The sun had already begun to shine over the Jakarta sky when Shanum woke up from a restless sleep. Her left eye was still a little blurry from squinting as she tried to focus on the mysterious figure from last night. The glass of water on the table was still in its place, and when she touched its surface, a small scratch in the shape of the letter D was still clearly visible—as if to remind her that what she had experienced was not just a figment of her imagination.
She sighed and immediately rushed to get ready. Today she had to attend a lecture on Local Cultural Sociology taught by Professor Ratna, a lecturer who was known to be very strict and never tolerated tardiness. Shanum took her plain white college shirt and black pleated skirt, then put on her slightly worn sneakers. While brushing her hair, she suddenly felt a soft touch on the back of her head—just like she had felt several times before. The distinctive scent of sandalwood filled the room again, causing her to stop immediately and turn to the mirror. There was no one behind her, but a long shadow that looked like a tall man was cast on the wall of the room.
"You're really here, aren't you?" Shanum said softly, even though her heart was still beating a little fast. There was no answer, but she felt a sense of calm flowing through her—as if someone was assuring her that she would be safe.
After a quick breakfast of toast and tea made by Mrs. Siti, Shanum left for campus by public transportation. The trip, which usually took only twenty minutes, felt very long because her mind was focused on the mysterious figure. Who was he? Why could she see him? And what was his connection to the family that her grandmother had always kept hidden?
When she arrived at campus, the atmosphere, which was usually bustling with students rushing to class, suddenly felt different. Several people looked at her with unclear expressions—some smirked cynically, while others just stared blankly. Shanum felt a little uneasy and tried to avoid their gaze by immediately entering the lecture building.
But before she reached the classroom door, three students blocked her way in the quiet hallway. At the front was Rina, a third-year student known as the leader of the student organization who often acted arrogantly. Behind her were two of her classmates, Bima and Dewi, who always followed whatever Rina said.
"Shanum Asmara, right?" Rina said in a loud voice that echoed through the empty hallway. "We've been wanting to talk to you for a long time."
Shanum frowned and stood up straight. "What is it, sis? If there's something we need to discuss, let's do it politely."
Rina smirked and stepped closer, forcing Shanum to take a few steps back. "Polite? Aren't you the one who is being rude by coming to this campus with your mysterious aura? Many people have said that you often talk to yourself and that there is a strange smell coming from you. Are you doing something indecent in your boarding house?"
"You misunderstand, sis. I didn't do anything wrong," replied Shanum, her voice remaining calm even though her heart was already pounding. She remembered the breathing technique taught by her pencak silat trainer—take deep breaths to maintain calm in difficult situations.
However, Shanum's words did not seem to satisfy Rina. Bima, who was standing behind Rina, stepped forward and patted Shanum's shoulder hard. "Don't pretend you don't know! We don't like people who spread negative energy on this campus. You'd better get out of here before something unpleasant happens to you."
Shanum felt her blood begin to boil. She had been taught by her grandmother to always avoid trouble, but when others started attacking her for no apparent reason, she couldn't just stand by and do nothing. She took up the pencak silat fighting stance she had been taught—legs slightly bent, hands ready to dodge or block attacks.
"Don't touch me again," Shanum said in a firmer voice. "If you have a problem with me, let's talk to the lecturer or the campus authorities. Don't do inappropriate things like this."
Rina looked at her friends with a cynical smile, then suddenly raised her hand as if she wanted to slap Shanum's face. Shanum was ready to dodge the attack, but before Rina's hand touched her face, a strong wind suddenly blew through the hallway. The sound of dry leaves rustling, which weren't around, could be heard, and suddenly Rina was thrown back several steps until she fell to the floor. Bima and Dewi were shocked and immediately ran towards Rina to help her up.
"Who did that?!" Rina shouted, her face red with anger and embarrassment.
Shanum was also surprised and looked around the hallway, which now seemed to be occupied only by the four of them. But when she looked toward the window at the end of the hallway, she saw a tall figure wearing traditional Javanese clothing in black with gold accents standing calmly. Her hair was neatly tied with a maroon headband, and her warm eyes were looking at her intently. Shanum immediately realized that this figure was the person she had met last night.
Without saying a word, the figure nodded slowly at her and then slowly disappeared like fog being absorbed by the air. The scent of sandalwood filled the air again briefly before disappearing completely.
Rina and her friends looked toward the window with frightened faces, as if they also sensed the presence of something invisible. They didn't dare say anything else and immediately left Shanum alone in the hallway.
Shanum stood upright, staring in the direction where the mysterious figure had disappeared. Her heart, which had been filled with anger, was now filled with gratitude and even greater curiosity.
When the class bell rang, Shanum took a deep breath and entered the classroom. She knew that her life would never be the same again, and that the secrets her family kept were probably much deeper than she had ever imagined. But this time, she no longer felt afraid—because she knew that there was someone who would always be there to protect her.