Chapter 8: 5th Fragment – Friends’ Meeting

"This is called meatball, right?" asked the man with slightly messy blonde hair as he sat across from Rio, "It looks delicious."

"While we are in the past, I think we should make the most of the opportunity. It's not bad to try some of the food here." Rio replied.

 

Rio and Valerie were enjoying their lunch break at the town hall canteen. According to their Record of the Past, those two worked as staff in the city layout division. So, they must play the role that has been given without any mistakes.

Meeting with superiors and colleagues from one division has been done. However, the two of them still needed to look more at what was around them.

One of them is this employee canteen.

 

"I agree!" Valerie was so excited and pointed at his best friend, "By the way, have you understood enough about the information regarding this city?"

"Kinda covered it," said Rio briefly as he tried his food. "Wow, this is delicious."

"So, is the city described like what it is stated in the Ringnet?"

"Didn't you have time to go out these days? You can check it yourself." Rio looked at Valerie questioningly.

"I didn't. Some matters need to be dealt with first."

 

Rio didn't reply immediately and took a few bites before clearing his mouth. 

 

"Tantoris is a small town close to two mountains. There is a stream of water which is contained by a dam between those mountains. Thanks to the position of water source which comes from the mountain, the city is divided by the main river in the middle. It has two large bridges connecting the west and east sides."

 

Valerie was busy sipping his noodles while still focused on listening to his best friend. The seasoning flavor is strong enough to automatically stimulate his hands to shove more noodles into his mouth. 

 

"It doesn't have an airport, but it still has access to out of town via city roads, both for logistics and other things. Trains are also among them. I guess it's because this is a small town."

"Thothall agreesss."

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Rio is pissed.

 

Valerie didn't heed the warning and made an exaggerated noise while sipping his food instead. After hearing such a voice, Rio wanted to sprinkle his friend's face with pepper on the table.

Until then, someone came and joined them at the table.

A girl with a sweet stature, short black-haired that covers the back of her neck, was also present at the meeting of those two. She smiled faintly to see that her two best friends were still together as they did in the future.

 

"So, Rio. I heard something really interesting." Valerie finally talks without his mouth being full.

"Something that interests you the moment we're arrived in the past?"

"Yes. It's almost like an urban legend. But, do you know there's a hidden feature in every communication ring we wear?"

Rio is making sure that he isn't misheard anything. "Huh? What's that?"

Valerie smirks. "They said it can grant whatever the wish of the bearer."

"Are you sure that you're not reading a hoax information right there?"

"Good afternoon, guys. Finally, we meet again."

 

Someone suddenly popped out in the middle of them, along with her gentle aura that's almost like a breeze.

 

"Rita!"

"It's nice to see you around again. It's been a while since our preparation meeting for this journey to the past," said Rio.

"Um. It feels like a long time because we all have to go through training."

"Fortunately, we also work in the same place and in the same city," said Valerie.

"Yup. So being able to gather like this is easy enough," said Rio while drinking from his glass, "So, Rita. How do you feel after coming to this timeline?"

"Not bad. I have a grandmother at this time, and she is quite friendly. We spent a lot of time chatting on the first day."

"Oh. Pretty fun too. Well, for me—"

 

The three shared their first impression when they had just arrived in this city. How they tried to get to know their families of the past—even though everyone doesn't realize they came from the future thanks to the manipulation caused by 'Records of the Past'—seeing cities of the past with their own eyes and appreciating how the earth looked when humanity didn't destroy the environment yet.

Fresh air, blue skies, and some stars that illuminate the earth at night are something they can't take for granted.

 

Rio relax his muscles and leaned back into his chair, "Indeed, yes. Lots of unexpected things can be found here. The weather is clear, the sun is so safe against the skin thanks to the atmosphere that still exists in the sky, and meeting with Arisa."

"Meeting with Arisa, you say?" Valerie quickly shifted his focus towards Rio and Rita, who couldn't help but listen more carefully. "Is it the same person you've been looking for all this time? I haven't heard of this. Tell me more."

"So—"

 

Just before Rio started, he smiled awkwardly and looked away from his two friends. "Uh, somehow, I can't tell."

 

"What the hell? You met the person you've been looking for, Rio. Your hard work has paid off! I remember clearly how you were still busy trying to find information about Arisa's whereabouts. So, now tell the story!"

 

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Compared to Valerie, who was eager to hear Rio's story, Rita lowered her head slowly. The girl also wanted to know what Rio did when he met someone who always locked half of his brain.

 

"Sorry, I'm busy. Have to find information about Arisa first," said Rio when they were still at school

"Today I can't attend. There's something I have to do. Yes, it is true. It's related to Arisa's whereabouts."

"I want to find her. I think you know who."

 

And several other excuses Rio has said as he quickly withdrew his presence from Rita. She also remembers that her friend would leave when there was something related to his childhood friend.

Arisa is someone who likes ice cream very much, as far as Rita knows from Rio's narrative, Arisa is someone who once saved his life when they were little. That is why Rio was so determined to find her due to her sudden disappearance.

 

"We met by the river while she was enjoying his ice cream. We kind of talked a lot because we never saw each other again until now. And then," Rio paused for a moment.

 

However, the gaze from the two friends forced him to tell everything that had happened to Rio at that moment.

 

"I confessed to her in the end."

 

Valerie throws his face away so exaggeratedly that several people around them look at their table. Rio quickly reminded his very reactive friend before everyone's attention was pointed at those three. 

 

"Are you stupid or what?" Valerie seemed to want to curse in a whisper, "What sane-minded person confessed to a girl when they're just reunited after a long time?"

"I know, I know! But… it feels so tight in my chest when I think about the possibility of not being able to see her again. So while there is a chance, I immediately reveal and ask her to be my girlfriend."

 

Valerie slaps Rio's cheek lightly.

 

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Tell me, what is her answer?" Valerie asked, ignoring his friend's protests.

"Ah... then," Rio bit his lower lip, wondering whether this was a good sign or not, "Arisa asked for some time to consider it."

"Oh, Arisa should have rejected you on the spot."

"What did you say?!"

"Okay, okay," Rita tried to calm the two of them down, "I'm sure Arisa has her own thoughts. There's no problem with that. You just have to wait for a bit more, Rio. All that matters now is that you met with her again after all this time."

"I see. Yeah, you're right. Rita," said the man who was worried by his thoughts.

 

The girl smiled in response. However, something at the bottom of her heart appeared. It feels a little dark and painful.

Is this why she felt uneasy yesterday?

Rita lowered her head until she couldn't hear Rio and Valerie talking. Her mind wandered about Rita's insecurities. Arisa apparently also joined this project of the journey to the past and appeared in front of Rio.

The girl clenched her hands tightly, holding back something slowly emerging from within her chest.

 

No, you can't. Rio is my friend, and I have to support him too. Moreover, he has also been trying hard to find Arisa all this time.

 

The fact that Rio has already confessed his feelings to Arisa is too sudden for Rita. Her mind is unable to process the sudden information like this.

 

"Guys. I'm sorry, but I have to come back soon. Still need to adjust here and there."

 

Rita left the table before Rio and Valerie could reply. The girl quickly disappeared to the hallway that connected the cafeteria room with other rooms.

 

"Ah…"

"Yeah. She suddenly left us. As expected, anyway," said Valerie briefly.

"Because she still needs to adapt?" asked Rio

"No. There's something else."

 

Valerie knew that Rita's reaction just now was a way to save herself. It's easy for him to tell when he saw her face when she first heard Rio had confessed his feelings for Arisa.

 

"I think… I like Rio."

 

Valerie tidied his lunch, "Let's go back to the office. We still have a lot to learn with today's work."

"I agree," said Rio, following his friend to return to the office.

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