YEAR 3009
One early day in an Eastern European street, the chatters, the running noisy car, and the people's loud noises could be heard everywhere. And a man with ocean blue eyes was busy weaving his way through the crowd.
As the door of an old rundown book store swung open, the bell on the door rang. The man with the ocean blue eyes entered quietly. The noisy bell caught the attention of the busy middle-aged man.
"What's up, Ox? Going to work already? Have some breakfast first!" Felix said as he dealt on the store he manages. It was an old book store with old books that people thought were no longer useful. And Felix, who owned and handle the book store, is a middle-aged man who makes a living by selling books.
The man named Ox then refused with a shake of his head. "Later," he said simply as he walked towards the lining book shelves.
Felix had previously thought that the man in front of him was strange, but as Ox continued to visit and work on his book store, he realized that Ox wasn't just sociable. "You're still a man of few words, huh?"
Ox also works at Felix's bookstore. Ox appeared out of nowhere one day, covered in dust and dirt. He casually questioned if Felix was currently looking for a new staff. Felix, seeing the young man asking him for work, immediately agreed. He pitied the young man at the time that he didn't even have a chance to refuse, even though the bookstore was on the verge of bankruptcy. It's been six years since he first met that young child, who has now grown into a fully grown man. Ox has spent the last six years growing up with Felix, but Felix believes that even though Ox has been with him for the longest time, the child still feels distant from him.
Ox, on the other hand, was engrossed in a pile of books about a certain legend. It had to do with the werewolf guide. He flipped through the books, gathering as much information as he could. His full name is Ox Alger, and he has always been determined with survival. He's just a regular citizen, but he's being pursued by a slew of mysterious individuals. He can describe himself as a scared cat during the day and a dangerous beast during the full moon.
"Felix... the books store feels quieter than before," Ox said thoughtlessly while still scrolling through the books he was holding. This phrase piqued Felix's attention.
Felix sighed and cast a melancholy glance at the people passing by. "The bookstore does seem to be empty because people are no longer very interested in books. Technology has advanced, and many interesting things other than books have appeared; it's a shame that everything has come to this, but books will remain and will not disappear, even if people forget about them."
"Okay..." Ox simply answered.
Then the doorbell rang again, indicating that someone had just gone in. Ox came to a halt and used his keen senses of smell and hearing to determine whether an unwanted visitor had arrived. After confirming that it was just a normal person, he breathed a sigh of relief. Then he resumed his focus on the books he's currently reading.
"Someone said there are books about the legend of the werewolves here; can I see them?" asked a young woman with a gentle voice. She has long wavy dark brown hair and dark blue eyes, and she is probably in her early twenties like Ox. Ox was once again taken aback by the suspicious question he heard. 'Dangerous...' Ox's quick reflexes move abruptly. Within the span of ten seconds, every book he had read and used was back on its original shelves.
"Of course, young lady. You can find it in section seven of the shelves on the right side." Felix then requested Ox, saying, "Ox, guide this young lad we have here." Felix appears pleased when a customer appears. Someone had appeared in that old shabby store after such a long time. "... Are you still reading, Ox?" Felix went to find Ox in the spot where he had been reading earlier because he hadn't heard Ox's response but was puzzled when he didn't find Ox there. There was not even a speck of dust or a trace that someone had been there.
Ox, who appeared to have just came out from the bathroom, walked towards the two people, looking innocent. "No, I'm already done..." Felix didn't ask any further questions about his earlier confusion and instead happily introduced Ox to the young lady who had just arrived. "This man's name is Ox, and he's a worker here. You can ask him the way and any other questions you have." Felix happily said as he clasped his hands.
The lady smiles softly, and Ox suddenly step backwards. It was a strange sight for Ox, so he flinched. 'Suspicious. How suspicious.' He needs to get away from this woman. "Then... I'll lead the way now," Ox said quietly as he began to walk towards the aforementioned shelves. The woman followed him silently as well. Ox was about to leave wordlessly after they arrived at the book shelves when the young lady abruptly spoke up.
"...Are you also interested in books?"
Ox comes to a halt, unsure whether to respond because the customer has asked him or simply ignore her. He was making decisions as if it were a matter of life and death. As an answer, he firmly closed his mouth and simply shook his head. That answer might be enough, he reasoned, and he began to walk away.
The woman who found the situation strange just kept browsing books. "I was right... seems like this book store has so many books about that said legend... but was it really a legend?" The woman mumbled silently, unaware that she was being watched by a dangerous person in the distance.