I'm Not My Boss' Storage
A Kara

A DOZEN hours passed, Agni finally set foot in Jakarta.

The hot, humid Cuana did not stop its speed after getting off the plane. As soon as he picked up the suitcase and bag, he swept through the crowd of people who were about to pick up the passengers from another flight. Her eyes focused on the women in the front row; looking for the red-shirted figure, the pointer Shia gave her.

“Ni, Agni!” Shia waved her hand, then ran up to her. “Luckily I'm not late. You want to go back to indekos first or—”

“Sempet not going to the hospital?”

Shia checked her phone. “There is still a night clock like that, but you don't want to rest first? No jet lag?”

Actually, Agni's tired. While on the plane he only slept six hours, it was also occasionally awakened due to nightmares. However, he will continue to be anxious if he has not heard the details of the incident, then met his stepmother in the hospital.

“We go to indekos first, make simple items,” said Agni. “Continue looking...my stepmother's look at the hospital.”.

*

It was hard for Agni to meet her stepmother. He has also turned his life into hell since his father died. If you want to have the heart, Agni will choose to go with Ishaan to Marrakesh, relieve fatigue from a three-month business trip in Europe. However, a voice asked him to go home, to check the late father's house and see the woman who ignored him for years.

At the hospital, Agni is guided to the ICU room while Shia waits in the canteen. According to doctors, her stepmother suffered serious burns on her upper body, legs, and part of her face.

“He has passed the critical period, but,” the doctor stopped in front of the room where Agni's stepmother was treated, “his chances of recovering were very small.”

“Other than me, have any other family members visited?”

The doctor nodded. “Only police members check progress. Only until now he has not been stable to be questioned.”

Wearing protective gowns and masks, Agni enters the care room of her stepmother. The sound of equipment and the aroma of antiseptic that mingles makes the atmosphere increasingly gripping. For a moment, Agni looked at the weakly lying woman in silence. Control his turbulent emotions when considering the treatment he received while they were still one roof.

A limited clock forced Agni into the room. There was no pity, let alone sadness when Agni approached the figure. Kinta, she ventured to say her name. The name her father mentioned when he introduced her to Agni many years ago. The name he also deliberately drowned deeply when slandered and expelled from the house.

“Mother, I'm home,” she said flat. “What do you want to tell me?”

Only the sound of the machine responding to Agni's question. The influence of drugs must have drugged him in sleep. Agni, who did not want to linger there, then continued,

"I'll be back tomorrow morning." Jemari Agni squeezed the side of the dress she was wearing. “Breaklah. I have to go.”

With a dragging step, Agni removed the mask and protective gown, then turned to the toilet. Eyes warming. No, Agni wasn't crying over the woman in the room. His cry was a cry of fury that had lingered too long in his soul.

Ever since hearing the news of her house burning, what Agni thought was her late father. The only relic connecting the two of them had been leveled with the ground. There was no place full of memories that he could call home.

Agni leaned back, sobbing sedan due to crying. He did not care about the people who went in and out of the toilet; he quietly watched. Just a few minutes, Agni only took a moment to tear down the defense.

“Sorry, Pa. I'm sorry..”

*

Based on the information of residents around the house, Kinta and her husband were involved in a quarrel all day. The goods were slammed until they broke, overlapping between shouting and mockery. Even RT has trouble breaking them up.

Kinta's husband was seen leaving the house in the afternoon, riding a motorcycle and carrying a large bag.

A few hours later, more precisely midnight, the house was on fire.

“It looks like it was deliberately burned, Neng.” Ms. Ami, a neighbor who lives at the end of the block, opened a jar filled with cookies. “Soalnya police found gasoline used the same jeriken. Rumor, they fuss because her husband pawns a home certificate to pay the debt. Dizziness almost every day they fight.”

“Lho, Neng Agni hasn't checked into the police station yet? Udah ketangkep this afternoon,” said the woman while chewing the cake. "Pity but Miss Kinta. Neng is looking, right? How's it going?”

Agni returned to Bu Ami half an hour later, then approached Shia who was waiting for her in front of the complex. It was almost midnight when they arrived at the co-living space that Shia had rented as a new residence. It is more suitable to be called an apartment than an index, because the unit has two rooms with one shared bathroom.

“Gue has installed bed linen all macem. Your other items are still in the cardboard,” Shia explained when opening the door to Agni's room. “Oh yes, Micah sepet want to send a painting, but at that time I was busy moving.”

Agni's steps came to a halt in the doorway. “Painting?”

“He-eh, he said a gift from Ishaan make lo. Replica painting what it is, there is a kiss his seinget me.”

Agni's eyes were rounded. The Kiss's. God, how could he forget the replica of the painting?

“Terus, where is the painting now?” ask Agni while looking one by one at the cardboard and other packages in the room.

“Still at Micah's house. I'll wait to move.” Shia pursed her lips. “Kok can your boss buy paintings? Direct from Europe anyway.”

“Long story, later I tell you.” Knowing Shia's temperament, Agni believes her best friend will continue to dig for information. “Gue that Micah contacts to make take the painting. Thanks, yes, have packed my stuff.”

“Sama-sama. Lo rest first, let tomorrow more immediately to the hospital.”

Because of Shia's surprise, Agni remembered she had not informed Ishaan that she had arrived in Indonesia. He quickly opened the chat app and was surprised to find a number of illegible messages from Ishaan.

Some asked for news, others reminded him to eat and drink. One of them asked about his mother. Agni continued to scroll until reading the last message sent about an hour ago.

Agni, I take off to Marrakesh, the message read. Please reply as soon as you get better. Don't forget Micah's contact to get a painting.

“Long life,” murmured Agni. So confused to choose which questions need to be answered, Agni decided to write a short message to report the news.

Sir, I arrived in Indonesia this afternoon. I'm sorry I just responded, so I went straight to the hospital. He took a pause before continuing, My stepmother has passed the critical period, but still needs further observation. Tomorrow morning or noon, I'll see him again.

Tick one. Probably taking a break on the plane, Agni thought. He then moved to send a message to Micah regarding the painting before a new notification from Ishaan came in.

Can I call you?

Agni's heart was too tight to read it.

Isn't Mister on the plane?

My flight was delayed by two hours, kept stuck at the airport.

It was almost midnight when the messages came in. Strangely, tired and sleepy who was ready to bring Agni to the dream world suddenly yawned when receiving Ishaan's message. The girl clutched her phone to think of an answer before typing it.

Sir can call, I happen to be on index.

Within a minute, Ishaan's name and phone number appeared on the phone screen. Agni laid her body against the wall before pressing the green button to receive the call and heard,

“Agni, I thought of you from yesterday.”

***