Lim Woo had left for work early that morning. The modern apartment was quiet once again, with only the sound of a Korean TV broadcast filling the background.
Siska sat comfortably on the long cream-colored fabric sofa, dressed in a loose light-blue house outfit. A glass of warm ginger tea rested in her hands, its steam curling gently into the air.
Urip—in Lim Gabriel's body—approached quietly, then lay down without a word, resting his head on Siska's lap.
Siska was startled. Her body tensed slightly.
"Eh? Gaby? What's wrong?" she asked softly, trying to hide the surprise on her face.
"When I'm near you, the world doesn't feel so heavy," Urip whispered, eyes on the ceiling.
Siska held her breath. Her heart felt struck by lightning. That tone. The way her son had just spoken. Those words... they were exactly what Urip used to say—back when he would rest his head in her lap after a long day at campus or after night mass at the Cathedral.
Urip had often said something similar, "When I'm with you, the world feels a little less heavy."
Siska said nothing.
"Ma, why are you so quiet?" Urip asked softly, still gazing at the ceiling.
Siska came to her senses. She smiled, though it was a bittersweet one.
"I'm just happy you're home and resting. Don't push yourself so hard again, okay?"
Urip closed his eyes. The scent of Siska's body, the warmth of her lap, the way she gently stroked his hair—everything felt so familiar. But not as a child.
Inside, he murmured, "This is strange… but it feels… comforting. Like before."
And Siska, still gently stroking her son's hair, whispered in her heart, "Why do you… feel so much like Urip?"
Urip drifted off to sleep.
On Siska's lap, he became a child again—not a med student recovering from a heart attack, not an old soul trapped in a young body.
Siska glanced at the wall clock. An hour had passed. But she couldn't bring herself to wake him. Her hand kept gently caressing Gabriel's hair, just like she used to do when Urip fell asleep in her lap after night mass or in the campus park.
"What's going on with you, Gaby... Today, you feel like Urip…" she murmured, shaking her head with a pained smile. "Ah, foolish. Urip's been gone for a long time."
She looked down again, letting her hand touch Gabriel's cheek. "You're not him. But sometimes… you make me forget," she whispered.
Urip stirred in his sleep, as if searching for something. Without realizing, he reached for Siska's hand and held it gently, still asleep.
Siska fell silent.
In that silence, a tear rolled down her cheek. Then another. She let them fall.
Let the child resting in her lap stay a while longer. Let time pause for just a moment. Because even though it had been an hour...
—
A loud ringtone woke Urip. He blinked, still groggy. His head was still on Siska's lap, and she flinched slightly, but didn't push him away. The ringtone came from a phone on the table. The name flashing on the screen:
Shin Rachel — VC
Urip raised an eyebrow. "VC…? What's that?" he mumbled, half-asleep. He tapped the green button.
The screen instantly showed a young girl with straight shoulder-length hair, a sweet face, and a warm smile. The room behind her looked like a dorm or student apartment.
"Gaby oppa! You're awake?" the girl's voice was bright, cheerful. She looked visibly relieved.
Urip jolted. Oh crap... she can see my face?!
He quickly sat up, moving away from Siska's lap. Still startled by this technology—video call? People can talk face-to-face like this?
Rachel didn't seem to notice his awkwardness. "I heard from my dad… you had a heart attack? Oppa, are you crazy? You were already exhausted and still worked the night shift!"
Urip cleared his throat, trying to stay calm.
"Uh… yeah, yeah. Sorry for worrying you…"
"Don't just apologize! You need to take care of yourself!" Rachel pouted. "If something happens to you… who's going to help me study anatomy?"
Urip could only nod slowly, still confused inside. Who is this girl? But from her tone, her gaze, her expression... she clearly had feelings for Gabriel.
Rachel's eyes softened. "You're okay now, right? Don't go to work this week. I can help mark you present for review classes. Don't be stubborn."
Urip gave a small smile. "You're really kind, Rachel…"
Rachel blushed. "Oh my God… That's the first time you've said something like that. You're usually so mean!"
From behind the sofa, Siska glanced at them briefly, then quietly went into the kitchen to give them some privacy.
Urip looked after her for a second, then turned back to the screen.
"Oppa?" Rachel called softly.
"Yeah?"
"I'm really glad you're okay…" she said quietly, then quickly smiled again.
"Okay then, I won't keep you too long. Let me know if you need anything, okay?"
Urip nodded.
"Thank you, Rachel… Take care too."
The call ended.
Urip stared at the now-dark screen.
"So she's… close to Gaby, huh? Looks like… she likes him. And Gaby… is Siska's son."
He slowly stood up. His heart felt even heavier. Because now, he had to begin navigating two realities: the unresolved past—and a present that isn't his.
After Rachel ended the call, Urip stared at the phone screen as it began to dim. His hand moved instinctively, swiping upward like he'd seen Rachel do. Amazing. With just one touch, this thing could open so many things.
"Like a search engine…" he muttered. He tapped on the colorful round icon, and a search bar appeared.
Slowly, he typed: Ignatius Slamet Mulio
His younger brother. When Urip was still at Trisakti, Slamet had only been in fifth grade. Often left at relatives' homes in Tomang when their parents were busy. He hadn't thought about him in years… and now, in a world that felt completely alien, Slamet was the one familiar face he longed to see.
Search results popped up quickly. One LinkedIn page stood out:
Ignatius S. Mulio — Director of Data Analytics, Coordinating Ministry
Urip stared at the screen, his hands trembling. His eyes began to burn.
"Dik Slamet… you're alive…"
He tapped the link. A photo appeared: a grown man, tan-skinned, with a gentle smile. Below that, his education history:
Kolese De Britto High School, Yogyakarta
Gadjah Mada University – Industrial Engineering
And under work experience:
Ministry of National Development Planning / Bappenas — since 2010
Urip let out a long breath. His heart warmed.
"You made it, Bro…"
He scrolled down. There was a news article about Slamet representing Indonesia at an ASEAN digital forum. A formal photo with the Minister of Communication and Information stood proudly displayed.
Urip leaned back against the sofa.
"At least… you didn't become a victim like I did."
He stared again at the phone in his hand. Earlier he had managed to use a search engine. Now, he was curious about something long buried in his memory.
"If this really is the internet… can I check email too?"
He typed yahoo.com, logged into his old account. It still worked—after 26 years.
The inbox opened. Dozens of emails had already been read. Messages from college friends, professors, even one from Siska—all marked as read.
Who opened these?
His mind drifted back to the night before the Trisakti protest. He and Siska had sat on the porch of a friend's apartment. They had promised to keep in touch, no matter what happened.
"You sure this is safe?" Siska had asked.
"You're the only one who knows the password," Urip had replied, touching her forehead gently. Only Siska knew.
That meant… Siska had been the one checking this email all along?
There was one unsent draft, half-written:
"Siska, I'm sorry I haven't convinced your parents yet. But I promise, I'll take responsibility. I will—"
Urip closed his eyes. A tear fell.
It turned out, there was still one part of him… that had never disappeared from Siska's life.