The Light Over The Horizon [Arknights]

Chapter 9

A yawn escaped from him as he scratched the back of his neck.

He was sitting at a breakfast bar as it was early morning. As usual, he stopped by to eat breakfast here at the restaurant.

"Can I get more coffee please?" He asked the waitress who was walking by. She complied and filled his mug. He thanked her as she walked away all the while he took a whiff of the smell that came from his mug.

It was a long day yesterday. There were way too many patients to take care of and had to kick them out for the night because it was getting late. He told them that he would continue helping tomorrow.

Yesterday was tiring and he didn't get patients until nearly 3/4 of the day was finished. Today he will be busy the entire day. He can already foresee it. If he was busy for the entire time people began flooring his clinic, then now that everyone knows of the clinic and that his medicine does come free of charge, there's no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

"Too many people." He yawned again as he looked down at his breakfast. He still needs to buy groceries and then get back to the clinic and open up once he's ready. "Well, I shouldn't worry right now." He'll figure things out when he's working. For now, breakfast is more important.

"Tasty." He smiled at the taste as he went ahead and cut more of his pancakes. The food is great as always.

He continued his morning smoothly without much of a problem. He went ahead grocery shopping after paying for his breakfast and bought what he needed for the next couple of days.

Yet when he went ahead toward the clinic he was met with an unexpected surprise. He looked on with his bags of groceries in hand as the once-empty area now had a few people around. Truly, what a surprise.

And there's no doubt these people are living nearby because of him.

-~-

"Amazing..."

"Hmm?" Dipping the soup spoon into the pot, he adjusted his vision toward the person to his right as he taste-tested the soup that he'd been making. Frowning a bit at the taste he went ahead and grabbed the spices as he realized it wasn't good enough yet. "What's amazing?" He focused back on the pot that he stirred as he dropped a couple of herbs as well to mix in and enhance the flavor and richness.

"All these people lining up. Many look bright. I didn't think such an atmosphere could exist here in the city from all the stories and things I've heard about." It was Katenka who was by his side that spoke.

Katenka.

He was surprised to see that she came with a few others. Patriot who had agreed with his request in the end, had a few of his Guerrillas come to the city with what they had collected. Behold his surprise when one of the disguised members was Katenka once she removed her hood.

She had Patriot's permission to come here with the Guerillas. That was all she told him without explaining any further. Yet the Guerillas went ahead and informed him that she begged and begged until Patriot had said yes simply because the girl wanted to see him.

How sweet. Was what he thought with a warm heart at the reveal despite Katenka's protest at the men for spewing such "lies".

"How did you learn to cook?" Katenka asked as she sniffed the air. The aroma that came from the pot made her stomach twist and turn at how amazing it smells. "I still don't know how soup can smell this good..." Yet she was proven that the smell and taste resonated with one another when she got a taste.

"Cooking is a survival skill to learn. You can't live without a meal so I learned." He replied to her question. He recalls a memory of his mother and him in the kitchen as she taught him about cooking and the times they spent together in the kitchen. He also recalls him and his father bonding together by using the grill outside on nice days. "It's important to have as many skills as possible learned. They will come in handy later on in life."