"So, where can we find Jamalia?" Najam asked.
"I think she's probably following Langgeng from behind right now. That's why we need to move quickly," I answered confidently.
We hurried in the same direction Langgeng had gone. When we reached the end of the corridor, just as I expected, I saw Jamalia standing behind the staircase wall, peeking downward. Judging by the direction of her gaze, I figured Langgeng was currently heading downstairs. A few moments later, she began to descend the stairs slowly, and we followed, keeping a safe distance. Once we reached the ground floor, she took a position behind a wall, peeking into the hallway. Not long after, she moved on again.
Our journey ended in the garden at the back of the school. We could see Jamalia hiding behind the wall that bordered the hallway entrance to the garden, while Langgeng sat in the middle of the garden. Since we were a bit far away and positioned directly behind Langgeng, we couldn't tell exactly what he was doing.
"Wow, you were right, buddy. I didn't expect she was actually stalking Langgeng," Najam said, looking worried.
"Yeah, especially since Langgeng said Jamalia had been avoiding him. I really don't understand what's going on," I replied, confused.
"So what kind of relationship do you think they're supposed to have, Sahabi?" Kambali asked.
"Well, I know they often walk around together. Even though Jamalia always follows Langgeng, it's not supposed to be like this," I answered with concern.
"So there really is something going on between them. I guess it's time we said hello to Jamalia," Najam said as he started walking.
"Yeah, you're right," I agreed.
We began walking toward Jamalia, but before we got too close, I signaled for them to stop.
"What's up, buddy?" Najam asked, confused.
"This is the safe zone for communicating with her," I replied.
"Eeeeh?" Najam looked even more puzzled.
"Do you remember in our earlier conversation that Langgeng said she was 'pretty athletic'?" I asked while pulling out a piece of paper from my pocket and crumpling it tightly into a small ball.
"Yeah, what about it?" Kambali asked, looking confused.
"Well, what he meant wasn't just athletic—he meant genius-level," I replied and then threw the paper ball toward Jamalia.
As the paper ball approached her, in one swift and fluid motion, she unsheathed what looked like her usual long stick—but it wasn't. The polished wood split with a metallic whisper, revealing a narrow, gleaming blade hidden inside. As the paper ball arced through the air, she pivoted slightly, eyes locked on the target, and struck. The tip of the disguised fencing blade pierced the paper mid-air with surgical precision.
Najam and Kambali looked shocked and in disbelief—but honestly, that's a normal reaction. This was what disappointed me a little about Langgeng's earlier explanation. He didn't mention anything about her famous skill, let alone her personality. I mean, "pretty athletic"? Man, to me, she's a monster.
Jamalia Lintang is not just an ordinary student. She's Langgeng's personal bodyguard. Langgeng, concerned about how classmates might react, purposely kept this a secret and instructed her to pretend they were just childhood friends who happened to attend the same school. She has above-average physical abilities, especially in fencing, which is her main martial art for protecting Langgeng. That's why she always carries her fencing sword disguised as a long stick. Her fencing skills are what makes her so dangerous in the future. Langgeng, with his sharp decision-making and leadership, and Jamalia, as his right hand and a weapon capable of one-hit kill—together, they are a nightmare.
"Hello," I said, raising my hand to greet her.
She looked at me, then glanced back at the paper ball impaled on her sword. She immediately panicked, pulled the paper from the blade, quickly sheathed the sword, and tried to hide it behind her back.
"It's okay—your fencing skills are already well-known, so there's no need to panic," I said in a friendly tone.
"Um… okay," she replied briefly.
"May I ask what you're doing? We've been watching you follow Langgeng for a while," I said, pointing toward Langgeng, who was sitting on a bench in the garden.
She looked startled, her face turning red, and began acting nervously.
"By the way, we didn't mean to bother or flirt with you, so please don't be alarmed," I said kindly.
She let out a sigh and began trying to calm herself down.
"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Sahabi, and the two behind me are Najam and Kambali. We're juniors from Class 96," I said, introducing myself and the others.
"Okay. Jamalia Lintang, from Class 95," she replied, introducing herself as well.
She looked at each of us in turn, carefully observing.
"So, what business do you have with me?" she asked in a flat tone.
"We were just talking with Langgeng and happened to see you nearby, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to say hello," I explained.
"Um, okay," she replied briefly.
"Oh right, speaking of our conversation with Langgeng—he mentioned you earlier," I added, making a gesture as if I'd just remembered something.
"Huh, really?" she responded, suddenly interested.
"Yup," I said with a small smile.
I noticed her expression shift into a mix of happiness and panic. Somehow, I was certain she wanted to hear more, but she remained silent, unwilling to ask further. The information I heard—that she only talks openly with Langgeng—seems to be true.
"Speaking of you, he mentioned that you've been avoiding him lately," I continued.
Hearing that, her expression turned anxious, and she gave a sad smile.
"Well… of course he would say that," she replied, glancing in Langgeng's direction.
"So why have you been avoiding him?" I asked curiously.
"It's nothing. Besides, I don't think that's any of your business," she replied flatly.
Hm… she really doesn't want to talk.
"Do you have any more questions? If not, I think you can go ahead and continue on your way," she said, glancing back toward Langgeng.
Langgeng was now standing from his bench, stretching a bit. It looked like he was getting ready to leave. Moments later, he began walking away in the opposite direction.
"Um, okay then. See you around, Jamalia," I said warmly, waving.
"Yeah, see you," she replied as she began walking off.
A few steps into her walk, an envelope slipped from her pocket and fell to the ground. Unaware, Jamalia kept walking. Najam, who noticed, rushed over and picked it up.
"Um, Jamalia, I think you dropped something," I called out, walking over to Najam, who was now examining the envelope.
She turned around and started checking her pockets. Her expression quickly turned panicked.
"Hm, the envelope's so cute," said Kambali as he joined Najam.
"Yeah, I've seen envelopes like this used for love letters. I think it's a trend right now," Najam replied innocently.
"Eh? Seriously?" I said, surprised, glancing at the envelope.
The envelope was small and impossibly cute, like something straight out of a stationery shop meant for secret crushes and whispered confessions. It was a soft pastel pink, with tiny white hearts along the border, sealed with a heart-shaped sticker that shimmered faintly in the light. The handwriting on the front was neat but slightly nervous—each letter carefully formed, as if the writer had practiced more than once. Just seeing it made my chest flutter a little—something simple, sweet, and maybe even brave was tucked inside.
Uh-oh. This was bad.
I glanced at Jamalia—and yep, her face was beet red, and she looked absolutely mortified. A moment later, she sighed deeply, and her expression turned terrifying. Her eyes went blank and sharp, and she began approaching us slowly, exuding the aura of a predator stalking its prey.
"Wait, Jamalia! Please calm down!" I shouted, panicked.
Najam and Kambali looked at me, confused about why I was yelling. Then they turned to Jamalia and saw her fully activated "predator mode." Instantly, they panicked and clung to each other in fear.
"You have seen what you should not have seen," Jamalia said coldly, drawing her fencing sword.
"What are you going to do?" I asked, terrified.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure your families know you're gone," she replied, readying her stance for an attack.
"Gyaaaaah…" screamed Kambali and Najam in utter terror.
This is bad—she's completely serious. I don't think there's any other way out of this. If I remember correctly, the letter had Langgeng's name on it, so it's safe to assume it was meant for him. I don't know why she hasn't given it to him yet, but maybe we can take a gamble on that.
"Wait! We can help you!" I shouted at Jamalia.
Jamalia suddenly stopped and looked at me with a serious expression.
"You want to give that letter to Langgeng, right?" I asked, matching her seriousness.
"Eh, um..." she replied nervously, glancing away.
Looks like I was right. In that case, I can use this chance.
"If that's true, then you can trust me to deliver it to him. I'll help you," I continued, trying to reassure her.
She stood silently, still looking unsure.
"Don't worry—I won't open it. You can watch me the whole time until I hand it over to him," I added, trying to build her confidence.
She seemed deep in thought. I could see she was having an inner conflict. I guess she's just too shy to give the letter to Langgeng directly. Even though they've literally been together for a long time, I thought it would be easier for her to do this. But seeing her now, it's clear that's not going to happen.
After a moment, she finally sheathed her fencing sword and strapped it to her back. Then she walked over to Najam, snatched the letter from his hands, and stepped toward me.
"Please give this to him," she said softly, blushing, as she handed me the letter.
"Um, okay," I replied as I accepted it.
For some reason, I feel like I've just been dragged into a long and complicated mess.