Chapter 3: CHAPTER II

Entertainment was such a long hook to be deprived of. 

It can’t be helped when most of my schedules are always a slice of a long journey. When people work towards a given organization, the unwritten rule they have shouldered is always the right of attendance mandate which in any case applicable, cannot be omitted. 

Word is… an adult’s life is composed mostly of working—and a mere “time” of respite. Of course, “deprived of” is extreme towards any given population, and even the measly crowd would favor the decline of power. 

It would mean that they will fight against this treatment even if they are against the odds.

“Man… why do you want to talk in a place like this?” He said with concern and displeasure as he crossed his arms with a restlessly eager clapping foot.

“You got a problem with it, X?” I inspected the area around me and cleaned the dust off my clothes before my visions focused on him. “Fuuu, thought you’d gotten used to this job by now.” I blew a cloud of smoke off his face as his face contorted with disgust.

“What the fuck, dude? Tsk… Let’s just get this over with.” Unwillingly forced from a dirty sewer, he pulled a thumb drive out of the many pockets on his clothes. “Here’s the data from the organization. Every stench and sour stitch is there… be careful with that.”

I took it without any hesitation and hid it in my clothes before pulling out an envelope. “I’d never mess up something as simple as keeping good information.”

As usual, the trade was as simple as exchanging papers—it was as if the moment I started it out never existed and that this was always what happened.

“Just… no more sewer meetings, alright?” He took it and verbalized his annoyance before making his way out while spitting on the dirty waters.

A shitty attitude as always. 

I also made my way out after throwing the used-up cigarette. Outside, the freshness and scent of the breeze of the wind was a solace both in my mind and body—almost as if I drifted unto heaven. 

And from that second, the environment reverts to normal. The dried-up leaves fill up the city as many citizens walk over them with uninterest in their environment. The wind was suffocating like the sewer down below. 

It hits me that anything I’ve known so far wasn’t the same as before.

Like my style of entertainment… entertainment that is composed of small kids playing around the city with no sense of consequence or risk. It could even be a tour around the city or playing in the arcade section of a mall.

Those were the good days I thought were unlike any other and it still is. 

Now that I think about it… I sure have wasted a lot of time but it was so fun that I just kept thinking of being a kid for my entire life. Sure—there is an inner kid within us but having an inner kid isn’t the same as just being a kid without any responsibility. 

Always running… tripping… but smiling. 

Shit.

Before I knew it, my hands went down my pockets trying to take a hold of a cigarette until an officer was in the distance walking on the streets with his gaze on my left pocket. 

“No smoking please.”

Oops. Almost grabbed one. 

“My bad.” I bow my head and the officer passes by me after giving a warning.

You are reading story The World Behind the Surface: Flâner at novel35.com

That sucks.

Anyway, the difference between being an adult and a kid is like comparing apples and oranges. Everyone deludes themselves about this inner kid stuff but we’ve got responsibilities and paperwork to do. 

Our spare time is almost always working because who hasn’t gotten bored studying on their weekends?

If the upbringing or socio-economic background is different, then that’s a nice leap towards needing to put themselves towards the perspective of a working adult. Heck, that’s one major checklist out of the way.

Then again… it’d be nice if I could go on a hell-of-a-ride journey without ever being leashed like a dog serving my country.

It’ll be my last day here… at the very least, I should cherish my moments here and have a really entertaining day. But I always wonder what entertaining things I should do… because I’ve never done them myself. 

In any case, there is a lot of entertainment and it depends on people’s preferences. Whatsoever, someone like me doesn’t have much of a preference to choose from since I’ve never really done it for a decade.

Fortunately, I remember that the touchscreen phone has a google feature, especially the google map application. Not only can people search for places, but they can also track themselves in real time.

A single click and many different places rack up on the screen.

An aquarium catches my attention and looking at the review, my impression amplified, and decided this is the place I wanted to go. After looking for the best route, I started walking as I looked around.

“Ahh~!”

Without any sign of movement, I surprisingly collided with someone while I was on my way. Not any injury in sight and the crowds’ attention didn’t faze from that accident. 

Whatsoever, my phone flimsily got thrown on the corner of the cement. 

I stood to take the phone before assisting the person. 

The phone doesn’t seem to be broken and the screen is better than ever. Trying to see if it still functions, I executed different finger gestures and they all work well. 

I blow a good amount of air which relieves me and put the phone back in my pocket.

“You should be careful next time, okay?” I suggested before walking away, however, my clothes are clutched by a weak force. “Hmm?”

“Wait… please help me. I am looking for my little sister.”

As I examined her thoroughly, she was anxiously panicking and the tears in her eyes were getting closer to falling down her cheeks. 

I don’t really have time to go with this mess but the aquarium will have to wait.

“I am a detective. Please tell me everything you know.”

You can find story with these keywords: The World Behind the Surface: Flâner, Read The World Behind the Surface: Flâner, The World Behind the Surface: Flâner novel, The World Behind the Surface: Flâner book, The World Behind the Surface: Flâner story, The World Behind the Surface: Flâner full, The World Behind the Surface: Flâner Latest Chapter