"A caffe misto to take out…!" A woman in a suit orders hurriedly, her face blurring into the rest of the crowd awaiting beverages. I take notice of her lack of manners, so out of spite don't bother asking her name on the cup and take my time making her 'oh-so-important' coffee. I smirk to myself a bit as she mutters out of frustration as she waits. It's a busy Tuesday morning, so Starbucks is currently full of rude and hurried business men and women.
"Get a move on, Hatsune!" My co-worker and superior bellows at me, frantically making a drink for a different customer then slamming it on the table. I roll my eyes; I hate this job. Handing the business woman her coffee, I can't help but smirk to myself as she glares at me before rushing out of the building, almost getting knocked over by the crowd a few times and muttering abuse to everyone around her.
Another business woman approaches the desk, however she is relaxed compared to the others.
"A caffe latte to take out, please." She smiles, passing me the money and flashing her pristine white teeth. It strikes me how beautiful she is, with calm cerulean eyes and a strong but feminine jawline – she really is something else… Her hair, however, is slightly shocking, and I can't help but take a moment to stare; it is a soft pink colour, which does seem a little surprising for a well-composed business woman like herself, and is pulled tidily back into a long ponytail which swishes behind her as she moves.
"Uh… what's your name…?" I ask, a little lost for words. Our eyes lock, and she seems a bit taken aback for some reason – she visibly jerks.
"I… Ayame…" She murmurs, before clearing her throat and speaking clearly. "Sorry, it's Luka." Weird... How can someone like her get their own name wrong – it's not even remotely similar. She must have been thinking of someone…
"Uh, yeah, thanks…" I mutter, writing her name on the take out cup then continuing to make her drink. I notice my co-worker who yelled at me just a minute ago, Dell, is eyeing me suspiciously, so I turn away from him and roll my eyes as I pour the steaming hot milk into the cup.
"There's a fucking line, could you maybe hurry up… Some of us actually have important jobs to go to instead of loitering in a coffee shop…" I hear a businessman mutter. I flash him a glare, clenching my jaw a bit, and then pass the rather attractive businesswoman her drink. She then turns to the man, much to my surprise.
"Excuse me but treat the poor girl with some respect." She tells him in her calm and collected way, stunning all three of us for a moment.
She thanks me for her drink, cautiously taking a sip of her drink and flinching a bit as the hot liquid enters her mouth. She continues to swallow it, however, nodding at me appreciatively before walking out of the small coffee shop.
"A flat white to take out, and make it snappy…!" The bitter businessman who was muttering deprecating insults hisses, rushing over to the counter rather quickly.
"In case you haven't noticed, I work at a chain business; it's very important I take my time to make sure all our drinks are consistent – Starbucks does not want to frustrate lovely businesspeople such as yourself with varying quality of drinks." I snap, grabbing a take-out cup. "Name?"
"You have some nerve…" He growls, squinting angrily. "It's Takumi."
Spitefully, I write 'Tamaki' on the cup. By the time he gets his drink, I've really got myself in some shit.
"This is terrible service; I'd like to make a complaint!" He demands; I laugh out of disbelief.
"I thought you were in a hurry to your 'important job'!"
"I am, but this is simply unacceptable!" I smirk, trying not to let him see.
"What's the problem, Hatsune?! Keep the line moving!" Dell yells at me.
"This customer is the problem!" I explain, pointing to the man, who is now reddening in the face.
"I'll deal with this… Get to work, Hatsune!" He grumbles, rushing over to the counter. I get straight to work, really exerting myself, not wanting to anger Dell further. I hear snippets of Dell's conversation with the angered customer, which are something along the lines of "I'm sure Miss Hatsune gave you the wrong impression" and "I will have words with Miss Hatsune to ensure this doesn't happen again". It would worry me, but it isn't the first time it's happened. The customer leaves, and Dell sighs, shaking his head at me. I shrug, passing a coffee to a customer. Dell doesn't actually say anything to me, so I assume that my job is safe for now, but do continue to work a little harder than usual just in case.
-o-
By now, it's the end of my shift; it's a rather warm afternoon, sunlight streaming through the shop windows and lighting the shop rather nicely. There are a few people in the building enjoying a drink and a lazy afternoon conversation, sprawled out of their chairs in a relaxed manner. I would really like to have afternoon and evening shifts instead of mornings, as it seems much more relaxed and enjoyable, but things aren't going to change anytime soon.
"Hatsune…" Dell calls. Oh shit, I am in trouble, aren't I? Dell usually calls me by my first name when work is over.
"Yes?" I smile at him, perhaps a little too friendly.
"Hatsune, this is the second time a customer has complained about you this month…" He reminds me. I shrug, biting my lip a little nervously, though.
"Ah, well you know, morning shifts mean grumpy businesspeople…" I tell him. He raises an eyebrow, seeing past my excuses.
"Miku, the manager is seriously concerned, and so am I to an extent. You really need to get your…" Dell trails off, not knowing how to finish the sentence professionally; I decide to help him out a bit.
"…work together?" I finish his sentence. I knew he wanted to say 'shit together', but that would be unprofessional… He sighs.
"Basically; your job is at risk, Miku." He warns me.
"Right, it won't happen again…" I murmur the lines which I have used a few times to many. We both know it probably will… "See ya, Dell."
I greet my co-worker, Piko, as he comes in for his shift, then grab my bag and leave the building, taking a deep, relieved breath as I step outside. Now I have the rest of the day to do whatever the hell I want! The first thing I do is sit on a bench by a few trees and check my phone, replying to any texts I have and then scrolling through my Facebook feed, sniggering a little at some of the posts. As I look up from my phone and take in my surroundings, I realise just how pretty it is in this area of town.
The paving is all very clean, and is warm, blush-coloured brick. There are a few trees lined up neatly, with paving built around them leaving just small squares of dirt. The scent of coffee and various hot food wafts through the streets, which are illuminated softly by the pleasantly warm glow of the sun. I really do love this town, Cherrywood - the atmosphere is friendly, too (unless you happen to be in Starbucks for a morning shift…). I've lived nearby my entire life, but I only actually started renting here when I was 20 – I would probably still be living at home right now if it hadn't been for the inheritance I got when my Grandmother died two years ago. I'm currently burning through my savings and living rather lavishly in my small but pleasing apartment, as rent is expensive in Cherrywood, and as much as I try to make money, things hardly ever work out for me. Living in the present is how I try to live my life, but I can't help but worry about my future.
I realise I've been daydreaming for quite some time and it has gotten a little bit cooler now the mid-day sun has passed. I check my phone quickly, realising I need to get headed home as my friend, IA, is coming round later. I contemplate whether getting the bus would be more efficient, but in the end I chose to walk; public transport isn't that big of a deal, but I honestly prefer to avoid it, especially in the summer. I begin my slow walk home, quickly going into a shop to buy some drinks for later with IA – she's a chilled girl aged 20, like me, and I can always depend on her to have a few drinks with.
-o-
By the time I reach my apartment, it's already four. I climb up the short flight of stairs (which could be kept a bit better but that doesn't really bother me) and unlock my door, stepping inside as it swings open. I fling the bag containing the drinks on the table for a second as I go to close the door again.
"Alright, Miku?" Yukari, my neighbour, greets me, stopping her descent down the stairs to talk to me.
"Yeah, alright?" I greet her. She nods, smiling. Yukari is a… kind-of friend of mine – she only recently moved in, and I believe she has only just turned 18. She's a pretty girl with young features and an almost endearing naïveté. You can tell she tries to stay composed in all situations, but I have seen her excitable side numerous times.
"Uh, I was actually going to go out tonight, want to come?" She asks. I don't think she knows many people in the area, yet, and I can't help but feel kind of bad for her.
"Thanks Yukari, but my friend is coming round for a few drinks later." I let slip out, instantly regretting it. 'For fucks sake, now you have to invite her…' I think to myself. "You can join us if you like?" Her face lights up, making the entire situation worse.
"I'd love to, thank you for inviting me!" She squeaks, looking down at the floor and taking a deep breath, returning to a neutral mood. "Yeah, that'd be cool, what time?"
"I don't know, seven-ish?"
"Sure, see you then." She confirms, a smile breaking through her cool façade as she walks off. I close the door, sighing loudly to myself, and decide to send IA a text.
'Sorry, had to invite someone else to tonight… Poor girl has no friends yet.' I text her, and after a few minutes I get a reply.
'I'll be round at 6. If she's annoying, I'm leaving.'
Typical IA; I put my phone down and head into the kitchen, searching for a snack or something. I decide on some Supernoodles, making the instant 'goodness' within 10 minutes then devouring them in front of the TV. Cooking has never been something I'm good at, so I live off junk food most of the time. My mother, whom I don't talk to as often as I would like, often worries about my diet, buying me vitamins and advertising healthy, 'easy to make' lunches to me, but I seem to be doing fine with my current diet.
-o-
At exactly 6, IA knocks on the door. I open up, nodding at her to come in.
"Drink?" I offer. She nods, taking a can and drinking it with ease, her cool expression unfaltering. Although our conversation is bare at first, as we relax, we soon drift into a dazed intuitive conversation. IA's great when it comes to that – if you want to chill, and think about some deep shit too, IA is your girl; time is completely forgotten once you start talking to her.
"So tell me about this girl who's going to join us?" IA asks. I sigh, taking a sip from my can.
"She's adorable, just turned 18, but she can be really annoying… She moved in recently, and I'm one of the only friends she has nearby at the moment. I doubt you'll get on well with her, she's very… energetic…"
"I see…" IA mumbles, sipping her drink and then readjusting herself so she is comfortable in my couch. "Have you heard about the evidence of liquid water on Mars?"
-o-
I don't know how long it's been, but the conversation has descended into a relaxed silence of thoughtfulness until I feel IA nudging me. "Miku…" She murmurs quietly, her hand on my shoulder. "I think someone knocked on the door."
"What? She must be early…" I mutter, glancing at the clock, but to my surprise it's already a few minutes past 7. Apparently time doesn'tstop, even with IA; must have lost track of it… "Oh fuck…"
I answer the door, and see Yukari is stood there with her lilac eyes darting nervously before they meet mine.
"Come in…" I tell her, dazedly walking back into the apartment, not drunk but feeling a little light-headed. "Yukari this is IA, IA this is Yukari, my neighbour."
"Cool." IA mumbles, analysing Yukari with depth. Yukari fidgets a bit.
"Uh, hey, it's nice to meet you…!" She mumbles, smiling shyly at IA who returns it with a simple nod. I note how Yukari feels a little uncomfortable about the mixed messages IA is well known for.
IA laughs lightly, obviously picking up on Yukari's nervousness. "Come sit down, Yukari, I'm not going to hurt you. Have a drink."
"Yeah, here." I murmur, passing her a can as she sits next to IA which she cautiously opens then gulps down a fair bit of it. I do find myself zoning out into incredibly vivid daydreams as Yukari and IA talk.
Takumi… IA… Yukari… Piko… Mayu… Hitoshi… Shou… Ayame… Luka… Tamaki…
Random names flicker through my head, ones which I have most likely heard throughout the day. For some reason, I find myself remembering the events of work today with the pink-haired business woman; I believe her name was Ayame… Wait, no…
"I saw a business woman with pink hair at work today." I tell the others, a little randomly. IA raises an eyebrow.
"Impressive. I know someone like that, did you catch her name?"
"Of course you do, you know everyone, IA… I don't know, I think her name was Ayame… No wait, Luka, that's it."
"Oh, yeah I think I know her. Luka Megurine, I believe; she's hot as fuck but I don't think she really does dating – that chick has commitment issues or something, she's easily bored, I'm guessing you noticed."
Damn, IA really is like a human Wikipedia or something – I swear she knows everything about everyone.
"Actually, no. She seemed very… interested; well composed though."
"Really now…?" IA muses, biting her lip and squinting a little in a thoughtful way.
"Are you a lesbian?" Yukari blurts, now on her second can. You can tell she's not used to drinking, and her inhibitions have absolutely plummeted leaving her raw and true to whom she actually is.
"I don't know, I just date whoever I like really." IA tells her. Yukari nods, her lips parted as she scans IA with her curious, gleaming eyes.
"Do you date much?"
"Sure, once I get to know somebody well enough."
"Who was the last person you dated?"
I watch with an amused smirk as Yukari bombards IA with questions. I don't think IA minds; she actually seems quite amused by the drunk Yukari, surprisingly.
"Where are you going, Miku?" Yukari squeaks, as I get up off the couch.
"My room, I need to get something." I tell her, entering my bedroom and shutting the door behind me, opening another can and calmly sipping from it as I turn on my laptop. I open my browser and check my Facebook once again; an urge overcomes me to look at this Luka Megurine. I type in her name, making a spelling mistake on her last name, but soon enough I find her profile. I click on it; two mutual friends – IA and Meiko Sakine. Luka Megurine… Her profile picture is effortlessly beautiful – she is smiling at the camera casually, as if she is laughing, with her pink hair in a tidy, elegant ponytail. You can tell just by looking at her that she's one of those people that only need to take one attempt to get a selfie that is profile-picture worthy. Her profile says she's aged 27. I notice as I scroll down her timeline that she only posts every month or so, usually about travelling, or how stressful her work may be; everything she does post is well written. The only photos of her are ones posted by people who seem to be her friends.
"What are you even doing, Miku." I hear IA mutter, and I turn to face her, hiding my laptop out of embarrassment.
"I don't know, I was just looking for people to add on Facebook I suppose." I lie.
"Right." IA scoffs, not convinced. "I'm going home, and so is Yukari."
"Oh, okay." I stand up, wobbling a little. "Let me see you to the door."
As I step out into the living room, Yukari is stood, smiling a little drunkenly.
"Thank you so much for having me round, Miku, it's been fun! And thank you for introducing me to your lovely friend, IA." She thanks me, giggling. I nod, opening the door.
"Later." I say, as Yukari exits, looking back as IA leaves too.
"Bye." IA says, heading down the stairs.
"Bye!" Yukari laughs, heading up the stairs. I close the door and then continue to close the windows, but a sudden drowsiness overwhelms me.
"Fuck it, I'll clean up in the morning." I mumble to myself.
-o-
The morning, however, does not give me time to clean my place up either; I have a light headache, and as soon as I look at the mirror I'm sure it's about to crack; my long teal hair is a mess, and my under-eyes are darker than that anime, Elfen Lied. I realise that I also really need to shower, so jump in the shower after thoroughly brushing my teeth. As quickly as I can I scrub my skin clean and try to manage my messy locks, but by the time I'm out of the shower, my hair is, although cleaner, an even bigger mess. I attempt to comb it, probably ripping it out like it's a Jack the Ripper victim, and check the time; I have quarter of an hour before I have to leave for work.
"Shit, shit, shit!" I hiss, grabbing my hair dryer and beginning to dry my hair on the highest setting. I manage to get most of it done, but some of the lengths are still damp so I pull it back into pigtails, pull my work uniform on over my underwear and, grab my things and rush out of the door. 'Last night was NOT a good idea…!' I think to myself as I rush to work, trying to get through the bustling crowd and trying not to get run over by the many cars passing by in the process.
I finally stumble in through the door into Starbucks, ignoring Dell's unimpressed gaze.
"Just get to work, Miku, we're opening in literally two minutes."
"Okay, okay." I breathe, trying to regain my breath.
"Don't talk to me in that tone after you're the one who's late." He snarls, catching me by surprise. "Technically, I'm your boss; treat me like one."
"What got you in such a bad mood…?" I mutter to myself. I'm sure he catches a little bit of what I'm saying, but he doesn't say anything – just sighs angrily.
As soon as the coffee shop is opened, people flood in quickly lining up, ready to be served. I am very tired, and although I'm trying to work as quickly as I can, it simply isn't enough; customers are leaving.
"For the love of God, Hatsune, hurry up…!" Dell growls at me. I'm tempted to explain to him that I'm an atheist so I don't really care about 'the love of God', but hold back, knowing fully well that he is not in the mood for that.
"I'm trying as hard as I can…!" I splutter.
"Well try harder!"
I try to do as Dell says, but my movements are not well co-ordinated like his.
"Shit…!" I cry, as I spill boiling hot coffee on my hand. I rush to the toilets, running cold water over the scalding coffee to try and wash it off; my skin is red, and soon going to blister – it really hurts. I feel my eyes prickle with tears – an unwanted response. "For fucks sake…" I whimper, going to wipe my eyes but finding that the pain is worse when my hand isn't under the water. I realise I need to tell Dell what happened, and that my job is at extreme risk already, but it hurts so much when I take my hand from under the cool water. I do it anyway – I have to. Clutching my burn, I walk back into the main area of the building, and walk over to Dell, trying to hide my tears by wiping them away.
"I- I'm really sorry…" I take a deep breath, trying to compose myself. The quicker I do this the quicker I can put it back under the cold water. "I spilled hot coffee on my hand and it's burned quite badly…" I show him the burn and he visibly cringes.
"Oh… For God's sake… Right, Hatsune, go run that under cold water, I'll deal with this…" He mutters, his voice strained. I feel awful – I've already ruined quite a few people's days. I nod, rushing back to the toilets, embarrassed. I can tell some of the people waiting for their coffee are staring, but I try to block them out, trying to focus on the problem at hand.
"It's going to be fine… It's going to be fine, you won't lose your job for this…" I mumble, trying to reassure myself as I run my hand under the soothing water. I can just picture Dell trying to deal with all the problems, and the fact I am responsible for them makes me feel sick. I cover my face with my good hand, taking some deep breaths.
"Excuse me… Are you okay?" A cool, clear, female voice asks. She sounds somewhat familiar…
"Oh, yeah, I just spilled hot coffee on my hand…" I tell her, gritting my teeth in an attempt to stop the pain being expressed through my voice.
"Oh, dear, let me have a look at that…" She says, walking over to me and examining my hand. I look up, and realise it's not just any woman, but an incredibly beautiful one; Luka Megurine. I laugh awkwardly, remembering that I Facebook stalked her last night. "I think that's going to blister... Let me go find a first aid kit, stay here…" She walks off, her long pink ponytail swishing behind her. I gaze into the mirror, realising I look a complete mess.
"Well shit…" I mutter to myself, annoyed I had to look like a zombie in front of such an attractive woman. With my uninjured left hand, I try to sort out my face, wiping my tears and fanning my face to try and reduce the blotchy red complexion caused by the crying, but it doesn't do much good. A few minutes later, Luka re-enters the room carrying a first aid kit. She sets it on the counter, and then opens it.
"I'm not the best at this, but I know some basics…" She tells me. I nod. I can't help but think it sounds a bit dirty, causing me to smirk a bit, which unfortunately she notices.
"What?" She asks, taking out a cream and bandage from the box. I shake my head.
"Oh, nothing, nothing, just thought of something funny." I mumble, accidentally making eye contact with her before looking back down at my hand.
"Can I just say, you have stunning eyes." She tells me after a pause; "You remind me of… someone I know – she's called Ayame…" I feel warmth rising up to my cheeks – it's not every day an attractive woman compliments you, especially when you look like shit.
"Thank you…" I thank her, looking back up to her eyes as a smile spreads across my face. She smiles back. "Is Ayame your friend?" I ask curiously. A pained expression flits across her face for a second, before returning to a smile. She doesn't answer my question…
"Give me your hand."
"… What?" I ask. She points to my hand, which is still under the cold water. "Oh…!" I can't believe I could be so stupid; it's actually so embarrassing, I feel like I'm acting like a Japanese schoolgirl. I turn off the tap, and pass my wet hand to Luka, who pats it dry with a tissue. It's very sore, so I flinch as she does it.
"Sorry…" She mumbles apologetically, now rubbing a cold, strong smelling cream onto the burn. It does alleviate the pain a bit, but it still isn't a pleasant feeling. "So what's your name?"
"Miku; Miku Hatsune." I tell her - I have no idea why I told her my last name, but whatever.
"Well, Miku, Miku Hatsune, my name is Luka, Luka Megurine." She tells me playfully, mocking my previous tone; I giggle. 'I know…' I think to myself, but keep the creepy thought in my head. She now wraps a bandage around my hand rather skilfully for a businesswoman then secures it. "Good to go!"
"Wow, thank you so much, Luka." I smile at her gratefully.
"Don't worry about it; I really need to get to work now though." She tells me. I put my hand to my mouth.
"Oh shit, I'm sorry to have kept you…!" I apologise. She shakes her head.
"It's fine, I chose to help you. Goodbye, Miku."
"Bye Luka, thanks again!" I watch her walk out, absolutely amazed at the series of co-incidences – I never thought I would actually talk to her, I just thought my interest in her would degrade over time, as it has with quite a few other customers. I pack the first aid kit back up, and then go back to Dell.
"I'm… Really sorry…" I apologise, lowering my head slightly. He sighs.
"It's fine; it's not your fault…" He grunts. "The first aid kit goes over there." He points to a shelf. I nod, and place the kit back, then return behind the counter and get back to work, but this time at a safe pace. I don't talk back to snarky customers; I don't write their names wrong on purpose – I just work, desperately trying to keep hold of my job, and underneath the anxiety I'm currently feeling, it bores the hell out of me.
-o-
By the end of my day at work, I feel bleak and nauseated. I say my goodbyes to everyone, and then quietly slink out of the shop. It's a nice day, but somehow all the happiness surrounding me just makes me feel worse; I can't help but feel invisible – it's like working so mechanically has taken my personality out of me. I'm never going to be more than a fucking barista… If only I had tried harder in school… I walk straight home, checking my phone, and decide to post about today's events on Facebook. I take a quick photo of my bandaged hand, the upload it with a caption explaining how I got it. I then slide my phone back in my pocket and walk home as quickly as I can, not bothering to enjoy the sun on my skin or the breeze in my hair.
As soon as I reach my apartment block, I rush upstairs, dreading seeing someone like Yukari; don't get me wrong, she's a nice girl, but to be honest she can be really fucking annoying. I slam my door behind me and throw myself on the couch, checking my phone once again. I have a few notifications on Facebook so I check them; Kaito and Rin have commented on my photo, and I have a friend request. I reply to Kaito and Rin's comments then check the friend request; to my surprise, it is from Luka. I instantly accept, but then cringe, realising she has seen my (embarrassing) timeline, and just hope she didn't scroll down too far…
My phone begins vibrating in my hand, startling me a bit; Kaito is calling. I answer.
"Hey Kaito." I mumble down the phone.
"Hey Miku!" He chirps. "What's got you so down?"
"Shit day at work." I tell him rather bluntly. He makes a sympathetic sound resembling 'aww'.
"Do you want me to go visit you?"
"I'm really not in the mood for people right now." I grunt.
"Oh… Well if you need anything just call me, bye Miku."
"Bye." I hang up, placing my phone on the table and closing my eyes as I slouch on the couch. My mind starts to wander, and I can't help but smile when I remember Luka complimenting me. 'Maybe I should get to know her a bit better…' I think to myself, soon finding myself exploring mental scenarios in which Luka and I are friends.
Luka and I hanging out in town together… Luka and I going out together for a night… Luka seeing me as more than a friend… Luka's soft, plump lips on mi-
Ping!
The vibration of my phone causes a loud noise, startling me from my state of semi-sleep.
"Fuck…" I mutter to myself, irritated that I let my thoughts get like that; I feel like such a creep, I've talked to her once… I pick up my phone, part of me hoping it's a message from Luka, but to my disappointment, it isn't; it's a message from Yukari.
'Hey!x' it reads. I reply to her message, shifting so I am led on my side comfortably. Yukari and I begin a rather bland conversation, so I play some music to keep me interested, however things soon get a little more interesting.
'your friend IA is cool! Do you think we could all get together again sometime?x' Hmm… I don't know how IA would feel about this – she isn't the friendliest person, but maybe Yukari's enthusiasm would be enough to peak her interest; yesterday went better than expected – I haven't seen IA so friendly to a new person in a while.
'maybe. Why don't you organise it or something idk' I reply, not wanting the responsibility. She agrees, and our conversation gradually dies out. I can't help but notice Yukari's interest in IA – I mean sure, she's interested in practically everyone who talks to her, but she seems to have quickly developed an intense curiosity of IA – then again, who wouldn't?
My eyelids begin to droop again, so I shuffle into my bedroom and curl up in bed – I don't care how early it is, I just want to rest right now, get a few things sorted out in my head, maybe.
Ping!
I chose to ignore the message, grunting a little bit as I place a pillow over my head.
Ping! Ping!
Are you fucking kidding me…
I grab my phone grumpily, but my anger fades when I realise one of the messages is from Luka Megurine. 'Hey Miku, Miku Hatsune ;)' it reads. I can't stop the smile spreading across my face as I reply in a similar fashion. She does intrigue me - I wonder where this could lead…?
AN: Wow, thank you so much if you've read this far! I put a lot of effort into writing this, and although I've already began chapter 2, I'm not sure if I'm going to keep on uploading. I urge you to leave me a review, as they really do keep me motivated and make writing worthwhile for me. I hope you enjoyed part one of 'Calm Obsessions' – and don't you worry, things should start getting more interesting soon…