A few minutes later, Alfred came by the diner. He got his daily portion and headed to sit with Kazimir.
When he reached him, he said, "How was your little trip?"
"What?" Kazimir wasn't paying attention, so he didn't hear him.
Alfred assumed he didn't get his metaphor. So, he sat down and rephrased. "Tell me about your class. How did it go?"
"I mostly watched from a corner."
"Cuck-style, Nice." Alfred said, "Did something exciting happen?"
"It was... bland, boring, and, like everything around this place, unnecessarily long."
"Well, whatever you like. But you hobby or something, otherwise, life will be tasteless."
"Why should it have a taste?" Kazimir asked. "Most things are tasteless."
"I highly suggest that you find something to spend your time on while I'm gone."
"Gone?"
"I'm going on an mission outside." Alfred replied. "It'll be a week at least."
"I have heard some news," Kazimir said.
"Are you saying you spoke to someone?" Alfred said. "I thought I was the only one in your life. You're just like the rest of them." He said in the tone of a woman finding out her boyfriend had an orgy with her mom and sister.
"You overestimate your sense of humor," Kazimir said.
"Says you. Everyone thinks I'm very funny,"
Kazimir looked him in the eye for the first time in a while. "I want to be on the mission too."
Alfred was shocked. Kazimir rarely made direct requests — even rarer was the eye contact. "I don't know if anyone can join. I was asked to be on the team," he said.
Kazimir knew when Alfred was lying. He had known him long enough to sense it. Alfred's words carried that same rehearsed rhythm, the same evasive cadence. He was hiding something.
"Can't you ask who invited you?" Kazimir asked.
"Sure, I'll ask him... as soon as I find him." Alfred was already standing. "But now I gotta go pack some stuff. It really pains me to leave you like this, but I have to."
He left the diner, and the obvious sense of lying continued through his words.
Alfred didn't want him to go. He didn't want him to achieve his objective.
It's settled, then. If Alfred wouldn't open the door, Kazimir would find another way through. He knew what to do next.