Several days had passed since Yohan transformed his appearance. On the night of the change, Jun returned from his boxing practice to find Yohan helping Landon prepare dinner at his apartment. The sight left Jun dazed and confused, he assumed that Landon had brought a new friend home. But as it turned out, it was just Yohan in a brand new look. Both Landon and Yohan found Jun's reaction amusing, causing them to burst into laughter.
The memory made Yohan chuckle softly as he found himself back inside Landon's cozy apartment once again. He came here practically every day now, but never got bored of spending time with his friend, even if they spent most of their time lounging around or going on leisurely outings. Yohan couldn't deny that there seemed to be something special about Landon. Perhaps it was because he suspected that Landon must come from an incredibly wealthy family who held considerable power in this city? Or something else?
As he sat on the sofa lost in thought, Landon suddenly emerged from his bedroom wearing a smile on his face, while hiding something behind his back. With theatrical steps as if performing in an opera, he made his way over to Yohan and presented him with the object hidden behind his back: an ID card and a bank card.
"Ta-daaaa!!! Finally, what you've been waiting for is here!" Landon exclaimed as he placed both items in Yohan's hands.
Yohan stared at the two objects, especially the ID card, while running his fingers over its surface. Various emotions stirred inside him, for the first time in his life, he had something that validated his identity and existence in this world.
"T..Thank you..."
Yohan's voice was choked with emotion as he thanked Landon. Landon understood him so well, pulling him into a comforting hug and patting his back gently.
Landon let out a sigh and admitted, "I'm not good at comforting others. Every time I try to console Jun, it ends up making the situation worse. He lashes out at me for saying the wrong thing."
Yohan couldn't help but chuckle softly. He knew that this was Landon's way of showing support and affection towards his friend.
Perhaps all the hardships Yohan had faced in his past life were meant to lead him to meet someone like Landon in this second chance at life. Though Yohan still couldn't believe why Landon insisted on being such a good friend to him - always ready and willing to help whenever Yohan needed it. But maybe it was destiny that brought them together at just the right time...
"By the way..." Landon continued as he released their embrace and gestured towards a bank card on Yohan's lap. "I put the money from the sale of the jade bangle on that card."
Landon grinned and added, "Oh, the PIN number for that card is actually the date you escaped from your uncle's house."
Yohan examined the bank card with a mixture of awe and disbelief. "If I may know how much the total sales price is...?" he asked tentatively.
The amount that spilled from Landon's lips almost caused Yohan to drop the card in shock. Could his path in this life really be this smooth? From having nothing to becoming a millionaire in an instant?
"Seriously?! Where did you sell it?" he exclaimed, unable to hide his shock.
Landon scratched the back of his head nervously as he answered uncertainly, "Overseas auction...?"
Yohan's expression grew more perplexed as he sensed that even Landon wasn't sure about where or how it had been sold. Landon let out an uneasy laugh before quickly changing the topic, asking Yohan about his future plans.
"So, have you thought about your future, Yohan? Do you really want to work? Or do you want to go to school?" Landon inquired cautiously. "Being locked up for a dozen years means you never went to school, right?"
Yohan nodded in agreement. "I... I never went to school.." he admitted quietly. "But I was always self-taught. My uncle and aunt gave me all kinds of textbooks."
He paused for a moment before adding, "I sometimes went to school though, only when my cousin needed someone to cover for him during exams. At first, I was scared because I'd never been out and being in such crowded places before... but after doing it often enough, I got used to it." A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he remembered those brief glimpses of school life.
Landon covered his face with one hand, and Yohan could hear the muffled sounds of cursing. He then looked at Yohan with a sympathetic expression as he removed his hands from his face.
"In that case, do you want to try going to school?" he asked gently.
Yohan shook his head. "Maybe in the future" he replied. "Right now I'm still learning about life outside the house."
The truth was, every time Yohan went out, whether it was to a store or restaurant, he felt nervous and unsure of himself. He wasn't sure if he was doing everything right and always second-guessed himself. Despite this inner turmoil, Yohan never let on how anxious he truly felt when entering unfamiliar places.
"Before, I thought that by working, it would be easier for me to adapt to life," Yohan continued after a moment's pause. "Perhaps school could help too, but until I am certain my uncle won't find me within three months, I don't want to go to school yet."
Landon sighed but seemed to understand Yohan's reasoning.
"Then what do you want to do?"
Yohan lowers his head, feeling lost and uncertain about his future. "I still don't know..." He murmured softly.
Landon placed a reassuring hand on Yohan's shoulder, offering comfort and support. "It's okay not to know right now." He reassured him. "Take your time to explore your options and find what feels right for you."
Yohan nodded, grateful for Landon's support and understanding.
Landon beamed at him before standing up from the couch. "How about we go out today?" He suggested with an air of excitement in his voice. "We could go to... one of my favorite places... maybe as a new experience for you."
He placed a gentle hand on Yohan's back, guiding him towards the door as they left his apartment. But even as they made their way down to the parking lot, Yohan couldn't shake off this uneasy feeling that was gnawing away at him.
"Where are we going?" He finally asked once they were inside Landon's car.
After starting the engine and pulling out onto the road, Landon turned to him with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Nggg... maybe just a bar?"
Instantly, Yohan felt his heart drop into his stomach, bad experiences always seemed to happen to him in bars in his previous life.
Besides, due to Kian and their serendipitous encounters, Yohan became more cautious whenever he ventured into new places. The memory of their first meeting at the bar in his past life made him wonder if there would be any unexpected coincidences this time around.
"Surely lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place..." He muttered under his breath.
As they drove towards their destination in silence, Yohan silently prayed for nothing but the best outcome, no more unexpected twists or turns.