["I am a system, idiot."] The system proudly said. And if it had a face, he could already imagined it all chinned-up.
It released a cough-like sound then it continued.
["Oh, I liked to remind you one thing so you cannot be more stupid. I already read your mind, your experiences and memories especially those unlucky days of yours. To sum it up, I almost know all about you."]
'Is this an all talk system?' He wanted to say that in his mind but he immediately stopped. He did not want to hear another insulting word again.
["I know how pathetic, weak and unpromising you are. You have no future but it's your luck to have me, turtle."]
"At least a turtle has endurance." He defended and was now speaking through his mind.
"But in reality, it can't win to those hardworking rabbits. It can only win to those lazy ones." The voice disagreed.
"But at least it has endurance." He wanted to lighten the attack.
["Hmm... You have it, but that is only for enduring all the hurtful words, the unfair deeds and most importantly that endurance is only for the ones like you who didn't know how to stand for yourself. All in all, it is a useless endurance as it was used in a stupid way."]
After hearing that, he felt down. Even though he wanted to forget this feeling, it came back again.
["Anyways, you can now leave this place as staying here will only make you poorer. Let's not waste time and make you a little presentable. Honestly, you look ugly."]
There, another word was added to the 'book of insults' of the strange entity.
He went to the bathroom came near the sink, and looked at the mirror hanged above it. As expected, he saw a dark circle on his eye and the bruises was still present on his face and was now purplish. He looked like an abandoned person with a messed up life that could do bad things anytime. Just looking at it made him take a long sigh.
["Enough of that, get back to bed. I heard some footsteps heading here."]
["You might as well stay for a while. It's a pity that you are so poor to receive some incentives from others though in the first place, it was not your intention to help."]
He imagined it clicking its tongue by the sound it emitted.
He felt like looking down on the floor at the moment. The system was really good on hitting on him.
He did what the voice said. Seconds then, someone knocked at the door and the door opened.
An unfamiliar person came in, a middle-aged woman with a bulky tall man.
"Are you okay young man? Do you remember me?" A familiar man asked, concern and gratitude was very transparent from the his eyes.
'I do remember him. He seemed to be the guard at that shop.'
He nodded implying that he was okay. He had an eye contact with the guard only to assure him but he then averted his gaze. He looked down at the bed sheet feeling ashamed of his face.
"That's great. By the way, here is the owner of our shop. She wanted to thank you about yesterday."
The guard made a way for the woman.
"Our shop's monthly income was stolen that day and an employee was caught doing the act. He could have escape that day as his partner in crime's car was waiting meters away from where he was stopped and ridden by the sign board you shot. And that was all thanks to you that he was caught. Thank you young man."
He slightly smiled, looked at the woman for a bit then looked down again. He was afraid that he would affect the mood of the madam if she could take a full view of his face.
When the woman realized that he have no plan to speak, she initiated the act to do the main reason of the visit.
The woman took out a small envelope. It was expected that there was money inside it.
"This was part of the money that was taken, I hope that you will accept this as my appreciation for your help."
Even though the money in front of him meant that he could then fill his stomach, buy some decent clothes to make himself presentable and pay his bills, he felt too undeserving to accept it. He was reluctant to raise his hand as he remembered what the existence said, 'it was unintentional'. He was even fortunate that he didn't shot someone to death.
"I.. I do--" not deserve it.
That was what he was supposed to say yet he was stopped by the existence in his mind.
["Stop doing that kid, you'll be repaying them in the future double of what they have given. So, from now on, you must practice to held your head up especially when talking to someone. That'll be the basic for a successful man to be, like you. So cheer up."] It sounded very confident in it's words.
Earlier it was hitting his conscience, later it said encouragement words, saying that it was alright. What the?! He could hardly understand this system.
But hearing those made him hope though he was not really too moved. It was hard for him to believe that it could really happen; that he would be so successful someday as the existence said. For him, that was just a wishful thought.
About his mannerisms it was hard for him to change it. One of the point was, how could he held his head up with this face?
["Now, accept it. It will make things easier for you. You can surely repay her soon, I can assure you that. You can ask for her number and address to ensure you that she will be paid back."]
Although he was still doubtful and was so hesitant but even if he didn't want to admit it, he knew money was a critical need for him in this critical times.
After a deep breath, he extended his hand and pressed his lips into a smile.
"Thank you ma'am. Uhm.. Can I have your number ma'am?" He paused.
"I mean.. I mean I want to repay you in the future." He stuttered as he saw the guard being surprised with his words. He did not want them to have such conclusions.
The woman did not take the word seriously and she still smiled and gave her calling card. "Here it is. You can also work in my shop when you get better. I am going to excuse myself as I still have to go somewhere."
"Thank you ma'am." He said after he accepted it but he was still on the same position.
"I also have to leave young man." The guard wave.
He nodded again to respond to the guard. Then the guard left.
["What a trashy communication skills. Can you do a little better than that?"] With its sarcastic voice, he could imagine an old man wearing a mocking smile after saying that.
He did not put the existence's word to heart as it would only lower his already low self-esteem. Anyway, these words aren't new to him. It might hurt but he was used of hearing it.
["I know that you are used to accepting those hurtful words but I want to see you kid retort. Once in your life you became like that but never again. You only have to trust on me."]
["By the way before I forget, let's make you look a little decent before going outside or someone might think they have a seen a walking ugly fool. At least they might see you as a fool but not an unsightly one."]
After hearing its unpleasant words, he suddenly felt a warm and gentle feeling in his body. It was rapidly spreading in his body until it filled every parts of his body, in every corners, from his head to his feet.
After the sensation ended, he got up on bed. This time, he felt invigorated than ever. He went directly to face the mirror as he was too curious about its effect.
And he saw his face as clean as new. There was no trace of cuts and bruises. The dark circles that was supposedly on his eye disappeared like it was never there before. The seemingly permanent scar on his lips and long scar on his forehead magical vanished. Not only that, the broken bone of his nose had seemed to be repaired and it looked refined, straight and prominent again. And his skin looked a lot better as it became whiter, smoother and healthier than before but his built didn't change, neither any part of his face. It was just that his face came back to it's original form. Yet after more than a decade of looking at such a sketched-like face, with a lot strokes of scars and bruises, this seemed so new and refreshing to him. Like he finally drank a jug of fresh water in the middle of the seemingly endless desert.
He cannot help but to touched his face over and over again, having a hard time syncing it all in.
"What happened? Why did it instantly become like this?" After witnessing such an unbelievable feat, he forgot to speak through his mind.
["The face is important especially in pleasing people. Okay, enough of that. Move out."]
There was a hint of annoyance on the existence's voice. It was never surprised of the effect as if it was already to be expected.
The boy was reluctant to leave the mirror. But he seemed to believe a little of the existence's promises after it showed such a formidable feat. For him, its words had a certain weight now.