We stepped out onto a wide patio, where a long table stretched across the whole length of the space. Blue and pink orchids were arranged down the center, their colors striking with the dark velvet sky above us. I tilted my head up, and for once, I could see stars. Tiny, twinkling lights scattered across the artificial dome that covered the terrace.
Fake stars, on a synthetic sky, but still incredibly beautiful.
V pulled out two chairs, and we sat.
I followed his movements carefully, noticing how slowly he moved, unlike his usual efficient pace. He showed me how to gently unfold the napkin and place it on his lap, guiding me without saying a word.
In the middle of the table, a thin panel appeared, like a moving ribbon showcasing delicious canapés, as I heard someone describe them. Each one was arranged like a miniature sculpture, and they glided forward in a seamless loop, inviting any guest to pick at them. No glass stayed empty for long as performers emerged from unexpected places, laughing and swirling between the guests while waiters in dark, glittering suits moved with precision, refilling flutes before you could even glance down.
"Are you the one working with V?"
I turned toward the voice.
"He mentioned he was here with a colleague from outside the City," the woman continued with a smile. In the dim lights of the patio, the glare on her glasses led me to assume she was multitasking.
"Yes, it's her," V introduced me. "Sade, this is Professor Melokuhle. She was my mentor during my final thesis—"
"You're the only one who still calls me professor!" the woman interrupted with a soft laugh. "Please, just call me Melokuhle," she said, smiling at me again.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Sade," I greeted her back.
"You're not from here, are you?" another woman interjected.
I turned toward the new voice, and I was unable to stop myself from admiring the electric blue line beneath her eyelashes. I remembered seeing a similar style on some machinas at the weekly meetings.
Her piercing blue eyes took their time scanning everything that appeared of me above the table. I felt her stare on my hair, my makeup, and the top of my dress.
"This is... original," she said, raising her thin eyebrows, as her delicate, white-gloved hand gestured to me before returning to the pristine lace cape over her shoulders. She kept frowning at my green dress.
"Sade is from the West," Melokuhle chimed in, then turned to me to confirm. "Right?"
V and I both nodded, smiling faintly. I had to keep at that lie. Beside me, V shifted in his seat.
"Ah... That would explain the color choice," the other woman sneered, her gaze still fixed on me.
"Beautiful indeed," Melokuhle added warmly, reaching for a bottle in front of the woman. "Will you try the wine I brought from my region?" she asked, and I felt grateful for the change of subject.
She poured the dark drink into the woman's glass, then her partner's. He noticed me.
"You should try it too," he suggested.
"Oh, no," V said, quickly covering both our glasses with his hands. "We're not drinking—"
"Always so serious, V!" the man scoffed. "She's visiting from the West, she probably never even tasted that kind of wine! Let her try it."
Reluctantly, V moved his hand from my glass, and Melokuhle poured a small amount into it.
"Don't drink it if you don't like it," she kindly said, smiling once more.
Everyone lifted their glasses. I followed suit, joining the clinking of glasses. As they brought theirs to their lips, I did the same. I tasted a fruity note at first, before a smoky taste took over my mouth.
"Are you okay?" V whispered in my ear, and it felt good to feel his warm breath so close to me. "The literature says you should be fine... but just be careful," he added, giving me a knowing look.
He referenced that time he drank and I didn't, when he promised to check if it was safe for a machina to consume alcohol.
I nodded with a small smile to show I understood. I knew I'd be fine, as other humans were drinking it too.
But I couldn't say that to him.
"Where exactly in the West—" the gloved woman began, before she was interrupted by floating plates descending toward our table. I looked around, and each group of six guests received a single serving dish of homemade lasagna to share.
"This is so vintage!" the young man next to V exclaimed, eagerly taking charge of portioning the lasagna between the six of us. "I can't remember the last time I shared a plate!"
Soon, each of us had a generous slice of warm lasagna on our plates.
"Careful, it's hot," V warned, but it was already too late, my mouth had exploded with flavor. It was very hot, and my tongue was probably burned, but I didn't care, as it was also the most amazing food I had ever tasted.
The woman's partner began talking to V, and I could immediately tell he was uncomfortable.
"Confidentiality shouldn't apply to your managers," the man said.
"I don't make the rules," V replied, his tone sharp and firm.
"Did you see my message about the deadline change?"
"I did," V said flatly, raising his fork and chewing in silence, his expression unreadable as he stared at his manager.
The man pressed his lips together in frustration.
"And what about this mysterious purchase—"
"Do you like it?" V suddenly turned to me, clearly redirecting the conversation.
"It's so delichious!" I said, covering my mouth with one hand as I ate and tried to expel the hot air out of my mouth at the same time.
"Then it's all worth it," V said, giving me another knowing look, clearly referring to the annoying couple sitting across from us.
The hosts were making their way around the table, greeting and chatting with each guest.
"I can't believe he managed to convince you to come," said Malik's wife, a petite woman wearing an apron ("So retro!" our table neighbor had commented about it earlier). "The last time I made lasagna for you, you had just joined the company, right? Time flies..." She gave V a fond smile before turning her warm eyes on me. "And who's your plus one?"
"This is Sade," V introduced me again. "A Botanical Agronomist, from the West. She's helping me with my current research project."
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed his manager listening in, even though his partner had been monologuing at him forever now.
"I'm Zelinda. Pleased to meet you," she said, and I echoed the greeting. "You must be the best in your field if this one needs your help," she added with a strong nod in V's direction.
"He's the best!" Malik chimed in, appearing behind her and placing his hands on his wife's shoulders. "Everyone's been talking about you! They're saying I should've warned them a guest star was coming!"
V frowned, clearly uncomfortable.
"The youngest scientist to ever receive the Ministry of Progress Grant!"
"The highest grant fund ever," Melokuhle added for me as I frowned at the mention.
"And for a team of just one scientist!" Zelinda added with a proud grin.
"Truly unheard of..." the manager muttered in a cynical tone, casting V a cold glance.
"Extraordinary, indeed!" Malik didn't notice the tone and jumped in again. "Such a pride for our company!"
"It must be such an honor to be helping him," Zelinda said to me.
"It is," I nodded with a smile, even though my mind was racing with all the interactions happening at once.
I had no idea V's research was so important. He'd never told me any of this. But now it appeared he was far more in the spotlight than I could have known.
I thought back to the times I'd visited him at his office and how people treated him. I should have realized it then. I had not understood he had made literal history in the scientific world.
"And what do you specialize in?" the manager leaned in toward me, his tone sharp.
"Nutrient Delivery Systems," I answered, the same way I had when Malik and Chandra asked. I had even read more on the topic, not just to work on the atrium garden, but to be able to hold my ground if questioned.
The manager didn't look impressed. He turned to V and raised an eyebrow.
"You need help... for that?"
V looked away and complimented Zelinda on the lasagna.
And just like that, my heart sank. He had never commented on how I had handled the lie. Had I said something wrong?
"I read all your articles... but I didn't know who you were!" the man next to V looked starstruck.
V forced a tight smile, the corners of his mouth barely lifting. He ran a hand through his hair, a small, nervous habit I had seen a few times before. He didn't say anything. Just focused on cutting his lasagna into smaller pieces, even though he hadn't taken another bite yet.
"We have to greet other guests, sweetheart, not only the celebrities," Malik joked with Zelinda, leading her to the next part of the table.
I leaned toward V, lowering my voice.
"I didn't know you were a celebrity."
He glanced at me, then away again, his voice barely audible.
"They're exaggerating."
It was almost visible how much he wished he could shrink out of his own success.
"I'm sorry if I said anything wrong," I added, quieter this time.
"You didn't," he replied quickly, finally meeting my eyes. "You're doing great."
Below the table, he found my fingers and gave them a gentle squeeze.
But something about the way he said it, too fast, too flat, made me wonder if he was trying to protect my feelings.
"I think we all know why she was hired..." I heard the woman in front of me snort in disdain.
I looked back at them, and her husband was eyeing down at what would have been our hands together below the table. V must have noticed, too, because his hand slipped away, returning to his fork in one practiced motion.
Then the manager looked at me.
His eyes were glazy, lingering too long, as if appraising a product. His crawling stare dropped on my chest, slow and unshamed. Heat rushed to my face, and I wished I could disappear.
I turned to V, my eyes helpless. Should I say something?
But he looked the other way as I turned to him.
It was probably a coincidence, but in that moment, I felt so alone.
It felt like too much.
Someone called for dessert, and people who had gotten up returned to the table.
"Excuse me."
I stood so fast that V instinctively reached for my elbow, offering support in case I would fall from my heels.
"I'm fine," I told him with a tense smile. "I just need to go to the bathroom," I added, already pulling away.
I could feel his worried eyes on my back as I walked away from the table.
The first bathroom was occupied, so I headed to the first floor, hoping the layout was similar to Chaoxing's house, with one bathroom on each floor. Sure enough, I found another one and hid inside. I sank to the floor as soon as I locked the door.
My chest rose up and down fast as I tried to catch my breath.
What was happening to me? Why was I so breathless suddenly?
I made a small box with my hands, and breathing into it helped a little.
After a few minutes, I got up, found some tissues, and dampened them with cold water. The fresh feel of them on my face helped too.
I was okay. Everything will be alright.
All I had to do was focus on reimbursing my debt.
Reminding myself of that simple fact felt freeing. It didn't matter what V, or his manager, or anyone else would think of me. I had one goal, and nothing should steer me away from it.
When I stepped out, the hallway was barely lit, probably to keep guests from wandering around the house.
A noise behind me scared me, and I ducked into a doorway. I listened closely, and a couple appeared, the same one I'd seen being affectionate on the balcony. Fortunately, they walked the opposite way.
Against the backlight, I saw the woman lean into the man's chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pushed her against the wall, and kissed her.
A knot tightened in my stomach. She laughed and playfully pushed him back. He took her hand, and they disappeared down the stairs.
I let out a long sigh.
But already, another sound called for my attention.
This time, it was coming from the stairs going up. I leaned in from my spot, hoping that my excuse of looking for an available bathroom would be enough if I was about to run into the hosts.
Two silhouettes appeared, only their shades visible to me.
"Be quick," one whispered sharply, and the second one disappeared.
I recognized the voice and stepped closer.
"Kira?" I called.
The silhouette froze.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
It felt like a déjà vu. Like at Chaoxing's house earlier this week.
"Sade," she acknowledged my presence, her voice calm.
"I don't think we're allowed up here," I told her, my voice low. By joining her up the stairs, I was already two floors higher than I should've been. I wanted to go back down as soon as possible.
"You're right," she said flatly. "But... The view is so nice from here."
She turned around and walked toward the balcony. The view over the City was breathtaking indeed.
"I was looking for an available bathroom," I couldn't help but say as if I had to explain myself.
"Me too." Her tone didn't change. She held two cocktails in her hands. "Want this? It's too sweet for me."
I accepted a cocktail and wondered about the other silhouette I had seen with her. It was probably Kira's owner since she had been holding their glass.
"We're missing dessert," I said, eager to go back downstairs.
Kira released a long sigh, leaning against the column of the balcony, her eyes still lost in the horizon.
"I couldn't care less about their stupid tiramisu with no dairy, cream, or eggs." She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her cocktail. "I miss real food..."
I had no idea what tiramisu was or how you used eggs, but I nodded, following her lead. I sipped my drink. Every glass tonight seemed sweeter than the last.
Maybe I liked alcohol.
My mind drifted: what did she mean by real food? What did they eat where she was from, in the Autonomous Territories? The food in the City was the best I'd ever had. I couldn't imagine better.
Kira finished her drink in one go and winced, admiring the glass against the lights of the skyline.
"I'm so happy we don't have their stupid health app," she muttered, leaning her back against the balcony pole now, her eyes closed. "Did you notice the beeping?"
"What beeping?"
"When citizens drink too much, their tablets ring to remind them to slow down..." she explained, and I remembered V's tablet buzzing when we had pizza at Stellar Slices. "But, some have these desabilitators."
"Desat-what?"
"A little box you tap. It disables your tablet's warnings. Pretty handy," she scoffed. "There's always a way to bend the rules for the hoarders..."
Her smile turned bitter as her eyes opened and looked down at the party down the stairs.
Hoarders? I had never heard that word before.
Kira seemed way more knowledgeable than I. She knew what I meant by debt baby, but she also seemed to know more about New Yuan City, on top of the Autonomous Territories, where she was from. I wish I had my tablet with me now to write down all of these new words. V's work library would probably have all the answers I needed.
My head started to spin, and I wished I could sit down.
"Wait," Kira said as I turned around. "Don't you ever miss home?"
Her voice was softer now. Her red hair caught the light around her collarbone.
Home? I wasn't sure what she meant by home. I had no memory of the place they found me as a baby. All my life, I'd been moved from clinic to clinic, all sterile and identical.
I'd only been in the City for two weeks. How could I miss anything when every day felt like an adventure here? Again, I wondered what home might look like for Kira in the Autonomous Territories. How wonderful it would be if she missed it?
"I like it here," I simply answered. "It's better than the clinic."
Kira looked down, an emotion I couldn't read flickering across her face.
"Don't you ever think it's unfair?"
"Unfair?"
"Yeah, unfair," she said, her eyes back on the horizon. "Did you ever wonder who owns your debt?"
She turned to me, really turned, and waited.
I had no answer.
"How would that help me pay it off?" I replied curtly, not liking the direction of the conversation.
There was no point in thinking about the origin of my debt. It had been there all my life, and it wasn't going to disappear anytime soon.
Except if I worked hard. I had one goal and one goal only. Everything else was just a waste of my time. The faster I'll reimburse my debt, the faster I'll be free. Any kind of thinking will have to wait then.
The sound of heels on the floor made us both turn.
A woman tiptoed slowly toward us.
When she spotted us, she froze.
I saw Kira lower her chin. She didn't seem surprised to see her.
The woman's scared eyes looked at me, and I looked back at her with confusion. Why did she look so scared? Then, her eyes moved to Kira, and they held stares for a long time.
Too much time.
For a short moment, the woman's features seemed familiar.
The next split second, she sped up and walked in front of us without giving any other stares. Already, her black dress was flowing down the stairs behind her.
"What's going on?" I asked.
Something felt off.
But Kira was already following the woman.
"What are you up to, Kira?" I whispered loudly to her, trying to follow behind but struggling on my heels. "Kira!"
Too late, she had already disappeared through the crowd gathered around the bar.
"I looked everywhere for you."
I felt V's fingers graze my back before I could meet his eyes.
The same worried eyes I had imagined on my back earlier were now looking straight at me.
"Are you feeling alright?" he frowned, probably noticing my distress.
"Yes. I'm just... tired," I replied, actually feeling quite dizzy now.
The feeling of helplessness melted away as I leaned into him.
I was about to take my glass to my lips, hoping it would give me back some strength, but V took it from me before I could do so.
"Time to go home," he said, placing the glass on the bar before circling his arm around my waist.
🗓️ Next chapters: this Monday, September 1st 🗓️
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