"I thought you were kidding," you commented while sipping the rest of your iced coffee in your plastic cup. You came with your hair in a messy bun and a tote bag filled with a thick novel. Your outfit was casual, but still looked cool—a typical woman who didn't want to be complicated but couldn't be completely indifferent either.

"I rarely joke about places that make me calm," Albrecht replied, pointing inside. "Come on. Let's start with the row of hamsters."

You grinned but followed along. As soon as you entered, the two of you were immediately greeted by rows of small cages. In one of them, a group of hamsters were fast asleep, stacked on top of each other like a layer cake.

"Oh my gosh, it's so cute," you say softly, looking down at the glass. "But... they're all sleeping? Why are we watching them sleep?"

"Sometimes what we need to see is not action, but peace," Albrecht says, leaning against a pole near the cage. "Look, no one's fighting for space, no drama, just sleeping together, so peaceful."

You laugh softly. "Are you a philosophy kid or something?"

"Maybe."

You and Albrecht walk slowly to the next cage. A white rabbit with floppy ears sits alone, busy chewing grass. You immediately squat down, pressing your face against the glass.

"This is so me," you say.

"Are you hungry all the time?" Albrecht asks.

"Alone, calm, but still cute."

Albrecht grins. "If you were a rabbit, which one would I choose..."

"The big one, lazy to move, all she does is lie down?"

"No, the small one that likes to run away."

You glared sharply. "Are you saying I like to run away?"

"I've only been getting to know you for two weeks, and you've already disappeared for two days."

"Busy, Al. I'm not running away, I'm working."

"Working in silence? Not updating stories, not replying to chats? Hm..."

You smacked Albrecht's arm lightly. "You too. Seen so often. Suddenly disappearing, then sending TikTok memes at night."

"That's a form of affection, you know."

Then the two of you stopped by the fish section. The blue lights in the aquarium made the atmosphere a bit dramatic. Betta fish swam elegantly, some of them seemed to be 'showing off' their fins between the glass partitions.

"This one is cool," you said, pointing to a bright red fish.

"She looks like you."

"What?"

"Fierce but beautiful."

You pretended to throw your sandals. "Do you really enjoy being annoying?"

"I'm just checking your response, whether it's suitable to be a lifelong chat buddy."