Chapter 59
Ilux walked beside her, slightly bowing his head, keeping a polite distance and a rhythm in harmony.
Meanwhile, Theo followed from afar, faithfully treading in their shadows with the silence of a writer who does not want to be discovered living within someone else's story.
They walked until they arrived at the second place on the long list—a dynamic café seemingly suspended between the human world and the endless blue ocean.
The café was not merely a place to eat, but a moving work of art.
Its walls were transparent, revealing an underwater scene softly glittering from the sunlight above.
Dozens of fish glided gracefully, each movement casting shadows that danced across the skin of the visitors.
There, patrons could enjoy their meals while standing or walking, exploring every glass corridor forming a beautiful labyrinth beneath the sea.
The atmosphere made the entire place feel alive, like a world breathing calmly in the midst of slowed time.
"Aldraya, wait! This time let me go in first.
You always go ahead, so… let's take turns."
"If it pleases you."
"Of course!"
Nguuuung - ngaaang!
"Look, Aldraya! That fish shaped like a ribbon!
And the one next to it—look!—its colors change whenever it nears the light!"
"Charming."
"Hah! You said it too.
Usually, you just say 'yes' or 'no.'
I'll take that as progress."
Fuuuuh!
'A small crack in Aldraya's steadfastness, yet perhaps here is where the light of this story begins to shine.
Even in an artificial world, humanity can still grow from something as small as glancing left and right.'
After stepping through the large glass doors that served as the café's gateway, Ilux quickly restrained Aldraya, who was about to enter first.
Politely but firmly, he took over this minor matter, signaling Aldraya to walk without turning her back to him.
His movements were swift but full of respect—like someone who understands boundaries while maintaining a balance between distance and closeness.
Meanwhile, Theo arrived a few seconds later, presenting a ticket at the registration table, then entered with slow but deliberate steps, ensuring his presence did not draw anyone's attention.
The café reflected blue light from every angle, making every step feel as if taken inside a liquid dream.
Ilux looked delighted; his face shone with a rare enthusiasm.
He carried refreshments in his hands—soft drink in the right, a plate of small pastries in the left—and walked faster, resembling a child eager to explore a new place.
Each step created soft echoes on the glass floor, refracting the light from the underwater world below.
Aldraya, on the other hand, continued walking with her unchanging rhythm.
Her eyes were fixed forward, as if her gaze was locked by something invisible.
Occasionally, she glanced right and left—not drawn by the beauty around her, but following an instinct to map the space—like a machine charting the terrain without needing to feel the wonder within.
Her body appeared calm, but the distance between her and Ilux slowly widened, creating an unavoidable contrast between them.
One enjoyed, the other interpreted the world without feeling.
"For heaven's sake, I didn't expect the food to taste this good!
The sea bread was very soft, and the drink—Blue Current, right?—tasted like sweet waves leaving a salty sensation.
Truly amazing how they could capture the taste of the sea without any fishiness!"
"Too high in calories."
"You really only think about calories?
We just saw the most beautiful underwater scenery here.
Try to relax, Aldraya."
"The next destination is waiting."
"Yes, the third destination. But this journey is also to be enjoyed.
If you keep being stiff, I might die of boredom."
"Not my concern."
'A little sense of pride, huh? That's a rather interesting conclusion, Aldraya Kansh Que.'
Several dozen minutes passed, and finally, Ilux and Aldraya stepped out of the dynamic café.
The automatic glass doors slowly opened, reflecting their shadows on the surface before closing again, swallowing the remaining blue light of the underwater world they had just left.
Ilux looked satisfied.
A wide smile adorned his face, his eyes slightly squinting from fullness and a simple happiness rarely seen amidst their mysterious surroundings.
He patted his stomach gently, still carried by the relaxed atmosphere of the vibrant and moving place, as if all the sweet and salty flavors had truly left a warm trace in his chest.
Aldraya, meanwhile, walked with the same measured steps.
Calm, orderly, with no meaningful expression.
Yet, for a moment, when her eyes glanced at Ilux, something thin and nearly imperceptible flickered across her face—a trace of pride, perhaps from seeing Ilux enjoy time with her, or because a simple mission in her mind was proceeding as planned.
The flash of feeling was brief, like light piercing the water's surface only to vanish back into the depths.
Theo, observing from afar, certainly did not miss the small detail.
His hand reflexively wrote notes in his yellow notebook, underlining the words "human reaction" with slightly stronger pressure.
Amid the breeze carrying the scent of artificial sea from the café's ventilation, Aldraya then spoke softly, flat yet firm—stating that they would continue to the third place on the pre-planned list.
Without many questions or objections, Ilux nodded, his eyes sparkling again, and adjusted his pace to walk alongside Aldraya.
'Dynamic café, checked.'
As Aldraya and Ilux stepped away from the dynamic café, Theo kept a safe distance behind them.
His steps were light yet calculated, as if every movement was measured to avoid echoes that might draw Aldraya's gaze.
Among the gentle bustle of passing visitors, Theo lowered his eyes to the small bright yellow notebook in his hands.
There, his black pen began moving slowly, drawing ink with a rhythm matching the beat of his own heart.
The writing was simple, yet full of meaning for him.
'Second date location—the dynamic café—has been completed as in the Flo Viva Mythology scenario.'
Each letter he carved carefully, as if marking a chapter that had truly ended.
The ink glimmered under the slanted light, shining briefly before drying, a small sign that he still held control over the course of the story—though deep down, Theo began to sense that this power was no longer as complete as before.
'Everything will proceed according to plan. And according to the schedule, in the first arc of the mid-eight episode, they should now be visiting the third place—a room with ancient articles arranged in a modern style, floating items, and soft lighting. Everything has been perfectly planned. Even in the original scenario, this moment was destined to become the starting point of their intimacy.'
"That place is unnecessary.
Let's go straight to the next destination."
"But isn't that place interesting?
I'm curious about the floating sheets—"
"That activity is pointless, just a waste of time.
Follow me."
Honestly, Theo had briefly believed that everything would go smoothly—that Aldraya and Ilux's steps were merely repetitions of the narrative meticulously created in Flo Viva Mythology, specifically in arc one, mid-eight episode.
He had even written a small note in the corner of his notebook: everything is on track—for now.
Yet his optimism collapsed quickly when he witnessed something he never anticipated.
To be continued…