Late at night, in the spacious room where Max slept, he was currently playing video games with his friends online.
"Hey, what am I doing with my life, playing with you Chinese guys at three in the morning instead of sleeping?"
"Hey, idiot, show some respect! When we win our next tournament, we'll take you to the red-light district!"
"You've been saying that for three years. Can't you come up with a more believable line?" Max teased his friends who lived in China, where it was prime gaming time, unlike him, who was staying up too late.
The friend he was speaking with was an old martial arts schoolmate. His name was Cheng, a highly skilled individual who had reached Max's level in many ways.
There were others, and a guy named Dre, whom he knew little about because Dre had left China after being disqualified from the tournament they all participated in.
"Hey, Max, are you saying you'll make money from standard tournaments? Let me tell you, things aren't like that in China, and it's even harder to join underground fights."
"Tell me, idiot, do you really want to spend the rest of your life in prison?"
"Alright, see you later." Max shook his head, hung up, and took off his headphones. The first thing he did afterward was stretch his back, and when he checked the time, he murmured, "Time to sleep; tomorrow I'll wake up half dead."
Life on free days is always boring, especially for someone who doesn't know how to do much besides fight. Max had dedicated himself to only that over the years, so now that he was thinking about leaving it all behind, he didn't know what else to do.
Max wanted to continue his studies, now having the chance for something much greater than his martial arts training, and he wasn't about to waste it.
While getting ready for bed, Max spotted some news on his laptop, causing his tired eyes to open wide, double-checking if he'd read it right.
"[A college student sold a testicle for $35,000 to a private university just to buy a motorcycle he won't be able to use for the next few months!]"
Max's sleepy eyes narrowed as he read the article, smiling. Seeing such a quirky headline immediately gave him a bit of energy, and he wondered if anyone else was interested in buying a good testicle.
"For things like this, God gave us two organs, except for the heart—that's the only one alone inside of us." Max continued browsing TV ads until he noticed one featuring Daniel, his neighbor, whom both his uncle and his sensei had mentioned before.
Thinking this over, he decided it would be better to get some sleep.
…
Beep-beep! Beep-beep!
Max woke up at eleven, seven hours after falling asleep. After sitting up, he regained his senses and started his daily routine of washing his face and brushing his teeth.
After heading out, he wasn't surprised by the solitude around him, a familiar feeling.
"Well, I need to find something to eat." Max got dressed and left the house, feeling hungry. Later, he would meet up with friends before senior classes started.
With his headphones on, Max walked peacefully down the street alone. He knew it was good to walk and get some sun because being cooped up for a week could leave him with side effects. However, the careless people, the numerous cars, and the indifference in their eyes disrupted his peace, filling him with a strange sensation.
At that moment, Max suddenly stopped. He saw a man half-lying on the ground. To be precise, he was a beggar. It wasn't unusual to see them on the street, especially in a busy, materialistic city. Although Max lived in a quiet area, scenes like this could happen now and then.
No one cared to look at a man dressed in ragged clothes barely recognizable as clothing, with messy hair, lying on the street. Most people saw him as just another addict or a man who had made poor life choices.
The dirt on his body couldn't be hidden. Living with that indescribable feeling, Max couldn't put into words what he felt. He stopped and looked at him, trying to see through his bare eyes.
The eyes of those passing by turned unpleasant when they saw this man, whom they associated with just another addict. Not far from him, Max looked intently. The beggar noticed Max's gaze, different from the others, and returned the look. At that moment, Max finally understood where this feeling came from—those eyes, so clear they seemed to reflect the entire world. His half-laying posture was something most ignored, but it embodied a sense of absolute freedom.
After a while, the beggar smiled, giving Max a meaningful grin. There was sensitivity in his eyes. Max often did this—he liked to read people, or at least that's what he considered it to be. Usually, you could see a lot about a person through their eyes. A person's eyes often reveal a lot of information most don't understand. He analyzed and classified people, knowing how to talk to them and leading them exactly where he wanted.
While he was still thinking, Max found himself moving closer.
"What's your name?" Max asked simply, without the disdain of passersby, without condescension, without a trace of pity.
"Curiosity is not a good thing, kid," the beggar said with a hint of amusement.
This answer actually left Max speechless for a moment.
"What do you want to know? Just my name?"
Max didn't quite know what to say. He had come over because of that look, wanting to observe the beggar up close, but he hadn't meant to ask anything in particular. He frowned slightly at the question, unsure of what to say for a moment.
"Do you want help?" Max asked after a pause. Even he didn't know why he said this. Sympathy? He wasn't someone who felt that for people; maybe only for cats, but it didn't go beyond that. Max never saw himself as the kind of guy to help out of pity—that would be a crude insult in his eyes.
"I can't save myself; how could you help me? Haha…" The beggar looked up at the sky and laughed. His rough laughter made the already hasty passersby quicken their steps.
Max turned around and left, not wanting to waste any more time on a pointless verbal exchange.
Frowning, Max thought about how a free man had treated him like an idiot today. He couldn't help but shake his head and laugh at himself. After a few more steps, he ignored the man's parting words entirely.
As he walked, a light rain suddenly started to fall. During this dry spring season, spring rain was as precious as oil.
Due to the unexpected light rain, people's footsteps no longer seemed as slow and heavy as before. Walking faster generated body heat, and the rain provided a refreshing curtain of life.
It's not easy to be just another face among the crowd. Max, who didn't hide his blind left eye and hadn't bothered to erase the scar around it, walked aimlessly.
He usually tied his hair in a ponytail, a typical style in which he wore his attire. He also liked wearing dark clothes and always staying active.
"Sometimes, being selfish is a good thing," Max thought as he continued on his way.