In a beautiful room, with a few toys of similar quality to those on the mantelpiece, three people were on the same bed, each in their own position. They were Jaden, Kenzo, and Richy.
The sun had risen, and the three got out of bed, got ready, and went to have breakfast. They were all running late, which caused a bit of embarrassment for Kenzo.
"So, what have you decided to do today?" asked Evelyne as they ate, knowing that from today onwards, she would only see her son on weekends.
"The three of us are going to meet up with Rose and Sai, and then we'll decide what we'll do next." replied Jaden.
Since it had been impossible to meet his two friends yesterday, he had simply told them the whole story through a video call.
So, they had decided to make today an "all-out" day, as they called the days when they did nothing but have fun. Richy was so eager to go out that it showed in his way of eating.
"Take it easy, Richy. You know a real hero knows how to be patient." Kenzo said, winking at him just at the end.
"Oh, really? But if a hero is too patient, the criminal could get away." Richy was absolutely confused. How could a hero be patient? It didn't quite make sense from his perspective.
However, he wasn't alone in thinking this way. The person who had just said that a hero should be patient was also doubting his own words, not knowing what to say next. But just before he could embarrass himself further, Jaden spoke up.
"If a hero rushes, he can hurt people, so he just needs to have perfect timing." This time, both Kenzo and Richy were convinced. A hero shouldn't be too hasty or too patient.
'I knew it was a good idea to take him as my sidekick.' thought Kenzo after seeing how efficiently Kenzo had solved the problem.
Lunch went smoothly, with some small talk here and there before everyone went back to their activities. While he ate quickly, Richy hardly ate anything. After all, there were so many things waiting for him outside.
Once it was time to meet up, the group gathered, and Jaden made the introductions.
"Ken, meet Sai and Rose. Rose, Sai, this is Kenzo."
"Kenzo, like the super-strong guy from your dojo?" Rose asked after hearing the name.
'How does she still know about him after all this time?' Jaden wondered but confirmed it.
He had mentioned Kenzo in passing because he had been so impressed, but he didn't know that Rose still remembered the story.
As he pondered all these things, Sai asked while curiously examining Kenzo's body.
"So, you're strong enough to be accepted by this genius?"
"Of course, I'm a hero," Kenzo replied with a smile before someone else finished the sentence.
"And heroes have to be strong to save the weak." It was Richy, who then added. "Big brother is his sidekick!" Proud of his older brother, he embarrassed him and made Rose laugh.
However, there was someone who took all this very seriously.
"Hey, there's only one hero here, and that's me. Jaden is MY sidekick." Sai said.
However, no one seemed to hear him. Jaden was up front, chatting with Rose, while Richy and Kenzo had their own conversation a bit further back.
"Hey, can you hear me? I know you can hear me!" Sai yelled with visible frustration on his face.
Scenes like this continued until they reached a park that stretched over a vast expanse of land. At the entrance, a glass gate welcomed visitors into a world of discoveries.
Immaculate pathways meandered through carefully landscaped gardens, where abstract sculptures and intriguing artistic installations caught curious eyes.
"This park is just beautiful." Kenzo's voice was filled with wonder. His eyes moved from one place to another, and he was utterly speechless at everything he saw.
"So, you're impressed, huh? Admit it." this time it was Sai speaking, holding Kenzo by the shoulder as if they had been friends for a lifetime.
There was also pride on his face because, unlike Kenzo, he wasn't overly enchanted by the park. A true hero's attitude that he probably wouldn't have had if it were his first time.
The others shook their heads, exasperated by Sai's behavior. He was making a big deal out of staying cool in front of a magnificent park. Was there anything worse than that?
They then decided to agree on what they would do first before the grand and magnificent Ferris wheel, which drew attention as soon as they were a few meters from the park.
The park's attractions stood like technological gems. Magnetic propulsion roller coasters defied gravity with breathtaking loops and descents.
"And what about starting with the lake?" Jaden suggested when he set his eyes on the crystal-clear central lake that invited visitors to rent pedal boats.
"No, first the rides!" exclaimed Richy, all excited about the idea of riding or driving a beautiful car.
"Choose quickly; we're going to spend some energy and then taste all these magnificent cuisines. What about starting with food?" Sai also made his proposal while salivating at the sight of world cuisine stands offering delicious dishes prepared on the spot.
Everyone was against Sai's idea, or almost everyone because they all had ice cream before heading to one of the touchscreen kiosks scattered throughout the park, providing information on attractions, schedules, and special activities.
They each took a park tablet that allowed visitors to create their own itinerary and receive real-time alerts. After all the preparations, they covered as much ground as they could before the scheduled time for the Ferris wheel.
Jaden believed that the Ferris wheel was his biggest enemy, but he was shocked by the penultimate ride just before it, which was the flying chairs.
He tried to hold back his fear and sat tightly in the chair, praying for it to end. He didn't move an inch, becoming the target of laughter from his friends. Despite being repeatedly encouraged by those supervising, he couldn't help but tremble in fear.
"Hey, you've got a hero by your side, so stop freaking out." Kenzo tried to encourage him from time to time, but this hero didn't inspire as much confidence as he thought.
'Let it end, let us get off, I promise never to ride this, my precious little heart, ever again!' Jaden was in a state of mind that made this experience feel so long that, from his perspective, a second was an eternity.
"They're speeding up!?" It was the last straw, he had to utter at least one word.
Already the ride was quite risky despite the gentle movement, and now they were accelerating. Why? He clung to his chair, praying even harder in his head for this nightmare to end.
It was nighttime, and it was a dark night when Jaden and his friends decided to ride the flying chairs. After this experience, they decided to go to the Ferris wheel, which was brightly lit in the starry night.
Its steel arms rose majestically into the dark sky, creating an imposing and enchanting silhouette. At each peak, elegantly designed gondolas offered visitors a breathtaking panoramic view of the entire illuminated park.
While some were excessively excited to head towards the Ferris wheel, Jaden brooded in his corner.
'Yet another trial I'm forced to overcome.' he thought, imagining the ordeal that would come right after what he had just experienced. He hated heights, but he couldn't spoil the mood.
It was just one last time, even though he had said the same thing the last time.
However, Rose snapped him out of his thoughts. "Come on, Jaden, let's go." she said, holding his hand and smiling. Jaden had no choice but to follow her.
The Ferris wheel was adorned with thousands of multicolored LED lights, creating a hypnotic light show that danced along the metal beams.
The gondolas, themselves elegantly lit glass capsules, moved smoothly along the arms of the Ferris wheel, adding a touch of magic.
Once they were all inside, they could see the shimmering reflection of the Ferris wheel on the calm waters of the lake below, creating an almost fairy-tale atmosphere.
Everyone was relaxed by the soft, enchanting background music that accompanied the silent rotation of the Ferris wheel.
They spent a long time in this ambiance, which was a dream for everyone except Jaden, for whom it was a nightmare. Once the ride was over, Rose took the lead, and everyone followed her, full of enthusiasm, leaving Kenzo surprised because he thought the Ferris wheel was the grand finale. However, he followed them without complaining.
They then arrived in a quiet place, far away from all the noise. They all lay down on the ground and gazed at the magnificent starry sky. Kenzo was still standing, wondering what everyone was doing.
"You should lie down, Kenzo." Rose said in such a tender and soothing voice that he couldn't refuse. They were positioned in a circle, with their heads next to each other. The beauty of the sky from this angle was such that no one could speak, just admire.
Several minutes passed in silence until there was a sudden change in the expressions on the faces of Jaden and Kenzo.
'I think I know this feeling.' thought Jaden, before he heard his teammate say out loud.
"A HOUM."