×Behavior×

"Uuukkk.. Uuukk.."

"Puuttt.. puutt.."

"Cock-a-doodle-doo..."

Like a house in the middle of a forest, birds chirped and roosters crowed back and forth without stopping this bright morning—until the animals were finally fed outside their coop. Yes, the owner was none other than her father's private driver, who had now been sent to work as a housekeeper at her place.

"Ugh, Jamal! Same old you—ruining my sleep again!" That was the first thing Staylie blurted out the moment she woke up, already scolding her father’s driver.

Staylie rubbed her ears while grumbling in a tone that made no sense even to herself. She then sat at the pantry table, facing the wide-open front door.

"Sorry, Miss," said the man in question, walking right in through the front door. "They’re just animals, can’t blame them for being noisy." Always making excuses, that Jamal—he dodged accountability like a bajaj.

Staylie grew even more annoyed by his reply. Seriously, this man acted like he owned the place. Hmph.

"Where’s Mbo Ajeng, Mal?" she asked while glancing around for her other house helper. The middle-aged woman she called Mbo was usually her cook—morning, noon, and night. But only if Staylie or her stepsister were staying at home. Not an everyday thing.

"Oh, Mbo Ajeng asked me earlier if she could take her grandkid out for a school trip today. That’s why she’s not here," Jamal explained as he tidied up.

"Then what am I supposed to eat this morning?" Staylie frowned, clearly bewildered.

"Come on, Miss. Just order GoFood or something. Life ain’t that hard, you know. Geez..." Jamal shook his head, fed up with his spoiled young boss—even though she was almost thirty, she still acted like a child.

"Oh, right. I can do that." Only now did it dawn on Staylie that food could be summoned in minutes.

She was about to get up from her seat when—

Creak.

Someone suddenly barged in through the back door to the kitchen. The door handle was slammed down loudly.

Click.

"Hello everybody..." greeted a familiar voice—none other than her stepsister, Lana.

Staylie turned around instantly, beaming brightly. “Hey! Where’ve you been, sis?” She had missed Lana, who had run away from home months ago without a word. She only contacted Staylie every now and then.

“I’ve been out on a little adventure… to bring you a stack of cash, Sty.” Lana walked over and pulled her sister into a tight hug, catching up after so long.

“Wait—what? You brought me money?” Staylie squinted, skeptical. “What’d you do to earn that? Work the streets?” she joked.

Smack!

“Ow!” Staylie’s forehead got flicked hard. She rubbed it with a pout directed straight at Lana.

“That hurt, you know…” she protested, though she hugged her sister even tighter.

They both moved to the living room sofa near the front door. Lana sat on the single chair, while Staylie claimed the long couch.

"Hey, sis,” Staylie remembered something.

“Hmm?” Lana replied while sipping from her water bottle.

“Tonight’s Dad’s birthday party,” she reminded.

“Oh, crap! I totally forgot!” Lana slapped her forehead.

“Let’s go buy him a gift!” Lana quickly stood and grabbed Staylie’s wrist.

“W-Wait, sis, hold up!” Staylie pulled her wrist back.

“What now?” Lana raised an eyebrow.

“I haven’t showered yet.” Staylie grinned sheepishly.

“Ugh, seriously?” Lana’s face went blank. “Fine. I’ll wait here. Twenty minutes, okay?”

Staylie shook her head and mumbled, clearly thinking that wasn’t enough.

“How long, then?”

“Sixty minutes.”

“Sixty?! Are you crazy?!” Lana protested. “Fine—forty minutes!”

“Eehhmm...” Staylie shook her head again.

“I can’t get ready that fast, sis.” She folded her arms.

Lana sighed in frustration, crossing her arms too.

“Okay. Forty-five minutes. Final offer.”

“Aw, come on, make it fifty-five, pleaseee?” Staylie begged while clinging to Lana’s arm dramatically.

“Nope! Forty-five, or nothing! I’m leaving if you take even a minute longer!” Lana put her foot down.

She walked off to the front porch, leaving Staylie sulking behind, feeling defeated. Lana was still Lana—rules were rules with her.

Jamal, who had been quietly witnessing everything from inside the house, couldn’t help but laugh to himself—no sound, just shoulders bouncing up and down from silent giggling. Then he really burst out laughing.

Annoyed, Staylie gave him a death glare sharper than a blade and walked toward the kitchen pantry.

Sssrrtt!

She grabbed something sharp.

Gulp.

Then, she began tapping the blade on the marble counter—right where Jamal could see it from across the room.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A loud clink echoed from the sharp knife.

Terrified, Jamal swallowed his saliva repeatedly. Until finally—

Thwack!

Staylie raised the knife with a crooked grin worthy of the Joker and pretended to chase Jamal.

“Heh—”

“Aaaaaahhh!!!”

Jamal screamed, running like crazy toward the front door.

Whoosh!

He sped past Lana, who was outside playing with a stray cat.

He moved so fast, Lana nearly got swept up in his windstream.

Step. Step.

Lana blinked rapidly, stunned.

---

"Sis, are you sure about buying Dad’s gift at this kind of store?"

Staylie and Lana had arrived at a mall just three kilometers from their elite neighborhood in Jakarta. The area was full of fancy restaurants where Staylie often hung out with her friends.

“Of course, I’m sure,” Lana replied coolly.

Staylie sighed, unamused.

The sisters were now visiting a classical music store. Lana wanted to buy their dad a musical instrument. She claimed she knew exactly what their dad liked. Everything she ever bought for him had been useful.

Unlike Staylie, who only knew how to blow money on random stuff. Ha!

"That’s why, Sty, you need to start understanding Dad better. Know what he likes, his habits, what makes him tick..."

Yet another one of Lana’s lectures made Staylie want to fall asleep. She walked around the shelves while being preached to about their father’s life.

While Lana wandered off toward another aisle, Staylie suddenly stopped in front of a violin display. She didn’t know why.

She just stood there, a faint smile forming as memories of someone from her past began to surface.

“Sty?”

Lana noticed her sister had disappeared from behind. She turned and walked back a few steps.

Then she spotted her, standing motionless in front of the violins.

“Staylie…”

Lana’s voice slightly rose.

“Huh?”

Startled, Staylie turned around to find Lana behind her. When their eyes met, she flashed a bright smile.

“What are you doing, daydreaming in front of the violins, hmm?” Lana moved in and grabbed her wrist again—time to focus on their gift-hunting mission.

“Nothing. I just… thought they looked cool,” Staylie replied casually.

Lana raised an eyebrow, then shook her head with a soft, amused smile.

“So… have you figured out what you’re going to get Dad?”

Staylie nodded once. “I have.”

In her mind, she was already imagining the moment her father would receive her gift. A mischievous smile crept across her face.