Aurelia continued her glare into Oredell's eyes and flickered to Tanisha, who nodded at every word of his partner.
A bit reluctant and cautious, she wanted a reason for their unwanted disturbance, but after observing the occupied tables, she remained silent and nodded slightly.
She slowly moved to the edge of the bench and welcomed them to sit. Tanisha and the nearby students were shocked at her agreement, but Tanisha quickly recovered and thanked her with a relieved expression.
"Wow, thank you, Aurelia! You are a lifesaver." Aurelia moved her focus to Tanisha and merely nodded.
"...You are Tanisha Aku from Nigeria's National High School, if I can recollect? You don't have to worry or thank me. I don't honestly mind since each property here is not mine to privatize for myself. So, everyone is welcome to sit where they like."
'...So if you did own them, you would be chasing us with spikes and nails...'
Oredell lamented and took a seat at the far corner of the bench. Tanisha brimmed at the mention of his name and her sharp memory, quickly taking a seat.
"True, but not most are as understanding as you are..." He praised shamelessly.
Aurelia merely moved her hair behind her ear and nodded as she continued eating her meal. Noticing her clear indifference at his words, Tanisha chuckled slightly and prepared to eat his own meal but soon realized he was sitting in the middle.
'I am a messy eater, how should I eat with a girl next to me?' He panicked internally and looked at Oredell with his eyes flashing for help.
However, Oredell snickered and ate his food.
'You planned this... didn't you?' Tanisha could only force a smile and bite down on his burger as slowly as possible.
Oredell almost laughed at his stiff movements and looked at the horizon with a secret smirk. He took his own bite of his burger and closed his eyes in satisfaction.
Sensing a developed silence between them all, Tanisha looked at Oredell and asked with a betrayed tone, "...How is the international seminar for you so far?"
Oredell took some bites from his fries and responded nonchalantly.
"The lectures could have been better, but the sightseeing here makes up for the lagging experience for me personally..."
Oredell gestured his eyes to the distant mountains and golden red clouds over them, making him fall into a daze.
Tanisha followed his gaze and nodded with a knowing smile, completely forgetting his earlier nervousness.
"Yeah, I agree with you. Our national university always was beautiful at this time of day, but if you ask me personally, I recommend going out in the capital city at night... always a favorite pastime for me during walks."
He added with a silly smile. "If you really want to experience Nigeria in all of its glory, you should come back after this seminar. The tourist sights along the countryside are always a great adventure for wandering tourists like yourself."
Aurelia curiously followed their gazes and continued her meal silently. Oredell nodded dazedly and continued his sight gazing in deep thought. Tanisha turned unconsciously to Aurelia and asked warmly, "How about you, Aurelia? How was the international seminar for you so far?"
Aurelia paused for a moment, not expecting such a question directed her way, but quickly chose her words.
"If I were to be frank, the events during my stay weren't as engaging as I would have liked them to be, but if we excuse the fact I was not the target audience for their energetic activities, I could say that the entire lectures so far about the Proto-Civilization were the most engaging and perhaps, my school's trip tomorrow would hopefully open more about them..." She muttered.
Oredell wanted to shake his head but kept his neutral expression, 'Basically, you disliked the entire seminar and the lessons merely caught your interest? It's ironic how relatable that is, to be honest...'
Tanisha nodded at every one of Aurelia's words with an understanding expression, prompting her to continue. Aurelia pursed her lips as if she were thinking about how to proceed.
"...And, if I may add, I am excited for our formal trip to the national museum in the coming days after the seminar is concluded," Aurelia said calmly, though her tone was uncertain.
She moved her hair behind her ear and opened her lips slightly, but quickly closed them.
Oredell expected her to reveal more, but she remained silent and took small bites from her burger with an unreadable expression.
Tanisha thought back to something and nodded with a nostalgic smile, "Oh? So your school is taking a trip to the Capital Museum? Man, I remember my first visit to the National Museum as a small kid; it was probably one of my fondest and most boring memories. But I really do hope you enjoy your visit there and learn a bit about our culture. Although, I don't think I need to say much since you have the mannerisms of a historian's mindset..."
Tanisha commented based on his recollection of Aurelia's participation in the lesson.
Oredell took a bite of his burger and continued watching the sunrise reach its halfway descent as the stars in the sky began to appear faintly, glimmering their celestial light.
"Well, I might take a visit there as well since I see myself as a historian... and any good history is interesting history. Just because I like sightseeing doesn't mean you should simply see me as a tourist here," Oredell said with a nonchalant shrug.
Before Tanisha could respond with a 'really' expression, Aurelia flatly retorted his claims, "No, you are a tourist here. Even now, you don't seem to act like a proper student, and the fact you're declaring to be seen as a historian is a bit amusing and delusional."
Oredell raised his head and crafted a perplexed expression. He smiled slightly and asked politely, "Why do you seem so bothered to criticize a self-observation of my own person? Care to share any context on why you view me as a tourist, Aurelia?"
Swiftly, Oredell expressed a questioning expression and chuckled, "Wait, should I pronounce your name with the proper title to be more polite and respectful of the reflection you see yourself in... so, Historian Aurelia, could you please explain why you see me in such a light?"
Aurelia looked at him fully and calmly continued, "During our indirect brief encounters, I observed that you seemed to distance yourself from any academic work or activities, which is more evident by your lackluster participation in Professor Yarisa's historical lessons on the Proto-Civilization. Which I should add, is the primary focus of our visit here in Nigeria..."
Aurelia lowered her burger and let her silver eyes gaze upon the clouds.
"Truthfully, as of right now, I see you as an introverted bystander who seems to be dragged everywhere by the leash of his teachers and as a moody individual who drags his feet in his circumstances."
Oredell's black eyes narrowed slightly as he examined her character carefully. Aurelia didn't notice and finalized her thoughts.
"Despite those challenges, you seem to be uncaring and carefree. I see you as someone who finds enjoyment rather easily than most, even if it's just sightseeing and daydreaming. I would say being called a tourist in your case is an inevitable but good assessment of how you present yourself. Your enjoyment always seems to be within reach but rather fleeting in the long term."
A smile edged on his face as he dramatically rubbed his chin in mild approval.
"Not bad. You examined me half right and half wrong. Is this how you understand strangers on the surface and at a literary level? If you were to be close to someone in the future, wouldn't your observations eventually betray you on a personal level? I could be a hardworking student during my lecture times without your knowledge, and wouldn't that be a direct challenge to your way of thinking?"
Tanisha looked on at the exchange in silence, her concern for his safety and food growing.
Aurelia slowly tilted her head and maintained her analytic tone. "That could be entirely true since I only understand you at surface value and I only just properly met you as we speak. But let me ask you: what's the difference between a hardworking individual who doesn't apply their abilities in the real world and a lazy individual who doesn't bother to apply any effort in a hardworking world?"
Aurelia unconsciously rubbed her lower lip with her thumb and mumbled thoughtfully, "...What's the point of working hard at anything if there is no one to value it at all? Would not your efforts and abilities become meaningless in the face of results?"
"That's a sheep-herded ideology. In the real world, one's own value is a self-employed virtue and not merely a societally given carrot of the most placed. There is no need for anyone to apply their efforts to chase a societally validated dream to add meaning to their lives. Only by valuing themselves in the face of persecution can they hope to thrive in a hardworking world," Oredell retorted, as if debating a common question in the back of his mind.
"Fight me more, you arrogant doll. I also study literature and social studies..."
Aurelia visibly scoffed with a slight smirk that didn't reach her eyes and turned her focus once again to Tanisha.
"...What are your thoughts on this discussion, Tanisha?" Her words came out cloudy as she placed down her burger.
Oredell also turned his head for his opinion.
"So now you two acknowledge my existence to end your unending war of words..." His smile stiffened since they basically dragged him into their sudden dispute of philosophical beliefs.
Tanisha reluctantly lowered his half-eaten second burger and partially acknowledged that it did start with him.
Choosing his words carefully, he gestured his hand into the air as if addressing each point with an overly formal tone. "Yes, from Aurelia's viewpoint, it is necessary for one to demonstrate their efforts so that society can value their abilities and gain validation to thrive successfully. But the same can be true with Oredell's point about how one should value themselves first before putting their efforts forth for others' approval to earn a sense of meaningfulness. Therefore..." He paused for both of them.
"In my opinion, it can go both ways because anyone can have the right to value something that resonates with their desires, and in turn, show that desire by demonstrating their results for society to validate and approve, regardless of the inner and outer levels of acceptance in the world," Tanisha concluded with a tired smile and breathed an approving sigh at his own words.
The silent breeze was the only thing surrounding the bench afterward before Oredell sighed softly, munching on his last bits of food. His eyes were unreadable with lowered brows. Aurelia also continued eating her food with an indifferent expression.
"This was all a lot of nothing..." Oredell commented out of the blue.
Aurelia nodded reluctantly. "Talkative, yet so inconclusive..."
Tanisha blinked for a few moments and quickly wore a confused expression upon hearing their words.
"...I am not the one who turned this lunch break into a full-blown Hamlet debate discussion. Aren't you two the ones who asked for my opinion to break your deadlock?"
Both of them wanted to retort but couldn't find the right words to counter because he was right.
Oredell thought for a moment and mumbled, "Technically, she's the one who aggressively started this pickle jar debate... just saying."
"I didn't expect you to be such a defensive landmine over an observation that was naturally true..." Aurelia responded immediately.
Tanisha shook his head in exhaustion.