Hollow Twilight - A LitRPG Novel

Epilogue

Reid watched the server struggling to light the fire pit in the center of the table. They ducked underneath again and fiddled with the gas nozzle. Tim gave everyone a casual smile across the table, confidently assuring them this was fine and normal.

The server came back up, grumbling and jammed their finger onto the ignition switch. Everyone heard a couple of clicks before it went dead. The young man sighed, patting down the front of his black vest before rummaging in his pockets and pulling out a small lighter. "Sorry everyone," he said, "these things can sometimes be finicky." He cast a glare at Tim before shoving the lighter into a side of the metal circle. A whoosh and his hasty retreat signaled the barbecue was working.

"You're sure this is alright?" Reid asked, watching the server rush away through the empty restaurant, disappearing behind a curtain at the back. The usual group was gathered around the table at a korean barbecue restaurant, Tim's family's specifically, and everyone was a bit uncomfortable to be there at two in the afternoon on a Saturday.

"It's fine," Tim replied, waving the concerns away. "I'm allowed to use this place during prep times and stuff, they don't mind cause nobody else can see me if I'm an embarrassment. It's a good system." He lit up as a handful of small dishes were laid out on the side of the table by a gaggle of servers, each grumpier in appearance than the last, each shooting Tim a dirty stare before vanishing again. "See, they love us."

"I've never known anyone who owns a restaurant," Maple remarked, eyes sparkling as she took in the surroundings. "Plus we can never afford k-bbq."

Tim laughed. A plate of raw meat slices clattered down near his elbow and he immediately scooped up a piece with a tiny pair of tongs, dropping it into the pit in the middle to a satisfying sizzle. "I mean I don't own it but sure, it's my parents. They'll be the first to tell you that if they hear you say that again."

"If we have an in," Issac said, leaning over in the booth so he could press into Maple's side, "maybe we could come here for a cheap date."

Maple shoved him away and looked across at Kari, who rolled her eyes. "Isn't it fun to be dating a broke boy?" Maple stuck out her tongue at Issac as he recovered from nearly being pushed out of the seat.

"I wouldn't know," Kari answered, curt and distant.

"Oh there you are!" Reid perked up at the voice of Reily coming up behind them. He spun around and gave her a smile, feeling his cheeks go hot when she did the same. She stripped off her jacket in a rush and hung it on top of Reid's before realizing there was no additional space at the table.

"Who is she?" Tim said around a chunk of beef in his mouth. He pointed the tongs at Reily and Reid watched splatters of grease fly off towards Kari, who shrieked and pressed herself into the seat to dodge it. "She ok to be here?"

"She knows," Reid said. "It's fine."

"Then just grab a chair." Tim whipped the tongs again to highlight a chair before Maple snatched them away from him. He shrunk a little in his seat like a disciplined puppy.

"Sorry I'm late," Reily added as she grabbed a seat. "I thought this place was closed from the outside."

"I'm sure nothing else slowed you down," Reid added. Reily sneered at him. He already knew she was playing in a tournament later today, and he knew she was lying to her mom about where she was right now.

"We're just getting started anyways," Tim continued. "The start of a new guild or...it's called flock right? Day one of the flock! That sounds terrible, I don't know, we'll fucking figure it out."

The late lunch went by surprisingly quickly with chatter and constant cooking, and Tim kept the entire group engaged with his antics. He forced Issac to have to pour his drink for him, insisting it was part of respect and culture since he had seniority at the table, and Issac obliged by spilling a little onto Tim's pants. At one point Maple found herself standing on her seat before a shout from the kitchen brought her hastily back down.