Regret

Inside the sterile interrogation room, the atmosphere is cold. Mr. Ali sat quietly in a metal chair, his hands cuffed to the table. His face showed no signs of remorse, even his smile was friendly. Two policemen sat in front of him, their faces serious, trying to find holes in his calm demeanor.

"Mr. Ali," said one of the policemen, beginning in a firm but calm tone. "You have been arrested for the murder and illegal abduction of two children. Do you understand the consequences of your actions?"

Mr. Ali shrugged, as if the question were mere pleasantries. "Of course I understand," he replied in a casual tone, his eyes staring at the policeman without a hint of trepidation.

"Is it true that you killed Mr. Budi?"

"Yes, the old man had lived too long, I just hastened his death."

"What about the student named Heri?"

"That boy was naughty. Likes to skip class and is stupid. I have to reduce the population of children like that."

"And the attack on Rafi?"

"The boy dared to steal, of course he must be punished."

The casual answer that came out of Mr. Ali's mouth astonished the police. How could there be a heartless human being who so easily judges others and considers it the absolute truth.

"Then we'd like to know," another policeman interjected. "Do you regret having done all this?"

Mr. Ali let out a long breath, pretending to reflect. "Regret?" he muttered, as if considering the question seriously.

The first policeman leaned forward, trying to press. "Yes. Regret. You've traumatized a lot of people, almost killed children. Do you feel guilty about all that?"

Mr. Ali slowly smiled, a smile that didn't fit the context of the conversation. It was not merely friendly, but there was something terrible behind it-cold and insincere. He looked at the policeman with a sharp yet calm gaze.

"Those kids," he said finally, his voice soft but full of meaning, "They're bad. Very naughty."

The room seemed to freeze for a moment. The policemen in front of him exchanged glances, trying to understand what he meant.

"Troublemakers," Mr. Ali continued, now in a firmer tone but still shrouded in a sinister smile, "Must be punished."

The policemen were silent for a moment, shocked by how casually Mr. Ali spoke about his crimes. One policeman's face hardened, trying to hide his annoyance.

"Mr. Ali," the first policeman said in a colder tone, "The punishment you refer to involves torture, even murder. You realize that this has nothing to do with disciplining children?"

Mr. Ali just smiled slightly, like a teacher dealing with a student who hasn't understood the lesson. "You wouldn't understand," he said in a low but piercing tone. "I teach them to understand the consequences of their actions. That's what they really need."

The second policeman tapped his pen on the desk, holding back his emotions. "Don't go around in circles, Mr. Ali. You attacked them, endangering their lives. That's criminal, not discipline."

"Criminal?" Mr. Ali chuckled softly, as if the word was a joke. "Kids today don't know the meaning of respect. They fight back, talk out of turn, and act like the world belongs to them. If not taught firmly, they will grow up to be ... the scum of the earth."

The first policeman stared intently. "So, you think torturing and killing is the way to teach respect?"

Mr. Ali leaned closer to the table, his smile widening, almost as if he was enjoying the situation. "I just did what had to be done," he said quietly. "And the result? They learn that there are boundaries they shouldn't cross."

The tension in the room was palpable. The second cop took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "Mr. Ali, you're not educating. You are killing. You attack innocent people. Even people who didn't fight you."

Mr. Ali looked up, his eyes twinkling like a man who had just had an epiphany. "Of course they fought me," he replied in a firm tone. "Every troublemaker is a threat. If I don't punish them now, who will?"

The first policeman pounded on the table, making the interrogation room shake. "Enough! You've talked enough. We will file the most severe charges for all this."

However, Mr. Ali wasn't bothered in the slightest. He leaned back in his chair, tilting his head with a satisfied smile. "I was ready to accept the punishment. But you know, out there ... there are still many troublemakers waiting to be punished."

His smile grew wider, like a man who felt he had won the game. The police could only stare at him with mixed feelings, horror, and a bit of curiosity as to how a man's mind could be so distorted.

***

The room was packed with reporters, cameras and microphones pointed forward. In the middle of the crowd, Mr. Ali sat at a long table, flanked by police. He was dressed in orange prison garb, but there was no sign of remorse on his face. Instead, he sat with a relaxed posture, occasionally casting a glance at the crowd with a faint smile.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said one of the police spokespersons, "We are holding this press conference to explain the progress of the case involving suspect Ali. He is currently in custody on charges of attempted murder and premeditated murder of several victims."

One of the reporters raised his hand. "Has the suspect confessed to his actions?"

The spokesperson sighed, looking doubtful for a moment. "He has given a very ... unusual statement. We leave it to the legal process to prove all this."

The spotlight turned to Mr. Ali. A reporter shouted, "Ali, are you sorry for what you did?"

Ali smiled faintly, he shook his head no regret.

The room is instantly in an uproar. Camera flashes became more and more crowded, and the sound of whispers filled the room. The policeman sitting next to Mr. Ali straightened his body, prepared for the situation to escalate.

However, before any further questions could be asked, a middle-aged woman broke through the line of spectators. Her face was red, her eyes swollen from crying. It was Heri's mother.

"You monster!" she shouted hoarsely. In her hand, she held a small stone. Full of emotion, she threw the stone at Mr. Ali. It hit Mr. Ali in the forehead, causing a cut and blood that immediately flowed down the side of his face.

The room was in chaos. Some policemen rushed over to Heri's mother, while others tried to calm the situation. However, Heri's mother didn't care. She pointed at Mr. Ali with trembling fingers, her tears flowing freely.

"What did my son do wrong, huh?!" her voice broke, full of anger and sadness. "He's a good boy! He never hurt you! Why did you kill him? Why?"

Mr. Ali didn't react at all. He remained seated in his chair, not even touching the wound on his forehead. He just stared at Heri's mother blankly, then smiled faintly.

Heri's mother was getting hysterical. "Answer me, you coward! What did my son do wrong?"

The journalists captured this precious moment without missing a beat. For the next week, they had a stock of interesting news. But there was no denying that hearing a mother's crying voice made some journalists and police officers feel sorry for her.

A mother's moan filled the room. Several people tried to calm the old woman down. "Why my son?" she cried louder and louder.

However, the man remained silent, his cold smile not fading in the slightest. There was no remorse in his mind. Everything he did was the right thing to do.

"Troublemakers must be punished," he muttered softly.

***

The Police Building was filled with reporters, camera flashes, and the bustling voices of family and friends who had come to witness the awards ceremony. On a simple stage with a red and white flag in the background, three chairs had been set up for Selin, Karin and Arzan.

The Chief of Police stood at the podium, dressed in a neat uniform with a glittering medal on his chest. He began his speech with a steady voice that echoed in the room.

"Today, we gather to honor the extraordinary bravery of three young students who have shown integrity, courage, and resilience in the face of life-threatening situations. Thanks to them, a particularly heinous crime has been uncovered, and justice can be served."

Selin, Karin, and Arzan stood beside the stage. Their faces showed a mixture of emotions-proud, nervous, and a little disbelieving that they were the center of attention like this.

When their names were called one by one, they stepped onto the stage to loud applause from the audience. Karin, with a bandage on her left hand, walked slowly with the help of a cane. Selin was beside her, offering support with an encouraging little smile. Arzan, despite feeling awkward, walked with his chin up, trying to hide his nervousness.

The Chief of Police presented the award plaques to them one by one. "To Selin, for your courage to fight fear and protect others," he said as he handed Selin a plaque.

"To Karin, for your unwavering determination despite your injuries, and your courage in standing up for the safety of your friends." Karin accepted the plaque with trembling hands, her eyes glazed over. Not from sadness, but nervousness.

"And to Arzan, for your loyalty to your friends and your courage in taking risks to uphold the truth." Arzan accepted his plaque with a faint smile, then quickly glanced at Selin and Karin as if seeking reinforcement.

Afterward, the three of them stood together in the center of the stage. Reporters immediately pointed their cameras, taking pictures of these three young heroes.

The police chief smiled kindly and pointed the microphone at them. "Maybe you want to say something?" he asked.

The three glanced at each other awkwardly. Karin hurriedly took a half step back. "Selin, you're the best at talking," she whispered softly, hoping not to be heard by the microphone.

Selin shook her head quickly. "No, Arzan. You're a guy, you should be braver!"

Arzan immediately turned his head with widened eyes. "Uh, don't do that! I don't like talking in front of people!"

The three of them pushed each other quietly, making the atmosphere strange and a little funny. The reporters started whispering, while the Chief of Police just smiled in understanding. Selin tried to push Karin forward, but Karin backed away while folding her arms in front of her chest.

"That's it, Selin!" Karin finally urged.

"Why should I?" protested Selin, her face starting to turn red.

Arzan, who saw Selin and Karin busy rejecting each other, actually stifled a laugh. But Selin gave him a sharp look. "If you laugh, you say it!"

"Uh, don't say that!" replied Arzan hurriedly, raising his hands in surrender.

Finally, after a few seconds of awkwardness and the journalists starting to chuckle, Selin let out a long sigh and stepped up to the microphone with a resigned look on her face. "I'll do it!" she muttered, half annoyed.

Karin and Arzan immediately stepped back a little, but they were still holding back their laughter at Selin's embarrassed expression.

Selin cleared her throat before starting to speak. "Ehem ... So, yeah, the three of us actually didn't expect to be here. Honestly, we don't feel like heroes or anything. We just did what we thought was right."

Karin and Arzan were still trying to hold back their laughter behind Selin. Selin glanced at them with an annoyed look, then continued. "But if there's a lesson to be learned from all of this, it's probably this ... Never be afraid to speak up or take action, even if the situation is scary."

After Selin finished, she turned around and looked at Karin and Arzan. "You guys satisfied?" she asked in a half-joking tone.

Karin and Arzan could no longer contain their chuckles. The reporters who saw the interaction also laughed, making the formal atmosphere more relaxed.

The Chief of Police took the microphone back, smiling warmly at the trio. "Your humble attitude is as meaningful as the courage you have shown. Thank you for everything you have done."

Applause filled the room as Selin, Karin and Arzan walked off the stage with small smiles now etched on their faces. Although embarrassed, they knew this moment would be one to remember.

THE END