The night passed slower than a corpse in quicksand.
So slow, I was seriously debating headbutting the nearest wall just to spice things up. That's how much the boredom was killing me. However, I persisted, and now I stood in front of the police station with no one here to pick me up.
I didn't really care that no one was here because I'm an adult. The only thing I wanted to do was shower, but I didn't smell that bad, and I could probably get away with it for a few hours. Maybe even a whole day if I pushed my luck. At some point today, I was going to need one though.
[Want to just walk around then?]
'Heh, I see you were affected by the boredom as well, my good sir?'
[Please stop that! And yes, I was.]
Nodding my head, I turned right and walked without any plans in mind. I looked around, observing the city and the people. Everyone here looked happy and content, kind of like in Amarika. However, I guess when you are labeled "capital of" something—which definitely brings in a lot of money and wealth—I'd be happy as a citizen too.
"U-Um, excuse me sir!"
A childish voice squeaked out, pulling me out of my head. Turning around, I spotted a little girl clutching her mother's hand, the woman fidgeting with the strap of her purse, shifting awkwardly under my gaze. A faint scent of floral perfume drifted from them, light and sweet.
I put on the best smile I could while bending down, facing the little girl eye-to-eye.
"Yes?"
"C-Can I get a picture?" she timidly asked, her voice barely above a whisper. I couldn't deny that it was quite cute. Not as cute as Euphi, but cute enough to give her a picture. You see, if Euphi was like the sun, then this girl was like a cloud. This is totally not biased by the way!
[Do you like children? And no, I don't mean that in a weird way.]
'Phew~ I thought you were trying to set me up. Yes, I do enjoy the presence of kids. They're cute most of the time I see them.'
The girl looked up at her mom, who nodded, and I stayed crouched down while putting up a "V" sign with my fingers. The girl's face lit up like she'd just won the lottery, and she mimicked me perfectly.
The picture was done in seconds. The girl and her mom thanked me with matching bright smiles before disappearing into the flow of the crowd.
Ding~
[Kate❣️: You idiot!]
[Me: Perfect timing, babe. I'm now walking the streets protecting them from danger!]
[Kate❣️: You can barely protect your mom...]
[Me: G-GUAH?! THE BETRAYAL!]
[Kate❣️: You deserve it. I had to be separated from you for the whole night (;﹏;)]
[Me: I'm really sorry, but I wasn't letting my mom get harassed. (╥﹏╥)]
[Kate❣️: I know. Just be more careful next time. And how's your ankle?]
[Me: It's fine, surprisingly.]
[Kate❣️: That's great! Still, be gentle with it. Ophi, me, my dad, and my mom are going to explore now! So I'll text you later, okay?]
[Me: Okay. Ttyl! <3]
[Kate❣️: ( ˘ ³˘)♥]
"Haha~ Goofy." I put my phone back in my pocket, and my feet, at some point, had taken me to a coffee shop. It was green and red with polished windows. The inside looked like a garden, and it was quite crowded.
My gaze stopped on a cashier. His short green hair and green eyes, the same vivid shade as fresh spring leaves, along with his unique build, jogged my memory.
"Marik?" I whispered, my voice barely carrying over the clatter of mugs and soft chatter. He glanced up through the window, his eyes lighting with recognition, and waved me in with a casual grin.
The moment I stepped inside, a swirl of roasted coffee, vanilla, and something faintly nutty wrapped around me, washing away the lingering tension. The low hum of chatter, the soft clink of porcelain, and the occasional hiss of an espresso machine filled the space, warm and alive. Even the long line ahead didn't bother me.
"Eizkel, my man! What are you doing? Come up here!"
'Or not.' My lips twitched, feeling all the gazes on me, but I walked up to the front. Marik jerked his thumb toward the employee entrance, and I followed without question. I didn't want to wait in line if I could avoid it. Who the hell would willingly wait if they could avoid it?
"Damn, talk about coincidence!" Marik laughed, his voice rough, like he hadn't had enough sleep. The dark bags under his eyes basically confirming it which made sense considering where he was last night.
"I know, dude. What would you recommend here?"
He looked around, his sneakers squeaking faintly against the polished floor, before leaning in closer. After making sure the coast was clear, he whispered, his breath carrying the faint scent of mint gum, "I got you, my man. Just go to a table, and I'll have it out for you."
"You serious?"
"Yeah. But can you do me a favor?"
"As long as it isn't illegal, I'm not trying to go back," I said, half-smiling. One time was enough, and it was just the boredom! I would have preferred other people.
"Pfft~ No no, I have a big party tonight, and I need to impress this girl so..." he said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, his face lit by the soft, golden glow from the hanging lights above.
I smiled, giving him a thumbs up. "I understand. Here, follow me on Y."
He quickly got his phone out and added me while texting the address. He had the latest model from Orange, it was the Evephone 17.
'You know, Eve ate an apple, not an orange!' It was something I noticed when I first transmigrated here, but now really paying attention, I couldn't help but feel weird. What if Eve in this world really ate an orange?!