The night was calm when the car rolled down the road. Amir was at the wheel, while Ibrahim sat beside him, phone pressed to his ear, talking to Samir. He needed the exact address of Aqil's hostel — he only knew that Aqil and Yusuf stayed together, somewhere a little far from the school.
Once the call ended, Amir glanced at him. "Why do you even want to go there?"
Ibrahim leaned back in his seat, his jaw tight. "I won't rest, not until I know what the hell Aqil said to make Zainab that angry."
He rolled down the window slightly, letting the cool night breeze hit his face. The wind brushed through his disheveled hair.
"Did he… confess to her or something?" he muttered under his breath, "Oh, these teenagers…"
Amir gave a faint smile, "I don't think Aqil has the guts to propose to her. And even if — by some miracle — he told her how he feels, what's the harm? You wanted them to be together one day, didn't you?"
Ibrahim turned his face slightly toward him, "It was just a thought, Amir. I've said it so many times… I'm scared of the day when someone unknown walks into Zainab's life and fills the gaps we couldn't. Makes her believe she deserves everything she never got. Because once she believes someone understands her better than we do… she'll walk away. All it takes is one person with a sweet tongue and a dirty mind to ruin her."
After that, the car fell into silence. Amir didn't know what to say. So much was already happening in his life, and this was just another weight on top of it all.
Amir had been with Ibrahim through everything — the worst decisions, the best ones. He knew Ibrahim wasn't always correct, but when it came to Zainab, his fear was understandable. Any brother would feel the same — afraid to trust his sister's future to someone unknown.
And maybe Ibrahim was right. There would come a day when Zainab would grow tired of living as the hidden member of the Rahman family. Amir remembered last year's New Year's party — everyone was downstairs celebrating, but Zainab was standing by her window, staring at the lights in the lawn. She didn't come out. She never did. Whenever there was a gathering in Rahman Mansion, she disappeared into her room, because she knew Aliya didn't want her to be seen.
Aqil stepped out of his room as the warden called his name. Someone had come to see him. He followed the warden down the narrow hallway, still adjusting his shirt, wondering who it could be at this hour. The warden led him to the small meeting room near the hostel gate. It was a simple space with white walls, a few tables and chairs, used when visitors came to meet the kids. Visitors were not allowed inside the hostel, so this was the only place people could meet.
Aqil's steps stopped. Ibrahim and Amir were sitting there. Ibrahim sat on one of the metal chairs, rolling an unlit cigarette between his fingers.
Amir stood beside him with his arms crossed. "Aqil, sit," he said, motioning toward the chair opposite them.
And Aqil quietly sat down. The table between them felt like a barrier. Amir gave Ibrahim a small look while sitting — as if warning to let him do the talking.
"Your eyes are red," Amir leaned forward slightly, "Can I assume this has something to do with Zainab?"
The question hit Aqil hard. He didn't know how to answer. He looked at Ibrahim, who was still staring at him without blinking. "She's not answering my calls. I went to her house… but the guard said she wasn't there."
Ibrahim's hand stopped moving. The cigarette stayed still between his fingers. He knew Aqil was talking about his guesthouse — the place all of Zainab's friends believed was her home.
"She's at my home," Ibrahim said. Then his palm slammed against the table, making the chairs tremble. "Now tell me, what the hell did you say to her that made her cry like that?"
The fear in Aqil's face was clear. Amir threw another quick glare at Ibrahim, cursing him silently for scaring the boy half to death.
After a pause, Aqil spoke, "I didn't make her cry. But… I was the reason she cried."
7 hours before
KL Bird Park.
The KL Bird Park was one of the city's most peaceful and colorful tourist spots. It was known as "The World's Largest Free-flight Walk-in Aviary." It stretched across a huge green area, filled with tall trees, little ponds, and wooden bridges. Visitors could walk inside and see birds flying freely above their heads — not in cages, but in the open air. The sound of wings, chirping, and soft music from the park speakers made it feel like another world inside the busy city.
The sun hid behind thick gray clouds, but it wasn't raining yet. Groups of tourists were walking around with cameras, laughing and pointing at the colorful parrots sitting on railings. Some families were feeding the birds, while children squealed with excitement when one flew too close.
Zainab, Nayla, Aqil, and Yusuf — their small gang of four — had planned this trip right after finishing their exams. It had become their little tradition to go out somewhere after every exam week. Zainab and Nayla walked in front, talking and taking selfies near the big fountain that stood near the entrance of Zone 1. Behind them, Aqil and Yusuf followed slowly, teasing each other as they walked.
The park was divided into four zones, each with its own special theme.
Zone 1 and Zone 2 were the free-flight areas, where birds flew all around you — hornbills, peacocks, and storks walking right past your feet. It felt like stepping into a real forest.
Zone 3 was home to the flightless birds — tall ostriches, shy emus, and other ground-walking species that stayed behind wooden fences.
Zone 4 was the most colourful one, full of parrots and macaws that could talk, whistle, and mimic human voices. It also had small ponds and bridges where families often stopped to take pictures.
Nayla turned suddenly and called out, "Yusuf! I'm going to Zone 4! They say there are parrots there!"
Yusuf nodded quickly, more interested in following her than in parrots. Zainab thought the two of them just wanted their own time together. What she didn't know was that Nayla always did this on purpose — to give her and Aqil a few quiet moments alone.
Aqil never said anything about it, but he didn't really like Nayla's little plan. For him, being with Zainab wasn't about being alone — he just liked hearing her voice, watching her smile, walking beside her. Whether it was just the two of them or a whole crowd, it didn't matter. He wasn't doing anything wrong, and his heart was pure about her.
But today… something felt off. Zainab wasn't her usual self. She wasn't smiling as much, and her eyes kept moving from one side to another, like she was searching for someone. Aqil noticed her looking around several times.
They entered Zone 1 — an open area filled with flamingos, storks, and pelicans resting near a large pond. Flamingos stood gracefully on one leg, dipping their long necks into the water.
Aqil watched her for a moment before speaking gently, "You seem distracted today… are you looking for someone?"
Her gaze followed a flamingo gliding through the shallow pond, its reflection trembling in the water. She gave a small hum, "I'm here because someone wants to meet me."
The flamingo spread its wings slowly, pink feathers opening like a fan before it tucked them back in and continued wading. The ripples around it widened.
Aqil's brows pulled together. "Someone? Did you call Usama here?" he asked, trying to sound casual but unable to hide the small trace of curiosity in his voice.
Zainab turned toward him, "It's Sir Usama, Aqil." You never take his name like that. He's older than us… and why would you even think it's him? Sir Usama left school three months ago."
Aqil sighed quietly, glancing at the pond where a pelican dived in for a fish. "It was just a guess. You're close with him. Even though he left school, you still take tuition from him."
"That's because I get bored in the evenings. After school, I don't really feel like sitting and studying alone. He helps me revise properly. It's not like I go there every day, but whenever I feel lazy or stuck, I just go to him. He explains things easily."
Aqil nodded, "Hmm… I see. You don't ask for my help anymore. Before, you always came to me whenever you got stuck. Remember? You'd call me even late at night just to explain one chapter." He gave a short laugh, but there was a quiet disappointment hiding beneath it. "Guess I've been replaced by Sir Usama now."
"It's not like that. You're taking it the wrong way. Sir Usama just helps me with studies, nothing more. Okay?" Zainab forced a little laugh, wanting to change the topic. "Tell me something else instead. When you're sad, what makes you happy? And also… what kind of things make you sad just by remembering?"
Aqil looked at her, a little caught off guard by the sudden change of topic, but then he shrugged with a half-smile. "I'm a simple person," he said, kicking a small pebble on the path. "I don't need anything big or fancy to be happy. I've got this one close person who can just talk nonsense and somehow make me forget everything. Even if she just sends a meme or scolds me for being late, my mood changes instantly. I don't know how, but… it works."
He looked away quickly, pretending to focus on a group of white doves pecking at some seeds nearby. They were fluttering their wings and chasing each other around the fence, making soft cooing sounds.
"Wait—Aqil!! You have a girlfriend?! And you're telling me this so casually?!"
"Wha—no! No, not girlfriend! Just a… just a friend! Why would you even think that? Girlfriend… me? No way!"
Zainab burst into laughter, holding her stomach. "Oh my God, look at your face!" she teased between giggles. "You got scared like someone just proposed to you!"
"I was being serious, and here you are making fun of me."
Just then, one of the peacocks screamed loudly, startling both of them. Zainab jumped and hid behind Aqil for a second before realizing what it was. Aqil laughed so hard that he almost bent forward. "Wow, the brave Zainab!"
Zainab glared at him, "That thing screamed like a ghost! I thought it was coming for me! Let's go from here before it decides I'm lunch!"
They began walking again, this time through a narrow wooden bridge that curved gently over a small stream. The water beneath flowed quietly.
A few white cranes stood near the stream. Zainab's shoes made soft creaks on the wood as she glanced sideways at Aqil, "So… who's your just-a-friend?" She purposely stretched the words, pressing on just-a-friend.
"Why? Are you curious?"
"Of course I am! Why shouldn't I be?"
Both stopped in the middle of the bridge. A soft beam of sunlight peeked through the clouds and fell directly on Zainab's face, making her squint. Aqil stepped in front of her, blocking the sunlight.
He looked down at the flowing water beneath them, "It doesn't matter who she is. Because she and I… we can never be one. She comes from a world too high for me. Her family's rich, respected, and she's always surrounded by people who belong there."
He paused for a moment, looking at his hands. "And me? I'm just an orphan, trying to make ends meet with part-time jobs and borrowed books. Even if I ever get close to her, her parents would never allow someone like me in her life. She deserves someone better. I know where I stand, and I know what she deserves."
Zainab's smile slowly disappeared as she listened to every word, "You're holding yourself back just because she comes from a different class? Aqil… since when do people measure feelings by class or money? You'll grow up, you'll work, you'll earn — things will change. If that girl truly cares for you, she won't look at where you come from. And if she does—then maybe she doesn't deserve your feelings at all. Don't tell me you're giving up on her just because of money or name. You're smarter than that."
Aqil took a slow breath, trying to find the right words. "That friendship means everything to me. It's the only thing that makes my days lighter. If I confess and she doesn't feel the same… then everything will change. We won't be able to talk the same way again, laugh the same way. I'd lose the only comfort I have just because of my feelings. And honestly… I'm not brave enough to risk that."
Zainab sighed, crossing her arms. "Then if it's that complicated... you shouldn't have fallen for her in the first place."
Aqil looked up, his eyes soft but sad. "Who can control feelings? It just happens. You don't plan it."
Zainab turned away from him, resting both her hands on the wooden railing. She looked down at the stream, "No. People can control everything. From the moment they start falling for someone to the moment they decide to stop. We're the ones who choose what to feel. It's our weakness that we blame when we can't move on." She looked at the water as if talking to herself now. "If someone is brave enough to fall in love… then they should also be brave enough to know when not to."
Aqil's eyes caught sight of Nayla and Yusuf near the bank. Yusuf was occupied feeding the birds, but Nayla's eyes were unmistakably on them.
Zainab continued speaking, "Remember the moment you fell for her… there must have been other moments too. When you could have stopped yourself, when you could have stepped back before the feelings grew deeper."
Aqil swallowed hard, her words stirring a rush of memory. It was in the tuition class. She had come in late, breathless, apologizing softly to the teacher. Her hair was tied loosely, and a strand kept falling over her face as she flipped through her notebook. Everyone else was paying attention to the lecture, but his eyes stayed on her. That day, he didn't even know her name.