"What? Why? Is this real? Am I...?"
I was shocked and immediately looked in the mirror after waking up from sleep. When I saw my face in this mirror, I felt something strange about me. My face... my face had returned to the youth. It had when I was 17. Not only that, but my body has also changed.
*Slapping sound.
I slapped my cheeks to make sure this wasn't a dream. But it hurts, and my right cheek turns red. So, I think this is not a dream.
"Really? I... I'm young again?"
One thing was sure, what the man said was true. He had proven that the pills he gave me really worked. I become young again. I have proved him to be his tempting rabbit. I'm back, young again. It's just that I'm a little hungry right now.
I came out of the bathroom, walked over to the kitchen, opened the fridge, looked at what was in there, took some ready-to-eat food that could be heated in the oven, adjusted the oven and put it there, made coffee with hot water to be heated, and stopped when looking at the wall clock in the living room.
"Has Anton taken care of all that? I hope he can do it without any trouble."
Soon it would be September, and September 1st was the day schools opened after summer vacation. I have a plan that I discussed with Anton yesterday. If I can't investigate my niece's death from the outside, I have to investigate from the inside. It is like water flowing in a hose. As long as I kept looking at the hose from the outside, I couldn't see any water inside the hose. As long as I can't find the end of the hose, I will never get the water I'm looking forward to. Indeed, I can see the water flowing in the hose in various ways, but I still choose that way. I chose to be water, mingling with the others, so I could get to the end of the hose. That way, I can go out and find freedom there.
Blending in is one way for me to find out why Jamila died. There were many options for me so I could blend in with them—to be a teacher, security guard, or bouncer—but I prefer to be like this. This is by chance; coincidentally, the man came and allowed me to be young again. Also, he knows what I don't. He knew about the school, Tjee Academy. It's all just a coincidence that happened to me. Well, it's just a coincidence.
After warming my breakfast and making coffee, I went to the dining table. I ate my breakfast and remembered the fond memories of being with Jamila at this dinner table.
I remember the moments I spent with her. At that time, she was 8.
"Uncle..." Jamila called me, lifted her spoon a little, and thrust it towards me.
"What?"
"I'm very curious about why you let me call you uncle. Many of my friends think you are my father. They always envy me because I have a handsome man like you, Uncle."
"Isn't that what you want? I can't be like your father. I'm not your father. I'm your uncle. I can't replace your father's role in your life. You have his blood and genes. So, still think of me as your uncle, not your father. You have to ignore your friends who talk about you and me. They're jealous, that's all. It'll fade away as they grow into adults. They'll realize they're luckier than you."
"You are, as always, Uncle. You can always be the uncle I always need. I am very lucky to have an uncle like you. Even if I didn't have my parents, I would still be the luckiest person because I have you always by my side."
I still remember when she said that. She almost cried. She said she was lucky, but deep down, she missed her father very much and wanted her parents to be by her side. The longing for her father was always in her heart when she saw other children having parents.
After finishing my breakfast and remembering the moment, I washed the dishes and returned to the dining table for a quick smoke.
"By the way, is my body okay if I smoke? Is this my body when I was 17? Will it be okay?"
In the end, I still smoked and didn't mind my body.
***
August 31, 2016.
"How?"
"Woah, you surprised me. Are you real, Raka White? You look so young."
My friend, Anton, was surprised when I visited his house. He was surprised in front of the entrance of his house. His face looked like he wanted to jump out of his wheelchair when he saw me.
"But are you okay? You don't have a disease, do you? Are you okay?"
He asked because he was worried about my condition. He and I didn't know yet whether the pill had any side effects, but from the rumors—which he was looking for using his skills; he hacked into that company—he assumed the pills had dangerous side effects, one that could put my life in danger.
"I'm fine. You don't need to worry! Take it easy! So how's it going? You've done that, haven't you? Tomorrow is Monday, and the school will be open. I have to hurry," I said.
"Come in!"
He told me to go into his house, and I did.
We walked to his room to get the school uniform, then went to his basement to work out the plans.
When we just arrived at his basement, he was very busy with his computer, so I decided to wait while trying on this school uniform.
I looked at the mirror that was not far from me. When I got there, I looked in the mirror and saw myself wearing this school uniform.
"I'm just like a high school kid."
This school uniform consists of a white shirt covered with a black blazer, gray trousers, a red tie combined with black, and the Tjee Academy logo on the right chest of the blazer.
"You are very lucky to be a teenager again. Are you going to flirt with the high school girls over there?"
He turned towards me after saying that.
"Of course not. I'm sticking to my goal, seeking the truth. My goal is only for Jamila."
"I see. You really care about her."
He approached me. After getting behind me, he patted my back several times.
"Tomorrow, I will accompany you as your father. From now on, think of me as your father, Dylan," He said.
"Dylan? Who is it?" I was surprised to hear that and turned towards him. "Wait! You will be my father?"
"Of course. You wouldn't be suspected if you had a father like me, would you?" He smiled slightly, looking like he was hiding something.
"Wait, wait, wait! Then Dylan... Who is Dylan?"
"It was you. You told me to keep you anonymous. Why are you surprised like this? Your name is Dylan Evans right now. You have to remember it, so you don't get caught. Your cover will end if you get caught, Dylan."
"Wait! That means..."
"Well, you have my name. You have my last name, Evans."
"Aren't you married yet? Didn't you choose to be single? How to handle it? What if someone recognized you?"
"That's easy. I can pretend I have a wife from abroad. She has left her son and me."
"I am a child my mother abandoned, and you have taken care of me all this time?"
"Yeah, like that. You are very smart and understand what I'm saying. You are lucky to have a father like me, willing to take care of you. I could have thrown you away, but I chose to care for myself and raise you in my condition like this. I am very good, right?"
"...Ahh..." I took a deep breath, slapped my forehead, and looked at him a few times.
I'm trying to understand this situation.
"Aiisshh... You are my father? I can't believe it."
He smiled when I accidentally said that.
"That's cool, right?"
***
Monday, September 1, 2016, in the Tjee Academy teacher's room.
"Ah, I am Anton Evans, and this is my son."
Anton nudged my shoulder.
"Oh... I'm Raka-"
He nudged me again for the second time.
"He is Dylan Evans, my only child I have. I have taken care of him since he was a baby."
After Anton said that, the woman looked at him. Her gaze went to Anton. She had been staring at Anton for less than 5 seconds. Then she leaned her chin on her hand on the table.
"Is that so? It must be very hard for you, Mr. Anton. You have been raising your son alone in your condition. I am sorry that your wife left you. You are a real man."
I can see the sad expression shown by the woman. She put on a sad face because she saw Anton's condition.
The woman is a teacher. She has brown hair, long and wavy. Her face is quite pretty for a teacher. She wore glasses to cover those beautiful eyes. Her skin is cared for and clean, looking to have a soft and smooth texture.
We are in this room because Anton wants to enroll me in Tjee Academy.
"By the way…" She suddenly turned serious quickly and leaned back against the chair. "Why are you just sending your son to school right now? Haven't you felt sorry for your son all this time?"
"Ah... I told him to go to school, but he chose to be home-schooled. I put him in home school because of his choice to study at home. He doesn't want to leave me because he sees my condition like this. He is a good boy; know the condition experienced by his father."
"Oh, your son is so noble. He cares so much about his father's condition. That's great. Your son is so devoted to you. I very rarely find a teenager like that these days."
The woman was very concerned about Anton's condition, who had to walk in a wheelchair, but Anton continued to lie and take advantage of his condition. This was a play on his part, taking advantage of his condition to make the woman concerned for him, so he allowed me to attend this school.
"I like that. You can go to school here, Dylan Evans. You are a great example for today's youth."
"Is my presence here just as an example for them?" I ask.
"No, actually..."
Anton nudged me again with his elbow when the woman wanted to say something.
"Thank you, Miss Layla."
"You're welcome, Mr. Anton."
The woman named Layla stood up and invited Anton to shake hands. They shook hands, and I could only stay silent and watch them.
"From now on, I will take care of your son in this school. Please leave it to me! I will educate him as I educate my other students."
She put on a proud face. Her face seemed to show she was reliable in this school.
Meanwhile, Anton glanced at me with a sinister smile. He looked like he was saying, "I'll leave it to her. Keep your head up so that my name is good. If you do something bad, don't think of me as your father anymore!"
With that, I have officially become a student at Tjee Academy.