Along the newly cobbled road from the orphanage to the city, Teerom and Jurie walked together, heading to work. Jurie's shift began two hours after Teerom's. She didn't mind preparing the restaurant where she worked as a waitress until it opened; she got to walk with him. They played games as they walked, their favourites being charades and the word association game. TWo years ago, both games' rounds used to last up to five minutes as the two had very different interests, Jurie being centred in literature and pop culture and Teerom in architecture and, more recently, law. The only thing they had in common two years ago was Aneros, Teerom's obsession and a recurring figure in non-fiction. However, now, they had both taken a dive in each other's ends of the pool. They recommended each other books they liked, praising and critiquing them, competing. They'd work together on projects to upgrade the orphanage: they planned to begin digging out a basement beneath the orphanage. Teerom's fanboying had mellowed out, there was just nothing left for him to tell her about Aneros. One night, he had asked her "If there's an afterlife, and Aneros is there... do you think I could talk to him? Do you think he'd talk to me?", to which she smiled and stroked his cheek, "You're so cute. If he doesn't acknowledge you, I'm going to smack him."
As they walked down the streets of Gouon, people frequently greeted Teerom. He had become somewhat of a living legend: the man who modernised Gouon. Last year, he had been on a trip with the dwarves out of Lusitra to experience new architectural methods and styles, bringing all their greatest strengths back to Gouon. Combined with Paley's status as the most promising young mage of Lusitra, they bought attention to the orphanage with a reporter even interviewing Madella at some point, asking her how she has raised Teerom and Paley to be so great. Awkwardly, she had answered with humility, "I didn't really do anything. They're just great kids," she didn't realise how much she had led them by example with her kindness.
A girl approached Teerom, leaving her group of friends. She wore blonde highlights on her hair and short tight clothing. She was definitely a foreigner. Lusitra was too backward for people to be comfortable in anything other than tunics or a long chemise.
"Hey, you're Teerom, right?"
"Yes, I am," He stopped, Jurie observed the interaction like an alchemist studying the reaction between two ingredients.
"I'm new here... I moved in because of you,"
"Because of me?"
"I heard that one man transformed Lusitra in just two years, a revolutionary they call you over borders. My family is also in the building business; you're all they talk about nowadays." She gave a quick dirty look to Jurie.
"That's not true. It was the dwarves of the Bydder company that began all this, I just played a minor role,"
"Ooo, humble too, huh? What do you say about showing me around this beautiful city you've built?" Her flirting was obvious but Teerom didn't budge, which pleased Jurie.
"You can probably get someone at the council to tour you around," Teerom excused.
"Does anyone know the city better than you?"
"Of course, not. I know it from top to bottom, down to the mana cores below our feet-" before he could continue, Jurie grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away, "Okay! He's busy. Scram." She shooed the other girl who chased and persisted in trying to hold conversation with Teerom until he finally had to tell her to leave him alone.
Jurie let go of him when the girl finally left and said "I wish you said that earlier," pouting.
"I thought she'd get the hint... and isn't it a little rude?"
"Why? Do you want to be polite to her? I don't want you talking to any other girls, full-stop."
"Any?"
"Hmph," She crossed her arms and turned away from him.
"Then, what do I do? Do I just tell them to go away? I can't do that, that'd be unprof-"
"Yes! I do that!"
"Really? Even to customers?"
"Especially customers!" She grew more and more frustrated with his questions. A misunderstanding had arisen. Teerom thought she was referring to all women who talk to him, including customers who just want to get a job done, but she was referring to women who flirt with him. Jurie was an attractive girl, so naturally, many of her regular customers had a crush on her. However, no longer did anyone have the courage to approach her, even talk to her. All men who had approached her, met a terrible fate. Any ego or self-esteem they had was completely broken down.
"Okay, fine." She came to a compromise, "You can only answer yes or no, nothing more. Everything else is for me," She pointed her finger sternly. They looked at each other for a moment before laughing as they arrived at Jurie's restaurant.
"Oh, Leia, I thought you were being serious for a moment there." Teerom was relieved.
"I'm not joking," She continued laughing, though now it was scary, gave him a kiss and went inside to her restaurant. He watched her hug her best friend Nars, a pink-cheeked girl with short brown hair who started working there at the same time as Jurie.
"I'm cooked," Teerom mumbled through his smile, but really he had no anxieties with her, "She's crazy," He chuckled and continued to the Bydder manor.
It was a structure of marble with smooth stone architectural chiselling that covered most of it. It was huge for the sole purpose of the parties that the dwarves often hosted which Teerom had stopped attending to avoid shortening his lifespan. He walked through the lovely garden all around the manor, arriving at the large door, where a group of people had been waiting for hours. They didn't seem annoyed, however, as this was a condition of employing the dwarves; inconsistency. Teerom apologised to the group and opened the door letting them in. The first room into the manor was a sort of reception, where people settled contracts. Teerom halted the group to wait there before weaving through the door leading to the living room. As expected, Aleisar and the dwarves were sprawled all over the place, extremely hungover, surrounded by random people that they most likely met on the streets. Teerom heaved a despondent sigh and sat down at the reception table by himself as usual.
"What job are you looking to get done?" He asked, beginning his work.
After a few hours, Aleisar stumbled into the room and quickly began crying.
"You know... I don't think I'll e'er find as good a man as you," He gestured to Teerom; a customer came in, it was the girl from before who had tried to talk to Teerom, "We've been unfair to you, we really have," Aleisar continued vomiting his emotions, "And you've only been-"
"Right, you're very hungover, Aleisar." Teerom guided him into the manor, signalling the girl to wait. She heard muffled thuds and crashes, followed by a brief silence before Teerom returned to meet her.
"Hello, you're the girl from-" He remembered Jurie's words from earlier and his expression became stone.
"Megla, nice to meet you," She held her hand out.
"Yes," Teerom answered and shook it.
"I don't really know how to do this..." She traced a circle on the desk, "We need a house, could you walk me through what I need to do?"
'I thought her family was in the building business?' Teerom thought.
"Yes," He stood and turned to a black board behind him and tapped it with his finger, two white phrases appeared from it, hovering in the air. They read: "New Building" "Building Extension" Teerom tapped the former phrase; the other one vanished and was replaced by new options. He tapped on "House", which opened options with a "[0]" below them. At this point, he looked back at Megla, waiting for her to fill them out, she chose a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1 kitchen, 1 living room, 1 basement, 1 attic house.
Teerom produced a form for her to fill out as well as a map for her to pick where she wants the house to be built. She quickly did so and he sat back down, giving her a thumbs up.
"What're you doing after work?"
He pointed to a picture of a house.
She awkwardly chuckled, "What's wrong? You're being weird."
Teerom glanced around but resolved to just a shrug.
"Ah, it was her... You know, you deserve better than her, she seems like a control freak."
"No," He answered resolutely.
"Seriously. What kind of insecure girl would make her man only say 'yes' and 'no'."
"No," He grew annoyed.
"I mean what do you even see in her? She's just pretty, that's all. are you into blondes? I've got highlights."
Teerom paused, "You want to know what I see in her?" his gaze was intense, serious. She stayed quiet.
"Everything," His answer made her take a few awkward steps back.
"Right. Sorry." Her words were small. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow with the payment. I should settle this with my family first."
"Yes," He smiled.
Jurie's shift came to an end along with Nars; they took to the changing rooms, where Nars shared a little gossip that Madella had a reputation among some men in Gouon as a witch. Families whose men were unfortunate in asking for Jurie's hand in marriage spread rumours that Madella holds her orphans psychologically captive and wants them all to herself, violently attacking anyone who tries to take them from her. Of course, the people of Gouon knew this was all fiction; Madella was not just famous due to Paley and Teerom but also for her good deeds. She had opened multiple shelters for those stricken by poverty and even some animal shelters. Paley's monster hunting and Teerom's income at the Bydder Company would've made Madella incredibly rich by now, but she had chosen to give away most of that wealth to help others.
They laughed at the futility of those rumours.
"Nars, can I ask you something?" Jurie asked as they left the restaurant and began waiting for Teerom to pick Jurie up.
"Sure,"
"Is it bad if I don't have a lot of dreams?"
"Like goals?"
"Yeah,"
"Hmmm, why're you asking that?"
Jurie paused, "Teerom and Paley; they have such grand dreams - which I can't tell you by the way. And so does everyone else. Adimia and Reben want to become knights. Rauba wants to be a mage. Bacha's already an incredible alchemist. Even Amasha, he wants to be the Monkey King-"
"But you don't have such big dreams,"
"Yeah..."
"There's nothing wrong with wanting a simple life. It's a blessing, really. It sounds cowardly, but we're the lucky ones. People like them have to sacrifice so much for their dreams. But if you live a simple life, you're secure, you're peaceful." Nars advised.
"Am I good enough for someone like Teerom?"
"Does he love you?" Nars asked as Teerom appeared at the other end of the street, waving to them.
"...Yeah," Jurie said shyly, waving back.
"Do you love him?"
"Yes." This time her answer was solid as rock.
"Then you're right for each other. Sometimes men like him need a simple girl to keep them from falling while they chase their dreams."
Jurie smiled and joked, "Oh, wise Nars, thank you for your wisdom,"
"You are most welcome,"
Jurie spotted Hig running to catch up to Teerom, struggling to hold an unnecessary number of baguettes. "Can I ask you something else?"
"Of course, whatever thy problem is, I shall provide a solution." Nars put on a pompous tone, not noticing Hig.
"Why don't you ask Hig out?" Jurie gave her a cheeky grin.
Nars' cheeks seemed to transform into tomatoes, "Huh!? Hig!? No! I can't!" She panicked, scrambling words.
"Want some advice?" Jurie grabbed Nars' shoulder, "Do you love him?"
She nodded, covering her face.
"Does he love you?"
"...I don't know,"
"Then find out," Jurie smiled with her teeth as Teerom and Hig arrived.
Teerom greeted Jurie and informed her that he and Hig were going to a new Hijian restaurant that opened in the North. He noticed Hig was holding the baguettes but decided not to question when he bought them. Jurie accepted the invitation, for Nars too since her mind was stumbling around Hig, who was more preoccupied with not dropping his baguettes.
"Why did you buy so many baguettes, man?"