Chapter 23

Apollo

Apollo slid into the seat opposite Tori. The restaurant was nice, not as touristy as he expected. He looked around, the place seemed very traditional, with waterfalls on the wall and different words written in Kanji. "Isn't it nice?" Tori asked, looking around as well.

"Yes, it is, very nice." He mumbled. He could never see himself taking Faline to a place like this, he would burn it down in a matter of minutes from sheer boredom. E huffed, remembering the lie Faline had told him. He huffed, combing a hand through his brown and white hair. He glanced at Tori.

She was looking at the menu, happily humming a song in her head. If only she knew. 

He sighed, looking down at the menu himself. There were multiple different types of food, with some being Japanese but others being American or Italian. Apollo had quickly decided that Penne with Vegetable sauce. "Babe, have you ever had a hot dog before?"

Tori, being American, tend to recommend his foods. It was irritating, but tend would never point that out. He shouldn't be mad if it's the better option. If she's the better option. But for some reason, Apollo didn't see her as a wife, but instead a friend. She needed something more than a friend.

He loved the girl sitting in front of him dearly, yet it wasn't how it used to be. Wasn't how it was with Faline. The world didn't stop when she said three words to him. She couldn't break down the layers Apollo had built for himself, only Faline couldn't. 

There's no point in choosing which one is the better person. Since that answer was clear and was rigged. He knew who he wanted, and there's no point in trying to change that. He couldn't love Tori, he wouldn't be able to love her the way that he could love Faline. No matter who he was.

He didn't fall in love with that side of him.

Apollo sucked in a breath, looking up at Tori. She was looking at him expectantly, why? "Yes?" He asked, confused at the sudden eye contact. Could she hear his thoughts? That would make a lot of sense. She clears her throat, adjusting herself in the seat, before looking back down at the menu. 

"Tori? Are you ok?" He questioned. Did he miss something that she had said? He watches as she looks at the menu, no words coming out of either of the two mouths. Something was wrong, but Apollo didn't know what. 

"Whose Faline?"

Apollo was taken aback by the sudden words, more or less what she said as well. He struggled to find an answer, tapping his finger on the table. "Um, he's the guy you met. With the pink hair," And blue eyes, and pale skin that almost looks like snow. He sighed sadly. She hums, continuing to look at the menu. 

"What are you getting?" She asked, looking back up at him. She had a smile back on her face, but he could still tell that there was something wrong, something that wasn't just clicking in his brain. "Just some pasta. Tori, why did you bring him up?" He asks, locking eyes with hers. She seemed hurt, but the smile on her face said otherwise. 

Unlike Faline, he knew which one was real. "You just whispered his name, I barely heard it." She shrugged. She looked at the menu once more, before smiling. "I think I'm going to get a corndog. I need a reminder of home." She laughs quietly, though Apollo only silently nods. 

The waiter comes up to the two at the booth, with a note pas and a smile. "Alright, what can I get for you two as a starter?" He asked with a smile. Tori looks at her menu, not thinking of a drink. However before she could answer, Apollo did first. "Two glasses of water, please. No lemons, no ice." She looked up at him with a glasses of water smile, before looking at the waiter and nodding.

"Alright, two plain glasses of water coming up!" He said cheerfully, before making his way to the next table. Hitori looked up at him, confused. "Why did you pick that? So boring." She said with a soft laugh. Apollo shrugged. "Get boring drinks, then exciting food. I heard its science." He smiles at her, but his smile fades slightly when he notices what he said. 

He's going to have to tell her, he knows he will. He looked up at her, his face drawn to its neutral form. "Can we talk for a moment? Just talk and be serious?" She looked at him confused but nodded. "Of course hu, what is there to talk about? Is it something bad?"

"Hitori, I'm cheating on you." The world froze, for the third time that day. But only this time, only this moment, Apollo froze as well. She looked up at him, with weary and broken eyes. She doesn't seem shocked or hurt. She doesn't seem like she was mad either.

"I know."