Private - A Chance Encounter (18+)

The troll hunt that he had participated in his new favorite VRMMO known as "TerraSphere" had been over several days ago and he had somehow managed to keep his character alive through that harrowing ordeal despite his weakness as a beginning player. So with that done, though he did not want to dive back into his real life, he had to since a few days after his last login, he received an email from his family inquiring about the status of his "fiance" and oldest rival, Kana Ise. He sighed in exasperation as he saw this, but the torture did not end there for him. No...there was another part to the email with an order from his parents designating him as the official inspector who was responsible for checking up on the massive chain of healthcare services that his family had set up a while back in New York City. As if that was not bad enough, the day of the inspection just had to be this day, when he was looking forward to just having a nice, slow, relaxed day.

Grumbling about his misfortune for having been born to such a old, hyper-traditional family such as his, he begrudgingly got out of his nice, comfy, king sized bed, got ready as quickly as he could, all the while muttering

"Good grief...why does my family have to be so damn troublesome all the time? Just when I was looking forward to having some peace and quiet, they go and disturb me..."

After getting ready, he headed out, riding his custom order bike to the first clinic mentioned in the list his family sent him, wondering why he was stuck doing this when they could just have sent one of their agents to do it for them, but then he figured it was because he was already there in NY, so they must have thought it would just be more efficient to have him do the inspection. After parking his bike out of sight somewhere, he entered the clinic, putting on his usual facade of politeness since he didn't want anyone to know just how irritated and exasperated he was inside. He greeted all the staff in turn, from the presiding physician in charge of the clinic to the nurses and even the support staff as well, just for the sake of being thorough and went around with the lead doctor, following a little bit behind so he could check out her fairly sexy appearance. His set half his mind to paying close attention to the patients, the services offered there, and the competency of his companion and her assistant nurses. Little did he know though, that in a few short moments, he would be accosted by one of his new acquaintances from TerraSphere, a girl who played as the female character he now knew to be called @Solaria

 

Hidden: Kelly Richardson

Although she was studying at a major school in Massachusetts, days off from classes were often spent focused on her ongoing education for the shockingly studious woman. Kelly Richardson wasn't known normally to be very serious- especially online. Offline, however, there were many who saw an unusual side of her...And Aylen, her best friend, was one such example.

"Kel...? What're you staring at?" A somewhat solemn voice snapped the curious brown-haired girl out of her daze. Beside her was the voice's owner, a mildly dark-skinned woman of equal height, covered in denim from head to toe. Her eyes were slightly narrowed in on Kelly's particular focus of the moment- a man wandering the clinic they'd come to visit.

It was a school sponsored trip, despite being in another state, and with nothing to do, the literary major was joining in on the clinic tour for the medical students. Kelly's focus being on something other than the clinic itself surprised her rather naturally. What didn't, however, was when she saw the girl break free from the group, running to jump and hug the strange man she'd seen across the room. "H-Hey wait a sec! Kelly!"

"Giiiil~" Kelly's lips were turned into a childish smile, eyes gazing up at the man who towered over her. Her arms were at his neck securely, face transfixed on a familiar figure. "I know it's you~ You can't fool me."

Aylen, with her black hair flowing in curls behind her, rushed to pull on Kelly's ear with a grumble. "Ignore her, sir. She plays too many video games. You probably just look like one of the characters."

"That's not true, Ay! He looks like a player, not an NPC-"

"You're the one who begged to go on this trip. I know you love whatever VR game you've been playing, but leave the nice man to his work and get back to your own. We're on this tour for you. If you're going to get distracted, I'm going to a museum instead."

A soft pout appeared on Kelly's lips. "But Aylen, I'm sure this is Gilgamesh! We've been on enough journeys together for me to recognize him!"

"And you expect a guy used his real appearance and name in a video game and would recognize you when you literally never do? Are you an idiot?"

Huffing softly, Kelly ignored her friend for a moment, staring at the man she'd been holding, even as she let go of him for the sake of politeness. "I know people don't usually use their real names and faces, but I'm certain that it's you I met. If I just say I'm Solaria, you'll know if I'm right, won't you?"

 

Gilgamesh had been busy treating some of the spillover patients since the clinic he had been inspecting was strangely packed to bursting with them on this particular day when, for some reason, he could sense someone staring pointedly at him from somewhere behind him. So he turned to try to find whoever it was. He saw two young women with their eyes riveted on him for some reason and one of them looking as though she knew him from somewhere.

Before he could approach, however, like a bolt from the blue, the young woman suddenly leaped onto and embraced him without much in the way of advance warning other than her somehow knowing his nickname, as was evident from her calling it out before said hug. Since he was very much startled, all he could do was stand there awkwardly with her hanging off him till her friend came over and pried her off him with an apology, while he listened to her reprimand the young woman for her impulsiveness.

A few moments after the young woman let go of him, he recovered his composure, set his attire straight and with a sheepish glance at the patients and his staff who were all obviously trying to stifle their urge to snicker at his discomfiture and rib him about his gorgeous visitor, he nervously scratched the back of his neck as was his nervous tick before returning his attention to the two young women before him, addressing them in his rolling baritone, but yet melodious voice

"Hmm...now that you mention it, miss...your demeanor is very familiar, though i can't say the same for your appearance...still it's a very nice one indeed..."

He paused turning briefly to her friend

"And hello to you as well, miss. I am sorry the clinic is so packed today...else I would have given the both of you the grand tour...and it's fine I am a "go with the flow" kind of dude, so though I was surprised by your friend hugging me, I don't mind it one bit..."

He turned back to Kelly and spoke to her again

"Well, I should be getting my break soon, so if you wouldn't mind waiting for...say 30 minutes or so, I will be able to host you two properly here, er...Ms. Kelly, was it?"

 

Hearing the snickers of those around her, Kelly could only glance around with curiosity, wondering why they'd apparently become a spectacle- only to have Aylen look at her with a roll of her eyes. Okay, so it wasn't that shocking they'd become a spectacle. Hell, Kelly would've probably struggled not to laugh if she wasn't the cause herself. Trying to ignore them, she kept herself focused on the man before her.

"My demeanor is familiar, but not my name? Actually...Wait, how'd you know my real name, and not the one I said...?" It was rather surprising, but what wasn't was when a light hand came at her head. "A-Aylen! What's that for?"

The black haired girl groaned and explained herself thoroughly. "We're wearing name tags. Of course he knows our names. He could easily tell you mine too, since I'm being made to wear one when I'm not even here to study like you're supposed to be."

With a timid laugh, the ball of energy nodded, relieved to know it wasn't something bizarre going on like in stories she often read. "Oh...Yeah that makes sense. But still...He didn't..."

"Ignore her, please." Aylen mused with a sigh of her own. "As for a tour...Kelly could use it more than I can. I'm mostly here to keep her on track while she's looking around for a 'study trip'. If you could take over for me, it wouldn't be a bad deal on my end. I'll keep an eye on her until then so she doesn't interrupt more people trying to work."

Wanting to combat the words, Kelly could only put her hands on her hips and lean a head on her shoulder, shaking her head. "I'm not a kid, Ay, but I appreciate you waiting with me." Taking a peek at the name-tag of the man in question upon the realization most doctors had to wear them too, she smiled. "Until then than, Dr. Ougami. I plan to get lots of answers out of you after you're done." Like she would online, she gave a coy, childish grin. "Ay, let's get back to our self-guided tour until then! We'll meet him here when he's done."

 

Gilgamesh could not resist breaking out into a fit of booming laughter at the interaction between his two new acquaintances and the tremendous amount of energy Kelly seemed to possess, and so he wasn't able to reply immediately to Aylen's remark and request. He took a few moments to calm himself down and waved them away politely after responding

"But of course, Ms. Aylen...I would be happy to assist you by taking over as Ms. Kelly's escort after the study trip is over...and Ms. Kelly, I will see you soon, till then..."

And with that, he let them continue on with the rest of the tour which took several hours or so since the clinic was one of the bigger ones in the chain. Time seemed fly by upon swift wings and soon, Gilgamesh had finished treating all the spillover patients and handed the rest over to his second in command, who happened to be a rather voluptuous young woman who was as skillful with her rounds and in tending to her patients as she was beautiful. After the students had all started to take their leave, he headed over to Kelly and Aylen, greeting them with a polite bow

"Well then, ladies...I am at your service now fully...shall we head on over to the cafeteria and get a private section? Lunch is on me, you two."

 

It hadn't felt that short of a time period as she was continuing her tour with Aylen until the man was done. Waiting together, the two girls seemed rather relieved to see him, both standing from seats allowed to be used by guests to greet him. However, while Kelly was quick to get a bit closer, Aylen seemed to be set on walking the wrong direction. "Ay, where are you going? He said he'd bring us to eat."

"I'm gonna get going. I only came to keep an eye on you, and now my shift's over. I wanted to check out a museum by here anyway, so I'll leave you to him. Kelly, you know where MOMA is from here, right? If not, ask for him to help. Just meet me there when you're done okay?"

The woman seemed rather set on leaving, and didn't offer any chance to retort. Kelly, somewhat irked, puffed her cheeks and shook her head, letting out a deep sigh to release the stress. Holding a hand out to the man once more, much like the day she'd met him online, she smiled.

"Well, looks like you're stuck with just me again. At least I'm not worried you're seeing things this time, though...Unless you really aren't who I was thinking of...Perhaps I'm hallucinating the similarities?"

 

Gilgamesh sighed as he saw Aylen leaving despite his invite, but since he would look highly suspicious if he had tried to stop her, he chose to err on the side of caution and stayed his hand. Instead, he turned to Kelly and shook her hand firmly three times as was prescribed in the formal etiquette lessons he had been forced to undertake by his family and replied with a brief, rumbling chuckle

"Haha, no I can assure you i am quite real, Ms. Kelly...but feel free to examine me and find that out for yourself if you so desire..."

He paused for a bit and after remaining silent for a while, he spoke up again

"...and I don't mind being stuck with you at all...after all, this is the least I can do for you in return for all the kindness you have shown me by staying by my side in our little game.."

He flashed her a charming smile, revealing his pearly-white teeth, although his canines seemed just a tad longer and sharper than that of the average human, this being an idiosyncrasy passed down to him in his genetic heritage

 

The firm handshake was well received, though she was rather curious about the number of shakes being so calculated herself. Though wanting to question the rule of three, she merely ignored the thought and smiled. She hadn't taken such formal lessons, but she did learn that there was a time and a place for anything. Unlike in the other world, she couldn't goof around so much here.

"While I thank you for the offer, sir...I'll trust in your words for now." Smiling, she knew it would sound odd to those that knew her elsewhere. When had Kelly, as Solaria, hold back? "If it were another time and place, perhaps I'd take that offer."

With a soft grin, she moved her hands to intertwine behind her, a habit due to her natural urge to hold a hand when walking or getting set to go. "Where shall we head then, hrm? I'll be relying on you to show me how to get there, Mr. Ougami. Let's have a nice little lunch...And then maybe I can ask you a bit about your work while we're at it. Some insight is always good, after all."

 

Gilgamesh let out another brief, rumbling chuckle and then replied

"As you wish, Ms. Kelly...and sure, i would love to answer any questions you might have about the medical field in general or about this particular clinic over our meal...please follow me..."

He finished and then led the way by walking a little ahead of her, and on the way, he pointed out the various rooms that they encountered and on their way, they met quite a few patients who were either coming in for a visit or being discharged from the clinic and he had to stop and greet them as a matter of course. Thankfully after a while they eventually reached the cafeteria where they were greeted by another staff member, this one being in charge of making all the meals everyday at the cafeteria for both personnel and patient alike. She was, like all the rest of the females among his assistants, quite well endowed, tall, and built like a model. She greeted Gilgamesh and Kelly and then proceeded to introduce herself

"Greetings, Ms. Kelly, welcome to the cafeteria and break lounge for this clinic. My name is Ms. Sophie. Please do make yourself at home here as you are a special guest of Dr. Ougami, our head. I hope you have a wonderful time here...and should you need anything, I am always just a text away."

With that, Sophie finished and with a smile at Kelly and a mischievous smirk at Gilgamesh, she excused herself after showing them to some vacant seats. Gilgamesh chuckled and shook his head with an amused look on his face, hoping inside that Kelly didn't think too ill of him. He led the way to their table for two and pulled out a chair for her and waited for her to sit, in accordance with the demands of courtesy.

 

Surprised to be called a 'special guest', she pondered correcting the woman immediately, but opted not to just for the fact that Gilgamesh himself hadn't. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she had: to talk to a head of staff (which, to be honest, she hadn't fully realized he was yet) and learn about the field she was pursuing, in a rather unusually nice cafeteria, with someone she actually already knew. She had no idea that the day she'd seen him with what she assumed a bout of psychosis in a game would lead to a chance like this in the real world.

Lady luck was surely a temptress, wasn't she?

"Oh, you really didn't have to go through so much trouble, sir." She mused. She'd been standing stupidly at the table, wondering why he didn't sit in the seat he pulled. It led to a timid, worried laughter as she sat down. "I...Apologize for my lack of manners in this case. I wasn't raised so formally, I suppose." Her words had been chosen with an unusual amount of care. She had to at least try to be polite, after all.

Still, curiosity got the best of her. "So you're the head of staff here...? I had no idea I'd meet such a person, let alone already met. I suppose I didn't really ask though, what you did. I'm always blabbering about myself...I should work on bugging to learn more about others just as much, shouldn't I? If I may start now... How did you come to decide to work in this field, I wonder?"

 

Gilgamesh couldn't help but smirk at Kelly's words and decided to ease her discomfiture as much as possible, so he answered her question to that end

"Ahaha...um, well it wasn't by choice, trust me...I was basically made to go into medicine and all the branches of medical knowledge were forcefully drilled into me since I had a natural aptitude for it...at least in my clan's eyes..."

He let out a long sigh as those bittersweet memories from his past came bubbling up from the depths of his mind palace unbidden, but he quickly shook his head to reset it and then continued with his answer

"My real interest in academia lies more in the fields of history, anthropology, and archaeology...for which I am going to one of the big name universities here to get my degree so I can actually pursue my passion...that said, I am fully qualified to be head of staff since I actually do have an M.D., so I was put in charge of taking care of all the hospitals and other health centers in NY that my family owns...which is how we happened to meet here today, Ms. Kelly..."

 

His words explained a lot of things, and not only related to her questions. If he was from a family that pushed traditional 'taking on the family business' methods as he explained, it wasn't unlikely he'd have to take classes in mannerisms and such things as well. Of course, that wasn't a good thing in the young woman's eyes, either. Lack of choice in life wasn't something she tended to condone.

"Well, I got lucky they pushed you into it since it lead me to today, just as it did you. If I was pushed to do anything, it was more to do nothing. My father...Well, he only let me go to the school I chose because I went with Aylen. If she weren't going to school in the same town so we could share a place, he wouldn't have let me move two hours away."

As she thought about it, was her life filled with her own choices as much as she claimed? Sure, she had decided on becoming a nurse at a young age, but it wasn't like she chose a lot of other things. She chose her clubs at school, but the reason she was close with Aylen was because of their mothers. In fact, she preferred Aylen's house as a child at times since her parents were sometimes smothering. Well, that, and Aylen's house had games.

"I decided I wanted to be a nurse when I was small, because my mother was in the hospital a lot. After she died, it was just dad, my new baby brother and me...And I just wanted to be able to help people like my mom even more. My baby brother is really proud of me for it, too, but he worries even more than I did when I was his age." Oops, she was rambling again. "B-By the way, Ms. Sophie said to text her, right? But...Why would you text someone you could talk to directly? I've never really liked texting...I'm bad at it."

 

Having spent the day gingerly at the clinic to learn, Kelly felt at ease having made a new friend. Being catered to was nice, but what felt better was being able to help some of the smaller patients that she passed by on her way out. With a smile, she returned to her best friend's side by finding her way to MOMA. It was a good day, full of fun and friendship.

A day that would probably be forgotten, if she didn't write it down sometime soon.

-SOLARIA EXIT-