The Rich and the Poor

“Attention.”

A mechanical voice blasted out of the black communication sphere lying beside his bed.

“The Abyss Cube will be reaching Kandar in approximately fifty minutes. We’ll be docking in Black Monocles’s headquarters.”

Voidborn was roused from his slumber, listening to the announcement repeat a second time.

Sitting up, he crossed his legs into a lotus position and closed his eyes to focus his mind. He began meditating, allowing his mind to calm down and regain clarity.

Many things weighed on his mind.

Only five days have passed, yet those same five days seemed to have changed the trajectory of his life.

Diviners. Yuri. Threads. The Wheel.

A mysterious Reborn type, an even more mysterious organisation. He learnt many things, but he had many more things to learn.

What exactly were they after?
What are Rebirth stones?
Why were they called seeds?
What is the pendant?
How was it able to stop Yuri’s influence on emotions?

He needed answers, but a part of him hoped that he would never need to find out those answers.

Karina Yoo Jimin.

A woman who was the daughter of his employer.
A woman who deserved the best.
A woman so beautiful that she should have countless attractive and wealthy men and women far better suited to be her lifelong partner.

Yet she expressed her affection for him.

Voidborn was perplexed.

He knew he should push her away.
He knew he should draw boundaries.
He knew he should be professional.

But yet he didn't.

He didn’t know what he was feeling in his heart.
He didn’t know what to do with his relationship with her.
He wished Penelope would be here to guide him.

Voidborn looked at the huge monitor in his room.

Ten separate screens were displayed on it, showing different views of the world outside the Abyss Cube as it flew towards Kandar.

A golden-orange blush from where the sun rose.
A deep purplish black from where the moon fell.
Both met to form a vertical horizon of rusty pink and magenta where tranquil night glowed into radiant dawn.

He looked at the surroundings, watching hills and plains zip past, watching the approaching city that was growing into sight.

6.20 a.m.

It seemed that they would arrive at seven sharp.

He got out of bed and headed to wash up, preparing himself before he met Jimin for breakfast.

Elian walked into the canteen. Jimin was already there, waving towards him with a bright anticipatory smile.

He acknowledged and walked over to join her at the table.

“You're early.”

Elian watched as Jimin pushed a plate full of food towards him.

“You're always getting food for me, so I wanted to get food for you for once.” Jimin grinned with a scrunched nose. “Did you sleep well?”

Elian nodded, looking at the plate in front of him. It was loaded with food. Four buttery pancakes doused with maple syrup, a generous number of grilled sausages and crispy bacon strips, two sunny side eggs, and two half tomatoes that have been roasted to the point of sweet caramelisation.

Over to the side sat a small bowl of fruit. His favourite yellow, sweet fruit.

Mangoes.

“Let’s eat,” Elian said, picking up his utensils.

Jimin had a similarly stacked plate, and the both of them wolfed down the food as if they had been starved for a day, which they had. Their sparring with Asa had lasted till late at night, and they had skipped dinner from the non-stop training.

“I’m sore all over…” Jimin complained, slicing a piece of sausage. She poked it with her fork and added a piece of bacon, a piece of pancake and some egg white, before putting the DIY protein skewer into her mouth.

“You have good stamina,” Voidborn said, chewing on his own piece of bacon.

“W-Well, that's a very suggestive compliment to say to a lady, Elian.”

Jimin’s cheeks flushed red from embarrassment.

“Is it? You fought the entire night.”

“Y-Yea, I did…”

Just then, voices floated from the corridor.

The door slid open and to Voidborn’s and Jimin’s surprise, familiar faces appeared.

Rei’s arm was hooked around Joy’s, and Senia’s fingers were threaded between Dylan’s. Derrick walked in, eyes fixed on the gadget in his hands as he fiddled with the toggleable music switch, trying to adjust its volume.

Even Robert was here, chasing after Chaewon who was stomping into the canteen with impatience.

“Why are you guys here?!”

Jimin waved towards the Wordwraiths, gesturing at the empty seats across the long table which they were seating at.

The group went to get their food, before settling around the table.

“Both of you didn't know because you were up the entire night,” Rei said, raising her eyebrows suggestively. “How was the training?”

“Tiring. Jimin has a lot of stamina,” Voidborn said.