Jikanime Motori

Chapter 3

Author's Note: Okay, so I'm writing about a time that doesn't exist, and won't exist for 140 years. That means I get to go crazy, ha ha.

I'm rubbing my hands together like a movie villain right now (not really, but I am doing it mentally).

^ I wrote the above a month ago, and well...ha ha. To be honest, I procrastinated a bit with this chapter because I put way too much unnecessary pressure on myself regarding this time period. But I pushed myself to write this chapter and just get it done. Because anything is better than "perfection" or nothing.

So let's continue.

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~*February 14th, 2161*~

The sonic tube slowly came to a stop, humming slightly as it stopped on the track.

A light chime was heard.

"You have reached your destination. Please proceed to the nearest exit."

The people inside the sonic tube began moving toward the exit as the robotic announcement repeated itself on a loop, and among them, was a young man, who started to nudge his way past everyone.

"Pardon me."

"Hey!"

"Sorry."

He bumped into another person as he tried to move past.

"Watch it, mate."

He kept pushing through until he finally made it to the exit.

He stepped off the sonic tube, and on to the loading area.

He sighed with relief.

He took his hand out of his pocket, and looked at the time on his wristwatch.

He wasted no time and began running.

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The "21st Century Cafe" or "21st Centy" as many people liked to call it, was something of a novelty to the people that went inside.

As soon as anyone stepped foot inside the unusually upbeat pub, the first thing they touched was a white tiled floor that lit up from underneath. As one began to walk inside, they would notice blue and purple neon spiral lights displayed across a white low hanging ceiling. Moving further along to the dining areas scattered throughout, the navy blue tables and booths were inspired by American Diner styles from the 1950s. The bar area was hidden away on the right side behind a special neon barrier in the shape of several white X's and it was managed by four servers; two robots and two humans. Finally, there was a big blank wall area at the very end of the walkway that displayed soundless video clips from various films of the 20th and 21st centuries.

However, despite all of this, the most popular display in the entire building was the round stage in the center that played holographic performances of the best songs of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The robot jukebox zoomed around the stage deciding on a new song, and with a faint clicking sound the decision was finally made. The robot jukebox went off to the head of the stage to project the hologram, and within seconds, a new song performance began playing on the stage.

The familiar beat started, and Arnold De Lang, a young man who was sitting at one of the retro tables near the stage with two of his closest friends, began to tap his feet to one of the biggest K-Pop songs of 2021.

Arnold was a young man with black skin, deep-set brown eyes, and tightly curled black hair that had become a buzz cut thanks to a hair appointment that morning.