The five-candle lamp hanging from the shop ceiling filled the room with a calm and cozy atmosphere. But the comfort did not last long. A cold draft crept in through the ventilation gaps, brushing against anyone inside.
Inside the shop, there were about ten people including the shopkeeper, two employees, the four of them, and three other customers taking shelter from the rain.
They had been there for more than eight hours, ordering drinks and snacks while hoping the rain would stop.
But waiting for the rain to ease was pointless, because it only grew heavier over time.
Dave let out a deep sigh, thinking about how unlucky he had been because of this rain. He looked at the other three with a cynical expression.
"I already asked for my salary in advance, and now it is gone?" Dave grumbled irritably, opening his wallet while glaring at Zavi and Carlz.
In the right corner of the shop, Dave and the teenage boy sat on a long cushioned sofa. A round table stood in front of them.
Meanwhile, Zavi and Carlz sat on individual cushioned chairs facing each other. One of them was facing the wall patterned with tree bark. Behind Dave and the teenage boy was a large window displaying tall decorative grass in a long pot, adding an aesthetic touch to the view.
The teenage boy sitting beside Dave overheard his muttering and grew curious. He decided to ask, "Are you angry at those two?" He pointed at Zavi and Carlz, who were chatting with each other.
Dave turned and forced a friendly smile. "No, I am smiling." He widened his smile with his hands.
The boy nodded innocently, believing him.
"Alright," he answered. "But are you sure you want to give me all this food and drink for free?" he asked, curious. It was his first time being treated like this by someone he had just met.
Dave's mood slowly improved after hearing that.
"It is fine," he said with a genuinely friendly smile. "Do not hesitate. If you need more, just tell me and those two will pay for it." His voice was slightly pressed as he pointed at Zavi and Carlz.
After staying in the shop for more than eight hours, Dave suddenly remembered that he had not even asked the boy's name since rescuing him from that group of people.
He also had no idea what trouble the boy had caused to be beaten by about ten adults, leaving several bruises on his body and a cut on his arm from a sharp object, staining part of his worn clothes with dried blood.
Dave looked at him with sympathy, unsure if his question would hurt him or if the boy would refuse to answer. After thinking for a moment, he finally gathered the courage to ask.
"I want to ask you something. Will you answer honestly?"
The boy, who had just put a dry biscuit in his mouth and was about to swallow, was startled. He choked upon hearing the question.
Tap.
He quickly grabbed a glass of warm water from the table and drank it to ease his throat.
"Ah."
"What question is that?" the boy said nervously, fidgeting with his fingers under the table.
Tap.
Dave placed his right hand on the table and tapped it three times.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The boy stared at Dave with a nervous expression, unsure what he was thinking.
Dave cleared his throat softly. "What is your name? And did you really steal something from one of the people who beat you?"
The boy hesitated, unsure where to begin. After thinking for a moment, he took a slow breath to calm his thoughts and the pain across his body.
"My name is Han Sarana. As for the beating, it had nothing to do with theft," he answered calmly.
Tap.
Dave widened his eyes. He immediately took back everything he had assumed earlier.
"I am sorry for accusing you of being a thief." He bowed his head in guilt.
"It is alright. I should be the one apologizing for dragging you into this." Han smiled and motioned for Dave to lift his head.
But Dave stubbornly kept his head lowered. Seeing that, Han continued what he had prepared to say.
"But if you are that curious, I will tell you everything from the beginning up until the moment I was beaten." He smiled, though behind that smile he was enduring pain beyond words.
Hearing that, Dave quickly raised his head, turning to him with full attention.
Han chuckled softly at his reaction.
"Alright, if you really want to hear it."
"Can I shorten the story a bit?" he asked blankly.
Dave simply nodded and waited for him to continue.
"Hmm. It was Monday morning. My mother took me to the market at the town square. It was crowded, especially on Mondays.
Not long after, two people dressed strangely came up to us. They told my mother to follow them without giving any clear reason, and they told me to stay put. I asked them why I had to obey.
One of them came straight at me and hit my left cheek, knocking me down in the middle of the crowd. I was not angry because of the pain, but because the people around us acted like nothing happened and kept walking. I know they were busy, but is it really that hard to help me?"
Han took a deep breath before continuing. "I got up and saw my mother being held by one of them. Their clothes looked like your friend's." Han pointed at Carlz.
Dave thought, "Maybe he means Zavi? But why call clothes like that strange?"
Dave ignored the detail and continued listening.
"After that, I was chased by people who were controlled by a strange artifact. I could not see the object clearly, but it was terrifying. They chased me all the way until this morning, and I could not help my mother."
Han stopped. His body could hardly take it anymore. The wounds and fatigue made it hard for him to focus. He gritted his teeth in frustration.
He could not believe his hesitation had put his mother in danger.
"Do you know anything about those two people?" he asked. "And I am also curious about the older brother who was there. He could change his appearance however he wanted. Is he some kind of powerful person?"
Hearing that, Dave chuckled softly. He made a finger gun and tapped it against Han's forehead.
"Bang," he said quietly. "Just like if I shot you with this. Would you believe it?" Dave smirked.
Han pushed his hand away and answered with confusion. "No. How could your hand shoot a bullet?"
"Hahahaha. There is nothing like that in this world, probably. I do not believe anyone could control others the way you described." Dave lifted his hand, placed it on Han's head, and gently ruffled his hair.
"You still have a long future, Han," Dave said with a satisfied smile, thinking he had just said something cool.
Han nodded slightly. "Alright."
Not long after, both of them saw Zavi and Carlz stand from their seats and walk toward them with serious expressions.
Zavi slipped his hand into his coat pocket, pulled out about twelve paper bills, and handed them to Dave.
Without saying a single word, Zavi and Carlz left the two of them and walked toward the shop's entrance with determined steps.
They stepped out of the shop and headed somewhere. The heavy rain and cold wind did not stop them. They kept walking as if they had a clear destination.