Chapter 438 – New Friends
As they were moving to the shooting location, Gloria explained the schedule for today and the shooting that started in two days.
"There will be no schedule for today. However, we have a briefing in the evening tomorrow. The briefing will be held at Seaside Bendice Hotel where you are staying. Ah, the hotel is located near the beach, hence named Seaside!"
Gloria loved to add trivia to her explanation, making it a bit interesting to be heard. A monotone and boring explanation wasn't the thing she was good at.
Rather than a guide from a company, she acted like a tour guide. With her bright personality, she would probably be perfect for the job.
Unlike Max who only thought about it, Lily voiced it out.
"You're like a tour guide."
"Hahaha, am I?" Gloria laughed, clearly enjoying being compared to a tour guide.
"Actually, my dream was to become a tour guide for Gua. However, my parents stopped me, saying that the tour business has been in decline. They want me to live a stable life and recommended taking a job at a VR-related company."
Max nodded in understanding. In his past life, the tour industry was flourishing. It was one of the industries that made a lot of money.
However, in this world, VR technology has flourished. The graphic was really close to the real world. A person who experienced VR for the first time wouldn't be able to differentiate them at all.
And in VR World, many fantastical holiday spots were created. They were places that couldn't be easily reached IRL. And in some Holiday Lobbies, there were even floating islands or World End Waterfalls.
People could even swim in the air, making the holiday even better and, more importantly, cheaper.
Though some people still preferred IRL holiday spots with real food, those people were only rich ones who could afford the expensive lodging and everything else.
'In a way, we are having a free paid vacation now.' Max thought as he looked outside the window, taking in the scenery.
In the distance, the sea glittered like diamonds, reflecting the sunlight on its surface. It looked beautiful.
And on the other side of the window, a big building stood majestically. Unlike the usual building that was built with higher floors to save space, this building was large and didn't seem to care about space at all.
Finding the new building to be interesting, Max decided to ask his guide.
"What is that building over there?"
He pointed at the said building. Lily looked over and hummed. She was also interested in it, as it was different from the modern building they often found.
"Hmm? Ah, that's a pretty famous building in the United Nations. Have you ever heard of Culinary School? That's the one called Gua Culinary School, the best one in Gua and Southeast United Nation!"
"Culinary School…" Max muttered as he looked at the building.
Was it here? The one that Nina talked about?
"Isn't Nina also in Culinary School, Max? Is this the one she attended?"
Having the same thought, Lily asked him. He looked at her and nodded.
"Maybe. She said she would be going to the southwest. If this is the best Culinary School in the area, she's definitely here."
"Oh, you have a friend in that school? Cool, she's definitely a good cook. Entering that school is like buying a lottery ticket and getting a jackpot."
"Is it that hard?" Max asked curiously.
"Yes. The competition is all over the world and not just the United Nations. Only the best 500 are accepted. And that's out of a hundred thousand participants!"
He didn't know the details of how to enter the culinary school, but he also didn't think it would be that hard.
"Nina is amazing." Lily exclaimed, smiling softly. "I'd like to meet her again. Can we visit the school?"
"You can. But they are closed for today, so maybe tomorrow? Oh, wait. Tomorrow is closed too because they are preparing for something. Sorry, but you have to wait until we finish shooting to visit your friend!" Gloria said in a fast pace without pausing even a second.
"It's fine. We can wait."
"Un, job comes first. I will just message her that we are here."
"I am glad both of you understand. Ah, because we have time, why don't we stop by a nearby photogenic spot? I can take pictures of both of you together. This spot is famous for couples and is said to allow them to be together forever!"
'So it's like the famous supernatural spot in my past life. Something like that also exists here, huh?' Max mused in amusement.
As for Lily.
"Let's go."
She looked pretty spirited to go. Her eyes sparkled. The hologram screen in front of her disappeared as she moved her hands up and down.
Max chuckled as he looked at his girlfriend.
'I guess a girl is a girl. They love something like this.'
"Alright! Let's go there!"
***
At night.
Inside the Gua Culinary School, a girl with short brown hair could be seen cooking in a large kitchen. There were two other girls on her side, and they worked together to cook something. A tasty smell wafted through the air as she opened the lid of a pot filled with delicious stew.
"Oh, it's done." The girl exclaimed, her face made the brightest smile ever.
"Is it done? Let me see." A cheerful girl with ponytailed black hair scooted closer to see.
"Finally, that stew cooked forever. Why are you working so hard to make that, Nina?" A cold-looking girl added, her eyes narrowed and she sighed tiredly.
"Hehehe, my friend is coming today, so I want to visit them and bring some good food." The bright girl, Nina, said with a laugh. "I bet they are hungry. They are so busy and yet they come here immediately for another job. That's why I make the stew for them to eat tomorrow."
"Oh, friend? Is it the one who gave you that knife?" The ponytailed girl giggled, teasing her.
But that didn't work.
"Yup! Do you want to meet him, Cali?"
"Obviously!" Cali exclaimed without pausing, "Ah, reunion between two who have been separated by circumstances. How romantic."
"Stop that. It's cringe." The cool girl cooed, making a disgusting expression.
"Ceh, that's why you have no boyfriend yet, Yina."
"Hah? Say that once more!" Yina raised her chin, looking down at Cali. "Your boyfriend also broke up with you a week ago, right?"
"That was his fault, not mine! I just wanted to eat at that restaurant and yet he said the meal wasn't even delicious. Can you believe that?"
"Excuses. You are…"
Both of them went into their usual argument as Nina laughed dryly on the side. She looked at the pot filled with the stew and smiled.
'I hope they like it.' She thought.
At that moment, the argument escalated. Yina and Cali glared at each other and both raised their voices.
Looking at them, Nina heaved a sigh.
'I need to stop them before it becomes troublesome.'
"Girls, let's stop at that. Let's do something more productive."
"But, Nina!"
"Tell this girl, Nina!"
"Alright, alright. I will listen, okay?" Nina smiled at them and tried her best to calm them down.
It worked. They looked at each other for a second before nodding. They didn't want to piss off Nina.
There was one instance where the bright girl got pissed off because someone made fun of her and… that didn't end well.
"If you say so…"
"Yes, ma'am."
Nina nodded in satisfaction. She liked her new friends despite their frequent arguments. But she liked them more when they were friendly with each other.
'I wonder if Max and Lily will like them too. I will introduce them tomorrow.'