Warning:
the first half of this chapter depicted child abuse. Read on your own risk.
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"It was all your fault that I have no customer today!" A beautiful man punched the 5-year-old kid on the ground and stomping him. "It was all your d.mn fault. All your fault. Your fault!" The man breathing became ragged and stop himself from continuing to hit the pitiful child.
The said child only looked at the man and stood up. "I will cook now, father."
"Tsk. Boring." the father of the child went into his room. "You should just go and die."
The child cooked rice.
"After we eat, come here."
The child held the hem of his shirt. "I-I don't want to..."
"Are you saying something?" his father asked once more.
He stared at him with conviction. "I don't want---" his body fall on the ground because of the impact of something thrown at him.
When the child woke his body was been bind on the bed, naked.
"Help me..." the child whispered, but no help was found.
People knew but no one dares to step forward to help him...
No one believed him even when he told others, and always ended up either being lock inside the room, naked and hungry.
"Help me..." the child whispered... But no help was found...
He was alone... No one wanted to help him...
"Disgusting..." the child spoke closing his eyes...
.
Roger woke up feeling the heaviness by his side.
In there he saw a man sleeping by his side. The white ceiling, the smell of chemicals that penetrating his nose.
The beeping sound beside him, the soft bed, and a liquid hang on his side where a tube-like object was connected to his arm.
"Roger..." sounded the man by his side.
Roger furrowed his brow trying to remember who the man is.
"You little kid... I told you to play but... I'm sorry..." the man started to cry.
"Uncle Tristan..." Roger spoke the name...
The man smiled at him. "Yeah, I'm sorry... I shouldn't have let you..."
"Jerome and Nico?"
Tristan bowed his head. "They were... Roger, tell me what happened?"
Roger looked down trying to remember what occurred. "A wild animal tried to attack us. I made Jerome bring Nico to find help." He stated, calling Zest animal. His attention was diverted to the person at the door.
"How our little patient?" The doctor smiled kindly at him, while Tristan making way to check Roger asking him about what he feels and all.
The doctor walked toward Tristan telling him Roger's situation, while Roger faced the window sill.
After a few days, the police came to him. He looked exactly like Nico.
It must be Nico's brother.
"... So Nico escaped first..." The policeman started to teared up.
Roger knitted his brow, as if not understanding what's going on.
The policeman rubbed his head. "I will be going first. We will try to find Nico, Zest, and Jerome. We will tell you once we found them."
"Hmmm," Roger replied.
Tristan had been watching the whole situation sighed. "Do you want to learn self-defense during vacation?" He asked.
"Self... Defense..."
"Yeah, so that you can protect yourself and your friends in the future."
"Friends..."
Tristan couldn't help but chuckle at Roger's repeating his words. He then patted his head. "We will start your training after your exam. I talked to your teacher and they gave you the chance to take a special exam."
Roger nodded his head as if saying he understands, making Tristan smile at him.
"You should try to stop being too stiff, and smile a bit."
"Smile?"
"Yep, smile." Then Tristan beamed at him.
"Why?"
"...why... Um..." Tristan scratched his head. "Well... Just... Just smile I guess."
Roger sighed. "I will go upstairs now." He said and turned his back at him.
"Don't you---"
"I will join the training after my exam," then he smiles at Tristan then looked away.
Tristan stared at his back leaving. He scratched his head in awkwardness. "What a weird child..." He whispered and chuckled.