised from the crying it must be my mom.
A heavy sigh came from my father, and then the call ended. I stared at my phone screen, verifying that my father had hung up without saying goodbye or anything else.
"Why, Dad? Just making me upset," I muttered, then continued driving. As I made the turn into my street, the neighborhood guard stopped my car.
"Ah, Miss Yura. Please, go ahead, and be patient," he said. I gave a small smile in response to his words, aware of my worried state.
As I drew closer to my house, I noticed it was unusually bustling. Neighbors were gathering, and I parked slightly away from the gate, suspecting what I saw.
A yellow flag. Mr. Soleh, who normally took care of the garden and pool, was hanging a yellow flag on my fence. To my knowledge, a yellow flag traditionally signals a death in the household. I wondered who was gone.
Stepping out of the car slowly, I approached, and someone noticed my arrival.
"Yura," they called out.
"What's happening?" I asked, now standing in the wide-open gateway. Inside the home, more bustle was evident, with people looking busy.
"Miss Yura," called out Bik Ela, embracing me.
"What's wrong, Bik? Who has passed?"
"You must be strong, Miss Yura," Bik Ela advised after she released me.
"Strong for what? This can’t be a prank, can it?"
Next to me stood not only Bik Ela but two neighbor ladies, who patted my shoulder and ushered me in. My saddened father nodded gently as he listened to someone's guidance.
Seeing me, he came closer.
"What's going on, Dad? Where’s Mom, and who was crying on the phone when you called me earlier?"
"Yura," Dad began, then paused briefly. "Mom... she's no longer with us."
"What do you mean?"
Bik Ela stroked my back.
"It must be because of last night. Dad, you fought with Mom, I’m going after her," I said, then moved to go inside.
"Yura," my father called.
I stopped in my tracks upon seeing the empty living room. Bizarrely absent were familiar objects and more shocking, a figure laid out on the carpet covered with a cloth. I assumed it was a corpse, but whose?
I stepped closer, spotting my mother's full name on a paper near the body.
"Who is this?" I asked. Those reciting holy verses halted and looked my way. All eyes in the room turned to me.
"Be calm, Yura, Mom has left us. She’s gone," my father stated from behind me.
"No, this is wrong. Mom’s in her room, you're all mistaken."
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