If one asked Lightning about himself, the boy would describe anything but melancholy. He'd rather find something to be occupied than sit around with his thoughts. Lightning never knew what to do with them.

After ran out of details about his world, and endured endless teasing from him, the conversation between him and Ocho had ended in silence. The fruit of an engineer completely focused on his stuff to attempt small-talk, and Lightning who didn't know how to start one or dare to bother him. The boy tried to entertain himself by inspecting everything inside Ocho's lab. Though soon, there was nothing left to see. At times like this, Lightning wished he had a social skill like his Wind counterpart or smart like Cahaya, had he been at least able to assist Ocho in some way. But then, Lightning wouldn't have been Lightning anymore.

As boredom surrounded him, all Lightning left was brooding, about his situation and the fate of his dear friends. He still couldn't remember what had happened before, and what was the cause of the holes in his memories. The more Lightning tried to remember, the more blank his head became. What had been he doing? Had he hit his head so hard somewhere at some point? Had Boboiboy and his friends been going on a mission? Why did Boboiboy split? Since they've been in the middle of a fight?

And most important, had they been safe in their original world or been blasted away to another dimension like him?

... Had they worried about him just like he missed them?

Lightning cringed, at his mushy thoughts or the throb of a headache, he wasn't sure. Neither way, he needed to stop. The lack of memory was alarming, at least in exchange, it gave him something to work towards solving. For now, he could not afford to woolgather. The boy messed up his hair before slumped down on the table.

Lightning cursed his second from the bottom ability to deal with emotions.

"You can ask me anything you want to know, if you're that bored."

The boy lifted his face off the table to the source of the voice. Through his black goggles, Ocho's electric blue eyes were on him for a moment before they returned to whatever device he was working on. "I'm not sure how much I can provide you, but I will try. Or do you want to hear my life story instead?"

Lightning continued to ogle at him. The engineer shifted his head at him and raised an eyebrow at the lack of response.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" The boy blunted, popped an arm on the table, and rested his head on it. If he didn't know better, he'd think that Ocho was being considerate towards him. The person in question gave out a sigh and leaned back on his chair. He stretched his arms up then answered.

"Talking to other people is a good way to relieve all sorts of stress, including homesickness... Someone often reminded me of that. Besides, your continual groan is distracting. I don't understand how you became a zombie after just an hour." Ocho scowled. Lightning blushed a little because he had no idea he had been that loud.

This Ochobot just couldn't stay lovable for a minute, could he? He complained inwardly, waiting for his heated cheek to cool down. However, it didn't mean Lightning spurned the engineer's invitation. Beggars can't be choosers. And it was a golden chance for him to learn more about the world he had stumbled into.

"Can you tell me more about Yaya's relationship with the <me> of this world?"

Ocho halted, visible. This time, it was the engineer's turn to gauge at him instead of answering. His behavior began to bother Lightning as time passed.

"What?" Asked the boy.

"Of all things, I didn't expect that was your first question." Ocho shook his head. The corner of the engineer curled up ever slightly.

Lightning, for his part, was confused. So it was about his question. But what is wrong with it? He had wondered about Yaya and this world <him> ever since he watched them interact for the first time. It was very... off, in his point of view. Yaya was currently his first and his last layer of defense in this world. So the most logical thing for Lightning was to grasp the nature of their relationship if he wanted to survive.

After choosing his words, Ocho spoke. "I'm not sure about the details since I recently joined, but apparently, their relationship is kinda... complicated. Every member seems to acknowledge that fact. I heard from those who had joined for a long-time that Yaya and the bosses are childhood friends. There's a rumor they used to be much closer until an incident happened."

The engineer mulled over a bit before shrugging. "Not sure if it's real or not. No one is allowed to talk about the incident. Still, it's not hard to point out that the rumor carried some truth. There's no clear reason why Yaya's application is always rejected while she waltzes in and out of this mansion as if it was her own home. And two of them had a heated argument from time to time. She and Petir that is."

Lightning nodded. He had witnessed their clash on his first day, and certainly, it hadn't been a pleasant sight.

"I heard that incident also used to leave a strain between the eldest son and his brother." Ocho trailed off, then he shook his head. "But they made up, or something like that."

At this point, something sparkled inside Lightning's memories. Sadly, it wasn't the one he lost when transferred to this world. It was something way further in the past when Boboiboy first unlocked his second-tier power. A particular memory that he had buried.

Their ignorance. His ignorance pushed him into the enemy's trap. A fatal mishap that should have happened. Amnesia be damned, he had slandered his friends, hurt them with his own hands, and washed in a satisfying wave at their painful cries— Surely parallel events might have occurred in this world, no?

"Don't worry, their relationship is far from the worst."

Ocho's voice distracted Lightning enough to prevent him from stepping on a dangerous side of his mind. Unintentionally or not he was grateful for it since he realized he had lost control of his breaths. Lightning inhaled and composed himself, his breath was slowing to normal. There was a bitterness lingering inside his mouth, but Lightning would work on it later.

His frantic state, of course, wasn't left unnoticed. However, the witness was deemed to take it as something else.

"Take it easy. Yaya and Petir are palsy-walsy now. If not saying she's special enough for him, and the other two, to chase after her all the way here from Italy." Ocho continued on a higher note, grinning as if he just won the lottery.

Though his mind was still rebooting, Lightning knitted his eyebrows together by flexion at the smug expression on Ocho's face. That kid engineer had probably sub-teased Lightning again about something he didn't catch due to his absent listening, not that the boy cared to find out.

"Italy?" He changed the topic. And Ocho didn't bother to hide the disappointment on his face. The engineer grumbled since his teasing target didn't react as he had predicted.

"They were born in Italy. This mansion belongs to their maternal family that they only stay for Yaya's study. Their fluent Malay made me fall into a false impression too, the first time I met them."

"So they are half Italian, half Malaysian?"

Ocho confirmed with a nod. Lightning took a mental note about the differences between this world and his world. They were quite a number more than he had expected.

"So the whole deal of 'family this', 'family that'...?" He inquired, daring to walk in the matter that he had tiptoed around.

"The Aba acts as a landlord here." The engineer's words made Lightning's eyebrows shoot up to his hair. "In this autonomous side of the capital, riot and crime happen everywhere, to the point the Government gave up and left it running on its own jungle rules as long as things are within the area. You can imagine how life was hard for the people here because of that decision. Hence, some factions with high prestige in the community, like the Aba, have put up to secure the safety of their neighborhood and ensure the criminals are under control. With the approval from its residents, of course."

No wonder Petir had been able to shoot at him like a madman without any interference, Lightning realized. Simply, people had dubbed it as a normal protection action. Perhaps he should ask Yaya for an atlas or something later, seeing the geographic and administrative structures were far different from what he knew. Lightning waited for Ocho to continue, only to meet silence.

"... that's all?" Lightning blinked. Where's the explanation about the Aba? Or at the very least, this kid engineer could give him a short introduction about their structures or something.

Ocho tilted his head in equal puzzlement, before sniffing out the query inside the boy's head. The engineer crackled up and flicked his forehead. "What's more? You're a guest, kid. No need to concern yourself with other family's affairs."

Mind your business, outsider. Lightning huffed at the hidden message as he rubbed the sore spot on his forehead. He was glad that his Ochobot wasn't this petty.

"Then can I ask about Gopal, Ying and Fang?" He negotiated. He had yet forgotten the brief meeting with Fang of this world, it triggered his interest in the wellbeing of his friends, although they weren't really his friends, here he meant.

"Ying is one of Petir's subordinates. And no, if you want to know more, talk with the person directly. She is an enigma, but a good girl. Too bad for you she was out of town so you will have to wait for a few days."

Lightning closed his mouth and clicked his tongue. He wanted to point out that Ocho could just tell him, but held back.

"About Fang, he is an ally from the TAPOPS organization, temporarily managing their branch here. With Ying away, you also probably won't meet him any soon." The engineer shrugged his shoulders. "That's good news, actually. Just between you and me, stay away from that man if possible. He is totally nuts when it comes to red carrot donuts."

"My babies! Oh, my babies! How dare you touch my babies...!" Ocho bounced two of his fingers on each hand and performed a poor imitation of Fang's whine with his high-pitched voice. Lightning couldn't help but burst into laughter. That doubt the Fang he had become accustomed to.

Somewhere out there, a certain raven hair man sneezed.

"What about Gopal?" Lightning asked eagerly, contented that his friends didn't seem to change much in this world.

"This, I don't know," Ocho shrugged. "Never met a person named Gopal before."

Lighting's smile faded. He was uncertain what to say, much less what to feel. A quick look at the engineer's solemn face, Lightning knew he didn't lie. The boy had been so sure everything in this world mirrored his world, with some minor changes and different events, but people were the same.

Perhaps, he was being too hasty.

TING!

A loud ding jolted Lightning out of his entrance. He watched the engineer push his goggles up to his forehead and set his tool down. Ocho spun his chair and checked the screen.

"About time," Lightning heard him murmuring. Ocho glanced back, electric blue eyes to brown ones.

"Strip."

"... What?!" was the most intelligent response the younger boy could utter. Lightning immediately held his body tight while eyeing Ocho with disbelief, who for his part, gave him an unimpressive and 'what was it now' look.

A blush crept on his face, Lightning couldn't be the only one who found the engineer's demand ridiculous on many levels, right? Right?!

Ocho rolled his eyes when his companion refused to budge an inch. He stood up and stomped to the younger boy.

"Are you a maiden or what? Just take off your clothes and step into that cabinet!" He yanked Lightning's shirt open, necktie and all, in one swift motion, much to the younger boy's horror. "Don't waste my time on something nonsense!"

"Wait! Wait, wait! I will do it on my own! This is sexual harassment!!"

-----

Yaya studied the sight ahead of her.

Lightning was sitting in the corner with his back facing the door. One hundred percent he was sulking. Still, the way he clutched his blaze in a dead tight grip was questionable. Meanwhile, Ocho appeared to be too merry for someone who had slept only two hours a day. In fact, he looked as if someone just congratulated him that he had won the Nobel prize. Also suspicious. Yaya narrowed her eyes.

"Should I want to know what happened?'' She asked, announcing her presence as she stepped into the lab. Yaya took a pleasure note at blank plates and bottles were packed on the stray on a table near the door. Lightning turned his head at her with relief in his eyes, but when Ocho's very large grin stretched, the look on his face switched to terror.

"You have no idea, Yaya. The boxer of that kid over there—"

A loud crack resounding inside the lab and a golden light that almost blinded Yaya, Lightning appeared with a hand slapping over the engineer's mouth. Yaya blinked, and couldn't comprehend what just happened. Just a minute ago, the boy was still sitting in the corner, but now, he was right in front of her.

So this was his power, Yaya reflected. It was as supernatural and dazzling as the Aba triplets had claimed. The boy had said his forte was lightning elemental. She guessed it related to how electricity fragments cracking around the boy without flinching damage to the host, like tame beasts around their owner, before dissolving. There wasn't too much static on the air, at least at her place. But based on Ocho's unfazed expression, the sudden performance of Lightning did not harm him and was predicted.

Mirth simmered in the electric blue eyes, which Yaya bet there was no good behind it, as the younger boy hissed a "Shut. Up!" with his blazed face.

Lightning, for his part, was unamused. The skin of his face had not yet gained back its original color and Yaya swore she could see streams coming out from his head. If looks could kill, Ocho'd be dead several times with how hard Lightning was glancing at him. The fight continued as the engineer somehow thrashed out from his grasp. Yaya giggled and decided to leave them be. The more boys quarreled, the closer they became. She had learned it from experience, being friends with three boys since childhood. Watching them was like watching a kittens' video anyway. Adorable and refreshing.

"So what do you think, Yaya?" Ocho called her. The engineer was keeping Lightning's face at an arm's length literally while the other boy was yanking his collar with both hands, his teeth bared. They were drenched in sweat from their tug and pull. From the suggestive grin from Ocho and the desperation on Lightning's face, Yaya could only think of one most suitable answer.

"I think polka dots are kinda cute, too."

Lightning's howl could be heard all the way up to the highest floor of the mansion.

"Whoa man, my stomach can't take it..." Ocho choked on his laugh, he wiped off his tears as he held his belly. Lightning had covered his face with both hands while he curled into a ball on the floor. Yaya could see crimson creeping up from his ears to his nape. They almost made her feel guilty for picking on him.

The keyword: almost.

In her defense, Lightning was too endearing and honest to tease. Took mercy on the younger boy, Yaya changed the topic. "I see you all having fun. But don't forget it's almost lunchtime."

TING!

A loud ding, Ocho's supercomputer notification, rang right after her words. Lightning jumped at the sounds and he seemed to pull his blazer tighter around his body. His action did not go unnoticed by Yaya, but the engineer paid it no heel. Ocho dashed to his chair and frowned as he scrolled through the popped-up windows.

"I'll pass... " The engineer trailed off when Yaya placed her hands on her hips. He cleared his throat. "... I mean, I will eat down here. I need to go through a few things."

The girl let out a long sigh before reluctantly accepting his terms. She was against the idea since the engineer would probably eat while working. However, once Ocho got into the mood, no power in this world could separate him from his computers. And if he said he needed to check on something, then there was a matter.

At least to Yaya's consolation, he didn't skip his meal.

"And, I think I will take a day off this afternoon, and more afterward," Ocho added. He tore off his eyes from the screen for a moment to look at her. "You can manage the shop alone, right? I heard Ali is absent until next week."

"Ocho, I always handled it myself before you two came." Yaya waved off his concern. She raised one of her arms up and patted the bicep. "There's nothing I can't do!"

"Just for sure." The engineer chuckled and nodded his head.

"You, kid! Catch!"

Didn't miss a beat, Ocho grabbed something on the table and tossed it to Lightning, who had just picked himself up after recovering from his utmost embarrassment. The younger boy hastily caught the object, almost dropping it for taken by surprise.

Curious, Yaya peeked through his shoulder as Lightning opened his hands.

"A cell phone?" He wondered out loud.

A flip phone to be exact, Yaya rephrased inside her head. It was rare to see such a classic phone nowadays. The phone had a yellow shell and its small size fit perfectly in Lightning's hand. How Ocho got this one in his possession, Yaya had no clue. Lightning flipped the phone open and two contacts appeared on the main screen. The first one was written <Yaya Yah> and the second one was <Ocho Bot>.

"I figured that you'd need something to contact everyone during your stay so I made it this morning. The phone isn't perfect but its basic function and durability should be enough. I also added the contacts that could be of use to you. You can change the settings later if you want." Ocho explained, crossing his arms. "Creating it was a pain in the ass so don't lose it."

Yaya had to fight back a chuckle as the engineer turned his head to avoid making eye contact with her, or any of them. Lightning blinked and inspected his new phone, then he raised his head up with a small smile.

"Thank you, Ocho." He said, genuine.

Yaya didn't comment about the red tingles on the tip of Ocho's ears.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. If there's nothing else, get out. You are pretty distracting."

And that was how Yaya and Lightning found themselves being kicked out of the lab. With a 'Don't come back until the nightfall', the doors were clicked shut behind them. The two of them blinked, then a soft snicker from Yaya drawing Lightning to glance up at her.

"Men sometimes just can't be honest with themselves, can they?" Yaya winked at the boy, who in return, tilted his head with a big question mark floating nearby.

Back inside the lab, a certain blonde sneezed.

---

Knock! Knock!

Lightning stirred and rose up from the bed. After the lunch, he had retreated to his room and got a nap as Yaya had suggested before she suddenly chased after a figure down the stairs, Tanah if he hadn't been wrong, with a growl of 'did he seriously intend to work himself to death?'. Grimaced at the killing intention, Lightning thought it best not to follow them. He walked to his room on his own, after bid a quiet 'good luck' for the head of the mansion.

Lightning guessed he had nodded off at some point later.

The boy rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes while proceeding to open the door, revealing Yaya wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of black jeans, looking ready as if she was going out stood behind it.

"Hey, I'm going to the shop now so I wonder if you want to come with me. But if you want to stay at the mansion, it's fine. I'll lead you to the Office."

"I will go with you." Lightning chose the first option without a second thought. Rather than coop up indoors, he wanted to step outside for once, and partly he hadn't yet felt comfortable enough to be near the brothers, much less his counterpart in this world. Away from the mansion meant less chance to encounter that man.

Unaware of his intention, Yaya had a bright smile on her face, clearly happy when he decided to tag along.

"Great! Let's go!"

Her earnestness also put a smile on him.

-----

The Tok Aba cacao shop version of this world turned out to be a coffee shop, Lightning mused as he appreciated the black signboard written <Tok Aba's KopiTime>. A big and real cafe, still rather humble and normal in size compared to the 'house' he was staying in. It was a two-floor shop with a simple and vintage design, placed in the main street. The first floor had a front yard and the second floor had three teal windows and flowerbeds at each one. Lightning also noticed the cafe was rather close to the mansion, half an hour away on foot.

"You are surprisingly good at this," Yaya commented as she came out from the back room with a tray of fresh cakes. "Did you used to do it back in your world by any chance?"

"Yeah, my grandfather opens a shop so I often help him out." Lightning replied from the front yard, where he was setting the tables. He cleaned their surface with a clean rag then proceeded to arrange the chairs. Once they were well ordered, Lightning picked up the garbage bags, four in total, the fruit labor of his sweeping through the cafe, and swiftly dashed out to the nearest litter bins. He fetched two large umbrellas from the store when he got back and placed them outside under Yaya's instruction.

Lightning took a look around the yard one last time before clapping his hand with a satisfied nod.

"Yaya, I'm done!" He announced, stepped behind the counter. Yaya gave him an affirmative hum while she was putting the cakes inside the glass counter. Lightning made a nervous note that there was indeed the signature Yaya's biscuits among the desserts. They must be more trustworthy and edible than the ones from his world to be able to appear in a cafe, just no way in hell he would try them out.

"Thank you, Lightning. And I'm sorry." Yaya said apologetically as she stood up. "You're our guest but I asked you to help me out like that."

"Not at all. It's better than having nothing to do." The boy shook his head, and he was being honest. It felt so good to be able to stretch his legs without the feeling of walking on eggshells.

Lightning's eyes followed Yaya arranging the boxes and bottles on the counter with great interest. There were more containers on the counter than at his atok's shop and he could see various types of ingredients, by different shapes and colors, inside them.

When his eyes laid on the cacao powder jar and cream, an idea popped up.

"Yaya, may I use these and borrow the kitchen a little bit?" The girl looked at what Lightning was pointing at. Head up to the clock and noticed they still had time before the opening, Yaya nodded.

"Sure, go ahead."

Lightning smiled gratefully at her before reaching out to an empty white cup. He put the raw cacao powder into the cup then took a small milk bottle from the fridge and boiled three-quarters of it. Since he couldn't pour the mixture from one cup to another like tok Aba or Ochobot, Lightning grabbed a teaspoon and used it to whisk the cacao powder with the cold milk. He added a pinch of salt in the process.

Yaya had finished the preparation and now sat on a seat at the counter. Lightning could feel her gaze on him, inquired about what he was making, which he tried hard not to feel pressured. When the liquid was smooth, he poured the rest of the heated milk into the cup. Lightning whisked one more time then applied the cream and a waffle tube. He sprayed a thin layer of cacao for the last touch.

Lightning pushed the freshly made hot cacao cup toward Yaya. His world Tok Aba's special hot cacao.

"Is this for me?" The girl asked with a note of surprise. Lightning bobbed his head, too nervous to trust his voice. He made it based on his memory, but he wasn't sure about the taste.

Yaya lifted the cup to her lip and Lightning held his breath. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she pulled back, stared at the cup with an indefinable expression. Lightning fidgeted, hoping he didn't mess up, and had he did mess up, it wasn't too bad.

Not a moment later, the corners of Yaya's lips raised up a bit and dark amber orbs softened. There was something melancholic laced in her smile. Then everything melted away, as quick as it came.

"This is delicious!" Her exclamation woke Lightning. He blinked, only to watch Yaya in her usual self when she hummed and took another slip, certainly enjoying the hot cacao. Although that strange atmosphere just now was still nagging at the back of his mind, Lightning let out a sigh in relief, thank heaven his hot cacao was a success.

"If you like it, I can make it whenever you want. I know this's nothing compared to what you have done to me, but..." Lightning timidly admitted, which earned him a smile from Yaya.

"Thank you, Lightning."

Lightning beamed as he cleaned the kitchen gadget he had used. A comfortable silence fell between them, excluding the sound coming from the busy streets outside.

After a while, Yaya called him. "Say, Lightning."

He perked up. The girl had finished her cup and currently looked at him with her hands under her chin. Her face was earnest, but the mirth inside her eyes, which was similar to the one Ocho had when he divulged to the world the patterns on Lightning's boxers, spoke a different tale.

"Are you interested in becoming a temporary employee here?"

------

"Welcome to tok Aba's KopiTime."

The group of girls was startled at the latest update of their regular cafe, but the shock quickly changed into excitement and glee. They made cute squeals and giggled at Lightning, who had a gray apron with a white A fastened on his waist and was trying his hardest to not blush.

It took Lightning several tries to say that greet out loud without becoming a sputtered mess, or glaring daggers at the customers out of stress. This wasn't on his plan when he had accepted Yaya's offer. At first, Lightning had been on the verge of rejecting it. However, the temptation of having something to do instead of loafing around overrode his hesitation. Lightning had clapped Yaya's hand before he knew it. The girl lent him one of the shop aprons since there wasn't any uniform suitable for his size (Ocho's uniform was too small), and Lightning had discarded his blazer in order to move with ease, leaving him in a yellow shirt and black shorts. Yaya promised she would order a uniform for him as soon as possible, despite his having told her there was no need.

The greeting aside, his job was akin to how he used to help around his atok's shop. The cafe was not too crowded but the customers came in and came out regularly, mostly college students and young adults. Everything so far was fine, except for occasional squeaks and weird requests from female customers, such as taking pictures with him, shaking hands, or exchanging phone numbers if some of them were bold enough, which Lightning absolutely declined them all.

At the corner of his eyes, the boy got a glimpse of Yaya attending to their customers. Although sometimes getting the same trouble as him, her smile never faded. She made it look so easy, from taking orders, serving food and drinks, exchanging small idli chats with customers to flat out pass up the flirts and teases on her way and set them straight if they went overboard. As natural as breathing. Lightning didn't deny he admired that side of her. No matter where, Yaya, both the one he knew and the one in this world, had been a caretaker. She carried the ability to make people around her comfortable and relaxed.

A tiny voice inside Lightning's head added that the cafe uniform looked cute on her. It couldn't be helped. In his world, Yaya was rarely seen without her signature pink costume so seeing a grown-up version of her in a coffee shop uniform kinda felt like a new breeze, not that he would admit aloud.

Dark amber met brown. Yaya had caught him staring, much to his embarrassment. However, she winked before going upstairs with an empty tray, probably to clean up. Lightning let himself smile a little when the warmth radiated inside his body. He was glad he had decided to come here...

... Until the face of the newest customer smacked into his vision.

All sunlight and rainbows vanished till one thing was left inside his head.

I should have stayed home.

The peaceful morning, pleasant lunchtime, and the cozy air of the cafe had Lightning somehow forgetting the existence of this man, of all people. What a coincidence that he showed up just when Yaya wasn't around, or any divine beings existing out there saw it fitted to turn Lightning's life upside down, for their twisted humor.

"Why are you here?" Petir asked, cladding in his usual black suit and not bothering to hide his scorn. "Lightning."

The boy cringed at the sound of his own name passing through Petir's mouth. That man did have a knack to belittle others with his tone.

"I'm an employee." Lightning replied. The man before him sneered as if the answer was some kind of bad joke to him.

"Hoh... An employee here?" The man stepped closer and scowled down at him. Keeping his nerves in check, Lightning stood firmly on his ground. He didn't care what that man thought of him, but Lightning wasn't a pushover. He had faced wanted alien hunters and pirates from outer space so Petir's little stunt hardly worked on him.

"Yes. Is there a matter?" Lightning shot back, challenging the man in front of him to make a move. They were in the public and he didn't break any of their deal, he bet Petir wouldn't dare to do anything. The tension between them began to attract the customers, who whispered among themselves as Lightning and Petir continued to stare each other down.

Whatever insult Petir intended to use was drowned in a loud handclap. Yaya had been standing at their sides ever since, and the look on her face was surely not a happy one.

"No fighting inside the shop, please. You are scaring our customers." She said, words cold as ice. Yaya addressed Petir with a hint of disapproval in her voice. "If you came here with any purpose other than to relax and enjoy what we have on the menu, I will have to ask you to take a leave, customer."

The man's eyebrows twitched, but he relented. Both stayed like that for a dreadful second, before Petir clicked his tongue and parted away. Lightning felt the weight lifted off his shoulder once he was out of his comfort zone. He watched as Petir sent a warning gaze to any table who didn't know to mind their own business on his path. By the time that man reached an empty and furthest seat, the one in the front yard, the air inside the shop had somehow returned to normal.

"One coffee, black." Petir plopped down the chair, cross-legged and hands shoved into his pants pockets. Receiving no answer, he raised one eyebrow at Yaya, who simply rolled her eyes.

Not wasting any more time, the girl walked toward the counter. Then she stopped as if pondering something. Yaya turned her head around and gestured for Lightning to follow her. He hesitated a bit before obeying, promptly ignored the pricking sensation at the back of his head.

Yaya scooped down and whispered to his ears once they were behind the counter. "Lightning, can you whip up that cup again?"

At the unusual request, the boy blinked at her in oddity. Yaya had made it clear that he wasn't allowed to use the kitchen for customers, to which she had quoted 'you must train more before serving them'. Besides, from what Lightning remembered, there wasn't an order of hot cacao or any new order, minus the one Petir just gave.

Was Yaya thirsty? He wondered. But drinking sweets when you were thirty sounded like a dumb idea ...

The dots connected inside his mind.

"You intend to serve him that?!" Lightning asked in a husk tone, full of panic.

"Yep."

The smile that Yaya was giving, including that thumbs up, did not reassure him at all!

Lightning groaned as he buried his face in his hand and weighed in his options. Sure, their relationship was complicated, but not bad and not good neither from what Ocho had affirmed. Lightning didn't know what Yaya tried to pull here and one hundred percent her idea appeared no different than suicide to him.

Then again, this was a girl who owned a gut big enough to stand in that man's way just to protect him.

Lightning looked at Yaya's hopeful and expectant eyes then sighed. He forgot that Daun and Boboiboy weren't the only ones who had 'puppy eyes' trick up their sleeve. And knowing Yaya, once she had set a goal, it wouldn't be easy to sway her.

Fine, the boy scratched up his hair and grabbed an empty cup with a new resolution. If she loves to play with fire that much, I will accompany her to the very end.

At least the bright smile she was showing him was worth it.

----

Petir could feel a migraine emerge.

He had tried to avoid it proactively by staying off the mansion ever since this morning, waiting for the confirmation so he could cut it down completely with a bullet on its head. However, his plan seemed to backfire and now this said migraine had grown some balls in his absence.

Petir chuckled bitterly, what he had expected from a clone of himself. Its whole presence was already a mockery that life slapped at his face. Every time Petir set his eyes on that clone, he saw his stupid and naive past self, the one he loathed to the point he would not hesitate to erase with his own hand if he could return to the past. Disgrace and irksome, like a black stain on a white fabric that refused to come off no matter how he scuffed and forced him to endure it for the rest of his life.

And of course, His childhood friend just happened to bring that thing outside the safety of the mansion, alone. No escort, no protection, or any backup plan if it decided to assault her and use her against them.

Peitr cursed his ignorance, again. Tanah and Angin was too soft, so was Yaya. The way she took that thing under her wing and fussed over it didn't sit right with him. Their world was cruel, he knew from his experience when he had snapped a man's neck at the age of five. Children or no children, the risk remained the same. The last thing he'd want would be for them to come to harm when he could've done something and it. None seemed to remember how misplaced trust had doomed them all.

Petir didn't realize his nails were piercing his palms from how hard he clenched his fists.

"Stop thinking too hard, or else your head will explode." A cup was placed in front of him. Petir glanced up at Yaya. "I can practically see the wheels turning inside your brain."

The man huffed and brushed off her comment. He reached the cup but halted as the sweet aroma caught his nose. Petir's frown deepened.

"I ordered coffee."

"They are the same." Yaya shrugged without a single care about how wrong her statement was. "And don't worry about poison, I tested it out."

She withdrew, leaving Petir to gawk after her back in shock. She couldn't be serious about leaving the cacao cup here, could she?!

"Oi, Yaya!" He called over his shoulder, but it fell on deaf ears. The girl continued to go straight inside the back room and shut the door. Petir moved his gaze to the only left employee in the cafe, who immediately looked down and scrubbed the counter as if his life depended on it.

Petir resisted the urge to pull out his hair and clicked his tongue instead. Welcome to his life, where everyone seemed to find one way or another to tick him off. Petir begrudgingly picked up the cup. If he reacted now, it would be deemed as he had admitted his defeat.

Yeah, he was the type of man who was driven by his ego. Even if his tolerance for sweets only extended to his brother's homemade hot cacao and the fact he was drinking something made by a thing he considered a threat. Petir wondered what card Yaya using this time, seeing her hadn't bothered to hide the little exchange with that thing behind his back.

The moment the brown liquid touched his tongue, the world around Petir vaporized. The only thing he was aware of was his rapid heartbeats drumming inside his ears, and what lingered inside his mouth.

It wasn't perfect, or as flavorful as Tanah's hot cacao, but this taste, this feeling... there was no doubt it was his cacao. The cup he had made long ago under his mentor's instruction. The faint salty flavor left no room for argument.

Petir was at loss for words as a torrent of emotions rushed at him. One harmless mistake he had ever made in his sea of regret.

His hot cacao.

The result of being stuck in the kitchen with Mecha for an hour.

The worst idea and the worst instructor choice, really, that mentor of his and his love for salty things. A ping of salt in his definition had turned out to be a half-full teaspoon of salt. With his amazing assurance, Mecho had succeeded in convincing a young and naive Petir that was normal.

Angin had gulped his cup down in one try, only to spat out all of it right afterward. Tanah had a face of a monk who was going through his trials while drinking his portion and his father for once, had been generous enough to share most of his cup with his right-hand man, aka Mecha Bot.

Yaya, bravo for her mother's unique taste-bud training, had been able to finish her drink in a normal manner, besides the culprit, Mecha Bot of course.

"It's delicious in its unique way." As the girl had dumped it. And everyone console him it was fine to make mistakes. Those words hadn't been enough for Lightning to make another hot cacao in public, still, enough for him to be willing to do it under very rare circumstances.

"Does it match your taste?" Deep into his recollection, Petir met those familiar dark amber orbs one more time, only they were more mature and wiser. Had that question was from another person, Petir would think they were taunting him, but Yaya's words held no bite, just like the day she had praised his hot cacao.

The amount of salt inside the cup in Petir's hand now was way more acceptable. That clone possessed a better bartending skill than him it seemed. However, the message had gotten through.

Clumsy. Foolish. Inexperienced. Children always make mistakes. It was inevitable. That was why they were allowed a chance to learn from them, be forgiven, and be accepted.

Petir couldn't swallow the lump inside his throat.

Without another word or waiting for his answer, Yaya left to greet the new wave of customers, carrying on her job. Petir chuckled under his breath with much effort. Hoarse and dry. He allowed his tired body to slumped down slightly on the chair.

To whom she asked him to give a chance, the clone or his past self?

Petir looked down to the now cold cacao cup. Perhaps if he stared at the cup long enough, it would give him the answer. Some parts of him had long known it, but the man himself denied acknowledging the answer.

He didn't deserve it.