[center][h2]YULIAN[/h2][/center]

Another morning, another day in this city he calls home. Yulian was in the middle of his usual routine, after waking up at the crack of dawn and having something to eat at his apartment. He is now on his morning jog as he makes his way through the Fairview neighborhood, wearing his white workout hoodie, a pair of grey sweat pants, and running shoes. He does not see people much while on his jog here. People are still sleeping or getting ready for their day as the sun crept closer to the sky. Yulian normally sees only one person at this hour, an old dark-skinned woman with medium-length hair who seems despite her age. Still seems to have the vigor of a younger person, or at least is okay with being up at this hour. 

Yulian sees her as she is getting her newspaper, and the two trade exchanges. She waves him hello, and he nods back respectfully. He does not know her name, nor does she know his, or even spoken to each other, but the two have an understanding and go about their day. As he jogs along the sidewalk and passes the brick-made buildings to his left and the parked cars to his right, and the occasional tree.     

This part of the city is a nice place as far as he could tell. Close to his apartment, neighbors who respect his privacy, and near a small park called Wayview Park with a pond. Yulian has not had trouble in this place, and he prefers it to stay that way.  

But he has seen the news, some Grays are causing trouble as usual, and a hero was killed. The Mountain, he was called, and was found dead in an alleyway. Yulian sighed at the thought, a hero of the city, just left to rot until someone found him. That reminds him of his old life, a part he wants to move on from, and while he knows people are investigating who killed him. Sometimes in his experience, the killer gets away with it. 

Still, he goes jogging not for the exercise but to help clear his head and relax before his day begins. But living in a city like Calder City, it is hard to ignore the news sometimes and see similarities to his life back home in Russia.  

Either way, he pushes on, moving those thoughts to the back of his mind as he reaches his endpoint. Wayview Park, and as he reached a park corner and stopped to rest. He could spot other joggers like himself going by, and the city was slowly coming alive. Cars were starting and driving by, birds were flying and chirping, and the sun was rising. He checked his watch, and it read seven o'clock a.m. Right on schedule, and as he was about to head back home. A familiar ringtone started to ring, and he reached down into his pocket to retrieve his phone. Quickly seeing who was calling him, he had a surprised look on his face and answered the phone.

[color=#B87333]"Shouldn't you be getting ready for classes or sleeping right now?"[/color] He spoke with his russian accent.  

"Yes," A female russian accent replied to him, Milda. But I just wanted to talk to you when I knew you were up and free. That and before my classes started." 

[color=#B87333]"Okay,"[/color] Yulian was satisfied with that answer. [color=#B87333]"What is it then?"[/color]          

"It... is just the anniversary of us coming to America, and I thought we could celebrate sometime today." 

Anniversary... the thought lingered in his head. Yulian knew that Milda was one to remember stuff like that, and while he may not see the importance or care about it, unlike her. It does not mean that he will ignore or deny her this. 

[color=#B87333]"Okay, sure, we can do that, after I get off work."[/color] He could hear the excitement from her end.

"Good, I almost thought you would say no, and I know a place we can go to. A place my friends told me about... if that is okay with you?"

[color=#B87333]"It is okay, Milda, and what is the place?"[/color] 

"A restaurant called Sunset Blues. My friends tell me that it is an awesome place to go to. Good food, good live music, and a bar, though it is a bit expensive..."

[color=#B87333]"We still can go since you want to go, and today is a special day, so after work we can go."[/color]

"Awesome, and I will meet you at your apartment... dad."

Milda hung up, and her last word stuck to him, dad. A word he never thought he would be. She only started calling him that during high school, and while he is used to it by now. He still gives him a weird feeling, not a bad feeling, but a good one. He is the closest thing she has to family, and she has been a better family to him than his actual family. They care and look after each other like a family, and he just hopes it stays this way.  

Yulian shook his head to shake off the thoughts for now and focused. He has a big day coming up now, and it has been a while since he had celebrated as a family. So, after putting his phone away, and with a small smile on his face. Yulian headed back to his apartment, looking forward to his day. Just one step at a time.