(End of Season 1)
The rain had just stopped that afternoon.
The Bandung sky was still gray, the air damp, and the scent of wet earth lingered around the schoolyard.
Under a row of flamboyant trees beginning to shed their leaves, Ratna stood still.
The school corridors were quiet—only the distant sound of insects filled the air.
Rey's seat in the classroom was still empty.
So was Harold's desk.
For some reason, those two chairs always stood out more than the others.
Ratna took a slow breath.
Several weeks had passed since the incident, yet the silence it left behind felt longer than time itself.
---
🌧️ Harold
That day, just as Ratna was about to go home, someone stopped in front of her.
"Ratna," the voice was gentle, but clear.
She turned around.
Harold stood there, wearing a neat white shirt, his hair combed back.
Not the Harold she used to know—his smile was no longer arrogant, his eyes slightly swollen.
"You came…?" Ratna asked carefully.
Harold nodded.
"I came to say goodbye. I'm leaving for America tomorrow morning."
Ratna froze.
"So soon?"
Harold lowered his head.
"My dad prepared everything a long time ago. I passed the overseas school entrance exams. He said there are many opportunities there. But somehow… it feels heavy."
He let out a small laugh, dry and fragile.
"It's funny. I used to think going abroad would make me happy. Now, I'm scared."
Ratna looked at him for a long moment.
"You're smart, Harold. You'll be fine."
Harold shook his head slowly.
"Being smart doesn't always mean being strong, Ratna."
He stepped closer, looking at her from a shorter distance.
"I'm sorry… for everything. For the way I treated you before. I was too arrogant."
His voice trembled.
Suddenly, Harold pulled Ratna into a tight embrace—
as if trying to remember a warmth he was about to lose.
Ratna stiffened, but she didn't pull away.
She could feel his chest trembling, and when she looked up, his eyes were wet.
"I don't want to leave, Ratna," he whispered.
"But I have to. I have to prove to my dad that I can become a better person."
Ratna looked at his face—
the face of a boy once full of pride, now softened and sincere.
"If you become a better person," she said quietly,
"that's already enough for me."
Harold took a heavy breath, then slowly let go.
He smiled faintly, though his eyes remained red.
"Goodbye, Ratna."
"Safe travels, Harold."
His footsteps faded slowly among the shadows of the trees.
Ratna stood still, watching his back until it completely disappeared beyond the rain-soaked school gate.
---
🌤️ Rey
A few days later, Rey came to see Ratna at the back garden of the school.
He wore a gray sweater, his face calm as always, but his eyes carried a deep exhaustion.
"I came to say goodbye," he said.
Ratna looked at him quickly.
"You're saying goodbye…?"
Rey nodded.
"My biological father came. I only just found out—the man who passed away before was my stepfather. My real father lives overseas. He wants me to go with him to Australia."
Ratna fell silent.
Rey continued softly,
"I don't know whether I should feel happy or sad. But maybe this is the right time for me to leave. I've stayed here too long, Ratna."
Ratna bit her lip, holding back tears.
"So… we won't meet again?"
Rey looked up at the sky and smiled faintly.
"In times like this? Probably not. Even letters could take months."
They both laughed softly, though the sound was bitter.
Then Rey looked at Ratna deeply.
"But I want you to know—
you're part of the most important chapter of my life."
Ratna lowered her gaze.
"So are you, Rey."
Rey took a long breath, then gently patted her shoulder.
"Life keeps moving, Ratna. Don't stop because of me."
Ratna nodded, even as tears slipped down her cheeks.
Rey walked away without looking back.
His steps were calm and steady—
yet every step felt like a distance that could never be bridged again.
---
🌸 Ratna
That night, Ratna stood by her bedroom window.
The city lights of Bandung flickered faintly in the distance.
On her study desk lay a small piece of paper that read:
"I hope you'll be happy there."
She didn't know if Harold would ever read the note she had slipped into his desk drawer that afternoon.
Maybe not.
Maybe it was already too late.
Somewhere above, two airplanes crossed the night sky—
one heading west, the other south.
Ratna stood still, staring at the sky with a tightness in her chest.
> They're leaving to chase their dreams, she thought,
and I'm staying behind to guard the memories.
She closed her eyes, remembering Rey's smile, Harold's laughter, and all the days that had passed.
Tomorrow, she would move on to her second year of school—alone.
The gray Bandung sky reflected the glow of city lights,
and Ratna knew that even though oceans separated them,
they were still looking at the same sky.
---
🌤️ End of Season 1 — Silent Echoes
(The Quiet Traces of the Heart)
Thank you for walking alongside Ratna until this point.
Not every story ends with togetherness,
but every meeting leaves a meaning.
Until we meet again—
in a time when hearts are more grown.