8. Basecamp

Bin took me to a place that was … insane. Super elite. When I realized where we were, it was already like the upper Dago area in Bandung.

The atmosphere here was completely different, cold air that brushed against my skin, a slow breeze that somehow pierced through, and the damp scent of highland trees was even stronger. It didn’t feel like the city anymore, more like a luxurious countryside, quiet and peaceful.

In front of me stood a three-story elite boarding house, its building clean, white, and modern. Huge glass windows lined each room, and balconies were neatly arranged like they were ready to be the perfect place to relax every afternoon.

I could only imagine how expensive the rent must be for a place like this. No doubt, only rich kids or children of officials could afford to stay here.

I followed Bin inside, walking through a corridor that was wide enough. On both sides were small man-made gardens, probably just to make the place look even more “exclusive.”

In the middle of the corridor was a low table surrounded by colorful bean bags, clearly meant for hanging out with friends. In this chilly weather, the bright colors actually made the place feel more cheerful, like they were inviting you to just sit and lounge around.

“Hey, what are you even bringing me here for, Bin?” I complained, trying to catch up with his super casual pace ahead of me. I honestly had no idea what his purpose was. I kept grumbling, but he just kept walking like he didn’t hear a thing.

“Don’t ask too many questions,” he replied curtly without looking back.

Weird. No further explanation. And the longer I stayed here, the more uncomfortable I felt, this was clearly not my kind of place.

Eventually, we stopped in front of a door that looked a bit more special than the other rooms we passed earlier.

From the outside alone, it was obviously different. Above the door was an elegant nameplate that read Deluxe Room, making this place look like a luxury hotel, not just an elite boarding house. Seriously? A boarding house with room types? Was this even a boarding house or an actual hotel?

“Bin, what are we really doing here?” I asked, genuinely curious now, with a bit of fear creeping in.

Bin finally stopped in front of a door marked “01.” It didn’t have a regular key, there was a smart lock instead. He looked at me, his expression blank, but his eyes … sharp! It was like there was something he wanted to find out from me.

“You’ll know once you get inside. Come on, hurry up,” he said, short and firm.

I swallowed hard. I didn’t know if that was a request or an order. But coming from Bin, everything always sounded like an order. I had every right to refuse … but my curiosity was winning over my fear. So, I ended up going in.

The moment I stepped inside, I could immediately feel something was different. The room was huge and ridiculously fancy for … well, a boarding house.

I thought it was going to be a regular room, but inside it looked more like a lounge than a student’s living space. There was a big sofa, a table cluttered with electronic devices, and elegant hanging lights that made the place look even more luxurious.

While I was still wondering what this place even was, my heart skipped a beat when Bin suddenly stopped, and before I realized it, he pushed me against the wall. His sharp eyes locked straight onto mine, startling me so much that I froze.

“I don’t like beating around the bush, Ayu,” Bin started, his tone calm but firm, his eyes boring into me. “So answer honestly. What did you see that time behind the school?”

My heart instantly began pounding like crazy. So, we were finally talking about this. I remembered it clearly, I saw him holding something behind the school, something that looked like… a transaction. Ever since then, I thought he was really involved in shady business.

I swallowed again, feeling the closeness between us. He was so close I could feel his breath.

I was nervous as hell, but I still tried to hide it. “I-I … I didn’t see anything …” I replied, trying to sound calm but failing miserably.

“Then why … did you run if you didn’t see anything?” Bin asked in a low, pressing tone, his gaze moving even closer like he was hunting for the truth.

He kept staring without blinking, like he could read my mind. I tried to dodge again, but that stare of his just made me more uneasy, cornering me further.

“Don’t lie, Ayu.” His voice was soft but cold, enough to send shivers down my spine. “What did you actually see?” he pressed.

I finally ran out of excuses. I had no choice but to give in. Taking a deep breath, I gathered enough courage to speak.

“Fine … I thought … I thought I saw you holding something like … illegal stuff or whatever …” I lowered my head, hoping this would end quickly.

“I’m not going to get involved in your business, Bin. Please!” I added quickly, feeling so small under his predator-like stare.

But he didn’t answer right away. He just kept looking at me sharply, as if weighing my words. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke.

“Listen, Ayu,” Bin’s voice was low and firm, each word carrying the weight of a real threat.

“If what you saw ever spreads to the entire school, or even the whole world, I’ll know it was you. I’ll find you even if you’re hiding in Antarctica.”

I stayed silent, holding my breath. He was dead serious. For the first time, I was actually scared.

I could still feel Bin’s breath on my face. Damn, he was close. His eyes were so sharp I couldn’t even blink. I wanted to move away, but being pinned like this left me no escape.

Suddenly, the sound of the door opening behind us broke the tension. The smart lock beeped, and Bin immediately turned his head, stepping away from me.

Finally able to breathe again, I realized my heart was still racing like crazy. I only just noticed that I’d been holding my breath the whole time because of his threat earlier.

The door swung wide open, and a group of GGS members walked in. I stayed frozen against the wall, watching them one by one.

“Oh, we have a guest?” Nunu grinned casually, tossing his bag onto the sofa.

MJ walked straight up to me with both hands raised, smiling wide like we were already close friends. “Yuhuu! Welcome to our basecamp, Ayu!” he cheered like this was some kind of mini celebration.

I stayed quiet in the corner, stiff from the leftover tension. Slowly, I looked around. So… this was the GGS basecamp? No way. This luxury lounge-looking place… was a biker gang’s base?

I just stood there in shock, realizing that I had just walked right into their den with all my innocence. My head felt like it was going to explode as Arum’s words suddenly echoed in my mind.

“Don’t get involved with GGS, Ayu!”

Those words rang like a loud warning. And yet, here I was, in direct contact with the most feared gang in school, right in their lair! And the scariest part? I was already … the wife of their leader!

I swallowed again, occasionally glancing at Bin, who was now chatting with the others. In my head, there was only one word: run! But my legs were trembling so badly I couldn’t move.

“So, Ayu? Impressed with this place?” Hasan’s voice suddenly broke my thoughts. He smiled mischievously, clearly amused at how nervous I looked.

I forced a stiff smile, trying hard not to look panicked. “Hehe … yeah, it’s … nice,” I replied, swallowing again.

“Nice? She looks pale,” Iky chimed in casually, leaning against the wall with a completely blank expression.

Ouch! That one hit straight to the heart. See? Arum was right! Iky’s words could sting like crazy, and damn, they were spot on!

I just wanted to disappear from here. “Uh … I’m just not feeling well, hehe,” I excused myself with a weak grin. The truth was my heart was still racing from Bin cornering me earlier.

But instead of easing up, the situation felt even more awkward because now the GGS members were openly watching me. Seriously… could this day get any worse?