Devan sat nervously in the office of a well-known TV producer named Erick. His heart was pounding in his chest, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead. He hadn't been given any reason for this sudden summons. Had he done something wrong? Was he in trouble? Or was this about a new assignment? Devan couldn't shake the anxiety bubbling inside him.
He had only been working at the company for a few days, and the thought of being fired already sent a chill down his spine. Erick's expression earlier had seemed cold—angry, even. That made Devan even more unsure of what to expect.
Fifteen long minutes passed, and Erick still hadn't entered the room. The silence grew heavier, amplifying Devan's worry. Then suddenly, a knock came from the door. Devan's head turned slowly in anticipation.
The door creaked open, and it was only the office boy, who stepped in with a tray in his hands.
"What would you like to drink, sir?" the office boy asked politely.
"Just plain water, please," Devan replied.
"Right away," the boy nodded and disappeared.
Not long after, the door opened again, and this time, Erick entered, followed by the office boy with their drinks. The boy placed the glasses on the table and quickly exited, leaving the two men in a tense silence.
Finally, Erick broke the ice.
"Do you not know that it's strictly prohibited for employees to date during working hours?" he asked, his tone sharp.
Devan blinked in confusion. "Dating? During office hours?"
Erick leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Yes. I saw you bring a girl into the meeting room. It looked like you were having a private date instead of working."
"Oh! No, sir! That's not what it was," Devan quickly explained. "That wasn't my girlfriend. That was Kirana."
"Kirana?" Erick raised an eyebrow. "Is she some kind of celebrity?"
"No, sir. Kirana is my source—my interviewee. I'm planning a documentary about the legend of the snake demon, and I needed someone who knows about it firsthand."
Erick rubbed his chin thoughtfully. The idea of a show about snake demons was oddly intriguing. It had potential. "Why Kirana, though? Is she... a snake demon herself?" Erick asked, half-joking.
Devan hesitated, then grinned. "That's right—eh, no! I mean, no sir! She's not a snake demon. She's just someone who's witnessed one before."
Erick narrowed his eyes, amused. "Ah, I see. That makes more sense."
Realizing his misunderstanding, Erick sighed and relaxed his posture. "I owe you an apology then. I jumped to conclusions too quickly. I thought you were bringing your girlfriend to fool around at work."
"It's okay, sir. I understand," Devan replied with a small laugh.
"Well, the idea of a documentary on snake demons sounds pretty unique. Keep developing that concept. Let me know when you've got a solid script."
With that, Erick dismissed Devan, who bowed politely and exited the room.
---
Back at the villa, Kirana had just returned. Her expression was glowing, and she seemed much more cheerful than usual. She greeted Limbur and Denok with surprising friendliness.
"Good morning!" she said with a bright smile.
Tama, who was peeking from behind a tree, couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as he watched her. "The Princess looks really happy," he muttered, sighing.
He returned to his duties and began sweeping the villa's yard, focusing around the pool. As he passed the edge of the cursed lake, he caught sight of his reflection and paused.
"What's wrong with me?" Tama muttered, staring at his face in the water. "Am I seriously thinking of jumping in and turning into a snake demon just to match her?"
Shaking his head, Tama made up his mind. He needed answers. He had to speak to Devan directly. He wanted to know how serious Devan was about Kirana. That way, he could at least feel a little peace in his restless heart.
After finishing his chores, Tama walked quietly toward Kirana's room to check in on her. The door was open just enough to see inside. He saw Kirana lying on her bed, laughing while scrolling through her magical waterproof cellphone.
"She even has a waterproof magic phone... must be nice," Tama muttered with envy.
He turned and left, but Kirana noticed the movement outside her door. Realizing she was being watched, she got up and slammed the door shut.
---
Tama left the villa, still deep in thought. He flagged down a car, driven by a man he didn't know. Distracted by his emotions, he didn't pay much attention to the road. Before long, he found himself lost on an unfamiliar street. When he got out to check his surroundings, the car had already disappeared into the distance.
An elderly woman was walking slowly by the side of the road. Tama noticed her gazing at him with a curious expression. She looked straight at him—an odd thing, considering he was still in his spirit form.
"Could she be... indigo?" Tama wondered.
Taking a chance, he walked toward her. "Excuse me, Grandma. Could you tell me how to get to Sejahtera 1 Street?"
The old woman smiled and pointed. "Go straight down that way."
"Thank you, Grandma."
Just as Tama was about to walk away, she held out her hand. "You're a new spirit, aren't you?"
Tama was surprised. "Yeah, I just died earlier this year."
"If you ever need a ghost cellphone," the grandmother said calmly, "I know someone who sells them. He's the gatekeeper to the afterlife."
"Wait, really? Where can I find him?"
"Follow the light of the setting sun. Only spirits can see the path to the afterlife."
Tama's eyes lit up. "That's amazing! Thank you, Grandma. I could really use that phone to talk to someone I care about."
As he walked away, her parting words echoed in his mind.
"Meet your friend first."
Tama stopped in his tracks. He hadn't told her where he was going. "She's a powerful woman..." he thought, feeling slightly chilled.
---
By the time night fell, Tama had arrived at Devan's boarding house. He transformed into his human form to avoid suspicion from the neighbors.
A woman greeted Devan as he returned home. "Mr. Devan, a male guest has been waiting for a while. I invited him to wait in my room."
"Huh? I haven't had a male human guest in forever," Devan muttered.
The woman locked her door behind them, clearly uneasy. "A male guest, and now you say you haven't had one in a long time? That gave me goosebumps," she whispered.
Devan shrugged it off and led Tama into his apartment-style room.
They sat in the living room. "So, what brings you here? Hunting ghosts again?" Devan joked.
"I'm serious," Tama said firmly. "I came here to talk about Kirana."
Devan smirked. "Ah, Kirana… she's something, huh?"
"Don't joke."
"Well, she's beautiful. It'd be a waste for her to stay single, don't you think?"
"SATAN!"
Tama slammed the table in frustration, causing the glasses to rattle.