Chapter 4: The Dining Hall

Ryuu casually turned to the right. Aika was in her mode of checking the tall indoor plants if they had already been watered. Each corner of the cased opening has two sets of Ficus plants, Polyscias and Birds of Paradise. She might be a Lady, still she had other duties to deal with. "Where is Arlert, Aika-san?" Ryuu asked. Aika glanced at him a second and looked at the way,

  "He's still with a client."

A short giggle altered the rookie's gaze at the two young boys passing by him. He looked down as his eyes met one of them. Their short blabbering diminished as they went upstairs. The two boys, a black-haired one which was cut on a bob and the other one was of Caesar's. Their clothes were already casual, an indication of their duty for today had finished. The walls were flat and non-load bearing. The corridor they had to pass had no windows, only canvas paintings of human; ballet dance ballerinas, an indistinct face of a boy, petite hand, and a stick figure-like of two bodies of humans dancing in a universe full of abstract colors. It was about 4 minutes when Aika stopped in front of a wooden two-door. The door looked big, but it was light and no sound could be heard when it moved.

It was a failure of the plan. Ryuu scanned the massive dining hall with a load of young boys eating, and chattering. It was filled with teens of his same age or older, and different races. Although, the majority of them were Japanese. Ryuu avoided other glances on him. His feet dragged him to the serving area where other boys lined up. Five boys were in front of him. The place was loud with the cutleries and voices. A cafeteria was the same at the school of Ryuu, however this was an elite one. A vast room that could accommodate a hundred people or two. Ryuu blinked several times; hazed, he touched the bridge of his nose and massaged it gently. It was due to lack of sleep. This was the right time to have his supper at least to replenish his energy.

A Lady with a hairnet and apron atop her maid uniform handed him a wooden tray. Ryuu took it. Their set of meals were already arranged; a cup of miso soup, fried vegetables, natto beans, two slices of sashimi and a portion of beef along with a cup of rice. It was a healthy and delicious meal, indeed. Moreover, the Service Hub was a mixture of Japanese and European culture and architectural style. The tray of his food thunked on the table as his right leg crossed over the long wooden bench and sat down in front of it; which could occupy 10 people. All of the tableware were made of porcelain which could only be imported by other countries. Ryuu carried on with gobbling his food. Unmindful of the noises around him as he wanted to restore the energy left on him. In spite of that, his slow, languid eating aided him to observe what was happening in front of his vision. No one on the table except him. There were 12 wooden tables at the center of the hall. The walls are the same outside the corridor. Aside from the door he entered, there was another one on the counter area where the Ladies serving the food come in and about.

A loud thunk of tray with a set of meals in it, caused Ryuu to look at the Japanese boy who sat down beside him. He glanced at the other vacant seats and continued eating his food. Their physiques were very much alike. With another sudden glance to the boy, Ryuu's eyes widened, catching a glimpse of piercing on the tongue of the lad when he opened his mouth to eat a sashimi. He blinked and altered at his food from catching the boy's gaze. He was curious about how the boy lived in the Hub. The boy appeared more dark-ish and introverted than him, but the piercing on his tongue induced engrossment.

  "You are... the new guy, right?" Ryuu's eyes met the other black ones. His fringe was covering his left eye, but the lad put the strands of his hair at the back of his ear; revealing a deep cut scar on the eyelid and another piercing on his left temple. The lad smirked and Ryuu diverted his attention on his food, the same as the new guy did.

  "I am," Ryuu remarked.

  "What class are you?" he questioned. There were 3 Classes of Servers. Each class is determined by the quality and performance of a Server.

  "A," Ryuu answered, and he gulped his water and put his dinnerware on the tray. Aika mentioned about the Classes and how they were different from one another. Well, some of it.

  "How unlucky..." Ryuu stopped from standing up as the guy rose, and left. 'Unlucky?', he thought. Ryuu rose up on his feet and put the empty wares on the dish bin. He watched the piercing guy walk off the room. He wore a black hoodie, and black sweatpants. His presence was mysterious. He was the second Server who held a conversation with him. Ryuu was full of curiosity as to what the guy said, and the guy's state. He did not have any idea how to know a Server's class by only looking at them.

  "A Watcher is here," an enticing whisper behind his back. Ryuu turned around and saw a red haired boy smiling at him. He had wavy hair which covered his head to the nape, and he had freckles on his pointed nose. A young boy who was 2 inches short, same as Arlert. The crowd began to fill with small giggles and fluttery mutters as a man with black long side fringe with low fade, wearing a black suit and tie. Well-defined jawlines and an eye of an eagle gazed around the hall. His tall and built physique was a candy in the eyes of the youngsters. The red haired boy standing beside Ryuu, giggled. He was biting his lips with a lustful stare on the older man. Ryuu flinched and his foot stepped aback; uneasiness built up. He stopped as the familiar tall figure of the older man stood in front of him. A scent of an expensive tobacco his nose got familiar with, it was one of the tobaccos which clients bought at the Bar Hub.

  "Come with me," a firm deep voice echoed in his ear. A familiar voice, however this was his first seeing him. As the crowd displayed undeniable fondness for the man, Ryuu was convinced of the man's notability. He had never met a Watcher after a month and four days of staying in the Hub. Only Aika, Arlert and the Servers Manual mentioned their title, what's more, their clear reputation was not stated.

Ryuu followed him, sauntered through the door and turned to the left side. His back was wide and the tailored suit enhanced the defined build of the older man. Another wooden door was opened, and a living area with a gas fireplace could be seen in between of another two doors from each side. The room had dark suede walls, and a dark wooden floor the same from the foyer. A fireplace with brick slip, two couches in front of it and a glass table. From the right side, the said Watcher stopped from opening the door and gazed down at Ryuu. Eagle-like eyes slowly scanned the young boy from the top of his head to toe. 'Where is this filth staring at?' the boy thought.

"You're supposed to be in Triple A..." the man asserted.

Ryuu shivered and blurred vision of a new room as the door was being opened; a new door which would be another fragment of his new life.