Chapter 7
Medan, middle of January 2013
Melisa Rayadi went home from the campus at two this afternoon. This afternoon she was seen gaining back her spirit. Yesterday evening on their way home, Erick Vildy had poured out all his discomfort, nerves, disappointment, and anger about what had been done by Stella Kuangdinata to him and his two siblings. For one year, they had been deceived. What even worse was that 3E absolutely did not know that they had been dating the same and similar girl.
It was the first time for Erick Vildy to feel that his first love had turned him the most stupid person in the world. He who was usually cautious, full of calculations, and careful in observing everything surround him, could this time fall into a deceiver girl's trap. However, Melisa Rayadi said that had been over. What had happened had to be taken as a lesson so that in the future the same disappointment and betrayal would not occur anymore.
And this afternoon… Melisa Rayadi instantly came to Eternal Solidarity studio when she went home from her campus. Full of spirit, she opened the gate and the front door of the studio. Fancying 3E would focus again on improving the studio for their next international tournament target, Melisa was much enthusiastic today. She came very early to the studio and planned to prepare all the stuff and appliances for the members tonight.
The front door was opened. Melisa Rayadi stepped in. Insofar as it was still afternoon and the sunshine broke into the building, Melisa did not have to switch on the lights. She passed the hall on the first floor, which was usually used by the members for their practice. She went up the stairs to the second floor. On the second floor, all the musical instruments, drums, lions, and dragons were kept. She merely had to push all those things to the stuff elevator, send them down, and take them out again on the first floor.
With her light steps, finally Melisa Rayadi arrived on the second floor. On the second floor, there were two miscellaneous offices, equipped with computers, cabinets, and the other office equipment. Three E, Mr. Faiz, and sometimes Mrs. Florencia used these two miscellaneous offices for their company's affairs, and sometimes for Eternal Solidarity's affairs. After those two miscellaneous offices, there were no more rooms – there was a hall, as wide as the hall on the first floor. At the end of the second floor's hall, there was a quite high stage, and a big television hung on the wall above it, and there was also a set of sound-system equipment beside. Sometimes, Mr. Faiz and Mrs. Florencia held their offices-gathering, their regular social gathering, and even the quintessential meetings with other lion and dragon teams from other towns or other countries in this second floor's hall. Melisa Rayadi sighed her long breath. It was indeed nice becoming wealthy people. They could obtain what they wished and wanted. They did not have to think much. It was very different with her family which was merely categorized into the family with the moderate economy and social status.
Melisa Rayadi walked to the corner of the hall. There stacked all the lion and dragon dances appliances. She started by putting down the lion and the dragon first. The lion and the dragon would be lifted to a pushing device with wheels under it. Thus, it would be easier to be pushed in and out the stuff elevator. However, it was really and really unfortunate for Melisa Rayadi that afternoon! She was not cautious enough in moving the stack of the lions and the dragons. The poles of the dragon kept falling down on the floor, creating such deafening noise. Nevertheless, the next thing she saw behind the stack of the lions and the dragons really made her screaming stuck in the middle of her throat.
Stella Kuangdinata's body was seen leaning against the wall, among the drums and the boxes which were full of lion and dragon musical instruments. Melisa Rayadi instantly staggered back several steps while quickly covering her mouth with her right hand.
Several minutes passed by. Melisa Rayadi tried to control herself again. Slowly, she approached Stella Kuangdinata's body again. Stella's two eyes were seen goggling emptily, as though she had been killed out of the blue and before she recovered from her shock, her life had been taken away.
Melisa Rayadi gathered her courage to pay attention to the corpse condition more accurately. It was obvious she started to be sweating and her heart was pumping very quickly. Yet, she herself was very curious why Stella Kuangdinata's life could end inside the Eternal Solidarity building, whereas the front gate and the front door were locked from the outside and of course Stella Kuangdinata did not have the keys. Three E did not have the keys either, so it was impossible Stella Kuangdinata could get the keys from three or one of them. The ones who had the keys were merely Melisa herself and Sabrina Marcelina. It was also impossible Stella Kuangdinata asked the keys from Sabrina Marcelina whom she absolutely did not know. If that was the case, how could Stella Kuangdinata get into the studio building and finally she was killed here?
Melisa Rayadi was more and more confused. She decided to phone Mr. Faiz, or Mrs. Florencia, or Erick Vildy. Let them decide how to settle this problem.
Yet, before Melisa Rayadi took out her cell phone, again her eyes were directed to a scar on Stella Kuangdinata's chest. It was a black circle. The part of her clothes around the scar seemed to be completely scorched. Melisa Rayadi was like struck by high-voltage electricity.
The scar…! The scar…! It's just the same with the sign on the backyard tree of 3E's house, when they were practicing and improving their power…! Oh, Buddha… May that be not true… May that be merely a coincidence…
***
Singapore, 9th April 2018
Monday was usually boring… Yet, for Erdie Vio, that day was packed with shooting schedules. The cameraman was seen adjusting a set of his devices. Some make-up artists were also seen making up Erdie Vio before he began his next shooting. There were some editors being ready on the spot, so once the shooting was over, the videos could be sent directly to their laptops and then they could be edited by adding some CGI effects based on the director's appetite.
Erdie Vio was seen fanning himself several times. The weather on Singapore sky was understandably hot in April and in that morning, they were having their shooting outdoor, at the peak of a high building in Singapore. The director was also seen explaining some crucial aspects to Erdie Vio.
"So, in this last scene, the main male protagonist, Nicholas, will save the main female protagonist, Merlyn, who falls down from the peak of this high building together with the main antagonist, Paulo. So, Merlyn will be standing on that high stage, and will fall down to the pillows below it. Once when this Merlyn has fallen down, you must jump following her as well. Understand, don't you?"
"Okay, Mr. Julian…" said Erdie Vio nodding his head steadily. Erdie Vio paid attention to the distance between the high stage with the pillows below it. It was indeed not as high as the building itself with the fifteen floors, but that distance was rather high as well – approximately two floors. So, he had to jump from the high stage to the pillows below, approximately two-floor height.
Erdie Vio sighed his long breath for a while. Sabrina Marcelina approached him, giving him a canned drink and also sat in front of him.
"Ready to jump and save your heroine?" said Sabrina Marcelina indicating the main actress getting ready with the safety strap and the other security devices.
"Of course I'm ready…" said Erdie Vio glancing to the main actress. "She seems to be tense enough for this last scene."
"Of course… She's an ordinary human, not like you – not like you with your queer and mysterious supernatural power which can't be explained rationally," whispered Sabrina Marcelina.
Erdie Vio burst into his crispy laughter. Shortly afterwards, the security crew had installed the safety strap and the hooks around Erdie Vio's whole body. Erdie Vio was merely standing still and letting the crew do their duty. After all the safety devices were put on, Erdie Vio winked his eye once to Sabrina Marcelina.
C'mon! Keep up the good spirit, Dear…! Sabrina Marcelina gave a kind of gesture to her prince who would begin his shooting shortly afterwards.
Erdie Vio was standing on his position. The main actress and the main antagonist player were also seen being ready on their own positions. All the crew were also ready on their own positions.
"Okay…" the director's instruction was heard. "All are ready on your own positions, are you?"
"Okay…" answered all the crew in one voice.
"One… two… three… Action!!" shouted the director and the scene-taking began.
"Let her go, Paulo! You won't get anything by doing this. All your crime has been figured out and the police have besought this building! Give up! Thus, perhaps your penalty can be much lighter!" shouted Nicholas to Paulo.
"Help me, Nicholas! Help me…!" shouted Merlyn at the top of her voice.
"I've been doing the best of mine for my life. In the end of all of this, I deserve being safe, don't I? I deserve safety, don't I?" said Paulo still insisting on his principle. "I can't beat you, can't be better than you, and in the end of all of this, I'm still a loser! But, at least Merlyn will go with me… Yeah… She'll go with me… She'll go to hell with me. If I can't be with her, any man in the world can't either. Keep that noted!"
"No…! Nicholas! Please help me…! Help…!" Merlyn was screaming again while swinging her hand to the front.
Nicholas stepped forward several steps. Paulo and Merlyn stepped back several steps.
"Don't get near me!" shouted Paulo. "Don't force me to do my latest option, Nicholas! If you get nearer again, I'll jump!"
Paulo staggered back again. He did not see that there was nothing more behind him. He stepped on nothing and hence he fell down freely below. Merlyn also fell down below.
"No! Nicholas! Help!" Merlyn's screaming was very loud and deafening.
"Merlyn! Merlyn!" Nicholas also shouted loudly and he also jumped down below.
The safety strap was tightened. Erdie Vio and the main actress were hanged in the middle. Meanwhile, the actor playing Paulo's strap was loosened a bit longer until he was put down slowly to the pillows below him.
"Cut!" shouted the director. "Okay, All… All is over… That's the last scene taking. The closing scene taking was done yesterday evening, so all is over. Thanks very much for your hard work these times. Thanks… Thanks very much…"
The director shook Erdie Vio's, the main actress' and the main antagonist player's hand. Each of them was given a big bouquet of flowers, and also a garland around the neck. Meanwhile, the lighting crew, the make-up artists, the cameraman and the director himself shook hands one another, saying thank you one another because the series of long shooting schedules was finally over.
All the straps and their hooks were released from Erdie Vio's body. He approached his princess with his broad charming smile.
"Are you finished?" asked Sabrina Marcelina. "Can we go for breakfast? It's been nine o'clock… The belly has turned to full from hungry because of the cold."
"Okay… Okay… Going breakfast is just going breakfast. Don't be upset, Dear…" said Erdie Vio holding his princess' hand. They said goodbye to the director and the crew and later went downstairs.
Arriving downstairs, Erdie Vio's manager had been waiting. He was chatting with the journalists and the fans who had been waiting downstairs. Seeing the main actor had come, all left the manager and gathered around the main actor.
"Erdie Vio… Are the shooting processes over?"
"Erdie Vio… After this, will you have the shooting of the next drama or launch the new album?"
"Erdie Vio… How about your relationship with this beautiful Sabrina Marcelina?"
There were so many questions from the journalists. Signing various merchandises with his pictures on them, forwarded by his fans, Erdie Vio began to be overwhelmed answering all those questions.
"The shooting is indeed over. After this, whether to do the shooting of the next film or to launch a new album, or to merely perform lion and dragon dances, all is still being not decided yet. Fatigue… Wanting to rest first for one month or two months ahead, Friends," said Erdie Vio with his snapping smile.
"Erdie Vio…" again asked a journalist. "I heard that in Indonesia, you used to perform in trio with your two other brothers, didn't you? Three of you used to be called 3E, didn't you? Where are your two other brothers? Will they join you in the next film and launch your new album together in Singapore?"
Sabrina Marcelina was amazed by this journalist's fluent and eloquent questions. Sabrina Marcelina kept nodding her head. Being a journalist, he had to be asked to write and speak fluently and eloquently.
Erdie Vio and his sweetheart looked at each other. Sabrina Marcelina could solely snap her smile.
Erdie Vio smiled enthusiastically again, "Mmm… No… No… They're really busy overseas with their own living and careers."
"Does that mean 3E have broken up? Is still there any possibility 3E will be back with their next amazing and marvelous performance? Will 3E be more focused to entertainment or solely lion and dragon dances later on?" asked the same journalist again.
Erdie Vio solely smiled this time. He started to feel overwhelmed answering the questions from this rather critical journalist. He gave a kind of gesture to his sweetheart to replace him answering all those questions.
"Still unpredictable, Friends," said Sabrina Marcelina also with her friendly smile. "Obviously, what will happen in the future is still unpredictable. All plans can't be arranged yet. If in the future, there will be 3E's reunion, we assure you their next work as well as performance will be more amazing and spectacular, either in the entertainment or in the lion and dragon dances. Just wait and see, Friends… Erdie Vio has also been very tired… Excuse me… Excuse me…" said Sabrina Marcelina.
The journalists and the fans were dismissed. Eventually Erdie Vio and Sabrina Marcelina could wipe away their perspirations and sigh in relief.
"Brother Erdie Vio…" called a young teen girl from nowhere. "Brother Erdie Vio…"
Erdie Vio turned round and round and he was a little bit startled seeing a young teen girl run to him bringing a pictorial book with his pictures inside.
"I like to see Brother Erdie Vio's performance playing the dragon pearl, also like to watch Brother Erdie Vio's performance in Love Crisis drama. Could I have your signature on this pictorial book, Brother Erdie Vio?" asked the young teen girl who was approximately twelve or thirteen years old.
"Sorry for bothering…" said the mother accompanying her daughter. "Catherine would like to ask for Brother Erdie Vio's signature, so I think it's a good chance to meet Brother Erdie Vio here."
"No problem, Madame…" said Erdie Vio while turning the pictorial book from page to page, "Your Indonesian is very fluent, Madame. May I know where you come from?"
"From Jakarta… Catherine, my youngest daughter is indeed one of the dragon dance background music players in Jakarta. I often ask her to watch the national dragon championships held in Jakarta. Since she watched the dragon tournament in 2011, she started to adore 3E. At that time, she was still six years old," said the mother feeling a bit sheepish.
On the early pages, like usual, there were Erdie Vio's poses in solo playing the dragon pearl, playing dramas, and his poses in various atmospheres and places. In the latest pages, he really got no idea from where this young teen girl had got 3E's photos of the past. Erdie Vio recalled that 3E were indeed ever invited to fill up the opening show of a national dragon championship once again in Jakarta in July 2012. At that moment, promoting 3E as their guest stars in their opening show, the committee offered to make 3E's pictorial book, from which the photos would be shown on the big screen of the auditorium during the championship. Evidently, the pictorial book was welcome positively by the audience. The committee and three of them gained extra income from the sales of the pictorial book. Now, six years had passed by, and Erdie Vio saw again himself and his two siblings six years ago in photos.
"When will 3E have their reunion, Brother Erdie Vio? Frankly… All of us, 3E's fans in Jakarta, have been questioning long and impatiently, what the next work and performance of 3E are," said the young teen girl innocently.
Erdie Vio got silent instantly. There was a fan girl coming from the same country with him… And the young teen girl also asked the same question. When will 3E have their reunion? Oh, Buddha… If only I knew the answer to the question and I could answer you, Catherine… But, that's impossible… It's impossible for me to tell why 3E can have their solo careers and focus in their own living ways. This isn't about a girl band breaking up after they aren't involved in the entertainment world. This isn't about a boy band breaking up after they've been successful in their own living ways and solo careers, either. This has been connected to the fading kinship as well as brotherhood, also about the loss of friendship… All of those can't be explained easily.
Erdie Vio signed the pictorial book and returned it to the young teen girl.
"Right now, Brothers Erick Vildy and Erwie Vincent are busy in their own living ways and solo careers overseas. Both of them are very busy, and so am I… So, I can't promise you when 3E will have their reunion with their next work and performance. Yet, I still hope you can wish the best for three of us. Just wish that 3E will have their reunion quickly… Will you…?"
The young teen girl nodded her head steadily, with her innocent and enthusiastic smile. The mother and her daughter said goodbye. The young teen girl seemed to be very delightful inasmuch as she had obtained her idol's signature.
"Okay… Still thinking about the past?" Sabrina Marcelina's question faded away Erdie Vio's daydreaming and returned him to the real world. Shortly afterwards, Erdie Vio had shown again his charming enthusiastic smile.
"Returning to the office, Die… After the breakfast, you return to the office first. There are two schedules of lion and dragon dances which you must attend the day after tomorrow and next Friday. Still remember, don't you?" asked Mr. Qenny Winston Lee, the manager, while ogling his eyes in front of Erdie Vio.
"Okay… Okay, Mr. Qenny Winston Lee…" said Erdie Vio while dabbing the manager's chin, who was a little bit feminine.
Mr. Qenny Winston Lee instantly brushed off Erdie Vio's hand with his cold but adorable facial expression, "Don't touch it whenever you like, will you? The money I spend for my face is quite expensive you know, approximately 500 dollars per each time of therapy…"
Mr. Qenny Winston Lee turned to the front door. With the shaking of his hips, he phoned his driver while walking to the front door. When he arrived at the front door, his driver stopped in front of him at the exact moment. He just got on his car.
"It's been ten right now, Die…" said Sabrina Marcelina holding her prince's hand instantly and both of them went off that place.
"Yeah… Yeah… I know… I've been hungry as well," muttered Erdie Vio.
Not long after that, Erdie Vio's motorcycle had been seen leaving off the parking lot of the high building.
***
The time had shown two o'clock in the afternoon. Sabrina Marcelina went to the yoga for a while. So, Erdie Vio returned to the office on his own. Because he did not have to pick up Sabrina Marcelina anymore and the weather in Singapore was very hot, he went back to his apartment for a while to change his motorcycle to his car. He arrived at the office at two o'clock in the afternoon. Going to the fifth floor with an elevator, he directly went to the manager's office. From several steps before the door of the office, he heard his manager's loud and high voice. The manager was heard scolding somebody.
"What's the matter?" asked Erdie Vio sticking his neck into the office from the space of the door.
"This is the problem!" said Mr. Qenny Winston Lee pointing to a young lad in his early twenties, sitting weakly with his head bowing down in front of him.
"What's going on with him?" mumbled Erdie Vio sitting on a sofa at the corner of Mr. Qenny Winston's office.
"His name's James Huang… A collector officer in our agent, working in our agent since 2016, and is known defrauding 40 thousand dollars paid by our clients!" said Mr. Qenny Winston with no more mercy. "The people in the accounting division have checked all his corruption evidence and with all the balance sheets submitted by the accounting division, he can't dodge anymore! So, you think, Die… Do we have to take him to the police station or call the police to come here?"
James Huang's both eyes got bigger and bigger. He seemed to be sweating and uncomfortable.
"We just fire him… Why should he be taken to the police? He didn't kill anybody, did he?" said Erdie Vio nonchalantly.
"He didn't corrupt the money paid by our clients once or twice, Die! He had been corrupting it for many times in the past one recent year! This can turn into a serious civil case if the company urges the money back from him and his family! Is that right?" said Mr. Qenny Winston staring sharply at the young lad in front of him.
Erdie Vio approached James Huang at the moment, "Why did you do it? Having not enough money, you can propose to borrow some money from the company."
"Answer it! You're not dumb, are you!" a slap was landed by Mr. Qenny Winston on James Huang's cheek.
Eventually, James Huang collected his courage to raise up his head and showed his eyes which had already been stagnated with tears.
"My dad and mom want to search for a ready-to-live apartment, belonging to us," said James Huang finally, although he was still a bit afraid and did not dare to look at his two conversation partners' eyes.
"So, where have you been living these times?" asked Erdie Vio.
"In a rented apartment. The fee is getting higher and higher from year to year. My parents only sell noodles at the market. I've promised to help them to earn a lot of money buying our own apartment," said James Huang eventually.
One more slap from Mr. Qenny Winston was landed again to James Huang's face.
"Yeah, that's human…" uttered Erdie Vio with his snapping smile. "Suppose you proposed a loan from the company, perhaps right now you'd be living in a new apartment, and the next three years if you were still working here, you didn't have to pay for the rest of your credit inasmuch as the company would pay it for you."
James Huang's eyes got bigger. A bit of regret was seen there.
"Perhaps you're here for solely two years, so you know less about this company policy. For the loyal employees, with their satisfactory working achievements, who have been working for more than five years, should they need a loan, it can be proposed to the company. Any terms and condition will be decided by the directors," said Erdie Vio calmly.
Now, Mr. Qenny Winston was staring at Erdie Vio straightly. He was trying to guess what Erdie Vio would probably do if this James Huang begged for his second chance.
"So… So… So it seems that I'm not given the second chance anymore, doesn't it?" asked James Huang who was indeed the man with no shame.
Mr. Qenny Winston was quite right. Now, he wanted to know what Erdie Vio's reply would be when he faced a kind of person like this.
Erdie Vio smiled broadly at this moment, "You're still young, so you're still lack of experiences. You have to remember, James Huang… Sometimes, the opportunity solely comes once, not twice."
Hearing that, James Huang could merely snap his lips.
"You're lucky insofar as Mr. Qenny Winston's mood is quite good today. Otherwise, you'll lose more than 40 thousand dollars today, James Huang. So, what are you waiting for? Before dealing with the police, I think you'd better get out of here."
"Thanks, Brother Erdie Vio… Thanks, Mr. Qenny Winston. Thanks for not confronting this problem further with me," James Huang was heard stuttering.
James Huang raised up his body from the chair and quickly dashed out.
"Why did you let him go like that?" Mr. Qenny Winston patted Erdie Vio's shoulder lightly. "It's so nice of him for after having corrupted the company's 40 thousand dollars, he can still be roaming freely outside there!"
In fact, Mr. Qenny Winston agreed less with Erdie Vio's finishing step. However, because Erdie Vio was also one of the most influencing celebrities who had gained a lot of income for the company for the past three recent years, he still had to follow Erdie Vio's finishing step.
Erdie Vio smiled broadly again, "I know for this company, losing 40 thousand dollars isn't affecting at all and that can't shake this company's stability. Yet, if you urged that James Huang to return the 40 thousand dollars, that would mean a matter of life and death for him. Alright then… Walking back a step is our preparation to go forward ten steps."
"So, what should I report about the company's 40 thousand dollars which is missing?" asked Mr. Qenny Winston with his skeptical smile to Erdie Vio.
"Report it based on the truth. Just say that we've fired him and don't want to prolong this matter again with all the demands and the procedures in the police station, moreover in the court. Just say that the money will be replaced by the success of the Love Crisis drama which is on the show at this moment. Can it work…?"
Mr. Qenny Winston snapped his lips.
"I don't want to be blamed during the board of directors' meeting, okay…?" said Mr. Qenny Winston starting to turn on his computer and write his reports.