December 18, Friday.
Seven o'clock in the evening.
The night sky is dark, with no stars but thick clouds. Still, the city remain bright. Tiny and fluffy snow flakes fall from the sky, decorating the whole city white. Pine trees stood tall in the middle of the busy street of the city center. These trees were decorated with lights and shiny Christmas balls, looking attractive.
People, young and old, came to stop walking to looked at these trees. Whether they were comparing their decorations from one another or just feeling the up coming holiday breeze these trees proclaimed.
However, Luca doesn't care.
Right now, he just wanted to go home, rest and sleep. Although his job only needs him to sit and speak, talking to those hard headed and f*ck mouthed costumer waisted so much of his brain cells.
His head hurts, his back aches and his fingers sore. His throat feels like it was being scratched. And his ears feels weird as if he was inside a cave, feeling the air pressure.
Luca just wanted to sleep. He is very tired.
With slumped back and sleepy eyes, Luca continue walking like a zombie. He ignored how he look out of place within this city full of vitality, because of on going preparatory celebration for Christmas holiday.
Right, Christmas is just around the corner. A week from now, Christmas is there once again. Then new year.
However, no matter if its Christmas or a new year, Luca's life will be the same as he opened his eyes.
The same scene, the same routine, the same schedule. The same boring and monotonous life.
This is Luca's life.
Fortunately, as if God took pity on Luca's lonely, black and white world. A mysterious and unbelievable phenomenon occured that will make his life turned more than 360°.
Luca's apartment is just 15 minutes walk from his work. He rented that place, especially because it was close to the company. Walking for more then half a minute to and fro was Luca's routine everyday life.
He never stop, never thought of taking a detour. Never thinking of exploring. For short, Luca's life could be summarize as not only boring, but dead.
However, this time miracle occured.
Luca halted his steps and stopped his tracks. Making the people behind him surprised, almost colliding with him in the process. Fortunately, it didn't happened. They cursed under their breath, turn around avoiding Luka and went on their way.
Meanwhile, Luca stared at the empty air, looking blankly. Wondering to himself, if what he was seeing is his imagination or...not.
A palm length Gingerbread Man floating in the air with its candy cane hooked on a translucent fist size snow flake.
Delicious scent of sweet cookie and sugary candy were blown towards Luca's nose. And with his sweet tooth, and his staving belly. A large protest from his rebelling stomach was not unexpected.
Gurgle. Gurgle. Gurgle.
Hearing his grumpy stomach, Luca can't help but swallow mouthful of saliva. His brown eyes stared at the gingerbread man with hungry gaze. But Luca's rational thoughts stop himself from acting irrational.
Even now, he still thinks this gingerbread man was nothing but a product of his own imagination cause by his grumpy hungry stomach and stressed out brain.
Must be because his brain waisted so much brain cells that he was hallucinating now.
'I better go home and rest up quick. I'm just too tired out. This is nothing...right?' Shaking his head out of his thoughts, Luca took his eyes away from the floating gingerbread man, planing to walked home immediately.
However, as if sensing his eagerness to go home and escape reality, gingerbread man is finally willing to speak.
Sounds of bells rang straight to Luca's brain, playing "Jingle Bells" twice. Then, a cute chibi voice came out as the gingerbread man moved its decorated mouth.
"Congratulations Host! You are now bound to System #1225 aka Finding the Right Guy Before Christmas System!"
Luca: "..." Now I'm having a auditory hallucinations. ರ_ರ