Under the Oak Tree - Time Before You

01 Prologue

A biting cold filled the man's lungs with every inhalation. Swearing under his breath, he began to widen his strides with the hope that the speed increment would eventually warm him up. Since young, his Achilles' heels had always been the winter season. Despite being widely recognised for his exemplary physique and fitness, the man was well-aware that his stamina performance would always drop drastically with the temperature.

Stealing a quick glance at his smart watch to confirm his calculation, his brows furrowed when he noticed that the numbers were lower than estimated. The temperature had plummeted since starting his run. As the man exhaled a precious cloud of warm condensation, another cuss escaped through his chapped lips.

Wasn't this city supposed to be warmer during winter?

However, his initial displeasure began to melt despite the frost, when the man regarded his surroundings. Even though he had moved here for less than a week, the mysterious charm of this city was already captivating his soul in unspoken ways. This came as a surprise as the man was admittedly very well-travelled. Having studied and worked across different continents, he had never spent more than two years in the same city for close to two decades of his adulthood.

The man had been exploring the new city through his morning jogs. Impressively, its urban planning was strategically executed despite constructed more than a millennium ago. The seaport held the city's heart, unsurprisingly so since it was one of the world's busiest trading ports. Most streets were branched out from the port, so one would be conveniently connected to other important sites such as the city square, church and various other essential infrastructures. Even though the street alleys were rather narrow, a sign that the city had an exponential economy growth in a short span of time, the overall densities of residential, commercial and industrial areas were masterfully drafted still.

Moreover, it was astonishing how well-preserved the buildings retained of the Romanesque architectural style, as if the city had a master planner who laid down his visionary blueprint for the coming centuries to maintain such consistency. Most cities would have already been diluted by later periods of Victorian architectures or modern skyscrapers. However, to say the least, the medieval buildings here were gorgeously original. Despite their extravagant use of stained-glass windows, the walls were well constructed and fortified to withstand centuries of damages; both natural and man-made.

The city held much more attractions which the man would love to study. Furthest from the port was a medieval castle, a key landmark of this city. It was more like a fortress, really, but the travel sites had indicated it to be a noble residence in later years. Since castles were often crowned to be a region's pride, a city with such conserved streets would certainly have its heritage encapsulated exceptionally well within those stone walls.

Just then, a flash of light caught his eyes. Peeping down at his wrist-worn device, the man clicked his tongue as he read the incoming message.

Time to start work already, I guess.

Picking up his pace, the man hurried home. He was not a man to lose track of time, but his never-ending fascination for architecture had proven him wrong today.

Having said that, the antique pavements were still rough to run on. The man glanced down at the soles of his sneakers and frowned slightly. While he relished starting his day with the unique charms of medieval history, his contemporary lifestyle meant that he needed some retail replenishments. He was not one who enjoyed shopping excessively but would spend on apparels that are high on their investment returns.

The man soon reached his residential within a few turns about the streets. Thankfully, the short sprint had warmed up his hands. He had been having some difficulties accessing his apartment's automated gates and would have already contacted his landlord if not for the long list of errands to clear before starting his first day at work today. As the man reached out his thumb to deactivate the digital lock, a disgruntled whine could be heard from the other side.

Cautiously, the man pushed the wooden door to find a large shadow crouching.

When the lights flickered on, the man found his Doberman pinscher lying on the doormat and had to be careful not to hit its muzzle. The whining soon began again as the dog watched him intently with sad, longing eyes. Its short tail laid limp and mopey, as if that too, was a tool for emotional manipulation.

"You know that it's too cold for you today."

A louder whimper resonated across the room upon the man's statement. His senior black hound was certainly not in a forgiving mood today. Steeping in guilt, the man bent over and patted its head.

I'm sorry for being late. Let's fill you up before I start my day, Talon."