Aditya

After emerging from the darkened house, a burst of sunset light seared into Isa's eyes.

Swiftly, he employed his power, teleporting both of them to Japan. Aisyah inquired,

"Hmm? Are we heading to Akihabara? Do you know a good halal ramen spot around here? Perhaps we should explore Tokyo."

"Trust me, Aisyah, I've done my research. Follow me,"

Isa assured. The two of them strolled through the enchanting night of Akihabara. Aisyah remarked, 

"Actually, after all this traveling, or should I say teleporting, I've become accustomed to the time zone differences."

Isa's role in this investigation was to safeguard Aisyah, the mastermind behind their mission, and to serve as her means of transportation.

"Do you remember, Aisyah, when you used to complain about the time zone differences making you feel sick? I kinda miss that." Isa remarked with a hint of nostalgia.

"Oh, please, Isa. I've grown up now." Aisyah replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

As they walked towards the ramen shop, Isa and Aisyah engaged in conversation.

Meanwhile, Isa contemplated how the time period from 1900 to 2020 had become their favorite era to live in. In this world, human civilization had chosen to create two main realms: the first was the world before 2020, and the second was the present or future world.

Aisyah belonged to the first world, experiencing a typical human life with inherent limitations still shaping civilization. For Isa, he didn't confine himself to just one world due to his hectic schedule. However, some humans opted to create their own simulations—worlds where they could be kings or fulfill any desire, as the system could generate any simulation they wished.

What set Aisyah and Isa apart was their choice not to erase their memories.

While the majority preferred a complete immersive experience by wiping their memories, Aisyah and Isa preferred to stay "awake," facing reality rather than escaping it.

"I'm thrilled that we've uncovered something valuable in this realm. After this, we'll have some free time to pursue our interests, right Isa?" Aisyah joyfully expressed to him.

"Yeah, finally. Thanks to this progress, even if it's just for three days, I can fully immerse myself in experiencing this world," Isa responded.

"I'm glad we're both happy. I can't wait to introduce you to all of my friends!"

Aisyah replied with enthusiasm. As time passed, they eventually found the ramen shop. Entering, Aisyah was excited after a long day and fasting, eager to finally enjoy a meal. After sitting down and placing their orders, she began with a prayer and ate a kurma fruit—a common choice for Muslims to break their fast.

Isa consistently demonstrated great respect for Aisyah's beliefs throughout their investigation. He maintained a respectful distance, acknowledging the Islamic prohibition of physical contact between unrelated men and women who are just friends, rather than family or in a marital relationship.

Both Isa and Aisyah were well aware of these rules, and they consciously adhered to them while working together.

For instance, as they sat in the ramen shop, Isa strategically left an empty chair between him and Aisyah, ensuring they maintained the required distance. 

While some might find this practice a bit unusual, Isa remained steadfast in adhering to these rules, never wavering from the boundaries set by Aisyah's beliefs.

"By the way, do you already know where we can submit this report?" Aisyah inquired.

"Yeah, already taken care of. We can meet someone in the central area of Jakarta, your home country, Aisyah." Isa replied.

Aisyah expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thanks, God. I can finally go home, Isa, hehehe." She then followed up with another question, "By the way, Isa, I know you never stay in one place, even in one world. But geographically, before you developed your power, where were you raised?"

"I don't know, Aisyah. You're aware of the phenomenon where some people can't remember their own childhood period. My vision is quite blurred when it comes to my past." Isa explained.

"Yeah, I'm aware of this new phenomenon. The majority of people now days when I ask about this question also have the same problem as you, Isa. 

Don't worry. As someone who always pursues answers, a woman of science, and, last but not least, as your friend, I will research this phenomenon and find the answers!"

Aisyah enthusiastically tried to cheer up and support Isa.

Isa, in response, flashed a shy smile, indicating his happiness in her company. 

Their conversations flowed seamlessly until the ramen finally arrived.

For someone unable to experience the authentic Japanese ramen bowl due to pork ingredients, Aisyah opted for an alternative with chicken or vegetable stock. After tasting the halal ramen bowl, Aisyah exclaimed, 

"Ya Allah, this is so good. I think your research is paying off, Isa. Thanks."

Isa, with a sincere tone, expressed his contentment, 

"I'm pleased you're enjoying this, Aisyah."

After finishing his plate, Isa headed outside. 

"I'm going to find some spot to light my cigarette. Just say 'done, Isa,' and then we can go to Jakarta on a moment's notice."

"Oh yeah... Sure." 

Aisyah replied. She looked a little bit worried, and Isa noticed that. Regardless, he went outside to find a legal spot to light his cigarette in the cold night of Akihabara.

The spot was roughly 15 meters from the ramen shop. Isa then lit his cigarette and began to enjoy it. Suddenly, before even finishing half of it, Aisyah intentionally finished her bowl quickly and said, "DONE ISA!"

What happened next was they both got teleported to the Gelora Bung Karno football stadium in Jakarta. 

Apparently, Isa had set up automatic teleportation tools, so when triggered, in this case by Aisyah's permission, it was automatically activated. Isa looked at Aisyah a little bit annoyed, but he let it pass and threw his cigarette away so it wouldn't affect her.

"Sorry, Isa..."

"For what? It's just a cigarette. Let's focus on this report, shall we? Let's find that place."

In the bustling heart of Jakarta, amidst the ceaseless activity, Isa and Aisyah made their way to the nearest MRT station from the Gelora Bung Karno football stadium.

"So, where are we meeting this person, Isa?" Aisyah inquired.

Isa nonchalantly responded, "We're heading to Kemayoran from here. Someone's already waiting for us there."

From Senayan, they would take the MRT and journey into Kemayoran. Aisyah, with curiosity in her eyes, remarked, "This is actually my first time going into the central of Jakarta."

As they walked through the station, they procured their tickets and boarded the train.

"Isa..."

"Hmm...?" 

"I was thinking, after we earn our free day, maybe we should refrain from using your teleportation power for transportation. We could explore using our own feet, like this, for our travels. It feels more meaningful than simply teleporting," Aisyah suggested.

In this utopian world, where advantages knew no bounds, Aisyah and Isa held onto the essence of human limitations, believing that therein lay the true meaning of life.

Isa, with a nod, replied, "Sure, that sounds like a good plan."

After a few minutes, the train pulled into Kemayora. Isa and Aisyah stepped out, ready for the next phase of their journey.

"We could use a GoCar (the Uber of Indonesia) for the ride if you want." Isa suggested.

"Nah, we don't need that. It's just 20 minutes. Let's use our feet, shall we?" Aisyah replied with a determination in her voice.

Isa nodded in agreement, and they set off on foot. Interestingly, in Indonesia, people often prefer motorized transportation, even for short distances, rather than walking, reflecting a culture that tends to avoid the effort of walking whenever possible.

They strolled into a bustling street of Indonesia, and for Isa, who wasn't familiar with Indonesian culture, the crowded scene was a bit shocking.

"Is this normal around here, Aisyah?" he inquired.

She replied with a casual nod, "Yup, that's why you see, the air quality here is bad." Aisyah proceeded to explain the dynamics of the crowded streets and their impact on the environment.

After roughly 20 minutes, they reached their destination, a coffee shop, to report the investigation results for someone also tasked by the 'system'.

"By the way, I set this report to be critical, so I think we're going to meet Aditya here. I haven't seen him for a long time since our last critical report." Isa informed.

"Oh yeah, Aditya? I remember. He's such a calm person, isn't he? Just like you." Aisyah replied, recalling their past interactions with Aditya.

After those conversations, they were finally ready to meet Aditya and deliver the critical report to him. However, before going in, Isa stated,

"I'm going to wait outside, light this cigarette. You can't stop me now, as you've already done that."

"Okay, fine. Fair enough," Aisyah replied, accepting Isa's decision. She then walked into the coffee shop alone.

"Hey, is that you, Aisyah? Please have a seat," someone with curly hair and brown skin tone waved at Aisyah.

"Oh, hi Aditya! What have you been up to?" Aisyah replied, joining him in taking a seat.

"Yeah, I'm fine. So, this is our second meeting. Where is he?" Aditya inquired about Isa. 

"He's waiting outside. I'm the one who's going to talk to you now." Aisyah replied. 

"I hope he's fine also. So yeah, let's cut to the meeting part. What do you guys have here?"

Aisyah began explaining the report, "As you can see, we've been tracking this entity, and 'they' seem to be dropping hints for us. 

In my research and analysis using a quantum computer, I've noticed a pattern—a pattern in certain quarks exhibiting peculiar behavior. It's something beyond the scope of human craftsmanship."

Aditya leaned forward, intrigued, "A coordinate? What did you discover?"

Aisyah continued, "Yes, precisely. After delving into the intricacies, I uncovered a set of coordinates."

"We immediately went to these coordinates, located in Palembang, Indonesia.

However, upon our arrival, we found nothing. It occurred to us that the issue might not be the coordinates but rather the timing of our visit." Aisyah elaborated.

"With some mathematical calculations and Isa's assistance, we found the perfect time to revisit the location. Eureka! We uncovered cryptic messages on the wall, and after inputting them into my program, we decrypted a valid message, 99% authored by this 'entity.'

But, you know me, Aditya, even though I made this discovery, I am still 100% convinced that it is NOT a message from God," she concluded.

"Yeah, I know you. Even being maybe the smartest person in this civilization doesn't make you want to leave your faith." 

Aditya remarked, his tone filled with respect. "And once again, i can say your insights have proven invaluable to our mission. You've done exceptional work."

Aisyah's face beamed with appreciation. "Thank you, Aditya. I'm grateful for your confidence in our findings. It's reassuring to know that our efforts have yielded positive results."

With a nod, Aditya acknowledged her gratitude. 

"Now, before we conclude, there's something that has piqued my curiosity. Among your numerous research endeavors, there's one that stands out—the missing link research. It's captured my interest, Aisyah. I'm eager to delve deeper into its intricacies."

Aisyah's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. 

"Ah, the missing link research. It's a fascinating exploration, delving into the realms of history and science. 

I'd be delighted to share more details with you, Aditya."