After much hesitation, Markov finally said it.
'Look.. I don't have the right to spill insider information to you.. I'm really sorry about what happened to your friend. All I can say is Vasila's job doesn't involve shell management.'
'So.. you people.. didn't kill Kyle?' I asked.
'I'm not sure about other sectors of the Guardian force, but as far as I'm concerned, I cannot go outside the gates. The Gate is my home. This is where I live, and this is where I work all day.' Markov replied, leaning down to help me stand up. 'It's okay.. You need to take some rest.'
Markov put his hand on my arms and helped me walk through what felt like a series of hallways and stairs.
'We don't use the elevator systems in the base. It's easy to get comfortable with those things. This base trains young officers who will lead their own Unit of Guardian Force one day. We had to make them get used to hard work.'
I didn't listen much to Markov's talk. I think he really loves to talk.
He must be pretty lonely, sitting behind the cold steel walls every day. He takes every opportunity to converse with me. With a bit of caution, of course, but I still think he talks way more than an average guy would.
But I don't really care anymore. I feel hurt and miserable..
'We've arrived! This will be the Unit Valisa's quarters. A total of 5 cadets live here along with Valisa. Let's step right in, shall we?' asked Markov.
I nodded in response.
'You can have a warm bath, I'll open the shower for you, no worries. Keep in mind that all the cadets are working outside in the garage. It's maintenance day - every cadet must volunteer to work! Don't be startled if one of them walks in on you. It's typical for those cheeky bastards to invade others' privacy.'
Markov told me to take off my boots and clothes. The goggle is still stuck in my head. I couldn't remove it. I signalled Markov that I can't do anything about the broken device.
'Brace for impact, this is gonna hurt you real bad'
With that, He punched me hard on the side of my head, hitting the strap of the goggles, which broke off as it finally fell from my head. 'Owwwhh.. you..'
'Told you, it would hurt. Do you want to throw this away?'
'No.. No, no.. That device was given to me by Kyle.. I'm keeping it as a remembrance.. Even if it's broken, I'll wear it over my head.' I replied to Markov.
'Alright, your call.. It is damaged beyond repair, though.'
I didn't say anything. With no clothes on, I clutched the broken goggles in my hands and stood there. It is embarrassing, not because of my nakedness, but because of my stubbornness in letting things go even when everything was already over.
'Give that device to me. At least, I can glue it together to make it comfortable for wearing,' said Markov. I handed it over and thanked him.
'No problemo! Take a bath and rest for a while in the room. The cadets know that you're here. They'll show you around the base.'
Markov placed me inside a glass chamber. I can feel the roof and sides. It's like a box.
'When you're done showering, get out and dry yourself with those paper towels. I left some for you on the table in the centre of this room. You don't need to do anything else; the shower water will automatically stop once you're outside. I'll see you again at the north gate. Meet me there when you're free.' Markov said, and I heard his footsteps fade away. He closed the room doors.
I felt the lukewarm water pour down on me from the ceiling. I stood there and felt the cold escape my body. Millions of water drops constantly poured over my face, refreshing my eyes, nose and the rest of my body. I took a long shower.
For a few minutes, I forgot everything about the world. I wiped my eyes carefully and sneezed my nose. I can see and breathe properly now. I put both of my hands on the glass and leaned forward to have the water hit behind my shoulders. I thought about everything that had happened in the shell chamber.
'I love you.. Wei la..'
'You're the lovely.. child.. I ever had..'
'Be grateful for your pathetic, miserable life given by her'
'I saved you! Be grateful for once.'
Be grateful.'
'Be grateful!'
'Be grateful!'
'Be grateful!!'
'Keep your head up and move forward.. That's an order as your caretaker.'
'How can I bring myself to do that!? I never asked for any of this to begin with!'
'I should've.. died with you.. mother..'
I cried in the shower for a good while.
When I was done and I couldn't cry any longer, I got out of the shower and dried myself. The paper towel is soft and loose, but it is suitable enough to dry me. The room is really small with one table in the centre with a row of bunk beds on each side of the room. There are a few chairs by the table, unattended.
'Yo.. eyes up here.'
I heard a voice coming from the topmost bunker on the right side of me. Someone is lying on the mattress with one of their hands on the side of their head, one eye closed, wildly staring at my crotch. I wrapped the paper towel quickly over my hips in shock.
'What??.. why are you staring at me like that!? Stop!' I exclaimed.
'Whoa, you didn't have any problem with that other guy seeing your little Wei Wei out in the open.. So what gives this reaction to me? This is discrimination, dude. Not cool, nuh uh.'
'What.. you were watching-'
'Yes, I've been watching you ever since you entered this room.'
'Huh..? So you heard and saw.. everything..?'
'Yep.. Even the things you said outside the gates.'
I'm creeped out. This person wore a long-sleeved leather robe, covering from head to toe. I can't see his face. Why didn't he say anything all this time?
'Uh.. do you l-love me..?' I asked.
He oddly stared at me and burst into laughter.
'HAHAHHHAAHHA!!! DO I LOVE YOU??' He rolled. 'You're a funny one!'.
He laughed so much that he wheezed and fell on the table, all the way from the top bunker.
'Watch out!! You'll injure yourself!' I yelled at him, while he didn't even mind. He crashed over the table, and didn't stop laughing at all.
'I never had this much fun in a LONG time, dude!.. I like you a lot.' He finally stopped laughing and picked himself back up on his feet. I can see his face now. His hair is golden blonde, his skin is white, with a sharp jawline and long hair that reaches below his ears.
'My name is KV-3788. Ladies call me Korvet, the unstoppable beast of the never-ending cosmos.' Korvet introduced himself and put his hand out for me to shake. He's still smiling. He is trying as hard as he can to control himself from laughing at me again.
I didn't take his hand.
'Do you know how to shake hands?' He asked.
'Yes, I know how to shake hands. I just don't want to shake your hands!.. and I'm not going to call you korvet, you're awful for a stranger!!.' I snapped at him and picked up my clothes off the table. I have never been angry at anyone in my whole life. My head feels awfully hot and sweaty from shouting at him.
'It's not funny! It's not funny to be a creep to someone you just met!! Didn't your caretaker teach you anything!??' I exclaimed, while backing myself into a corner near the shower, still looking at his face. I feel like he could attack me at any moment. Why am I so afraid? He was the one who did me wrong.. Being angry makes me feel vulnerable, while it doesn't seem to affect him at all. Kyle told me about anger and other bitter feelings. This is the first time that I'm actually feeling these things.
'Chill out, man! It's a joke, don't be a p###y..' Korvet replied, unfazed, now seated near the table with his legs crossed. 'This kind of talk is normal here. You're one of us now, dude! You're one of us! You belong here now. We're all equal when we're here, wei wei.'
'That- that doesn't mean you should behave in any way you see fit!.. and don't call me, Wei Wei. My name is Wei La!'
'Sure, man. I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have laughed at you like that. Can we be.. lovers??' he started laughing again. I closed my eyes and ears in anger and embarrassment.
I have to put my clothes on. I just pretended that he didn't exist and changed my clothes while being careful not to drop the paper towel. All the while I was changing, he was looking at me with no shame. He didn't take his eyes off even for a second. What a total creep.
'How long are you gonna sulk? I'm truly sorry, Wei Weii.. forgive me! Your Highness.. I am but a man lost in the sea of your charm! Oh, good heavens! Is there no cure for the heart?' He is trying to provoke me again. I won't fall twice.
I stepped outside the room and faced the hallway.
'Where are you going, Wei Wei? ' Korvet asked.
...
I didn't say anything. I didn't look at his face.
'This place is not friendly for you to wander alone. You'll never find the area that you're looking for, you know..'
I continued to ignore and kept walking, looking for a way to the north gates. But all I could see were endless steel wires and bridges all over the place, reaching from the floors and every corner of the open space outside the building in a zig-zag fashion of never-ending mess, with some having bright blue and red light glow. Calling this a building is a huge understatement. This is an oval-shaped, giant megastructure. There are no stairs in this particular quiet, black hallway where I stood.
How did Markov even get me up here? This place is a labyrinth..
'Ouuhh! I know, how to get downnn, wei weii~', Korvet got closer to me with one of his hands up in the air like he is answering a quiz.
'Why don't.. you leave me alone.. Why are you making fun of me? I'm at the most broken period of my life.. You don't understand..'
Korvet put his hands over my shoulders in an uninvited manner. 'I know, dude. I KNOW.. It is precisely because of that, you need someone to show you the fun in life.'
I looked down at my feet.
'Don't you feel lighter now? I've made you think about hating me, instead of hating yourself to death. That's a good start.. A real good start, dude. Hold me tight and grab me by the hips.'
...
'WHATTTTTT??!! Ca-Can you stop saying these things? This is NOT okay!'
I'm beyond appalled, this guy...is unbelievable.
'Do it quick! You have to grab me or else, you'll be minced to 1000 pieces when I jump to the ground floor!'
'Alright, alright! You weirdo!' I grabbed his hips from the side with both my arms.
He jumped from the floor, straight into the nest of bizarre structures, while I clung to his side in fear.
'This is all fine, you'll be fine, Wei Wei!!' Korvet said as we fell at a rapid speed.
Faster than I could see or hear. Everything is a moving blur of red, blue and green colours. We must be travelling faster than any living thing now. It feels like we're breaking reality itself.
'Just hold tight and think of nothing but good thoughts, just good, happy thoughts, and you'll be fine!'
'What does that have to do with anything??' I shouted, while my mouth flapped in the air because of the speed.
'Oh, it makes all the difference! Just don't think anything negative!' Korved shouted back at my side. 'We'll meet our friends and head to the main lobby first!! Vasila is waiting for us!'