Work Text:
If Roe Deer were to be honest, the restaurant is entirely too extravagant for his taste.
[Ah, my dear Friend! Just in time. Please have a seat. I hope this place is to your taste.]
“Hello Braun. Yes, this place is very nice. It seems too high end though.”
[Nonsense! Only the finest for my Friend. I heard this place has the loveliest wine that I believe you will enjoy!]
“Thank you, Braun. I appreciate it. By the way, how have you been? Have things been going well behind the scenes with the late night talk show?”
[Why, of course! Things have never been better for me. In fact, you could even say that the show itself has been more spectacular than ever!]
“I’m so glad to hear that everything is working out. I’m sure things have also been easier now that you have more creative freedom.”
[Yes, yes. Truly, I cannot thank you enough for coming up with such a suggestion and supporting me through the process. You truly are a dear Friend of mine.]
“Oh, no. I didn’t do much. You managed to do that all on your own. Your resilience and passion are what lead you to your success right now.”
Roe Deer couldn’t help but feel embarrassed at the words of his friend. Despite him playing such a minor role in the whole situation, his friend kept insisting that he take credit for his part however little it may be.
Perhaps it’s due to his role as a TV talk show host for such stubbornness in regards to these kinds of things. For all the time the two of them spent together, Braun has always been a unique existence to him even before they formed their current close relationship. Then, it is also perhaps due to said nature, that Roe Deer himself finds himself drawn, helplessly fascinated by it, to this being even if they share inherently different values.
Only time will tell if their friendship was a boon or a mistake. Roe Deer couldn’t wait to see what kind of ending unfolds for this particular story.
[Oh dear! Forgive me, my Friend, but it appears that I’ve made quite the blunder.]
“Hm? What do you mean? I thought we were having a good time?”
[Of course! Spending time with you is always a delight. Though it is quite rude of me to only talk about myself when I’m sure you have much more interesting stories to share from your travels.]
“Oh, I do not mind. I’m always happy to hear about your work, y’know.”
[Though I am aware of this and I appreciate your enthusiasm, it would be remiss of me to only speak of work during our limited time together. So please, as your Friend, tell me about your travels. Has anything interesting recently happened? Interesting encounters?]
[Mr. Roe Deer, I also see your antlers are just coming in again. Did you recently shed them? These new ones look much nicer now.]
“Oh, yes. They came out a bit ago. Not long after we had our last meeting actually. I’m glad to know you like these ones as well.”
The onslaught of questions somewhat overwhelmed Roe Deer for a moment. He couldn’t help but feel disappointed at not hearing more about Braun’s job as a television host.
He may watch every episode that airs, but seeing what’s shown on the TV screen is very different from what is not shown. He wants to know everything. To understand it all.
“Well…I recently met some people while visiting an exhibit. Some humans. One of them was a young woman I believe. She had on a mask with sheep horns on them. She referred to herself as ‘Goral’.”
[Oh? So like the human visitors on my show then?]
“Yes, just like on your show. She apparently works for a company and the masks are part of their uniforms.”
[My, what an unusual company! Humans have such strange cultural norms don’t they?]
“Hmm, perhaps but I think their masks are actually equipment they carry on their persons. Ms. Goral, the young woman, didn’t tell me what they were for when we met at the exhibition but I think they’re to mask their identities.”
[Ah, like the secret agents in those action films. How novel! Perhaps I should interview a few of my visitors on the next live broadcast.]
“That would certainly be interesting to see. Though the funny thing is that I encountered actual government agents not too long ago.”
[Goodness, Mr. Roe Deer, you tend to find yourself in the most bizarre of situations, don’t you? How on earth did you find yourself meeting human government agents?]
“Ah, well it was just a coincidence really. The agent I met also was quite polite to me. He even offered to hire me when he mistook me for another human.”
Braun seemed shocked at first, a surprised emoji sparking on his face before being replaced by a happy emoticon with tears. He clapped in amusement as such an absurd concept.
The idea of an otherworldly being like Roe Deer being asked to work for the government of another world. How laughable.
[Haha! ■■■, my Friend! Only you would get hired by a human government!]
“Please Braun…”
[I apologize, but surely you understand how amusing this sounds. What could you have done to be asked to work as a civil servant?]
[Oh, I hope you didn’t accept. It would hurt my heart to know that you’d rather work for an otherworldly government than as a co-host with yours truly.]
“Haha, no I didn’t accept their offer but they are surprisingly persistent. They offered me a position in their ‘Disaster Management Bureau’.”
Looking back on his interaction with Ryu Jaekwan in particular, he couldn’t help but feel exasperated every time he saw the agent. Even his teammate is quite stubborn in trying to hire him, despite his refusal to their offer time and time again.
“Apparently, it’s a branch of their government that comes into our world to rescue civilians or those who accidentally wandered in. It’s quite interesting the type of work that they do.”
[Oh? Do tell me more, my Friend.]
The two of them chatted all throughout dinner, sipping their glasses of wine, and generally enjoying the atmosphere of the place they were in.
The feeling of content flooded Roe Deer as he listened to the rich chortles of Braun at his stories accompanied by the hilarious commentary of a well seasoned talk show host. The feeling of being known. To be understood and engaged with. Truly, he couldn’t have found a better friend than with Braun.
[Ah goodness, Mr. Roe Deer, I’ve already told you before. You mustn’t just invite people to your humble abode so willy nilly. You might end up welcoming complete ruffians and barbarians into your home.]
“Hmm…I suppose you’re right. But I can’t help it. I worry for them. Their stories. Even those who might be less deserving of it. Their lives are just so interesting. It would be a pity for them to end so shortly.”
[Ah, my dear Friend…you have always been quite the avid fan of exciting stories yet you also fancy happy endings. For someone so powerful, you have an equally large heart.]
“I could say the same to you, Braun. You are capable of so much but confine yourself to your show so passionately. Surely you understand where I’m coming from when I do these things.”
Both of them really weren’t too different from each other. It was like two sides of the same coin.
One loved to consume stories of all kinds, while the other lived to create said stories. One loved to watch an interesting event take place from a distance while the other loved being in the spotlight of the aforementioned event. They may love different things respectively, but they were bonded by their draw to exciting things, things that made people’s hearts beat quickly and things that were unique.
It was fascinating to hear and see the things each found fascinating.
[I suppose you are right. One cannot help but make necessary sacrifices or leaps of faith when pursuing what they are most passionate about. In which case, your dedication is truly admirable, ■■■ ]
“Thank you. Likewise to you as well, Braun.”
[Your words warm my heart, my Friend.]
A warm feeling grew in Roe Deer at the expression displayed on the screen of his friend’s face.
[Though, I must ask, have you been visiting the human world often lately? If so, I hope you do not get caught by those at that dreadful theme park. You know how they can be when you wander off too much.]
“…”
The warm feeling from before was quickly washed away, instead replaced with a feeling of guilt and dread running down his back. The sudden reminder caused him to recall the less than pleasant memories of when he had stayed in the human world for much longer than he had intended.
The return back to his own world made quite a stir among those close to him. Thinking about it made him want to bury himself into a pile of blankets to hide from the embarrassment and mortification of it all.
‘Even if I had been out for longer than I had originally planned for, there was no need to send such a large search party out for me. Even Braun got involved!’
“I promise not to stay out for too long like I did then.”
[Do not worry, Mr. Roe Deer. I, for one, believe you should be allowed to travel wherever you please for however long you wish. Provided you come visit, of course, from time to time. Those eccentric mascots are entirely too overprotective if I must be honest.]
“Haha…I suppose they are a bit much sometimes.”
The theme park mascots and staff have been nothing but kind to him but sometimes, he can’t help but feel a tad suffocated with how they try to coddle him. Some of them can be more protective than the rest, often treating him as a child despite his being older than most.
But he wouldn’t change them in any way. Those from the Cheerful Theme Park are similar to Braun in a way. Unique and their story is one that Roe Deer finds himself often revisiting when he’s in the mood for some fun and thrills.
‘It has been a while since I last visited…perhaps it’s time to go again soon.’
[My! Would you look at the time? We’ve been here for far longer than I anticipated.]
“Hm? Oh. I didn’t realize how much time flew by. I’m sorry, Braun. I probably kept you from your work, didn’t I?”
[Nonsense! Any time I spend with you, my Friend, is time well spent. It will be a tight schedule for a moment when I return but it is no trouble for an experienced showman such as myself.]
“Yes, that is very true.”
Braun made sure to leave his payment on the table before both got up from their seats and made their ways out of the restaurant, much more content than when they previously entered.
Standing outside the establishment, the two chatted a bit more before eventually parting ways. Braun, returning to his career as the well-known Late Night Talk Show host, and Roe Deer, returning to his duties as a wandering book keep. The pair promised to meet each other again when the time was right.
“Huuu….”
Step. Step. Step.
Silently strolling back home, Roe Deer watched his breath float away from him in the cold winter air. A harsh chill slowly creeped in the longer he stayed outside. Despite it, he didn’t find the brisk temperatures to be entirely unpleasant. It reminded him of things that he tried hard to cling to.
That, he was alive in this world. However brief it may be.
‘I wonder what I will be in my next life.’
‘A human maybe? That sounds nice.’
Regardless of how things turn out to be, he’ll continue his duties for whatever world he’s in. Continue to consume and fall in love with the stories he comes across. Continue to meet and experience new things to further cling onto life. It is as the world, or worlds as he should more accurately refer to, should be.
There was no need to be sad. Not anymore.
No matter what happens to Roe Deer, a ■■■ will always exist.