(at a local restaurant somewhere in Sector C)
DANMAN- Hmm, interior looks nice.
AMY- Yeah!!
KYO- So... who's gonna pay for the food?
NIKO- WHAT- I thought today's dinner was free (;-;)
OATMEAL- Nothing in this world is free, Niko.
NIKO- True (T-T)
BISCUIT- It's alright, guys, Enzi will pay for us today, right???
ENZI- Huh? Who said that-
BISCUIT- You still haven't given me the celebration party for your promotion to SSP :(
ENZI- Uh.
BISCUIT- C'mon, man.
ENZI- Fine, fine, I'm paying for the dinner tonight.
ALL- YAY!!!!!
BISCUIT- Why so silent, Bayzee?
BAIZHI- (comes back to senses) Uh... me?
BISCUIT- Yes. You.
BAIZHI- My bad, lost my focus for a second.
AMY- Are you doing okay?
BAIZHI- Yeah, pretty much. I guess...
OATMEAL- Hmm. Seems like the backlash affected you a lot.
DANMAN- Yeah.
BAIZHI- Hmm... sort of.
BISCUIT- Hey man, it's alright. People come and go. Haters gonna hate. You should never give up!!!
ENZI- Did he just throw 3 different motivation lines at once?
KYO- Lmao!!!!!!
BISCUIT- I know, right? I'm so cool.
ENZI- But yeah, it will take time to make an image here. Don't worry about it.
BAIZHI- Hmm.
(someone enters)
DRUNKE- Huh?? No invite to me? How rude...
BISCUIT- HEY!!!!!!
DANMAN- Here he comes.
DRUNKE- Wassup homies.
BISCUIT- You gotta join, man. Enzi is paying for dinner tonight.
DRUNKE- What, really??
ENZI- I'm forced.
BISCUIT- Heh.
DRUNKE- If that's the case, then hell yeah!!
OATMEAL- Here, have a seat.
DRUNKE- Thanks, man. (looks at Baizhi) I have seen you somewhere.
BAIZHI- Oh. Uh...
KYO- He's a legend.
DRUNKE- Huh?
BISCUIT- The glaze needs to be studied.
DANMAN- Real.
AMY- He was the one who sent Waleed to hell.
DRUNKE- Ah. Is he doing alright?
BAIZHI- Sort of.
DRUNKE- It's alright, man. Things often happen here. Let me tell you something, the majority of the population here is illiterate.
BAIZHI- Eh?
BISCUIT- Basically, after the Liminality scene, the overall world just took a dark turn in terms of education and stuff. There was a time when people actually didn't learn anything useful for years, making them the dumbest generations of all time.
AMY- But thank god we have some exceptions who are literate.
NIKO- Yeah (;-;)
OATMEAL- And this is why, no matter if someone does something with a good intention, the community will backfire, no matter what.
BAIZHI- Hmm...
ENZI- Things will turn good, don't worry.
BAIZHI- Hopefully...
KYO- Ah, seems like food is about to come.
DANMAN- Bingo.
DRUNKE- It's feast time.
NIKO- Yippee!!!
.
(after a few hours, after dinner, outside the streets)
Ah... the dinner was heavy...
But it was quite nice.
Well, I find some relief knowing that not everyone hates me.
But...
I still need to move on from Kae...
Man...
.
(next morning)
BAIZHI- Ah... back to my cabin after suspension. I'll just won't interact with a lot of people for now. Especially Trakktor... I know he's pissed at me and he won't like having a word with me.
OMAR- Baizhi.
BAIZHI- (!!!!) Oh- Hi Omar- What's up?
OMAR- Wanted to talk to you regarding something.
BAIZHI- Regarding.... what?
OMAR- You.
BAIZHI- (...)
.
(at rooftop, nearby railing)
OMAR- What's happening with you?
BAIZHI- I don't get what you mean...
OMAR- You know what I'm talking about.
BAIZHI- Uh... like?
OMAR- Of course, about your behaviour after Kae resigned as SP.
BAIZHI- Oh... Hmm. You're here to hate me or criticise me, right? I know I did wrong... and I'm s-
OMAR- You're not being you.
BAIZHI- (...) Huh?
OMAR- Baizhi. That's not the real you.
BAIZHI- What... do you mean?
OMAR- Your behaviour, the way you were acting with everyone last week. It was all fake, right?
BAIZHI- (...)
OMAR- You were making a fake image of yourself so that people could hate you on purpose, and then that would motivate you to... You know?
BAIZHI- How did you...
OMAR- Experience, Baizhi. These real eyes have realised so many real lies around me. You can make anyone fall for your lies, not me.
BAIZHI- Hmm...
OMAR- You're doing all this to get hate, knowing that you fear being hated, right?
BAIZHI- Yeah...
OMAR- Then why take such steps?
BAIZHI- I... I haven't been doing great for a while, ever since I lost touch with Kae... She was my... love interest too...
OMAR- Understandable. It happens when a man finds love just to end up finding it fake. You need to be strong, Baizhi. Like a real man. It will take time, but trust me, the path you took didn't do much damage yet, you can still revert back to former self.
BAIZHI- Hmm... Why are you telling me all this...
OMAR- Hmm. Reposed has gone through depression before, I have been consoling him too. I pray for every man to have enough strength to tackle any situation.
BAIZHI- Right...
OMAR- I hope you take my words carefully and don't do anything stupid. Trakktor is already mad at you; ruining your image in front of him means you're cooked in SP Forces.
BAIZHI- Right...
OMAR- Alright. Reposed might be waiting for me in the office, so I shall go now. (pats his shoulder before leaving) You can do it.
BAIZHI- Hmm...
(he leaves)
Are people really able to tell that it was my... plan to ruin my own image...?
Maybe it isn't a very good idea.
I should ditch it and focus on what I'm supposed to do.
.
- / - \ -