"I'm so bored. Maybe some snack would do."
I haven't been outside for days. Just laying around, staring at the ceiling as if that would pull me out of my life's rock bottom.
"Come on, Enon Musk. You and your Mesla must do better than this...This is murder you know."
I walk down the empty streets, eyes sticking to the phone screen. The stock market has been in a deep crisis lately due to frequent industrial facility burnt-downs. And that's also the reason my finances went from nearly zero to red now.
Suddenly, appears from afar a blurred silhouette walking towards me. My anxiety kicks in nearly immediately.
"Oh my god... Please don't be someone I know. I look like a freak right now." - I mumble to myself while covering my face with my arm.
"Take! Dude, are you good? You boy worried me so damn much!"
That silhouette seems to have recognized my identity and rushes to me with the loudest voice possible as if he wants the whole neighborhood to peek outside their windows and glance at a scared freak about to piss himself.
"Raynor. Hi." - I greet weakly.
Raynor grabs my shaking shoulders with his strong firm hands.
"You have not been picking up phone calls. Nor texts! What are you up to? I mean, I know it's been a hard time for you lately, and you need some time, everybody does!"
He looks at me with concerns overflowing his shiny black eyes. But I cannot even look straight at his face. Instead, I kept making eye contact with the ground as if the real Raynor were down there.
"Your sister passed away. I understand that it ain't easy for you to face it. The accident happened too suddenly..."
"That was NOT an accident!"
I heard grunts in my hardened voice and my chest became stiff as stone. Ah, here it goes again. Everyone keeps telling me that the only person I consider family died just because it was an unlucky day for her. They all know that it's bull-dump. There were deep sharp wounds on her back. She was murdered. Someone sliced through her rib cage as if it were made of butter. Yet the police are not bothered enough to investigate further just because she was an 'insignificant laborer' of an insignificant company. Just because we were nothing in this corrupted city.
"Okay okay, I'm sorry boy. You know I ain't mean it. All I wanna say is that Take, you have a friend. Don't try to keep it all to yourself, it ain't good. You have me. Seeing you like this hurts me too!"
"Leave me alone."
I shrug Raynor's hands off my shoulders, head towards and stride quickly. My head spins indefinitely. I shouldn't have gone outside. 'Snack would do' my butt. I should have just stayed in bed waiting for time to crawl slowly till I died rotten on the sheet.
"Takehito! I'm sorry!"
Raynor chases me down. It didn't take him long to catch up with me with his athletic body and his tall figure.
"I said 'Leave me alone'. Didn't you dig it?"
"Takehito. Actually, I wanted to tell you somethin'. About your sister's death. I'm starting to think that it ain't just a coincidence either. Maybe there was something shady behind all this."
His words stopped me for a few seconds. I threw a doubtful glance at him.
"You're just trying to lure me out. Lemme tell you, all these games don't work on me."
"I'm being serious Take. I've been doing some research for a while now. I found some leads that could be useful."
Raynor knows 'some people'. He is a veteran himself. Got himself injured in a battle back in America, and now he is here, retired, and picked up a new weapon to wield beside guns - Japanese katana. Half of his profile makes his words trustworthy enough to change my cocky attitude. Or at least, adjust it a little.
"How about us discussing it in a cafe? I know one with very good milk crepes near the station."
I heave a sigh. I'm unsure how many parts of this is the truth, or whether he could really help me get some useful information that proves my stance. But something is better than nothing, isn't it? I'm in despair right now.
...
In the cafe
"I'll have two milk crepes and one cappuccino, please!"
"Two milk crepes and one cappuccino, got it! What about you, sir?"
The waitress turns to me, waiting patiently for the order. Her stare scares the freak out of me. I have no idea what to order. I try to speak, but my voice seems to be stuck in my throat and I end up making a weird little squeak. I despise how socially awkward I can be when I get nervous.
"He'll have an espresso. Thank you!"
Raynor saves me from an incoming heart attack. The waitress smiles gently, confirms the order, and then leaves.
"You can have my cappuccino if you want since it's easier to drink." - Raynor smiles, leaning back on his chair to enjoy the relaxing coffee scent filling up the air.
"Tell me about what you said earlier. What do you know?"
"I will, Take. Relax a bit." - Raynor laughs, waving his hand.
"I know a guy. I will let you talk to him. But right now, I need to use the toilet for a while, if you don't mind."
He stood up and walked away. Is this guy even being serious? I couldn't relax. My hands couldn't stop messing with the cutlery on the table, and my head felt scorching for some reason.
Suddenly, a person came sitting down on the chair Raynor just left.
"Hello."
It was not Raynor. I was stunned for a while. It is a young teenage boy with a short bob in top red kungfu uniform. Someone I don't know. He was sitting there, crossing his arms and staring at me.
"W-Who are you?!" - I heard my voice trembling while lowkey freaking out.
"My name is Yang. Nice to meet you."