After a short while, Nadia returned to where Isa and Aisyah were. The three of them did some walking around the Kuta Beach area to feel the atmosphere of the island.
Aisyah had anticipated many tourists, including those wearing revealing clothes, which made her a bit uncomfortable due to the different culture. Aisyah also had a unique genetic trait; even though she was born in Indonesia, she had blue eyes, which caught the attention of some people.
"People are staring at you, Aisyah, thinking you're a foreigner too," Nadia said that to Aisyah. "Oh, Nadia, you're making me shy." Aisyah felt a little embarrassed.
In Bali, local residents often perceive tourists from abroad, commonly referred to as "bule" there, as having a higher social status than themselves. Sometimes, some locals even approach foreign tourists for random photos, expressing pride in doing so. This phenomenon reflects the views of some people towards foreign visitors and may also be evident in the attitudes of some local tourists towards foreigners.
After the stroll, they were ready to return to their car. Unfortunately, the road conditions worsened, and the traffic got worse, making them arrive late at 11:50. Once in their car, they hurriedly got in and continued their journey.
"Okay, guys, we might get there around 1:00, we'll make a stop for lunch and prayer," Nadia informed them both.
They head towards their destination, the area called Unggasan, to visit a beach named Melasti Beach. "As far as I know, Melasti Beach, under certain conditions, can have two beachfronts. So, at the first beachfront, it's covered with shallow seawater, and at the second beachfront, there's open sea. To reach the second beachfront from the first one, we need to use a rowboat. Even though it's shallow, there are many sea urchins in the waters in front of the first beachfront, so it's dangerous to walk manually," Nadia provides information about Melasti Beach to Aisyah and Isa.
At 12:20, they finally arrived at the restaurant. Nadia then said, "By the way, I chose a place that is definitely halal, but after we order, we'll perform our prayers, Isa." Bali has a majority of non-Muslim residents, so for Muslims, they need to be a bit more cautious in choosing restaurants.
However, this situation is common in areas of Indonesia where the majority is non-Muslim. In other places, like Java, it's the opposite; almost all restaurants are halal, and it's challenging to find non-halal ones. (Note: Halal means food that is permissible according to Islamic law, and it includes avoiding pork and alcohol.)
Isa then replied, "Yeah, sure." Both of them entered their prayer area and expedited the process a bit to minimize Isa's wait time. When they finished and returned to their table, it turned out that their ordered food had not arrived yet. "Is sate lilit really that good until you recommend it?" Isa remembered that they all ordered the same menu, sate lilit.
"Yes, Isa, I recommend it based on experience," Nadia assured Isa. When the food finally arrived, they enjoyed their meal. Isa eventually admitted that sate lilit was indeed delicious. Done with their food, the clock showed 12:37, and they were ready to continue their journey.
Nadia's prediction proved correct, and they arrived at 12:50. Pantai Melasti is a beach that requires traversing a high hill to reach. The elevated terrain offered a beautiful view as they entered the beach area, allowing them to clearly see the surrounding landscapes. When they finished descending the hill, they hurriedly searched for a parking spot for their car. The sky was scorching at that moment, making the air hot.
The three of them continued their journey towards the first beach, but Isa needed to use the restroom first, so he would catch up with them later. It's worth noting that there were numerous groups from various organizations, whether governmental, educational, private, etc., also vacationing in Bali.
Once Isa finished his business, he quickly headed to reunite with Aisyah and Nadia. Along the way, he unintentionally witnessed something unpleasant. "Do you dare mess with me, jerk! Don't be cheeky next time!" someone yelled in a threatening tone. Isa realized he was witnessing a bullying incident involving a school student.
The bully slammed the victim against the bus wall and pressed on his throat. Though Isa wanted to intervene, activating his powers in normal circumstances would disrupt the balance of the simulation. Isa was well aware and directly witnessed many things crueler than mere bullying, perceiving them as somewhat normal.
The victim looked towards Isa, as if seeking help. With a cold gaze, Isa merely averted his eyes and walked away, showing complete indifference to what he had witnessed. Ironically, the victim and Isa were wearing almost identical clothing.
Isa's actions may seem cold and ruthless, but in the context of this simulated world, it's a fitting response. Some individuals, before entering the simulation, don't dictate their own destinies. Imagine if the bully and the victim had already set their destinies before entering the simulation. While it may sound strange for someone to choose to be bullied, in this limitless world, nothing is considered odd. When two destinies intersect, such events unfold. Isa himself doesn't have a pre-set destiny, and he cannot interfere with the destinies of others. His unregistered status in the simulation forces him to maintain a low profile and avoid excessive interaction with the other simulated inhabitants. Isa then bought a drink to quench his thirst.
He looked for Nadia and Aisyah on the edge of the first beach. When he found them, Nadia and Aisyah had already rented two boats for them to use to go to the second beach.
Aisyah's unusual hand gesture, forming a rectangle and followed by a blink as if taking a photo, puzzled Isa and Nadia.
Nadia reflexively asked, "Aisyah, what are you doing?" Aisyah explained, "Oh, I haven't explained this to you yet. I've created a mini tool for traveling this time. With the help of my handmade chip and some neuro programming touches, I can capture anything just by using the hand gesture I created and a blink."
Nadia replied, indicating her disappointment, "Using technology in the simulation is cheating now." Aisyah recalled, "Wait, if I'm not mistaken, I created this when I was 7 years old. Didn't I install this tool for you? But you removed it because it supposedly caused headaches? The old version did cause headaches, but it should be fixed now." Aisyah tried to remember past events.
Nadia responded, "You're still cheating, Aisyah, ugh." In her heart, Nadia thought, "This monster, creating something like that at just 7 years old."
Aisyah simply replied, "It's up to you, but this tool won't damage the simulation. At most, people will find it strange, hehe."
"Oi, I'm ready."
Isa's voice echoed towards them. While they were debating, Isa was already on his boat, equipped with a life jacket and safety hat.
The combination of all the outfits Isa wore, along with the flat expression on his face, made Aisyah and Nadia burst into laughter, especially Nadia, who was currently laughing uncontrollably.
Aisyah reflexively hit Nadia, indicating her to stop laughing. Isa, in an annoyed tone, said, "Come on, get ready already."
"Yes, Isa, sorry for making you wait. It's all Nadia's fault." Aisyah blamed Nadia.
"Sis, why me?" Nadia replied. "Please don't argue. Get ready quickly; Isa is waiting for us." Aisyah responded.
After all the preparations were done, they finally paddled to the second beach. Upon arrival, the free ocean breeze welcomed them. Aisyah quickly descended to take photos and explore the area. The terrain had undulating ground, making it slightly uncomfortable to step on, requiring a bit more caution.
Nevertheless, the unparalleled view compensated for it. Melasti Beach was renowned for its beauty and numerous photo spots. Behind them, a towering cliff resembled a massive wall, while in front, the open sea presented an equally breathtaking sight.
"Guys, let's spend some time here; there's so much to explore," Aisyah suggested.
"Sure, this beach might be less popular than Kuta, but when it comes to the view, it's unparalleled," Nadia added.
Aisyah, already enthusiastic about her exploration, left Isa and Nadia, causing them a bit of concern as she headed towards the open sea Now, only Isa and Nadia remained, both slightly exhausted from the day's activities, observing Aisyah from a distance.
A conversation unfolded between them. Nadia remarked, "Isa, look at her. Despite everything we've done today, she's still energetic and enthusiastic." Isa, hearing this, was reminded of the old man's words at the orphanage and asked."
Nadia, you know about Aisyah's past, right?" Nadia replied, "You must have heard it from the old man, didn't you?" She continued, "Do you know about role play, Isa?" Isa, curious, responded, "Role play... yeah, I know, but what does it have to do with this?"
Nadia revealed a part of herself, saying, "For me, the life I've led so far is nothing more than role-playing. Imagine, Isa, your fate in the future when you become as old as the old man, continuously entering simulations in never-ending time. Yet, I'm just someone who wants to live a normal life. In my opinion, living normally with its limitations is more enjoyable than having to fulfill endless fantasies like others. You might say I have bad taste because I just want to be normal, and I can justify that."
Isa tried to uplift Nadia, saying, "If that's how you see it, why did I agree to join you both? It means my taste is equally bad."
Nadia let out a slight chuckle, her expression reverting to a neutral state. She remarked, "But look at Aisyah, she relishes her life so much. She's grateful and seems unfazed by the current state of the world, even though she's aware of it. Truly special, making me envious."
Isa, upon hearing this, disagreed, stating, "She's not special, Nadia. In my opinion, what she does is simply not overthinking about it. We've all spent a short time in this world. Why fret about the future? Isn't a crucial aspect of being normal not knowing about what lies ahead?"
He continued, "If you think you've only been engaging in role play all this time, I suggest changing that mindset because Aisyah would be disheartened to hear it."
Amid the awkward atmosphere, Nadia, feeling relieved after sharing her frustrations, expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Isa. That's very reassuring, considering I can't confide in Aisyah about this. Instead, I'll provide you with some information about Aisyah. I'm certain she never shared this with you. So, Aisyah's power... it's omnisc--"
Before Nadia could complete her sentence, Isa abruptly sprinted towards the open sea, completely disregarding her question. It turned out Aisyah was drowning there, shouting,
"HELPPPPPP!" in a panicked state. Stunned and silent, Nadia resumed her words.
"-ient, oh God, Aisyah, oh no, this kid."
She also joined in the effort to save Aisyah, who was struggling for her life. Fortunately, she was later rescued by one of the foreign women who happened to be nearby.