The first day on the island was over and now we were in the second. As far as food was concerned we each had to prepare our own food as per the rules issued out. I had seen a bunch of rules that weren't that big of a deal but others were clearly outrageous. As rules go having a rule that states that in the comfort of your apartment you rule. Or this is your domain or whatever. I clearly didn't get what they were trying to imply there. Did it mean that we could get away with anything as long as it was done in our apartment? Or was it about something else entirely. And then there was also another rule that seemed weird to me. The you shouldn't engage in acts of violence with another without a valid reason. Any outcome of said violence will be allowed as long as the motive is valid. I had alot of questions about these rules of theirs but I guess mulling over them wasn't going to help get clarity on them. Time would give me the answers.
I began preparing my morning coffee and went to relax on the sofa next to the TV. The cable here was to die for. Not only did it have a multitude of stations, you basically didn't have to pay for them. I hope. I could watch the news and catch up on the details and going abouts of the outside world. Which in and of itself was a plus. I also noticed that among the channels there were specific ones labeled D channels. Which I was quite curious about. They were 5 in total. Named in numbers from 1 - 5. In it there were different types of news ranging from cooking shows to star Dom and other local industries present in the island. Inshort I'd say the primary goal for this stations was to advertise the current establishments present all around the island. Which by marketing strategy was spot on. The TV feature was also located in our phones but in them were only limited to the 5 channels.
But to those of us who didn't normally focus on the news it wouldn't be that much of a big deal to occasionally tune in into this channels to see what's going on.
I took a sip of my coffee and enjoyed the rest of my morning searching for something interesting to binge on for the time being. And then....
My door bell rang. I turned the TV off and went to check who it was. And to my surprise it was Nina.
"Good morning.".
"Good morning. ."
"Mind if I come in?"
"No not at all." I moved out of the way and ushered her in. There wasn't any real reason to refute her and now we were friends of some sort so it would only be natural, wouldn't you agree?
She sat on the sofa and started fidgeting. I ignored what I saw and went in the kitchen to prepare something for my guest.
"Do you drink coffee or tea.?" I asked as I poured hot water into a cup.
"Coffee will be fine." she answered and I mixed it in with the water and brought it out.
"Sorry for the limited options but next time I will have a variety." just thought I'd say it as courtesy to all the hosts out there. But actually I've always wanted to say that, and mostly to a female guest. That's one thing taken down from my to do list.
" It's okay i don't mind. I actually quite fancy coffee over any other drink."
"Is that so. I am also a coffee enthusiast funny how we have that in common."
"oh really?" Her eyes grew wide with astonishment and relief. They were big and cute. And were pearing into my soul. This girl was just too cute.
"Y-Yes." I stammered back and directed my gaze elsewhere.
"That's perfect. I Saw a Cafe a couple of blocks over. I guess now I won't have to go alone. Unless you mind..."
"No I don't. Coffee tastes better when your having it with a friend anyways,"
"I totally agree." she took the coffee and sipped it.
After seeing a satisfactory look on her face I prepared myself another cup and joined her at the table. We basically talked of various topics without any consistencies. Strangely enough, Nina could actually hold a conversation. I didn't feel put off by the normal girl antics of cutting you short or constantly blabbing about either this or that. Ours on the other hand flowed. It was a real conversation. Each side allowed the other to talk. To express themselves. I felt like I was talking to a long lost best friend of mine. Which was okay in it's own way.
We finished our drinks and I remembered something that I wanted to ask her ever since she came by. I didn't want to ask initially since it would sound rude or it might come out as if I was trying to chase her away. But I had to know.
It really is uncommon for people who had met the previous day to just casually drop by at each other's places. I can't say that it wasn't likely but even so. It was not that common an occurrence.
"If you don't mind me asking. But was there a reason for you dropping by?"
"oh sorry I almost forgot that I wanted to tell you something." she apologized and then went to the crux of the matter.
"Well remember yesterday when I said I wanted to go check out the mall and you said you would tag along?"
Yeah I did remember telling her to tell me the time and date of us going but I didn't expect it to be this soon. But assuming that she was bored and couldn't hold off her excitement then I guess it can't be helped.
I nodded. And then she took out her phone.
"I was planning of asking you to come with me today but I was 50 50 if it was appropriate."
Wait what? And yet she's here so did she decide it was appropriate afterall?
"And then this made me want to invite you all the more." she showed me her map on her phone.
"What am I looking at?" I asked and she leaned in close. I could feel her warm bossom on my hand. Her guard was totally down. Come now we need to focus.
" If you look closely you'll see that this icon wasn't there yesterday. It showed up this morning." what she was talking about was a market icon on top of the mall building which was interesting in it's own right. A mall was a kind of market in its own way. And to top that of you add a market icon ontop of it, strange. This people were really enjoying placing all of this contradictions and mind boggling things together huh. I took out my phone to check whether my map showed the same thing as hers and it actually did.
"you're right that is something we would have to check out."
"I know right? I guess now it would be killing two birds with one stone."
"Yeah, okay let me get changed before we head out."
*
The mall wasn't that far of from the apartment so going there wouldn't take us much time. I had noticed that the town had it's very own means of commute such as bicycles motorcycles and also trains.
I had seen some yesterday on our way here but as for the train. I saw it's advert on one of the D channels.
And as for cars I hadn't seen any. Maybe they decided that cars weren't that important.
We reached the mall and outside of it people were packed. Each in line just to enter. It seemed we had reached here early before the mall was opened.
"Looks like we're early." Nina observed as we headed to the back of the line. It was just a few minutes to 9 which I assumed was the time the mall normally opened.
While we waited I saw a man with red hair pass us by and go on to the front of the line. But before he could get anywhere. A girl who was standing in the middle of the line, Stopped him, grabbing him by the arm.
"What do you think you're doing?" She asked. Holding him in place.
"Whatever am doing is none of your business. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Cutting the line is what you're doing. And since what you're doing affects not just me. I can't seem to overlook it."
"What, are you the class president or something? This place is far from home Missy so fuck off."
"Are you dumb or something? This clearly is a test. That's why most of this people hurried over here as soon as this location popped up on the map. So you will have to get in line like everyone else."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then we're going to have a problem."
"Are we now.....please do enlighten me. What a pretty little thing such as yourself is capable of doing against a giant like me." The man grinned. Clenching his fist and ready for a back hand hit on the girl.
"Just get in line and there won't be any problems."
"You sound confident, do you dabble in the arts by any chance? "
"And why would that piece of information matter?"
"I wouldn't want to hurt a defenseless girl you see. But when it comes to ranty bitches who act all high and mighty that's a different story." He yanked his hand out from her grip and brought it forward and quickly back. Aiming at her face.
But before he could reach it his hand was caught. The man who was responsible was brown haired and looked skinny. He didn't seem like the fighter type. The girl on realizing that she had just been saved from a ruthless back hand pulled away. Distraught on the clear difference in ability between the two of them. And not to mention her savior who had seen it coming and stepped in.
"And you are?" The red haired one asked.
"Who I am is none of your business."
"I see, you clearly want to die."
"I do but I don't think someone like you is capable of putting me to my rest." He let go of the mans hand and the huge guy turned around.
"Hey, let's go a round. Right here right now." He bellowed. Shaken up by the meek guys remark. He must've been furious. That was clearly a jab at his ego.
But as much as we would love to see this two guys go head to head. Another big guy joined the fray.
"Boss. We shouldn't be wasting time here." The man told off the short guy. And after giving a wave to the woman, began to walk off.
"Ignoring me are you." The man tried to go after the brown haired guy. But was suddenly surrounded by multiple people.
"Our king has no more business with you. If you try forcing this you will get hurt." The man from before confronted his equal in size who caved after seeing the disadvantage he was in.
After that the Mall opened and people began walking in. I watched the woman from earlier who seemed shaken up after what had just happened. She challenged this man. With full confidence that she could hold out but the sheer display of strength shattered her confidence. Now she was scared. Probably thinking of what could've happened if that guy hadn't stepped in. Her face would be ruined by now am sure. That's why people need to pick their battles carefully. And only when you are more certain of your victory atleast in some cases. In others, victory isn't determined by strength alone. But anyways atleast she seems to be reflecting on her mistake. So she won't repeat the same mistake twice I hope.
"Hey Kai. Did you get a better sense of what was going on back there?" Nina asked as we entered the mall.
"Well the girl was trying to enact her form of justice. Isn't that obvious?"
"No like I mean, in terms of fighting ability. Like how fast that hand went and how that guy seemed to appear out of nowhere."
"Oh that... Well those two people were definitely fast. And to the untrained eye there movements would be lost on you."
"Are you saying you're an expert in martial arts?"
"No, am just a normal guy. Who's undergone the basic self defense lessons. As for what I said earlier. Their movements reminded me of how my master at the dojo used to move in our sparring setions."
"Oh wow. So those two might be experts in martial arts. I wonder..... If it was me back there would you have been able to save me?"
"I would have to apologize in advance for my lack of talent and hope that you forgive me later." I put my hand together and bowed lightly. Showing her how I would act if it was her back there.
She laughed after that and pulled me along.
"Okay then. I promise not to do anything stupid." She said sheepishly as we joined a crowed up ahead that was forming around a stand.
*