Chapter 56 - Working night
After Ruby's question, I briefly summarized what happened at college and told her about the message. She asked me what I thought this new mission involved, but honestly, I said I had no idea. The mission's name gave a clue, but still, it was all very vague.
From my perspective, going back there with my everyday mindset could cause problems. As the saying goes, it's better not to have expectations to be surprised, or maybe it was another saying? Honestly, I have a terrible memory for this kind of thing.
As these thoughts passed through my mind, I didn't notice Ruby's expression. I only snapped back to reality when I heard her calling my name, interrupting my reverie.
"So... are you going back there again?" Ruby asked with a sad look.
Upon hearing that, I immediately turned my gaze to her, and a brief sigh escaped my lips. Unfortunately, I couldn't think of any way to calm her. If I just said everything would be fine, for some reason, I felt like I'd be lying.
"It'll be okay, you don't need to worry" I said, making Ruby turn her gaze to me. "I promise I'll do everything to come back alive. Remember I promised to see you off to college?" I added with a gentle smile.
Ruby didn't reply, just nodded. Still, I felt that would be enough for now.
"Now that we've sorted that out, I'm off to work. I've already missed almost a week" I replied, letting out a brief sigh. "Just hope I haven't been fired"
After that moment, my routine resumed its usual course. I stored Ruby's food in the fridge before getting ready for work. Unfortunately, for most of the week, we couldn't have dinner together, though there were occasions when my boss allowed me to arrive a little later at the cafeteria. I always made sure not to abuse that kindness.
With everything set, I left my house and headed towards where I would catch the train. The cafeteria was near my college, although it was a bit of a distance. I opted for it simply because it offered a good salary, and I could take home leftover food.
Well, although I call it a cafeteria, it's more like a restaurant. The chef just loves coffee, so there's a variety of different types on the menu. That probably contributed to making the place popular, as although it's a restaurant, the focus is clearly on the various coffees offered.
Speaking of which, I usually work in the kitchen, but I also help with delivering orders and at the counter, serving customers. The place isn't very big, so only the chef and I can handle it. We never felt the need to hire anyone else, which made me feel guilty for being absent for so long. If I were fired, I'd only be able to apologize.
Suddenly, I was snapped out of my reverie when a voice on the train announced the next stop. As the doors opened, I got off while other people boarded. It may not seem like it, but in my town, most well-paying jobs were available at night. The reason? Honestly, I had no idea.
As I walked through the almost deserted streets, my mind oscillated between the translucent screen in front of me, revealing our next mission in that place, and thoughts about Ellen and Noelle, which also began to occupy my mind.
(Well, I'm sure both are fine. Ellen seems pretty sturdy, and Noelle has high attack power. I reckon one will cover the other's needs if we don't meet up there) I thought as the café where I worked came into view in the distance.
On the sidewalk across from the shop, which exuded a routine elegance, stood a man with graying hair, indicating his advanced age. Yet, despite the silver strands, his appearance conveyed a youthfulness that defied his years.
He also seemed to notice my presence. As I approached, he leaned his broom to the side and stared at me intently. I genuinely felt guilty for having missed all this time, although technically, it wasn't my fault.
"Noah... it's been a while since we last saw each other, maybe 3 or 4 days, if I'm not mistaken" he remarked as I neared.
"Yes, sir, I'm really sorry for being absent for so long. There were some unforeseen circumstances, and..."
However, before I could finish my explanation, he raised his hand in a clear gesture for me to stop. Slowly, he brought it to his well-groomed beard and began to scrutinize it, a habit he always adopted when deep in thought.
"I won't blame you for missing out. I don't live in a cave; I've been keeping up with the news about the disappearances. I suppose you've come to tell me about that, haven't you?" he asked.
I couldn't deny that I was surprised he seemed to know exactly what was on my mind. I always felt like he had this gift of reading minds, and now, with my own powers, that theory seemed even more plausible.
"Do you think I could just be making this up?" I questioned, puzzled.
Despite the gratitude I felt for his trusting me so much, a serious concern crossed my mind: what if someone tried to deceive him and succeeded?.
"Are you the kind of person who would do something like that?" He chuckled as he asked me.
I shook my head negatively, making it clear that I valued my work and friendships greatly. My parents had always taught me to honor promises and commitments.
"We've known each other for just over a year, Noah. It may seem like a short time, but it's enough for you to understand who the other person really is" he replied, with a penetrating gaze, as if he could see through me.
In light of his words, I wondered if that was really possible. From my perspective, only exceptional people like him could achieve such a feat, which was one of the reasons why I admired and respected him.