Why she kills

03

Tenuk stirred from his half-sleep, the remnants of a nightmare clinging to the edges of his consciousness. He shifted, instinctively reaching out to the figure next to him, seeking solace in the familiar warmth of another body. His arms wrapped around the form beside him, and as he blinked away the remnants of sleep, his gaze fell upon Iyaan, peacefully sleeping beside him.

"Iyaan," Tenuk murmured softly, his voice barely a whisper in the quiet of the morning.

The other man stirred, a yawn escaping his lips as he slowly turned his head to face Tenuk. "Good morning," he mumbled sleepily.

"Mm," Tenuk responded, a hint of concern lingering in his voice as he recalled the unsettling dreams that had haunted his rest.

Nestling closer to Iyaan, Tenuk found solace in the comforting embrace, the worries of the night still fresh in his mind. Minutes slipped by in silence as they lay together, the rhythmic whirring of the ceiling fan providing a soothing backdrop to their thoughts.

Eventually, Iyaan broke the quiet, tapping gently on Tenuk's forehead before sitting up. Tenuk pouted at the sudden movement, his reluctance evident as he tried to pull Iyaan back down beside him.

"Iyaan, should we quit our jobs?" Tenuk's voice was tinged with uncertainty, his concern for their well-being evident in the furrow of his brow.

"Why?" Iyaan's confusion was evident as he regarded Tenuk with puzzled eyes.

Tenuk sighed, his grip on Iyaan tightening slightly as he voiced his worries. "You keep messing with that doc. If something happens to you..."

A shadow of concern flickered across Iyaan's features as he listened to Tenuk's words. "Nothing is going to happen to me, Tenuk," he reassured, his voice gentle yet firm.

Tenuk persisted, his resolve unwavering as he pressed for a change. "Let's just graduate and get a proper job. We don't need part-time—"

Iyaan interjected, practicality overriding Tenuk's concerns. "We won't be able to pay our rents—"

"Then can you move in, at least?" Tenuk's request hung in the air, laden with unspoken hopes and fears.

Iyaan hesitated, the idea of taking such a significant step catching him off guard. "Move in? Here?" he echoed, his mind racing with thoughts of the implications.

Tenuk nodded, his gaze earnest as he pleaded silently for Iyaan's agreement. He wrapped his arms around Iyaan's waist once more, seeking comfort in the embrace.

Iyaan sighed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he relented, patting Tenuk's head gently. "Okay, we'll see about that. For now, let's attend our classes, okay?" he suggested, attempting to steer their thoughts toward the practicalities of the day ahead.

Tenuk nodded wordlessly.

As the days passed, Tenuk and Iyaan found themselves swept up in the whirlwind of university life, their schedules filled to the brim with classes, assignments, and upcoming events. Despite their best intentions, the topic of Iyaan moving in with Tenuk lingered in the back of their minds, a promise yet to be fulfilled.

However, amidst the bustling campus atmosphere, a somber shadow hung over them—the tragic deaths of Aishah and Melacca, whose passing had sent shockwaves through the university community. As news of the tragedy spread, students and faculty alike bombarded Tenuk and Iyaan with questions, their curiosity fueled by the proximity of the four coworkers to the incident.

Caught off guard by the sudden influx of inquiries, Tenuk and Iyaan found themselves navigating a minefield of uncomfortable conversations. Questions came from all directions, each more probing than the last. "Did you see their bodies?" "What was it like to work in the basement where two girls died?" "You guys aren't the reason for their death, right?"