It has been a week since Daud Bachtiar returned to his parents' house in Indonesia. He spent 26 years of his life in Canada with his grandparents. Now, the two old parents are dead, forcing Daud to return to the house where his parents are and where he came from. However, Daud's return was like silence in the middle of a pitch black night. The man never came out of his private room, did not show the bridge of his nose at all to the house crew. There but not.
He refuses to meet anyone.
Anna Bachtiar, Daud's mother, tried to reach the man but there was never an answer. The ivory white door was never opened for Anna which made her feel worried to see Daud who had locked himself in. He did not know that the child had moody tendencies. Anna wondered, apart from the name and age of the child, what else she knew about Daud. She winced at the thought.
The house was filled by several people, the host and also the household assistants. However, the only person who had direct interaction with Daud was only Mr. Han, the head waiter, who was in charge of delivering food for Daud in the morning or evening. Even then, Mr. Han never saw Daud's face in its entirety, only the man's hand came out when he welcomed the food that was delivered by Mr. Han.
Skyla Bachtiar, Daud's older sister, came home that afternoon to find her mother sitting on the sofa with a sour face. He couldn't help but rebuke her, "What's wrong, Ma?" Skyla asked her mother.
Anna smiled a little at Skyla then patted the sofa right next to her, asking Skyla to join her. "Have you tried to persuade Daud to leave the room, Sky?"
"Daud?" Skyla was surprised when she heard her youngest brother's name being called, "Daud is at home? How come I don't know?". The condition of the house is as quiet as usual even though there are many people in it, but that does not mean the house is alive. Only Anna and Greg, Anna's husband, and the housekeeper occupied the house. The other four children live in their respective houses or apartments. Meanwhile, their fifth child, Daud, had just come to join and live in the Bachtiar family's villa.
"Daud has been at home for a week, but he never leaves his room. Mom.. worried." Confessed Anna in a trembling voice, sad to think of her youngest child. She thought that Greg had told the other children that Daud had returned to Indonesia, but seeing Skyla's reaction earlier, it seemed that Anna was expecting too much from the workaholic Greg.
However, Anna's sadness was the opposite of Skyla's reaction, who smiled sarcastically, "Why do you feel worry, Mom?" Skyla asked in a slightly mocking tone, "Didn't Mama forget about Daud years ago?"
Anna's face grew even more cloudy when she heard Skyla's reaction. Anna was reminded of her great sin against Daud and it made her feel even greater remorse. Skyla had wanted to sympathize with her mother's anxiety, but when she heard the name Daud was the cause, Skyla immediately changed her mind. Anna's sadness is nothing compared to all that Daud has been through.
Skyla understands, really understands. As the child of Anna and Greg, he understands very well that his parents have never once been good, warm and spend time with their children. All they pursue and obsess over is wealth, work and the throne. Daud was exiled, how sad he was.
The three-headed young doctor went upstairs leaving Anna feeling bitter in her heart. He stood at Daud's door and knocked several times, telling him that someone was outside the room. After five minutes of waiting, the door still didn't open. But Skyla could hear movement from inside the room, so she screamed from outside. "Welcome home, Daud. Long time no see."
He did not expect much from Daud. They only have blood ties, not emotional ties. So, there was no reason for Daud to open the door and return the greeting. Skyla understands and doesn't want to force Daud. Daud's confinement was a little worrisome, but while the man was still breathing in there, Skyla didn't want to get too involved. They're not that familiar.
He just remembered the reason Daud returned to Indonesia. Grandpa and Grandma are gone. When both were still alive, they ordered Daud to return to Indonesia if they both left the world. Daud must return to his extended family and live where he belongs. Ah, thinking about that, Skyla once again felt bad for Daud. Surely the youngest brother was sad because his grandfather and grandmother who had been his dependents had passed away. If all this time the other siblings had mother and father to depend on, even though their relationship was not close, Daud only had grandparents. It feels like hearing Daud calling 'Mama and Papa' for his parents, Skyla can't remember when it happened.
After greeting Daud, Skyla immediately informed the other three siblings that the youngest was in Indonesia now. Well, again, even though they weren't that familiar with Daud, they could have a warm conversation or greet each other casually, but David is their biological brother too.
Skyla went back to her parents' house just to get some of her medical books that were in her previous room, but now she's curious about how Greg reacts to Daud who shuts himself away. He wanted to see the expressions on his parents' faces. Skyla feels like she's going crazy because she's happy to see her sad mother, does Greg feel the same? After all this time making Daud to Canada with loneliness.
Anna was still on the couch they had been sitting on when Skyla came down from upstairs, she only glanced at her mother with disgust. Now that the children are busy with their own lives, the mother has just stopped working. Skyla and her other siblings are mature enough and now they don't need the love they've wanted since childhood anymore, because now there are partners who are ready to give it.
Skyla called the butler and gave him a message to report all of Daud's progress until next week. If nothing changes, then Skyla will have to step in. The act of isolating without interacting with outsider is terrible, it can trigger depression and other things that are not desirable.
The next morning, Isacc Bactiar, Daud's third brother, returned home. He had come so early in the morning. After contacting Mr.Han and asking about Daud's condition, he finally returned to his parents' house this morning specifically to welcome Daud back to Indonesia. Hearing the news from Skyla that his young brother returned to Indonesia surprised him, even though he had already bought a ticket to Canada to visit his little brother. After his grandparents died, Daud must have been lonely there. However, he was confused. Turns out the little one had gone home earlier.
For Isaac, Daud's exile by his mother and father was all his fault. If only, young Isacc was not sickly, then his mother and father who rarely have time to take care of the family would not have the heart to send Daud to Canada with his grandmother and grandfather.
Isaac has a twin brother named Jared. Isaac was born twenty minutes after Jared was born into the world. The factor of these twins is also one of the reasons why Isaac tends to have a weak immune system. Right after four months they were both in the world, his mother got pregnant again and it was a pregnancy for Daud. Of course out of plan. Once Isaac heard that his mother wanted to abort Daud. It was cruel and terrible.
Jared, Isaac and Daud put his parents in a very difficult position at that time. Even though they really rely on the baby sitter and housemaid to take care of all their children, Anna and Greg are still overwhelmed by the presence of little Daud plus the fact that Isaac is often sick. For that reason, Daud, who was two years old at the time, was sent to Canada to be raised by his grandparents.
Since then, they rarely see each other. After Daud's departure to Canada, Isaac only saw his brother again when he was 12 years old. It was the new year's holiday, and Daud returned to Indonesia with his grandparents. His younger brother personality was quiet like their first brother, Adam. His physique is more similar to Jared's, pale white skin with jet black hair, thin stature with a tall body taller than the average Asian man, thin pink lips with a mongoloid glazed eye pattern.
The last time they met was a year ago during his grandmother's 70th birthday celebration, at that time Isaac had activities in the northern hemisphere. Daud hasn't changed much. He still has white skin and his typical Asian face, a tall thin body but he is getting more handsome and mature. Isacc actually a little jealous of Daud, compared to himself who is Jared's twin, Daud is more like Jared. Isacc inherited a darker skin tone and also curly hair like his mother.
Mr. Han brought a tray of breakfast for Daud while Isaac brought a mini cake for his brother, making a small surprise to welcome Daud. He doesn't know if his efforts to reach Daud will succeed, he just doesn't like it if Daud locks himself in his room all the time. That's worrying.
"Young Master Daud, good morning!" said Mr. Han while knocking on the door of Daud's room, "I brought you breakfast, Sir." added Mr. Han in a soft and coaxing voice.
Isaac waited restlessly outside Daud's room. What if Daud also refused to meet him.
The white door knob slowly moved, a hand extended out from inside the room, the body of the owner of the hand was hiding behind the door. Isacc took a step forward in front of Mr. Han and greeted the man, "Daud, this is Isaac!"
The white hand without a single feather slowly descended from the air, then a head peeked out from inside the room, revealing a face that had not been seen by outsiders. His sad eyes scanned Isaac flatly but the uneasy glint could not hide in his eyeballs which made Isaac's chest constrict. And the first thing Isaac saw were black eye bags that contrasted with Daud's handsome white face, pale pink lips and disheveled hair. It's bad. The last Daud he saw was fresh, handsome and also neat.
Isacc pursed his lips and took a deep breath, his heart breaking.
Daud is no longer a child who doesn't know how to take care of himself, but seeing the appearance of the man like now, Isaac can guess how messed up Isaac's mood is right now. The grown man failed to take care of himself.
"Hi! May I come in?"
[***]