Date- 31 Mar 2321
Time- 20:58
Location- Sky Blossom City, Old City, Abandoned High School, Bright Lions Party.
“So, what do you think?” I asked Anna looking at the rooftop candlelight dinner arranged by Nick for my dinner out with Anna.
“It is far from the party noise. I guess it is okay.” Said Anna reluctantly.
“Come on. It is excellent. The starry night sky, moonlight, candles, expensive wine, rooftop dinner, what else do you want?” In my books, Nick had pulled all the stops for dinner for two. Though it was a tad bit romantic as long as it kept Anna satisfied, I am good with it. But she wasn’t.
“Sigh, what was I expecting? Let’s get over with this.” Anna had a lot of lovers, each pampered her to their best. Compared to them, her current crush’s efforts seemed a bit lacking and insincere. Funny how out of all of them, she lost her heart to this one. The only consultation was that others were doing it to get into her pants, and this one wasn’t.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked as Anna’s sigh got my mood down.
“This arrangement may be excellent for a mortal woman. But compared to dinner on the clouds, this is nothing.” Anna complained.
“Dinner on clouds? Did you just compare my rooftop dinner with a dinner on the cloud? Good! I can’t fall behind now, can I? Especially after hearing that.” Though I wasn’t interested in a dinner date with Anna, I hated doing things half-heartedly. So I couldn’t let Anna have a rooftop dinner when she compared it to dinner on the clouds.
“Oh! Then what are you going to do about it?” Anna asked with a naughty smile. She enjoyed that I finally began to care about the dinner I promised her.
“Stone Viltronian! I choose you.” I summoned a stone Viltronian. This one was special as it has managed to comprehend the float meaning at the bifurcation point of the gravity rule. The next part was obvious. I had the Stone Viltronian float the entire building we are standing on to the skies above the clouds.
I had the entire building float above the clouds so that catering services would be available as Anna and I had our dinner floating above the clouds. Nick hurried downstairs to control the catering staff and assure them that everything was under control.
“Now, have you ever had dinner on the rooftop of a floating building?” I asked Anna.
“Actually, floating restaurants are pretty typical in the capital city.” Said Anna but looking at my sullen face, she consoled, ” But I never got to have the entire building to myself. This is better.”
“Um… even though I know you are saying things to console me. I will take the win.” Comparing what I could provide with the luxuries Anna had experienced would be foolishness. So I took the win that Anna gave me.
“Good! I like a smart man over a foolish one who always feels insecure and compares with others.” Saying that, Anna walked to the edge of the terrace and, looking at the full moon in the night sky, she muttered, “it’s beautiful.”
“Good to hear that you like it.” And with my signal, the band started playing soothing music.
“…” Anna and I stood side by side, gazing at the moon in the starry night sky. The music had us fully immersed in the beauty of the universe.
“Since we have music, would you like a dance?” Anna asked.
“It would be my pleasure.” I took her hand, walked to the rooftop center, and signaled the band to play slow music. Something we can dance to.
*music*
With my arms warped around Anna’s waist and her arms warped around my neck, we slowly swayed to the music. Anna’s head rested on my chest, and my forehead rested on top of her head.
Thank you, viltronian height.
We didn’t speak, just enjoyed each other’s company. Despite the background music, we could feel each other’s heartbeats. They seemed to be in sync.
“I haven’t felt this peace for a long while. I missed it.” Anna murmured softly.
“…” I did not know how to reply to her, so I decided to listen.
“Can you hold me for longer?” Asked Anna.
“Anything you want. Tonight is your night.” Honestly, I, too, was enjoying Anna’s company. A little companionship would not hurt, so I agreed with Anna.
*Music* We continued to sway to the music silently. We seem to have forgotten the passage of time in each other’s embrace. I don’t know about Anna, but my mind was blank and relaxed. But this tranquility did not last for long. It was disturbed by a call to my grimoire.
I ignored the call, hoping to salvage the moment and believing that whoever was calling would take a hint. But nope, they called me again.
“Pick it up! It must be urgent.” The moment was gone. Anna let go of me and walked away from my embrace. Pissed, I checked the caller’s name ID. It was Van. Couldn’t he just use Hive AI to contact me?
“Yes, what is it?”
“Boss, it is about your cousin Ronnie,” Van spoke solemnly.
“Yes, what about him?” So Ronnie is the real culprit to be blamed here.
“He committed suicide. But failed.” Van replied
“What happened?”
“He ran away from Southern academic city to escape the Bob butcher’s men. But failed to escape. Then he resorted to using suicide to threaten his pursuers, but they didn’t budge, and the accident happened.” Van explained.
“Where is he now?” Hearing the context behind Ronnie’s suicide, I could not help but frown.
“Bob Butcher’s men sent him to the medic. Though Ronnie’s life is out of danger, he is still in a coma. But our source down there says that they are planning to transfer him. We could not get the transfer location, but it is safe to assume that they are transferring him somewhere they can give him proper health care and keep an eye on him.” Van narrated the information he got from his sources in detail.
