The sky over Jakarta began to turn red, the once-bustling city slowly sinking into the peace of the evening.
A cool breeze brushed against the skin, accompanied by the hum of vehicles, the murmur of conversations, and the tiny creatures returning to their homes.
Bayu stood in the middle of a TransJakarta bus, smartphone in hand, earphones in his ears. His gaze was empty, staring at the screen without truly reading anything. The music playing in his ears wasn't enough to drown out the surrounding noise, yet he still found solace in that small moment of silence.
His body was frail—an undeniable fact, I need to buy more medicine, he thought, scrolling through the list he had written in his smartphone's notes. Since childhood, he had been familiar with syringes, pills, and doctor visits. Medicine had become a constant companion, yet also a reminder that he was always a step weaker than others.
The announcement from the bus speakers snapped him out of his thoughts, informing passengers of the next stop. As soon as the bus reached his destination, Bayu stepped off, weaving through the crowd to exit the station.
A gentle breeze greeted him as he stepped outside. His pace was slow, matching the rhythm of the song still playing in his ears, as if his feet were moving on their own toward a path too familiar.
"Bayu!"
A voice calling his name shattered his daze, making him instinctively turn toward the source. His brows furrowed upon seeing a familiar figure.
"… Juna?"
Juna, with his signature grin, approached him. Energy radiated from him—too much of it. Exactly the kind of person Bayu avoided. Too much positivity. Damn it—
"Just got back? You're rarely out this late," Juna said, attempting to throw an arm around Bayu, who swiftly dodged.
"...Chill out," Juna chuckled.
"No touching," Bayu sighed, adjusting his uniform—just to give his hands something to do. "...Where were you?"
"Oh?" Juna's eyes lit up at the question. With a proud tone, he replied, "I just watched my little sister compete in a singing contest! She won second place. I'm so proud as her big brother!" He puffed out his chest as if declaring, My sister is the best!
Bayu merely nodded. If I respond, he'll keep talking even longer, he thought, slipping his phone into his pocket.
"Oh, by the way, Bayu, are you free tonight?"
Juna's question piqued Bayu's curiosity. "Why?"
Juna grinned. "The guys from our class are hanging out near the school. You wanna come?"
Hanging out, huh?
Too bad, Juna. You asked the wrong person.
Besides, I'd only end up being ignored there. Bayu glanced at Juna, who was now busy playing with a stray orange cat. Unlike him. I don't belong there.
A faint feeling of envy stirred in Bayu's heart. Why couldn't he be like Juna, who socialized so effortlessly?
It wasn't that Bayu disliked hanging out—he just didn't know how to blend into a group with conversations he didn't understand.
"Sorry, I'm busy tonight."
Juna didn't press further. He simply smiled knowingly. "Alright. But if you change your mind, hit me up. See you later." He waved as he walked away.
Bayu watched Juna leave before continuing on his own path.
Home wasn't a place he longed for, but it was still better than the noise.
—
"Grandma?"
As Bayu opened the front door, he noticed something unusual—his grandmother wasn't in the living room, where she usually sat around this time.
Is she sleeping? he wondered, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. He took off his shoes and headed straight to his room.
Inside, after changing clothes, Bayu sat in front of an old, slightly dusty computer. He powered it on and connected it to the home Wi-Fi.
"Hm?" His brows knitted together as a notification popped up—something unfamiliar. Bayu clicked on it, which led him to a website he had never seen before.
"The Failed?" The words were displayed clearly on the screen.
It was a simple phrase, yet something about it felt… off.
A strange shiver ran down his spine. For some reason, Bayu felt as if the old computer was staring back at him.
"What does this mean…?"
Curious, he tried clicking on every available feature on the website.
Nothing worked. The only thing on the screen was that blinking text, as if mocking him.
"What's the point if nothing even works?" he muttered in annoyance, closing the site and returning to his schoolwork.
Yet, in the middle of typing, The Failed suddenly reappeared on the screen.
Bayu had closed it, yet it came back.
"Tch. What the hell is this?" Frustrated, he decided to shut down the computer. He could finish his work later.
"For now, sleep is better," he mumbled, stretching before heading toward the bathroom—a habit before bed.
But then—
The computer, which had been turned off, suddenly powered back on.
This time, the screen displayed not just The Failed, but another word.
"BAYU."