Cartilage Of Life

Chapter 2: Welcome New Patient

Beyond this door was a small grey cafeteria, people sitting together or alone, food being taken or played around with

Seriously what is this place

"EAT!"

The thing pulled us forward, then left the room

"Yutou...."

Next to me was Aria trembling with fear, tears started welling up in his eyes, he couldn't hold it back anymore and started leaking out some of his cries

The people in the cafeteria who were stopped and looked towards us, dead silent everybody was just observing us

"Ho~ a new patient"

A female approached us from the side, placing her right hand on her chin she stared at us from top to bottom

"Ho ho you two look like you are fresh from The Stairs"

"Stairs?" I said

From the time we were in that room leading up to our arrive her in the cafeteria we didn't see any stairs

"Wow, you guys seem to be clueless-"

She extended her hand trying to touch Aria, I swung my right hand at her extended hand deflecting it from Aria

"Hey come down buddy we are all friends here! Look"

The female points towards the people who were sitting down watching us two like some kind of freak show

"Now now calm down let's see.... Ah! My name is Alicia"

Alicia, is she a foreigner perhaps? Are we outside of Japan? No, it can't be

"Hey!"

I sprung up startled by her

"Hey, you! Why aren't you telling me your name!"

She starts to pout and throw her hands down in an angry yet cute like manner

"Hahaha Alicia-Chan is so cute when she is mad" said a boy from the first table to the left

"Booo Marco stay away from my business these are my friends!"

"Friends? Alicia-Chan it seems they are scared of you more than anything~"

"Well, they don't know me yet! When they do they will be comfortable around me and maybe even fall in love with me~"

She places both of her hands on her cheek and wiggles to the side, what is this? How can these people be so calm better yet how can these people sit around here and just eat food like nothing out of the ordinary is happening

"So?"

The lady named Alicia pointed her finger towards us

"You two who are you?!"

Right now it's just me and my brother, we have no information whatsoever regarding this place and or who these people are, Alicia seems nice and will be easy to talk to, I can gain some information from her and use it to escape this hell hole

"Yutou....and he's my brother....Aria"

Alicia looks at my brother by tilting her head off to the side and standing up with her tippy toes

"Hi Hi Aria-kun!"

My brother hides behind my back

"Ahhhhh so cute!! I wish I had a brother like him say say Yutou can I borrow Aria-kun for tonight?!"

"N-" I was going to say no but somehow I got this feeling that it would be a waste to not allow him to go over, Aria and I can plan a strategy that will allow him to get in and gain information

I looked at Aria hoping he would get my intentions

He nodded

"Y-you can..."

"Yay! Hehe, thank you thank you Yu-chan you and I are best bets friends now fufu now Aria-kun after dinner you will go with me to my room ok?"

My brother stepped out of my back and went in front of me

"Y-y-yes!"

Alicia claps both of her hands and smiles at us, looking at Marco with her green eyes she showed an expression of wicked intentions

"See Yu-chan is a better friend than you already Marco~"

"My my we are all friends here, aren't we! Now come on Yutou-kun let's get you some food I'm certain that you and your brother are starving"

Macro points his whole arm towards the cafeteria counter inviting us to eat our food for today

I held my brother's left hand tightly and headed towards the counter ignoring eye contact with anyone and everyone in this crowd

"EAT WHAT!?"

The thing appeared in front of us again this time in an apron

"Don't worry about the Guiders Yutou-kun they are here to guide you"

Marco started laughing and the crowd of people laughed alongside them, in a way I felt some kind of hostility from his laughter

Maybe there weren't any of those feelings, after all, I am paranoid at the moment and I must stay paranoid to ensure the survival of Aria and I

"FOOD HERE!"

The Guider dropped a plate of food on the counter, bits and pieces of it scattered on the counter, the plate contained food that we were familiar with

"FOOD EAT!"

We took the food and slowly walked away, we stood five steps away from the Guider examining the surroundings trying to find a place we can eat

I looked at Aria and used my eyes to point towards the place I have suggested for us to sit in

After arriving at our seats Aria slowly started eating from his food

"Hungry?" I said

He nodded

"Are you doing well?" I asked

He nodded

"Is there anything else you can say?" I asked another question

"How...."

"What do you mean?"

"Alicia-san you want me to get information from her right?"

"Yes"

"How and why? I'm socially awkward and above all, I'm scared of her....."

I placed Aria in a situation is he isn't comfortable in, can't blame him for being on edge not only is he going to talk to a stranger, he also has the weight of our survival on his shoulder

"Go along with her, if things get out of hand I'll bust the door open..."

He nodded

"I trust you, big brother..."

"And I will keep you safe I promise"

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