Realizing that he had been staring, he snapped back to his mission— and with the assistance of this obliging stranger, it was reassembled in no time, climbing back to his full height. Jevon was considerably taller than the other man, which appeared to visibly baffle him, eyes blinking slowly in disbelief.  

“Goodness, me... Erm,” the man cleared his throat, reapplying his composed face. “Actually, now that I’ve gotten a better look at you... Oh, you must be indeed,” the tips of his fingers came together, and his chin lifted as if it would grant him a bit more height. “Hair as white as snow, a facial scar, and a hulking stature... You are Jevon Sebastian Fulbright of Public Relations, yes? I’ve heard tales of your exploits.”  

“Of... my exploits?” Jevon was taken aback; he did not consider himself to be some— celebrity, nor were any of his accomplishments particularly noteworthy. Typically, he was bound to his cramped office and only scarcely ventured beyond the boundaries of the palace, even though traveling in order to cultivate his knowledge of the world and the various cultures, ideologies, and people within it had been his primary reason— amongst… other things— for pursuing this field of work in the first place. 

Though his outlandish appearance did have him stand out more than he would prefer, he still did a good job at merging with the general crowd... Jevon was about to ask if, perhaps, he had the wrong person— but then again, a head of solid white hair at his age was a rarity, let alone his uniquely scarred countenance.  

“I’m... afraid that I haven’t done anything that commendable,” he settled for instead, his voice soft and sheepish. “Ah, and you are...?”  

“Oh, my! Now, where have my manners gone... Ahem, I am Sun Enlai: chieftain of the Bureau of Economic Innovation. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Sir Fulbright—” It was only after his introduction that Jevon finally took notice of the insignia that was emblazoned on the front of the man’s garment— a pristine diamond encircled in a halo of gold— which represented one of the world’s most prolific organizations: the Bureau of Economic Innovation. 

It was headquartered in the capital of the Koukan Empire, Lai— and hosted entrepreneurs, artisans, merchants, and engineers from all corners of the earth. And this... this was Sun Enlai, the current president of this esteemed consortium— multitalented, charismatic, and beloved by the masses for his compassion, impeccable acumen, and indisputable charms.  

“Oh... Oh, I— please pardon my behavior, Si— Sir Enlai,” he stuttered, bowing his head; when it came to their respective statures, after all, this man was leaps and bounds ahead of him: the statue of a marble god to a measly peasant, even.  

“Ah, please— there is hardly any need to stand on ceremony,” Enlai rebutted with a wave of his hand and an unfaltering smile. “... Please, just call me “Enlai.” I may have come to this nation for business, but I also intend to sample your wondrous culture... Igerenian cuisine is simply marvelous. Ah, but I’m getting off-topic— Sir Fulbright, you need to give yourself a bit more credit, hm? You’re so young and yet you have achieved such a sought-after position! I know that there are many who pine for what you have... Just recently, weren’t you sent out East?”  

“Indeed... I was ordered to open possible negotiations with Clan Mizuhara of Aomi… However, I’m afraid that the situation over there is far too dire at the moment... For my own safety, I was requested to return only after a few weeks... If… If nothing is done, they may find themselves in a civil war...”  

“Disorder seems rather commonplace these days, does it not?” Tucking his arms behind his back, Enlai approached the adjacent window, fixing his eyes on some unknown distance. 

 “... Even my country is enduring its lion’s share of inconveniences. While the Bureau has managed to maintain general order, the populace has become divided— the older generations are reluctant to change— while the young campaign for it. Not to mention, our Lord Emperor is rather inexperienced; he was born and raised in a family that prioritized their own greed over the lives of the people, and his predecessors died when he was only an adolescent... Furthermore, I believe that the power of kinghood has gotten to his head a bit. Additionally, the Asterian Empire is still recovering from that heinous insurrection from a hundred years prior... and Rauska, the great Empire of the Sun… the discord within the palace due to the recent disappearance of Prince Ravi… and… to add insult to injury, the light of their god has vanished, which has left the general masses feeling abandoned and lost...”  

Enlai shifted his gaze toward the other man, his brow furrowed with knowing, and his profile illuminated by the streaming sunglow. “... And here... the Kingdom of Igerene and the Kingdom of Codoslia have become bent on destroying the other after eons of steadily brewing hostilities. Part of me cannot help but wonder if this is some sort of... ill omen, but I’m not exactly the superstitious type. This world is evolving, whether the people are willing to accept it or not... but before new life can take root, sacrifice is necessary.”  

“An… ill omen, you say.” 

Jevon lowered his eyes to the floor as a bubble of nausea crested in his abdomen, though did his best to ensure that his uneasiness did not translate on the surface. Enlai, however, seemed to be the perceptive type— his eyes narrowed in scrutinization, but he did not commit to any extensive probing before he straightened his posture again and plastered on an amiable expression.

 “Well, we are all prone to failure every once in a while, Sir Fulbright. It is what motivates us to try harder, hm? And your previous feats far make up for this inconsequential blunder. If I remember correctly, you were single-handedly responsible for closing a deal with the Kingdom of Seploeen— and they are infamously rigid— as well as fiercely independent. I’ve heard comments on how you smoothly and intellectually managed to sway them to your side in spite of your ideological differences. It's people like you that allow a country to truly thrive... I would go through hoops to acquire such genius for my team.”  

Unaccustomed to praise, Jevon drooped his skull to focus ardently on the insignificant lines and designs across the floorboard. “I... you flatter me... Though, I don’t think I really did anything all that awe-inspiring...”  

“Nonsense— you are the foundation of this institution, Sir Fulbright. If anything, I think you ought to receive triple the amount of remuneration that they’re currently paying you... Oh, but this isn’t me trying to recruit you! That would be awfully presumptuous of me, would it not? I’m merely speaking from my own experiences,” though there was certainly something bizarre about this man, Jevon did not believe that it was in a disingenuous sense. Firstly, Jevon could tell that he was modeling a splash of makeup, which he presumed was meant to conceal his exhausted wrinkles, which he was able to pinpoint just the slightest of beyond the cosmetic veil. 

… And even without that nugget of foresight, given how passionately Enlai spoke about his work, anyone could tell how earnest he was. But the aspect that threw him off... he couldn’t exactly put his finger on it other than that he, again, had sensed it somewhere before. His very mien seemed to be suffused with this eternal light— wax that refused to melt. But what was it, exactly?  

“... Ah, forgive me. I didn't mean to hold you for so long; you were in the middle of your duties, were you not? I ought to get going myself— I had hoped that I could squeeze in a bit more sightseeing, but I fear that my vessel home will leave without me if I dawdle any longer, haha,” Enlai chuckled warmly. “... I’m grateful to have had this encounter with you though, Sir Fulbright. It does indeed feel like a stroke of destiny… if we ever cross paths again, then let us gather for tea. How does that sound?”

“Of course… it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Enlai… I sincerely hope the stars do bless our path and we are able to meet again,” Enlai cupped his hands and bowed, which Jevon returned with a polite nod. He watched as the other man maneuvered past him, his gait poised and exquisite, like the surface of a lake— accompanied by a trail of stardust chased his wake like a bride’s veil. And yet, as eager as Jevon was to unravel this puzzling existence—

“Oooooooh, Jevon— my sweet little sugar cookie!”