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BoBoiBoy
"Yet are you even aware of how many debts that you owe me before you order another drink, Gopal?" Grandad asked as he awaits his answer, prompting me to slip a glance back at my friend, pursing a wry smile.
"Erk! I . . . sure am! Hehe," Gopal replies quite contritely as he cackles with the focus of his gaze on the screen, giving it a pause in the middle of the game before his hand checks the inside of his pocket, and clicks his tongue. The other hand that held the video game console gestured upwards with it's partially taken palm, "Hold up, I got somethin'."
"Hm."
"Sure, sure," I replied lowly, watching him do so.
"Here, y'all go!" He said, extending his arm with money on his palm. Arching a brow, I dubiously took the money and placed it on the cash register, "Welp, hope that pays my debt, Tok Aba! Haha!"
"Uh, I don't think this is . . ." I trailed off, fathoming how it's quite insufficient on the count. Surely, I know Gopal owes a lot more than this.
"Woi, you really think that's all that you need to pay?" Granded retorted, cutting me off and Gopal's eyes widened in incredulence.
"Oh . . . Someone's in a hot seat," Ochobot cooed teasingly.
"E-Eh? How many more drinks do I owe you, Tok Aba?" He asked, scratching his head sheepishly, "Kinda forget already, hehe. Besides, I ain't good at Math and sheez."
"Hm, more than my fingers could probably count," Grandad said musedly, peering his eyes.
"Ha?! So, like, more than 10?" Gopal asks in disbelief, and jaw-dropped.
"You literally just paid for one drink out of everything that you owed, Gopal," I claimed ineptly, and he whined, dropping his shoulders in despondency.
"Hng . . . I'ma just come back next time with more of my budget, hehehe," He replies to us, eliciting a titter as his fingers fiddled with each other. Leisurely, I shaked my head.
"Mhm, hm. Let's see about that, shall we," Grandad said, humming lowly.
"Hehehe!"
"One special hot chocolate," I stated, settling the drink on the table as he grabbed it instantly, giving it a slurp as he eyed the screen of his video game console.
Complacent rimming around his eyes from the drink.
"Mhm! Thanks, dude!"
"Sure," I replied, and my gaze directed bypassed him to his back, perceiving Yaya and Ying sauntering their way closely.
Yaya waves her hand warmly, and just when I was about to greet the both of them, Ying instantly pressed her finger against her lips, hushing me on the latter. It makes me feel confused, however I obliged wordlessly.
I watch as she rushes her steps closely, an impish grin sliding upon her lips as she hops on her last step with a loud thud of her foot, flabbergasting my best friend on his seat.
"Boo!"
"Waaargh! A-Ama!" Gopal screamed aloud as his voice shrills, flinching on his seat from the abruptness of it whilst inducing me to cover both of my ears.
"Aish," I shrugged.
"Haha! Scaredy boy!" Ying laughs, pointing at Gopal's flabbergasted expression as his chest heaves. Both of them take their seats, one on each beside him.
"Ish! You meanie!"
"Woi, tone it down, Gopal. Remember that you're at my shop and you might distract the other customers with all of your bickerings right there," Grandad stated, drawing Gopal's attention as his eyes squinted, nodding persistently.
"Huhu, alright . . ." He pinpointed, "But it's Ying fault, Tok Aba."
"Ugh, you're just being dramatic again," She retorted, rolling her eyes, "Overly, dramatic. Literally, just a simple boo."
"Well-you try to be in my place and we'll see 'bout that!" Gopal retaliated, throwing his arms.
"Plus, just take it as a little practice so that during actual missions, you wouldn't go overly panicked with jumpscares like that, duh," Ying stated, resting her arms on the table as she glances at him, lips twitching upwards. Eliciting a little wink, she added, "Should've just thanked me for that, you know!"
"Thank you, your face."
"That's kind of true, you do get frightened a lot quite easily," Yaya concurred on the same page with Ying, leisurely nodding her head.
"Hmf!" Gopal replied, crossing his arms with a huff, furrowing his brows, "Not y'all girls teaming up against me."
"Couldn't blame them," I commented, eliciting a chuckle.
"Anyways," Ying said and ignored his sentiment, shrugging her arms as she smiled at us delightfully, "Haven't greeted yet but hey, BoBoiBoy! Hey, Tok Aba!"
"Hey," I replied, tilting my head with a smile.
"Good morning to you and Tok Aba too," Yaya greeted warmly.
"Likewise, Yaya."
"Why, good morning as well. It's good to see the both of you here," Grandad replied, thinning a smile as he beckons the counter, "Is there anything else that you would be needing to order?"
"Oh! Just one special hot chocolate for Yaya and I, please," Ying replied as she lifted a finger, smiling as her eyes crinkled.
"Alright, then!" Grandad stated, and glancing upon him, he gestures that he'll be insisting to take care of the drinks instead. I obligue and nodded in response.
"What's up with your game, Gopal?" Yaya asked, curiosity rimming around her eyes as she partially tilted her head, and eyed the console, "You seemed quite vested to it at the moment."
"Oh, just about the last two levels of the games cause I literally just finished the veteran level, so," Gopal replied, as the focus of his gaze remains on the screen, and his fingers relentlessly presses on the controls.
"Interesting," She said.
Promptly, he faced Yaya and nudged her arm, sliding an impish grin, "Welp! That shouldn't be so surprising cause it's me - HAHA!"
"Mhm . . . I see," Nodding musedly, Yaya hummed, "Is that so?"
"Chih, go flex your win somewhere else," Ying retorted with a huff, crossing her arms.
"Dey, literally just let me live, geez," He stated, peering his eyes at her before his hand landed on his mouth, snickering, "Pfft, you're probably the one that needs to get a life!"
"E-Excuse me, WHAT?" She retaliated, attempting to shuffle her hands on her shoulder bag, preparing herself to toss it to him.
"Waaargh!"
My eyes widened, however I was quick to calm her down impulsively.
"Hey, Ying. It'll be fine," I stated to appease her from engaging to infuriation. She huffed, turning her head impudently and zeroed her eyes, "Just let Gopal be since he's just probably messing with you and, uh, he doesn't really know what he's saying."
"Woi, dude! I heard what you-"
"Ugh, this guy is literally giving me hair loss for real!" Ying exclaimed, inducing me to heave a sigh and drop my shoulders. I don't even know what to do anymore.
"Fine, fine, I'ma stop now, y'all girls need to stop stressing out from taking my jokes too seriously, sheesh," Gopal stated as it gives me relief, eliciting a look of incredulence to her as he crosses his arms, and eyed the shoulder bag. Uplifting his head, he asked, "Eyo, what's in the bag of yours, anyways? Where are you goin'?"
"She isn't really going anywhere far," Yaya replied, and he looked at her musedly, nodding his head and clicking his tongue.
"Uh, huh . . . Then, what?"
"Oh, well . . . These are just some of my books that I got here, so," Ying trailed off, pursing a smile as she leisurely tapped the shoulder bag on her lap. Tipping her hand, she added, "FYI, these are my faves and totally a chef's kiss. Literally, worth the read."
"Wow, that's interesting!" Gopal abruptly stated in elation. Hearing the response, I uplifted a brow querily, contemplating the latter.
"Really . . . ?" Ying asked dubiously.
"Of course, not! Interesting for only nerds like y'all!" He retorted and took back his words, snickering as his shoulders shaked in silent laughter, inducing Ying to throw a seizing glare as her brows furrowed. I could only face-palm on the latter, knowing my best friend would never learn whilst leisurely shaking my head.
"Hay, that's was just . . . unnecessary," I stated, heaving a sigh at a loss of words. I don't even know what is up with my best friend anymore, never really did.
"And that's very well-said of you, Gopal," Yaya said, nodding musedly.
"I know, Yaya!" He laughed.
"Oh . . . great. You can't understand sarcasm," I mumbled as my voice tightened ineptly, barely audible before face-palming on the thought.
"Haaa?!" Gopal bawled out unrestrainedly as it pierced through our ears, inducing us to wince from the abruptness of it whilst scratching his head confoundedly.
"Aish! Stop screaming like that, will you!" Ying retaliated, giving him a hit on the arm as he yelped, rubbing the sting to thoroughly appease it.
"Ow! And you stop hitting me as well!"
"Hm, that's enough. Kindly tone down your chatterings." Right at the moment, grandad settles the two special hot chocolates down on the table. "Two special hot chocolates for Yaya and Ying," He stated, thinning a smile.
"Thank you," Yaya replied, smiling.
"Thanks, Tok Aba," Ying stated, grabbing the cup as she took a sip. Leveling her peering eyes at Gopal, she settles the hot drink down on the table before uttering barely audibly, "You're really getting it from me."
"Whatever you say," He snickered impishly, placing his video game console on the table whilst his other hand inserted it in his pocket. Curiously, I watched him try to get something in it as he added, "And y'all, I brought something that I also wanted to show to you guys."
"What might that be?" I asked, tilting my head.
"Something cool, dude!" Gopal stated, almost a vaunt as it sounds and I hummed lowly, nodding in response.
"Chih, enough with all the blabbers and just show it to us if you really have it," Ying retorted as she had taken exception to him with a skeptical look, tipping her hand.
"And . . . tada!" He proclaimed aloud in elation, landing a figurine on the table as it stood right there steadfastly. It induces our gaze to be directed on it, though we similarly had curiosity rimming around our eyes, "Wahaha! It's cool, right!"
"What is that called, Gopal?" Yaya asked nonchalantly, pointing at it.
"It's my golden epitome!"
"A what?" I asked, repeating as it prompted Gopal to click his tongue, rolling his eyes as his shoulders dropped.
"Hay, this boy," He stated, leisurely shaking his head in despondency as he reached his hand out to give my shoulder a pat, now two. The gesture confuses me, though I didn't bother to utter a word, "It's an epitome but look, it's made out of gold! Literally, real gold, y'all!"
"And how can we make sure of that, hm?" Ying retorted, arching a brow, "Like, hello? Do you expect us to believe - you - just like that, food guy?"
"Haha, yes! Of course, you all know that I always tell the truth to you guys!" Gopal replies and laughs aloud, inducing Yaya, Ying and I to return him a blank stare upon hearing his response.
"Oh, gosh. That's right!" She replied in elation, lips widening her smile and clasping her hand, "Understandable, have a great day."
"Haha! Why, thank you!"
"Ah, I believe that was meant to be sarcasm . . . again," Yaya clarified upon elucidating. Jaw-dropping, his eye twitches in incredulence, scratching his head.
"H-Ha?"
"Aish, you airhead. Let me see that epitome if you don't mind," Ying stated, beckoning her hand at it.
"Heh, just be careful with it, you shouldn't be careless . . . when you take a hold of it!" Gopal evoked as he uplifted a finger, inching his face closely.
"Ugh, of course!" She assured, rolling her eyes, "I'm not clumsy like you!"
"Like I said, it's real gold," Gopal elucidated musedly, looking her straight in the eyes. Man's even mumbling it as though it's not a trivial issue, yet we can still perceive it. The latter induces me to arched a brow confoundedly, "As you can see, it's really bright just in case you had forgotten . . ."
"Why are you even-" Ying trailed off as he cut her statement abruptly.
". . . Cause it's real gold."
"What in the-I know, I know! Gosh, you kept on repeating that it's real gold to me like a freaking broken recorder!" She retorted and threw her arms, having enough of him, "So much of your talkings!"
Yaya, on the other hand, rolls her lips inwards, leisurely shaking her head.
I heaved a deep sigh . . . blinking my eyes persistently to regain my consciousness.
"Hehe, my bad! Just making sure, y'all," He claimed, scratching his head before thoroughly handing the epitome to her, "Oh, here you go!"
"Finally, thank you," She replied, peering her eyes to scrutinize every verge of the epitome in a heedful grip on both of her hands, tilting her head, "Honestly, it's amusing, however I couldn't explain what looks kind of strange here."
"Hehehe!" Gopal scratches his head.
"Hey, do you mind if I take a look?" I asked, pressing my elbows on the table in front of Ying from the counter's side.
"Me too," Yaya stated.
"Well, yeah," Ying replied, leaning her arms closely towards Gopal for he was in the middle, giving us the chance to discern it thoroughly. Rimming around our eyes was curiosity, and to be honest, it does convince me that it is real gold in disguise. The question of where Gopal had got this epitome just commenced to my mind. Clicking her tongue, Ying added, "Bye, this actually seems like real gold to me."
"I just thought of that as well," I commented.
"I agree," Yaya replied.
"Lmao, I told y'all!" Gopal retorted as he laughed, clasping his hands in triumph to convince us in a way.
"Wait a minute-is this freaking you, Gopal?" Ying queried, narrowing her eyes in incredulence at the epitome to affirm her sight. Her statement induces us to give it a second, but more cautious look as well.
"E-Erk! Hehe!" He uttered, fiddling his fingers.
"I think you're right," Yaya elucidated, tilting her head confoundedly, "However something seems a bit off to me, I presume."
"Alright, alright . . . it is a golden epitome of me. Basically a figurine of me, and y'all noticed about it just now when you could've firstly checked the dang face, geez."
"I mean, it does look like you, but also not at the same time . . ." Ying claimed as her brows furrowed, blinking her eyes slowly, once, then twice before shrugging it, "Ugh, like, I don't know even anymore. If that even makes sense to you."
"Chih, I just said that it is me, lah!" Gopal pursued and furrowed his brows, crossing his arms.
"Guys, I genuinely think it's because of the eyes and nose," I elucidated, drawing their attention upon pointing at it specifically, inducing them to direct their gaze's focus on it. Shoulders shaking, I bit my lower lip to suppress the urge to burst into laughter at what I am seeing, holding my breath deeply, "Pfft, it isn't proportional to Gopal's actual face . . . that's why."
"Oh, really?" Yaya queried, and I nodded in response.
"Wait a minute . . ." Ying trailed off, pondering.
"Woi, dude! You didn't have to mention that!" Gopal called out, however I couldn't refrain from pursing my lips into a wry smile at him, refraining to let out a cackle as I crossed my arms triumphantly.
"Figured it out," I cooed, uplifting my shoulders.
"Omg, it's true, I-" Ying trailed off, and her eyes mused in incredulence for a moment, dissolving into tittering from her seat as a hand covered her mouth, "Ahaha! Oh my gawd, your face here looks so freaking hilarious, Gopal!"
"Sheesh, if you're gonna make fun of me, at least laugh like a decent girl, you are!" He retaliated, however it does not hinder her from cackling into laughter so hard as though it was hard to understand him.
"Pfft," I snickered.
"And, you-!" Gopal pinpointed at me, his fuming expressions oughts to infuriate, however it makes me laugh even more in spite of him impulsively. Suppressing the urge to do so from bursting it out of my heaving chest, "Now we're talking, buddy . . ."
"I'm sorry," I laughed, and my eyes brimmed with tears of mirth and the smile tugging my lips broke into a grin.
"The heck are you laughing at, hm?" Gopal pinpointed as his brows furrowed skeptically. My chuckle dissolves lightly, now laced with a hum of amusement at the matter as I leisurely shaked my head, gazing at his epitome.
"Nothing, really."
Ying laughed, reaching out to me for a high five to which I have accepted.
"Psh!" He scoffed.
"Gosh, this is so funny, I can't-" She stuttered and her eyes crinkled, shoulders shaking in infectious giggles so hard it must have taken her breath away. It was contagious, inducing me as well, however hers sounded more like an evil cackle than an expression of amusement. Shuffling her pocket, she grabs her phone and takes a picture with it, flashing a single at time before giggling wryly, "Pfft, bye-you're totally seeing this post on your birthday, Gopal!"
"What do you mean-then so be it, cause I obviously look handsome there!" Gopal stated valiantly.
"Pfft, w-what, I-"
"Guys, chill out. You're all giving your personal sentiments on Gopal's figurine, when it doesn't look that bad, you know," Yaya stated nonchalantly, drawing our attention as she extended her arm to slowly get a hold of it from Ying's grip, to which she had oblique willingly.
"Ha! At least Yaya's on my side," Gopal claimed, smugness eliciting on his face upon glancing at her promptly.
"Only her," Ying snickered.
Humming softly, Yaya eyed the golden epitome closely, before her brows knitted, directing her gaze at Gopal right beside her, then back at it. The gesture alternates. With a final gaze from the epitome to Gopal, her lips twitched upwards, before she could hide it.
"Not you too," He said ineptly, and dropped his shoulders, taking the cue that she realized it looked more hilarious than she had expected upon giving it a close scrutiny.
"Hey, I didn't say anything regarding it," She replied, coercing to assure.
"Psh, girls."
"Couldn't blame her for that," I said, chuckling.
"Aren't we all," Ying stated as she tittered, pursing a wry smile.
"Aren't we all, your face," Gopal retorted, turning his head away.
"It's truly made out of gold . . ." Yaya stated, and tilted her head rather peculiarly, "I was wondering where did you get this anyway, plus, it seems quite personal on your end, since it's your figure."
"Well, yeah. Like it was really made for him, except for the unproportional eyes and nose," Ying stated alongside, snickering.
"Y'all better let my epitome live free from your gossip, cause it's literally a celebrity look-alike of me!" Gopal claimed, throwing his arms in the air and zeroing his eyes, leaning back as smug as a raffle winner. His face lights up, and he abandons his body to the merriment, hooting with laughter, "And in the future, I'm going to be rich, famous, and praised by my fangirls!"
"Woi, Gopal!" Ying nudges at him, inducing him to flinch from the abruptness of it.
"O-Ow! Why'd you do that!" He complained as his expression grimaced.
"Hargh! Because you're starting to lose your freaking mind!"
"Hehehe . . . Geez, you're such a KJ."
"Hey, I'm curious," Clearing my throat, I couldn't suppress the urge to query, "So did you, like, make that epitome yourself, Gopal?"
"Pfft, dude, I ain't that creative or a mastermind to make something like that," Gopal replied, and I pondered on my mind, rolling my lips inwards, "C'mon, thought you knew me too well."
"I do, but . . ." I trailed off.
"Duh, you have powers," Ying mentioned, tipping her hand, "Who knows you made that with your imagination."
"Yeah . . . no. I still didn't make it," He claimed, and guffawed at the remark, shrugging his arms.
"Do tell us, then," Yaya proposed, lingering her gaze at him reflectively upon eliciting a smile, "Seems like you got everyone curious already."
"Yaloh!" Ying concurred, nodding her hand constantly as I remained wordless, contemplating the latter, "Ugh, like-enough with the cliffhangers, and just tell us, will you! I'm tired of guessing!"
"Haha! Alright, geez!" Gopal capitulated, uplifting both of his arms. Throwing his head back, he bursts out a laugh before crossing his arms over his stomach in an attempt to catch his breath, "Y'all, I actually got this from Planet Terajiah."
"W-What?" I asked in disbelief.
"Oh . . . I remember that we had accomplished a mission there, if I am not mistaken," Yaya claimed, rolling her lips inwards.
"We did! That's one of the ancient planets, there is! Primordial according to the vast chronicles that we read too," Ying stated, nudging at Yaya. Humming, she nodded in response.
"Except that it progressed to modernity when we went there," She elucidated, and her gaze lingered to mine reflectively.
Uh . . .
What mission is this again . . .
Coercing myself to nod, I hummed in response to indicate that I recalled it as well, when my mind had still barely processed it at the moment.
"And guys, that planet is filthy rich as well!" Gopal claimed in elation, laughing aloud and accentuates our attention.
"Really?" Returning him a blank stare, I asked, "Is that all that matters for you, though?"
"Dude, that's a fact!" He retorted, and I arched my brow, shaking my head to oblique on his self-preferences, suppressing the urge to discourse, "I was reading about it in the spaceship on our way there with Yaya and Ying!"
"Woi, what are you even-you didn't read with us that time, you idiot!" Ying retaliated, hitting him in the arm as he flinched from the abruptness of it, "You were literally sleeping the entire time, just so you know!"
"O-Ow!" With a yelp, he rubbed the sting of his arm to ease it, "Sheesh, this girl!"
"But that mission took us long enough before we found the power sphere, right?" Yaya queired, shifting her eyes on mine impulsively.
"Yep," Taking the call, I rolled my lips inwards, and nodded, "An entire day on our end, I guess."
"And we were all together so I don't quite remember you getting those epitome, especially a personalized one of yourself made out of gold," Yaya stated, turning her head at Gopal.
Clicking his tongue, he heaves an inept sigh.
"Yaloh, now what trouble did you get yourself into just to have that kind of piece, hm?" Ying retorted, uplifting her brow in a skeptical manner upon placing her hands on her hips.
"Whoa, easy there!" Gopal mused, "Does trouble have to be the very first thing to pop off on your mind? Just cause it's me?" His voice shrills, emitting a high-pitched tone upon pointing at himself, rimming with incredulence.
"Hypothetically, yes," She replied.
"Aw . . . that's so judgy of you," I cooed as my lips twitched upwards, pursing a grin leisurely.
"Shush, BoBoiBoy, you know you agree," Ying said, and engaged in my mockery, inducing me to elicit a low chuckle.
"Come on, you guys . . ." Yaya trailed off softly, and shook her head on the latter, knowing she doesn't necessitate herself.
"Huhu!" Gopal whined, pressing a hand on his chest, "Aight, I'm officially heartbroken by my friends now," Wepting, he swipes a finger on his eyes, yet streaming no tears at all.
"Haish, idiot-it's obviously a joke, lah!" Ying retorted.
"Sike! You were right that I did cause a bit of trouble back there on the planet," He threw back his head and let out a loud, humorless laugh. His guffaws echoed in the area, causing the customers to search for the source.
Instantly, our jaw dropped in disbelief as he coiled his arms around his stomach in an attempt to catch his breath.
"Woi, tone it down, Gopal, will you?" Grandad asked from behind rather sternly. A second warning as far as I could remember from earlier.
"Hehe, sorry, Tok Aba."
"Are you serious?" I asked.
"I-" Ying trailed off, agape at a loss of words.
"Haha! But of course, it's kinda solved at this point already, so," He stated, peals of laughter eliciting from him. Extending his arm, he turned his head away, and zeroed his eyes with smugness incised on his expressions, "With Gopal G, no problemo."
"Crazy!" Ying retaliated, inducing Gopal to flinch from the abruptness of it, scratching his head ineptly, "Spill the tea on what the heck happened back there or else . . . you're really getting it from me!"
"Yeah, do tell us," I solicited, rolling my lips inwards and crossing my arms.