After some time treading back, the shaggy brick hut came back into view. Slim lights seeped from the windows. Mun was back, I thought to myself. We dwelled within the few housings among the world which required a built-in, stand-alone light source. I had the idea to erect this shack in just the outskirts of the Band of Chaos.

Residing in perpetual dim sunlight was certainly a shift from before. It most definitely had its demerits, but nevertheless, the advantage was too appealing to pay any attention to that. They wouldn't find me here. Crazily determined seekers, but thankfully also religiously brainwashed enough to not dare to step even a foot beyond the territories where the light reached.

I scurried up to the porch, a crude build with a slab of leftover bricks serving as a stepping stone, and creaked open the door. Mun was sitting on the wooden table set. A brown paper bag stained with grease rested atop of the table. Mun looked up and spoke quietly.

"Where were you?"
"Took a walk. Is that food?"

I said, pointing at the bag. Mun nodded, then proceed to unpack the bag. He laid out two paper-wrapped squares, which I assumed were sandwiches, on the tables. I sat down on the table-side opposite to him.

"Where were you? I doubt you transmuted these out of thin air."

I asked, grabbing and peeling the paper off the packed meal. Sandwiches. Great. Mun took hold of his share and did the same. He spoke keeping his eyes fixed on the food.

"The bar. I was originally thinking of taking out some frustration on Drak, until I realized he's not the one I should be upset at."
"Always the genius of insinuations like you are, Mun."

I chuckled out. Mun still kept a dead-still face.
"Look."
I started.

"Mun, I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have gone drinking. I shouldn't have broken our promise."

Mun took a bite out of his sandwich. He chewed, stilling glancing downward. I followed his chin move up and down repeatedly as I waited anxiously for a response. Time stood still as too did his silence.

He swallowed, then finally gazed up and stared into my eyes. He chuckled.
"Glad to see I'm finally getting a sober apology."
I gave him a smile.
"I still can't believe you can tell that just from the eyes."
Relieved, I myself also worked on reducing the sandwich. Greasy, but my craving stomach didn't so much as give a single chance for my tongue to complain.

Mun continued.
"Three drinks per rotation was unreasonable."
I hesitated on whether I should agree or disagree. Trick question? Or sincere?
"I shouldn't restrict you on going to bars. That was selfish of me."
Sincere. Definitely sincere. Thank the stars.
"You talk like Drak finally spoke some sense into you."
"Don't get cocky, that doesn't change the fact that I still dislike it in the first place."
Mun flavored his voice with joking sarcasm. He was cheered up now.
"Keep it temperate. Let's see if that works out."
"Yes, sir."

I exclaimed giggling. I need to treat Drak with something someday.

Mun put down his sandwich and wiped down his fingers. He then asked with a different voice tone. A much calmer and a much more uneasy tone.

"Rial, hearers don't-,no, can't drink, right?"
I too set the food aside. Rarely did Mun bring up these subjects. I glanced up once then replied.

"From experience, no. I remember it to be strictly forbidden."
Mun ran his fingers down his chin.
"Hm."
He seemed to be pondering about whether or not to continue his words. Did it relate to my drunken blabbers from before? I asked first out of curiosity.

"Why? Did you catch some odd detail?"
Mun put back his hand on the table. He took a deep breath and explained.
"You remember talking about some hearer drinking while you were drunk?"
"At the bar? I doubt I'll forget that moment, ever."
A ridiculous scene. What a delight of hypocrisy.
"I may have run into her."
"You what?"
I demanded.

"Well, you see I bought these sandwiches, right?   She was sitting in the place too."
"How could you tell she was a hearer?Was she dressed in the usual crap?"
"The eyes. She had hearer's eyes."

Of course she did.

"So you talked to her?"
"Yes, she indeed was who you probably saw back at the bar."
I slammed the table in a triumphant manner. The perfect I-told-you-so.
"Ha! I knew those bastards were frauds! Now you're gonna believe it when I say you're wasting your time with those idiots?"

Mun's dismayed face grew darker. Doubt, disbelief, and unease swirled in a vortex over his expression. Sorrow.

No don't be sad

Perhaps I overreacted.

I don't like sad Mun

Regret fumed out my pores. The table slam definitely was too much.

Please be happy Mun

Mun spoke more with a trembling voice.

"She said every hearer was like this. Drinking, eating."

I didn't know what to say. Correction; I knew exactly what to say. 'I've been telling you that since forever ago.' I didn't know what to say that won't upset him any further. Then Mun dropped a bomb in the conversation.
"I want to visit the mirror."
I froze. Unlimited time would have probably been required for me to have fully comprehended where he was going with this. Unfortunately, I didn't possess the said such luxury. I managed to spit out whatever collections of relatively articulate thoughts that I could muster up in my head in at least in the form of a question.
"What, to ask if they drink? And you're telling me about this."

Mun spoke back with a tormented expression.
"God, Rial. I don't know. But I need this. I need to make sure. I either need to confirm or just throw away her words out of my head. I need some kind of closure. Anything. This is eating away at me."

I stared at him, shocked. Then some resolutions I had on the walk back here came to mind.

"Mun...Mun. I can't believe I'm saying this. If you, if you really need it, I won't stop you. You put up with me sneaking out to bars all the time. I'll take the opposite role for once."

Mun looked up.
"Is it, really okay?"

I sighed.
"No, but I'll know how you felt like all this time. Just you know, um."

Mun cut me off halfway through.
"Don't use my real name, right?"

I gave a weak smile.
"Wear a mask or something too. People from the Zenith probably haven't gotten the word out to mirrors this secluded off. They wouldn't recognize the face."

Mun smiled back.

He's happy

"Thanks, Rial. Really. This means a lot. I'll be back quickly."

What could go wrong? That freak show in the Zenith wasn't ever exposed to the outside world, and I doubt they'd keep their spies this far away from their home base. Mun talking to hearers, nevertheless, was disturbing. Yet I could bear it. I could try, at least.

"Just promise me one thing."
I added with a stern tone.
"If at the mirror, they tell you they all drink and do any of the shit you brought up, you're going to actually agree with me from now on about them."

Mun paused, contemplating. Then he too decided and spoke.
"Sure, if they are as you say they are, I have no reason to disagree. I'll admit I was praising a false idol."

So it was decided. Judgment day at the mirror. Mun will see. He'll see what I've been seeing in hearers. Then he'll understand. I could tell him now, finally, what those freaks had done to me.

The meal was finished. Mun prepared to leave on the next spin. To the nearest mirror. To the truth. He'll be sad when he knows.

I don't like sad Mun

But he has to know.