Chapter 1: Hidden Secret

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"

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***