MiniRide

EP1 : Virtual Exploration

In the busy streets of the city, Leopaul and Jeff walked with a determined step. Although the sun was beginning to sink over the horizon, the natural light of day still illuminated their path. They pushed their way through the crowd, carrying with them the palpable excitement of meeting their mutual friend, Larry.

"Do you think we're on the right path?" Jeff asked, adjusting the strap of his backpack.

"Yeah, Larry said his apartment wasn't far from the bus stop. We should get there soon," Leopaul replied, checking his phone.

Their conversation was punctuated by the laughter of passers-by and the noise of traffic. They were looking forward to meeting Larry and having a nice weekend together. After all, opportunities to relax and have fun were rare in their busy lives.

They reflected on Larry's proposal to show them his latest project: a revolutionary video game called 'MiniRide'. Larry had always been a creative genius, but this time, he seemed to have truly exceeded all expectations. They were curious to see what their friend had in store for them.

Finally, after a few detours and a short walk, they spotted the building where Larry lived. With a sigh of relief, Leopaul stopped and pointed to the entrance.

"That's it," he said to Jeff with a smile. "Ready for a wild weekend?"

Jeff nodded eagerly, and together they crossed the threshold of the building, eager to reunite with their friend and discover the adventures that awaited them.

As they crossed the lobby of the building heading towards the elevator, a slight crunch echoed beneath Jeff's Air Force One sole. The noise startled the two friends, who instinctively lowered their heads to the ground.

"What was that?" Leopaul asked, furrowing his brows.

Jeff froze, his gaze briefly landing on the small beetle crushed under his shoe. He shrugged slightly, seemingly unaffected by the incident.

"Oh, just a beetle," he replied nonchalantly. Without giving more attention to the squashed insect, he casually pushed the carcass aside with his Nike.

Leopaul watched his friend's indifferent gesture, feeling sorry for the poor little beetle. He leaned down to get a closer look at the crushed insect, then looked up at Jeff with a mixed expression of compassion and disappointment.

"I'm sorry for you," he murmured, his voice filled with sincerity.

Jeff shrugged again, seemingly quickly diverting his attention from the incident.

"It's nothing, man. Let's go, Larry's waiting for us," he said, heading towards the elevator, evidently unaffected by the fate of the beetle.

Leopaul followed him in silence, his mind still preoccupied by this insignificant yet revealing incident of how people could sometimes be indifferent to the life around them.

Leopaul and Jeff stood in front of Larry's apartment door, exchanging a knowing look. Jeff raised his hand to ring the bell.

A few moments later, the familiar sound echoed from inside the apartment. They heard footsteps approaching, and the door opened to reveal Larry, a broad smile lighting up his face.

"Guys! You're here!" he exclaimed, welcoming his friends warmly. "Come on in, come in!"

Leopaul and Jeff stepped across the threshold into Larry's apartment, immediately feeling enveloped by a warm and welcoming atmosphere. However, Jeff, taking a brief moment, firmly wiped his foot on the doormat, trying to dislodge the remnants of the squashed beetle, all while ignoring Leopaul's curious gaze.