Chapter twenty one
Song recommendation . Guerilla by ATEEZ and blue and grey by BTS
Vin nodded along with the man . Truth to be told he was getting tired of this ever going conversation . Won't he just get to the main issue and for go all the useless ones ??
But the man seems to be hell-bent on telling Vin all about this master or lord Cian of his .
" Now what was written in the poster exactly is the real news that I know you've been waiting for . You see , there's this exam that people take ,both the rich and poor . The highest creatures and the lowest . No discrimination . It was good for the lesser privileged creatures because it enable them to be valued and respected . And of course it also meant that they'll be part of the highs . As I was saying . " He clutched the basket tighter to himself when they both saw a long hand reaching out of the crowd to touch the content of the basket .
The man eyed the hand that apparently belonged to a bald man with a huge pot belly and yellow teeth . He snatched back his hand quickly and flashed another smile at them . He resumed looking at the poster while staring at them from the corner of his eyes .
Vin shook his head and thought " perhaps I'll never understand the way this people lives ."
"So , Lord Cian is part of those that will be taking the exam later in the month . You see!!?? That's the first news as they're still more . " He raised his eyebrows and laughed .
Vin noticed that the man was missing two front teeth but still he smiled at him . His stomach once again , realerted him and told him about it hunger .
But there was nothing he could do for now . Frank , the man's name seemed to have noticed as he smiled and pointed to the ysm in his basket
Vin nodded vigorously and his head bobbed up and down . He gulped down his saliva as his tongue and moth watered just thinking about eating .
Well ,they can't blame him can they ? Perhaps when they're in his shoes they'll be able to realize what was happening to him .
He collected the yam and thanked the man profusely .
"The first new is shocking right ?? . " The man asked and paused , waiting for vin's assertion ..
Vin simply nodded and that encouraged the talkative man to continue his têtê a têtê .
"Now , what more shocking I'd this . No one ,I mean no one had ever heard about Lord Cian having servants . He lived with the gyoles and other mysterious being . And now he's in need of servants ,! . That's why the whole city , the whole market was in turmoil . That salary looks quite promising . But the problem is with the day that "who is willing to cope with all those insult for the money ?? " And from the look of things quite a lot of people are interested already . "
Vin now totally understand where Frank was coming from . This Lord Cian sounds mysterious himself and so full of himself if whatever Frank told h could he believed .
"Now I'd better get going . " Vin bowed and turned to leave when he felt someone grabbing his arm .
He turned to look and saw Frank staring at him with a crooked smile on his face .
Ok, but what went wrong ? When did the sweet little Frank turned to "this "looking Frank??
"Errr . I need to go. "He smiled through his confusion and hoped that Frank would let him go now .
But no , that smile was still there and he wasn't letting go of vin's collar . No, that getting more weird.
He stretched out his Palm and Vin stared into them . Not getting what this was all about . Not getting what the message that Frank was trying to pass was .
"My money ?? You are the yam remember? I bet it was delicious right ? It was homemade and now I need money . " Frank smiled , but it certainly didn't reach his eyes . It made him look more cold and calculating than before ..
Vin racked his brain and tried to add two and two together. He had no money with him . Heck ! He had no place to sleep tonight .
He wasn't even full with the piece of yam that he ate .
"Uhmm , I ....eerrr...you know ....u just.. I just ..like you know came out of travel? So I don't have .... I mean ....I dont have any money for now . " He spoke nervously .
Oh no ! Oh no ! Was the words he kept repeating . At the change of Frank's expression . All traces of the talkative man was no where to be found and was replaced with a hard faced man that Vin was now afraid of .
"But you ate the yam , no ? And you have to pay . "
Vin groaned . It was like they weren't speaking the same language anymore . How was he supposed to get out of this one ?
The crowds had dispersed and new people were coming in , only Vin and Frank were left from the previous batch .
Each one trying to claim their right , one was being insistent on the fact that he'll collect his money , while the other was simply confused
Soon a handful of people came to patronize Frank for a moment , he let go of his collar but still he kept his eyes on him. Not wanting him to escape
Vin had nowhere to go before , so he took a seat and waited for Frank to finish with his sales so that they could settle their difference .
Which difference? So that Vin could plead his way out of the predicament that he had once again found himself stuck in .
It was as if he was destined for this and not another other thing . Because how could he be leaving from one problem to the other
Frank finished his and came to meet Vin where he sat cooped up . He had his leg up to himself and he was hugging it. The sky was rapidly changing and the sun was starting to wester and everything was getting darker with each passing seconds
He looked happy as he took his seat , perhaps he had gotten a good deal out of his goods . And that looked like the only reason .
"I'll try to understand your situation but you should know . Not everyone would tolerate what I'll tolerate for today . Truth to be told, I'm neither a nice man nor a bad man . I'm just a man of principle . But remembering the story of you coming from a far village made me reconsider . I'll let you go . " He smiled at Vin and stood up . With his bag ..
He bid Vin goodbye and went his way . To the right .
And what a coincidence! As Vin was also heading toward the right . And so , without wasting time , he begin to follow Frank .
Or to put it properly , he was going his own way that happened to he the same way which Frank was going . Isn't that fate ??
Frank was a very security oriented man . He looked back thrice and tried to see if anyone was following him .
But for once , Vin was glad for his disguise as it allowed him to blend with the other people .
His gaze strayed away from his errr.. helper for some minutes and he was totally out of sight!
Vin couldn't find him again. Where had Frank gone ?
He looked around the crowd , trying to look for a man that was clutching his basket so tight to his chest .
He bumped into someone during his moment of not looking ahead , he looked up mentally preparing himself for another row and row of apology .
He looked up and was shocked ! Here he was !
Frank was staring straight into vin's lowered eyes .
Oh shit ! His cover was totally blown .
"I knew someone was following me . So it was you ?? ." He raised his brows in inquiry .
What should Vin say ??