Depok, Indonesia, 2027 A.D.
One and a half years had passed since that day—
Now, Ruqayyah was attending university at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia, majoring in Botany.
Mornings at the female dormitory of the University of Indonesia were always chaotic but warm. The sounds of hair dryers, falling pots, and people running in the corridors had become a daily symphony before seven o'clock.
Ruqayyah had been awake since dawn. She was neat, had showered, and now sat in the small kitchen preparing breakfast: a boiled egg, half an avocado, and a spoonful of rice. Her signature meal—light and calm, just like her.
From the next room came Prilly's hoarse voice,
"Ruu… Hurry up, please…"
"Almost five more years, Pril," Ruqayyah replied with a small smile.
"I'm already awake, seriously—can someone even sleep while standing?"
Ruqayyah chuckled softly, shaking her head.
"If it were possible, you'd already be a plant, just photosynthesizing all day."
A few seconds later, Prilly appeared with wet hair and a half-awake face.
"Your breakfast is so healthy, like you don't have any sins."
"You have too many carbs," Ruqayyah shot back.
Prilly laughed, almost dropping her spoon.
"Fine, whatever. As long as I'm happy!"
Their laughter mingled with the sounds of other dorm residents. The aroma of toasted bread, dish soap, and sachet coffee filled the air. Outside the window, morning light filtered through the swaying flamboyant leaves.
Ruqayyah gazed at it for a moment—calm, light, like a day just beginning with the right kind of laughter.
A few hours later, the entire class gathered in the campus botanical garden—a green plot behind the Biology building filled with experimental plants. Rows of peanut pots, tomato beds, and small plots of freshwater seaweed were being studied.
Mr. Amir stood in the center, explaining plant morphological adaptations to tropical environments.
"You know," he said, pointing at a banana leaf, "its broad surface isn't just to capture sunlight, but also to regulate the plant's 'body temperature.' If humans have sweat, plants have stomata."
Prilly whispered to Ruqayyah,
"So, if the stomata open too much, they get dehydrated?"
"Yes," Ruqayyah replied without looking.
After class ended, Ruqayyah stayed behind in the garden. She crouched near a small tomato plant growing slightly askew. Slowly, she adjusted its stem with a support stick, then touched its leaves.
"You're growing in the wrong direction, yet still strong…" she whispered.
Behind her, Prilly arrived carrying two bottles of water.
"Talking to a tomato?" she asked, surprised.
"Yes," Ruqayyah answered flatly.
"And… what did it say?"
"It said, 'Don't give up so easily.'"
Prilly scoffed.
"I don't know if you're a genius or just need a vacation."
Ruqayyah smiled softly. A gentle breeze rustled through her hijab. Amid the trembling leaves, she felt something bigger than just research—something alive, growing, and remembering.
Just like herself.