The three boys limped down the dusty road, their bodies sore from the merchant's merciless beating, Arjun's cheek swollen like a pumpkin, Kiro's ribs aching as if they'd been cracked in two, and Riku's pants torn so badly half his backside peeked out to the laughter of every child and old woman they passed. The crowd jeered, pointing and mocking, but Arjun cursed through gritted teeth, "One day I'll rip that bastard's nose off."
Kiro winced and shot back, "You can't even bite an apple without crying, fool. Next time, use your head before your fists."
Behind them, Riku rubbed his sore rear and muttered with a crooked grin, "I think he hit me so hard my fart went back inside." The other two stared for a beat, then despite the pain, burst into ragged laughter that echoed off the stone walls.
But laughter couldn't fill empty bellies, and soon their stomachs growled louder than stray dogs in the night. Just when despair threatened to swallow them, Arjun's sharp eyes spotted a bundle of cloth hanging near a shop. Rich colors glimmered in the fading sunlight. Without a word, he lunged, yanked it free, and the trio bolted into an alley, cackling as if fortune had finally smiled on them.
Under a bridge, they tore the bundle open. Their smiles froze. Inside were silky garments, lacy straps, strange frilled things that made no sense. Arjun pinched up a bra with two fingers like it was cursed. "What kind of purse is this?"
Kiro held up a pair of panties, squinting. "Maybe… a baby's hat?"
Riku, beaming with sudden pride, slapped it on his head. "No, idiots. Warrior's crown."
The others stared in horror, then in pity. But hunger has no dignity, and desperation makes fools brave. So the next morning, they marched to the market to sell their prize.
Arjun, bold as always, shoved the bra into an old man's hand. "Rare armor from a faraway land. Only five coins."
The old man's face darkened. His palm cracked across Arjun's cheek with such force his ears rang, spinning him half a turn.
Kiro, refusing to give up, approached a plump woman with the panties. "A gift for your husband?" he whispered slyly.
"Pervert!" she screamed, smashing her basket over his head and showering him with onions and carrots.
Finally, Riku climbed onto a crate, the underwear still on his head, arms spread wide. "Behold! Royal headgear, only for the brave!"
The crowd erupted with laughter. Children pointed. Men booed. A rotten tomato flew, exploding across his face and dripping down his chin.
Chaos broke loose, and the three boys fled again, chased not by guards this time but by laughter, humiliation, and flying vegetables.
That night, shivering under broken stone walls with empty stomachs, Arjun groaned, "Why does the world always hate us?"
Kiro muttered bitterly, "Because we're idiots."
And Riku, eyes already drooping shut, whispered, "One day… they'll cheer for us. They'll call our names."
The only reply was the growl of their stomachs and the cold whistle of the night wind.