Chapter 12

Later on, they went to a nearby eatery after getting sober from all the drinks they've had.

Bryner didn't want to eat, so he only had his favorite vanilla ice cream and water, while Raven ordered an egg with rice. They talked about their plan for the upcoming camp for outreach program this coming Monday.

Thrilled to be part of such program, Raven decided to give his best to participate and cooperate accordingly.

After having their meal at the eatery, they decided to go out to let their dizzied heads cool down.

"So where'd you prefer?" Raven asked. "The arcade or the museum? Either of those will let us relax for a bit."

They decided to walk and go to the arcade to relax themselves. Just a few blocks of walk, they arrived to a narrow pavement and entered the night arcade.

"I didn't know that there's an arcade over this place," Bryner commented as he looks around the small night neon retro arcade. The theme was very relaxing, though there was so much going on with the aesthetics. "And it's beautiful here."

"And clean."

The grey blocked design from the floor up to the walls were lighted up by the neon retro machines flashing spectrums of purple, magenta, plum, bright midnight and city blue, rouge, currant, red, and bright yellow.

The noise and circus themed coin-ops were very much childish, they were like hands to pull you in a portal of a magical flashback to your bittersweet memories of youth.

But it had a touch of an adult world, so your feet gets to stay in the ground while your brain scatters off the wonderland of the ever engaging and electric retro neon arcade.

"I could play here forever." Bryner whispered to himself.

August 20, 2018 (Monday)

Meanwhile, Scarlet's stalker was getting irritated because he couldn't find her anywhere from the bar club. The noise and the flickering lights were ticking him off.

He never liked these kinds of stuff. The noise, the tipsiness, and everything that has a lot of people. He hates the crowd.

He went to the hospital and bumped into so many people, but he didn't care and he didn't stop to apologize to anyone of them.

He went by the café, market, and even to the museum just to find the woman he's stalking – Scarlet.

Getting impatient, he went out of the museum and grabbed a cigarette to smoke.

He breathed in and out repeatedly as his restlessness grows back and forth through his ghoulish senses. Just across him was a narrow pavement that leads up to an interesting passageway of shops.

He finished smoking and dropped by through the way. He entered the retro neon themed arcade and saw everything in beautiful arrangements.

He was pissed off of everything, he felt like his heart would come out of his chest. The stalker bought tokens and played at a machine from the corner before the brick wall.

As he continues on with the game, he started getting addicted to it. His tokens were swept down to the machine as he sticks his eyes through the machine's screen.

Later on, his anxiety randomly sprang up and his heart started beating up his flesh again. Whether this was the effect of a coffee or cigarette or crime, it bothered him to the core. He began beating against the buttons and pulling the joystick as he vents out his frustration.

A man went near him and touched the stalker's shoulder. It was Bryner. The stalker jumped out of shock. "Man, stop abusing the machine, it ain't its fault that it couldn't fight! What's your problem?"

The stalker's hands began shaking rapidly and he struggled controlling his body. "What the hell do you care?"

"You're supposed to use the machine carefully, 'coz you're just borrowing it from the owner." Bryner tried explaining it carefully to the stranger, while Raven stares as he observes.

"Fuck with your own business, shithead!" Even the stalker's voice began quivering. Coldness started creeping up from his toes.

"C'mon, man," Bryner was running out of patience too. "If you've got nothing better to do, you might wanna stand up and get outta here."

The stranger breathed heavily and his world started to spin and twirl. He ceased to control his body and let it all loose. He suddenly jumped up and threw a heavy punch against Bryner's face.

The crowd gasped and jolted away from the three men. As the heated argument spurred, a brawl ignited their angers and unnecessary scuffle between two men, both full of the world.

Bryner was caught up in a bad circumstance as well as the stalker. If they were meant to meet, then they were meant to fight like this.

The brawl went on until the staffs and the owner helped Raven to stop the turmoil that the two men have caused. They settled the dispute on the police station and everything went back to normal.

Bryner and Raven went back to a bar and drank alcohols. It was the most peaceful thing they could ever stop and do.

As they watch the prostitutes dancing from the small stage, both of their brains sparked an unwanted memory.

"Prostitutes are all about beauty and body, hmm?" Bryner's eyes were stuck at a deadly glare to the women at the stage.

"I sympathize those women," Raven sipped from his glass. "They've plumped down to give even their own dignity for love. Whether it's love for family, or love for perspectives, or love for their own health, they chose to give up that one thing that could've been a treasure through their death. This becomes their reality and the world's eyes gets to judge them or lust them."

"Hmm… Fair point. But you know, I don't like women like that. I don't want sympathizing with those kind of women. I loathe that decision and that kind of person. I just… hate prostitutes. They're nauseating."

"If that's what you think, then I've got nothing to say about it."

August 21, 2018 (Tuesday) 11:40 PM

The two men started to become sleepy, so they had to separate ways after exchanging contact numbers. Bryner went back to the hotel, while Raven went back to Sherryl Restaurant.