Val lowered his feet, stood upright, and released the man's grip. What a shame, the ice cream he had only bitten once or twice had to fall onto the muddy asphalt.
The man looked at the ice cream, and he released his grip.
"Forgive me, I'll replace it."
Although still surprised, Val smiled. He waves his hand, which is still holding on to the remaining ice cream skewers.
"Heh, it's no problem, besides, I can't eat too much anyway," said the young man, putting the skewers into his mouth and smiling with his cute white teeth showing up. The man gulped; the young man looked so cute like that. He gaped and closed his mouth after the kid tapped his hand.
"Um, what happened? What makes them pushing you?" Val asked, looking behind the man, who seemed to be struggling with the many people scolding him. The handsome man smiled, and he shook his head.
"Heh, it's not their fault. I lost my wallet and phone. I asked if the taxi could take me to the branch office so I could pay there, but he refused," said the man.
Val looked at the man; he felt so sorry for him. He must be very confused right now.
"So, where is your branch office?" Val asked.
The man thought, he thought quite hard, and shook his head.
"Heh, I don't know remember the details. The address is on my phone."
Val pursed his lips. So it was useless for him to ask the taxi to take him since the first time , because he didn't even know where the address was.
"Then, what are you going to do now?" Val asked again.
The man thought.
"Maybe, call my driver to pick me up here."
Val nodded. He knew what the man meant, so he immediately took out his phone.
"Here, just use my phone," said Val excitedly.
The man's eyes widened, and he gladly accepted it. But the phone's screen was off.
Val's eyes widened; he had forgotten that his phone had been off for hours.
"Oh, jeez, forgive me about that, I didn't bring the charger either," said Val, scratching his head.
The boy is in deep thought.
"Um, how about this, my godmother's house isn't far from here. How about we stop by? You can ask your driver to pick you up there," said Val.
The man looked at Val for a long time. This sweet and pleasant-faced young man wasn't afraid that he would do something bad to him? His face was so sweet, his skin white, clean, pure fresh smile, a very beautiful smile from his sweet lips. He could attract perverts.
"Heh, of course." and no need for a long thought to say yes.
The local taxi had just stopped and dropping off its passenger in front of a small uphill road, near a small river. The air was very cool, even quite cold. Val pulled his suitcase, looking at the small path leading to a small house at the end of the road. He smiled; it felt so good to be back there, and the air was so fresh. He pulled both his hands to the air to take breathe in as much as possible.
"Hmm, the air is so refreshing."
The sound of water flowing in the river was pleasant. The tall man got out of the taxi, standing not far behind Val.
"Is that the house?" the man asked, pointing to a small house at the end of the road. Val took out the photo that Miss Jema had sent a few months ago, and it was very similar.
"Yups, that's the house," said Val cheerfully,
Val was about to walk forward, but the man's hand stopped him. He took Val's suitcase and carried it, not forgetting to grab Val's hand as well.
"Let me carry that, hold onto me, the road is uphill."
Val's eyes widened, but no time to protest; the man had already pulled him.
"Umm."
Arriving at the end of the road, someone was already standing in front of the gate. A middle-aged woman who smiled broadly, watching Val's arrival from afar.
"Oh, this kid, Val, you really coming back?" Unable to wait any longer, the woman whose hair was almost completely gray approached Val from a distance, opening her arms wide, eager to hug him. Val released the man's hand and ran to the woman.
"Mrs. Jema, Val is home!" he shouted cheerfully.
"Oh dear child"
The two hugged on the small, rocky path. Val hugged the woman whom he missed so much tightly.
"Oh, this child, why are you so thin? Sweet child, I miss you so much," said Ms Jemma, stroking Val's hair gently.
Val couldn't stop smiling, hugging Mrs. Jema, who was now very small compared to the last time he met her. It wasn't Mrs. Jema who had shrunk, but he who had grown so tall.
"Mrs. Jemma, I miss you too. You are still as beautiful as ever."
"This brat, you still sweet-mouthed like ever. Oh, let me look at you. Why are you getting so thin? You are not on a diet, right? Look at your chin, oh dear, let us get inside, I'll make you your favorite food, you must eat more, okay?" Miss Jemma pulled Val's hand to enter the gate.
"I can't wait," said Val excitedly.
He turned to the tall man who walked awkwardly behind him. The man widened his eyes as Val approached him and pulled his hand.
"Come on, let's get inside, what are you waiting for!"
***
Dusk at Argent Central Hospital.
"What do you mean, gone? What did you say to him?" Rio's loud voice. Jason came to the hospital hoping to find Val there, but he was nowhere to be found. Jason kept trying to call Val's cell phone number, but there was no ring at all.
"That brat, he said he would just leave, he said he didn't want to be a burden, what was he thinking?" Jason found a small note on a medium-sized Post-it that Val had stuck on his refrigerator. It was so easy for him to say, as if nothing had happened, said he would just leave and didn't want to trouble anyone, especially him. How could he write all that as if there was nothing between them?
Rio tried to call Val's number, but it looks like it was deliberately turned off. He looked at Jason sharply.
"What did you say to him? I told you Val is very sensitive right now, you have to be careful talking to him."
Jason looked at Rio sharply, and the doctor looked at him as if blaming him.
"What did I say? I didn't discuss anything about his illness. As you said, I acted normally. Since dicharge from the hospital, he has only been in his room and refused to talk to me. What do you think I could say to him? That brat, just wait until I find him."
Jason remembered something. Val had once talked about his hometown, Karby, maybe he went back to the orphanage. Without a second thought, Jason called his grandfather's number, he knew the most about that orphanage.
"Grandpa, do you still have the phone number of the orphanage in Karby?"
Ian, who was enjoying his evening snack in front of the television, frowned, Jason's voice sounded so excited.
"The orphanage in Karby? Why do you need its phone number?" Ian asked casually.
Jason walked out of Rio's room. The doctor followed him.
"Just answer me, Grandpa, why do you have to ask back?"
Ian straightened his sitting position, he frowned suspiciously.
"Jas, did something happen to Valiant?" he asked, the old man immediately knew where the conversation was about.