\WEDNESDAY - AFTERNOON/
. . .
[Professor] *points, classes, lectures, words, digital presentation
*Lights out.
[Everyone] . . .
[Professor] \takes out phone to call and ask the office\ . . . \sees the immediate pop up news\
[Professor] Electricity generation facility... for our city, is currently down, detected instability trips disconnect... and requires thorough inspection and reset. \sighs\
[Professor] Okay class. Class dismissed, I'll be posting an announcement and activities on our online classroom.
[Professor] \thinks\ Submission date is flexible since there's no power, or wi-fi right now. See you next time. \leaves the classroom\
[Everyone] ... (Checks their online classroom.)
*2 activities immediately posted.
[Cyan] ... It became 3.
[Ember] ... Now it's 4.
[Cyan] Let's go, better get started.
[Ember] ... \sighs\
*Cyan and Ember went to the library, 1, 2, 3. They're all full.
*Cyan and Ember pass by campus study spot like café, pavilion, park, garden. All were fully packed.
*Cyan and Ember go outside the university. Stores are filled, including fast food chains, convenience stores, cafes.
[Cyan] Should we try malls?
[Ember] \disbelief\ The whole city will be there. \sighs\
[Cyan] Indoors means limited light, no power, no ventilation, and heat. \sighs\
[Cyan] Let's give up. Want to go swimming?
[Ember] \laughs\ Tempting, let me check the classroom app. \reads the activities, then shows Cyan\
[Cyan] 16 activities!? \disbelief\ \sighs\ We can't take a break huh. \sighs\
[Ember] Yeah. We've got nothing else to do anyway, besides these activities.
[Cyan] Where can we find a study spot that's outside for light, cool air, and isn't packed?
[Cyan] It must have some sort of limited accessibility somehow. \thinks\
[Ember] \thinks\ Or, an annoying accessibility. \grins\
[Cyan] \?\
[Ember] Let's go to my buildings rooftop!
[Cyan] Rooftop? \thinks\ That could work, but won't your building neighbors be there?
[Ember] Probably not! Access to the rooftop is not directly by lift. My buildings rooftop access only has stairs. \laughs\
[Ember] Once you reach the highest floor, you can only walk from there to the rooftop.
[Cyan] \ponders\ Worth to try, I guess.
*They both went to Ember's place.
[Ember] . . . Cyan, elevators are closed. It's only used for emergency purposes.
[Cyan] Well, you got the annoying part right. \laughs\ \points\ Stairs.
*Cyan and Ember climb to the rooftop.
[Ember] \opens rooftop door\ Yay! I was right! Empty!
[Cyan] \heavy breathing\ Yeah, I don't doubt its annoyance now. \sits down on the floor near the door\
[Ember] Come on, let's go take a seat.
*The rooftop has a simple pavilion, with round coffee tables and a garden.
[Cyan] \sits\
*A fresh breeze passes by.
[Cyan] Yeah. We should sit here. \puts his bag on an extra chair\
[Ember] Okay. \drops her bag on the extra chair\
[Ember] \takes out her mirror and brush\ (I look like a mess, don't I?) \thinks\
[Ember] Cyan, I'll go down to my place and freshen up. You chill here, I'll be right back okay?
[Cyan] Okay. \gestures thumbs up\
*Ember goes down to her room, goes in front of a big mirror.
[Ember] My makeup needs a retouch. Eyeliner's smudged. Lipstick's faded. \looks closer\
[Ember] And sweat marks. \sighs\ Should I just fix it or replace it completely? \thinks\
*Ember thinks for a while until she's made a decision.
[Ember] Maybe. . . (Wait, am I sweating again? Seriously is it this hot indoors?) \sighs\
[Ember] \imagines herself on the rooftop with the afternoon sun glaring down at her\
[Ember] \ugh\ Even if I fix it, won't it eventually get ruined? \thinks\ And Cyan is waiting for me right now. \sighs\
[Ember] \thinks\ Let's just wash it.
*Ember washes her makeup off and dries herself with a face towel.
[Ember] Should I also remove my contacts? (I already have no makeup anyway.)
[Ember] (But, has Cyan ever seen me like that before?) I don't think so.
[Ember] (But, do I want to know what he thinks?) \stares at the mirror\
[Ember] Let's remove it.
*Ember removed her contacts. She also changed her uniform into something more cozy, an indoor pajama.
*Ember puts on her glasses.
[Ember] (Still pretty.) \smiles\
*Ember goes back to the rooftop.
[Ember] Hey! \waves\ Did I make you wait too long?
[Cyan] (Who is that?) Uhm, me? I'm sorry. I'm waiting for my girlfriend.
[Girl] \shocked\ \thinks\ Cyan, I am your girlfriend. It's me, Ember.
[Cyan] \shock\ Ember? Really? You look so, different?
[Ember] I'm not that different. \Ember walks closer and sits down\
[Cyan] So, that's what you look like with glasses.
[Ember] What do you think?
[Cyan] \moves back and stares\
*Ember is in her pajamas, indoor wear, no makeup, no lipstick, no contacts.
[Cyan] Are you really Ember?
[Ember] Yes! I'm Ember. \removes glasses, stares at Cyan, and puts them back on\
[Cyan] Can I ask this question?
[Ember] What question?
[Cyan] Ember. Why do you even wear makeup?
[Ember] To maintain being pretty. I can't look my best all the time, you know.
[Cyan] I guess. \stares at Ember\
[Cyan] Can I share an opinion?
[Ember] Why you asking? Just say it.
[Cyan] Your makeup made you look good. And now, you look different.
[Cyan] This different is pretty, Ember. \grins\
[Ember] (So, Cyan likes it.) \happy\ Thanks.
[Cyan] (So this is Ember.) \stares at her\ \then her lips\
[Cyan] (Is her lips smaller without lipsticks? I can see a more defined shape. It's smoother, light, gentle, with a faint gloss.)
[Cyan] (It looks so soft... But, do I want to know how soft?)
[Ember] Let's start studying. \takes her phone out and reads\ 1. Read and answer...
[Cyan] Ah. Yes. \fixes his things and prepares to study\
*Cyan and Ember studied for a few hours, casually asking each other if they're confused about something, or just want to talk.
*The afternoon sun starts to set.
[Cyan] \pauses studying and stares at Ember\
[Cyan] (The sunset is washing over Ember, like its molten. Her hair even has golden lines.) \stares at her eyes\
[Cyan] (Her eyes have a glow? An Ember glow. It's flickering like it's alive.) \stares at her then her lips\
[Cyan] (This golden light settling across her face, and like all the color of the sunset falling on Ember's lips.)
[Cyan] (Sunkissed lips, huh.)
*Cyan's Ember filter.
[Ember] \stares at Cyan\
[Cyan] (Ah. I can't study.)
[Ember] Cyan?
[Cyan] Ember, can I solve this problem I'm currently facing.
[Ember] Problem? Sure, what number?
[Cyan] Oh, not that. My problem is a bit more on why I can't focus.
[Ember] Oh. Should we take a break then?
[Cyan] \stood up from his seat, bows and kiss Ember's lips.
[Ember] (!)
*. . .
[Cyan] Yeah, we should take a break. \Cyan goes to the edge and stares far away\
[Ember] \touches her lips\ \and stares at the direction of Cyan's chair, the sunset\
[Ember] :>