Part 4: Melting Doubts
The café had emptied out. Only Romo remained, sitting in silence, staring at a cup of coffee that had long gone cold. The once-inviting aroma now felt bland, like the thoughts swirling restlessly in his head.
Marlon and Riri's words still echoed in his mind."This research could change the way we see things, Romo," Marlon had said, his conviction almost intimidating."We could see the world from a perspective that's been hidden all this time."
Romo let out a deep sigh. He recalled sermons at the mosque that spoke of a world divided in two: black and white, good and evil, right and wrong. That concept had been firmly rooted in him since childhood. But here, in a café dimly lit with shadows playing across the walls, he felt something different. A shade of gray he had long ignored. A nameless space between black and white, where everything blends and influences each other.
"Could it be?" he whispered. "Could there be truth beyond what I've always believed?"
He remembered something his father used to say,"The world is bigger than you think, Son. Don't just see it from one angle."When he was younger, he'd dismissed those words as typical fatherly advice. But now, they felt like a clue.
He rubbed his face. His head was full of questions. If the world truly was filled with shades of gray, then perhaps his beliefs were only a small fragment of a larger truth.
Romo let out a dry chuckle."Maybe I'm just a frog in a well, not even aware that I'm in a well."
Suddenly, a voice from the table across interrupted his thoughts. A barista wiping the table glanced over and said casually,"Talking to yourself, Mas? If you need someone to vent to, I can pretend to listen."
Romo blinked."Oh—no, no. I was just... thinking hard."
The barista chuckled."Keep thinking hard, Mas. You might find the answer you've been looking for. Or you'll just end up with a headache. One of the two."
Romo offered a faint smile. He looked back at his phone, fingers hovering above the virtual keyboard. Inside him, two voices were battling it out. One urged him to stay in his comfort zone, clinging to the beliefs that had shaped him. The other whispered something frightening yet strangely alluring: to step out and see the world from a new perspective.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then began typing a message to Marlon and Riri:
"I'm in. I want to be part of this research."
Before he could change his mind, he hit send.
A checkmark appeared on the screen. Message sent.
Romo took a sip of his coffee, forgetting it had gone cold. He winced."Just like me... gone cold, still hoping to warm myself up."
The barista, who had been watching, tried to hold back laughter."Mas, next time you come here, don't let your coffee go cold. Life decisions are like that too—wait too long, and they go stale."
Romo chuckled softly. Maybe this journey really was meant for him. He didn't know what he would find, but he understood one thing: he had to take the step. Because answers only come to those who are brave enough to seek them.
That night, Romo sat across from his father, Pak Hasan, in their dimly lit living room. He told him about his plan to conduct research with Marlon and Riri, and to live alongside their sources.
"Father, I want to ask for your permission," Romo said, his voice uncertain. "I want to join my friends in this research, and we plan to live with the people we're studying."
Pak Hasan furrowed his brow."Research? And living with your sources? That sounds dangerous."
Romo explained their project—their desire to understand the hidden realities behind social phenomena."We want to study how moral and ethical values are applied in real life, Father. How people face the dilemmas between sin and virtue, and how they balance them in their daily lives."
Pak Hasan listened intently, though his expression grew more serious."Rama, I understand your desire to seek the truth," he said. "But you need to be careful. The world isn't always what you imagine it to be."
"What do you mean, Father?" Rama asked.
"First, you have to remember, honesty comes at a high price," said Pak Hasan. "Not everyone is willing to open up, especially when it involves things that go against their interests. You might encounter lies, manipulation, and hypocrisy. People often cover up their greed in the name of progress, disguise envy as a fight for justice, or justify laziness under the guise of self-acceptance."
Romo fell silent. He recalled Marlon's words about the truth hiding behind masks. Would they really be able to pierce through those masks and face the bitter reality?
"Second," Pak Hasan continued, "in the real world, the line between sin and virtue isn't always clear. For example, generosity can turn into foolishness if done without thought. Hard work can become greed if there are no limits. Patience can become weakness if it only leads to ongoing oppression. You'll see for yourself how these values are practiced, and you might start questioning many things."
Romo shivered. He began to realize that this research wasn't just about observing—it was about confronting a reality that could shake his own beliefs.
"And most importantly," said Pak Hasan, "you have to remember that your safety comes first. Never take unnecessary risks. The world isn't just about theories, Ramadhan. It's full of vested interests, deception, and sometimes, even virtues being misused."
Romo nodded, though doubt was creeping in again. This research was sounding more complex by the minute. Were they truly ready to face whatever might come?
"I'm not forbidding you from doing this research," said Pak Hasan, "but I want you to promise me that you'll always be careful. Always put your safety first."
"I promise, Dad," Romo replied, his voice now steadier.
The next day, Romo met up with Marlon and Riri at the same café. The mood was more subdued than before. Romo shared the conversation he had with his father—the concerns and the warnings.
"My dad said this research could be dangerous," Romo said seriously. "He reminded me that in the real world, the line between sin and virtue is often blurred."
Marlon and Riri exchanged glances. They knew this research wouldn't be easy, but they hadn't expected to face this kind of challenge.
"Like what?" asked Riri, raising an eyebrow.
"For example," Romo explained, "a successful businessman. Did he get there through hard work or greed? Does he give generously out of sincerity or to look good? Is a leader pushing their subordinates out of discipline or anger?"
Marlon chuckled lightly. "Come on, Romo. Not everyone is that bad."
"I'm not saying everyone is bad," said Romo. "But my dad said we need to be ready to face the truth—that no one is completely pure or entirely sinful. We have to understand that in every virtue, there's a potential downfall, and in every sin, there's a reason why someone might commit it."
Riri sighed. "So how do we deal with this?"
"We have to be extra careful," Romo replied. "We can't take everything we see or hear at face value. We need to think critically."
"And how do we make sure we don't fall into the same traps?" Marlon asked, now looking serious.
"That's the hard part," said Romo. "We can't just say, 'I'll be a good person.' We have to know when to be kind, when to stand firm, when to step back, and when to move forward. That's what we'll learn from this research."
Riri smiled faintly. "I like this. It's like a moral game in real life."
Marlon laughed. "Yeah, and like any game, there are traps. So how do we make sure we don't get caught?"
"We can look for references on how these values are practiced in real life," said Romo. "We can study history, interview people who've faced moral dilemmas, and most importantly, we need to be honest with ourselves."