A loud bang from the door makes Leansei wake up from a long sleep. He slowly opens his eyes and looks for his phone.
As soon as he grabbed his phone, Leansei looked at the time and it was 7 o'clock in the morning.
And then another loud knock on his door that jolted Leansei to get off of the bed to see who was at the door early in the morning.
"Wait a minute," the sleepy voice of Leansei said as he went down the stairs and walked towards the window to check.
His sleepiness immediately faded away when he saw the debt collector in front of his door. Leansei scratched his head and winced as he looked at the door.
After a month of working, Leansei forgot that today is the last day of due, which means he doesn't have enough cash in his pocket at this time, and if he gives him the money from his recent salary, he will most likely go hungry for a week.
"Leansei! I know you're in there! Have you forgotten that today is the due date?" a shout from Mr. Bien outside his door.
Leansei has no choice but to hide the half of the money he got last night before opening the door.
"Mr. Bien, can't you give me another day to pay you?" Leansei asked with a calm voice. Mr. Bien laughed at what he said.
"Another day? There will be no other day! Pay me now or I'll let my men do their jobs," a vicious smile from Mr. Bien. The goons of Mr. Bien are the ones who do the dirty work and clean up his illegal transactions.
Leansei didn't know that before his parents died. His father borrowed a lot of money just to spend it at the casino all day. Now he is having a hard time paying it back.
"But Mr. Bien, the money I gave you last time was too much, not like the deal--" Leansei couldn't finish it when one of Mr. Bien's goons punched him in the face.
Leansei slumped on the floor as he felt the pain in his face and the sting in his lips. But these punches are nothing compared to what he experienced from his passed-away father.
Mr. Bien walked towards him and pulled his hair.
"That's right! You should give me more regardless of the agreement we have. Your fucking father died without paying me!" Mr. Bien then harshly let go of Leansei's hair.
Mr. Bein looked at his goons to signal him to close the door. Leansei looked at the clock that was hanging on the wall.
' It's almost time for my shift... damn. ' Leansei said in his mind.
As the door was closed, Leansei glanced at Mr. Bien, who was taking out his favorite brass knuckles. Leansei clenched his hand and looked at Mr. Bien without any emotions nor fear.
Leansei isn't afraid of getting beat up or fighting until they die. He thinks right now he is going to his part-time jobs to have earnings. He doesn't care less about dying. Instead, he is scared of dying for nothing.
"Where's the money? Give it to me and you'll be good as new." Mr. Bien said, while putting his brass knuckles into his hand.
"I don't have enough money to give you. Give me another day and I'll pay you." He didn't get to finish his words when Mr. Bien started punching his face and stomach.
"Ackk.." Leansei couldn't get up nor feel anything in his body because of the numbness of the punches he got from Mr. Bien. He was lying on the ground while enduring the pain.
He coughed from what he got and spit blood.
"Search his house!" an angry voice from Mr. Bien said while rubbing off the blood on his hand.
Mr. Bien is the most well-known debt collector, and he is also well-known for his illegal transactions, but due to his power, even the police are unable to find dirty work from his hands.
Leansei could feel the numbness and swelling in his face. The soreness couldn't even compare to what he had experienced before.
"Sir, there's an envelope under his bed. It's just half of the money that you have agreed to." A voice from his goon Mr. Bien looked at the tortured Leansei and grabbed his shirt.
"I'll give you two days to pay me. If not, I'll kill you." A threatened voice from Mr. Bien before letting him go and walking out of his apartment.
Leansei felt relieved and laid down on the floor for a few minutes before trying to get up on his feet. But he fell down again because of the pain in his stomach.
He walked toward the bathroom, and after looking at his face, he washed the blood, and afterwards, he could see how damaged his face was. There was a bruise and cuts on his face.
He groans in pain when there is also a bruise on his stomach. Luckily, Mr. Bien didn't punch him more, or he'd be unable to walk or even just stand up on his feet.
He took a shower and got dressed in a shirt and jeans. He grabbed his sling bag, the black cap, and the envelope from outside the window that was glued to the wall.
After locking his gate and apartment, he walked around the corner to wait in the waiting shed.
As he sat in the waiting shed, glancing at the girls talking beside him,
"Hey look, I think it will rain today."
"I think so too. The weather forecast says it."
"Ahhh! Look! I wish I was invited."
"Oh, the grand party?"
"I heard Vcheroi's sons were invited."
"Of course, they are one of the VIP guests!"
"I heard Mr. Devon's son will attend too."
"Yess! They will be trending on social media again."
Leansei looked at his watch since the bus was taking so long.
He glanced beside him, and there was a girl talking about things that he always heard, which was the Vcheroi's son. He was still clueless about who those people were. Leansei doesn't have much time to spend on social media.
He flinched when his phone abruptly rang.
He took out his phone from his bag and it was an unknown number. But he answered anyway.
He thought that maybe it was a job hire. He couldn't risk it.
"Hello?" Leansei said, in line. But there was no response. He's about to end the call when it suddenly speaks.
"Don't visit Grandma anymore." A familiar voice in line. Leansei felt the ache in his heart. For years after they lost contact, he didn't know how to react when he heard his voice again. He was glad and, at the same time, dejected. "Are you listening? Don't visit Grandma anymore. My mother doesn't want to see you, and neither did I."
Leansei clenched his fist in anger. "Why?" All he can say is that word.
"Just don't. If you don't want any trouble with your jobs lately," Then, the next thing he knew, Tyvan ended the call. He looked at his phone with mixed emotions.
Tyvan Devon is his mutual person. They are not lovers, but they are not friends either. Before his grandmother died, Grandma Delin adored Leansei so much that she talked to him in her last breath and told him to visit her every death anniversary.
But something happened unexpectedly, Tyvan suddenly treats him like a stranger or unknown creature. Ever since, Leansei doesn't know the reason why Tyvan treats him that way, and if Leansei asked him, he just got cold replies or the worst.. insults.
Before he got emotional, the bus arrived. He climbed inside the bus and tapped his card before sitting near the window.
As he looked at the window, there were a lot of beautiful views.
He is in Levous City, which is near Lemous City. It's just one ride on the bus.
Levous City is a combination of urban and rural views. Half of the city contains industrial buildings and factories. Half the city has trees and beautiful views. Unlike Lemous City, it is full of infrastructure and ruled by powerful rich families..
A few minutes passed, and Leansei arrived at the coffee shop and expected that there would be only a few customers.
"You finally arrived early." A guy in the crew told him while making coffee. But when he looked at Leansei, he gave him a confused look while staring at Leansei's face. But he didn't ask why.
Leansei wasn't social at all. He spends time with himself, working and doing things on his own.
Leansei does his routine and goes to the counter to serve and take orders, but there are only a few customers who came today.
"Look!! Vcheroi's is trending again!" Leansei's co-worker girl while scrolling on her phone, and the mop stick clings to her arms.
"Don't use your phone while working. You might get fired."
"As if! Everything is clean and there are only a few customers who came today."
"That doesn't mean you can use your phone."
"Does it even matter? The owner is not even here."
"There's CCTV, stupid!"
Leansei laughed quietly while hearing his co-workers' arguments. He had never had the opportunity to have fun or enjoy himself since he was born. He lived his life in a deep and dark well where there was no way out, or even light to warm his cold body, or even a ladder to escape.
.
A few hours had passed, and the owner told the staff to close early because of a few customers and since it was Saturday. Leansei looked at his watch while walking to make his way to the restaurant. He glanced at the sky and saw that it was not as clear as before. Hence, it is a bit darker, which is a sign of rain.
But it had been three and a half years since Levous City had felt the warmth and heard the sound of rain. Some people don't believe that it will rain anymore since it hasn't rained for years, and if it does, it will be a blessing for them. "
.
"Just in time." The owner said while he was busy at the counter. Leansei rushed to the locker room and served afterwards. He didn't think that there would be many more customers on Saturday.
He was running; serving, taking orders, wiping the tables and mopping were all he did continuously for 5 hours. When he is on his break, Leansei goes to the back door and leans against the wall to rest.
He still felt the sting in his face and the pain in his stomach. He gently rubbed his stomach when it growled. He hasn't eaten yet; only the bread in the coffee shop.
"You're here too?" Leansei glanced at him when he heard that voice. He stood up firmly, despite the pain he was feeling.
The owner looked at him directly while lighting his cigarette. It is nearly 5 p.m. in the afternoon, and his shift is nearly over. "You don't need to be tense."
"You always look like a mess," the owner said, while looking at his face.
"You got into the fight?" the cigarette smoke lingered in the air.
Leansei shook his head in an answer. The owner nodded and handed him a cupcake. Leansei was surprised and tha9nked him.
' Why would he give me this? ' Leansei said in his mind.
"Your salary is already in your account. Just check it and also enjoy your day. " He said this while walking away." Don't let yourself get beaten up with useless pricks." The last phrase he said before leaving Leansei alone.
Leansei looked at the cupcake as he tried to understand the phrases the owner told him. He took his phone to check the date.
He was surprised that the owner knew his birthday. Even Leansei couldn't remember his own day because he was a student at the same time working every day. He never got to talk to him, thank him, or just because he doesn't have enough courage to do so.
____