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"Are you going to repeat the past, which got you ended uphere???"
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"She disappeared like nothing, a few months ago, when you weren't present here."
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"Are you going to repeat the past, which got you ended uphere???"
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"Astro also vanished like nothing."
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"Don't come back regretting again, like last time."
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"It's gone. The company is gone."
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BAIZHI- (snaps out of his thoughts) UH-
KNIGHT- Bruh. Are you even listening to what I'm talking about?
Damn, I might have gone out of focus again. I completely forgot I came to the cafe for my morning coffee with him.
It's hard to focus on his words when I'm bombarded with a lot of thoughts...
BAIZHI- My bad... I haven't slept well last night.
KNIGHT- This has been your excuse for a whole month now.
BAIZHI- Sorry.
KNIGHT- Hmm. So, as I was saying, you're not being yourself these days.
BAIZHI- Sure, as if other people didn't notice that anyway.
KNIGHT- Who else did?
BAIZHI- Omar.
KNIGHT- Cool. So you are aware of your doings and you are also aware that you're doing this on purpose to sabotage yourself, right?
BAIZHI- I know, and I'm trying to change-
KNIGHT- You're not.
BAIZHI- How...
KNIGHT- You said you're changing, yet I have heard you gossiping about Kae in HQ.
BAIZHI- Uh...
KNIGHT- If you were actually changing, you would have moved on from here already.
BAIZHI- (slams the table with his hand) I'm trying to move on, bruh.
KNIGHT- By gossip? That's how you move on?
BAIZHI- Uh...
KNIGHT- Do you even realise how upset she is? She's trying to deal with her mental health and her surroundings, and then you're here, adding more and more bullshit to make things worse for her.
BAIZHI- I'm... sorry.
KNIGHT- Don't be sorry to me. If you have to apologise to someone, it's her. Also, if you keep acting like this, then don't come back to me at your worst.
BAIZHI- But...
KNIGHT- No but. I have a limit of handling nonsense. I only asked you to be nice with others, and yet you try to act with your ego. Limit it to yourself.
BAIZHI- Hmm... understood...
KNIGHT- Good. I'll leave now.
BAIZHI- You're not coming to HQ today?
KNIGHT- Took a leave. Kae asked me for help in setting up her new home in Sector K.
BAIZHI- Oh...
KNIGHT- Just stopped with you here to remind you about your doings. There's still time to get better. And I won't care if you end up hurting yourself, but I will stand against you every time you try to hurt someone, so you can cope with your messed-up life.
BAIZHI- Right...
KNIGHT- I take my leave now. (stands up and walks out of the cafe after paying for his coffee)
BAIZHI- Ugh. (crushes the empty paper cup of coffee while ending up in tears)
Am I really becoming the worst person instead of getting better...?
It's not like I'm not trying...? But still...?
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(at HQ, at Ramos's cabin)
RAMOS- (looks out of the window) Ah, just like the Knight I know. Always blunt with his words.
BAIZHI- Am I... really not improving...?
RAMOS- I'll be honest. You're trying to move on, and efforts are visible, but faintly. The gossip part which Knight mentioned is absolutely valid. But I also understand how hard it could be for a person to move on from their love interests.
BAIZHI- Perhaps my biggest mistake was to believe that I even deserve love.
RAMOS- No. Completely wrong. You're expecting a caterpillar to become a butterfly before going through the cocoon stage. Not everything you're supposed to get in such a vulnerable state of yours.
BAIZHI- Uh...
RAMOS- Considering you came out of the epicentre of a highly concentrated liminal zone, it has affected you physically and mentally. (turns back at him) I'll recommend that you focus on yourself.
BAIZHI- And what about the resonance part you told me about...
RAMOS- (smiles) Don't worry about that. Destiny will give you more than enough chances to form resonance with people.
BAIZHI- Uh...
RAMOS- You saw the result yourself when you formed the bond with Enzi, right? It left a positive impact on HQ, on a small scale, but better than having none.
BAIZHI- Right...
RAMOS- Like I said before, your current focus should be only on yourself. And when you find a chance to form resonance with someone, seize it. SP duties should be your least concern, and I don't mind granting your LOAs since you have a certificate of ongoing medical treatment of a severe condition.
BAIZHI- What condition...?
RAMOS- (raises one of his eyebrows)
BAIZHI- Oh, right. I understood.
RAMOS- Very well. You shall head for your tasks now (^^).
BAIZHI- Alright. (bows to him and leaves his cabin)
RAMOS- Hmm... the kid has a long way to go. (looks at the sky through the window) I wonder how the tables will turn this time.
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VOL 3:
A FLOWER YET TO BLOOM: THEO
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- / - \ -