Noa and Eden exchanged curious gazes, wondering what So-Rin had in store for them. However, they said nothing and simply trailed behind her.
A short while later, they entered a building, which turned out to be a restaurant. In front of the room there were silver cross and another ornaments.
"Why did you bring us here?" Noa asked as he looked at the tables and chairs in the surroundings.
"I thought it'd be great to celebrate our small victory," So-Rin replied without looking at Noa. She pulled a chair for herself and took a seat.
Eden's eyes were on the menu. He soon commented, "They're not selling any real food, only artificial ones. It'd probably taste like garbage."
Noa didn't react as he was used to the taste of what Eden called "garbage."
Turning her head, So-Rin replied, "I know, but we're not here for the food. Sit back and enjoy the show. You might like it."
She turned her eyes back to the corner of the restaurant, where a stage was set up.
Noa and Eden still didn't understand what she meant, but they still listened to her and sat down. Either way, they were tired, and as far as they were concerned, sitting down in a restaurant counted as rest.
So-Rin got up from her chair and approached the kiosk at the counter. After scrolling through their menu, she settled on a few sandwiches, all of which were made of artificial meat. She then selected three glasses of cold drinks.
After going through her orders once more, she paid for the food by tapping her card on the kiosk. She stepped back and waited for her order to be processed.
Not long after, a compartment in the machine opened up, revealing the food and drinks she had ordered. She placed them on a tray and carried them back to their table.
"Well, I at least think that their drinks are pretty good," So-Rin said. "Mm. Virgin Mojitos."
"What's that?" Noa's eyebrows furrowed.
"Mixed lime, mint, and soda water. Try it out." So-Rin picked up a glass and passed it to Noa.
After taking a sip, Noa looked back up at So-Rin. "It's kinda refreshing."
Hearing Noa's comment, Eden wordlessly took a glass and sipped from it as well. "It really is good." He even seemed to be a little surprised. "It feels weird eating in a restaurant like this. Perhaps I've been too used to hiding. I don't even interact with others."
"Well, socializing is necessary. Life is hard, and it's good to enjoy the moment as much as we can. Like this moment," Noa looked at Eden. "Do you not like being here?"
"I do like it here. I'm just feeling a bit on edge. Who knows when an officer would pop out when I'm not on guard?" Eden lightly sighed. "I badly miss my hometown. And my family as well. Unfortunately, I can never come back ever again. I don't even know if they're still alive."
Noa's eyes softened and a sad smile appeared on his lips. "I understand. My family… I have no idea where they are or if they're doing well. I'm just hoping they're alive. But with the purge that happened… Chances are slim. But no matter what, I'll find them."
He took another sip and told Eden, "As for the officers, don't worry about them. So-Rin and I officially work under androids. As long as you're with us, they will not suspect you."
"Hmm." Eden nodded. "Thank you guys."
"No problem, mate." Noa gave Eden a firm pat on the shoulder. "You have to be strong even if your family can't see you."
"But I'm the one who left them," Eden flatly replied.
Noa choked on his sandwich, and an awkward silence momentarily lingered in the air.
"It's because you wanted to live independently, no?"
"I used to hate them. They were always angry at me and scolded me. But now that I'm living like this, it turns out that living with them seems better," Eden explained flatly.
Speechless, Noa focused on his food.
As they ate their sandwiches and sipped their drinks, their attention was piqued by the music from the stage, where a group of women performed a synchronized dance.
It was confusing whether they were humans or androids. All of them looked so real, and their movements were smooth and flexible, mesmerizing the audience. Each of their moves were on beat, perfectly in harmony with the music.
Before they knew it, Noa and Eden stopped eating, focusing entirely on the performance. They couldn't take their eyes off of them, dazzled by the beauty and grace of their dance.
As the music swelled, the moves became faster, their bodies twisting and turning in seemingly impossible ways. They had never seen anything like that before, and they were both completely enthralled.
So-Rin suddenly stood up from her chair, waking up the pair of boys from their daze. She catwalked from their table to the stage on beat, and she joined the dancers, syncing with their choreography.
Seeing this, Noa was shocked. He watched her, bewitched. Her happy expression. Her confidence. Her enchanting movements. She danced so well, matching the energy of the professional performers with no care in the world.
Before the music could finish, she got down and went to their table, gasping for breath.
"I didn't know you could dance." Noa smiled.
So-Rin turned to Noa and smiled in reply. "What do you think?"
"You're incredible," Noa subconsciously replied, sincerely still in awe with what he had seen.
Eden joined the conversation and nodded. "The performance was quite special. I've never seen anything like it before. Even more so when you joined them."
So-Rin's smile widened, pleased with their reactions. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. This restaurant is known for their entertainment. Most of their customers are androids, so their food isn't that good. But their taste when it comes to entertainment is amazing, no?"
The two replied to So-Rin's honesty with a chuckle.
"When you brought us here, you already told us that we aren't here for food," Noa said.
"Yeah. It would be nice to take a break. The system drained our mental energy," So-Rin replied.
"That's true. Ah. It's been a long day. I'm missing my bed already."
"Let's go home, then." So-Rin stood up from her seat and stretched her arms.
She walked out first, and Noa followed. Eden, who was reduced into a lightbulb, silently trailed after the pair.
Upon leaving the restaurant, a burst of cool evening air hit their face.
Life in Neo Arcadia was packed and full of terror. But there were brief moments like this that were filled with joy. Strolling with a good company and engaging in a good conversation, for a while, they were able to forget about the pressing issues looming upon them.
After reaching the apartment, it was time to exchange good nights.
The two men thanked So-Rin for the wonderful day, to which she responded with a warm smile.
Once they got inside their apartment, Noa immediately walked to the couch and let his body collapse into it. He released a contented sigh.
"I never thought that I needed exactly that," Noa mumbled with closed eyes and wide smile.
Eden glanced at Noa and said, "So-Rin has a way of making things feel a little bit better, doesn't she?"
Still with eyes closed, Noa nodded. "She always does. It's not just her optimism. She's also smart, talented, and beaut—"
Eden furrowed his eyebrows. "That's not the topic…?"
"Huh? What?" Noa opened his eyes.
"Well, nevermind." Eden chuckled.