↳ 𝖼𝗁. 𝗈𝗇𝖾

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𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲
(𝗻) 𝖺 𝗏𝖺𝗅𝗎𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒, 𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝗅𝗎𝖼𝗄𝗒 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽; 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾; 𝖺 𝗐𝗂𝗇𝖽𝖿𝖺𝗅𝗅.

𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗩𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Was this... some sort of fucking joke?

No in fact, would it even be considered a joke if it wasn't fucking funny in the first place?

Here Kaiser stood, torn between either laughing with counterfeit mirth or straight up publicly humiliating the poor woman who awaited for his response. A closed-eye smile of anticipation gleamed her face with a glow, as she stood completely unaware of his thoughts. He glared at the 'costume design' held in the hands of the melodramatic director beside him and kissed his teeth furtively. Unlike all the others, this one looked to be in the worst condition paper wise, it seemed to have been folded multiple times and treated without much care, which only emphasised his suspicion of this being some sort of joke. How did it go from costume designs to whatever this monstrosity was?

Before Kaiser's precious, cerulean hues came in contact with such monstrosity as he liked to call it, he was stuck staring blankly at the repetitious cycle of prosaic designs. It was in the midst of the school's first play rehearsal, when the club leader of the home economics club, Leonie, was scheduled to meet the director of the theatre club, Fabricio, to discuss the plans for the costumes and props. And somehow, Kaiser was brought into it. Perhaps they wanted to make sure they got his approval, as always, it was nothing new and no one seemed to have the bravery to put forth their complaints about it, so why not?

Back to the point, the designs were somewhat lacking, he didn't know what it was, but he knew something was definitely lacking and it was a consequence of his perfectionism; he just could never be satisfied. Everything had become tedious and monotonous and mundane. The earlier colours of vibrant brown faded away with time, leaving an ugly stubborn stain behind. A stain of his endless ennui that could never be washed away, a form of sisyphean. It definitely had to be some sort of unknown phenomenon where one uses a whole lifetime's worth of emotions at once because he had never, ever felt anything since that day but boredom. Pure and utter boredom was now his daily schedule which shredded away at his little sanity.

But somehow, and he hated to admit it, but after seeing that questionable atrocity, it seemed to evoke a sense of empathy from him.

Empathy?

Yes, empathy.

Even from a detached man like Kaiser. There was this familiar, almost nostalgic feeling to it. Eerily similar to a time where he heard some absurd promise by some ridiculous girl, leaving him overwhelmed with so much emotion which lead to his current predicament of listless dissatisfaction. What were they again? he pondered over her words, how she'd teach a vellakarum how to wash his arse and marry him after?

Kaiser mentally shook his head at the resurfacing memory, why do I have to remember that now?

Those words were haunting him like no other apparition and as irritating it was to confess, he didn't really understand the meaning of vellakarum despite his myriad of knowledge.

Besides, it was just all stupid really. So stupid and unfathomable that he couldn't even believe his eyes. His eyes that he so relied on. There was just no way, simply no way that this eyesore of a drawing could render him speechless just as that nonsense he once heard did.

No absolute way.

And yet, and yet, he was quiet. Pursing his lips in thought as he processed the multiple illustrations on the crinkled piece of paper that was accompanied with a bubble of text surrounding the mini character wearing some, absurd fish costume (taiyaki costume). The character had this revolting expression of a frown as something unknown called out 'MIKEY-SAMA!' in hysterics. Was this some way to mock his name? A pun even?

Kaiser raised his perfectly arched brow in perplexity when the next panel was this 'Mikey' guy ignoring the call of desperation. Well at least they had something in common apart from the costume. It was not something Kaiser would ever wear, not very emperor like, and so his narrow-minded thought-process immediately concluded it was an indirect insult.

The picture story, or 'manga' as he heard from one of his classmates, was perhaps unknowingly intriguing him. No in fact, he knew it was but he would never acknowledge it, too stubborn and prideful to acknowledge that something so...

So dumb could humour him.

And dumb? He inwardly cringed at his vocabulary, now that stupid drawing had caused him to stoop to the level of imbeciles and it irked him. He focused his gaze back to the story and its next panel where the 'Mikey' guy seemed to scrutinise the boundless sea that was illustrated carelessly, another fish just like 'mikey' seemed to be swimming in it, moving further away from the aforementioned guy. Or was it dead and floating away?

The incoherent sound effects of 'blob blob blob?' was scribbled in the bubble near the taikayi dressed guy, almost as if he was puzzled at the other fish's strange behaviour. The translation beneath it stated, 'even you?' as if to question the other fish's loyalty.

And... oh,

Well damn.

That was an unexpected plot twist, it was more depressing than how it had originally started.

And it wasn't just him, but even the usually talkative director was left dumbfounded. Kaiser took note of his bemused expression, memorising the way Fabricio's eyes widened and the way he seemed to swallow from the desiccation of his mouth. He observed as the director's mouth opened to express his thoughts only to close when nothing came out. Lionie in front of them seemed to not have noticed their confusion as she remained passive standing with a poised smile, almost prideful of the designs of her club members.

How amusing, Kaiser concluded as he released a sigh of disappointment effectively catching the attention of the two that were previously stilled in position. He ran his fingers through his dual-toned, layered hair, the sunbeam of the horizon glancing through the window and bestowing a golden glow upon Kaiser, resulting in the two internally gasping at the accentuation of his already blessed features.

"Is this some fucking joke?" He sneered like snow, both beautiful and cold with heartfelt exasperation that darkened his sapphire hues. Whilst pointing at the drawing he spat distastefully, "is this seriously the club that's been placed in charge of the play's props?"

"Huh? S-sorry what?" Her eyes widened at his relentless words, had she heard wrong? No? She was certain the designs were great, she was absolutely certain— Even she herself was impressed by them, so why? Or were they not to his liking?

oh.

She gulped down her fear and remained unblinking. They were to her liking; not to his. Her gaze followed the drawing and she felt her heart drop, this was no design she was familiar with. Had someone sneaked that in as a prank?

Prank? Even this was too much for a mere prank.

Mindlessly, her hands reached for the paper, snatching it away from Kaiser's line of vision. She didn't know what had possessed her to do it, whether it was to make sure her eyes weren't playing with her or whether it was so they would no longer see it, she just hoped it'd disappear. In fact, she hoped for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She should've made sure to double check the pile before she came here, she should've— no, she should've just— but all of that was just wishful thinking. What had been done was now history, there was no changing the past.

And as the club leader silently wailed in agony, Kaiser and Fabricio had access to the drawing on the back of the paper that was held by Leonie. And well, cue round two of their astonishment because that drawing had struck emotions they never knew they even had. what the fu— Kaiser's mind blanked out, eyes dilating when he perceived the guy's expression. He assumed it was the same 'Mikey' guy from before, just more detailed, and with much more sentiments. And— was that the dead fish from before? Just below the drawing, there was a box with the dead taiyaki fish, as if 'Mikey' was staring at it from afar. What is it with this damn fish obsession?

But other than the fish obsession, it seemed like the artist of this monstrosity also loved 'Mikey' very much. Kaiser could tell from every careful stroke that 'Mikey' was supposed to be a handsome man, a man that was adored by many. And yet, despite all those adored him, all that he was blessed with, he must've suffered in solitary.

Ah— it was too much for Kaiser, too relatable. The intimacy of being understood, by some stranger even, that in itself was just, too— too much for him.

He was understood by someone. And it's strange because he's never really ever felt that before, but for some reason, this impudent stranger understood him in a way nobody else could. He continued staring at the drawing and sweat-dropped at all the hearts surrounding it, they must really love him, huh?

Wait— is that... a signature? Without thinking, he abruptly snatched the paper back surprising the women before him who had finally stepped out her internal anguish. Bringing the paper within proximity, he inspected the complex signature and soon after, multiple plans formulated in his mind. A trouvaille, he thought. His trouvaille.

"Bring me the brave idiot who had the audacity to scorn my name, I'd like to meet them myself." A smug smirk adorned his visage as she gulped at his indirect threat. She didn't want to even imagine what he'd do if she even tried to refuse.

The director eventually collected himself and with a cough, he agreed, "I'd like to meet them too." He didn't concur just because of Kaiser, he too was genuinely intrigued by this artist and hoped to learn about the source of their muse.

"Huh? But are you s—" she panicked, pupils shaking in fear at Kaiser's menacingly mirthful smile.

"Yes, I'm sure." He nodded and paused whilst grinning silently, tension racked the air as his next words drained the colour out of Lionie's face, "don't even try sending someone else, I'll have them confirm their identity with this signature. So I hope you don't mind, not that I care much of your opinion, but I'll be keeping this design." He tauntingly waved the paper in her face as her eyes, the windows to thy soul, in her case, portrayed the world crumbling to its end.

This was the end.

She hadn't even bothered to pay attention to his words, for such an idea didn't even cross her mind.

"Oh! And patience is a virtue I fall behind on, so don't keep me waiting because it'll only irritate me even more." He drawled balefully with a wink, walking away and leaving the two in dust whilst holding the paper as if it were some trophy, well it was his lucky find after all. And whilst Kaiser made himself busy by adoring the artwork and wiping away the germs with his handkerchief, the women hung her head low in absence of hope.

"What a marvellous concept! Where did you find such blooming talent?" Fabricio clapped with enthusiasm, his expression opposing the women who was suffering the consequences of her mistake. I don't even know who drew it was as well!

Somewhere elsewhere, a girl reeled back in shock, her friends stared at her as if she had gone mad and awaited for an explanation. "Someone— someone just insulted my masterpiece!" She scrunched her face in irritation, they both looked over at each other with a brow raised in inquiry but never bothered to question her themselves.

She desperately searched her pockets for the piece of paper that she had 'neatly' folded in her blazer pocket as her friends resumed their idle chatter. "So yeah, he wanted to try a relationship and it just got boring. Sucks because his mum's really nice though."

No way. There's no damn way.

Her hands held her hooded head in disbelief.