We were running a little bit late already. I mean, a little bit late by my parameters which meant that, by a regular person’s sane rules, we were just on time.

Lunch had been a breath of fresh air that I was not waiting for. In fact, when I had taken the invitation from Aleksi, I second-guessed myself all the way to the restaurant. Both he and his manager, Benni, had been there and we talked a lot, following in a bit of the footsteps we had just started taking at Tuomas Hekkinen’s radio show.

Benni Ekstrom did not really do it for me. There was something there that I did not like.

But Aleksi Toivonen… He was nice and funny. A bit shy and very soft-spoken, but so was I, so there really was not much to point out. I had recently learned about his band, the Raven Kings and I had genuinely enjoyed their sound. He, on the other hand, told me that what they had managed to put down, on that first album, was not really what they had meant to do in the first place.

He did not say it just like that, in the open, but I understood it as such. A lot of pressure to fit certain moulds the producers and the label had envisioned for them, had made them take a different route than originally intended. Happened more than it should, really.

Aleksi had invited me to their gig, that very night and, while I truly did enjoy the whole live music aspect of things, I was unsure whether to attend or not. He was very nice, yes, but I was very cynical those days and I felt that, just maybe, his niceness and openness could just be an attempt to jump on the bandwagon of what my name already entailed.

I had nothing against helping others, I just really disliked the idea of being taken for a fool and taken advantage of.

Jools, Holly and I were ushered to the lift by an employee of the hotel where I was to spend the whole afternoon answering a repetition of the same old questions. I usually did not mind it that much, but this was already the last stop for us and I was feeling weary of the overall Groundhog Day vibe.

Some reporters managed to surprise me, on occasion, and I truly liked when they did so. Bright, imaginative young men and women who had the ability to think outside the box and make a conversation with a stranger an interesting matter. Those were the ones I could remember when I tried recalling this or that set of questions. The rest just blurred together, as if we could superimpose all the layers of different voices and faces and make them all say the same thing at once.

- He was kinda cute, that Aleksi fellow, wasn’t he? - Jools voice broke the dreariness that I was starting to feel, as I watched the light skip from number to number, indicating the floors we were passing by.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

I grinned – Oh. I had no idea your manly-man gaze could enjoy another man’s aesthetics. But he may just be a bit too young for you.

Jools stood up very straight and puffed his chest, making himself bigger. I did not know if it was intentional or just a gut reaction, but I found it really funny – It’s nothing like that.

- There’s nothing wrong with it – I laughed softly – He was cute, yeah. Why can’t a man appreciate another man’s good looks?

Holly nodded, beside me. There was no need for Jools to be so defensive about it. It was the 20th century, after all

- I meant for you, man – he huffed.

- For me?! - I let out a loud laugh – Why on Earth would you say something crazy like that?

- Because… - he blushed – Because you’re young and, well, he’s young as well, and I think you should try and have some fun, once in a while. - the doors opened and we stepped outside – It’s always just work, work, work. That’s no way to live life.

I just bit my lip, trying not to smile at everything he was trying to imply – Tell me more, O wise guru of the Land of Under.

- I don’t need to tell you more. You understood what I was saying perfectly well.

I did understand. I just was not interested.

- Ooh… I love it when you’re sassy, Julian – we turned a corner and were led to a hallway lined with reporters. I waved at them, as we passed them by.

- Jools has a point – Holly said, not entirely dismissing Jools askew view of what he made it to be my world – Didn’t you see the way he was looking at you?

I turned around, just when we were getting to our final destination – It might surprise both of you, my darlings, but I’ve stopped paying attention to the way people look at me.

- Well, maybe you should have another go at it – Jools closed the door behind him, blocking it with his body – Because not everybody looks at you like those people out there – he made a motion with his thumb, over his shoulder.

I sat on what looked like a comfortable armchair that proved to be much less comfy than anticipated. Another disappointment… - Those people, as you put it, are doing what you should be doing as well.

He raised an eyebrow, quizzically.

- Working – I clarified. - Come now. Quick sticks, both of you. We might have a show to attend later on.

- Should I start bringing in the jackals, then?

- Jools…

- Alright, alright, chook. - he grinned – But you really should think about just loosening up a little.

I took a sip from my water bottle and gave Jools the sign to get things moving. The whole thing already took so much of my time, that I couldn’t bear the thought of wasting even a minute over what had been scheduled.

- Just think about it. - he went again.

- I will not think about it.

Holly gave him a clipboard with the names of all accredited journalists who would be paying me a visit that afternoon and Jools left, closing the door very softly behind him.

I would not think about it. The last thing I wanted was to sprinkle even more elements of chaos into my already bubbling cauldron of madness.

I would not think about it.

Even if Aleksi Toivonen had really pretty deep green eyes.

I could just murder Jools…