Dinning area, as expected, tonight's dinner was vegetable soup with stir fried vegetables as a side. But there's a bonus, someone brought a chicken fillet, crispy fried. A child alone can finish the fried fillet, so how does one share it with the whole house?
The key is creativity, chopped in a dice, then refried quickly, in can be made crispier. Then add a sauce, put in some chillies, thicken it with corn flour. Take one litre of milk, add salt, heat it till 40°C, mix in some enzymes, stir it, pour the coagulated stuff to the filter, press it solid. Then, one can have some cottage cheese.
Chopped it to blocks, stir fry it with little oil, add it to the chicken fillet with sauce. You got dairy-based mapo tofu.
Mr. Heller's ingenuity for providing his tenants with dinner was genuinely, incredible. With little to no money spent, he can provide free healthy dinner for the lodge. Eaten alongside rice, it made such a hearty meal.
"So, I heard from Steven about your work today, he's pleased with you, something he rarely did" Mr. Heller opened the conversation while the tenants were busy looking for the mapo tofu contents among the plentiful sauce.
"Mr Steven? Sorry, I don't think I met someone with that name today." Yeri answered.
"Ah, he didn't have his nametag, yes? Even though he wore those official vest." Bridge chimed in.
"Here's the thing, the one you are partnered up with today was a basic defence officer named Steven Long, so the name tag was quite hilarious he chose to tore it off." Bridge said.
"Take mine for instance, I'm Basic defence officer Jade Myers, so my badge should say "B: J. Myers" So you get it, right? Well, most chose to go by their hero name like I do." Jade explained.
"What's better was that Mr. long was an ex of our quiet friend there, Noi. See, she's throwing her face from us." Bridge added.
"Stop it guys, you know she's scary when angered. Wait, wait, she isn't. Oh man, did she get over him already?" Arjun teased.
There was a slight interference in the electrical facility, which resulted in a momentary darkness that resulted from the light flickering. From where a girl was sitting, there was no more person sitting there.
"Quit it boys, you just made her upset." Mr. Heller chided the boys.
"No, if she were, she wouldn't have finished her plate. That means she's shy." Arjun answered.
"You boys are too thick, you know what that means? They made up, obviously." Jade corrected them.
"Ah ha, so that initial was the truth." Bridge added.
Among the rowdy roommates, Yeri was the only one looking gloomy. Mr. Heller then approached her.
"I heard what happened, it may not be a big deal to some, but I get it, it's hard destroying one's life for the good of many. But her crime's not that serious, she'll be taken in at a care house after further inspection."
"What I can't condone was that your sorrow, you throw them at the wrong people, you turn it to anger, harming those trying to interact with you." Mr. Heller scolded her.
"And what did it create? A loose in your grip of your own power. Making you choose the easier path, that of harming others."
"I get it, Thank you, Mr. Heller." Yeri spoke at last.
While Bridge and Jade was discussing the earlier fight, Yeri proceeded to approach Arjun.
"Hey, can you come to my room tonight?"
The room turned, quiet.
The taciturn Breath just patted Arjun's back.
Noi that was just disappeared sat back in her seat, chewing some snacks.
Later that night, after he's done brushing his teeth. Arjun put on his usual white cardigan, and put on a pair of slippers.
He stepped out of his room, the building was still, quiet, unlike it's usual noise. The tenants were either asleep, or holding their breath for what is about to happen.
With heavy steps, Arjun walked to the room beside his, and knocked the door awkwardly.
"Come in." A small voice was heard.
Taking a deep breath, Arjun opened the door slowly. What was revealed was a room, with walls covered in soundproof layers. He's been in the other's room before, but no one were bothered to install such layers in their own room.
"It is quiet in here." Arjun started to break the ice.
"Yeah, for my own pleasure, and your safety." Yeri said while turning her back from Arjun.
"What happened today, was a fault of mine, and you said earlier in the morning right? That you want to see what is underneath my mask." She turned around, facing Arjun.
A sight of such a pretty girl, with her full sharp lips being held by a small gag, took him by no surprise.
"I knew you held something in your mouth, are you afraid of your own ability? Is that why you soundproofed your room? Did your sleep talk also carried your power with them? I have no idea."
"Hey, it's alright, what happened in the gym wasn't entirely your fault. I knew it when I collapsed earlier, that's what i get for teasing you all day. So, have yourself a good night, I promise I'll be kinder tomorrow, I'll try." Arjun said while letting an awkward chuckle.
"Shut." Yeri said in a melodious voice.
The door that was opened slightly were shut tight.
Yeri proceeded to open her gag, revealing a small grin.
"No, you just keep, being yourself." Her voice was carried deep into Arjun's head.
"That's not, what I invited you here for. I." She said while stepping closer.
"Stay." The word causes the air to reverberate.
Arjun can't help but felt a chill down his spine. Now he knows why Yeri put on a gag all the time, why she bothered to install all those layers in her room.
Instead of fear, what he felt was sympathy, how one girl had restrained herself for the sake of others, how her love for singing brought doom to her peers, how she isolated herself from the crowd, unable to cheer nor yell.
"Now I see why you keep saying those snarky remarks, you've held yourself long enough, haven't you?"
"Nah, i just said what you deserved to hear."
"Oh, i see." Arjun chuckled.
There was a moment of silence. The two just stood there glancing at each other.
"I know what you want, but I don't think it is what you need now. It's just your first day knowing me, take it slow, will you?" Arjun said as he hugged Yeri.
"Anyway, good night. I, I'll see you in the morning." Arjun said, as his mouth was met with Yeri's soft lips.
"So I guess I don't need to treat you to noodles, right? I'm broke anyway." She said while looking somewhat teary.
"Yeah, but still. We should go out sometimes. And I still crave some chili oil noodles." Arjun said as he caressed Yeri's cheeks.
"What will you tell to the other's? About tonight?"
"Nothing, just that you tried to rape me, a big girl assaulting defenceless handsome young man, usual stuff." Arjun chortled.
"Good night, skinny boy." Yeri said as she wrapped her arms around Arjun's shoulder.
So, Arjun left the room.
"Know this, you are not alone, never." Arjun said while looking back.
Yeri's answer was just, a small curve on her lips.
Already in her sleeping attire, Yeri goes straight to bed. Tonight, she felt like she wouldn't need to wear a gag to sleep.
Morning came, with it, bringing new day, new things to do. New friends to greet.
Yeri washed herself, pick an outfit of the day. Today, she felt like wearing something cute, so she picked a jumpsuit, with pockets. She also added her official jacket on top.
Waking up early has it's merits. For instance, she had enough time for breakfast.
Dinning area, shared kitchen. Mr. Heller usually cooked for the tenants, but not in the morning. It looked like he was away.
"Help yourself, we have bread, and butter." Jade greeted her.
"Yeah, just what I need." Yeri said gleefully.
There's also tea already in the pot, one just needs to pour it.
Waiting for the bread to toast, she drank a cup of tea while staring outside the window.
"Hey, I know what you did last night. Poor Arjun." Jade said from behind Yeri's back.
"*Cough*, what?!" Yeri said as she gulped tea forcefully.
"I know he's kinda cute, kinda frail also, seems like easy picking yeah? Especially after your fight yesterday wasn't concluded properly. Well, what can I say, you ho, girl." Jade said, leaving while sneaking a wink.
"Wait, what?"
As Jade was leaving, a short man with bald head came in the kitchen.
Seeing Yeri already inside, his eyes opened wide.
"Hey, Yeri. Sorry for the bus yesterday, I won't trick you again. We cool, right?" Breath just took a plain bread, and walked out quickly.
Feeling something amiss, she walked back to the resting area, knocking the door just beside her room.
"Arjunnn, come out!!"
But no matter how long she knocked the door, no one came to answer it.
"Hey, Yeri. Knock it off, he left early at dawn. The things you've done, girl. Now I know why Mr. Heller personally goes to the human rights office." Bridge said as he kept some distance.
That morning, the admirer's lodge building was shaking for 5 minutes.