????????? (Sun Wukong x reader x Macaque lmk)

Chapter Eight: Friend From Back Then

She stood up and walked to the door. MK raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going for a walk. I figured it would help me clear my mind. Plus, I'm not tired, so it might help tire me out," she said. "See you later, MK." She waved and stepped out into the night.

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DJ walked along the dimly lit streets of Megapolis, her eyes fixed on the sidewalk beneath her feet. The nighttime stroll was a cherished ritual, a way to clear her mind. Tonight, as she looked up, the tranquil quietness of her hometown enveloped her, providing a comforting backdrop to her thoughts. Suddenly, a loud growl from her stomach interrupted the silence. "Am I seriously hungry right now?" she muttered to herself.

"Dangit, I should've taken those sesame noodles from MK," she grumbled, regretting her earlier decision. With a sigh, she rummaged through her pockets and found a few bills. Scanning the area, she spotted an open store and headed inside. As she browsed the aisles, a particular snack caught her eye. She grabbed it and approached the counter.

Looking up to pay, she froze. The cashier, a young woman with long black hair streaked with rainbow colors and dark brown eyes, was someone she hadn't seen in years. "Caihong?" DJ asked, her voice tinged with surprise.

The cashier looked up, her eyes widening in recognition. "DJ?!" she exclaimed. In a burst of excitement, she jumped over the counter and enveloped DJ in a tight hug. "DJ! OMG, GIRL, IT'S BEEN YEARS!" she squealed, her tone perky and full of joy.

DJ laughed at her friend's exuberance. "It has! But I thought you moved away to help your mom a couple of years back," she said, her curiosity piqued.

Caihong nodded, her expression softening. "Well, I did, but my mom just got married to this super cute guy, and now he's helping her out. So I decided to move back home just a week ago," she explained. "So, how's little MK? I haven't seen that hyperactive troublemaker in forever!"

"He's great, especially since he became Monkey King's successor," DJ replied, a hint of pride in her voice.

"Wait, Monkey King is actually real?! That's so cool! You just GOTTA let me meet him! I'm like such a huge fan!" Caihong exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Maybe," DJ said, her tone slightly nervous.

"Oh, that's right! You're still scared of monkeys, right? So he must be an utter nightmare for you!" Caihong teased.

"Anyways!" DJ interjected, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. "What are you doing working in this shop? I thought we might run into each other again at a restaurant since you love cooking."

"You don't think I've tried?! Every restaurant I've come across won't let me work there because it's either full or they just don't wanna hire me 'cause of my 'unruly' hair," Caihong said, her voice tinged with frustration.

"Did you try telling them it's your natural hair?" DJ asked.

"I did, but they don't believe me!" Caihong huffed. "This was the only place that would hire me, but they put me on night shift so most people won't see my hair! I swear, I just wanna rip their heads off!" she said, steam practically coming from her ears.

DJ chuckled at her friend's dramatic outburst. It wasn't out of character for Caihong, who had always been this expressive. DJ began thinking. "Hey, what if I got Pigsy to hire you? I'm sure he won't mind since he already knows you and doesn't care about your hair," she suggested.