𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉ℯ𝓇 4 - ℱ𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓎 𝐼𝓈𝓈𝓊ℯ𝓈

Author's Preface

"Cheers," said everyone around, raising their glasses.

But among everyone, two had glasses filled with different contents compared to the others.

A man said, "Brothers, at least today, you need to drink some beer. Beer, it is beer, not whiskey."

"No," said Noir plainly, sipping the classy mineral water.

"No," Rubio followed, placing his glass on the wooden table.

The man from before moved his hands here and there as he said, "Come on, man, look, even new girl is drinking."

"The new girl," corrected Rubio before saying, "And sit. Why are you standing?"

Rokul sighed and sat down, and then he raised his mug to observe the dark yellow color of the beer.

"Umm... thank you for having me," said the new girl, Tiffany, taking a sip.

"So polite... Noir learn something from her." Then Rokan leaned in after placing the glass on the table and said, "See, Noir, I understand, Rubio... at least. He doesn't drink and doesn't smoke as well; he cares about gym gains, and he eats healthy only." Rokul's eyebrows tensed, and above them, his forehead wrinkled. "But you smoke; you eat unhealthy food as well, even though it is rarely... from what I have seen."

Wujin, who sat exactly opposite Rohan, chirped in as well, her voice quite melodic. "Yes, yes... Noir, please do tell?" She smiled. "Mr. Mysterious."

Rokul turned towards Wujin for a second, his lips slightly turned downwards, before he turned towards Noir again.

Their eyes met, but none of them said anything.

Instead, Noir shifted slightly, his left toe curled inwards. "No reason, honestly; I don't like drinking, that's all. You could say that I don't dislike feeling tipsy. Anyway, enough about me." Noir looked at Tiffany, who sat exactly opposite him, and smiled. "How was the experience today? All good?"

"Oh? Umm... It was very enlightening. Most of all, I believe this experience will be really helpful to me."

"Noir, learn something."

"No, but I am truly so grateful," Tiffany added. "Everyone was working, giving their very best, so coordinated and so sublime. It was almost like we all were in a trance."

Every person sitting at the table held a look of surprise.

"I took in the orders without ever needing to confirm; my recommendations were on track, and Rokul was holding the fort along with Wujin with tact. Although a few complained," she turned to Rokul, then Wujin, and continued, "Both of you solved the situation, minimizing the damage."

Rokul looked a bit too stunned; he blinked repeatedly like a pigeon. Wujin, as usual, giggled; she even laughed looking at Rokul, whispering something under her breath.

Meanwhile, Tiffany had found her latest to praise: "And Rubio, your bartending was really good. Like it was a show on its own, which people would pay for; I would pay for it. It was exquisite; I am lucky to have seen it right beside me. I don't know how to say it, but it motivated me to a great degree."

Rubio gave her a thumbs up and smiled.

And then came Noir's turn.

"Also, Noir, I am quite curious as to why you don't cook normally. I could see them, the guests and everyone, nodding their heads as they gulped down anything that had been touched by you. Most of all, even Rubio didn't seem to have a complaint; it was like he trusted you. Everyone did; everyone seemed at ease. So if you don't mind, could I ask you why? It is not like your salary will decrease; in fact, it will increase. Am I wrong, Rubio?"

"You are correct."

Everyone looked at Noir now, who sighed like an old man watching the liveliness of the youth ahead.

Then as his expression turned funny, with a bit of scrunching and furrowing, he said, "Honestly, I am rather lazy. On a side note, I am paid quite fairly, at least more than my post demands, and so I have no motive to change posts into something more troublesome."

"Fair enough," Tiffany nodded, and then she continued, looking at her colleagues around. "At that moment, as we worked so perfectly, my heart was content; I cannot describe how I felt. Words almost elude me. I was thinking I want to be with them all. That would be nice—" Then suddenly she paused. A blush covered her cheeks as she looked around the room. "I mean... I would love for all of us to work together again in the future. Umm... can someone speak, please? I cannot—ah... so embarrassing."

Noir smiled and said, "It was my pleasure working with you all as well. I completely understand the feeling you were talking about. Cherish it; it is like a special grain of sand in the desert."

Rokan added, "Good way to put it." He paused, then muttered with a softer voice, "It was fun. It was... fun..."

Wujin glanced at Rokul, her eyes softening.

She said in a voice, soft and gentle, "Rokul? What's wrong?"

Rokul didn't say anything for a few seconds. He peered into her clear black eyes, then he chuckled—it was the bitter kind.

Joining his hands, he placed them on the table and said, "I just thought about the day. I was thinking how fun and nice it was. But then... I understood something—that this day would not come back again. Kind of felt sad. Like, I know that we aren't all very close or even close; we don't even know much about each other after we go home." He paused, like he was structuring his thoughts, then continued, "Today was a national holiday plus a Sunday, and so the others are missing. They will all come back tomorrow. I know I should not say this... but... they feel like they only care about the money; they work, and they go. I don't know... like, they turn everything dull, like... selfish... they only look after themselves. Like most of the others are that way. When I thought about working tomorrow and the days after, it just felt sadder in comparison. Man, I hope such holidays will come back again, or..." He glanced at Wujin secretly, then averted his gaze immediately and said, "The others will leave their jobs, or they will change to the first shift. Won't we manage just fine with Marco?"

Noir didn't nod; instead, he said, "People have various problems, personal and not so personal. Many of them have friends at home, family, and hobbies and, most importantly, a different personality than yours; they have other things to do."

Why am I getting irritated?

Noir took a deep breath and said, "It is a job at the end of the day. The staff changes over time. We might have formed this group right now; I might leave, and you might as well. Also, just like we have formed a group right now, there might be others who have as well. You, I, or we might not be able to see it; that's all. Either way, I get what you are saying. But life is life. Let's not talk about such fruitless topics."

Rubio had a thinking look all along. Tiffany looked like she wanted to say something, but she held it in.

It was Rokul who spoke again, this time with a chuckle full of energy accompanying his words, "That is true. I don't know; I was just in that mood. Well, at least today is double pay; 50 solas per hour into seven is 350. I am rich; we all are. Rubio can afford more protein bars as well. And Noir can pay for the treat."

"Powder, chicken, and you talk too much."

Noir almost uttered, "Barstard."

Wujin giggled, placing her elbows on the table and her chin below her hand. Her dimple accentuated her smile as she said, with a glint in her eyes, "Rokul, how sweet of you? Cute... I feel the same."

"Cute?" muttered Rubio beside him, probably to himself.

Noir's eyes slightly widened as well as he observed the scene that lay ahead. The duo, both cheerful, one annoying and the other sweet, kept staring at each other, not blinking for a second. A tension grew in the air.

Rubio looked at Noir with a questioning gaze, who just nodded his head.

"Damn..." Rubio muttered softly. "This is allowed."

"What do you mean?" said Noir, covering his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter. "You have some random humor, I swear."

Tiffany coughed. "Guys, the barbeque is ready."

Noir didn't know why, but he found the word "barbeque" funny. His laughter was no longer stifled.

The dinner continued, with laughs and cheers. Noir, in particular, targeted the prawn and the pineapple pieces. They were the best, juicy and sumptuous, with the perfect amount of spice. But now, the chairs stood emptier. Tiffany had gone to the toilet, and Wujin had disappeared, saying she was going to check out the main course, and Rokul, without a care in the world, had followed her with an extra spring in his step, although his hands were clenched.

Finally, after 6 months, huh?

Right now, Noir had twisted his seat away from Rokul, slightly but perceptibly, as he tapped his phone. He was staring at the messaging app without which he would go into depression.

Clay (Heart): {Honey! Where is my honey? I am bored...}

Noir: {Clay. Busy today. Ttyl.}

Clay (Heart): {So cold!!!!! Hmph...}

Noir: {Claire, my dearest love, whom, without, I cannot see the day forward; as much as my soul longs for your presence and my breath seeks your breath, life has its tribulations and trials. I shall overcome them and return to your side even if I were to be half dead, even if I were to be missing a hand, or even if I were to be missing an eye. No, how foolish of me; curse my coldness; even if were to have not a body, but a only soul, it shall return to your embrace, its rightful place.}

Clay (Heart): {Claire should be changed to Clay. I like it that way.}

Noir: {Clay, my dearest love, whom, without, I cannot see the day forward; as much as my soul longs for your presence and my breath seeks your breath, life has its tribulations and trials. I shall overcome them and return to you even if I were to be half dead, even if I were to be missing a hand, or even if I were to be missing an eye. No, how foolish of me; curse my coldness; even if were to have not a body, but a only soul, it shall return to your embrace.}

Clay (Heart): {Good. Better.}

Clay (Heart): {Honey...}

Clay (Heart): {I miss you...}

Noir: {I'll try my best.}

The last message had been typed three hours ago, and Noir sighed looking at it.

For heaven's sake... will she ever know what she does to me?

Noir smiled, shaking his head. Just then, he noticed from the corner of his vision the gaze of someone else. When their eyes met, his averted them before he looked back at them again.

Rubio spoke before Noir could, in his usual semi-deep voice. "Never seen you smile that way..."

"Right..." Noir muttered, placing his phone, now closed, on the table. "We don't hang out too much, do we? You'll learn more about me as I will about you, in time that is."

"Girlfriend?"

"Nah... my mother. I love her; she is the sweetest person you will ever know." Noir smiled and questioned with a curious gaze. "By the way, what do you think of my smile in general?"

Rubio furrowed his brows as he placed his right thumb on his clean-shaven chin. Then, he pressed it, motioning it backward and forward as he made various expressions. Finally, he said, "I am not sure..."

"About?"

Rubio opened his mouth, and it stayed that way for a second before he said, "Nothing."

"I find it hard to be offended. Just say it," Noir chuckled and said.

Rubio cracked his neck once, then twice, causing Noir to tense. Was I too pushy?

But before he could think too much, Rubio muttered, "It is too polite but not unnatural; at the same time, it is unnatural. Quite like... well... there is a phrase actually in Kirsot: 'Afel us Surrukan er Surkanas kos Kulastorak aral.' It means 'Between the boundary of truth and deceit lies something way beyond the understanding of you all.' I get that feeling from you."

Noir chuckled. "My smile surely is profound." Then looking at Rubio with a more serious expression, he added, "Interesting... Does 'kos' mean 'lie'?"

Rubio narrowed his vision, nodded his head, and said, "Yep... that is a good guess. Not to sound obnoxious, but you are—at least you look Eleanorian. And generally your community just cares about English."

"Well, we do, most of us indeed... do. I had a friend long ago; he spoke Kirsot." Noir paused as his gaze softened. "His... family had settled in from [Orfak] when I was younger... far younger. Strangely... they spoke English more than Kirsot. Well, he liked using the words "bitok" and "blyat" a lot."

Noir's words turned distant towards the end, along with his gaze. Lost in his thoughts, he forgot the occasion for a second.

But that is when he heard the same voice from before: "Want to learn a bit more of Kirsot?"

Rubio was smiling, and so did he. Noir muttered, "Hmm... Why not? I must warn you that I am a good learner." He smirked. "An exceptionally good one."

Rubio cracked his neck and shook his shoulders as if he were warming up to a fight. Then he said, "Where do I start? Okay. That sentence, which I spoke in my mother tongue, do you remember?"

"Yes."

Is this guy getting ready to fight?

Rubio cracked his knuckles as he said, "Afel would be 'between the boundary'; 'us' would be 'of.'" The teacher shifted his chair in Noir's direction. "Surrukan would be 'truth'; Surkanas would be 'deceit'; Kulas-tor-ak would be 'something way beyond the understanding'; Aral would be 'you all.' Do you get what I am saying?"

Noir muttered, "Afel us Surrkan er Surkanas kos Kulastorak... aral. Yeah, I do. The way the grammar works is quite similar to English."

"Bitok!" Rubio cursed with a surprised expression. "Damn... You even have the accent. Although "us" could be improved upon, color me surprised; it is more like "Ush..." but with less of an "h"."

"Us..."

"Better, but damn... that's really impressive. I take tuitions, side by side, and you are the best case I have seen." Rubio cracked his neck again, and somehow it produced a sound. As he tapped his fingers on the wooden table like he was playing a drum, he said, "You know what? I'll teach you the basics of Kirsot, the logic part; let's see how quick you are on the uptake."

He surely seems excited.

"Kirsot moves left to right for one, even in the script, which is Kiron, in the same way English does. The word order and sentence structure are exactly the same as English, as you know. Anything that is a preposition will start with the sound "e," like "el," which means "between," and "erak," which means "on." In the case of, let's say... pronouns, masculine ones start with "p," feminine ones start from "t," and for neutral, there is no such rule."

Then he gazed at the table for a second, like he was thinking, before he continued, "Anything that is an abstract noun will start with Sur. So for example, Ruk would be dead. Sur-ruk would be death. Furthermore, though this is a bit more complex, "Ruk," "kan," and a few other concepts are the base of various words. "Ruk" would be "dead"; "ruk-an" would be "deceitful," and "sur-ruk-an" would be "deceit." The same addition rule would apply to pronouns as well to convert "him" to "himself," "her" to "herself," or even "she" to "herself." Any questions in context to what I have explained?"

"So I would assume that 'kan' means 'life.' Would the words added or concatenated always have a positive connotation? And let's say there is a concept..." Noir licked his lower lip as he thought for a moment, then asked, "Time? If I were to consider it as a concept, if it were indeed one, what would the nature of the words derived from it be?" Before Rubio could answer, Noir continued, "And as you said, prepositions would start with 'e,' so would any of these concepts you speak of start with the sound or letter 'e'?"

"Let's see." The drumming turned louder. "For your first question, the answer would be yes, but only the words themselves. A good example in English would be "He is as beautiful as a donkey." "Beautiful" would be positive, but the sentence would be negative unless... yeah..."

Both Noir and Rubio chuckled, after which Rubio continued, "As for your second question, 'time' is a really well-thought guess. Time would have words like "flow," "aging," "withering," etc., but you get the picture. The association will be with time itself, whether positive, negative, or neutral. And most concepts in their base form would follow similar rules. And for the last, the answer is a yes, although the scholars and priests are trying to simplify it."

"Interesting... truly interesting..." Noir muttered as he licked his lips.

"Now, in certain cases, two words or more are joined together, which can lead to various effects. Let's say... for example... 'beyond the boundary.' 'The' would be 'ros.' But if you notice, the sentence isn't pronounced as 'Af-ros-el.' This is because "ros" is presumed, and it turns into "afel." It is slightly complicated, but just for the sake of information."

Rubio clicked his tongue as he muttered, "Oh, god, I miss talking in my mother tongue. [ Libert], unfortunately, is the best for education."

"Hmm... I do know you lived in [Barbiranga] , but which city in particular?" Noir noticed the dismissive look given by Rubio before he justified, "Pch... Listen, I remember that it starts from A, but the name was a tad bit too confusing. It went above my head. Back then, and you seemed extremely overwhelmed that day, so I didn't ask."

"That makes complete sense. Keep your ears wide open, [Aarbirungaerla.] "

Noir stared at Rubio with a plain look.

Rubio repeated, " [Aarbirungaerla.] "

"Yeah. Right," Noir said with confidence, and then he continued, "Anyway, how's it learning two languages? I only had English, and my school..." Noir chuckled, a bit more than he normally would have. "I am from [Jarrock] ; it carries minimal diversity. It is, to be fair, much more limited than here."

" [Jarrock?] , my brother is studying in [Lusiana] . Which city are you from?"

Noir's voice lowered, " [Lusiana.] "

Rubio patted Noir's shoulder as he said, "Well, I'll come to you if he needs any help."

Noir smiled. "Sure."

It was then that, suddenly, Noir's phone vibrated.

"Just a second," he said.

"Take your time."

A notification showed on the lockscreen. He clicked on it and typed the PIN code, 2019, and then he read the message ahead.

Hilda: {Dear, how did everything go? I am sorry for adding to your workload. }

Noir typed, with a smile: {Hilda, it was fine. By the way, I am sorry. As per my judgment, I stuck a poster, not a well-decorated one, to the glass part of the door outside the cafe. In general, it was the closing notice along with an apology, using my own judgment, I made the promise of a 50 percent discount tomorrow.}

The next message came almost immediately. The old woman surely had some typing speed.

Hilda: {That is fine. In truth I am extremely grateful for your help and the others. Most importantly, come to my place for dinner today. Romael and Seona are suddenly excited now that I have said your name. They keep asking me, when is brother... brother... coming?}

Noir replied: {I really would love to, Hilda. I cannot, unfortunately. Dinner at [Barbeque Delicious.] Just had the starters.}

Hilda: {That is a pity... oh... are you out with Rokul and the others.}

Noir: {Yes.}

Hilda: {Wonderful. The bill is on me today. Just message me the amount and I'll transfer it to you.}

Hmm...

Noir thought for a second, then he typed: {Fine.}

Hilda: {Enjoy the rest of the day. Of course, don't forget to part a thanks from me to you all. I'll send them an email as well later.}

Hilda: {Bye.}

Noir: {Bye. Tell the kids I'll be there later.}

Noir closed the phone, and that is when another notification popped up.

"Damn... you are popular, aren't you?" he heard.

Noir just simply smiled.