Kai while gazing at the stars, again went back to reminiscing about his past, his part time jobs affected his studies, he didn't gave as much time as needed towards his education.
This caused him to have bad grades which also was a very big reason for him to have difficulties in finding a stable job.
With a lot of difficulties he finally got his job at the Howard's Cafe, that's also one of the reasons he performed very attentively and carefully. This was his only chance for a stable income.
The results paid off as he soon found himself in the position of the head employee.
Ring! ring! ring!
Just as he was reminiscing about his past his phone suddenly rang. He put his hands in his pocket and took out his phone. It wasn't the latest model, it could also be said that it was quite old fashioned. If one carefully looked at the job he had it didn't quite suit well for him to have such a lousy phone.
He took it and looked at the phone screen it showed 'Mother' on the screen.
Usually when his mother calls him at this hour it's always due to some reasons but never random.
"Hello mother" Kai pressed the answer button and spoke.
"Hello son, it's been sometime I didn't hear from you?" from the other side of the screen came a warm, soft and motherly voice. It sounded a bit weak as if the person who spoke was very tired and low in energy.
Hearing his mother's concerned tone, Kai smiled feeling warmth.
"Ohh, it's nothing mom, it's just that I have been hanging out with my friends for a few days, that's all" Kai spoke with a tone trying to sound calm and relaxed.
"Really?? is everything all right, you sound a bit..down" His mother asked sounding a bit skeptical.
"Hahaha, what could go wrong, Kai said trying to maintain his composure, he refused to let his mother learn about his current circumstances of being fired.
"Sigh, it's good if you are fine, don't spend so much time partying around and work hard, when you find time for yourself you should take rest rather than trying to be cool with friends" his mother nagged.
Kai gave a lazy smile listening to her rant. "I understand other mother, you don't have to worry so much about me. By the way how is Sarah doing" Kai asked about his little sister.
"Sarah is as usual goes to school, comes back, then again goes to tution and comes back, that's her usual routine" His mother spoke about his sister with a sigh.
"Brother, brother, when are you coming back, it's been a year you didn't come home, I am missing you" from the line suddenly came an excited voice of a teenage girl.
"Haha, Sarah still as naughty as I remembered...don't worry I will be back when I get some time and some savings till then don't cause trouble for mom" Kai spoke in a happy tone.
"Ok brother, I will be waiting for your arrival" his sister said in a happy and merry tone.
His sister gave the phone back to his mother that she had snatched.
"You should come back in a while, your little sister really misses you a lot" his mother spoke after she received the phone.
"Sure mom" Kai said. "Is there a problem mom you usually don't call at this hour". Kai finally said in a slight concerned tone.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
"Sigh, son could you send some money, your father's medecines are almost used up and we need to buy a new batch for the next month" his mother spoke after some hesitation.
"No worries I will send you as fast as I could" Kai replied instantly after hearing her plea.
"It's been hard on you these few years after your father fell into coma....I hope he wakes up soon" His mother said in a low tone but even she seemed to not believe what she just said.
"Don't worry mom I will take care" Kai replied his mother in a comforting tone.
They chatted for a few more minutes trying to catch up before they hung up the call.
Sighhhhh!
Kai gave a long sigh and leaned at the back rest of the bench.
Gazing at the stars he recalled that fateful day when they received a call from the hospital that his father has been admitted there.
When they went there and saw him lying in the hospital bed their hearts sankntibrock bottom. The doctor said that he was in coma for reasons unknown. Even he wasn't sure if his father would wake up.
But Kai and his mother were unwilling to give up on his father therefore the doctor suggestd some medications that would help him heal his body internally while he is in coma, the doctor gave them the prescription for medecine trying to increase his father's chances of waking up but so far he seems to have made no progress at all.
Kai came back to the present moment after reminiscing, stood up from the park bench and left.
With nothing to do, he simply walked toward his home.
After a few moments of walking through the cold streets he saw a homeless man sitting on the footpath.
He was shuddering in the cold with only a slim towel wrapped around him. He tightly gripped the towel and tried to pull the towel closer, desperately trying to get a few bits of warmth in this cold environment.
Kai observed him from a distance, he was unkept with beard flowing in his face and his hairs messy, seems like he was chased away from any place that provided some warmth.
Kai removed his wornout jacket. As he removed his jacket a chilling breeze brushed past him, making him shiver slightly but he ignored it and moved towards the homeless man.
The homeless man noticed the shadow of a young man standing in front of him. Without a world the young guy draped the wornout jacket he had in his hands over him.
Feeling the comfort of the sudden warmth he quickly grabbed the edges of the jacket pulling it closer towards him.
Looking at the young man who was ready to leave he called him "thanks pal, I really appreciated it".
Kai stopped and turned to look at the homeless man "no worries, you seem to be freezing, find yourself a warm place". Kai spoke.
"I would have loved to stay around a bon fire but it seems like the people don't like me much" The man said.
He noticed that Kai was only in his t-shirt and realised Kai gave him his own jacket thatbhe was wearing.
"I have been on these streets for a few days now, nobody really cares about us. May God bless you and fulfil your wishes" the man said sincerely.
Kai smiled "it's just a small matter don't thank me" Kai spoke before leaving.
Kai finally reached home after walking for so long.
His house was a rented house in the slum area. He could afford a much better place with his salary be most of it was used to pay the medical bills of his comatose father. So to save money he started to live in the slums.
The slum area at this hour was quiet with occasion sounds of a few dogs barking at the streets.
He took out his door keys and unlocked the door of his house.
Gurr! gurr! gurr!
While entering his stomach made a rumbling sound. Since most of his salary went to pay his father's medical bill and he was also trying to save money he only ate two meals a day which were very bland.
He was looking forward towards this month's salary so that he could reward himself with a cheap street food but now that seems like a dream.
He went forward and threw himself in the matress laid on the floor. He didn't care to change or wash himself.
He covered himself with the blanket and thought what he was going to do.
He had been trying to get out of poverty, to retire his parents, to make his little sister happy, to fulfil his dreams but everytime he feels life is going to get better something worse comes along to keep him poor.
he turned towards the table, there a laid a toy pagani car which his father bought him when he cried his tears out during his childhood. He swore to himself he would buy this car in the future.
Looking back it seems like a joke. He smile mirthlessly and turned away.
'To the God above if you are listening, please get rid of my problems and help me fulfil my dreams' Kai prayed in his mind before drifting in a deep sleep.
The sky above were glistening with stars.
Suddenly one of the stars started shining brighter than others, it seemed like it was coming closer to earth.
Until the twinkling star was directly above Kai's home. It entered through the roof as if it was just a fog.
It moved towards Kai's head, hovering a few centimetres above before directly entering his head.
[Ding! The Quest System is online]
A sound was heard inside Kai's mind.