Unexpected Reveal

Nusantara International Hospital

RSUD Surabaya, 2045. The emergency room pulsed with controlled chaos—holographic vitals floated midair, robotic assistants zipped between beds, antiseptic sharp in the air. Neon trims along the walls gave the place a futuristic glow, though the tension was still very human.

Dr. Alief tugged off his gloves, smart glasses glinting under the lights. He'd just wrapped up a marathon heart surgery, and the weight of fatigue pressed on his shoulders. A backpack slung over one arm, he exhaled in relief and made for the exit.

The doors hissed open.

Indra:

"BAA!"

Indra barreled in, hair bouncing, grin unhinged. Alief jolted so hard his glasses slipped, and he toppled to the polished floor with a graceless thud. He growled, scrambling up with an elbow scrape.

Alief:

"Bangsat lo, Dra! Aku kait metu teko operasi kaki cok!"

(Indra, you bastard! I just finished leg surgery, cok!)

Indra doubled over, cackling so hard he nearly choked.

The doors slid again. This time, Andi rushed through—arms full. His shirt was streaked, his face taut with adrenaline.

In his grasp lay a girl straight out of fiction: crimson eyes dimmed with pain, torn crimson-black cloak, blood trailing down her leg. Her staff—splintered, gem cracked—still clung to her hand.

Andi's chest heaved. He spotted Indra and gasped,

Andi:

"Thanks udah shareloc, Dra... "

(Thank you for sharing the location, Dra...)

The room froze. Indra's jaw hung slack; Alief blinked hard, his brain struggling between logic and disbelief.

Indra:

"...Nice cosplay, huh?"

He finally muttered, though his voice cracked.

Alief:

"Keren sih..."

(So cool...)

Alief pushed his glasses up with a dramatic flourish, like some anime mastermind. For half a second, doubt flickered in his eyes—then the doctor in him kicked in, shoving it aside. His face hardened... though honestly, it looked more like he was constipated than confident

Alief:

"Anjing, lupa Gw—yaudah, ikut Aku!"

(Shit, I forgot that—follow me!)

Nurses surged in with a stretcher. Andi lowered her gently, blood smearing against his arm. The girl groaned, clutching a shard of her broken staff like a lifeline.

Alief:

"Operating room. Saiki! (now!) "

Alief barked, already jogging beside the team as they rushed her down the corridor.

2 minutes later...

The waiting area buzzed with a low, restless hum—fluorescent lights overhead, the faint whir of a vending machine in the corner. Andi paced the tiles, his steps uneven, while Indra sagged into a chair like a deflated balloon.

Andi had just finished laying it all out: the portal, the impossible glow, the girl bleeding in his arms.

Andi:

"Gitu sih ceritanya..."

(So, that's the story...)

he muttered, finally sinking into the seat beside Indra.

For a long moment, Indra didn't move. His face was frozen, eyes blank as if his brain had blue-screened. He scratched his head, words tumbling out in fragments.

Indra:

"Portal... cewek... Surabaya... anime..."

He blinked slowly, sighed, and gave up.

Indra:

"Iq gua masih 90, Gw nggak paham dari cerita lo."

(My IQ's still at 90, I don't get what you're saying.)

His mouth was smirking in a teasing way.

Indra:

"Lo bilang portal? Kayak isekai? lo itu ngehalu gara-gara mabok jus jeruk kah? hahaha!"

(You're talking about a portal? Like in isekai anime? Are you tripping 'cause you're drunk on orange juice? Hahaha!)

Andi rubbed his face, exhausted. Then his shoulders straightened, voice low but firm.

Andi:

"Gak tau lagi deh... tapi dia butuh kita soalnya."

(I don't even know anymore... but she needs us, though.)

Indra sighed

Indra:

"You're right."

Under the harsh glow of the surgical lights, the girl lay still, her Amber eyes half-lidded. The gash on her leg had been cleaned, yet the wound still bled stubbornly, defiant as its owner. Holographic vitals pulsed weakly above the table, the steady rhythm of survival.

Alief stood at the center, wrapped in scrubs and focus. Whatever shock he'd felt earlier was gone; the surgeon in him had taken command. His voice was calm, steady, carrying authority as he leaned closer.

Alief:

"What's your name? Can you tell me what happened?"

The girl stirred, her lips trembling. Her voice came out in Japanese, rough but resolute.

Reaper Girl:

「わ、私は...レイカ。敵が...追ってくるの...」

(wa , watashi wa ... re ika . teki ga ... ottekuruno ...)

(I-I... Reika.. The enemy is coming after me...)

Alief grabbed his head, looking up with prayer muttering under his breath.

Alief:

"Wahai Flora Spirit... Aku RAK paham! Cuk!"

(By Flora Spirit, I DON’T understand a thing! Cuk! )

Switching gears, he tried again—this time in English. His words were careful, measured.

Alief:

"Okay, uh... Miss. You're safe here. We're fixing your leg. Can you understand me? Just... stay calm."

Her gaze flicked to his, a faint spark of recognition lighting the haze of pain. Slowly, she gave the smallest of nods, fingers tightening around the shard of her broken staff.

Relief eased through Alief's shoulders. He straightened, raising his voice to the team.

Alief:

"Stabilize her vitals. Clean the wound. Prep for sutures."

The room moved in sync—machines humming, hands steady, the rhythm of medicine battling chaos.

2 Hours later

The hospital hallway was quiet, the kind of silence that carried weight after chaos. Andi stood outside Reika's recovery room, his tense posture softened at last, though his eyes still clung to worry. Beside him, Alief had shed his surgical gear, adjusting his smart glasses with an exhausted but satisfied expression. A few steps away, Indra leaned against the wall, scrolling lazily on his phone, his usual playful energy dimmed after the madness of tonight.

Andi shoved his hands into his pockets, finally breaking the silence.

Andi:

"Gimana keadaan dia, Lief?"

(How's she doing, Lief?)

Alief gave a small nod, his tone carrying both professionalism and warmth.

Alief:

"Lukanya cuma di kaki—parah, tapi kita udah bersihin sama jahit rapi. Kondisinya stabil, dia harus istirahat."

(The wound was just on her leg—bad, but we cleaned it and stitched it up neatly. She’s stable, but she needs rest.)

Andi exhaled deeply, his shoulders sagging with relief. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he brushed his hair back with one hand.

Andi:

"Syukur deh..."

(Thank God...)

Indra finally looked up from his phone, pocketing it with a lazy motion. He stretched, pushing off the wall with a yawn, already halfway checked out.

Indra:

"Yaudah, gua cabut dulu yak! Lu urus si cewek itu, ya. Dadah!"

(Alright, I'm dipping out! Take care of that girl, yeah? Bye!)

He gave a half-hearted mock salute as he started for the exit, tossing back a grin over his shoulder.

Indra:

"Jangan lupa bayar parkir, ya!"

(Don't forget to pay for parking, ya!)

Andi rolled his eyes but turned back to Alief, suddenly serious again.

Andi:

"Biayanya berapa?"

(How much is the bill?)

Alief crossed his arms, a sly smirk curling at his lips.

Alief:

"Dua puluh juta rupiah."

(Twenty million rupiah.)

He raised an eyebrow, clearly fishing for a reaction.

But Andi didn't flinch. Instead, he extended his hand, his expression calm, his tone resolute.

Andi:

"Deal."

The handshake was firm, sealing the agreement.

Alief froze, blinking as if he'd miscalculated something.

Alief:

"Oh iya ya..."

(Oh, right...)

Indra, who was already halfway down the hall, stopped in his tracks. With a dramatic pivot, he slid right back into the conversation, smirk widening.

Indra:

"Lu kasih dia pajak satu miliar, tetap aja dibayar hahaha!"

(Charge him a billion in taxes and he’d still pay it hahaha!)

Alief sighed, muttering under his breath.

Alief:

"...bacot."

(...shut up.)

Andi stood in the sterile hallway, his reflection faint in the polished floor. Alief was busy scribbling notes across the glowing surface of his holographic tablet, the bluish light washing over his calm face.

Andi's hands were buried deep in his pockets, his eyes sharp yet heavy with thought. The earlier chaos had melted into something heavier: a sense of responsibility. Images of Reika—her defiant strength, the guilt flickering in her eyes, the fragile loyalty beneath her pride—flashed through his mind.

Andi:

"Gua stay sini aja."

(I'm just gonna stay put here.)

Alief looked up, searching Andi's face as though weighing the truth behind those words. Slowly, he nodded, lips twitching into the faintest of smiles.

Alief:

"Yaudah. Intinya dia dah stabil, Jangan ganggu rest dia. Kalo ada apa-apa, panggil suster."

(Alright, bottom line is she's stable now, so don't bother her while she rests. If anything comes up, just call the nurse.)

He slung his backpack over one shoulder, pausing only to clap Andi's shoulder with quiet trust.

Alief:

"Lo juga jaga diri, Ini... urusan paling absurd sih."

(You take care too, this is like... the most absurd thing ever though.)

Andi exhaled, watching Alief vanish down the hallway. The silence pressed in around him, the fluorescent lights humming faintly. He clenched his fists, steadying his resolve, then pushed open the door.

He pushed the door open carefully and stepped inside. The air was hushed, the faint hum of machines filling the silence. Reika lay propped up against a stack of pillows, her crimson eyes half-lidded but alert, staring at the ceiling. Her skin was pale but steady, her breathing slow and even. The moment she noticed Andi, her hand twitched toward the shard of scythe that rested on the bedside table.

Andi raised one hand gently.

Andi:

"Santai aja... Gua Andi."

(Relax... I'm Andi.)

He pulled a chair closer and sat down, leaving a respectful distance between them. His voice carried no edge, only earnest calm.

Andi:

"Kimi... Reika, kan?"

(You're... Reika, right?)

Her eyes narrowed slightly, weighing him with the sharp instinct of a survivor. Though her voice was weak, it cut through the quiet like a thread of steel.

Reika:

「わが わ れいか 。。。 きさま わ だれだ」

(Ware wa Reika... kisama wa dare da?)

(I am Reika... who are you?)

She hesitated, studying him closer. Then her gaze softened, recalling his earlier intervention.

Reika:

「...我を助けた者か」

(...Ware o tasuketa mono ka?)

(...The one who helped me?)

Andi scratched the back of his neck, frustration flashing across his face at the language barrier. Still, he leaned forward, speaking slowly, his tone carrying more than words could.

Andi:

"Halah, harus pake jepang kah?"

(Oh man, gotta use Japanese or what?)

He pointed at himself, then at her, mimicking the motion of shielding with both arms.

Andi:

"Gua bakal jaga lu, oke? Sampai lu pulih."

(I'll look out for you, okay? Until you're better.)

Reika tilted her head, crimson eyes following his movements. His intent reached her, even if his words did not. Her expression softened, ever so slightly, and a quiet sigh left her lips.

Reika:

「...感謝する」

(...Kansha suru.)

(...Thank you.)

Her hand eased away from the scythe fragment. She studied him, wary still, but with a spark of curiosity glinting beneath the weight of her exhaustion—as though seeing him clearly for the first time.

Andi settled into the chair beside Reika's bed, his posture relaxed but his gaze steady. The room was quiet, save for the faint rhythm of the monitor and the distant hum of the city outside. Reika lay against her pillows, her bandaged leg raised on a support, her crimson eyes sharp even through fatigue. The hospital gown hung awkwardly on her frame, alien to someone used to armor and robes.

He cleared his throat, hesitant but determined.

Andi:

"Uh... oke, gua coba ya..."

(Okay, I'll try...)

Leaning forward, he pieced together scraps of Japanese he'd gathered from anime, books, and apps. His voice was careful, slow.

Andi:

"Anata... uh, portal... doko kara?"

(You... uh, the portal... where from?)

He circled his hands in the air to mimic the swirling of a gate, then pointed at her and the window.

Andi:

"Portal... tsukau? Doushite?"

(Portal... how use? Why?)

The word struck her like flint. Reika's eyes narrowed, a flicker of danger in them. Her hand twitched toward the scythe shard on the table, but instead she curled her fingers into the sheets.

Reika:

「なぜ知りたい？」

(Naze shiritai?)

(Why do you want to know?)

Her gaze sharpened, suspicion burning.

Reika:

「貴様...何者だ？」

(Kisama... nani mono da?)

(Who... are you really?)

Her tone dropped, guarded yet edged with weary honesty.

Reika:

「我の過去...危険だ。話せぬ。」

(Ware no kako... kiken da. Hanasenu.)

(My past... is dangerous. I cannot speak of it.)

Andi caught the weight of distrust, even if not every word. He leaned back, palms raised in a peaceable gesture, his features softening.

Andi:

"Oke, oke... gua ngerti. Lu ga percaya gua, wajar."

(Okay, okay... I get it. You don't trust me, that's fair.)

He tried again, haltingly, in broken Japanese.

Andi:

"Andi... tomodachi. Anata... safe. No danger."

(Andi... friend. You... safe. No danger.)

He touched his chest, then gestured toward her, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Andi:

"Gua cuma... mau bantu."

(I just... want to help.)

For a long moment, she studied him, crimson eyes unblinking, searching. His words were clumsy, but the sincerity behind them was harder to deny. Her fingers tightened on the sheets, then loosened with a quiet exhale.

Reika:

「...信じ難い。」

(...Shinji-gatai.)

(...It's hard to trust.)

Andi let out a slow breath as he slumped into the chair. He didn't press further.

His gaze shifted to the window. Outside, Surabaya's skyline shimmered beneath the morning light—towers of glass and metal, streaks of neon, a world far removed from dusty plains and arcane towers. He wondered what it must look like to her, a reaper from the Crimson Demons, waking in this city of holograms and noise.

Andi:

"Gua gak nyangka bisa masuk sini...."

(I can't believe you made it here....)

He glanced back at her, his voice soft.

Andi:

"Gua anggap wajar sih...kan kita asing."

(I think that's fair enough...we're strangers.)

The silence thickened, but it was no longer hostile. Only the steady pulse of the machines filled the air. Reika's hand loosened its grip, her fingers resting lightly against the sheet. She turned her head ever so slightly, casting him a fleeting glance. Suspicion still lingered in her eyes, but it had thinned—softened by something faint, almost fragile.

* * *

Morning 7:12 AM

Andi sat in the chair beside Reika's bed, scrolling through his phone. Reika rested quietly, her crimson eyes half-open as she watched the sunlight dance across the ceiling. Her bandaged leg was still elevated, but there was a sharper alertness in her gaze, her reaper instincts softened by the calm of morning.

His phone buzzed with a stream of notifications from the group chat. The header read: Surabaya Squad.

Broly:

Oke, Boss biarkan kami memasak!

("Alright, Boss, let us cook!")

He sent a sticker of a chibi chef juggling flaming pans with exaggerated sparkles.

Andi's lips curved into a faint smile.

Andi:

Yeah, continue your day, guys.

He added a thumbs-up emoji before closing the chat and slipping the phone into his pocket.

A soft ding chimed from outside the room—the sound of a delivery arriving. Andi glanced at Reika. She raised an eyebrow at him but didn't speak. He rose from the chair and stepped into the hallway. A small hover-drone waited by the door, carrying a neatly wrapped parcel with a glowing digital label: Opor Teluyam – Special Order.

Andi:

"Cepet juga, ya."

("Pretty fast, huh.")

His voice was quiet, almost pleased, as he scanned the payment through his phone. The drone beeped politely, released the parcel, and zipped away down the corridor.

Back in the room, Andi set the parcel on a rolling table just as Alief entered. His smart glasses caught the fluorescent light, and in his hands he carried a holographic tablet already displaying Reika's medical chart.

Andi:

"Gimana, Lief?"

("How's she doing, Lief?")

Alief stopped, his expression thoughtful.

Alief:

"Kondisinya udah jauh lebih baik. Tapi kalo lu mau dia pulih cepet, kita bisa pake LX918 Boost Heal. Bikin regenerasi jaringan lebih cepet."

("Her condition's much better. But if you want her to recover faster, we can use the LX918 Boost Heal. Speeds up tissue regeneration.")

Alief:

"Cuma... nambah sepuluh juta."

("Just... adds ten million.")

Andi nodded, unfazed.

Andi:

"Yaudah, gua bayar."

("Alright, I'll pay.")

He raised his phone again, transferring the funds with steady fingers. His expression stayed calm, but his eyes were resolute.

Alief's grin spread as he tapped quickly on his tablet.

Alief:

"Gua atur sekarang."

("I'll set it up.")

He gave Andi a quick approving nod before slipping out of the room, the door closing softly behind him.

Andi turned his attention to the food parcel, carefully setting up the rolling table beside Reika's bed. He opened the package, revealing a steaming bowl of opor teluyam—a creamy, fragrant Indonesian dish with tender eggs and rich coconut broth, garnished with fried shallots. The aroma filled the room, warm and inviting.

Andi slid the table closer to Reika, his tone gentle.

Andi:

"Ini buat lu. Makanan khas sini, namanya opor teluyam. Coba aja, moga lo suka."

("This is for you. Local food, called opor teluyam. Give it a try, hope you like it.")

He handed her a spoon with a reassuring smile.

Reika eyed the dish warily, her reaper instincts making her cautious of anything unfamiliar. She took the spoon slowly and scooped a small bite. The moment the creamy broth touched her tongue, her crimson eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering through her guarded demeanor.

Reika:

「...美味い。」

(...Umai.)

("...Delicious.")

She took another bite, her expression softening as she savored the rich flavors. A faint spark of excitement danced in her eyes, though she tried to hide it.

Andi chuckled, leaning back in his chair, relieved to see her eat.

Andi:

"Lu beneran Reika... dari dunia sihir, demon, sama petualangan gila. Tapi sekarang lu di sini, makan opor di Surabaya."

("You're really Reika... from a world of magic, demons, and crazy adventures. But now you're here, eating opor in Surabaya.")

He shook his head, but his face shifted to empathy, almost whispering to himself.

Andi:

"Gua bakal bantuin kamu."

("I'm gonna help you out.")

Reika glanced at him, catching his soft tone even if she didn't understand the words. She paused mid-bite, then gave a faint nod—the first real acknowledgment of his presence beyond suspicion.

Later, Reika rested in her hospital bed, crimson eyes half-closed as she gazed out the window. Her bandaged leg was elevated, and the fragment of her scythe-staff glowed faintly on the table beside her. Andi sat nearby, his phone in hand, unease growing heavier.

He opened a browser and typed Reika Kala Saga. The Wikipedia page loaded with her profile. His eyes scanned the text carefully: a theatrical, Explosion-obsessed Wizard Inferno, dramatic and mischievous—completely unlike the cold, guarded reaper before him.

Andi:

"Ini... beda banget."

("This... is so different.")

He reread lines about her loud confidence and obsession with Explosion magic. His brow furrowed as he looked at Reika, still silent and distant.

Andi:

"Dia di sini dingin, pendiam... kayak orang yang bawa beban berat."

("She's so cold here, quiet... like someone carrying a heavy burden.")

His eyes drifted to the scythe fragment. Its faint glow unsettled him.

Andi:

"Apa yang bikin lu berubah gini, Reika? Apa yang terjadi di dunia lu?"

("What made you change like this, Reika? What happened in your world?")

Exhaustion crept in. His eyelids grew heavy.

Andi:

"Bentar aja... gua cuma istirahat mata..."

("Just for a bit... I'm just resting my eyes...")

His phone slipped onto his lap, still glowing faintly with the article, as he drifted into sleep.

Reika noticed his change, her sharp eyes flicking toward him. She studied his relaxed face, the way he'd stayed by her side despite her suspicion. Her expression softened for just a moment. Turning back to the window, she whispered under her breath.

Reika:

「...不思議な者だな、貴様。」

(...Fushigi na mono da na, kisama.)

("...You're a strange one, aren't you.")

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