We didn't talk until we got to the public transportation, where you could ride your vehicle. I thought he would leave me there, so I thanked him, but he said no, nodded his head, and motioned for us to go inside. To tell you the truth, I was still shaking without realizing it, it was a lot of emotions, so I didn't mind the company. The trip was fast and again in silence until we started our way and passing by an artificial park I gave him back his helmet, to go home after thanking him again.
— Wait!
— Yes?
— Can we talk?
He scratched his neck nervously, I figured he might mention the coffee shop, I wanted to avoid hearing it, however, in the end, I owed him a favor. I pointed him to a seat in the park, and after we sat down.
— You tell me, sir.
— Sir? I'm not that old, I'm only twenty-two.
— Good for you. I did it to annoy him, and it was worth it to see his face.
— My name is Lee, please call me by my name.
— Okay… Lee, what do you want to talk about?
— First, I want to apologize for the coffee shop.
— You already did it that day, and I told you it didn't matter.
— I know, but I still had to do it again. I started laughing. — Really? I don't know why.
— I don't understand.
— Forget it, you're excused.
— Thanks… Anyway, the other thing I wanted to know about is what happened on the bridge.
— You're referring to the wolves.
— Umju… I'm biotechnology, and I've never seen that interaction between a human and an evonimal.
— Is that what they call it?
— It's a way to distinguish between the ones we have in the reserves and the ones in the outside environment.
— Okay… I don't know what happened. I thought I was going to die, but we looked into each other's eyes, and something clicked. He behaved like a dog and begged me to pet him, at least that's what I understood from his gestures.
I shrugged my shoulders.
— That's wonderful! I was going to hit him with the moteco, however, as I watched him lick you, I was paralyzed.
— It was breathtaking, it has soft and beautiful fur, but when I reflect on how harmful they are and remember the bodies in the place, I cringe. How did they get in? It must have been the radicals. What about you? What were you doing there?
— Wait, wait!!!! You don't think I'm one of those crazy people.
— I don't know, anyone can be a deal.
He took a slow breath.
— I was there because I was coming…following you. — His cheeks turned pink. I looked at him, startled—. No… don't take this the wrong way, I had to give you your communicator. — He reached into his pockets—. Here, take it. You left it at my uncle's house, and I told him I'd give it to you.
— Oh! Thank you, seriously, thank you very much.
— No problem, you should be more careful, this is something essential why you took it off your wrist.
— I don't like to feel it wet, that's why I take it off when I clean. Thanks a lot, but I think you should go, right now, they will be seeking guilty people, if they see you here, they will take you away.
— Are you worried about me?
He said with a half-smile and mocking eyes.
— I'm doing it because you helped me, I'm returning the favor. — At that, a group with guns in their hands approached, so I ask him to put on his helmet-. Let's go to my house.
We got on his moteco and continued our way to my house. Once inside, I called for my father, but he was not there. I looked at my communicator and I had a message, I listened to it on my way to the kitchen.
— My dear daughter, I was called to the night shift. Don't open the door for anyone, and your dinner is in the oven.
— Wow! Too late, daddy, there's already a stranger in the house.
— Did you say something?
— Ah?! No, please sit down.
— Thanks
— Don't you have any friends from here?
— Ah, yes, lots of them.
— Then you can call them to stay at their house.
— Aha… it's just that they're not here.
— I'm sorry?! Do you or don't you have friends from here?
— Yes. —He said it with a slur, which caused me to raise an eyebrow at him—. I do, but they're working at the lab, and they're sleeping there tonight, I just had the day off.
— Oh! Okay… since there's no other way, you can stay here. Tomorrow we'll leave very early.
— We'll leave?
— Yes, of course, I must work.
— Ah! At the cafeteria.
— No, I start at noon. God, why do I tell him so much?
I mumbled the last part and he smiled.
— How many jobs do you have?
— Ah…three?
— What? Three jobs? But during which time do you study?
— Lunchtime and I was studying in the evening, I've already graduated.
— Oh, congratulations. Do you live here alone?
— No, with my father.
— And does he work?
— Of course, the factory keeps him busy, he even takes extra shifts because the pay isn't good, and he wants to help me pay for college. — I see. And what do you want to study?
— I want to be… I took out the book I was carrying in my backpack and showed it to him.
— Archeology?!
— Aha… I love it, I can't wait to see myself in a mine full of stories.
— It's a tough career, you know.
— Yes, however, I have one of the best as a teacher, Mr. Kim. He trains me and gives me these books.
— My uncle trains you.
— He taught me how to dive in his pool and how to climb, I'm not good, but I can do it. The truth is, I owe him a lot.
— When do you enter university?
— At the end of this year, I hope, so Dad won't have to work so hard. I'm going to study non-stop to be one of the best and get my father out of here. Anyway… are you hungry? — A little.
— Well, if you don't mind eating poor people's food, you're welcome to do it.
— Seriously, poor man's food, that doesn't exist, its food and that's it.
— You're right, I'll serve you.
— So, you've already raised all the money for college.
— This week I will get the payment and I will have all the money, for the first year and expenses.
I said excited and proud because I managed to get it together with my two years of effort.
— Hey! How come, just the first year and the rest?
— Well. — I bit my lower lip— I'll work every year to get it.
— You'll have three jobs too?
— If it is necessary, yes, though it's impossible with my class schedule, I'll manage. I'm applying for a scholarship; the bad thing is that I need a tutor.
— And why don't you ask my uncle?
— No, never! Your uncle has been wonderful to me, he not only pays me a high salary, but he also teaches me. It wouldn't be right if he had to carry a Latin girl, it would affect his reputation.
— What are you talking about?
— Leave it, come to dinner.
We ate quietly, he didn't say a word. I set up the couch for him and went to my room, wishing him good night. After showering and putting on my pajamas, I wanted to read, but I realized I had left the book outside, so I went to get it. He was asleep, and it is unclear to me why I couldn't help but look at him, he was handsome. With a height of 6.17 feet (1.88 m), not at all normal for the Asian part, I would say, a black hair like ebony and silky. White skin is not as white as mine, although most humans these days were white-skinned due to little contact with the sun, still, we varied in tone. His eyes were almond-shaped, and his nose was thin as were his lips, completing his face perfectly. He was a temptation, clearly many women fell at his feet, besides having a certain charm, something about him was very attractive.
— You know, it's quite awkward that, someone is stalking you.
— Oh, Gaia! What a scare. — I breathed with one hand on my chest, my heart pounding—. I wasn't stalking you, I came to get the book, good night.
As I was leaving, I saw her half smile, I couldn't help but feel myself blushing with embarrassment.
The next morning the smell of brewed coffee woke me up, yes coffee, still exists currently, and it keeps us alive. I got up and after getting ready I went out to the kitchen. The image I found was incredible.
— Hello, breakfast is ready.
I thought my eyes were going to pop out, the smell was coming from my kitchen, where did the coffee come from? Although we still had some, it was a luxury to have them at home.
— Where did you get this?
I asked with the cup already in my hand.
— Ah! I asked a friend to give me some as a gift.
— Really?
— Yes, in fact, he doesn't live far from you.
— And if so, why did you sleep here?
— Right… I just remembered him today, don't tell him anything.
— I don't know him, and you have an answer for everything, don't you?
— Maybe, come on, let's finish, we must go.
— Thank you… I haven't had breakfast like this for a long time, I guess since my mother died.
— I'm sorry about your mom.
— No… it's okay, I don't remember much about her, I was six, so I don't know what happened. And my dad doesn't talk about it.
— I guess he's got a reason for that.
— I suppose.
We finished breakfast in silence as usual, and he took me to my first job at a flower shop. I handed him his helmet and he asked me when my shift at the coffee shop was over. I told him four in the afternoon, and he nodded and left. This person was quite weird, but at the same time, there was something about him… I don't even know how to explain it. I also don't know why the hell I spent the whole day thinking about him.