30 Days to Unmake a Monster

Chapter 7: Past Baggage and the Cracked Mirror

The pungent aroma of dark roast coffee cut through the air, overpowering the familiar scent of dust and old paper that usually clung to Raka’s studio apartment. This morning felt different. There was no aggressive pounding on the door, no water splashed over his laptop. Instead, there was only a gentler, more inviting silence, punctuated by the soft clink of a silver spoon against porcelain.

Luna sat perched on the windowsill, the morning sun highlighting her sharp yet achingly soft features. She had swapped her usual attire for something more contemporary—a black turtleneck and tailored trousers that gave her the effortless air of a successful architect on a weekend break. On her wrist, the crimson digits of the timer continued their steady, relentless countdown: 22:11:45:02.

Raka took a slow sip of his coffee, his eyes still a bit puffy from sleep. Did you make this?

Luna turned her head slowly. I used the beans you kept on the top shelf. They were nearly expired, but they still had just enough caffeine to jumpstart your brain.

Raka let out a dry, quiet chuckle. A warmth spread through his chest—not from the caffeine, but because for once, their interaction didn't feel like a hostile interrogation. Thanks. About last night... are you really okay? You looked deathly pale when you got back.

I just needed to re-sync, Luna replied flatly, though Raka knew it was her way of masking the physical toll the time travel was taking on her body. But don’t let pity cloud our objective, Raka. Today, the curriculum gets heavier. Simulation Five: The Art of Letting Go.

Baggage? Raka set his mug down. Are we moving? My apartment is already cramped as it is, Luna. Where exactly are we supposed to put more things?

Luna stood up, her movements graceful as she approached his desk. She pulled out her silver device, tapped a command, and Raka’s monitor suddenly flickered to life, displaying a social media profile. It belonged to a woman with a radiant smile and long hair pulled back in a ponytail.

Raka’s heart skipped a beat. Tiara?

The primary reason you stopped believing in commitment, Luna said, her voice turning cold as ice. Your ex-girlfriend. The woman who walked out on you three years ago because she thought your future looked too bleak. In the original timeline, you meet her again once you’ve built your empire. You use her as a tool for revenge, making her crawl back and beg. It was the first time you realized how intoxicating it felt to crush someone’s dignity with money.

Raka clenched his fists under the desk. I wouldn’t do that.

You would, Raka. Because an unhealed wound will always look for a way to lash out at others as a form of compensation. Luna locked eyes with him, her gaze piercing. Today, Tiara will reach out to you. She’s in desperate need of financial help for her mother’s medical bills. This simulation isn’t about the money; it’s about how you handle an old scar when you finally have the power to either destroy her or save her for all the wrong reasons.

Just as Luna finished her sentence, Raka’s phone vibrated on the desk. A message popped up from an unsaved number, though he knew the digits by heart.

Tiara: Raka... I’m so sorry to reach out like this out of the blue. I just don't know who else to turn to. Could we meet for a moment this afternoon?

Raka stared at the screen as if it were a venomous snake. He looked at Luna, who had retreated to the corner of the room, her face returning to its usual cold mask.

What am I supposed to do? he stammered.

Face her, Luna said simply. I’ll be observing from a distance. Remember, Raka, every emotion you pour out today—whether it’s resentment, lingering longing, or sheer arrogance—will be etched into the timeline. Don’t become the monster I once knew.

That afternoon, in a tucked-away little cafe, Raka sat across from Tiara. She looked far thinner than he remembered. The spark that used to be in her eyes had been replaced by a heavy, weary exhaustion, the kind brought on by life's harsher realities.

Thanks for coming, Rak, Tiara said, her voice trembling. She gripped her teacup as if it were her only lifeline. I heard from Gani that you’re... doing well? That you were wearing an expensive suit at the Indra Jaya office yesterday?

Raka was caught off guard. Gani always did have a big mouth. He thought of the luxury suit from yesterday’s simulation, now hanging in his closet. He had a choice: he could lie and play the part of the big shot just to make her regret leaving him.

I’m just working on a small project, Ti. It’s not quite the success Gani made it out to be, Raka answered honestly, despite the part of his ego that wanted to gloat.

Tiara looked down, tears welling in her eyes. My mom needs gallbladder surgery immediately, Rak. I’ve sold everything I own, but I’m still short fifty million. I know we haven’t talked in forever, but I’m at a total dead end.

In the corner of the cafe, Raka spotted Luna sitting alone, pretending to read a book while her sharp eyes remained fixed on them. He knew Luna could probably produce the money out of thin air with her future tech. But this wasn't about the cash.

A sudden wave of anger surged through him. Anger that Tiara only showed up when she needed something. Anger that she had abandoned him at his absolute lowest point.

Look at her now, Raka, a dark voice whispered in his ear—the voice of Gema from the night before. She’s begging. Isn't this what you wanted? Make her feel small. Tell her that her love back then wasn’t worth the price she’s asking for now.

Raka’s hands shook. He took a long, deep breath, trying to steady the storm in his chest. He remembered the salty porridge Luna had made. He remembered how much she was suffering just to stop him from becoming a cruel man.

I have some savings, Ti, Raka said quietly. It’s not much. I can give you ten million right now without compromising my own bills. But I can also help you find an interest-free loan through some colleagues in my design community.

Tiara looked up, stunned. Ten million? But... don’t you want to ask why I left? Aren't you angry with me?

Raka offered a faint smile, one that felt surprisingly mature. What’s the point? The past is like baggage I left at the station a long time ago. If I pick it back up now, it’ll only slow me down. I’m helping you because your mother needs it, not because I still have feelings for you or because I want to show off.

Tiara broke into sobs, this time out of pure relief. Thank you, Raka. You’ve... you’ve changed so much. You seem so much more at peace.

As Raka stood up to leave, he felt a familiar chill crawl down his spine. He glanced out the cafe window. There, amidst the crowd of passersby, stood a faceless black silhouette. Gema.

Raka wasn't afraid. Instead, he met the shadow’s gaze with a look of defiance.

On the walk home, Luna walked beside him. They didn't speak, but the distance between them felt smaller than it had ever been.

So, how did I do? Raka asked, breaking the silence as they stepped into the apartment elevator.

Luna checked the watch on her wrist. 22:11:55:00.

You bought us another ten minutes, Luna replied, her voice sounding a fraction warmer. You navigated the emotional trap, Raka. You didn’t rely on my technology, and you didn’t use your anger to feel powerful.

As the elevator doors slid open, Raka paused and turned to her. Luna, in the future... did I ever actually love Tiara again?

Luna stopped in her tracks, her expression darkening. No. You never loved her again. You only loved the victory of having defeated her.

And that was the beginning of how you treated me. To you, our marriage was just another trophy to be defended, not a relationship to be nurtured.

They reached the apartment door. Raka turned the key, but before stepping inside, he reached out and gently caught Luna’s arm. He was incredibly careful this time, keeping the contact light so it wouldn't feel overbearing.

I promise you, Luna, Raka whispered. That future you’re carrying... it’s never going to happen. I’m going to erase it, chapter by chapter, until all that’s left is the two of us, right here, right now.

Luna held his gaze for a long moment. For the first time, Raka saw fear in the eyes of a woman who always seemed so unbreakable. It wasn’t Gema she was afraid of; it was hope.

Hope is the most dangerous thing in this timeline, Raka, Luna said, gently pulling her arm away. Because if we fail, the fallout will be a thousand times more devastating.

Raka didn't work that night. He sat on the floor, leaning back against the edge of the bed where Luna lay. Together, they stared into the darkness, listening to the muffled roar of the city outside. Raka realized he’d finally dropped the baggage of his past, but he was now carrying something far heavier and more significant: the future of a woman who had entrusted her life to the most broken man in the world.

On Luna’s wrist, the numbers stopped their frantic red blinking. They settled into a soft, steady white glow, as if offering a temporary grace to the silence that had finally started to feel like home.

But somewhere out there, the future version of Gema wasn’t defeated. He had simply evolved, waiting for the exact moment when their budding love would become the very weapon he’d use to destroy them both.