Ascension: The First Ending

 The sky over Jakarta starts turning red as the once-crowded city at noon slowly sinks into the serenity of the afternoon. The wind's gentle touch feels refreshing on the skin. The noise of traffic and chatter fills the air, while birds chirp, bringing a sense of calm as the day comes to an end.

Bayu stands in the middle of the TransJakarta bus as it moves toward his destination, a smartphone in his hand and earphones in his ears. His eyes are blank, staring emptily at the screen. The song playing through his earphones isn't enough to drown out the commotion around him, but he still enjoys the small sense of solitude it provides.

His body is fragile, a fact he cannot deny nor change. I have to buy more vitamins after this... he thinks. Since childhood, he has been familiar with medicines and syringes. Medicine is like his best friend—yet also a reminder that he's always one step weaker than everyone else.

The speaker inside the bus announces the next stop. As the bus arrives at his destination, Bayu quickly steps out, weaving through the crowd of people eager to get on.

As he exits the transit stop, a cool breeze brushes against his skin. His steps are slow, syncing with the song still playing in his ears, as if his body is moving on autopilot, carrying memories along with it.

"Bayu!"

A voice suddenly calls his name, snapping him out of his daydream and pulling him back to reality. He immediately looks toward the source of the voice, frowning as his eyes land on a familiar figure approaching him.

"...Juna?"

Juna, with his signature cheeky smile, walks up to Bayu, his presence overflowing with positivity—something Bayu has always tried to avoid. People with too much energy are just... exhausting. Damn.

"Just got back? You're late today. Extracurriculars?" Juna asks, standing in front of Bayu.

"Mhm, yeah." Bayu replies.

"I see. Eh, anyway, are you free tonight?"

"Why?"

Juna grins, a chuckle slipping from his lips. "The boys and I are hanging out. Wanna come?"

A hangout, huh? Unfortunately, Juna, you're asking the wrong person.

"No, thanks. I have my own plans," Bayu says. It's not that he doesn't want to go, but he already has other things to do.

"Ah, I see. Alright, but if you change your mind, you know where to find me," Juna replies, understanding Bayu's response.

"Yeah, sure."

"Great, see ya." Juna waves goodbye before turning around and walking away.

Bayu watches as Juna's figure slowly fades into the sea of people, a quiet sigh escaping his lips. A small pang of guilt creeps into his mind for turning down Juna's offer.

However, he didn't really care about the hangout. Bayu had never felt like he belonged there; he didn't understand the topics they talked about or what they did.

Forcing himself to be there would be pointless. He simply didn't match their vibe.

He turned around and started walking away. Returning home—a place where he can enjoy his time.

---

Bayu pushed open the front door, greeted instantly by the familiar, calming atmosphere of home. Stepping inside, his gaze landed on the clock hanging on the living room wall.

Five in the evening, he mused. I got home too late.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he made his way to his room. Without wasting time, he tidied up his belongings and freshened himself up.

Soft music played in the background, filling the peaceful evening with a soothing melody. Letting himself sink into the moment, Bayu allowed his thoughts to unwind.

He walked toward a computer sitting in the corner of the room and took a seat in front of it. The once-dark screen flickered to life.

"This assignment… and this one…" Bayu muttered, opening his schoolwork. His gaze sharpened, fully focused on the screen, while his fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard.

"Hm?" His brows furrowed as an unfamiliar notification popped up on the screen. Curious, he clicked on it, and within seconds, he was redirected to a website he had never seen before.

"…The Failed?"

The words stood alone, displayed clearly on the screen. The moment the site loaded, that short phrase appeared, nothing else.

It was simple—too simple. Yet, something felt… off. A shiver crept down his spine. For some reason, Bayu felt as if the old computer in front of him was staring back.

"What does this mean?"

Driven by curiosity, he attempted to explore the site, clicking on every available feature. But nothing worked. No links, no buttons—just the same phrase blinking occasionally, as if taunting him.

"What's the point if nothing works?" he grumbled, growing slightly annoyed. With a sigh, he exited the site and returned to his assignments.

But then—

The Failed.

The phrase reappeared, flashing across his screen out of nowhere. Bayu frowned. He was sure he had closed it. Yet, it kept coming back.

"God, what is this?" Annoyed, he decided to shut down the computer entirely. The assignments could wait until early morning.

"Better just sleep."

He stood up, stretching his arms before making his way toward the bathroom. A habit of his—to use the restroom before bed.

However—

The computer, which he had turned off moments ago, suddenly powered back on. The screen glowed eerily in the dim room.

The Failed.

But this time, there was something new.

A name.

"BAYU."