John lay on the bed, gazing out at the colorful nightscape. From the Bolago Club's member lounge, overlooking the city, it seemed to transform into a squirming, living creature.
The neon lights turned into overlapping halos, like the eyes of a giant beast. The black, hard lines were its body, and when cut open, only technology and violence would spill out.
"You've been through a lot."
The purple-haired girl lay naked beside him, clutching a metal e-cigarette with her slender fingers.
"Not by me, but by this city. John, why do you put yourself in such a mess?"
She embraced John from behind—his shoulders were broad, sturdy, radiating a comforting warmth.
Their breathing became smooth and long.
"From this angle, Eden City looks so unfamiliar. I thought wielding a gun on the street would make life better."
"Didn't it?"
"It's more fucked up. Life's a mess, and I can't see the way."
John let out a heavy breath, like a high-powered device dissipating heat in the traditional way.
