unforgiven ➽ a Halilintar-centric fic

Halilintar ✧ a distant shore

The train station was bustling with life even in the early morning. It was too loud, too early, and too annoying.

Let it be known to the world that Halilintar despised public commute with a seething passion.

Carrying a sports bag in one hand and lugging a red suitcase in the other, Halilintar followed the crowd out of the train and into the clearing, where Tok said he'd pick him up.

Really... there wasn't any need for Tok to come all this way to the station. It's a ways away from home, and they didn't have a car. He could always take a cab back, or take the long route and make the journey by foot. Tok didn't need to trouble himself like this.

He looked around, switching his attention between the dispersing crowd and his phone screen. His messages were sending, but Tok wasn't looking at them. That either meant he was still on the way, or he'd simply forgotten his phone on his nightstand again.

Not a big deal. If he hadn't left yet, he could try to convince him that he'd be fine to—

"Welcome back!"

He was greeted with a miniature crowd at the very front, hoisting a large banner over their heads with the words Welcome Back! next to a cutout of his face. The horrible quality of the picture and the streamers somehow only made the entire thing worse.

Halilintar fought down a groan when the people around him began to whisper and chuckle amongst themselves. Saving himself from the embarrassment, he powerwalked towards them and did his best not to explode on the spot.

Tok was at the front, obviously serving as the leader of their operation at the helm, grinned widely at him. "How was your trip?" he asked. "Any motion sickness? Any dizziness?"

"Tok," Halilintar whispered sharply, scanning the crowd. They were all in the later stages of their lives, but every one of them were familiar faces. Especially Puan Suzi, who was hovering behind him carrying yet another batch of pastries and pocket money. He shivered. "You don't have to do this every time I come back for a break!"

"Have you grown taller?" Puan Hannah called from the back. "Any girlfriend yet?"

"Hell no."

Puan Suzi pinched the skin on his elbow. "Aiyoh, why are you skinnier? Is your school not feeding you enough ah?" She opened his carry-on bag by force, stuffing it full with more cakes and cookies. "You need to eat more! Later wind will blow you away!"

Halilintar's face burned bright red. "Puan Suzi, I don't need—"

"Here!" She shoved a sealed envelope in his hands. Its thickness and weight was no laughing matter. "Buy yourself something nice for your holidays! It's all on Puan Suzi!"

The crowd burst into barely concealed laughter, not giving half a hoot for social contexts or etiquette. One by one, they all greeted Halilintar, pinched his cheeks and asked about his university life. This happened every time he came back from break, and he answered each and every one without much of a hitch. (Although the question "when will you come back next?" did make him a bit emotional.)

They all followed Pak Cik Kumar home on his van. Unfortunately, after loading his luggage and belongings in the back, he found himself not only at the center of the vehicle, but also attention. They bombarded him with questions, gifts and pocket money, their rapid pace of talking nearly running him in circles if not for his adaptability.

Halilintar and Tok Aba were dropped off at home first, bidding the others farewells and promises for dinner and chats over tea at their house sometime. As the van drove off, they were left alone at their front porch, Tok turning and opening the doors for him to move his luggage in.

"There wasn't any need to do all of that," Halilintar muttered, lugging his suitcase over the steps. "That's a lot of wasted time and effort."

Tok smiled. "Nothing is wasted if it's you." He adjusted a photo frame. "Any word from Taufan and Gempa?"

Halilintar's face turned to stone at the mention of his siblings. "No," he said steely, walking past Tok. "They haven't contacted me whatsoever." Not for years. He sighed. "Can we not talk about them? I've had a long day."

"They're your brothers," Tok insisted. "Can't you call them and see if they're okay? Are they sleeping, eating enough?"

"Tok." Halilintar stopped in his footsteps, halfway up the stairs. "Not now."

"Maybe you can call them back to spend some time together, like when you were younger—"

"I'm not doing this now," Halilintar hissed, mood souring. "Sorry, Tok, but I'm not budging. If they wanted to come back, they'd already be here."

He stormed up to his room, closing the door behind him.

In the privacy of his own space, he laid down on his bed, staring up at the bright screen of his phone, call contacts open. His fingers hovered over a particular log, eyes narrowing at the details.

Last Contacted – 6 Years Ago

The last messages read:

Fan: sorry hali! but we have to go on a reallyyyy long mission without any service

Fan: i'll call u when we get back :D miss u!!

You: don't die, you clowns

You: miss you too

He never got that call back either.

AN: We reached 65k words! WOOOO!!!!!