20th June, 2024.
The 16 year old yawned as he finally landed in Taipei after a grueling 11 hour flight. He stretched and yawned while heading towards his next gate; C4.
"Terminal 2.."
He mumbled to himself while pulling his carry-on behind him. He put away his boarding ticket and continued towards his destination at a fairly slow pace.
"I'm hungry.."
He thought to himself as he looked over to the McDonalds at the corner of his eye. He shrugged and walked towards it. Luckily, there wasn't anybody else ordering so he got to order instantly.
...
After talking with his mom and dad while eating his food, he continued his way towards C4. He'd arrive there quickly and checked the time, realising he had 2 hours left before boarding. The teenager sits down on the matted floor near 2 outlets, which he both used to put in an extension with multiple outlets. He'd take out his wires and charge every electronic he had brought; his phone, his earbuds, his other earbuds, his powerbank, his second powerbank and lastly, both his parents old phones. He'd use his phone which was still charging to contact 2 young women that were his older cousins.
"Who is it?"
The one with red highlights on her hair asks loudly from the other room while playing with the 5 year old Dasel.
"It's Charles!"
The one with completely black hair answered loudly.
"Hey."
The teen, Charles, greeted with a yawn.
"Hi Alcel."
"Hii! What were you doing?"
"I was uh.. Busy."
Alcel shrugged her eyebrows but before she could ask further, the other one barges in the room.
"You're telling me that you couldn't contact us because you were BUSY?!"
"I mean.. Yeah? What do you want me to do about it Krisha?"
He answered to Krisha's tantrums. Krisha merely sighed while Alcel giggled.
"We're just worried."
"..I'm sorry, I'm sorry then. I wanted to contact you two but I passed out of fatigue."
Charles told them.
"Well.. Not exactly false but not exactly true either. Plane flights tire the hell out of you for no reason at all."
He thought to himself while continuing the conversation with his cousin..
...
A stewardess comes up to Charles and silently nods towards him, to which he'd nod as well.
"Alright, I have to go now."
"What?! But we just started talking!"
Krisha shouted, causing some pain in the 16 year old's ear.
"It's been over an hour.. Anyways, ciao! I love you guys, talk to you later!"
"He-!"
"By-!"
He quickly said as he hung up the phone, not wanting to get scolded even more by Krisha.
"Hello, Charles. We have to board now."
The stewardess told the teen.
"Ah, sorry. I was talking with my cousins."
He said as he unplugged everything and put the wires in a tupperware, all neatly done to fit the small space. He'd put his parents phones in their designated phone boxes and grab his earbuds and powerbanks to put in his small black bag that he put around his body. He'd put on his backpack, then his small bag before grabbing his carry-on and following the stewardess.
"Mhm.. You know, Taipei will undoubtedly be a lot more strict on you."
She said to him.
"Mhm? Why is that, Mary?"
He asked Mary.
"Your current look doesn't at all fit what you look like on your passport."
She said, giving him a small laugh.
"Did I say something funny?"
"No no.. It's just that it's so true.. But at the same time, I paid for a first-class ticket and I give tips to whoever is the one serving me on the plane every time. Do you think they'll be so strict on somebody who has given so much to many?"
Mary thought for a bit while leading him to the plane.
"Perhaps. "
"Perhaps, indeed..
"..?"
Mary feels the atmosphere change around herself as she turns back to look at Charles.
"Besides, I have something else to rely on.."
"And what is it..?"
He takes on a massive grin as he pulls somebody out of his pocket.. Mary closes her eyes for a bit, before opening them to see Charles eating some red bean bread.
"What..?"
"Food. Everybody loves food."
Mary stares at him in disbelief.
"What."
"..Let's just get going.."
The both then arrive at the place before boarding the plane, where there'd be a man with a scanner with him.
"Boarding pass."
He said towards Charles. Mary walks past the man and waits for Charles.
"Here."
He'd give his passport and boarding ticket to the man. The man opens the passport and would be completely shocked by the different between the kid on the photo and the teenager infront of him.
"Excuse me sir, but is this a fake passport?"
He asked while continuously observing the differences. The teen infront of him had a scar that overlapped his mouth on his face, multiple scars on his forearms that most likely continue to his bicep and so-on. He had black t-shirt on and some black sweatpants accompanied by some black Jordan shoes. He also had tied his hair. Even though his shirt was baggy, he didn't exactly have a sleeper build. His body was built enough to see through his baggy clothes. Meanwhile, the kid on the picture seemed perfectly innocent and had nothing to him whatsoever. The man was heavily breathing, unsure on what to believe. The person infront of him didn't seem to be lying but he didn't want to fail first day on the job.
"You seem stressed, here."
Charles then tossed the man some red bean bread.
"Ah? Oh.. Thanks."
The man then calms down as he takes a bite out the bread. He'd scan the ticket and give back both the ticket and passport back to Charles.
"Safe travels, sir."
The mam wished as Charles pulled his carry-on past him, joining Mary.
"Told you."
"Shush."
...
About 10 minutes before landing, Charles started looking at some old pictures from last year. Alcel and Krisha.. To him, they meant everything. He started grinning at the thought of their reactions since he did not tell anybody that he'd be returning to the Philippines.
"Hahaha!"
He laughs to himself, which attracted the passenger across him in first-class.
"Oh sorry, just remembered something."
...
Mary would be waiting for Charles at the exit of the plane.
"It was a pleasure serving you, Charles."
"Drop the formalities, Mary. Thank you for taking care of me."
He then gives her a small hug and brings his mouth closer to her ear.
"Check your cashapp later."
He whispered as he left the plane with his carry-on.
"Next.. My larger baggage."
He rushes towards the luggage zone, where many people would already be. Charles sees his red baggage approaching, so he'd lean forward to grab it. He'd grab it by the handle and pick up the 21 kg bag with ease, grabbing the attention from others.
"..What."
He said as he looked towards the people around him before shrugging and simply leaving. He'd go out of the airport and call for a taxi.
"Where to sir?"
The man asks while putting Charles's baggages in the back.
"To the bus station."
Charles said as the driver starts the path.
"So where you from?"
The man asks with a strong filipino accent.
"Just came from Canada."
"Really? What are you here for?"
"Just to visit family."
"That's nice. Where do they live?"
"In Oaqui."
"Oh? Oaqui? That's pretty far."
"That's exactly why I came in the afternoon."
His answer confused the driver, but the driver wouldn't dare to continue appeasing his curiosity..
...
The 5 hour ride was fairly quick, especially since Charles slept throughout most of it. He gets down from the bus and grabs his luggage from the pocket compartment on the side of it. He then goes to wait for his proper bus. Once more, his luck came in clutch as the bus he needed arrived rather quickly.
"Ah, nice."
He'd then put his luggage in the pocket compartment of this bus before going inside..
...
About 10 minutes to his destination, Charles would open up his backpack and grab his cloak and some lipstick.
"Man.. Well, the liptint should add a bit of a fear factor anyways."
He said as he untied his hair and let his curly, silky and smooth black hair run down his face, hiding most facial details apart his mouth. He applies the red lipstick, which would contrast the darkness under his hair. He'd put on his cloak, which covered the top of his head and seemed like a scarf.
"Mhm.. Am I going too far just to scare them a bit?"
He asks himself as he put on his backpack. He didn't put on his smaller bag since it was already inside his bigger one.
"Napaset!"
The driver shouts, to which only Charles stood up for and walked down the bus. He'd grab his stuff from pocket compartment of the bus, before waving towards a tricycle driver. He'd put his stuff in the front of the tricycle and go sit behind the driver on the motorcycle.
"Oaqui 3, by Luzviminda's place."
Charles said as the driver revved up the motor..
...
The driver brings out the teenager's stuff as Charles takes 50 peso from his wallet.
"Here."
He'd give it to the man, who'd nod and thank him before getting on his motorcycle and driving away..
Charles would bring his stuff up to his uncle, tito Erol's place and hide it in the darkness of his place. Suddenly, he'd hear some shouts coming from where he had just left. He rushed towards the screams to see a drunk man harassing a young girl.
"C'mon.. J-Just one time.."
He says while holding both her arms.
"N-No! Get away from me!"
"That's not what I fucking want to hear!"
He'd let go of her hand and swing it back to gain enough power to knock her out with a slap. She closed her eyes, bracing for the pain.. But it never came. Instead, she'd see a man with a cloak on and no visible facial features.
"Who the fuck are yo-"
Before he could finish talking, he'd be sent flying with a punch. Luzviminda, Alcel, Krisha and the kids ran out of the gate to see what was happening. They all get scared as they see the drunk man crawling away in fear and as the man with a cloak approach him.
Before anything could happen, the drunk man gets up and runs away. Charles would go towards the girl and help her up.
"Are you okay?"
He asked to the clearly traumatised girl.
"..Go straight home. I'll call a tricycle for you to bring you back home. If you know the man's name, call the police."
She'd nod as he called a passing tricycle. He'd give the driver 50 pesos and tell him to bring her home. He'd then walk back towards Erol's place. He'd then notice the many people hiding for their lives on the terrace. He'd jump onto the fence and jump onto the ledge of the terrace, bringing himself up and climbing into it. He'd then see many people hidden under blankets, scared for their lives..
Alcel and Krisha remained under the blankets with everybody else, even Luzviminda who'd be hugging onto Eros and Dasel. They'd then hear the door of the terrace close shut.
"Who's going to open it?"
Whispered Jovhine. Krisha slowly gets up and opens the door..
"RAAAH!"
The man with the cloak shouts, scaring the living hell out of Krisha. Krisha braces herself for any oncoming injuries, but is instead met by a familiar laugh and familiar feeling around her body. She'd open her eyes to see the person with their cloak removed and their hair out of the way of their face.
"W-What.."
Everybody gets up and stand behind her in a (make-do) fighting stance.. But even they all didn't know who was there.
"Charles?!"
"Hey!"
He shouts as everybody hugs him.
"Haha! Did I scare you guys?"
He asks.
"We didn't get scared at all!"
Alcel answered.
"As if! You were the one shaking the most!"
Luzviminda answered, causing everybody to laugh.
"Where's your luggage anyways?"
"Ah, downstairs by tito Erol's place. I'll go grab it."
He said as he started walking down the stairs. Alcel followed him and Krisha wanted to as well, but Eros being Eros, he kept her from even moving.
"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"
"It's 10 PM, that's why. Not to mention, I really wanted to scare you guys."
He said, getting a playful punch from Alcel on his shoulder.
"Jackass.."
When they arrived down the stairs, Charles would be met by a familiar warm feeling wrapping around his body.
"Welcome home, my big boy.."
Alcel said while tearing up. Charles would hug back tightly.
"Happy to be back, shortie.."