Aryo, Gaga, Diga, and Abdi exchanged wary glances, the weight of the conversation settling heavily in the room.
"Dumped?" Diga's voice broke the silence, disbelief colouring his tone. "By your own girlfriend?"
Welly drained another swig from the bottle, then nodded grimly, "I went to her workplace to pick her up," he began, voice low and tense.
"But her friend Ocha told me Melati was going out with her and her boyfriend instead. They were celebrating their own one-year anniversary. I wasn't invited, said it was supposed to be a surprise for me."
A bitter laugh escaped him, hollow and sharp, "Surprise, my arse."
The room grew quiet, the men lost in thought.
Finally, Abdi, the most pragmatic of the lot, spoke with calm finality, "Sounds like the surprise was you getting dumped."
Welly slammed the bottle down, empty now, his anger simmering beneath the surface, "Those two… heartless," he spat.
"Feels like they planned it for ages," he muttered, bitterness thick in his voice.
Aryo sighed, shaking his head slowly, "You had it coming, mate. You knew Melati was good, but you went too far. Even got violent."
"If I were her," Aryo added quietly but firmly, "I wouldn't have put up with it for a moment longer."
Though the haze of intoxication clung stubbornly to him, Welly's mind found a fleeting clarity.
"Perhaps you're right, mate," he murmured, his voice tinged with reluctant admission.
"And now? What's the course of action?" he inquired, the edge of sobriety sharpening his tone.
Gaga cast a measured glance his way before responding, "My counsel is this! Seek out Melati come morning. Offer a genuine apology, speak with kindness, do whatever it takes. The crux is to reclaim her heart."
Welly remained silent for a moment, his thoughts turning over the weight of those words.
At last, a slow nod broke the stillness, "You're right, mate... I must do just that," he conceded.
"Enough of this," Diga interjected briskly. "Let us lose ourselves in the night's revels once more."
And so, without further hesitation, they surrendered once again to the evening's festivities, the rapture of celebration gradually eroding the last vestiges of their reason.
*****
Meanwhile, within the quiet confines of his home, Felzein's phone gently vibrated. The caller was none other than Sergeant Bowo.
"Good afternoon, Mr Felzein," came the measured greeting as Felzein reached to answer.
"Good afternoon, Sergeant Bowo. Pray, what news do you bring? Has there been any development?" Felzein's voice was calm yet edged with anticipation, cutting directly to the heart of the matter.
On the other end, Bowo gave a subtle nod, "We have uncovered a promising lead. The CCTV system, previously out of order, has now been restored, and, by good fortune, we have recovered some valuable footage."
A spark of hope flickered in Felzein's eyes, "Is that so? Might I call upon you to view this evidence?" he asked, voice steady but eager.
"Indeed, Mr Felzein. Should it please you, the station awaits your arrival at your earliest convenience," Bowo replied with professional courtesy.
"Very well, Sergeant. I shall make my way there forthwith," Felzein declared, determination colouring his tone.
Having conveyed his gratitude, he ended the call. Without delay, Felzein prepared to depart.
This time, it was by his own hand that the journey would be made.
His Range Rover Sport rolled out of the garage with composed grace before accelerating purposefully towards the police station.
In another part of town, Melati and Rosa ambled at a gentle pace along the pavement, the soft evening breeze carrying with it the crisp scent of approaching dusk.
Their conversation drifted quietly between them, a tranquil counterpoint to the fading light of day.
Postponing their journey home had proven a wise choice, particularly with Melati's plan to stay over at Rosa's, her parents having kindly given their consent.
Around them, the world moved in its own gentle rhythm.
Some wandered aimlessly, others reclined on park benches, while small clusters exchanged murmured words.
The amber hues of the setting sun lent a serene and almost sacred aura to the scene, wrapping them in its calm embrace.
"Are you quite certain, Mel?" Rosa asked abruptly, her voice tinged with quiet concern.
"I am," Melati replied, her tone resolute. "I've made up my mind to report Welly to the authorities."
"But… the proof is all but gone, isn't it?" Rosa murmured, her brow furrowing.
Melati exhaled slowly, a flicker of doubt passing through her eyes, "I'll find a way to deal with that later. For now, just walk with me, will you?"
A faint smile touched Rosa's lips, "Always, Mel. You won't be alone."
Whilst Rosa and Melati engaged in their quiet conversation, unbeknownst to them, Gaga and Abdi having ventured out to procure some cigarettes, happened upon the pair strolling along the pavement.
Stationed by a modest roadside kiosk, Abdi's gaze caught sight of a familiar figure.
"Oi, mate… isn't that Welly's girl? Melati, right?" he inquired, nodding towards the two women.
Gaga, just handing over coins for the cigarettes, glanced up, "Whereabouts?" he asked.
"There! Walking alongside the girl in the crimson hijab," Abdi replied.
Having paid the vendor, Gaga scrutinised the scene more carefully, "You're right, mate. We ought to inform Welly later," he remarked, readying himself to depart.
Yet Abdi restrained him, "Wait a moment, mate."
"What now?" Gaga queried, perplexed.
"See that car pulling up to them?" Abdi said, his eyes fixed intently on the approaching vehicle.
Curious, Gaga followed his gaze.
Indeed, a sleek Range Rover Sport came to a halt close by.
Melati and Rosa appeared momentarily startled as the car drew near, but their faces soon softened into smiles of delight before they stepped gracefully into the vehicle.
Abdi and Gaga exchanged glances, silently questioning whether Rosa and Melati were acquainted with the car's owner.
"Looks like Welly's lass is being collected by some older gentleman," Abdi commented with a wry smile.
"How do you figure that?" Gaga asked.
"A luxury car like that? Only the affluent drive such. Usually men of a certain age," Abdi answered with casual certainty.
"So, Welly's girl is just a common tart then?" Gaga sneered.
Abdi sighed, a trace of regret colouring his tone, "Had I known, I would have taken my chance back then. Didn't, 'cause she wore the hijab," he confessed.
"You regret it? Try me! Right then, let's return to base. Welly needs to be told," Gaga declared with firm resolve.
Without further delay, they swung onto their motorcycles and hastened back to their meeting place.
Meanwhile, within the confines of the car, Felzein cast a glance towards Melati and Rosa before inquiring, "Pray, where might you two be headed?"
"Simply out for a leisurely walk," Rosa replied with casual ease. "Melati's been feeling rather unsettled," she added, casting a subtle look at her companion.
Melati smiled faintly before responding, "That's behind me now." Her countenance was alight with a gentle, hopeful glow.
Though her encounter with Felzein at the pharmacy had been but a fleeting moment, it had sufficed to kindle a certain joy within her.
"You scoundrel!" Rosa teased, feigning a sulk.
Inwardly, she was struck by a pang of envy, observing the warmth in Melati's gaze whenever it fell upon Felzein.
Turning her attention back to Felzein, who remained focused on the road, Rosa inquired with curiosity, "And where are you bound, Mr Felzein?"
A faint smile played beneath his mask, "To the police station," he replied with unruffled composure.
"What for?" Melati asked, her brow furrowed in mild bewilderment.
Rosa's eyes mirrored the question, waiting patiently for clarification.
"My corner shop was burgled in the early hours yesterday. I need to view the CCTV footage," he explained, then proceeded to recount the events in greater detail.
A silence of surprise fell between Rosa and Melati as they absorbed the news.
Felzein resumed, "Sergeant Bowo has informed me the CCTV has been repaired. I decided to go straight away. And, as fate would have it, I found myself with unexpected company," he chuckled softly.
The two friends shared a laugh at his jest, discovering a more playful side to Felzein.
Suddenly, a thought struck Rosa, and she turned to Melati.
"Mel, why not take the opportunity to report Welly while we're there? We might as well," she proposed.
Felzein's gaze sharpened with understanding, "Ah, regarding the assault?" he queried.
Rosa exhaled quietly, "Yes, but unfortunately the evidence has vanished. That remarkable remedy of yours, Mr Felzein," she remarked.
Melati offered a small, resolute smile, "It's quite alright," she murmured softly.