The sky has turned black. The rain has poured down. The surroundings, full of smoke, and gunpowder can smell in the air.

Guns on the ground, people's bodies without a signal of life, and blood splats everywhere.

The luxury yacht starts moving. But has no driver. The steering wheel was locked and it was destined to go forward.

The same with the lever was locked and set at the highest speed.

On the first floor of the luxury yacht. Two people are running forward towards the back.

"I said, stop!"

But the other one doesn't care at all. He pointed the gun and went through his skull, and blood splats on the ground.

The body spins triple times and stops. In the end, there is one still left.

He ran at the most back of the yacht and he seems to feel familiar as he sees him, holding a glass of alcohol and wearing his dark robe that length to feet.

His shiny-dark hair, his feminine but intimidating eyes, and his pale-like skin. Lewis raises his voice.

"Al?"

He turned and saw him.

So he was here, still in feet, steady as a rock, looking at me like a ghost who he never expected to come.

Also, him, standing still in the same location, looking at him with a cold face.

My mind was not in the right state to process the situation.

But… my heart, it keeps telling me to let him go.

"I did it... I said it... Do you think you can change everything?" I'm pointing the gun at him.

When I said those words, my tears dropped. My voice starts to tremble as if I was kidnapped.

"Al? Please… Can we just… leave this bullshit?" He said.

He drops his gun and raises both of his hands in the air.

"Are you in your right mind Lewis? We can't leave this bullshit business. We're not the same back in the days"

I responded to him as if I didn't cherish those memories.

"Of course, we're not. But we can change this, Al. Just trust me because I always trust you even though you betrayed me... I always trust you"

His eyes were like the ocean that kept waving back through me.

I saw his tears falling recklessly and his face still my weakness.

I-I can't… Everything has changed. But your deep affection for me, still…

I pointed the gun at my head

"I'm sorry Lewis. I'm sorry… I think this is the only chance I know" I smiled.

Bang!!!

"No!" He yells

Splash!

Al shot himself and lost balance. His body falls in the water and Lewis tries to catch him but he never reaches the time.

Lewis keeps yelling to swim forward, but he never gets a response.

I can't feel my other senses, but I can still see you fading through my eyes as I fell in the water.

I was wondering if you're gonna find me at the bottom of this ocean. If not, that's also good. But I wish you good luck on your next trails.

I can sacrifice myself for your safety and achievements. But I can't live with you because we're not supposed to be together

The sky was gray, the breeze was cold, rain pouring continuously, people running with umbrellas and avoiding getting wet.

But it happens that one teenage boy has no umbrella. Walking in the surging rain.

People stare with an ominous look at him while he walks past them.

Staring at me like a poor kid. Such people.

He runs towards the alley and there he stops.

"I hate those people. Make me sick of their sympathy"

"Is that so?" A chuckle was heard.

He turned and saw a man with lots of tattoos on his head. But he didn't flinch or anything.

"What? Do you have any problems with me?"

"Such an extravagant mouth" he smirks.

He walked and leaned on me like he was about to stop my breath. But I never expected that he was going to pat my head.

He gave me a white umbrella and walked out to the alley.

"Wait! Why?"

He turned and said.

"You look like you need something, so I gave that umbrella to you"

I was surprised and my tears began to fall on my face without me noticing it.

"Just be a good kid"

The last words he said before he disappeared from my sight.

At that time I realized that I'm not the only one who suffers, others have suffered much more than me.

I smiled and opened the umbrella and walked out in that alley wanting to thank the person who gave the umbrella and also wanting to know his name.

But… I didn't get a chance…

After that day, I went home with the umbrella he gave me. My uniform is wet but my emotion that time feels so light.

My mom was in the kitchen cooking dinner. When she heard the door she looked at me and her eyes widened.

"W-what… happened?"

She rushed through me and hugged me even though I'm drenched in water.

My eyes and emotion were cold and didn't respond to her hug.

"What happened? … Enough questions, just wash up and go down here when your, done okay"

She was hysterical at that time. So I went upstairs and washed my body.

[Male newscaster] "It was sudden news. A man with lots of tattoos on his body was shot multiple times by the police"

[Female newscaster] "it's said that he had a gun but a witness said that the man was just walking and the police just shoot him on the spot without even a warrant"

[Male newscaster] "such a coincidence, right]

As I heard those sentences. My hands trembled, my eyes widened and my feet couldn't move to the next step.

[Male newscaster] "here is the picture of the suspect"

I walked downstairs and looked at the television.

My knees dropped as I saw his tattoo that I recognized on his head. It was the same man who helped me to learn about my suffering.

I cried out loud and my mom was shocked. She comforted me, but it didn't work. My tears keep falling as they will never stop.

"What happened huh? Al? What's happening to you?"

Sniff, uwah, ugh.

"What happened to you Al? Say it?"

At that moment, my emotions are mixing like they want to explode any moment now. My tears keep falling through my face.

As the days pass. My mood has become more docile and cold. I was in a dark abyss where no one could salvage me.

Weekends have passed and my week will start in this knowledge that they said, but the truth is… violence, misleading, and thievery.

This school is full of those things and I can confirm it on my own. Because I'm the laughingstock here.

Every time, I enter the gate, sit in my chair, eat lunch, and walk my way home.

Punch is guaranteed to me, dry up my wallet, and dirty my food.

These are the most common things I experience every single day.

But… from today onwards. Everything will change.

It was Wednesday and I was laying in my bed, thinking if I needed to go to school or not.

Mom knocked on my door, but I didn't respond. I know my Mom is sad about me not talking to her, but I need to do it.

I close my eyes and pray for signs.

"Get me any sign if I need to…"

Crash!!

My eyes widened when I heard that crash. I looked out the window and saw my neighbor's car crash into their bin.

I smiled and sat at the table near the window.

"Get ready self"

On that day, he collected his saved money at the wardrobe and dressed in a black jacket and denim pants.

He went down and he saw his mom and sister on the couch watching TV.

"Where are you going? You're not going to school"

I stopped and thought, What am I gonna say? But instinctively implied.

"Just mind your own business"

Both of them were surprised about what I implied.

I quickly walked out because I didn't want them to stare at me.

Walking on the street and thinking about what I did.

"That's doesn't what I want to say to them. Argh. Such a bastard, sigh"

I proceed and my destination now is the mall.

I walk to the bus terminal which is near our place. I waited until the next bus came.

I sat on the bench and saw this lady in casual white attire and she's beautiful and cute. I blushed and wanted to know her number.

But I realized that I'm not that good-looking enough, my hair is unfixed, my face has some pimples in it and I don't dare to speak to her.

She suddenly sat on the same bench as me. My heart keeps beating fast like it was about to explode.

What am I gonna do, is she hearing my beating? Stop the beat now, please.

I looked at the ground and stopped looking at her.

I need to keep calm.

The bus is coming and I'm thinking if I'm going first or she will be the one.

As the bus stopped at the terminal, I stood up quickly and walked without emotion at all to the bus.

The lady is behind me. I stopped and I preceded her.

"Thank you" she smiled

I bow slightly. My heart beats super loud and I can't keep my cool up because I'm super blushed.

"Hey? Are you going in?" The driver said.

I immediately go inside and pay for the destination.

While I'm sitting at my place, the girl had a phone call. She looked at her phone but didn't accept the call. Five calls rang on her phone but declined all of them.

I didn't pay much attention to her and just did what I had to do.

"Mall destination is nearby"

The driver has announced my destination and I'm ready to get down.

Screech.

The bus stops and we're at the mall now, I stand up and walk my way out.

As I was going down, the lady who I preceded earlier grabbed my shoulder and twitched her eyebrows.

I was surprised not by her beauty but by her hands. She grabbed me tightly like she was about to crush my shoulder. I step out and speak to her.

"What? Can you let go of your hands? It's hurting me"

I spoke coldly and stared at her like an angry man.

"I-I'm sorry…"

She let go of her grip and spoke again.

"C-can you help me? Please?"

Her voice says help, but her face says disgust.

"I have to decline miss, I have much important to do and It's not helping you"

I gaze as cold as I perceive

This lady is not much worse than the bully at my school.

"Deal with your problems. Don't put other people in it"

Her face was shocked when I said those words and slowly turned to anger.

"You!!! I just want your help, why do you make it like a big deal?"

She raised her voice at me and people were gazing at us like we are a couple.

"Just a simple help, you can't even do that? Such a loser like you"

She is still wreaking havoc and provoking me. But my mind stills in a situation where I can't express myself. It's all become blank all of a sudden.

"Hey, miss? Don't ever shout at me like that. Even though you are a woman, it doesn't mean you have a right"

Her eyes widened and shocked. As I continue my words her expression at me is a lot worse.

"Ohh and, miss. We don't know each other, also I don't consider myself as a helper. I'm not a domestic helper that you can command anytime you are in trouble. So goodbye miss, I'm not the one who'll fix your credits"

"You!!"

As I say those words. I feel satisfied, I can't smile but I feel an eccentric feeling going up and down through my body.

The lady was left embarrassed as he left the area where they fought.

The people are staring at her with a mischievous look. Others are laughing, video taking, and murmuring the scene.

"Arghh!!"

The lady yells as I walk out.

After that scene I went inside the mall for a haircut, to change everything for myself.

Saying goodbye to this long hair makes me agitated. But I need to fix it to make it look better.

As I opened the door, I saw three people. The one is sitting down at the barber chair and getting his haircut, the other one is sitting on the couch and reading a magazine.

"Hey, come get in"

The man who does the haircut greets me nicely.

"Okay, thanks"

I entered and sat beside the man who's reading the magazine.

I look around and see a bunch of haircut pictures on the walls. They're many kinds of haircuts but I can't see what suits me.

The man beside me passed a magazine, I took it and read it. It's all expensive dresses and suits.

After half an hour, the man who's getting a haircut is done and I was called by the barber to sit at the chair.

"So? What kind of haircut do you want?"

"Ahm… I don't know what will suit me… can you suggest what haircut can suit me and I want to be clean-looking"

"...Okay. I'll do what you said" he nodded his head.

The barber starts to cut his hair. Al was nervous about the outcome. Barber opened his mouth.

"So… what's your name? You're new here in my barbershop"

"I'm Alger. You can call me Al"

He stops razoring his hair and all over his face seems to be thinking about something.

"Alger? What's your surname, Al?"

I was surprised why he asked for my surname.

"My surname is Miñienza, Sir"

I looked at the mirror and saw his face full of shock. I immediately turn and look at him.

"Sir? Why? Your face is kinda creeping me out"

He looked at me with shock.

"A-ah. Do you perhaps… is your father Hiraki Mondale Miñienza?"

I was surprised, he knows my father.

"Y-yes. He is. Why, Sir?"

"A-ah… It's just that we knew each other back in the day"

I just nodded to him. Suddenly,

"Your hair will be free today, and you'll be as good as in the photo when I'm done cutting" He smiled.

His vibes become much more comfortable towards me. But still, we don't know each other. He's just one of my father's friends or what.

After half an hour. The barber opened his mouth.

"Hey kid, your haircut is done. Look"

The barber turned the chair. Al's eyes widened and amazed about the outcome.

"It's cool. Thanks for this. here, take the money"

looking both sideways of his hair.

"No. It's cool. I said earlier that your haircut will be free right"

"Okay. Thanks for this cut. I'll keep going now"

"Oh. Wait, this is my calling card.

+

Escalante Barbershop

Owner: Marcus Gates Escalante

Calling number: 0927893xxxx

Location: Mall xxx, the second floor.

+

"Thanks, I'll call you if I want a haircut again"

He nodded and smiled at me. I left his barbershop and observed me as I got far from his shop.

When Al was nearly far, Marcus went to the back of his shop and called someone.

Ring, Ring…

"Hello? Avenido residence"

A girl's voice has taken the call.

"It's me, Marcus"

"Oh, Sir Marcus, just wait I'll call for the masters"

"Okay"

Al has arrived at the shoe shop and wants to buy a new shoe.

"Welcome to the shop sir," the sales lady said.

"I'm going to look around, and can you help me find a good shoe?"

"Yes sir" she smiled.

I didn't take a lot of time conversing with her, such an energetic lady.

"Sir, this is the best section I can recommend to you"

The designs of it look expensive, I think I can't afford this. But what's with the smile? I'm annoyed by her smile.

"Okay, I'll call you if I got something"

"Okay"

This kid can't afford all these shoes, not even one.

The sales lady walks out and moves to the counter.

Al was standing, and looking for the price that he can afford.

He looked at his wallet and only 5,000 Pesos were in there.

This can't be enough to buy these super expensive shoes. All of this has a price of 9,000 to 12,000.

"Ah…"

When he's about to call the sales lady at the counter. Suddenly, a man passed by his side and viewed his appearance.

His dress looks expensive, he's wearing colored shades and has a gold ring on his hand. The handle of his staff is gold and he wears a gold necklace.

I think I gotta go, I don't want to be suspected as a thief for this old man.

When he was about to walk away the old

the man spoke.

"Kid, can you pick the most expensive price shoe here"

I was surprised when he asked me to pick up the most expensive shoe.

"Okay, I'll help you"

He looked at all the prices and he found the most expensive shoe that was worth 15,000 Pesos.

"This is the only expensive shoe here. It is worth about 15,000 Pesos"

I was wondering if he would buy it or not.

"Okay, thank you, kid. Can you also deliver that shoe to the counter and I'll pay

Huh? Why me? You can also deliver this at the counter.

My face stays cold but my feeling of anger keeps rising.

I delivered the shoe at the counter and the sales lady took me to the most expensive shoe section.

The sales lady silently signals to the other sales lady beside her.

She stood and tense her lips like I was gonna rob them. She opened her mouth.

"Hi, sir. Wow! That's our expensive shoe. Are you going to buy that?"

Such a sarcastic lady.

The old man spoke.

"No, I'll be the one who's gonna buy for that"

Her eyes widened and she seemed to be a maniac for money because she saw good in this old man.

She looked at me like I was a total stranger and I'm getting a signal that I can be kicked out of this shop.

"O-okay, sir. This shoe is worth 15,000 Pesos. Do you want to get a paper bag or a gift wrap?"

"Paper bag, please. Here's my card"

She was surprised to see a black card given by the old man. She quickly picked it up and slid to get the charge for the shoe.

"Here's your shoe sir" she smiled.

She treats him nicely and wants to escort him out of their store but she was rejected. The old man spoke.

"Hey, kid? Can you also get that shoe, over there at that section? The leather and black color.

Argh… this is annoying.

The sales lady talks.

"A-ahm… I can get that for you sir" she smiled.

"No, I don't want to. I want him to get it"

"O-okay"

Such a pity, this kid will only touch our most expensive shoes.

I got the shoe he was talking about and went back immediately.

"Here it is sir"

"Thank you, kid. Lady, can you also ring this"

"Okay, but what is the size? Is it the same as the first shoe you buy?"

"Of course, lady"

"Okay, I'll get the same size shoe"

Such a pathetic boy, he just got the design but not the size. Stupid boy.

"Okay, I got the size of the shoe"

She rings the shoe. I decided to leave the old man to find my shoe, but he slightly whipped my back with his staff. He opened his mouth.

"Kid, just wait a minute"

He put down his shades and locked his eyes to me, he gave such intimidating looks that made me creep about him and decided to not move.

"That's all, sir"

The shoe he bought was done, but he still locked his eyes on me. The old man spoke.

"Kid? Get those three shoes. From the expensive section"

"W-what?"

He gave me a whip and I couldn't refuse so I just took his command.

This kid, he can't be his relative right? The sales lady's thoughts.

This cunning old man, why are you picking on me so hard? I need to find my shoe and get the hell out of here.

Al was annoyed at the old man. But still got the shoe that the old man said.

After getting the shoes he went back.

"Here's your shoe and I gotta go. I need to find a shoe for me"

The old man ignored him.

This old man. Sigh… just make my way out of here.

"Hey, I'm going first. Just get help with those staff here. Bye"

"Hey wait up kid"

Al put on his hoodie and ignored him while walking out at the store.

"Sigh… this kid. Such a stupid kid"

"Is there something wrong, Sir?" Saleslady said.

"Can you run? And give these bags to the kid. I don't have the strength to handle all of this"

"Ohh… Okay I'll give it to him"

What the hell. He's his grandson? I can't believe it. I need to get that boy.

She gets all the bags and runs to catch Al. She observes the surroundings but Al's nowhere to be found.

She moved forward and saw Al was riding the escalator. She ran to catch him up and also gave him the bags.