(Octavian 29, 59 / 7:02AM)

Being the commander, Luke was obligated to be in the front as he took in more of the white buildings that were constructed with stone and wood.

In the back of him were Miles, Luna, and Hope, with Benn staying inside of the van for his own safety. Walking through the now-growing crowd, the members noticed the number of men who wore black fabric jackets despite the air turning drier by the second.

And walking among the men were women with long black dresses, their knees being covered by the fabric. Carrying small purses, most of them walked in groups of three with long cheering smiles that warmed Luke and Miles’s hearts.

Which made Luna and Hope smear in jealousy. Since the four of them were all wearing the same black leather jacket and black pants, along with black leather boots, it was obvious that there was a clear difference in fashion.

(Luke) Should we find something better suited to the times here?

(Miles) Did Jack tell you? We don’t have enough money for clothes. Barely enough for gas and food.

(Hope) We could probably eat at a low-rate restaurant, to save up money.

(Luna) Of course, you’ll go for the cheapest option.

A majority of the people who walked past them stared at their weird and out-of-world clothes, their faces tightened with their right or left brows raised. Not only their clothes, but the smell that radiated out from them also created a little bridge that separated them from the rest of society.

Placing his palm right along his neck, sweat began to form on both pieces of his skin, causing his neck to sparkle.

(Luke) I think we should’ve followed Boris and the others so that we could’ve washed at the place they were talking about.

(Miles) Jack should’ve fueled up with Boris near the border beforehand. Because of that, we don’t know where the place is except North of here.

(Luke) Either way, it’s nice to explore once in a while.

The sun’s rays shined on the fresh white paint that surrounded them from north to south and east to west. Some of the buildings were a few stories high, and many of the windows from said buildings were opened with men and women pouring fresh water onto their house plant cactuses.

Tracing their eyes down toward the sidewalk in front of them, the four of them noticed an old diner that wasn’t shrouded in white paint.

The building had yellow-tinted windows that couldn’t allow the general public to look from within, along the doors were constructed with hardwood. Followed by the building painted in a turquoise color, bricks built up the old diner that it now stands on, a far cry from the stone and wood that the people were accustomed to.

(Luke) How about that old diner?

(Luna) Way too cheap for my taste.

(Hope) Gold-digger.

(Luna) Shut up! I don’t want to get food poisoning!

The four of them stopped to take in the unpleasant sight of the brick building with a hideous color.

Putting his right hand onto his chin, Luke tapped underneath back and forth with his pointer finger, his nail grazing his skin. Nodding his head up and down, he cleared his throat while straightening his back.

Causing the three of them to perk their ears up.

(Luke) I know you don’t want this Luna, but if you want to get rid of your hunger, we have to eat here.

(Luna) There are many restaurants that we could—

(Luke) We also don’t have that much money…

(Luna) …

Luna clenched both of her hands into curled fists, her face reddening like a little kid on the verge of exploding. Puffing up her cheeks, she tightened her body as the exploding force inside of her started to grow evermore with each second she set eyes on it.

Being the mediator, Luke patted the top of Luna’s head.

(Luke) I still owe you that stack of donuts, remember?

Luna immediately let her anger subside for once, closing her eyes as the slow exhale let her body flow like running water.

Untightening her fists, she continued to breathe in through her nostrils and out her mouth, allowing her morning breath to be seen through the air. Opening her eyes, she only glared, walking toward the wooden door like she forgot who had her in tow.

And by reaching the door, she used her knuckles to knock hard on the wood.

(Luna) Hello? Are you guys open—

Both wooden doors swayed open, but instead of the doors being opened from the outside.

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The doors swung open in the opposite direction of what Luna wanted them to open.

With Luna being the only one in front of the door, the wooden door slammed right onto her face, causing her to tumble down onto the pebbled stone ground. Slamming both of her palms on the ground, she instantly looked up toward the direction of the door despite her nose releasing a multitude of blood.

(Luke) Oh, shoot! Are you ok?

(Luna) Who did that?!

Kneeling beside the fallen woman, Luke also pinned his attention onto the open door that just flew open by pure coincidence. Pressing his palm onto her shoulder, Luke patted her back as Miles and Hope surrounded the nose-bleeding Luna.

Even though the door was opened from the inside, not a sound or a groan came out from them, keeping them on their toes.

(Luke) Why isn’t anyone coming out?

(Miles) Probably just some jo—or maybe it’s automatic.

(Luke) Yeah yeah … automatic. Right Luna, it’s probably automatic.

(Luna) I hope you two are right!

Slowly helping her get back up on her feet, Luke lifted Luna from her elbows as she steadied her heels on the ground. Pulling out a clean tissue from his pocket, Luke placed it right along Luna’s nostrils, scrubbing her nose thoroughly like a clean freak dad.

Folding the tissue into a small square, Luke placed the now-used tissue back into his pocket. Letting go of Luna’s sides and elbows, goosebumps slowly started to sprout from the ends of his neck but subsided rather quickly.

(Luke) Let’s just get inside.

The restaurant interior didn’t even let out a simple grin or smile, as the four of them walked in. Seeing that most of the tables were mostly empty and waiting for them to be taken, the four of them saw a small tavern bar in the front center of the diner.

And in the tavern, was a young man sleeping head first onto the table counter.

With the place resembling that of the rundown bar on the southern part of Lagefor, the four of them continued their way toward a table that could fit four people.

Noticing the table and seats being surprisingly well kept, along with no trash or food crumbs littering the floor, it sent Luke and the others to let out an exhale. Looking around to find that they were the only ones in except for one man who slept headfirst on the front of the bar, Luke looked at all corners of the restaurant.

His eyes failed to configure distinctive shapes on the shadows in those four corners.

(Luke’s thoughts) Why does it feel like someone’s watching me?

(Hope) You ok Luke?

(Luke) Oh, it’s nothing. Just my imagination…

No music playing, no waitresses or waiters seemingly present or in their line of sight, the four of them lean their backs against the metal chairs that their butts sat on. The metal seats made their butts blister, the morning rays started to sweep into the tinted windows.

Luckily for them, a waitress clad in an all-white skirt and tightened shirt came over toward the four of them. Wearing red lipstick, the woman had in her hands a notebook and pencil, her eyes peering into both Luke and Miles.

(Waitress) Hey, ya’ll. Ready to order?

Raining her angelic yet seductive smile on mostly Luke, he scratched the back of his head as his cheeks began to redden. Letting out a wry smile back, he wasn’t able to make eye contact with the waitress as he kept his eyes on the menu.

(Luke) Y-Yeah. C-C-Can I have some pancakes with white rice, please?

(Waitress) White rice for breakfast?

(Luke) Y-yeah…

(Waitress) What about you three?

The waitress turned her attention onto the dark-toned man who softly stared into her eyes, his fingers trailing along the menu. Using his pointer finger, he tapped the meal a couple of times on the laminated paper.

(Miles) I’ll get some sausage, bacon, eggs, hash browns, and mashed potatoes.

(Waitress) Hungry are you?~ Now how about you two?

Upon seeing the two girls near the window seats, both of them made deadpan glares.

Hope softly trailed her finger toward just a stack of pancakes, not saying a word as she also trailed her finger onto a batch of eggs and bacon. Even though the waitress connected the pieces to Hope’s order, the waitress let off a simple bead of sweat from her right temple.

Meanwhile, Luna displayed the menu right onto her face, her butt off the chair with her other hand holding onto the table.

(Luna) I want an omelet, two orders of crepes, and a chocolate donut.

(Waitress) Rules say we can’t allow customers to get two desserts—

(Luna) Now.

With no choice but to submit to the customer's demand, the waitress leaped back while scurrying away to the back. In an act of possessiveness, Luna wrapped her left arm around Luke’s neck, her eyes glaring straight at the door that the waitress ran toward.

Luke raised his right eyebrow as he turned his head toward the jealous Luna. Unable to break free from her grip around his neck, a heavy deadpan stare locked onto him in front of him; Hope being the one to look at him with soulless eyes.

(Luke) Come on, be nice to the workers.

(Luna) I don’t care.

(Luke) sighs …

Another waitress came out, but instead of coming out of the same door that Luna glared at, the waitress walked into the tavern bar. With a small white rag, she began to dust some of the counters that started to accumulate with dust, her fingers already being covered by it.

Without looking, the dusty cloth made contact with the sleeping man with ginger hair, and her eyes widened. The fabric brushed against the man’s hands, they instantly twitched as the man slowly carried his face upward halfway.

(???) What time is it?

(Waitress #2) You were sleeping here all night?

(???) What, a man can’t sleep in peace? Besides, I had too much fun last night.

(Waitress #2) But our policy is that no one should be—

(???) I know, I know. But how about this; if you could go out with me, then I’ll promise to never sleep here again.

(Waitress #2) What?

The four of them looked toward the awakened man who sat on the black barstool right in front of the bar table. Furrowing their brows, Luke in particular gripped the edge of the table while having his left foot on the edge of the seat.

Watching the scene unfold, Luke began to notice a familiar voice that was deep inside his mind.

A voice that started to tighten up his entire body tenfold. Feeling his body begin to churn intensely, Luna let go of her wrap around his neck, followed by Hope letting go of her soulless stare.

(Hope) Luke?

Immediately, Luke jumped up out of his seat and walked toward the one who talked with the waitress. Scrunching up both of his fists, his boots began to stomp on the ground beneath him, the floor thumping instead of squeaking.

Slowly, Luke’s eyes began to form a hellish glare, followed by his head tilted downward with his hair covering his right eye. Reaching toward the man who was only a couple of years older than him, Luke towered over him like a hawk that watched its prey.

(???) Got anything to say—

The man in front of him had long; wavy spiked hair, as well as a bit of freckles forming underneath his eyes.

Having elf ears, the elf that Luke looked down on began to also tighten his body as well, his hands raised up to the level of where his ears were. Already forming a surrender, the man got up from his seat as his face now glowed in the sun’s morning rays.

Which allowed the three of them to see the familiar face.

(Miles) No way…

(Luna) You gotta be kidding me.

(Hope) Can it be?

(???) Long time no see …

The man put both of his hands into his black leather jacket, the same jacket that Luke and the others were wearing. As the man already had black pants and black leather boots, Luke’s left eye that the man saw began to darken.

As silence fell upon the two rivals.

(Luke) Sean…