"We"re here," says Anna.". . ."
Ephraim stares at a metal door. The laboratory was arctic-cold, like that of a refrigerator preserving meat. He stares at the heavily guarded door. On the side was an identification device.
Anna eyed the device and then slipped her hand to it. Ephraim stares as Anna"s hand slipped past through the device transparently. Ephraim glances over Anna"s arm dissolving digitally, shards of light-blue fragments in her hologram appeared as she tweaked the identification device.
« ACCESS RECOGNIZED »
« P r o c e s s i n g . . . »
« Project A. NN331a. » • • • « Fetching data . . . »
« ACCESS GRANTED »
Ephraim watched as the hologram text slowly dispersed and vanished against the air. The red light from the top of the door now turned green as a sound resonated across the entirety.
"It"s opened," Anna says. "I"m slipping through!"
She did so. Anna walked through the closed vault, and then Ephraim blinked as he sees her pa.s.sing like a ghost through an object.
"W-wait," he says, and then propelled an arm forward. As his fingertips reached towards the closed door, he instantly felt the chill. It reverberated towards his body, sending odd shivers down his spine. He pushed the door forward, and then as if on cue, fog-like smoke with pale-blue color frost welcomed him, akin to that of a freezer door being opened.
He stepped inside the laboratory.
"This is . . . ANDROMEDA"S abandoned forensics lab . . ."
**
Lucian stares at Ephraim intently. "Be careful, Raim,"
"Yes, Mother hen," Ephraim exclaims as he turns to board the plane.
Lucian stands there for a second, still staring at the s.p.a.ce where Ephraim had left. His phone buzzed from his pocket. It was Joana, Ephraim"s mother.
"Auntie," he greets. "He boarded the plane now."
". . . oh, Lucian," Joana sighs. "I regret I didn"t call earlier. He"s already gone?"
"He"s off," Lucian answers. "He"ll come back sooner. I know it. Don"t worry, Aunt Jo, Raim will be back before we even know it."
"I hope so," Joana answers from the other line. "He didn"t even say goodbye to his father . . ."
"Ah, you know Raim . . ." Lucian exclaims. "They"re still not on good terms, Auntie?"
"I believe not," says Joana. "He won"t talk to Ephraim either . . . they"re still on odds,"
"Mm . . ." Lucian beams, "that reminds me, Aunt Jo. My brother-in-law"s mother liked the quiche you baked. She wanted to learn the recipe for her husband." Quiche is a French tart consisting of a pastry crust filled with savory custard and pieces of cheese, meat, seafood, or vegetables. Lucian believes (and many others) that Joana Hughes" quiche is a must-have (at least once). Ephraim"s mother made the best meals, after all.
"Wow, that"s flattering . . . what was her name again?" Joana asks.
"Hmm, I believe it"s Sarah Denmark," says Lucian. "She was asking if you two can meet up for coffee."
"Oh, I would love to!" Says Joana. "Why didn"t she ask herself, though?"
"She"s the shy type," Lucian chuckles. "For her age—I mean, she looks quite young—either way, she wants to meet up with you. I"ll send you her number so you two could talk "bout it, Auntie,"
"Thank you, Lucian,"
"Anytime, Aunt Jo."
When the call ended, Lucian immediately exited the airport grounds and headed to the bas.e.m.e.nt to fetch his car. It was silent and was quite eerie for his tastes. He opened the app of his suiting—Doki Doki game—and smiles warmly as he sees his 2D girlfriend.
DDki is an advanced, interactive game where players could interact with the characters via talking, singing, and even video chat with them. Lucian smiles as he places his phone through the stand. He drove as the app loaded.
"Lucian?"
"h.e.l.lo, Rinrin." He says, glancing at his phone as he drives. "How"s your sleep?"
"I slept well, thank you~"
"I actually saw a girl today," he says. "She"s really cute."
"I see~ that"s amazing~"
Lucian chuckles. "You don"t feel threatened? You"re my girlfriend, you know,"
"Not really!" Rinrin says. She was smiling still.
"Ah . . . what am I expecting . . . you"re programmed to answer like that when you don"t understand what I"m talking about," Lucian mumbles.
"Anyway, Rinrin,"
"Yes, Lucian?"
"Have you tried falling-in-love?"
"I"m in love with you, Lucian. So much. My soul, my heart, my body, belongs only to you."
Lucian smiles. He had heard of these words repeatedly that he mumbled them together with his 2D girlfriend, Rinrin.
"Anyway . . . I actually met a girl today," he says. "Her name"s Esmeralda. She"s really, really, short and cute. She looked smart. She had a really long, wavy hair. Her eyes were big and she looked so beautiful. I"m fascinated by her . . . and I think I know why,"
"Why?"
"She reminds me of the girl Ephraim and I fought over," he says. "Well, it"s not like we FOUGHT over that girl. Ephraim was trying to warn me, and I kind of thought he was trying to s.n.a.t.c.h her from me . . . wait, why am I even telling you this?" Lucian laughed silently. "You can"t understand me, right, Rinrin?"
"I understand you, Lucian! Rely on me! I"m here for you, okay?"
"Thank you, thank you," Lucian smiles as he fixated his eyes to the road.
It was starting to rain now.
"I"m so lonely," he says. "Is it because I have no girlfriend . . . or what?"
Silence.
"Rinrin?"
He stares at the screen. It seemed like the app buffered.
"Ah . . . this is really depressing. Rain and traffic," he says. "Hey, Rinrin . . . can you tell me why I"m being lonely?"
"Maybe you are missing someone?"
"Barf," Lucian exclaims, sticking his tongue out. "It"s not really "that" kind of lonely. I just . . . feel empty. Kind of. After graduation, I"m not really sure where my life"s heading."
"I"m here for you, Lucian!"
"Thank you, Rinrin." Lucian smiles. "It"s been a while since I felt like this. Lonely."
"I"m here, Lucian. You won"t be lonely anymore!"
"I hope so," Lucian says. "Anyway . . . wanna hear a story?"
"A story?"
"Yup," Lucian smiles as he fixes his gaze to the beads of rainwater plummeting towards his car"s windshield. "Remember what I said earlier? The story where Ephraim and I fought over a girl?"
"Yes."
"Well, there"s more to it." He says. "Traffic isn"t going away, so I guess a little storytime wouldn"t hurt."
"Sure!" Rinrin answers. "I"ll be glad to hear it!"
"Okay, it all started in middle school, at a rainy day like this . . ."
**
"Lucian, you failed mathematics again," Ephraim exclaims as he approaches Lucian to his desk. Lucian didn"t even pay attention to the tousled geek in front of him. He was busy texting a newfound "friend."
"Lucian, I taught you every dismissal, why did you fail?" Ephraim inquires once more. "It was clear that I taught you the whole enchilada. The WHOLE coverage of the exam. Why, in the math-forsaken world, did you manage to FAIL?"
"Huh?" Lucian lifts his gaze. "What?"
"Have you been listening . . ."
"Oh, if it isn"t Raim guy!" Lucian exclaims happily. "Anyway, look at her! She"s from cla.s.s C. We started chatting a week ago. I"m awkward with conversing, but she still talks to me regularly! How cool is that?"
Ephraim frowns. "I taught you every dismissal. Why in the world did you fail the exam?"
"Aah, the exam. I was too caught with talking to my dear Mich.e.l.le I forgot there was a test in the first place," Lucian grins, as he shows an image of a redhead in his phone to Ephraim. "Look at her! Isn"t she simply adorable?"
"So this is the one who"s the reason my efforts are put to waste . . ." Ephraim mumbles, which was inaudible to Lucian.
"What"d you say?" Lucian blinks, tilting his head. "Didn"t quite hear it."
Ephraim flashes his usual smile and then leaves.
"What a weird guy," Lucian mutters, and then glances over his phone again. "Now where was I . . ."
**
"You"re Mich.e.l.le Dy, aren"t you?" Ephraim exclaims. "I came here for a reason."
Mich.e.l.le blushed, and then covers her face. "Is THIS happening?"
"Yes, it is," Ephraim answers.
It took Ephraim a while. He ordered his subordinates to fetch someone from cla.s.s C as soon as he finishes doing his task as the student council president. He summoned Mich.e.l.le Dy, the girl Lucian was starting to fancy, to the Student Council Office, a room exclusive for council members. Being a president was handy in some ways (and his members were way delighted than he was, saying the "council was pretty boring these days," and "they needed something entertaining to happen.")
"Mich.e.l.le Dy," he says. "I called you here for a purpose."
"P-president . . ."
Ephraim smiles. "You see, the livelihood of my co-students are of great importance. You are aware some students are left behind academically, correct?"
"Yes!"
"I believe so as well. They need extra support. Care. Encouragement. Motivation." Ephraim exclaims. "And it can be fulfilled in various ways. Befriending them. Comforting them. Teaching them. In short, it"s being a good influence."
Mich.e.l.le nodded, agreeing completely.
"Do you know a boy named Lucian?"
"Lucian?" Mich.e.l.le blushed. "Of course . . . h-he"s the boy you teach every day, right?"
"Oh, so you"re aware," Ephraim says. "Then it won"t be harder to tell you why I called you here. I"d like you t—"
"President!" Mich.e.l.le bit her lip. "I! I . . . I accept your feelings!"
". . . What?" Ephraim was still smiling. "Miss . . . Dy?"
"I know it"s foolish of me to use Lucian so I could get your attention, b-but . . . if you had feelings for me already, then . . . !"
"Wh-wh-w-what the h.e.l.l . . ."
"L-Lucian!" Mich.e.l.le exclaims and breaks onto tears. "I"m sorry! The president and I . . . we like each other!"
Ephraim"s smile froze.
"Ephraim, so this is why you didn"t like it when I was talking to Mich.e.l.le . . ." Lucian angrily spats. "You . . . snake," and then he walks out.
"No, Lucian!" Mich.e.l.le covers her mouth and sobs.
Ephraim stares at Mich.e.l.le with dead eyes and a frozen smile.
"Miss Dy, I think you misunderstood."
"W-what do you mean, President?" Mich.e.l.le asks, wiping her tears.
"I meant . . . I"d like you to refrain talking to Lucian especially on exams . . . I didn"t mean I like . . . you."
THUNDERSTORM.
"Oh."
"Yes," Ephraim bows his head a bit. "Sorry for the misunderstanding. Anyway, I want you to help me talk to Lucian. It seemed he . . . misunderstood as well."
". . . AND that"s the story," Lucian says. "He explained it to me, and I felt like a complete joke. Ever since then, I hung around Ephraim more often. And then suddenly he became my best friend."
"Oh, that"s amazing!" Rinrin says with a programmed response.
"Yes," Lucian says. "It"s amazing. He even convinced me to take Archaeology. It"s that amazing."
"I agree!"
Lucian chuckles. "I see you do," he smiles. "Rinrin."