We, From The First
#53. Nico Disappear

Banu Island, May 2011

Bimantara placed Aira's bloodied body in one of the hospital beds in the IGD room while frantically shouting at all the officers there, "QUICKLY SAVE THIS CHILD!"

A moment later, a doctor followed by two nurses ran over and took action on Aira. At that time, Bimantara could only hope that the child's life could at least be saved.

Even because he was too worried about Aira, Bimantara to not realize that his head was also injured and bleed due to the impact in the accident that he had caused.

Not long after, the sound of the ambulance that came could be heard roaring in Bimantara's ears. Some of the officers at the IGD were running outside to pick up their patients. The situation in the IGD at that time was really gripping. Two of the victims who had just arrived were not saved. They died on the spot. They were both Aira's parents.

Bimantara who had just been silent lamenting his actions while staring with anger in both hands, immediately raised his face when he saw two policemen who were talking to a doctor. Something from inside him suddenly moved Bimantara's body until he unconsciously walked up to the two policemen, and confessed all his actions.

"I hit their car. I've intentionally killed them."

...****...

Both of Rakha's hands trembled violently as he had just finished digging for information regarding the Bimantara Danadyaksa, who was none other than the real Papa of Nico, someone who had also caused an accident that eventually killed both of Aira's parents at once.

Rakha felt her whole body goosebumps. Unimaginable burden of injury that must be borne by Aira when later he finally knew the secret that had been hidden by both parents Nico from him very neatly. Rakha wasn't even so sure, was Nico really not involved in the secret hidden by her parents? If Nico is shown to be involved and behaves as if he knows nothing all along, Rakha vows never to forgive Nico.

Rakha took a deep breath while clutching both of her hands to stop the tremors. After feeling quite calm, Rakha took her phone, looking for Aira's name on her contact list before finally calling Aira. I don't know, Rakha suddenly felt like hearing Aira's voice.

"Yes, Kha. What's up, huh? Tumben called malem-malem." Said Aira from across there. As usual, his voice always sounded cheerful.

"Emmm, it's okay, Ra. I thought you were asleep."

"If you think so, then why call? There must be something you want to talk about, right, Kha?"

Rakha this time was silent, he was confused how to answer Aira's question. Rakha forgot, that Aira was like that to the people around her.

"I just want to hear your voice. I'm closing, aren't I?"

"Who? Aye? Rakha wait!"

Rakha immediately abandoned her intentions when she heard Aira's serious voice telling her not to hang up.

"Yes, Ra?"

"You're all right, aren't you, Kha?"

Hearing the question that Aira was rolling, Rakha immediately threw her gaze in the other direction. That one question from Aira, turned into a knife that sliced through his heart mercilessly.

In this situation, Rakha tried hard to restrain herself from asking about Aira's current condition. But Aira just easily asked Rakha's condition. For whatever sake, this girl was very innocent, making Rakha want to protect her from all the things that might bring back her old wounds. Rakha wants to protect her, so that the pain of the past no longer haunts her.

"I'm fine, Ra. Now, you're sleeping, huh? Already malem. I don't want to be silent about Nico because the same phone call his girlfriend malem-malem, hehehe..." Rakha chuckled softly at the end of her sentence, but that all did not necessarily close the shakes on her tone.

Gradually, Rakha felt her two eyes begin to heat up then foggy. Her tears were already held perfectly in the pelupuk.

And without waiting for an answer from Aira any longer, Rakha immediately disconnected her phone. A moment later, Rakha was pounding her chest which felt full and crowded.

...****...

Nico looked at his parents in turn. When his gaze fell on his Mama's face, Nico suddenly thought back to his plan to ask them about Bimantara Danadyaksa. Nico was afraid, if he again dragged the name 'the man', the wounds and bitterness that had been tried to be buried by his mother would re-expose to the surface.

Nico certainly can not close his eyes, how all this time his mother struggled to forget all the suffering she had been through. Now, Mama's been living in comfort, happiness always accompanies her every step, then, why would Nico have to ruin all that?

If you want to find out, Nico will do it himself. He won't involve his parents, especially his mother.

"If you really like Nana, you should not try to find out anything about that person. Bury all your curiosity, and don't ask what, why, and how."

One of his Mama's past words came back in Nico's head. It used to be possible that Nico didn't understand it, but now, Nico already understood the reason behind Mama's words back then. That understanding, too, led Nico to the brink of its destruction.

He was the son of a murderer who had already wiped out the lives of both parents of the girl he loved so much, the girl who had all this time calmed down every fear and pain concerning 'that man'.

"If you really like Nana, you have to completely erase all your past. You're quite Nico. Understood?"

Now Nico started to feel his chest tight. Even to sigh, he had to try hard enough.

"Because you can only like Nana if you are Nico. Just by being Nico, you can be with Nana."

Other memories further aggravated Nico's situation at the time. He held his chest, trying to breathe. However, the thing he did was actually make his chest even more painful. Every breath he took was never as painful as it was for Nico.

"Nico, what's wrong with you, son? You're all right, aren't you?"

One question from Mama, finally managed to pull Nico out of all her confusion. At the same time, Nico managed to sigh violently.

"I'm okay, Ma. Then I go back to the room first." Nico said after finding his composure.

Regina and Adryan looked at him full of astonishment

"Nico, are you sure you're okay?" This time it was his father who asked when he saw Nico who was walking a bit staggering. His eyes even seemed empty.

"Nico is fine. Just a little tired today." Nico answered while looking at Papa and Mama, trying to look okay in front of them.

Once in his room, Nico opens his laptop, and tries to find out as much about Bimantara Danadyaksa as possible. He then read some articles about the accident experienced by both Aira's parents. After finding all the information and connecting it to everything that he had been through all this time, Nico was finally completely thrown at the brink of its destruction.

The fact that he lived a comfortable life all along, while Aira had to live in agony after the death of her parents further tormented Nico. His despair grew even more when he had no clue at all, why both of Aira's parents had to be killed by Papa Kandungnya himself.

"If that day the car we were riding in wasn't just hit, my parents would still be alive. Even my sister, who is still in the womb, had to give up her life before she was born. What's wrong, Nic? I had to lose them all overnight. Right here, Nic. It hurts so much."

Nico hit him on the head with his own hand. That night, in the embrace of the darkness of the night, Nico curled up in the corner of his room. Crying and screaming in stifling silence.

...****...

For three days Nico could not be contacted at all. Nico never even appeared on campus. When Aira returned home, there she only met with Ms. Ningsih and Mr. Salim. Nico's parents are attending a conference in Singapore.

Ms. Ningsih and Mr. Salim said they had no idea where Nico had gone for the past three days. But clearly, Nico left a message to Ms. Ningsih and Mr. Salim, just in case Aira came looking for her, Nico wanted them to tell Aira that Nico was fine and Aira did not have to worry about it. Nico also asked not to tell his parents about his disappearance.

Nico promised to return home before his parents returned from Singapore.

But of course Aira couldn't take it. Instead of feeling fine after getting a message from Nico, Aira worried about him even more. During these three days as well, Aira was unable to eat and sleep well.

When I got to know Nico, it was the first time Nico had behaved like this. Nico is like getting out of his line by doing an act that is not his habit.

"Nico still no news, Ra?" Asked Yumi anxiously.

At that time, Yumi, Sheryl and Bia accidentally come to Aira's apartment to accompany her. They knew the unease that had plagued Aira for these three days. Let alone Aira, Yumi, Sheryl, and Bia also feel awkward with Nico's actions now. Nico seemed to be transformed into a figure that they had never known all this time. Rio and Natta are the same. They really don't have any clue about Nico's whereabouts right now.

Within three days, Nico suddenly became a stranger.

"Yet." Answer Aira briefly. He then drowned his face on both knees and cried.

Aira doesn't care what Nico does now, Aira just wants to see his face. Aira just wanted to hear her voice. Aira really misses Nico.

"For a while, we can only trust Nico. I know, what I'm saying right now probably won't calm you down, Ra. But, I personally believe completely the same Nico. I believe Nico is doing well and will be back soon." Sheryl.

Aira desperately wants to have the same trust as Sheryl. But his anxiety was too strong for him to defeat.

Not long after Yumi and the others came home, Aira was suddenly startled when someone rang the bell of her apartment. Aira who did not think long thought that it was Nico. Aira ran, but as soon as she opened the door, she was disappointed.

The one who came was not Nico, but Rakha.

"Yumi, Sheryl is Bia home yet?" Rakha asked as she glanced inside.

Yumi insists on staying behind to accompany Aira. But Aira tells Yumi that for now she wants to be alone first. With a somewhat unwilling feeling, Yumi finally left Aira alone.

Instead of answering Rakha's question, Aira slowly felt her body slump to the floor, she came back crying. But this time he cried loudly, spilling all his sorrow for these three days which made his chest as if squeezed.

"I miss Nico, I want to see Nico's face just once.... Hiks hyks..."

Seeing Aira crying like that, Rakha suddenly dead-end. He sat down in front of Aira and patted her on the shoulder several times to calm her down.

"Ra, Nico will be back in a minute. Patience, huh?"

Feeling unable to hear Aira's cry, Rakha pulled the girl's body into her arms, hoping that in that way, Aira felt better.

What was done by Aira and Rakha did not escape the attention of some people who passed in front of the unit that Aira lived in. But even so, Rakha chose not to care. He just wanted to calm Aira down.

'Sorry, Ra. Sorry I can't say anything to you right now.' Lirih Rakha in heart with regret.

His memory retreated to three days ago, when Nico suddenly sent him a message and asked to meet.

...****...

Three Days Ago...

That was a piece of text message that Rakha received shortly after she ended her phone call with Aira.

Rakha sighed for a while before finally getting up and going to meet Nico.

For no more than thirty minutes, Rakha and Nico were already sitting side by side in a mini cinema staring blankly at the big screen in front of those who were screening a movie.

"Gue actually wanted to leave secretly. But I thought, I should tell this to elo—" Nico gave a pause of a few seconds before resuming, "gue will go to Banu Island for a few days. Titip Aira, huh?"

"Will you... find 'PAPA' lo?" Rakha asked without distracting her from the big screen before her. Rakha even placed a very strong emphasis on the word 'Papa', as if affirming something that only the two of them knew.

Nico who was surprised to hear Rakha's question, still tried to calm down even though his entire body was trembling.

"Kha?"

"Gue's sorry, but I already know the truth. I accidentally heard a conversation between my Papa and Mama Lo this afternoon."

"Why am I with Mama Lo?" This time Nico could not hide his surprise.

Since when did Papa Rakha and his mother know each other?

"Four years ago, I found a picture of my Papa as someone. I don't know who that person is, but somehow his face is not unfamiliar to me. Not long after, I finally realized that you guys have similar faces. But only that. I didn't dig any deeper because I thought it was common. Until finally four years later, precisely this afternoon, I found a very surprising fact, about 'PAPA' lo and. the death of both parents Aira. Just like you, I was also surprised to find out that Mama lo and Papa I knew each other."

"Rakha I—"

"Gue doesn't care about your past, Nic, or anything about 'Papa' lo, I just hope Aira won't get too hurt later." Sela Rakha did not give Nico a chance to speak. "For now, I'll put you as my best friend, and Aira as the girlfriend of my best friend. So please, solve all these problems without hurting Aira any deeper. Find a way to solve this problem without having to kill Aira's happiness."

Nico speechless. But his little heart knew that he could not make any promises to Rakha now.

"Once he's hurt because of you, I'm sure I'll never let him make you. You can hold my word, Nic."

Rakha had just thrown his ultimatum while Nico was in a helpless state.

^^^To be Continued...^^^