Nick stood there, half-naked, with a dark shadow hovering over his eyes. The atmosphere was chilly so heshivered a bit.
However, his mind was steeled. He had already come this far, so there was no going back now.
He methodically took off his white sleeveless shirt and dropped it on the counter.
Just then, the brown-skinned girl chuckled and said to Sonny, the edgy brat, "He's like, so skinny. Almost like I'm looking at a skeleton."
"Yeah," Sonny concurred and shook his head. He stared down at Nick and mockingly added, "I wonder when he last had a proper meal."
Nick's tongue made rounds in his mouth. He couldn't help but say to the duo, "Can both of you shut up?"
Sonny and the girl seemed to be taken aback. They looked at each other with shock evident in their eyes… and burst into wicked laughter.
Johan couldn't hold it in and chuckled quite a bit too.
Nick was left a bit stunned by their reaction. What was so funny?
He glanced at the familiar girl at the back. She was looking away from him and had a slight frown on her eyebrows, accompanied by a disturbed look.
Johan was different though. His smirk widened and he slapped the $200 for the sleeveless shirt on the counter.
"You're fun!"
Nick clicked his tongue looking at the sum on the counter. It was now a staggering $1,600. The regret he felt deep in his heart was palpable.
'Dammit. If I knew this would happen, I would have worn more clothes.'
"Chop chop, Nicholas. I still have some cash and you still have some 'clothes' on," Johan mocked.
Sonny didn't think Nick would do it, so he just scoffed and remained silent.
Without needing another jeer, Nick hesitantly clutched the hem of his briefs.
"Wait! I didn't think you would go that far. I don't want to see this," the brown-skinned girl said, looking irritated.
Sonny turned to Johan. "Yeah. That'll be too much. Right, princess?"
The familiar fair-skinned girl glanced at Sonny and nodded.
"Yes. That'll be too much."
Johan clicked his tongue at his friends' complaints.
"Wait," he told Nick then slapped another $200 on the counter. "Don't worry about that one. I don't think I want to see your junk either."
Nick silently breathed out in relief.
"But," Johan continued, "the game hasn't ended yet. We'll have to substitute it for something else."
He took some seconds to think and muttered, "Something else just as intense."
Johan clicked his fingers and pointed down. "Why don't you come and kiss my foot?"
Nick's eyebrows twisted a bit. He repeated, "I should… come and kiss your foot?"
Johan nodded with a sinister grin. "And maybe bark like a dog too."
Nick heard him loud and clear this time. This was the final stage of this spoiled brat's game.
'Well, beggars can't be choosers now, can they?' he thought self-deprecatingly.
Nick calmly left his position behind the counter.
In silence, he knelt before the spoiled brat in only his blue briefs. Without complaint, he pressed his lips on the tip of the latter's leather boot.
Johan squatted down to meet Nick's gaze with a triumphant smile playing on his lips.
He placed a hand on Nick's head and ruffled his hair. With a mocking grin, he said, "It always puts a smile on my face to see someone who knows their place and embraces it. It is as the world should be.
"Now, bark."
Nick's eyes were darkened as he faced the floor.
'This is my place in the world? To kneel and beg, again and again?'
Nick raised his head to meet Johan's gaze. He was… smiling!
"Woof!"
Johan burst into intense, wicked laughter but still managed to maintain his gentlemanliness. He was so amused he palmed his forehead.
Sonny and the brown-skinned girl awkwardly began laughing too, as it seemed out of place and but embarrassing that Johan laughed alone.
Nick just held an awkward smile all through.
He had to admit Johan was a bit funny too. In this world where he was subject to the inevitable fate of life-long suffering, destined to lead a life of no meaning, and perish as though he never existed, he was supposed to embrace his role? Nick wanted to laugh.
'Dream on.'
Top Idol had given him a platform. A chance. And there was no way he was ever letting go of it. This was a battlefield, where there was no time for dignity, pride, or integrity. So no matter how degrading or humiliating, there was no excuse for failure here, because failure meant death.
The only path left for Nick now was up.
Johan's laugh died down and he clapped.
"You've won, Nicholas."
Nick wasn't listening. He now just noticed that the familiar girl didn't share in the laughter. Instead, she seemed discomforted, with her gaze completely elsewhere.
His eyes met hers as she briefly glanced down.
She wore an expression of shock before noticing Johan was glaring at her from the corner of his eyes.
Her shock turned to a rising irritation and said with disdain, "Can you stop staring at me, please? You disgust me."
The store fell into an uncomfortable complete silence after she made her cutting comment, but it was quickly broken by the group's renewed laughter. This time, they were all genuine.
Still kneeling, Nick held his awkward smile.
'You can all laugh for now. It's alright. I'll make sure to laugh even louder when it's my turn.'
Johan's gaze shifted back to Nick's half-naked body.
Clip!
Nick was jolted from his thoughts as he heard the sound of a camera shutter. Johan had slyly taken a picture of him!
Fear and panic surged within him and he screamed, "W-What are you doing?!"
Pa!
Johan's boot landed harshly on Nick's face.
"I'm tired of your whining. Can't you just let us have fun?"
Nick lay half-naked on the dusty and cold floor of the convenience store, too dumbfounded to even react. However, the familiar feeling of powerlessness washed over him once more.
Johan got up and walked over to the counter, snatched the pack of beer and cigarettes, then headed for the door with his friends.
"The money's on the counter. I wanted to take it back, but you're such a loyal dog. Heh, and every good dog deserves a treat. Also, don't ogle another man's girl so brazenly. Next time, I won't be so lenient."
He sported a smirk as he walked away, with an arm resting on the fair-skinned girl's shoulders.
The edgy brat laughed and said, "Have a good one, Nicholas."
As Johan and his group left the store, Nick tiredly sat up.
The entrance door creaked open again, announcing a new customer's arrival. It was still the edgy brat.
He quickly walked past Nick, grabbed all the cash on the counter, and stuffed some into his pocket.
"I'm collecting this back so this entire game never happened. We could all get in unnecessary trouble, most especially you. You should've just ignored the ID stuff. I'm leaving $100 for the beer and cigarettes. You can keep the change."
Nick just stared blankly at him.
Without waiting for Nick's reply, the edgy brat stuffed the remaining cash into his inner jacket pocket and hastily ran out the door.
Gring~
Almost immediately after, a voice spoke in Nick's mind.
[Task completed.]
…
[Rule #3: Pointer status is non-transferable and cannot be sold, exchanged, traded, shared, or undone.]