The boy who stole the credit grand prize of an arcade rhythm game machine she's working hard to perfect the score. And the troubles that ensued reporting him.
His mockery and provocation by tampering her account and getting it banned, the pursuit of this unrelenting fuming girl hurting herself in the process just to rip him apart.
He totally enjoyed playing with her and seeing her mad face trying to pursue him but he felt bad seeing that the girl is crying and simply not mad that she doesn't even care crossing roads without greenlight and doesn't even care tripping and wounding herself.
He approached the limping girl who still has her long silver glittering hair with that pent up frustration glaring over him.
He offered a freezing antiseptic agent for the graze on her knees. Remembering his words "I'm sorry for that, why are you so mad?"
But the girl actually didn't care about her bleeding wound and instead grabbed his shirt, twisted it and slapped his face with ungodly strength.
He can't escape even if he wanted to because of how strong her shirt is even if he tries to rip it. He also can't slip away since his jacket locks it.
So he just endured the multiple slaps he suffered in the street suffering humiliation. He's not going to hit a girl over her justified reaction.
But the two of them froze when phones and police started appearing. Both of them don't want their faces to be known but he saw that the girl is stunned and shaking, murmuring "no… no… oh no…"
As the police shouted in their direction, he knew that this was going to be troublesome but this girl… He can leave her alone here just to get back at her for slapping him but he realized that she might testify against him since he didn't know if she has a eye implant recording his face.
So there, he drags her away, their first run of that night. He felt the thrill of saving a clumsy girl who can't keep up with him and is mad earlier but now also follows him with no questions when realizing the trouble she's in.
Following her in this underground without question. At lost and desperate to go home. He had promised it to her as a payment for making a fool of her despite the payback she already did.
The two of them, sharing conversations and apologizing with each other. And then the girl oversees the electronic music he synthesized that captured her, in fervor to learn more about building music that is much more thrilling than following it through an arcade which is the opposite of him who likes to admire and imitate the works of great people.
It was the first night, and the longest night of their introduction. -■■■■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■, Interlude.
.....
The fluorescent lights cozy up the corners of the room and in the middle is a dim white light enough to get a sense of casual vibes from the room without overexposing the room where even the hue of the computer screens are still sticking on the bed.
This is one of the rooms Reika made inside their wide secret base. This underground tunnel is a wide connection of several platforms and areas that were abandoned for ages unclaimed due to how ambitious this single building city project was.
[Its architects planned to create a city inside a giant building. It was a stunt and a great publicity to the rich wanting a novel and absurd idea but in the end, the project settled in dirt.
Its train tunnels are isolated from the public spaces and remain exclusive, yet not a single train can be seen, they said it will be connected to Mugen and also become a public building? But what now? Abandoned mall spaces collecting dust, apartments, arcades.
This building was progressively more unfinished as you reach close to its 866th floor making it one the tallest buildings in the Stelaris. This ambitious place is just a stunt wasting taxpayer's money by abandoning this waste shit, thank you for the corruption and the infighting.
Until this day, no one wants to spend a fortune on renovating this piece since the property is still being fought on who's the true owner of the land so the destruction of this garbage won't happen anytime soon.] -Parkour Stunt Building of the Authorities, Your Local Insider Stelaris.
.....
Reika secured the place long ago with his techs blocking all entrances and breakage with lining reinforcement which blocks anyone who wants to settle or hide here. Due to how creepy the place is with the long hallways and void liminal space, the junkies and gangs don't use this as their hideout with how easy it is to make creepy sounds from the vibrations that travel, they were only able to set foot on the train station.
Part of this abandoned building is almost the scale of a city with how everything is interconnected with the tracks and the infrastructure for different purposes. Those who try to explore only last to just throw their graffiti and then stop at their exploration thanks to their self-scaring mind and Reika's intentional sound effects and changing temperatures.
....
The room is in the 74th underground floor, where Reika and Chiyou jams together before and where he also showcases his new inventions.
After stretching his back after a session from his computer, Reika looks over the stacks of 5 pizza boxes on the huge bed in the corner right. He glanced at the seams of the black door to his left, the white lights of the bathroom and dull trickle of the shower signifying the occupancy of the space.
"Chiyou, I can't eat this pizza alone and you're in the bathroom for almost 30 minutes, your skin's gonna prune."
"I'm done!" The response was dull from the other side but he heard that she just turned off the shower after he shouted.
There was clanging of the items and the noise of the dryer before the door opened.
The warm and moist air traveled across revealing the fresh Chiyou wearing her same plain black baggy T shirt and thin shorts covered by a gray boyshort underwear exposing her smooth thighs.
Obviously, Reika was taken aback by this since he didn't see this earlier with how large her T-shirt is earlier, and they've never met during the day nor call each other out of privacy and respect for their morning lives as insomniac fireflies.
And despite practically having access to Chiyou's room surveillance, he never peek at her, and even then when he's informing her of looking over her camera, she wears a cool boyish outfit that still does not betray her feminine appearance.
As for Chiyou, this is her usual clothing to keep cool in her body as she's not really a fan of covering body clothing because of the heat and sweat it creates inside that makes her itchy. She trusts Rei everytime he says that he's not peeking since she can cover it anyway or if he's going to see through her camera so she wears decently but if all alone, she likes this refreshing clothing.
But now, wearing clothes with much exposure of her skin, her slender and petite body transparent to her black shirt and her small bra protruding only made this somewhat awkward. She can see that Rei is avoiding glancing at her but steal glances.
"Ahem... Eat now Chiyou, I'll fix your guitar and I'll comb your hair." A nice clutch from Reika leading the conversation.
Chiyou also shamefully sat on the bed, with legs closed together and holding a pizza, staring at it.
"How is it? There are drinks in the fridge. Help yourself."
"Thanks Rei, the pizza's good. Pepperoni is still the best as usual." There's a small grin on her face before she closes her eyes and bites the pizza with enthusiasm.
It was a small sarcastic dig at Rei's type in pizza and he understood what she's trying to imply by smiling.
"Oh yeah? Is that so? I believe traditional pizza are the best. Do you know that? I bet you didn't. I like those charred crusts." He responded back with sarcasm.
"Oh my? I didn't know that you like burnt. Sorry about that." Her smile is getting wider.
"No no no, don't worry, I'm just not a fan of pizza with steering wheel shapes. I like mine being cared for by true hands." He is smug about this.
The two shared their banters for a bit before the silence came over again. But this time, Rei thinks that it is the time to really cheer her up in the circumstances and pressure she felt earlier. All these jokes are to relieve some of that mental darkness earlier but he wanted his friend to be conscious of her life.
Every time her recklessness leads to some silly accidents with both funny and thrilling outcomes, he cannot deny that it was good memories that they compiled at their notes. But from the moments where her actions took extreme, he can't help but to worry with the absence of her self control or awareness.
He knows that some of this reckless actions are just a result of expressing her frustrations from the cage of her aunt to the point she needs this extreme stimulus to feel alive but he can't help but keep worrying as she always shrugs it off and always makes an excuse that she can trust him to save her.
It already happened when she jumped that building but now, her walking randomly without awareness in the street worried him so much. After all, he was already too late when her aunt gave him a hint of what happened compared to when Chiyou left. He pursued and hacked every place Chiyou had crossed and tried to predict them which yielded no result.
He was worried with how she walks, she might get into an accident or if she crosses to bad parts of the city's district.
He swelled up his breath and exhaled. He picked up a pizza near her computer table and to the computer. There is still that feeling to just lecture her loud, so he rather not look at her when speaking his mind. She never saw him cry after all.
"You're feeling down but don't let the things that happened today make you give up on yourself and your dreams."
Chiyou was frozen and surprised by the sudden motivation that Rei is saying.
"Just remember the feeling of your victory that night. It's not wrong that you've explored the night with the way you've lived, yearning for expression so you don't need to feel guilty."
The feeling earlier when she saw her trophy breaking to pieces, her treasured guitar she bought with a massive discount for the first time after learning how to play from the arcade.
Those arcade and sneaky nights after meeting Reika were the best moments in her life away from that monotonous life of study, eat, clean, endure the comparison lectures, monologue with her miserable self-esteem then repeat.
"You are aware of what kind of person she is and you are aware of who I am to trust me with your life." Reika didn't look at her, he's busy back again to his online surfing yet it is obvious he's just scrolling mindlessly, yet Chiyou can't notice it with her tears trickling again.
Chiyou felt ashamed again. She's in tears that she can't even bite the pizza without pouring her tears over it but she is thankful for his unchanging kind words.
After eating, she calmed down and was in clarity of mind.
"Thank you Rei…" She smiled at her pizza.
"....."
"I'll promise you… I'll change. I'm really sorry for all the troubles and… and- burdens I've given to you. I'm sorry for treating your kindness all for granted… I…"
"I know Chiyou. I know you can do it. I am hoping for you to realize it because only then you know how you will fix your shortcomings. You didn't become the underdog of the Maza underground champion for nothing."
"Yeah!"
After a few idle, their conversations shift to different topics, about the admission, about Reika customizing her new guitar, both returned to their usual selves and Reika tending her hair, fixing it to that same elegance of the eventful night before they both entertain themselves with acapella and scrolling through the net.
They both explored interesting topics and discussed it.
A new thought streak across Chiyou's mind.
"Hey Reika..."
"What is it?" He's still staring on the screen but with more focus now.
"If the Starlium Gear can really grant any wishes, what will you wish for?"
"Reality warping." There was no hesitation.
A soft chuckle escaped from her, she rests her head on her knees.
"Straight to the point huh?"
"Yup, It's basically Aether construct but the actions of everyone and the environment itself morphs into the image I want instead of a simple object."
"What are you going to do with that power?"
"I don't know, for convenience?"
"What if you commit evil with that?"
"Oh I see how it is... You childish girl, what are you going to wish for? To counter my reality bending power? If I commit evil then it's all because I became a bastard that can't control himself and that's all. No one can stop me anyway. So how about you?"
"Hmm... You already know."
"Musician?"
"Wow, very basic wish huh."
"Superhero or become buff or something? You're pretty chivalrous every time you have been given the chance. Remember the time you smack the living daylights of that guy harassing those elderly couple who graze his car?"
"What!? Why buff!?" Chiyou was riled up with his statement.
"Remember in Mugen when you tackled a girl's leg prosthetics and made her crawl for trying to trap those childrens about some bullshit VR rip-off Grexia Adventures game to traffic them? It's unbelievable how you can kick away her prosthetics with just your human legs. And considering how small you are."
"That's it!" She jolts out of the bed and locks his neck with her arms.
"Who's buff and small? Can't you see how feminine and tall I am?" She's choking him in his chair, jokingly of course that Reika don't mind
"Urgh, you- you brute, how are you feminine with this monstrous strength of yours? Remember when we first met and then you keep falling over because you're so mad?" This is Reika's time to dig on her.
"My what!?" She made her lock tighter in a pulse and returned it to flopsy strength.
"What? Am I wrong? You're unbelievably strong, are you a pure human or a newborn? Why did they put unbelievable sturdy and strength to your frame?"
"Well? Beats me but it sure makes my charm unique!"
Reika exhaled, he gave up and taps out but she still didn't let go.
"What now Chiyou?" He sounds hassled at her next gimmick.
"Admit you lost~"
"Lost to wh- fine I lost." Reika exhausted his entertainment battery over this.
"That's about it~" Chiyou enthusiastically jumps back to the bouncy bed, wide open staring st the ceiling.
The short pause in the air permeates, it's getting boring again.
"You should sleep now Chiyou, it's pretty late." Reika, still focused on his computer.
"What about you? You're going to stare at your screen all night?"
"No, I'll sleep later, I'm still curious about this whole Starlium Gear discussion, no one is still leaking the coordinates, I'll just pry the domains forcefully and see other people's info about it."
"Hey! I thought you're not-"
"I'm just curious ma'am. I told you my promise alright? I'm not going to participate."
"Hmph. Good."
"Where are you going to sleep then?" Chiyou curiously asked.
"There's a lot of rooms I can sleep in, even on the rooftop."
"Not fair! I wanna sleep there too!"
"You like sleeping with lights?"
"Oh... I prefer dark. Makes me sleep better."
"Yeah, I thought so too."
"Damn you Rei!"
…..
With the midnight getting closer and the last energy Chiyou still have before going to rest, she decided to put it in her last mischievousness.
"Hey Rei~"
He didn't respond at first, he sighed.
"What are you planning now Chiyou?"
"Why don't you want to sleep here? We have a lot… of space... you know?" That seductive tease meant to provoke him.
"That's exactly why, I'm giving you space."
She furrowed her brows, his voice didn't change at all. Not the result she wanted.
'Is he dense? Let's try again...'
"I don't mind really... I feel like having company tonight. It's pretty lonely." She purposefully acted too weak.
'Was that enough?'
Yes it was! He turned his head at her.
"Chiyou..."
'It's working! Let's go!' Her laughter yet also the feeling of endearing warmth swells up in her chest.
Reika sighed.
"Alright, I'll stay here with you, don't worry." Still not looking but his truthful voice was all Chiyou needed.
She smiled with satisfaction. Her punchline is still not done yet but seeing Reika's tenderness really made her appreciate his easy going.
'Alright... It's time to finish this.'
"You mean... You're going to lie in bed with me?"
"W- what!?" A voice of shock that sounds like he was choked.
Chiyou controlled her laughter tightly to not mess this up.
"I mean here... you're going to stay with me here?" She tried to be even cuter.
Reika faced towards her direction with his chair, his wandering eyes away from her returned. A hint of blush can be seen on his face.
He coughed to clear up his voice.
"I mean, I'm going to sleep in the chair, you can have the bed but I'll be here I promise. Come on Chiyou it's embarrassing for me but if you really want... Oh-"
He saw her suppressed laughter.
"You really had to do it." He facepalmed himself, a small smile formed out of embarrassment.
"Ahahaha! Got you! That's the payback for the flick! You got really embarrassed? That's the first time I've seen! So you're like that huh~"
"Yes yes, you got me you silly girl…" His smile still lingers before he returns to his face to the screen of his computer.
"Chiyou, it's embarrassing to sleep together in one bed, you know that right?" He followed up.
"I'm just teasing you." She pouted.
"You... I can't deal with your trickery..." He nods his head sideways.
"Well I guess that just showcase my charm? See that? I'm still feminine, not brute!"
Reika finds it pretty cute of her being fixated on her strength despite she knows how people goes crazy over her.
"Well I couldn't imagine Miss Lemon reaching the day where she doubts her beauty."
"Yup, I am beautiful. Not brute and buff right!?"
"You are indeed beautiful, now sleep."
"Thank you~"
Then she completely lay down on the bed, enveloping her body whole.
…..
"Good night Rei!"
"Good night Chiyou."
"Tomorrow... Let's hang around, we've never walked and see the morning street together right?" Chiyou has a warm smile on her face, enthusiastic for tomorrow's endeavor.
Reika realized it as well and seems in a hurry.
"Tomorrow morning?" Reika asked with a rhetorical tone as a new tab pops out with several list, dates and schedules unchecked that he removed one by one.
"Uhm, yeah, Sure tomorrow morning. That's fine."
A new note from those schedule was created.
________________
[ ] Hanging out a whole day with Chiyou. (Locations needed ASAP).
...
"Yey! Alright, goodnight again."
"Yes, goodnight Chiyou."
Reika with a flick of his fingers turned off all the lights. He pulled out a full face visor and wore it while turning off his computer. A small blue light escape from its crevices. And that only light is what illuminates the room. He pushed his chair towards the side of the bed to get close with Chiyou.
And all that remains is the cold and last lingering light burn before everything immerse back to the night.
...
"Rei... Once again... T-thank you." The weak voice shivered, hiding those tears in the dark.
"You're very welcome Chiyou. Thank you. Sleep well, dream well."
His kind reassuring words even, that simple consoled her. The sniff and hicks of her final cry is all that remained in the darkness. Until it was slowly consumed by the dormant night. Sleeping peacefully together with nothing to fear again.
[Everyone who knows how to love are moths to the flame! The other moth knows the danger of fire and is attracted to the other moth… And the other is attracted to the light of fire. The other knows it cannot fight the fire with its pitiable strength and the other is blind to the pain of that light. So the moth could only burn itself on fire, and the other could only follow the moth he loves to this uncaring and inevitable charm of light.] -Love burns the brightest in fire, by Maine Cellion.