"How does my cooking taste?" Helena asked as Austin ate a few spoonfuls of her homemade dish.
"Hmmn... good," Austin praised, and went back to eating each spoonful of beef lasagna, an Italian specialty made by Helena. The result of a cooking course.
Helena smiled at her husband's compliment. Austin looked at Helena who was still supporting her chin with both hands on the dining table, staring at him.
"I know I'm handsome, but please, don't look at me like that."
The woman snorted. "You don't think that every time I look at your ugly face, I'm admiring you. I'm just wondering what demon possessed me back then to become the wife of a man like you."
Austin listened to Helena's ramblings without intending to interrupt. The woman was still babbling. "I don't know what spell you put on me that I can't hate you."
"So, you're happy with me?" Austin, who had just finished his food, looked at Helena.
"Do you love me?" Helena asked, asking for Austin's confession before saying how happy she was with this man.
Austin leaned in to touch Helena's cheek with his warm fingers. "I love you," Austin replied sincerely.
Helena then caught Austin's hand that was on her cheek and held it tightly. "I'll always be happy with you as long as you love me."
Austin smiled with satisfaction at that statement. He withdrew his hand that was still in Helena's hand.
"Get ready, we're leaving, after this we're going back to Jakarta." Austin stood up, walking away from the dining table with his assistant.
***
Tonight was a bit cooler than usual, Kenan lit his cigarette to relieve boredom in a corner of the Exodus Club nightclub inside Kuningan City Mall. A clear glass glass filled with cocktails was barely touched at all, even the man only glanced at it occasionally with a lazy look. If not for an appointment with a friend, Kenan Pradipta would not have come to this club. Sitting alone while being ogled by several people who wanted to try to get close to him; in the sense of just being a bedmate.
From a distance someone was watching his figure with curious eyes, and Kenan realized that he was someone who could tell the difference between just looking and being interested, because he knew he was always the center of attention. Wearing only a pair of tight jeans and a thin, long-sleeved gray T-shirt, her slender neck was exposed. No man or woman can resist looking at her even if it's just a glimpse. Unless it was a blind person.
Shortly afterward, Kenan saw the man asking one of his friends. He didn't know what they were talking about. After finishing the man who had been watching Kenan was now walking towards him. Kenan could see him, and took a sip of beer at the same time as the man sat his butt down on the barstool to Kenan's left.
"Alone?" he asked. Smiling at Kenan, the man looked him up and down.
Meanwhile, Kenan took another drag on his cigarette and exhaled the smoke without answering or turning around.
The man said his name. "Daniel."
Kenan turned his head and smiled wryly. "I know," he replied.
"You know me?" Daniel asked, seeing Kenan's sweet, handsome smile shining through the darkness, and Daniel found it to be a scornful smile.
Kenan casually changed his sitting position to face the man through his arrogant gaze that flickered across the light. "One month ago, your men were beaten up by a man who took your woman. Then you told him to destroy the car you gave your woman, after you found out she was using it to be with another man."
Kenan saw a flash of anger in the man's eyes, as if Kenan had dehumanized him as a man with the few words he had just said.
However, Kenan showed indifference through his expression, and laughed. "You give your bitch a car, but she invites another man to enjoy the car, and then you tell someone to destroy the car. Isn't that funny?"
Bugh!
The noise immediately attracted the attention of several other visitors looking at the two men, or rather the man who was lying on the floor clutching his stomach. Three seconds ago, when Daniel was about to throw his fist at Kenan's face, Kenan had already kicked him in the stomach until the man was thrown off the chair he was sitting on. Some of the security guards who used to guard the club seemed reluctant to take action with the small chaos that was happening. Daniel coughed a little, his elbows supporting his hind limbs from touching the floor.
Kenan picked up the still-filled cocktail glass and stood up from his seat, walking haughtily over to the man, he then said, "Look at this coward, taking care of his woman is incompetent!"
The shouts and laughter of some of the club-goers could be heard as Kenan poured the rest of the cocktail over Daniel's body with a condescending expression.
"Son of a bitch!" Daniel shouted. He got up and took a step towards the man who had just humiliated him. His hands were clenched into fists, teeth bared, as his clenched fists rose. A strong hand of someone held him back, it was the hand of a club bouncer.
"Don't make a mess here!"
"I didn't make a mess, he's the one who started it!" Daniel defended.
Meanwhile Kenan interrupted, "I started it, you say? Didn't you attack me first? Now you're defending yourself by saying I started it."
"Watch out you shucks! I'll get back at you someday!" the man shouted as he was led by the bouncer out of the club, disappearing from Kenan's sight and replaced by the figure of a man with brown dyed hair who approached.
"Looks like you're at it again," the man commented, approaching Kenan with both hands stuffed into his pants pockets.
"I didn't start it, that idiot did." Kenan denied the accusation Joni had leveled at him.
Joni let out a long breath. As usual, Kenan was always so calm after getting into trouble with some people.
There was no sign of anger on his face, Kenan could always control his emotions.
***
That morning a group of journalists had gathered in front of the building to await the arrival of Austin Indrayan Keano. As soon as he arrived, Austin was immediately mobbed by television reporters broadcasting live, online and print media, with cameras and microphones.
Austin stepped out of the car, wearing a black blazer and light blue shirt. His bangs were combed to the side, making him look more charismatic.
"Congratulations on your victory in the Italian MotoGP, Mr. Austin!"
One of the journalists began by congratulating him.
"Thank you," Austin replied, walking into the office lobby. His face looked toward the camera's spotlight.
Under the same sky, it was a different situation.
It wasn't the morning sunshine or the melodious chirping of a group of sparrows on a tree branch that greeted Kenan when he opened his eyes, but a shout.
"Mas Kenan! Let's eat!"
Ersya's shout pierced Kenan's eardrums that morning. While he was still firmly bound by the magnetism of the bed. The man had changed his lying position to his stomach with the pillow moved over his head.
"Mas Kenan!" This time his shout sounded louder.
"Yes, I'm coming!" Kenan shouted back no less loudly. He grunted in annoyance as he got up from his position, the pillow that had been covering his head thrown in any direction as he stepped into the bathroom. Warm water poured out of the stainless steel shower faucet. The water tumbled all over Kenan's body. The man closed his eyes feeling the sensation of warm water combined with his cold body temperature filling his nerve endings.
"Indonesian-French MotoGP rider, Austin Indrayan Keano, announced his retirement from MotoGP after the final event at Italy's Mugello circuit a few weeks ago. In his statement, Autin will start running his father's business, Monsieur Sergey Keano in less than a month's time-"
A woman brought the morning headlines excitedly on the television screen.
"Wow... look at him, he has everything. Treasure, Throne and a beautiful wife," Bisma commented while eating oxtail soup.
"Why, you want all that too?" asked Ivan, who was sitting next to Bisma at the dining table.
Bisma quickly replied, "Of course, who wouldn't want that?"
Ivan patted the younger man on the head and said, "Tks, even if you work hard for hundreds of years, you won't be able to get them. Don't dream!"
Grumbling, Bisma could only rub his head that had just been affectionately patted by Ivan. He went back to eating his meal because it had been delayed.
Kenan Pradipta, Ivan Northman, Bisma Irawan and Ersya Mahardika are four people who live under the same roof in a boarding house located in the center of Jakarta. Kenan and Ivan have been friends since they attended Jakarta No 56 High School before Kenan moved to Jakarta Intercultural High School. Bisma Harahap and Ersya Kusuma were their juniors in junior high school. After graduation they never saw each other because of their respective life goals. Until four years ago, Kenan and Ivan met again at a nightclub, and indirectly they also met their two former juniors.
The four of them had a reunion, recounting their experiences after graduating from high school until Ersya suggested that they rent an apartment together to save on living costs in Jakarta. Actually, Ersya's suggestion was just a joke. However, who would have thought that her proposal would be taken seriously.
In the end, they agreed to rent a boarding house and pay the rent together. In this place, the four of them shared house duties alternately.
Kenan who saw the behavior of the two people just shook his head slowly without commenting.
"By the way, don't you know that Monsieur Serge?"
Kenan looked at Ersya who was sitting next to him, then moved on to Bisma and Ivan who were sitting opposite him.
"How did you know about that?" Kenan asked, his face flat.
Bisma immediately replied with an expression of surprise that could not be hidden. "Do you know Austin's father? Why didn't you ever tell me?"
Kenan didn't answer immediately, he glanced at Ivan through the tail of his eyes. The man showed no reaction at all when Ersya and Bisma mentioned Austin's name. In this room, only Ivan knew exactly what his relationship with Austin was like.
And Kenan was relieved that Ivan pretended not to know.
"Just an old acquaintance, I'm not even sure if he still remembers me or not," Kenan corrected.
"Ah... it's a shame you're wasting an acquaintance like him," Bisma added.
Kenan didn't want to reply to Bisma's words, so he just chose to remain silent like Ivan. Furthermore, the atmosphere returned to silence. There was only the sound of cutlery clashing with each other, accompanied by the voice of the newscaster.
"In a month, a celebration party will be held in one of Monsieur Serge's buildings—"
The television screen suddenly went off.
Ersya, who was still listening intently, protested. "Mr. Kenan, why did you turn it off? I haven't finished watching yet."
"Finished or finished, there's no point in listening to gossip about other people's lives, hurry up and finish your food before it gets cold," he ordered firmly. Kenan threw the TV remote on the table before rejoining them at the dining table.
"I'm done." Bisma stood up.
Shortly followed by Ivan, "I'm done too," The man stood up, then looked at Kenan. "Today the boss wants to see you."
"I know, he called last night."
"Why, are you making trouble with him again?" Ivan asked in a worried tone although his expression seemed to imply annoyance. Kenan must be causing trouble again, he thought.
Kenan walked over to him and patted him lightly on the shoulder. "When have I ever not made trouble?" And after those few words, Kenan left with a quiet step.
The work they did was something not far from the underworld, both Kenan and Ivan themselves, were actually reluctant to stay in the scope of the underworld, but they could not afford to live a life that most people could call 'normal'. Such as working in private companies, cashiers at bookstores, waiters at cafes and other jobs that did not invite dangerous risks. They have been entangled since they were teenagers, and there is no chance of escape.
***
A few minutes before 10 p.m. tonight, although it was not yet midnight, not many cars could be seen on the highway. The streets tonight were rather quiet than usual. All the way since he got off the bus, Kenan felt a black BMW car following him. Just by looking at him, someone in that car must have had bad intentions. Kenan knew that, because something like this had happened before.
"Looks like I'm going to have to do another night workout," Kenan muttered as he continued to walk quietly toward the dormitory. And sure enough, after taking five steps, the two people in the car got out and approached Kenan. Kenan was not surprised, but a dangerous feeling arose in him, Kenan's eyes focused on observing the surroundings as the two men in plainclothes got closer.
And a voice with a cold tone was heard. "Is your name Kenny? Come with us now!"
A small change appeared on Kenan's face. he frowned visibly as he turned to look at them.
"What business do you have?" Kenan asked coldly.
"Our boss wants to see you, come with us now."
The two men's expressions and tone were not friendly, and raised a red flag in Kenan.
"Alright," Kenan said, and his answer seemed to make the two men think they could take him easily. Instead, in the next second Kenan immediately took a thousand steps.
The two men's expressions were immediately stunned and joined Kenan's pursuit, but the man was already some distance ahead of them.
The cold night wind continued to blow against Kenan's heated body as his heartbeat continued to accelerate due to adrenaline. As he ran toward the fork in the road near the red light. Without Kenan expecting it, a headlight moved towards him with lightning speed, the bright light from the spotlight was so dazzling that Kenan squinted his eyes.
The sound of a car braking suddenly sounded loud.
In his place was Kenan with feelings of surprise, shock, and nervousness mixed together. His heart was beating hard as the movement of his body stopped instinctively when the front of the silver lamborghini touched his leg rather roughly, but without causing any serious pain or injury. However, it seems that this time his surprise didn't end there, as he was even more surprised to find out who the driver was.
Through the dark glass window that blocked Kenan's view of the car, he could still vaguely see a pair of eyes that were also looking at him with an expression that always seemed to look cold. Their gazes met each other briefly as if by accident. The man had a clear look in his dark irises. In addition, Kenan also found another pair of eyes, which were looking at him through a facial expression that looked rather anxious.
"There he is!" From behind came the shouts of several people.
Realizing the urgency of his situation in the middle of his moment with the two people in the lamborghini, in the blink of an eye Kenan took another thousand steps, disappearing from the front of the car in a lightning-fast movement.
Austin, the driver of the car, was still frozen with his eyes glued to the road ahead. His heartbeat seemed to slow down when a few seconds ago a man he had known in the past looked at him with nostalgic eyes.
"Hurry up and chase! He's running to the left!"
The two plainclothes men also ran through the front of the car. Austin was calm and staring straight ahead, gripping the steering wheel tightly as if motionless beside Helena.
"That was close." Helena breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the man Austin almost hit was okay, but she wasn't sure if he would be okay after the two thugs chasing him had caught him. Seeing Austin at the side who was still silent with his gaze fixed on the road, Helena called out, "Austin!"
Austin gasped slightly when he felt a hand tap him lightly on the shoulder. He even realized he wasn't sitting alone in the car, Helena was still there.
"Did you recognize the first person?" The woman immediately asked her first question because she saw Austin's unusual expression when he saw someone.
Austin quickly replied, "No, forget about that one, he's fine." The man turned the car's ignition. The car engine started and Austin drove the car with the roar of the engine filling the night.
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