There is still a ray of light lingering in the yellowing sky above.

Despite the sun has already begun crawling back to its sanctuary, it still doesn’t enough cease the activity of the never-ending buzzing city. People seem to be filling up every inch of the street right before the day gets any darker. The final rush hour of the day.

Amidst the hustle, a blonde guy is paddling his bike relentlessly. Cutting through the traffic. Seeking the smallest gap he can pass through, traversing the crowded street in the evening. Filled with cars from one end to the other.

“Whoa, sorry ‘bout that!”

For the only-God-knows-how many times, he almost got hit by a car in the middle of crawling traffic.

What a clumsy guy.

While he keeps on forcing himself to go through every gap on the street, what is it exactly that makes him be in such a hurry this afternoon?

Minutes passed, and so does the vistas around him slowly changing. From the busy streets with skyscraper buildings to the quiet outskirts of the South District. He can even see the outer wall getting bigger and taller as he keeps on pedaling.

After cruising the hellish street for a bike, he finally takes a turn at crossroads before entering an alley not far from there. Numerous homeless people filled the main streets and the alley. Useless scraps and metal junk scattered all over the ground. The same goes for garbage lingering around the vicinity. In contrast to the metropolitan sight that he saw earlier.

“As I said, this is already way past the due date! You b*tch better pay the rent or move your f*cking ass outta here!”

“But I can’t pay a thing without any money don’t I!?”

Going inside the alley, he can see a commotion happening ahead of where he is heading to. Despite being separated by the closed door, they keep on arguing with loud words, barking at each other. The mumbled voice from the inside is as loud as ever.

He stopped and parked his bike properly, not forgetting to double-lock the bike first. Like a late hero, he quickly proceeds to approach them.

“Do you need something from them?” He said extending both his arm to the side, blocking the man’s access and vision with his blue eyes. Standing between the man and the front door.

“Who the heck are you interfering with my business?!”

“Calm down, sir with the big mustache! I just wanna help, you know…”

The man stepped back a bit from him. Throwing his gaze at his appearances, from top to bottom. Nothing weird, like a normal office worker with white and black attire. Untucked shirt. Loose collar and necktie. Until his eyes stopped around the waist, noticing something.

“Tch, fine, I’ll come back tomorrow!”

“…Eh…?

He is left dumbfounded seeing the man ignorantly walk away.

Whatever, it looks like his help is not needed anymore.

He turns his body, staring back at the flat door as if it’s laughing at his goodwill to help earlier.

Knock. 

Knock.

“Yeah, coming! This is not the same guy, right?!” It can be heard from inside there’s a girl’s voice replying, “Geez… how long does it take for you-”

“Eh?”

“AHH!”

“HAA!”

The peaceful evening abruptly crumbles in an instant as soon they both scream at the top of their lungs. Neither did they expect to see each other at this time of the day.

“Rueben, you idiot! Why are you even screaming?”

“Huh?” Spontaneously he tilts his head out of confusion, “I should be the one asking that. Why are YOU screaming… mo-”

“Sock it, don’t add curse words. You’re not cut out to imitate Zack, you know.” Spat Aura pointing her index finger.

“Ehe… I know, it can’t be helped…” Rueben scratches his head nervously. “He is just being a cool guy daily. I wonder how it feels…”

“Idiot! Don’t make a good-for-nothing sleepyhead your role model.” Hissed Aura, “Is that why you tryna to look brave enough to confront the landlord?”

“W-What do you mean? I’m always like this!” Said Reuben with trembling feet.

Seeing him so, Aura sighed heavily, “Anyway, why did you come here?”

“Well… nothing particular… Just want to see you guys once in a while.”

“As expected…” Responded Aura with an uninterested face. “Isn’t your internship place in the east district? I mean it’s quite far, right?”

“Yeah, I do work there for a while. But today, I just finished applying for a new job in the west!”

Her eyebrows furrowed upon hearing it, “Seriously, Rueben. How many part-time jobs do you do…?”

“Umm… well… if I’m not mistaken… Only seven at the moment, with today’s appliance then it makes eight.”

“Wh-What!? Ei-Eight!?”

“Yeah, it’s not a big deal, isn’t it?”

“…”

For a moment, Aura’s mind has left the chat after knowing the shocking revelation. A total contrast with the guy that has been living in the house for years.

Their difference, was as if the shimmering ray of light trying to reach the darkest hole inside an abyss. Even if the universe decided to meet them both together, the only thing that surely will happen is the reduction of time efficiency which could be useful for the well-being of humankind instead of wasting it on an apparent useless effort.

While Aura is still shocked, Rueben casually walks inside and immediately takes a seat on the sofa. Cycling his bike all the way here during rush hour drains out every drop of his body liquid and makes his throat soak in the dry cold dust.

“Aura, you have something to drink?” He glanced around the room.

“How do you even keep up with all of them??” Suddenly she snapped back to her mind, almost sending Rueben jumping out of shock, “Are you a robot or a damn horse?”

“Usually I just drink a lot of water, so I won’t get dehydrated. I mean it’s easy right?”

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

Aura squints her eyes after realizing something is off. Immediately sends a hand chop right at his head.

“Don’t be so carefree walking into people’s houses, idiot! And who the hell do you think you are ordering me around!?”

“Eek! I’m sorry! I-I mean… You’re just standing there without saying a thing!” He squirmed covering his head.

“Huft… Fair enough. I’ll get you some water.”

With a heavy limp in her legs, Aura headed for the kitchen to bring out some drinks for him. Rueben sits idly on the sofa while staring blankly at the ceiling above him.

“Oh, so that’s what you meant...” Spoke Reuben suddenly, “Well… the task is not that hard, though. I just need to do some delivery and simple stuff for the supervisor.”

“Huh?”

Out of the blue Rueben talks with himself. Aura looks at him with disgust. Shortly, the neuron in her brain finally reconnects for a while after the silence took over the room. She gets it now.

His brain… is lagging…

“Hmm? What’s with that face?” Asked Rueben the moment she puts some cups on the table.

“Nothing… I just realized how similar you and Zack are.”

“Really? Well, come to think of it, we both-“

“In terms of annoyance.”

“…”

The breeze of cold air can be heard faintly yet sharp enough to scrape his heart. Not saying a word, Rueben can feel a nerve twitching after those words spoken by the innocent-looking girl in front of him.

“What?” Aura glanced at him feeling a stare towards herself.

“…No, nothing.”

“Stop looking at me like that, you pervert.”

“Ah! O-Okay then!” Rueben quickly drinks his water until nothing’s left to cover up his embarrassment. ”It’s kinda awkward, isn’t it?”

“I guess so…”

Aura replied with a gloomy face, staring at her cup blankly. Realizing the expression on her face, Rueben stares at her curiously. Shortly he looks around the room, swiftly averting his gaze from corner to corner, looking for the whereabouts of a certain person.

“Zack! C’mere! I’m home~”

“He’s not here.”

“Eh? Where’s Zack, though? He’s usually in his room, right?”

“Tell me about it.”

“Wh-what? You know it’s not a good thing to let a stray guy like him loose on its own!”

“Well, It’s not something bad though.” Said Aura rolling her eyes. Anxious. “But still… can you look for him, somewhere…”

“Looking for Zack inside the whole colony, huh…??”

“Umm… I’m sorry! I know it’s rude of me to ask someone as busy as you to do me a favor! Well, I’m gon-”

“Nah… it’s fine.” Rueben stands up. Stretching his body, “I don’t mind it though. What’s the point of coming here if I haven’t met him? So I’ll do it.”

“Ah, thank you, Rueben!”

“No need to thank me! It’s only natural that the savior of the day does such a thing!”

“…”

With all the heroic pride swelling up in his fantasy inside his brain, Reuben starts talking about himself as Aura stares at him with an utter queasy feeling. At the doorway, his step stopped before turning his body and facing Aura that standing behind.

He gives Aura a weird gaze on her face, peering his eyes to get a better view.

“What!?” Shouted Aura at his face.

Reuben frantically straightens up his body. Her sudden loud voice made him taken aback. No words were uttered, he put his hand on his chin afterward. Humming his mouth. Thinking about something before taking a breath to let things out of his mind.

On the other hand, a weird feeling lingered in the back of her mind seeing the expression on his face. That serious face of his can only mean he cracked something in his brain.

“Aura.”

“Uhh… yeah??”

“Are you perhaps… worrying him?”

“Ehh?? What? N-no, of course!” She quickly denied it. Yet in a short time, her face is turning red. “I-I mean… maybe a little bit. Cause… Umm, well… without him coming back, I won’t be able to make food for pops and myself!”

“Is that it?”

“Yes! It is what it is, okay! And I don’t have any sort of creepy attachment toward him! Don’t get the wrong idea!”

 “I see… well then, I’ll be going now.” Said Reuben as a smug grin appears on his face,

“Hey! What’s with that face!? It’s not like what you think, okay!”

It doesn’t take long for Rueben to take off from that place, paddling his bike with all his got to quickly get away from Aura’s wrath. What’s left, is a slowly disappearing silhouette as he turns at the end of the alley.

After a complete silence engraves the air, Aura closes the door tightly, letting out a long-held breath.

“That guy… I’ll make sure to kick his ass when he’s back!”