I have lived all my life as a student. Only a month ago I started working for a rich businessman as his secretary. Though the job was demanding and it left me exhausted, I was earning so well. And now I am a stall owner who got threatened by thugs and gangsters.
The man looked reluctant, though I could see a bunch of notes in his pocket.
That was when I felt the same bunch of notes in my pocket too. Generally, I am a stingy person only spending on my friends and family and hardly doing charity. But when I felt the betrayal of the rabbit, my blood raged. I wanted to see how they would make sure that I never lacked money.
With that thought, my lips curled into a sinister smile and I took out the curled note.
"Here, I am going to pay for him." they looked at me surprised when I walked over and handed it over to them indifferently,
They looked at me with squinted eyes and looked back with equal fierceness when one of them laughed over me.
"Ha! You are paying rent for him when you have not paid yours too, Ethan?" I know that rabbit had lied! The shame of his.
"Tch! You do not need to look at us with such gloomy eyes. As long as you pay your rent tomorrow, we will not create trouble for you." my eyebrows creased as I lamented in my heart. Why did I believe the rabbit and why did I offer the money to a stranger? But what was done, was done. I nodded and they strutted toward other stalls asking for rent without any power.
"Ha! Young man, you can not continue doing this. You have already praised me for the tenth time this year. How will I face you if it continues." my lips twitched when I heard them. Would it not mean that I have been paying for him all the time?
That means the owner of this body is not only useless but he is too kind too. That did not suit me at all. But as I looked at his red eyes and bitter smile, I just shook my hands.
"It is alright." was all I could say. It would have been easier if I had inherited the memories of this body too. I wonder was this Ethan who was going to die last night? My thoughts were broken by his lamenting. the man sighed deeply again.
"You have already saved the life of my wife by paying for his operation and now you have helped me here so many times. I do not know how to pay you back," he spoke in an anguished voice when I raised a brow. Was it not strange that a dirt poor man like the owner of this body had enough to do so much charity?
Either he was a kind-hearted fool who believed in selling himself for the help of others. Or… he indeed had saved a lot of wealth. But how? The thought confused me. But the man continued as if he would not stop until he sang his whole story. "But do not worry, young man, the loan of 100,000 dollars you have given to me will be paid for sure. If I could not pay it, my daughter would continue it. She is getting her degree and soon she will find a good job. Then she could pay you in installments. Alas, if only you had graduated with that money." he shook his head as if he was lamenting over the fact that the young man did not study.
He looked at him as if he was a foolish boy who had no goal in his life.
Would a sane man give such a large amount to a stranger rather than opening a business for himself? I do feel like a fool now.
"Alas! Do you have any other goals in your life? Do you want to sell snacks all your life? Even if that is the case, you should start with a shop and earn a name for yourself." I felt bitter at the thought that the one I helped was cursing me for being so foolish.
As if sensing that the man looked bitter now, he patted my back and smiled at me, consoling, "But do not worry, if you cannot find any girl with your current job, I will marry my daughter to you. She is a beauty and already has many followers. But we owe you so much that I want my daughter to be with you. Perhaps marriage will change you for good.'' The smile he showed finally had kindness in it so I let go of the bitter feeling in my head and nodded.
What I gave did not belong to me. So I should not care about it too much. Since the owner had given it, who am I to complain? And the girl? I did remember adding girls in my condition. Perhaps it was a sign of me getting a beautiful wife.
"Thank you, old man, I will remember it." he laughed and nodded.
"My daughter likes you anyway. I am sure she misses the time when you come to our house every day. Oh! Why have I not thought about it?" Tonight I came home. I will treat you to a nice dinner." I nodded at once since I had no idea where to go. Perhaps I could convince the daughter to give me a ride home and ask more about myself.
Only when midnight arrived did they close their stalls. While everyone was trying to lure more and more customers, I was sitting there with a gloomy face as I sorted thoughts in my mind.
The man had slipped that I lived in a rented house near his house. And I moved here when I was seventeen. I never told him who I was or about my family so he believed that I was an orphan.
His family had offered me food and other help at the start and since then I have been giving them money whenever they need it.
His daughter is a good friend and perhaps knows more about me. But he was sure that I was not rich. And all this money could be my savings or my inheritance so far.
"So.. now that I have given up on everything. I at least hope that his daughter is as pretty as he had claimed."