'DID you ever find something that seems real but you aren't sure about it?'
A question flooded into a young man's mind wearing a cheap orange shirt with 'on sale' print on it, his hair tied in a man bun which doesn't seem like one. He stared blankly at the unmoved coffee cup he had ordered from a nearby coffee shop. He sat on one of the tables outside the shop and some other people who were unfortunate enough to have a seat inside, the coffee shop was buzzing with customers that day and he wasn't fortunate enough to go early.
He's up all night during weekends and sleeps at dawn.
His face is painted with pure concentration as he starts to think while holding a book he bought entitled, "How To Write Fictions: A Dummy's Guide."
It's been thirty-five minutes since he opened it but he's still not finished in chapter 1. He's still at the first three words, "don't give up" and yes, he's still not giving up trying to remember if everything's real.
When his consciousness came back after the cat talked, it all seemed like a dream. His spoiled notes reverted to the way it was before, unspoiled like nothing happened. And there's no trace of a cat burglar at all.
He thought if the cat wasn't real then where is his burger? It was never found.
"Is this the aftermath of too much fiction? " he mumbled and repeatedly blinked his eyes. "But that furry appendage I just groped seems very real, " he nodded upon remembering how soft the cat was.
How can something so skinny be so soft?
He crossed his legs and scowled at himself, scratching his head. The young lad heaved a sigh and stared at his book. "Or is it not fiction? And I should be like Detective An and investigate? " His lips formed a lopsided grin as he started to imagine himself wearing a detective's hat and badass clothing like what his favorite detective wore on his favorite k-drama series.
And then he will...
"Hello?" A male voice was heard but Anthony was too preoccupied to mind it.
He was thinking that what he's imagining will not be called useless. "Or maybe a detective plot is much better than magical ones?" His golden orbs shone in excitement as he started to think a plot about it. "Or should I mix the ideas? Detective plus magic, it will be great, right? " Forming a smile, he visualized a detective using magic to solve unusual crimes.
"Hello?" He heard a voice - baritone with a hint of irritation that brought him back from his imaginations.
He shook his head and looked up to the owner of a voice only to find the person eyeing him weirdly, lips' suppressing glaring at him. The person possesses a neck-length silver lock atop it is an old blue cat ear beanie, a porcelain skin adorned with a delicate facial feature. An expressive forest-green orb, pointy roman nose, and pink cupid-bow lips complimenting his overall appearance.
'A man with a body fit for a woman. ' his thoughts occupied him as he stares at the person's naked body; a petite and slim-curvy body that any woman would want to have, the man's lean shoulder, breast and down below his flat stomach glisten in rich sweat like he had done some vigorous exercise or been running a marathon. He wore baggy fit faded color pants below and he is even barefooted. Anthony couldn't help but to think if the guy's feet were okay given the tremendous heat of the ground and sharp debris that can cause wounds.
But Anthony couldn't help but to question... Why the heck is this guy naked? Is he an exhibitionist?
"Done checking me out, you creepy pervert? " The man accused him - raising one eyebrow while staring at him.
Anthony's face heated up in an instant and he shook his head numerous times. The heck?
What's the deal with this guy? He's not a pervert though he did check him out. It's normal to appreciate someone's beauty, yes?
And why the hell is he not wearing clothes?
Aegir was annoyed - seeing the weird guy once again, he didn't expect to see him here. He doesn't have a choice but to transform to escape from someone he stole food from.
Aegir sighed feeling like he was unlucly today.
He stared at the bizzare looking guy who was always sputtering nonsense that Aegir was the one getting embarrassed for him. The guy also looked like his mind was always traveling to a place he didn't know everytime he encountered him.
Although Aegir was thankful that the dumb guy didn't pick up on what he did before. He used a magic he learned before to dry himself from the rain to get all the droplets of coffee that was soaked on this weird guy's notes. Payment for the burger he got from him.
Aegir blew a breath as his gaze rested on the guy's face who looked like he was having a bad case of diarrhea.
"I-I uhmm..." Anthony could feel his throat run dry and his tongue failed to help him utter a non-staggering word.
Aegir's mouth twitched and he rolled his eyes. "Stupid, " he mouthed and handed him a book. Aegir doesn't want to get involved with this guy further. He looks like a hopeless case.
Anthony could sense a wave of deja vu hit him. He was sure that this scenario already happened once. He just couldn't pinpoint where.
He accepted the book absentmindedly and continued to stare at the person.
"You dropped it, it's yours, right? It says "dummy", fits you well..." Aegir paused, his slender index finger with pointed nails started pointing at the 'dummy' in the book's title which clearly defines Anthony.
"Try to lower your thoughts too, you're dumb to realize that you are already voicing it out. This is a human's meeting place. Their eyes on you, laughing," Aegir added, tone bored and eyes blank. He just wants to give him friendly advice.
Anthony felt his stomach churning as he heard the stranger seemingly insulting him, yet he remained calm because he's already used to insults. Though it still hurts.
"Yeah, right. Thanks and thanks for the insult. " He sounded sarcastic as he fully snatched the book away from Aegir's grasp.
Aegir blinked his eyes repeatedly. "Are you not going to insult me back?" His face looked like it's been smacked with a brick. That's why it looked so shocking.
Aegir knew that Anthony is not an average human but he didn't expect him to be too different.
'What's wrong with it anyway?' Anthony thought.
This guy is weird. But he had to agree, they are both weird. An imaginative freak and a naked person conversing with each other. A center of attention. He knew people were already observing them. Why? Humans are natural gossip animals and borned judgemental beings.
Anthony raised his brow. "Are you a masochist or something? Why would you like me to insult you back?"
Aegir feigned a shocked gasp; covering his mouth with his hands. "I knew that this guy is crazy, " he whispered, not enough for Anthony to hear.
"What did you say? " Anthony asked, brows creased.
Aegir placed his hand on his hips and eyed Anthony. "I mean, humans typically get mad whenever they are insulted. They either insult back or engage in a physical brawl. " Nodding his head, Aegir seemed to be thinking about other possible reasons.
He's sure he's not wrong though.
Anthony snickered on what he had heard. "Maybe you're right, I am dumb remember? I am different from those people because I am used to insults. What will I gain if I attack them back? Will it lessen the pain? No. It's better to get used to it to mitigate the damage." Anthony sounded so calm while saying it. He set his left leg on the right, legs seemingly copying the number four. He got his coffee cup on the table and took a sip.
Aegir looked at him like he was some kind of alien. "You're a shit. " Aegir's face inched closer to his, he felt his heart throbbed as the pair of green eyes fixed its target to his gold orbs, trying to search for something. Before he could react, Aegir snatched away the coffee cup he's holding and emptied the contents with one gulp.
Licking his lips, Aegir combed his hair using his hands. "At least try to fight and survive, shit head. " He handed him back the empty coffee cup, leaving him dumbfounded. Aegir raised his middle finger at him and turned his back, walking away. A tail swaying back and forth on his back.
A cat, again?
Anthony rubbed his eyes. "What's the deal with that guy?" he mumbled.
He has enough with cats. He's not a living bonito fish for them to be attracted to. First a talking cat, now a naked cosplayer brat.
What's next? An army of talking animals chasing him?
"What a joke," he sighed and put the cup on the table. "I should just start reading it again. "
Opening the book back he read the second sentence of chapter 1... "No. 1: Treat fiction as real. Fictions are just fragments of an unseen reality. "
-
His whole day was uneventful. Eat. Write. Clean his house. Sleep and now watch. It's already 10 pm and he's still slumping on his crimson-colored sofa, eating junk foods and a piece of cake he had brought in the coffee shop to celebrate that he somehow passed his exams yesterday. His eyes focus on the screen of his laptop watching a shady looking guy being arrested by a tall bearded guy wearing an oversized coat and a hat. The screen turned black and credits started to roll with an annoying OST of the movie playing in the background.
He frowned as he started to chew the cake he's eating. "That was it? What a bad plot! I thought the writer of the book from which this is based is famous?" Still frowning, he closed his laptop shut. "And...my agent told me that I should be like this writer. Is he still okay in the head? The scenes are all predictable and clichè, " he added as he opened a bottle of soda.
"Fame is everything? Eh? " He shook his head and drank the content of the soda, then tossed the emptied bottle on the floor.
Writers who have more fans than others could easily climb the stairs to become a successful writer. They tend to have more support and agents love it. Why wouldn't they love someone who gave them sales? That's why they are always favored. Some of them, despite having bad plots and disgusting themes, are still in the spotlight. Giving birth to undiscovered and underrated writers who are craving for attention and giving everything they have, polishing their skills but still not recognized.
"It's unfair!" His face soured as he remembered his agent told him that he's trash. He picked his phone from his pocket and opened his notes. Sighing, he lay on the sofa and opened a new blank note.
"It's still early, I should start writing. The book for dummies is a great help after all. " Before he could type a word, he heard a consecutive knock full of urgency from his door.
He lazily got up from the sofa and headed to the door. He already had an idea who's behind the door and he wished it wasn't that person.
Why?
He opened the door, revealing a fat woman with smudged lipstick and overly-done make-up. Face crumpled and lips snarling at him.
"You should have opened the door sooner, you runt! " The woman slapped him hard on the face and swiftly entered inside his room like she wanted to hide from someone.
Anthony closed his eyes and breathed a couple of air. There were no visible expressions on his face - like he was used to it.
He always gets hurt if this woman isn't satisfied with his actions, everything must be done with haste.
He touched his face where the woman slapped and silently cursed.
"Why are you here, auntie?" he asked, tone meekly, but the truth is - he doesn't want her here. The pain is nothing, he's used to his aunt slapping him.
The woman's scary face started to turn into fear as her sweat bathed her oily face. "Did you not hear the news? Some people are injured, one died because of an unknown creature who attacked them! I-I'll sleep here." Panic is evident in her voice and Anthony couldn't stop himself from enjoying seeing his aunt's terrified expression.
News nowadays spreads fake news. It might be just criminals and hooligans roaming around the town and they just make it juicier just by adding false stories.
'But...How can he write now?' He scratched his head in frustration. Knowing his aunt, if she'll find him writing, she'll stick her oversized nose in his business.
His aunt trembled and closed the curtains of his windows. "I-I bet, those creatures are cats! Those pests!!" His aunt sat on his sofa and munched all his food like a hungry pig.
He found himself facepalming as he heard what his aunt accused. Cats. Cats. Cats!
WHAT'S THE FUCKING DEAL WITH CATS?!