[ just another graceless night ]

. . .

au
the very first night
out of a boy devoid
of emotion, with two
of the wildest people

. . .

ALPHA is known to never fail a task.

He is recognized as one of the best students in the special academy (called Protocol Omega) created by El Dorado. His attendance is perfect, his performance in every class is often outstanding, and his obedience to the trainers and educators is inhumanely unwavering. The elders like him so much that they give often him special tasks, and he does every task they give him flawlessly at all times.

Many of his peers find his accomplishments and his prudence enviable, and most of them even dare try to compete with him. Of course there's only one outcome—they lose.

However, it's impossible for a person to be too perfect. Alpha still has his flaws. Everyone is bound to have them.

It's true that he is one of the best in Protocol Omega. However, Alpha only works best in accomplishing one-man tasks. Unlike the others, Alpha is devoid of emotion. They are very alien to him, and it deeply affects works that concern teamwork. He lacks empathy, and sometimes he can be hurtful to his group mates (but he's often unaware of the pain he causes).

Some might even consider him and the android, Ray Ruhk, as equals, if it weren't for the fact that Alpha does indeed require food, water, and rest to function.

Fortunately for the heartless boy, there is one person who tolerates him—Einamu.

He isn't overly mind-driven like Alpha. He just understands the heartless boy, and he does everything he can to keep him in line. And Alpha likes Einamu's presence around him. (For some reason, he also likes how Einamu refers to him as "sir"). He finds the brunet more preferable than the other students that the elders consider as skilful and talented as him.

Two of these students are Beta and Gamma, and both are apparently well known for their unique abilities. They're not in the same rank as the students from Feida, but they are special and they also carry a big title in Protocol Omega. Just like Alpha himself.

Alpha has never met them in person, however he has Einamu for the information. Alpha doesn't care about Beta and Gamma, but he also doesn't mind if Einamu liked to talk about them. After all, such information might be useful to future missions.

What Alpha found out about Beta is that she is terrifying. Using Einamu's words as reference, she is a switch. If you flick it to one side, you'll be facing a gentle girl with an adorable voice. But if you flick it to the other side, you'll be facing a kind of demon that's trapped inside a teenage girl's body. She is the very example of two sides of the same coin.

Gamma, on the other hand, is the person you'd least befriend if you were a self-conscious person. He is too full of himself. He always boasts about his skills, his looks, and basically everything about himself. He is less impatient than Beta, but nonetheless he easily gets irritated when someone provokes or belittles him.

All in all, he learned that it'd be terrible if the two are to be in the same room. They'd be arguing about who's more superior than the other. It'd be an endless misery.

"It's best if we don't mess with them, sir." Einamu would tell him.

To which Alpha would reply. "I have no plans in meeting such people. They will only waste my time."

Completing his missions, and obeying his elders are the only important things to Alpha.

Nothing else matters after all.

&

AS much to Alpha's dismay, he (unfortunately) finally meets both Beta and Gamma face to face. Of all the places in the academy, he never expected to encounter them in the cafeteria.

When he entered in the said location, a crowd has already gathered in the middle of the room. Einamu eagerly drags Alpha to the crowd, despite his lack of interest over the conflict. Nevertheless, he peeks through the crowd, and he discovers that there are two figures in the middle—one female, the other male.

"My, my~ you're getting tense, aren't you? Are you threatened by me, Gamma?" It's a high-pitched voice; it most likely belongs to Beta. The girl plays with her teal hair as she gives the pale boy in front of her a smug grin.

"Oh please, Beta," Gamma counters, "A person such as yourself isn't even good enough for my undivided attention. If anything, you're just a waste of my precious time."

Alpha watches Beta giggling to herself, before she narrows her magenta eyes coldly.

"Well, douchebag, I'm only here to retrieve that invitation card in your filthy hand. I believe that belongs to my dear friend Orca."

Gamma's brows are raised in false surprise. "Really? I'm pretty certain that this"—He lifts his hand in the air, revealing the thin material sandwiched between his forefinger and middle finger—"belongs to one of my friends. Why don't you just accept that your friend there can't come?"

"And what? You think I'll go there with you?" Beta laughs, "Oh Lord, it would be very bad for my image!"

Gamma rolls his eyes. "You can always leave, Beta. Nobody gives a damn if you come or not. You're not that special."

"Why you little—!"

Alpha, with his brows furrowed in slight bafflement, leans to whisper in Einamu's ear. "Are they fussing over a card?"

"Seems like it, sir." Einamu returns with a frown.

"How foolish." Alpha comments. "I fail to see the importance of it. Care to elaborate its purpose, Einamu?"

"Of course, sir. It's an invitation card to a one-of-a-kind party in the city, frequently held annually. It is where the chairmen from various special schools go to exchange words of acknowledgement and ideas to one another, all while entertaining themselves. Students from each school are allowed to attend the party, to represent the school, sir."

"I see."

"Permission to ask a question, sir."

"Granted."

"Have you received an invitation card, sir?" Einamu questions.

"...I was not aware of its existence until today." Alpha confesses blankly. Einamu only smiles at him. Of course Alpha wouldn't know about it.

"Are all students obliged to attend?" Alpha inquires again.

"No, sir." Einamu answers. "Only those with a card are permitted to go. The cards will either be given directly, or be searched for throughout the campus.

"However, there are special cards, sir, where one's name is legally written on the card. There is a very small chance for one to get them, but they aren't uncommon. And should you receive one, your attendance in the party is a must."

"Understood." Alpha nods at the brunet, before fixing his gaze on the two arguing teens.

"Alright, you two need to stop before you rip each other's heads off each other's necks." Zanark Avalonic practically shoves his way to the center, his booming voice and large figure capturing everyone's attention. Gamma's blue eyes linger on the bigger male, clearly looking disgusted.

"What are you doing here, Zanark?" The pale boy asks, crossing his arms. "You didn't come here to steal the card, did you? If you're not aware, Beta and I are still—"

"I thought you'd say that." Zanark smirks. "But I'm not here to take the stupid card; I'm not interested in silly parties. I'm here to break it to you two that that card is a special invitation card."

"Wait, what?" Both Beta and Gamma exclaim.

Zanark cackles loudly. "Ah, I swear, you're all like dumb goldfish."

"So this is another special card?" Gamma muses mindlessly, observing the thin card in his pale fingers.

"You two got a special card too, I take it," Zanark then points at the card in Gamma's hand. "Now, look closely and you'll know who your third companion to the party is."

Beta and Gamma narrow their eyes on the card. Everyone surrounding them takes a deep breath, creating tension in the air. Alpha watches in disinterest, while Einamu stares at them in awe.

"Oh." Gamma's expression loses its enthusiasm after spotting the name. A sigh escapes Beta's lips as she shakes her head.

Suddenly, Zanark yanks the card from Gamma, making the pale boy yelp in surprise. For a split second, his gaze lands on Alpha's blank grey eyes, his grin only turning wider before he aims and throws the card.

The students move aside, creating a clear path for the card to pass through. They all release a series of gasps when Alpha effortlessly catches the card in between his fingers, never once breaking eye contact with the taller and much, much bigger male. Across him, Zanark laughs, with Beta and Gamma standing next to him on both sides, staring at the heartless boy with bored expressions.

Swiftly, Alpha flips the card in his hand. He searches for the card's owner's name. He frowns when his eyes finally find it.

Alpha.

The special card belongs to him.

&

"HAVE you been to a party?"

"No."

"Do you know what happens in a party?"

"No."

"Do you even know anything about a party?"

"No."

Yet again, Beta receives the same answer. The teal-haired girl huffs audibly, closing her eyes in annoyance.

To pass time, she thought inquiring Alpha was the best choice. However, she never expected how dull and straightforward he was. Maybe pestering Gamma would've ended up better.

"It's no use, Beta," Gamma speaks. "Alpha is technically turning into an android one of these days. Best leave him be."

The pale boy looks at Alpha from the corner of his eye, only to feel disappointed when the other boy barely reacts to his normally annoying words. He clicks his tongue.

The three of them are already seated in the vehicle, and they are currently on their way to the location of the grand party. Beta is in the middle, with Alpha to her right and Gamma to her left.

"What do you even do, Alpha?" Beta is curious. Her curiosity blooms more when she regards how Alpha finally opens his eyes for the first time since they entered the vehicle to give her a thoughtful glance.

Alpha closes his eyes again, yet he speaks. "You need to be more specific if you want adequate answers, Beta."

"Aha! So you do know other words besides yes and no." Beta chirps, her high-pitched voice ringing painfully in Alpha's ear.

The heartless boy moves his head to her direction, giving her a look of mild confusion. "Of course. I wouldn't be in the same level as you two if I didn't have the ability to speak."

Gamma, who's been listening quietly to their short interaction, suddenly bursts into a loud fit of laughter. Alpha and Beta exchange questioning looks shortly before shifting their gazes back to the pale boy.

Gamma stops laughing. (At least, he tried to.)

"In the same level, you say? Now that's just funny, Alpha," Gamma remarks after he's calm, "I am in no way equal to you two. As a matter of fact, I'm far more skilled than you two combined."

"How troublesome." Alpha murmurs, shaking his head.

"Excuse me?" Beta shrieks, her voice notably sounding deeper. Alpha observes the sudden change of color in Beta's eyes. Her previously magenta eyes has shifted to dark violet.

Like a switch.

Instead of speaking, Alpha tears his attention away from the arguing teens, deciding to peer outside the window. The earsplitting voices of his two companions eventually fade away from Alpha's sense of hearing, allowing himself to be at ease.

He closes his eyes, already disliking the idea of attending his first party.

&

"WHAT am I looking at?" Beta and Gamma say the same words at the same time when they enter the venue.

Beside them is Alpha, who silently observes the sight right in front of him in frail astonishment. They are in a place that seems to be an enormous ballroom, and Alpha could hear string instruments play mellifluously in the background.

The tables are carpeted with spotless white cloths that have a lovely golden floral design. And on each table, flowers of different kinds are decorated delicately in fragile-looking vases. The tables are settled neatly on the marble floor, leaving an open, circular space in the middle of the room, most likely meant for the dancing. As Alpha looks up, he sees a large glass chandelier, with a few smaller ones surrounding it. They light the place up in a white and golden hue.

Like himself, the adults arrive, dressed formally in gowns and suits, with the women beautifully adorned in expensive jewelry.

Alpha finds the party to be exquisite, however he knows his companions thought otherwise.

In utter disgust, Beta and Gamma sneer at every single thing their eyes lay upon, acting like tense cats in an unknown territory. However bothersome their radiating anger may be, Alpha finds it fascinating how they aren't actually fighting each other for the first time.

"What generation do they think we're living in? The 18th century?" Gamma spats harshly. "This is ludicrous!"

"Ludicrous? Huh, more like bullshit." Beta huffs, not even censoring herself. "This is what they call a party? Unbelievable! Those old geezers have their heads stuck in the past."

"What are you two going on about?" Alpha inquires, clueless. "This is a party. A ball, to be more precise."

"A party for ancient people, you mean." Gamma corrects, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I fail to see why you are irritated." Alpha states.

"Of course you wouldn't see why." Gamma replies sarcastically.

"Are you mocking me, Gamma?"

"No. I'm only telling you the truth, Alpha."

"Don't fight." Beta stops them.

"I—" Alpha is cut off.

"Look, Alpha darling, only I can fight this petty excuse of a loser." Beta points at Gamma, who's rolling his eyes. "Just because we're agreeing that this place is hideous, doesn't mean we're getting along, alright?"

"True." The pale boy agrees.

The heartless boy just keeps his mouth shut.

"Anyway." Beta says before yawning, "Let's ditch this place. It's really boring here."

"What?" Alpha widens his eyes in shock.

"Smart," Gamma snaps his fingers, his lips twisting into a devilish smile. "We ought to find a real party."

Before they could head for the door, Alpha blocks their path.

"Our presence is a must here." Alpha speaks with authority. "We are forbidden from leaving."

Beta and Gamma gaze into each other's eyes, their expressions unknown and indecipherable to Alpha. Then, they laugh out loud, catching the heartless boy off guard.

"My, my~ you really don't know anything, do you?" The teal-haired girl giggles.

The pale boy runs a hand to his hair, grinning smugly. "It wouldn't hurt to break one rule, Alpha. You'd be able to know what it means to have fun. Why don't you try it?"

"Fun?" Alpha inquires in a quiet voice.

With a hum, Beta paces towards him, her thin fingers wrapping his forearm. Using her other hand, she places a finger on Alpha's lips to stop him from speaking any further.

"Consider this a mission, Alpha." She winks at him. "A mission that you should accomplish for yourself. A mission to find perfect places."

"Perfect places?" Alpha repeats, the words seeming foreign to his mouth. "What—"

"Y'know, sometimes it's better if you just shut up and go along with the flow." Gamma interrupts him instantly.

"You've never been to a party, right?" Beta asks, smiling. "Well, we'll make sure your first time will be the best you've ever had."

"Wait, we aren't acting as his parents now, are we?" Gamma asks, horrified.

Beta sighs heavily. "No, of course not, idiot. Don't even think about it."

"Then what are we doing?"

"We're simply acting as his babysitters," Beta pauses, "or maybe as his friends."

"Very well." Gamma smiles.

Alpha wants to speak, but he couldn't say anything because Beta drags him out of the hall, with Gamma following shortly behind. Alpha has no choice but to be in their mercy.

For the first time, he's out of character. Instead of feeling uneasiness from the situation, the blood in Alpha's veins are screaming in thirst for something he doesn't know.

As soon as they walk pass the door, Alpha doesn't look back.

&

"YOU know what's weirder than your hairstyle, Beta? You calling Alpha "darling"."

Gamma's face meets Beta's fist within seconds. He clumsily staggers backwards due to the force, and Alpha, who was walking behind them the whole time, grabs Gamma by the shoulders to balance him. The pale boy places a hand on his nose, winces, and lowers it only to see blood.

Alpha digs through his pants' pocket to retrieve a handkerchief, and offers it to Gamma, who gratefully accepts it. The heartless boy feels a tight knot inside him. He fixes his gaze on Beta, who's staring at the bleeding Gamma proudly.

"Watch it, Beta." Alpha warns her. "There's no need for violence."

"But he insulted my hair!"

"Correction, I said—"

"And surely you're mature enough to overlook his childishness." The heartless boy narrows his eyes. "Get yourself together."

"I..." Beta can't seem to find the right words to say. She only stares at Alpha with wide eyes.

Gamma chuckles. "Heh, you just got burned—"

"And you." Alpha cuts him off. "Enough with your bratty attitude. It's infuriating."

"Y-Yes, sir." Gamma's voice is tainted in surprise.

Alpha notices this, and looks blankly at his two companions, who stare back at him. "Why are you two looking at me like that?" He asks.

"You... you just got angry." Gamma points out, still covering his nose with the handkerchief that's now stained in his own blood. "I'm honestly surprised. I actually thought your humanity's a goner—Ow!" The pale boy yelps in pain as Beta nudges his rib hard.

"Shut it, you idiot!"

"What was that for?!"

"I said shut it!"

To their luck, Alpha doesn't react to them fighting again. He only blinks, as he processes the other boy's words. He unconsciously lifts his hand and places it on his chest, just over his beating heart. He takes note of how his heartbeat has accelerated, even if it's barely noticeable.

"Angry?" He whispers, more to himself than to his wild companions. But the two hear him anyway, and they smile at him.

"Yep!" Beta chips, clapping her hands. "Congratulations!"

"You have a long way to go, but that's good for a start." Gamma says with a small wink. "I suppose we are the best companions for you after all."

Alpha only blinks. Gamma winces in pain again, to which Beta responds with a shake of her head.

"Let's get going," she says, "We need some ice for that nose. Don't worry, we're almost there."

"Almost where?" Alpha inquires.

Beta only gives him a smile. "We're searching for perfect places, right? We're going to one right now."

"I'm hoping that you won't pass out once you have a couple of drinks, Beta." Gamma remarks. "As you can see, I'm in no condition to carry your heavy weight home. And you should be ashamed if you let Alpha do it."

The teal-haired girl only glares at him, her eyes once more turning dark. "Do you want me to smack the bag of ice in your face or do you want another punch? Those are the only options you have."

Another sigh goes out of Alpha's mouth. He lost count of how many times he's done that for that evening—no, more specifically, that day. But he forgets this as he stares at Beta, the girl who he thought was scary, and Gamma, the boy who he thought was too proud for his own good.

For the first time, Alpha smiles, and his companions could barely react to it since the curve disappeared as quickly at it came, in a blink of an eye.

"Let's go." The not-so heartless boy states, walking ahead of them.

〆

[l.] - what the fuck are perfect places, anyway?