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"You're all talk, no action. The people needs practical benefits. There's no need for such pretentious language," Prabowo mocked.
Ganjar scanned the room around her with tired eyes. How long has it been since she last slept? They were holding yet another meeting, though it was clear that the tension in the air was much, much higher than usual.
"Let me tell you, a leader needs to be kind, polite, and wise," Prabowo said, articulating her remarks insinuatingly. "You've got none of those."
It wasn't Ganjar whom Prabowo said that to, yet the former felt something akin to a nauseating punch in her guts. The way Prabowo ganged up on Anies—her beloved—was simply too disgustingly repulsive.
"Hey, now that's just bullying!" Imin chimed in, her high-pitched voice echoing through the room.
"Bullying my ass," Gibran rolled her eyes. "If anything, you two are the one ganging up on us."
Ganjar swallowed the lump in her throat. Her eyelashes briefly touch as she blinked away her sorrow. As her gaze focused once more, her vision landed on Anies. There, amidst the uneasiness of the room, Ganjar saw something in Anies's eyes. Something she'd never seen before.
Fury.
Ganjar let out a shuddering breath and prayed that no one heard it.
"If anything, I agree with Pranowo-san," Prabowo began once more. "Attitude is certainly more important than aptitude, isn't it? Fufu..."
Ganjar was seriously tempted to excuse herself to the bathroom to throw up. Using her as a weapon against her beloved was just cruel in every way.
Someone spoke up. "Leave her alone," Anies snapped.
In that exact moment, Ganjar's memories came flooding. Her memories with Anies when they were kids—all lingering in her mind without rest.
"Fuhaha! Gimme your lunch money! Or else I'll tell my mommy about you!" That boy from her childhood, his name was... Puan, was it? Ganjar remembered as he shoved her into a sewer.
"Ack! I said it already, I don't have any money, Maharani-kun!" Ganjar yelled, hair yanked by the boy.
His laugh echoed, though before Ganjar could feel any pain, she heard a loud THUD from in front of her. Opening her eyes—that she subconsciously closed, her gaze landed on Puan, fallen from his stance. Someone pushed him.
"Leave her alone!" Anies yelled.
She was small, she had no connection to anyone, unlike Puan. Yet, she bravely stood her grounds, shielding Ganjar with her body.
Just like right now.
"Awww, c'mon, we're buddies, aren't we, Pranowo-san?" Prabowo laughed.
The second those words came out of her filthy mouth, Ganjar's fingers balled up to a fist. Gritting her teeth, she said, "I'd rather die than betray Anies-senpai."
Through her clouded mind and enraged heart, Ganjar heard an almost inaudible mumble from Anies.
"I just wish you'd stop calling me your 'senpai', Ganjar-sa—no, Gacchan."