[Author's Note] As promised, this chapter comes out within two weeks.

Honestly, I really wanted to write about Eka doing archery, like how skillful he is until he can go to national championship, but I did not have a chance. Not to mention that I haven't mastered much about archery movements and such, and also because this story is not focused on Eka.

About this chapter, I love how everything that happened in the previous chapter is finally settled.

Well, enjoy the show and your review is always awaited!

The Raid 2: Berandal © PT. Merantau Films

Recovery © James Arthur


The semester holiday started. Both Uco and Bangun were in Bangun's F-Type Coupe Jaguar, on the way to Senayan Archery Field to watch archery national championship where Eka participated in. They both sat on the back seat and still did not share any words since they left their house in Menteng area. Uco was chatting with Alicia, he wished her luck on her sectionals intensive training. He did not feel any pain on his abdomen any more, as well as the wounds and bruises disappeared little by little.

"How rare," said Bangun, breaking the ice, "You want to watch Eka perform."

"Killing time," replied Uco as he touched 'send' on his phone. Bangun chuckled.

"You're really a difficult kid," he said, "Koso said you asked for additional training during finals. Looks like you're confident enough about the finals."

"I was," replied Uco as he stared forward, "Don't tell me I'm not at least in 10th place," he glanced at Bangun and smirked. Bangun chuckled again.

"You're not," he said, "You're not in the 10th place."

"No way-,"

"Because you're in 7th place."

Uco exhaled a relieve sigh. He knew he did everything in the finals smoothly, since all he did in clinic during his one-week bed rest was nothing but studying, especially because Rama and Keiichi kept bringing him materials for finals.

"Anyway, I discussed with Bejo," said Bangun, "We both believe you were attacked by more than three students back then, especially because they were not from martial arts club."

"They brought baseball bats and beat me like demons," replied Uco as he stared outside the car window. He still did not want anyone to find out.

"Without martial arts technique," said Bangun again, "You should've been able to attack them back, the way you did it when they messed with Alicia."

"I'm new in pencak silat club, what can I do?" asked Uco, "Besides, I was too tired."

"I hope you don't lie to me to get your own revenge," replied Bangun. Uco smirked.

"How 'bout we focused on archery nationals now?" he said, "Eka works hard for today."

Bangun could not reply since they had arrived on the archery field. They walked off the car.


Club intensive training started in the second week of holiday. Everyone in club, not only the championship participants who already were on training since the fourth day of holiday, was required to attend, yet some third graders who should focus themselves with national final test were not required. Uco arrived at the dorm in Sunday night. He found Rama putting his clothes in the wardrobe there.

"Oh, there you are," said Rama, "How's the archery nationals? I really wanted to attend, but my family didn't want me to go anywhere in the first days," he sat on Uco's bed. Uco put down his backpack and lied on his bed, next to Rama.

"Eka won," replied Uco, "First place."

"I knew it!" said Rama, "He never really missed anything, just like his father the headmaster."

Uco blinked. He felt somehow strange that the one who resembled Bangun was Eka, the adopted son. Yet he could not deny that Eka had worked really hard to get there.

"You're their relative, right?" asked Rama, and Uco nodded, "No wonder. Your selflessness and guts must be in the blood," he praised. Uco chuckled. At the time he felt strange to be different from Bangun and Eka, Rama told him that his character was built from the family blood. He came to feel like laying his head down on Rama's shoulder, for he knew he could just find peace there.


In the first day of intensive training, everyone in the club did physical training, including the participants and substitutes for sectionals. Technical training started in the middle of second day, where Uco got Rama as his sparring partner. He needed to dodge many times in order to avoid Rama's powerful fist since he still had some wounds and bruises on his face and limb, and it amazed Rama.

"Whoa, you…," said Rama as he clenched his fists, "You're so fast."

"Thanks to your scary punches," replied Uco as he threw a kick to Rama's jaw, which Rama fended with his arm. During the sparring, they felt how they both grew stronger than before. Their show invited attentions from the other members and Prakoso. The small but powerful Rama was against the fast bigger newbie. The fight was ended with Uco got kicked by Rama on his waist.

"Sorry 'bout that," Rama helped Uco standing off the floor.

"No need," said Uco as he reached Rama's hand and stand up, "I'm basically already recovered," he watched the two big male second graders who attacked him back then. They walked off the arena as the training was finished, as Uco kept his eyes on them.


After everyone left the arena building, Uco found the two second-graders he watched in male toilet. He had changed his silat uniform with school uniform but without the cardigan and tie. He heard them talking without noticing his coming.

"What can we do? It's decided," said one of them.

"It's crazily unfair," said the others, as Uco tucked his hand to his pants pocket, "Seven were in charge, but only one got the benefit as substitute. Worse, three had been expelled," he bite his nails, looked nervous. The other one looked worry as well.

"That new guy looked even better," he said, "Look how he handled Rama, the participant."

"So, what are you going to do?" asked Uco as he closed the toilet door and took the key. Those two boys were shocked to see him there without they noticed.

"You…," said one of them, "Since when-,"

"What are you going to do?" Uco repeated, "I bet you really are brainless not to think of this consequence. Three were expelled. Only one was appointed for sectionals," he smirked. They turned mad, both walked towards Uco to punch his face, but Uco dodged swiftly. They turned around and threw another punch to Uco, which Uco dodged easily. He avoided two kicks from them by jumping quite high, earlier than the kicks, and rolled towards their shoulders. He pulled them to the floor instead, just like when he struggled to loose from them back then.

"What was your purpose?" asked Uco as they caught their breath and stood off the floor.

"It's none of your fuc—ouch!" one of them quit talking as Uco pushed him back to the floor with his arm and knee on him, "Get him!" he commanded his friend, yet before the other one even stood properly, Uco had held his neck on the edge of washing stand with his other foot.

"You tell me," said Uco firmly, "Or I will make you two expelled just like those three cowards. Only two of you. How fair is that?" he grinned. His eyes stared coldly at the student whose neck he held.

"Shit, y-you bastard!" mocked the student who was pushed on the floor.

"Call the other cowards," commanded Uco to the student on the washing stand, "Now, Asshole," he tightened his kick as that student tried to reach his phone inside his pants pocket. He breathlessly called his two friends to male toilet. Not in less than five minutes, the new substitute and a first grader boy burst inside the toilet with panic face. They were shocked to see what happened.

Uco never felt stronger before, he did not expect that he could maintain such position in quite long time until he stood up and released them in the end. He stared at the two people who just arrived as they looked back at him.

"What was your purpose?" he asked, "Did you, cowards, attack me just to get substitute position for sectionals?"

Instead of getting an answer, the new substitute threw a kick to Uco's jaw that he dodged successfully by bowing down and moved quickly to another side, instead she kicked her friend who just stood off the washing stand. They were all shocked, except Uco. He kicked the new substitute and the first grader right to the other two, made them all fell to the floor. All the physical and technical training after he went back to school really helped him, especially his sparring with Andi and Rama. He learned about speed and technique from those brothers.

"Did your parents never teach you about manner?" mocked Uco, "I just asked a simple question but none of you answered me politely."

"You new brat," said the new substitute, the only girl in that room, as she stood off the floor, "You were not even qualified to be a substitute. It's too fuckin' early for you, Bastard."

"And you think you are?" Uco grinned, "A coward like you?"

That girl threw her fist to Uco's face but Uco caught her arm and gripped it tightly until she groaned. The others were ready to attack Uco.

"Wait," said Uco, "If you attack me, I'll break her arm," he threatened as he stared coldly to the boys. They were startled for a second. The girl groaned harder as Uco tightened his grip.

"I don't care," said the first grader, "Do it," he said. Uco winced. That girl was shocked.

"Ouch…w-what the fu-,"

"Honestly we don't give a shit," said the other boy, the second grader, "We were still not selected for sectionals," he said, as the other second grader nodded. Uco slammed the girl to the wall before he surprisingly kicked the others' jaws alternately. He already knew that those boys must have had such feeling, yet he did not expect that they would have such heart to abandon their friend.

"You're proven brainless and heartless," mocked Uco, "Thanks for the interview," he pulled out his phone from the pocket and turned off the recorder before he walked out the toilet and locked the door. He smirked as he heard they were banging on the door, asking for someone to open it.


Uco entered Headmaster's office after he heard Bangun told him to come in when he knocked. As he expected when he texted them, both Eka and Prakoso already arrived there, sitting on the couch, while Bangun sat relaxed on his chair. Eka was at school for both intensive training and Student Council. In Putih Abu-Abu, heads and some members of Student Council were required to stay at school once intensive training day started, in order to manage and protect the students at school.

"I'm going to testify," said Uco as he put down his phone with the recording file turned on. He mentioned the names of the four students. Eka and Prakoso stood off the couch and walked closer to Headmaster's desk to listen to the recording. They were all shocked.

"Wait, seriously?" asked Eka, "Oh, no, two of them are from my class…,"

"And one of them is now the substitute, thanks to me," said Prakoso regretfully.

"Did you just tell the truth or you are making this up?" asked Bangun. Uco smirked.

"It's none of my concern that you want to believe it or not," he said, "But those four cowards are still locked in male toilet in arena building, well, if the cleaning service staff haven't found out," he chuckled mischievously. Bangun took the phone on his desk and called the cleaning service department, asked some staff to check the arena building and bring whoever there to his office.

"How did you handle them?" asked Eka, "They beat you until you couldn't even speak."

"Exercise?" asked Uco back. Eka and Prakoso furrowed their eyebrows.

"Only exercise and you suddenly turn stronger?" asked Prakoso. Uco smirked.

"Exercise like sparring with the champion and one of the participants," he replied. Before Eka and Prakoso said their next words, the door was knocked and it was opened after Bangun let them in. Four cleaning service staff brought the students that Uco confined in the toilet. There were small wounds on their faces, which was caused by Uco's punches and kicks. They looked desperate.

"Now, it's up to you," said Uco as he smirked again, "I'm done," he took his phone from Headmaster's desk and walked off the office. In his way to the dorm, he passed Bejo and Jaka who looked hurry. Uco concluded right away that they were on their ways to Headmaster Office because Eka called or texted them.

He smiled. He was satisfied.


"What are you doing here?" asked Rama and Alicia jointly as they saw Uco mopping arena building floor. Uco sighed and continued moving his mop. Another intensive training day had just been finished and everyone had left arena building, but it turned out that Rama and Alicia got something to do after training that makes them go back there. It was already 5PM.

"As you see, I'm mopping," said Uco nonchalantly. Rama and Alicia looked at each other and furrowed their eyebrows.

"Why are you mopping?" asked Rama, "You're no more new member," he winced.

"My punishment," replied Uco as he looked away, "That damn headmaster didn't want to just release me after I took my revenge on those assholes."

"WHAT?!" asked Rama and Alicia jointly, again.

"W-what revenge?" asked Alicia, "Don't tell me you did something terribl-,"

"God's sake, I just kicked their asses and locked them in toilet!" replied Uco impatiently.

He had been pissed since morning. Bangun called him to his office, where Bejo and Prakoso were already there as well. He was told that his attackers had been expelled since the previous day, yet it did not release him from punishment because after all he had a fighting with some students not because of defending anyone. Bangun said that he and Student Council had discussed to punish him with the mopping job that he was required to do until the intensive training day ended. Like he was not enough tired because of intensive training.

"So, there really were some more people attacked you," said Rama as he rolled his eyes, "Ah! Four people did not attend today's training…oh, no, don't tell me they were from our club-,"

"It's obvious, huh?" said Uco nonchalantly as he continued mopping.

"Are they expelled?" asked Alicia.

"After beating an innocent student with baseball bats like demons and put him in clinic for a week, of course, Young Lady," answered Uco lazily. He really was too lazy responding questions which answers should have been known, yet he knew as well that he had not tell Rama and Alicia yet about anything related with that issue.

"You kicked their asses and locked them in toilet," said Rama, his voice started to echo along with Uco mopping further, "It means you, alone, were against four pencak silat members?" he asked.

"Wow, that's badass," praised Alicia as she clapped. Uco did not respond since he thought it was not necessary. He did not even know why he must receive compliments. To him, he did nothing special. He only took his revenge alone for he wanted to prove his attackers' cowardice. He only wanted to pay back in their opposite way: fighting four of them alone. It was one of the reasons why he took a lot of exercises after he left the clinic, beside to get recovered sooner.

It was also the reason why he asked Andi to fight him back then, as well as he took the benefit from his sparring with Rama during training.

"Anyway, we came back to find you," said Rama, "Keiichi wants to treat us in cafeteria, he just hit the first place in finals. You going?" he asked. Uco continued mopping.

"I'm coming once I finish," he replied. Rama and Alicia looked at each other and smiled.

"Call you later," said Alicia, "In case you fell asleep during mopping," she joked and laughed with Rama. They walked off the arena building, leaving Uco alone with his mop. He chuckled. He forgot the last time he had friends, but he felt as if it was his first time in forever to have some.

He came to think that being transferred to Putih Abu-Abu may not be a bad idea.


PAM! PAM!

Uco, who was rubbing his stiff shoulder after mopping arena building floor, was surprised with confetti thrown to his face. He came to cafeteria to fulfill Keiichi's invitation, but what he found was some people welcoming him like it was his birthday.

"Huh?" he asked since he was totally confused. Everyone chuckled. Not only Rama, Alicia, and Keiichi were there as he predicted, but also Eka, Ryuuichi, Andi, Bejo, and Jaka. They all smiled.

"Today's not my birthday," said Uco, still confused.

"I know, it's still January," said Eka as he walked towards him and pushed him closer to the table where some of them gathered, "But you might want to ask Kei why he changed his celebration agenda."

"Goddamit, Uco," said Keiichi as he looked amazed, "Seventh place in finals? After skipping class for a week right before it started?" he clapped, "I should've known why you rejected my offer and said you can study alone, you deserve a celebration!" he praised. The others clapped as well. Uco rolled his eyes. All this time he had always been somewhere in top ten ranks at school, and nothing was amazing with that since he was a fast learner.

"Besides," added Bejo, "We made a deal this morning, after you left Headmaster's office."

"What deal?" asked Uco.

"We, heads of Student Council, discussed with Headmaster Bangun and Coach Prakoso after your punishment announcement. Pencak silat club had just lost one substitute for sectionals, and that's why you're selected again to fill that space," explained Bejo. Jaka and Eka nodded to confirm. Not only Uco, the rest were also shocked to hear it. They have not heard from those heads of Student Council about that one news, even before Uco arrived in cafeteria.

"Why don't we just take a seat first, Everyone?" teased Bejo, surprising them. They sat on empty chairs around the long table. Uco was still spacing out as he sat down. Not like he really cared about being substitute for sectionals, yet such news was still surprising him. He started to wonder.

"Wait," he said, "Why-what's your consideration? I mean, didn't you just punish me?"

"We did," replied Eka, "But considering what happened to you and what you've done, not to mention your development in club by far, we tried to suggest it. It's quite helpful right?" he asked to Jaka who nodded right away.

"Coach Prakoso was confused back then," said Jaka, "He suddenly lost one substitute and he was not prepared to select the new one. Our suggestion helped him, especially he considered your last action in the toilet. That one-on-four battle, I think he was paralyzed by that," he teased. Bejo and Eka chuckled as they nodded.

Meanwhile Andi, Ryuuichi, and the four first-graders were astonished again.

"Gosh, Uco, this is really your day," said Alicia as she pat Uco's shoulder, "Congratulations!"

"You learn damn fast," praised Andi, "We only had one day exercise, and look at you now."

"Senior Eka, you should've told me earlier that I'll have such an amazing roommate," Rama pouted, "Now that he did it all, I lost my confidence," he started chuckling. Everyone laughed except Uco who started to blush. He squeezed Rama's neck instead.

"Shut up, idiot," he threatened, but everyone only laughed harder, "I'm just fuckin' substitute and you're the athlete!" he squeezed tighter as his face turned red. When everyone laughed, Uco looked at them alternately and his eyes stopped at Ryuuichi. He suddenly remembered something.

"Senior Ryuuichi," he said as he released Rama, "How's the nationals?" he asked. Ryuuichi, who was laughing hard, started to look nervous.

"Um, I'm in…," he replied, "The same place with Eka in nationals."

Everyone cheered again except Uco. He only smirked and clapped. He started to learn how the school was really filled with real athletes, although some students might be coward like his attackers.

He came to realize that his father must have worked very hard to maintain the school at the same place by far.