As he decided to accompany Esiah, they walked a long way together, observing that they weren't the only ones; students from several other schools were also heading home, their laughter and chatter filling the air. Esiah glanced up at Theos, her eyes bright with anticipation.
"Hey, are you free tomorrow, Saturday?" she asked, her voice slightly tinged with hope.
"Yeah, I am!" Theos replied, smiling at her eagerness. They agreed to meet the next day, both feeling a spark of excitement at the prospect of spending time together. To avoid an awkward situation, Theos dropped her off on the way to his apartment. Later, Esiah learned that her father had sent Sebastian to pick her up, and they'd just missed each other.
After arriving at the building where he lived, Theos stepped into the mini-market. It was a small, brightly lit shop with shelves stocked with essentials, mandated by government regulations so that every building could withstand a crisis for at least a month or two. He picked up a few refreshments, the smell of freshly made snacks wafting through the air, before heading back to their apartment.
"I'm home!" he announced, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet space.
"Welcome back!" his sister Louise called from the living room.
Theos placed a bag on the table. It contained ice cream, and the bag was made from a special biodegradable material that could even be eaten—an innovation that made food packaging feel more sustainable and exciting.
"Thank you, Louise," he said, chuckling as she hurried off to grab the ice cream from the table. While he headed up to his room, she stored what she wouldn't eat in the fridge, eagerly unwrapping her ice cream bar as she flopped onto the sofa.
In his room, Theos launched his terminal and scanned for information about why his school had released them early that day. Aside from the fact that all the schools had done the same, he couldn't find anything substantial. His curiosity piqued, and with his schedule turned upside down, he decided to move everything forward. He began replaying a game Mahito had lent him, finally beating his previous record. However, the scene he couldn't remember still eluded him; it felt like a fleeting dream. Frustrated but tired, he eventually gave up as time slipped away.
As the evening grew late, he left his room and grabbed an ice cream from the fridge before heading to the living room, where Louise was still glued to the screen, seemingly lost in the animated chaos. He moved close to her, though she didn't appear to be really following the show—it was just background noise, filling the silence.
"Hey, what's happening?" Theos asked, flopping down next to her on the couch.
"Nothing much," she replied absentmindedly, her eyes glued to the screen.
The door clicked open, and they both knew it could only be their mother.
"Mmm," they murmured in unison, still focused on the projection.
"I'm back," announced their mother, her voice cheerful.
"Welcome back!" they replied at the same time, breaking into smiles.
"So, how's it going?" she asked as she passed through the living room, her eyes scanning the scene.
"Nothing's going on," Theos replied, and Louise nodded in agreement.
"I understand. I'm going to take a bath, then we'll have dinner."
Louise jumped to her feet and commanded the projection to stop. She and Theos moved into the dining room, which opened onto the kitchen, and began to set the table. Their mother joined them shortly after, having prepared dinner in the morning, so all that remained was to serve it—an important function of their preservation device. It was a light but rich meal.
"Thank you for the meal," they chorused after finishing.
"I'm going out tomorrow," Theos announced casually.
Louise watched him closely. If he was mentioning it in front of their mother, he must be seeking permission.
After a brief silence, she hesitantly asked, "Can I come?"
"No!" Theos replied, his tone more abrupt than intended.
"Out to where?" their mother interjected, a curious eyebrow raised.
"A friend invited me."
"Okay, but stay safe and don't be late. There's been a strange atmosphere since this morning, and I've heard rumors at work about a curfew request," she warned, concern etched on her face.
"I'll be careful," Theos assured her, his mind racing. "But does a curfew have anything to do with the fact that all the schools had to ask students to go home?"
"I don't know much about it. Let's wait and see," she replied, a hint of worry in her voice.
"Alright!"
After their brief discussion, the entire family left the dining table. As Theos made his way out, he felt a blend of excitement and nervousness fluttering in his stomach. The thought of the day ahead with Esiah kept his mind racing.
On Saturday morning, after enjoying a quick breakfast, he prepared himself meticulously for their outing. He sent Esiah the coordinates of where they would meet, anticipation coursing through him. As he had hoped, she arrived by car at the appointed time, her smile lighting up his day. Theos had planned their itinerary carefully, checking out various places of interest, and everything unfolded smoothly.
Their first stop was shopping. With Esiah's ID card inserted into a terminal, her data was processed, and a virtual model of her appeared on the screen, showcasing the clothes she had chosen. Theos felt a blush creep onto his cheeks—seeing a digital version of Esiah in trendy outfits was almost too much to handle, like witnessing a live fashion show in front of the person he admired. They continued to explore different shops, laughter bubbling between them as they shared thoughts and dreams.
— Theos, you know, I wanted to tell you something; Esiah began, her voice a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
— I wanted to thank you for agreeing to come with me today, but that's not all…" She hesitated, her cheeks flushing slightly as she took a discreet breath, trying to gather her thoughts.
Sensing her anxiety, Theos remembered a quieter spot nearby that would be perfect for a more serious conversation.
— Wait, come with me; he said, gently taking her hand. She tried hard to hide her embarrassment but couldn't help a small smile as she followed him.
"Where are we going?" she asked, glancing around at the bustling streets, wondering if passers-by might think they were a young couple.
"I know a quiet corner where we can chat. I have something to tell you too," he replied, his heart racing with excitement.
Her pulse quickened as they made their way through the city streets, and soon they arrived at a charming little spot along a riverbank, a lush expanse of grass surrounded by trees that provided a refreshing escape from the concrete jungle.