Days usually start off slow, the lazy rise of the sun in the morning and it's dragging delay at sunset. Yet, the end of the week came in a flash.

The skies were colored in an unwell shade of orange as if the sky felt sick. So did Dalteon. With the end of the week, the paired project was over.

A file folder on Dalteon's hand that was filled with his blood, sweat, and tears. While Luenniel walked behind him.

The week that Dalteon they spent together was in Dalteon's hands now. Countless time spent in the library or in the classroom, during breaks, after class, in a familiar cafe. He slowly began to tense and his walking pace started to decelerate.

Luenniel, who was in behind Dalteon, noticed as Dalteon stopped into a halt. He caught up to the other male as he looked over at him in worry.

"Hey, are you worried we're turning in a bad paper?" Luenniel poked with the most sensible question he could rationalize.

A heavy pause. Dalteon nodded his head, clearly in denial of his real thought. His speech only to be curtailed by a lie, "Yeah."

"Let's celebrate after this, for a job well done. Maybe some ramen would be nice. What do you think?" Luenniel suddenly suggests in full earnest.

Dalteon turns his head behind him in surprise, "What did you just say?" His voice getting loud in surprise.

"I said we should get ramen to celebrate. Maybe we should invite your friends too. Hm..." Luenniel said as he thought the latter aloud to himself.

Excitement filled in as Dalteon as he finally picked up himself. In an instant, he submitted their report to the teacher who wasn't in the lounge. Within an instant, they were already walking towards a restaurant near the school.

The fragrant smell of the soup broth being cooked, the constant noise of chattering between other customers, the sizzling sound of the meat being fried. Dalteon and Luenniel got seated as they encountered all of this.

A few minutes later two figures come in, Terrence and Rina have arrived. Luenniel waves his arms in the air to catch their attention.

"Hey you two, it was so nice of you to join us." Luenniel greeted as he acknowledges both of Dalteon's friends.

Rina nodded graciously, "Thank you for inviting us,  I have always wanted an excuse to eat here."

Terrence nodded along with Rina's statement, "Mhm. Ramen is good. After all, that project was really exhausting." He said as he hungrily looked over at the menu.

"What are you guys getting?" Dalteon asked as he looked over his three other friends.

Soon enough all four students have decided on their orders. Terrence takes initiative to go inline and place their orders taking everyone's payment.

Their orders come in, varying orders of ramen came in from seafood or chashu pork to mushrooms and miso.

"Yum, this is delicious. Let me take a picture before eating." Dalteon exclaimed as he brought out his phone.

"Can you picture mine too, my phone's camera is too bad for good pictures," Luenniel asked as he pushed his bowl forward.

Dalteon hesitantly took the picture, "Uhm... Okay, sure. I'll send it to you later, I guess?"

"Of course! I'll give you my contact info now." Luenniel said as he took Dalteon's phone.

"Mhm, this is delicious. We should come back here next time." Terrence blurted out, thus gaining reactions from his other friends.

Rina became a blushing mess as she dropped her chopsticks into her bowl of mushroom-based ramen.

While Luenniel snickered as he gave sideways glances at Terrence and Rina.

Dalteon then comments, "Get a room" in a teasing manner.

Terrence also blushes but tries to laugh it off. Soon enough the whole group joins in. They finally continued to eat while sharing jokes and stories about the past week. It was a pleasant time the four of them were together.

The moon was already up as they got out of the restaurant. Luenniel went on his separate way, while the trio walked home together.

"You know, I had fun today." Dalteon broke the silence as he, Rina, and Terrence were walking together.

Rina and Terrence nodded, "Yeah, I'm glad you had fun." Rina said as she looked up at the sky.

"You know. If our planet was any closer or farther to the sun, life as we know it wouldn't exist. Right now, we're in the right position." Rina narrated, silence followed as her two companions were only dumbfounded by this.

"Uh sure. Thank you for the info, Rina." Terrence sheepishly said.

Dalteon laughed, "Haha, you're such a nerd." he continued laughing.

"Hey! She's my nerd, so knock it off." Terrence stated, turning Rina into a blushing mess again.

Dalteon taunts at Terrence as they both run off in chase. Rina smiles, she was happy just like this. Her world was just at the right warmth, not too hot nor too cold.

Dalteon was chased down by Terrence but he was only thinking of how the day he spent he Luenniel, how it almost seemed like a double date. With the times they spend together, it felt great that he was finally warming up to him.
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875 words

Ik it's a short chap, but it's already late :(