Chapter Text
"I hope that you can find peace... or you know... some happiness."
It's funny. Not even a day had passed, and he was already feeling nostalgic. From remembering her very words, a wish she had once made for the boy to be exact, and it's one of the reasons why he didn't succumb to him.
His good eye wandered through the windowscreen, taking in the lush, green, scenery that was passing by. It reminds him of all the flowers and plants they had taken care of... Well, mostly by a certain blonde boy.
Nevertheless, they shared those happy memories, right?
"Maybe one day... things can go back to the way they were before."
A small smile had managed to make its way on his face upon remembering it. The boy, too, had hoped that everything could go back the way it was. Naive as it may be, it never hurts to be hopeful. Faith can do wonders if you believe them from the bottom of your heart.
Another reminder. An optimistic one, so to speak. 'The good ole' days', a certain Orange-Joe enthusiast would say, had come to his mind.
"Friends... friends are supposed to be there for each other."
A mirth of a chuckle had escaped from his mouth, thinking about that one time his friend drank the expired caffeine drink from a vending machine, at the expense of his stomach and someone's dollar. Regardless, he would stay true to his own words, no matter how hard it can be.
True to your own words...
The smile on his face withered a bit. Yet came another reminder from past events. A reality check for him that not all things can end as one hopes to be.
"Last time... We made the mistake of leaving each other when we needed each other the most. This time... we'll stay together."
He didn't blame him for what he did at that time. It was to be expected after all...
He told them the truth...
After all, they deserved to know what really happened that day. A proper closure not only for them but for himself as well.
It may be ugly and tormenting to let them know, but it is what it is...
No more running away... He had enough of living with that kind of life.
A heavy sigh had been given off by him, reminiscing what had transpired in the small, little town he grew up in.
So much has happened these past few days. There were good ones, memories that he would grow fond of remembering. Along with the bad, reminders that he'll promise to not repeat in the distant future.
Nonetheless, he would carry these memories with him, till the end of his time, forevermore...
Though the pain of leaving them remains, and it may be hard for him to say goodbye...
He'll carry on...
Cherishing this life that was given to him. This second chance they were willing to give him, despite everything that he had done.
And maybe someday... he would pay a visit to his home once more. To visit and spend time with them, once in a while...
"Hey, Sunny... When you move away... Do you think it'd be too much trouble if you could-"
Ah... he remembered that time in the house when they were making their way to the backyard. He didn't get to hear what she had really meant, for someone interrupted in an unfortunate moment.
But, he at least could put the pieces together of what she had meant to say to him... he thinks.
They all would have wanted this for him, right? To move on with life, as they all did. And he would have wanted to fulfil it, to the best that he can do.
"You'll forgive yourself... Won't you.. Sunny-"
"Sunny..? Are you feeling okay there, honey?"
The boy's train of thought, now known as Sunny, had been broken by his mother. She was glancing at him in the rear view mirror with worried eyes. He always did has his head in the clouds most of the time. But the face he made, he looked as if he was uneasy with something.
Something on his mind...
He gave a nod to her as his answer. He was not much of a talker, to begin with. Both of them knew that.
"Sweety, your face says a different story. Mommy knows it when her Sunnybun is feeling the blues."
Cliff-faced as Sunny may be, his mother would still catch on with how her son was feeling. She remembers the little quirks he would do when he was feeling upset.
"You'll tap your left fingers, Sunny dear... Mommy will find us a tune to listen in, okay? It might help." she then turned the radio knob of the car, searching for a semblance of music to ease up the mood.
His left fingers... Oh, yeah. He did get callous on his fingers once when he practice the violin for the recital...
The violin... it was a blessing and a curse. He was glad that he finally got over it, performing the duet with her, even if it has to be inside his own mind.
He could perhaps try to have it repaired. Would help... to move on from the trauma.
Regardless, Sunny returns his gaze to the passing trees in front of him. His mind continued to wander in the reverie he was previously in, continuing his train of thought as he bury his head deep in the clouds of his imagination.
A tune then was playing in the car. It was catchy, as the boy hums along to the melody, distracting himself from the sombre mood he was in. His mother must've stumbled upon a goldmine amongst the idle radio channels, increasing the volume a bit for the long ride they were both in. He appreciated her sentiment.
"Sunny... Mommy knows that it's... hard for us to leave Faraway. Especially when you finally make up lost time with your old friends."
The sight of them having one final group hug was enough to move her heart to tears.
"But, mommy also knows for sure that we could still build a new life in Elsewhere City! There are a lot of places to see, and lots of new friends you can make. You'll definitely like it, Sunny."
"If you ever get homesick or miss your friends, you can always call them. They did give you their phone numbers, right?"
"And if you ever wanted to visit them, sweety. You can always tell mommy about it. Mommy misses you and home too, you know?"
Sunny smiled at her notion of visiting Faraway. Another nod was given out to his mother. This time, a bit more enthusiastic than the former he gave.
"Alright, Sunny. It's good to know that we share the same idea." She was glad that her son was happy, even if it was a glimmer of it on his face. It's a good start for a change.
"Now, our drive might take a while, and you must've been very tired. Mommy suggest that you should get some rest while we're still on the road to Elsewhere, alright?"
Tired, huh... It was kinda weird that he wasn't feeling that after today. There was still some energy left in him, but Sunny didn't feel like he wanted to stay awake or even fall asleep. He was content to daydream like he always does, staring at the clouds above as they drive.
"We have a big day ahead of us, Sunny! I just hope... that we could make a difference there."
Maybe... just maybe. Sunny could find the strength to rebuild from scratch, along with his old life.
A blank canvas from his 4 years in White Space for this new life he was embarking on, and a coloured one from his time with Head Space and the Real World.
By the words of his best friend, he wants to believe that...
Everything is going to be okay.
Somewhere in a room, somebody was dreaming...
...
"☐☐☐☐☐☐, look! Why is the sun becoming dark now?!"
A young girl asked her friend about the strange phenomenon that was occurring at that time. Pink sands were beneath them, and the minty, watery ocean washed up to their feet.
"That's because... uhh... maybe it feels sad?"
Her friend merely replied to her, not knowing the answer herself. It only produces a more scrunched-up face from the girl she had answered to, for not knowing why this happen is simply not acceptable to the lass.
She merely shrugs at her blonde, scrunched-up-faced friend. Well, that's all she's got.
"Guys, I don't think the sun would have emotions, to begin with..."
Then, a young boy came to them both, offering his own answer to the mix. This, however, manages to annoy her. It seems that she was not contempt with that kind of answer from him.
"Okay, Mr Smartypants. Then pray tell us all here... why are we not having our daily need of sunshine goodness right now?!"
Flapping her arms wildly around to make a point, she then points her finger to the blacked-out scribbling of what seems to be a sun over at the sky above them.
The other girl only looked at them both, worried that a fight may escalate itself.
She didn't know how to stop the two. Her timid nature prevented her from taking action.
"Don't look at me like that, ☐☐☐☐☐☐! I got no idea either!"
Fortunately, a reliable person had come to the rescue. A sigh gave out by him as he watched little ☐☐☐☐☐☐ slumping back uncomfortably at the sand, in the middle of ☐☐☐☐☐☐ and ☐☐☐☐☐ 's argument.
"Now, now... Settle down, you two. You know how me, ☐☐☐☐ , and ☐☐☐☐☐☐ don't like to see you both bickering over something that can be done nicely, right?"
"But he-" / "But she-"
"No buts! I mean, look down for a second."
They both looked down, only to see ☐☐☐☐☐☐ silently drawing random scribbles on the pink sand on which they were standing.
Both of them felt bad now.
"Now, say sorry both of you."
"...sorry ☐☐☐☐☐." / "...sorry ☐☐☐☐☐☐."
"That's better~"
A teenage girl then came up to them, gleefully waving her hand. Summer vacation is finally starting, after all!
"Ah, ☐☐☐☐☐! It's good to see you guys here just in time!"
She then looked onwards to the younger ones of the bunch. They were both acting like they just got grounded.
"Let me guess... Another soon-to-be fight about something?"
She cocked her head sideways with an amused look on her face. Ah, kids... Granted, they all still are, but ☐☐☐☐☐ and she were technically the young adults of the friend group.
"Yep. Good thing they both made up with each other. Seriously ☐☐☐☐ , we're supposed to be having a good time here and then they were arguing on why there was a solar eclipse in the middle of Summerday."
"They're just kids, ☐☐☐☐☐. That's why we're here. Now, give me one big smooch, you big, handsome dork!"
"☐☐☐☐?! At least not here, please!?"
"Hehehe! I'm just messing with ya! It never gets old looking at your little cute face."
"Give me a break..."
"Anyways, you guys! Would you all kindly please help me and Sinclair out with our beach picnic? Poor kid was so tired from the ride to here, especially after picking him up from his piano lesson this morning."
"Alright! Let's go help him out, ☐☐☐☐☐! Sinclair must've been so pooped to even sleep all the way here."
The two kids had made their way to the car that ☐☐☐☐ drove, and Sinclair was sleeping peacefully in the front seat. A morsel of his drool dripped out from his small mouth.
"...Man, can't they just give him a break for a day or two? He looks so worn out."
The young boy said to his friend beside him, upon looking at the sleeping figure in the car. She, too, shared his opinion, as she was quite worried about his condition.
There were eyebags, clearly visible by both of them. The poor child was working to his bones off yet again.
A groan Sinclair gave out before he continues snoring.
"They did, ☐☐☐☐☐. It's just... Sinclair insisted that he should practise more, rather than not doing anything."
Mastering the violin was not enough for Sinclair... He needed more, and so his attention turns towards the next piece of an instrument he had in mind.
The piano...
"That's a load of baloney. He's already way better than everyone here, ☐☐☐☐☐☐."
"You think I don't know that... Of course, I do."
Intelligent for his age, a music virtuoso, athletic, and most of all, his kindness would set many hearts at ease. Sinclair has it all, a prodigy from birth and a good-natured child.
And yet, he didn't feel that way. He wanted more. To prove something, to someone they don't have any clue off. That something was a mystery to everyone, only he knows.
"I'm just a bit sad... he can't see that we're all happy with just the way he is."
"...Yeah."
...
...
"...You think he might be listening in secretly?"
"...He's a heavy sleeper, ☐☐☐☐☐. His mom told us he slept through an earthquake when he went back home in Baguette Land, remember?"
"...I thought he went back home to Dango Island during that time?"
"Pish-posh, lemon soda. Whatever, ☐☐☐☐☐... Let's just wake him up and join with the rest back there."
"Yeah, yeah... jeez."
Back at the beach, she was still playing around with sand and water. Seeing both ☐☐☐☐☐☐ and ☐☐☐☐☐ had got it covered with waking up Sinclair, she presumed to just wait for them by their picnic spot.
She could spot a few other kids playing around her, besides her friend group.
Three kids on the water, splashing the minty ocean breeze with joy. Two teens were having a sun tan, and the boy of the two was sleeping on top of the girl's chest.
She only smiled at him, letting the boy rest blissfully. How sweet...
"Something on your mind, ☐☐☐☐☐☐?"
The teen sat next to the younger one, breathing in the fresh, ocean breeze.
"...Nothing much, just thinking about ☐☐☐☐☐☐'s question on the sun."
Weirdly enough, everyone seems to not mind the bizarre occurrence that was happening after a while.
"Ah, I see... Well, ☐☐☐☐☐☐. That... is something we call..."
She guides the young child's finger with her hand to the scribbled dark sun in the sky.
"...a solar eclipse."
The girl tilted her head sideways in confusion, mimicking what the teen did with ☐☐☐☐☐.
Said boy was now preparing to lay down the mat along with ☐☐☐☐☐, ☐☐☐☐☐☐, and Sinclair who was still groggy.
She didn't understand the big words that the older one was saying. Probably something from the science textbooks she dreads to read.
"...What's that?
Seeing the confused stare that she was giving, it was probably best for ☐☐☐☐ to explain to ☐☐☐☐☐☐ in the simplest terms she could come up with.
"To put it simply... it's when Mr Moon decides to hang out with Mr Sun for a while. After that, they'll be on their merry way."
Several nods and 'oh's' was heard from her younger companion regarding the eclipse that has transpired.
"But then... will Mr Moon would see Mr Sun again?"
Ah... yikes. Here comes the bombardment of questions from a curious girl. It's a good thing she was ready for it.
"They would, ☐☐☐☐☐☐. Someday, they would meet again."
"...Why do they meet up, ☐☐☐☐? Are they really good friends? And does Mr Moon hangs out with Mr Sun for fun, or... for like... umm... grown-up stuff."
This only creates a chuckle from the older girl, as she ruffles the younger one's black, silky hair from hearing these questions given to her.
"That... is something we don't know."
"...Huh?"
"But... I think it's fine to not know the reason behind everything, Yvonne."
The girl, now known as Yvonne, merely looks on towards her older companion.
"And I also think... that it's quite beautiful in a way."
"By not having any specific reason... we could make up one that might feel very special... to ourselves."
A small smile was on her face, remembering the words that were told to her by someone she loves dearly when she was around Yvonne's age...
"Say, Yvonne... I heard one interesting story about why Mr Moon meets up with Mr Sun. Care to listen to this story with me?"
This perked up her attention, and she happily nodded to ☐☐☐☐, intending to listen to this particular short story she had in mind.
"Well... some people would call this meeting between the two good friends an "eclipse" like I mentioned before. And they say that when an eclipse happens, it would mean that big changes were coming to a lot of people."
"What kind of changes?"
"That~ is also another part of the mystery of the eclipse."
An annoyed groan escaped from Yvonne, as the older teen merely grins at her, clearly amused by her annoyance. Another ruffle to her hair would fix the problem, and indeed it was. They were giggling from goofing around at the beach.
"But rest assured, Yvonne. Changes may be scary, but it's a sign for us that things may get better..."
"Cause we know for sure... we're not stuck in the past. And we'll be always moving forward, towards a brighter future."
They both looked on towards the ocean's horizon, the words left from the older teen's mouth as they take in the beautiful sight in front.
"Hey, girls! Sinclair and I just made roasted marshmallows! Come join us before ☐☐☐☐☐ finishes it all!"
☐☐☐☐☐ had called out to the two girls by the seaside. They were having a light snack, it seems.
A young boy can be seen foraging the sticks like a madman near the fire pit, stuffing his face with all the gooey goodness. This, in turn, caused one of Yvonne's best friends to be upset with his antics.
"Hey! Not fair, ☐☐☐☐☐! Sinclair, help me out here, please?"
"...I have more. Here, you can have mine instead, ☐☐☐☐☐☐."
Soft-spoken as he is, Sinclair simply gave his marshmallow stick to her, and she accepted it with an exasperated sigh.
"Huff... Sinclair. What I meant is that you stop ☐☐☐☐☐ from hogging all the marshmallows. But... Thanks, by the way." A faint blush slowly crept its way on her face, accepting his kind gesture.
The young boy, who was now looking like a chipmunk with roasted marshmallows stuffed inside his mouth, pulls in his 'bestest' friend closer with his arm around him, all the while letting out a cheeky grin towards their salty friend, like the minty ocean near them.
"See? My best buddy Sinclair always comes through for everyone. Jealous much?" The boy had wiggled his eyebrows at ☐☐☐☐☐☐ t o annoy her. It was incredibly effective.
"Gosh, would you please shut up already, ☐☐☐☐☐..."
Then, ☐☐☐☐☐ had taken out a big bag full of candies that he got from the car they were on.
"Okay, okay... Here, we've got some extra taffies from that candy store in Sweetheart's Bazaar. Don't go burning through them in one go, alright guys!"
The ever mediator, he was... Since things had finally calmed down, yet again.
"Ah, ☐☐☐☐☐. What do we even do without him?" C'mon Yvonne, let's go stuff our faces with Sinclair and the rest."
"..."
She was looking towards Sinclair, an unreadable expression was on her face.
"...Yvonne? You okay there, girl?"
"O-Oh! Uh... Sorry, something was on my mind..."
Even if it was subtle, ☐☐☐☐ managed to follow where Yvonne's gaze ended up.
She was looking at...
...Oh.
Oh~
Like the chipmunk kid before them, ☐☐☐☐ too adopted a smug grin on her face.
"...Thinking about Sinclair giving his marshmallow to your best bud, ☐☐☐☐☐☐, hmm??!"
By this accusation the older teen had made, Yvonne was as red as a tomato, sputtering out to ☐☐☐☐ in a vain effort of explaining herself.
"W-What?! N-No I d-didn't! I-I-I was-"
A joyous guffaw was let out by the older teen. She didn't expect her to blabber out her mouth like that, for she knew Yvonne was never the one to lose her composure with pretty much anything.
"Hahaha, I'm just pulling your leg there, Yvonne! But... I never expected you to... you know what I mean~"
"☐☐☐☐, what's so funny? We could hear your laugh all the way over here."
Steam was practically fuming out from Yvonne's head. Lord forbid if she spills the beans to ☐☐☐☐☐ and the rest, especially ☐☐☐☐☐☐ and Sinclair. If so, then she would bury her head under the pinky sand in shame, just like what ostriches would do.
"Nothing, ☐☐☐☐☐~! Just some girl-to-girl talk, that's all! Save up some marshmallows for me and Yvonne though!"
A thumbs-up was his answer to her request. A shiny glint from his teeth radiates from his smile. He looks so corny.
"Look at this dude... sometimes I wonder how I fell for him." a small smile had adorned her lips. Love was truly mysterious... And she loves mysteries.
"Let's go, Yvonne! We got ourselves some marshmallows to munch!"
"...Not funny, ☐☐☐☐..." she mutters out in annoyance, her cheeks were flushed out in embarrassment.
And so... the six of them enjoyed their beach picnic together...
...
...
...
It was a nice dream, or was it a distant memory he had recalled from the back of his mind?
Nonetheless, he was there in the far distance... watching it all unfold with his weary, dark eyes.
But like all dreams... they all must come to an end.
It's time to wake up, dear Sojourner...
Room 32, Elysium Heights.
Elsewhere City
8:47 A.M
The beeping sound of a landline phone could be heard inside the dimly-lit room he was sleeping in. It was giving off a glowing, red dot.
Multiple unread, voice messages from various people were the cause of the beeping. It reached the maximum number of voicemails that can be saved. 30 of them... who knows how many more did he leave unread.
He hasn't even touched it for a long time, specks of dust were piling up around the marvellous piece of technology.
"You have one new voicemail"
A new one... Would he listen to it this time around? Or will he leave it like the rest...
The choice wasn't his to make, as the landline made the choice for him already. It automatically reads out the message that was bequeathed to his... humble abode.
Conceivably, it had enough with the negligence it was facing from its owner. Enough of locking away the words needed to be reached to his ears, but he instead blocks them out and prefers to feign ignorance.
Nevertheless, the message had been received at long last.
"Good morning, little Lune... It's me, Mrs Yung. How are you feeling these past few days? I heard that you had to go to the hospital the past two days. Something about an upset stomach or so... I hope that you're eating well and getting enough sleep. Living alone can be quite stressful, I can vouch for that you know..."
Hospitals... It left a bitter taste in his mouth, even just by hearing the word.
"Which reminds me of something... Ah, yes. Lune deary, we're going to have a new family moving in with our community! They're from Faraway. That small, lovely town that you and your friends sometimes visit for... I'm sorry. I might have treaded on a sensitive subject... Do forgive me, Lune."
...Faraway. A mixture of feelings overwhelmed him for a brief moment. Holding his head and taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down.
"I've already met the mother of the family. She's a single mother, apparently. Poor thing... she was working her bones off to support her only son. I didn't pry much, but I heard that she used to have a daughter. A talented one at that! And surprisingly, hearing her talk fondly of her children, if I remember correctly... they were Sunny and Mari... Both of those wonderful children reminded me a lot of you, Lune."
...They sounded wonderful, the very least he could say about those two people positively.
"It's a shame that the girl... A-Anyways, they will be staying next door to your house. Looks like you and Yvonne have new wonderful neighbours! We'll be having a housewarming party for them. You can thank Yvonne for arranging that, Lune."
...Yvonne. His best friend since childhood. He wondered how was she doing right now?
How he wondered what his friends were doing with their lives... without him.
"I hope you can make a new friend with that Sunny boy. From hearing Mrs Suzuki's words, I'm sure you and little Sunny could be great friends. Oh, and I think that he's the same age as you as well as the other three..."
A weary sigh can be heard from his ears. A sigh that was filled with regrets, and sadness...
"...Oh, Lune. After mentioning sweet ole' Yvonne... Your friends, they... They miss you. You know that too, right?"
"C☐e☐y☐, ☐ki☐a, J☐m☐s... ☐☐☐☐-"
His head was ringing, hearing these names... He felt sick suddenly. He wished that this pain would subside.
After a while, the pain died down as the message resumed.
"-wouldn't want to see you like this, right? You're not a horrible person, Lune. You're a wonderful child... I wish that you could see that too."
He could faintly see blurry images in his head... Some familiar faces he could recall. Most of them were worn-out faces. Unrecognizable beyond comprehension.
"...Oh dear lord, the line's getting all fuzzy. Best that I keep it short like this... Look at this old lady, rambling like your parents used to do, hehe..."
...
...
"They would be proud of you, Lune Kiyoshi."
"Take care of yourself, Lune. Hope we could all see you soon."
Message ended.
...
...
How long has it been since he talked to a person? Was it a year... or two? He lost count... for he couldn't even care at that time.
How long has it been since... that day?
He didn't ponder about it for long, a migraine would appear itself to torment his mind. His very soul...
As if there was something that was controlling him down, keeping him away from something horrible he didn't wish to see...
Every single time he tries to recall the memories of his past, the same result would always play out in the end...
Nothing... Just... nothing.
Slumping around would get him nowhere. He needed to do something, at least. The young boy, now known as Lune, finally rises from his bed. His small legs finally touched the soft carpet, as he stretches his body out.
A mirror was hanging on a wall near him, as he took a glance at an almost pitiful sight if his friends were to see him.
Lune looks... like he had seen better days.
His skin was pale, too pale... almost making him look like he was made out of porcelain.
He had grown out his hair, as those black strands flowed down, passing his shoulder blades. It was unkempt, years of self-neglectment were probably the reason for this miserable sight.
It doesn't help that he was also looking quite thin. Akin to fine china, the young boy was a far cry from being the sturdiest thing in the room. Someone could accidently break his limbs if they were not careful.
And the worst thing of all for poor Lune here...
He was short.
160 cm to be exact or was it uh... 5'2 inches tall, in these standards of measurements?
He still couldn't get used to using the Imperial system. It still boggles his mind now and then, that he was the only one struggling with this trivial thing compared to the rest.
Honestly, just by thinking about it seems so stupid for Lune.
To distract himself from this annoying thought he had pondered, Lune then steps outside of his bedroom and went to the kitchen to have a grub.
Surprisingly for a skinny, short shut-in, he kept his house in somewhat a liveable state... Sure, there were a few dirty dishes on the sink, and some clothes laying around on the floor, but hey... No stench of dirty rubbish right?
The only thing he hasn't touched was that landline in his bedroom, along with...
His old musical instruments, locked away behind his father's old studio at the end of a small hallway.
He shuddered at that thought. There was a reason why he sealed that room... Seeing those things only brought him dreadful feelings, yet he couldn't recount why in the first place.
The human mind was truly an enigmatic thing to mull about.
Now, if only he remembered where he put his cereal bowl. As Lune was making his way to the kitchen, he could hear a faint sound of a small radio playing at the counter.
Years of honing his ears, listening to every melody... every symphony in the life of music... He could hear the muted voice of a DJ caster.
"Hello, and Good~ morning, Elsewhere Folks! It's me, ya boy, DJ Khaleek on the house!"
...The volume knob was turned almost at the minimum volume. He forgot to turn it off last night.
Great... now he needs to find new batteries before the radio would go kapoot at a moment's notice.
But for now, he'll at least use what little amount of energy is left in the radio as he tunes in the DJ's morning session, raising the volume a little.
"Such a fine, dandy, sunny day we're having, huh folks? Hehe... That reminds me of a time when my old pops used to say; 'Khaleek, my son. Go outside and smell the flowers. Trust me, you'll love it if you do it every day.'
After a while, Lune had finally found his cereal bowl. There was a problem, though.
It's on the top shelf. No footstool was nearby to help him up.
Lune could only frown at the bowl, sitting up top. A major size difference that he was having right now. Being a social recluse had taken a major toll on him. More so to his stunted growth.
He could only grumble at his accursed legs...
" For sure, I was confused at first cause who goes outside and smell some random flowers? But then, it hit me. He didn't mean for me to literally breathe in some random tulips or whatnot. He was saying that I should spend my time outside to the best that I can. And boy, was he right in the money for that one! Thanks, dad!"
Lune was climbing on top of the counter shelf by this point, taking his time very slowly to not fall or even worse... accidentally break some dishes that were neatly stacked up top.
Fortunately, he succeeded in not causing one of a housewife's worst nightmares. No broken dishes in sight... and instead, one successful retrieval mission of his cereal bowl. The cereal box was already at the dining table, waiting to be open for the brand new morning.
Now, it's time for him to get milk in the refrigerator, opening the hinge of the white ice box as he takes in the cold air with a slight shiver.
"Alrighty then. Now that's out of the way, let's start our morning by listening to some good ole' music. Our first requester on the list, hmm... let's take a gander, shall we..? "
There was no milk.
His disappointment was immeasurable, and his day was ruined.
"Oh my~, Mr Sullivan. Feeling the sweet old blues of nostalgia, aren't we? Well, folks. With the request of Mr Sullivan from Acasian Retreats, we're taking a trip down memory lane, especially for the senior citizens of Elsewhere City. 1947 to be exact. Ah... just by seeing this title, brings back some bittersweet memories, I tell you h'what!"
Letting out a heavy sigh, it looks like Lune had to eat his cereal... in the most barbaric way known to mankind.
Instead of sitting down at the dining table, Lune seems to be making his way towards the balcony of his apartment complex, overlooking the enormous cosmopolitan the boy was residing in
All the while carrying with his milk-barren cereal and a spoon.
"Without further adieu, let's kick back and smell the flowers. This one's for you, to those who are reminiscing the good, old times."
"Take it away, Johhny. You're now listening to 'It's All Over But The Crying' by The Ink Spots."
The strumming of an acoustic guitar, followed by the melody of a piano played in the background of his solace haven. To some, it brings comfort. To others, it brings grief. Various kinds of memories were intertwined with this song, both good and bad alike.
That's why it was memorable. A mainstream commodity from the golden era, and a relic of nostalgia to the new.
And yet, he felt numb... as a scoop of cornflakes made its way into his mouth. Tasted bland, like what he was feeling right now...
"It's all over... but the crying."
"And nobody's crying... but me."
Somewhere in the city, a young girl was waking up in her room. A compound bow was placed beside her doorway, along with a quiver, arrows that were like her very nature. Straight and true.
Several medals and certificates were on the walls, displaying the achievements she had. Archery Championship, first place, it was written.
There was a photo on her desk, the light of her desk lamp shone brightly on it. The photo shows a group of six close friends. They were all smiling...
"Friends all over... know I'm trying."
The scenery then changes to somewhat of a diner, as a young teenager was walking towards another group at the table. They seem to be a group of high-school kids, wearing letterman jackets of what seems to be a football team. There was even a large trophy displayed in the diner, inside a glassed cabinet for all eyes to see.
The teenager then greeted the group with his iconic laugh, sharing fistbumps and bro hugs alike. And so, they enjoyed their morning breakfast which was pancakes and waffles, before their morning practice.
"To forget about, how much I cared... for you."
The scene shifted once again, now showing a dark alleyway. A young, blonde girl with a group can be seen walking away from the shady place. She was carrying a guitar case on her back, and a metal hockey stick slumping lazily on her shoulders.
Her face was unreadable, shrouded by the darkness of the alleyway as she strode on ahead without even looking back. Her lackeys followed suit, content with the victory they had won.
Behind them were a bunch of young adults, looking all beat up. Some of them were unconscious, laying down on the ground cold. It seems to be a rival gang of some sort, given away by the similar, ragged outfits they shared. A turf war had held here, and she prevailed with little to no effort.
"It's all over... but the dreaming."
In a college dorm, a young man can be seen typing something on a laptop. It was a study week, yet assignments were piling up like no tomorrow for him. He was working on a thesis, the title on the screen was yet to be known.
A writer's block he had run into, groaning in exhaustion by this inconvenience he was facing. He had not visited the kids for a while, for the assignments were blocking his way. Stopping him from making time to look after them.
"Poor little dreams, that keep trying to... come true."
Three kids and a young man were seen visiting a grave, after his departure.
They were Aubrey, a pink-haired former 'delinquent'. Kel, a tall-young boy with a smile that could cheer others easily. Basil, a young, blonde boy with a flower pin on the side of his head. And Hero, the eldest of the friend group.
The blonde was a bit hesitant to join them since he was also the one responsible for causing all of this mess... But they insisted the guilt-ridden boy to join them, to join the path of healing together.
4 years of living like this were simply too much for them all, and they wanted to change that. This was a start that they could take.
The four of them were spending their time together, to make up lost time yet again. To start anew, and mend what was lost, now having clarity in their hearts.
They hope that he could do the same as well... even in a faraway place.
But not far away from them, stood a lone grave...
It has been a long time since someone had visited her. A contrast that was quite sad to be a spectacle of.
Her passing, after all... was the final draw for him. For them all.
"It's all over... but the crying."
Sunny was seen staring at the blue sky above inside his car, reminiscing his time in Faraway before setting foot on a journey of self-recovery in a new city.
Unaware of him, someone else was also watching the same blue sky as he is. But this someone... was a person already too broken from the very start.
"And I can't get over..."
"Crying, over... you."
The cereal tasted horrible. Just like him... Perhaps they were not so different, the dry cereal he had been munching on.
He once hoped that he had the strength to change himself for the better,
Alas... he was too scared to make the first step.
Alas... it is what it is.
Welcome back to Elsewhere City.
You have been living here for as long as you can remember.