[hr][hr][center][i][h1][color=steelblue]Reinald Wong[/color][/h1][/i][/center][hr][hr]
[b][code]Paris, France_[/code][/b]
[sub][url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpVga7kLnrY]♫ Final Fantasy Type-0 HD OST - A Day Like any Other / Day of the Sun[/url][/sub]

It was often said that Paris was the city of love for those spiritual ones; in the eyes of the more materialistic individuals, it was the metropolis for fashion. However, upon arriving in the country filled with so many mystical rumors that captivated those who longed to come here, Reinald Wong could only say one thing.

[i]What a bunch of stupid lies.[/i]

His first impression of the so-called romantic country had been going downhill ever since he touched down at Roissy Airport. He couldn't help feeling that French people were a rude lot, even more frustrating with the language barrier. At least he finally managed to get back his travelling backpack, which somehow ended up in the Lost Baggage area for reasons he had feared before coming to France. After a quick check to make sure nothing was magicked out of his bag from those thieving baggage handlers infamous in most European countries, he left the airport building and was chauffeured to the accommodation arranged for him prior to his arrival.

His series of unfortunate events didn't end there.

No, it wasn't about the hotel - on the contrary, it was more than what he could have bargained for. Not a five-star classy place per se, but decent enough for at least week worth of stay, and perfect for any casual travelers coming here for a free-and-easy tour. It was what happened after he decided to use the spare time to roam around the city for a bit of sightseeing - after all, it wasn't often one could come to such expensive place with all expenses paid by someone else. He left most of his belongings in the room, only taking the letter - the reason why he was here - and his valuables stuffed into his hoodie pocket (today's slogan: "NO FUN, NO LIFE"), then exited the building. He spotted a cafe just up ahead, and brisked towards it.

Coffee was about the only thing Reinald could communicate over the counter for some light refreshments. The female barista chuckled at him, which made the Asian young man more conscious about his terrible pronunciation as he turned his head away in embarrassment while waiting for his drink.

He probably should have taken up a French module back in school when he had the chance.

He was glad when the cappuccino was finally ready and served, but before he could leave, the barista had grabbed his hand. He frowned, not understanding a single word she was saying to him, until she made a hand gesture to her ear with a seductive look.

She was asking for his number... and probably something even [i]more[/i].

Reinald stood frozen for a moment, trying to digest this sudden turn of situation. Then he shook out of her grasp with a hurried apology, swept his hot drink off the counter and headed out of the cafe without another word. He swore that his face felt warmer than the styrofoam cup in his hand.

Okay, maybe he should take his words back. Paris was more than just a romantic city - it was [i]creeping[/i] him out.

[hr]
Scrolling down the labyrinthine streets while taking in the scenery completely different from home (and sipping on [i]real[/i] coffee, not those overly sweetened crap back where he was from) was quite an experience, enough for Reinald to forget about the hiccups that had happened to him from before. Other than romance and fashion, Paris was also well-known for their nightscape, and hence hailed as the City of Lights... according to the pamphlet in his hand. He wasn't particularly interested - he felt that it would be pretty much the same in any major cities around the world - but it wouldn't hurt to stay long enough to snap a picture of it. He could use a new background for his mobile screen.

His mundane thoughts was interrupted by the sound of people fighting in one of the alleyways in the vicinity. He was even more surprised when he caught one of them shouting in a language that he could understand, albeit with a thick accent of sorts. Curious, he looked around, trying to find the source of the noise... And he got his answer when some gruff-looking men scrambled out from around the corner, in a great hurry to get away from something that seemed to terrify them. Reinald couldn't help raising an eyebrow as he watched the thugs disappeared down another alley. [i]Paris is sure full of surprises...[/i]

Even more amusing when the something - or rather, some[i]one[/i] - who walked out of that same alleyway those men ran out from was a young teenage boy. Obviously Caucasian, though somewhat on the short side. Munching on a sandwich nonchalantly as if all the yelling and cursing just now were merely Reinald's hallucination. [i]So early on this fine morning? That's bullshit.[/i]

"Hey," he called out to the blond in unaccented* English. "I thought I heard a fight somewhere around here just now... You okay?"

[hider=Footnote][sub][b]*Unaccented:[/b]
No, it's technically impossible to speak in a completely unaccented form of any language. Even if you follow the dictionary pronunciations to the last dot, inside they still differentiate the different ways of pronouncing certain words in a particular accent (and also, it's going to sound robotic and weird AF). What I actually mean here is that Rein is speaking in an indistinguishable accent - that is, you might hear a wide array of different accents in the way he speaks, but you are unable to identify with just the most prominent accent.[/sub][/hider]