INDONESIAN COAST GUARD

Winda was crying, her shrill voice heard all the way to the third floor.

Hira came out and looked into the living room. Only two children, Icha and Winda, fought again as usual. The floor, the table, and the chairs were full of scattered toys. Icha looked calm hugging her doll.

"Gee... There are so many toys" Hira approached them and lifted the crying Winda and put her in her lap.

Sensing that the adult woman was more defensive of her rival, Icha went away carrying her doll leaving the two of them.

Icha is Mrs. Yulia's second daughter. They are almost the same age. Icha is smaller in stature and looks frail, but she rarely cries and is always the winner in every fight.

"Uh... what's this called? What's it for?" Hira picked up a toy on the table trying to calm Winda, a plastic thermometer.

"For the armpits," Winda replied quickly and immediately stopped crying.

"Ohhh .." Hira was a bit surprised to see Winda's cheerful face without visible traces of tears.

"What about this one, what's it for?" She picked up the mini microscope toy and noticed its strange shape.

"To look at germs," Winda answered quickly.

"Wow... what a smart girl" Hira looked at Winda with genuine admiration, not just to amuse her.

"What is this one for, teacher?" Winda unexpectedly asks back while holding a plastic toy in the shape of a screwdriver.

Hira struggled to find the right methodology to explain what the item was for to a 3-year-old.

"To fix everything," Winda exclaimed impatiently waiting for Hira's answer. Oh, the kid was testing it.

Hiks.

Suddenly, her mother's cell phone lying on the table rang. Hira looked at the screen flashing a name.

Bapak is calling.

Hira was silent looking at the name that kept flashing on the smartphone screen.

Winda got off her lap and picked up the phone and carried it upstairs to her father A Jay while shouting loudly

''Ayah... Papa Icha calling..."

The child just knew that it was Icha's father who called.

There was a nuance that was left behind as Winda left her lap.

Why did it feel like there was something disturbing?

***

"Kak,*) Hira, can you move the motorbike? Bapak comes home tonight." Suddenly Viny was standing in front of her.

Hira shifted her attention from the laptop to the parking lot. Her motorbike was indeed too forward, blocking the car park.

"How do you know Bapak coming home tonight?" Hira asked back looking at Viny.

"It's Friday, right?" Viny replied quickly.

"Hmmm…"

Didn't know what to say. Bapak again Bapak again. Everything in this place seems to have a Bapak. Everyone seems to idolize Bapak. Bapak is so respected in this place.

The neighbors also adore Mr. Billy. Bapak was involved even just shopping for Pakcoy vegetables at a neighboring shop. "Bapak hasn't harvested yet?" Ask the shopkeeper.

Hira was silent. "Bapak, whom?" she asked back.

"The Policeman."

"Oh, not yet," answered Hira shortly didn't want to elaborate.

Just want a Pokcay. Should I have to wait until the harvest? It has nothing to do with me anyway, it's not my business or my garden either.

Hira was amused. But there was a small question mark in her head. It was the first time she met the shopkeeper, how did he know that Hira was staying at the police officer's place? Even though there are many boarding houses, not just the police officer's place.

It seems that everything in this place has eyes and ears.

Suddenly the phone in Viny's hand rang, and Mrs. Yulia's voice was heard from the other side. "Yes ma'am... yes ma'am... yes ma'am... " That's all that came out of Viny's mouth and then moved towards the main house.

"Bibi... Ibu told me to clean the living room." She shouted.

Then she went upstairs and heard her voice again, "AA, was told by mom to lift the mattress from the clothesline." She continued with a shout.

The garden had been tidied up by A Jay since this morning, the grass was cut, the fish pond was drained until it now looked excellent, and the hydroponic garden was also arranged in such a way that it looked neat.

Bibi also cooked something special. "Only when Bapak comes, Ibu cooks fish, chicken, or meat, Usually, the best is tofu and tempeh," Bibi smiled bitterly.

Hira got up from her seat, moved her motorcycle, and made room for Bapak's car to park.

Ah, just annoying. Hira thought.

***

Satisfied watching the sunset on the 3rd floor, Hira went back downstairs to her room.

Right on the last step of the stairs a car just stopped and parked right in front of her.

A clean-skinned man in a white uniform got out of the car.

Hira's steps stopped instantly.

It was the man she met many times yesterday when she just set foot in this place. The man she met for the first time after taking a shower in her room when she had just arrived at this place.

He looked 180 degrees different in his Navi uniform. It wasn't the same person she saw yesterday when he wore a regular T-shirt. Hira almost didn't recognize him if she didn't see that look in his eyes.

The eyes that had stopped her heartbeat and made an imprint on her heart even though now feel colder and distant.

Immediately a name flashed in her mind.

Alexander Billy Darmawan.

The owner of this house.

There was no smile or greeting, just a stare, and a pounding in her chest that intensified many times over as the man walked away.

Hira looked at the moss-green car and read a sign next to the window,

"Indonesian Coast Guard"

***

*)Kak, Kakak: Sister:

*)Bu, Ibu: Mrs, Maam

*)Pak, Bapak: Mr, Sir

*)Ayah: Papa