2 A.M.

The stars that night whispered to one another, exchanging their light and strength, and ensuring their brilliance endured. They adorned this beautiful Earth, now resting under a blanket of the cold wind's lullaby. Mount Merapi stood as a witness to our presence here, where we remain strangers to one another.

The embers of the fire had long turned to ash since midnight. No tales were spun, save for the occasional word "uno" as my friends brought our game to a close. Soon after, my friend from Sambisari took his leave, needing rest for the morning ahead.

The trees beckoned us to share our stories, but for reasons I can't quite explain, I chose to remain silent, feeling that the time wasn't right for me to open up. As the clock struck two, the night wind wrapped your tales, shared with our friends, in its gentle embrace.

I had hoped, ever since we shared the same classroom, that tonight would bring us closer. Yet I found myself confiding in the stars and the twinkling city lights visible from this hilltop.

"Look!" I teased the stars above, "There is something more beautiful than you - a flower sitting sweetly, wrapped in her sleeping bag."

"There is a light brighter than the city's glow."

That night, I repeatedly uttered the word "beautiful," with a silent hope that someday, we would meet again in the grand city. I offered countless apologies for not being able to share my story then. I wanted to draw closer, but so much was still disorganized, and the mess within me kept me at bay.

Through these words, I also wish to apologize to my friends around me, for I am not yet able to share my current state.