Second Road

Episode 38: How it really is

You know, I started thinking about the concept of yin and yang. You know what I mean? Maybe you've seen it in movies or comic books a few times.

And do you know what that means? All right, I'll explain a little, actually I don't really know either. To my knowledge, there is good in evil and there is evil in good. And if the two come together, a balance will be formed.

It's an interesting concept, isn't it? I even know this has been around for a long time. It's about balance and attitude, isn't it the result of great thinking?

It's easy to say, but in fact, I barely find any good in evil. What is the good side of crime? What exists only brings destruction, chaos and hostility.

All I see is that evil is evil, and good is good. My mind may be too narrow to understand. Right, I'm still fourteen, that understanding is probably still too layman to me.

***

It was still quiet, and the desert eagle-type gun was still firmly in my hand. Looks like there's one or two more bullets in it. It is a shame that it is not used.

My eyes scanned the surroundings, people peeking from a distance. Some even looked at me. And probably almost everyone here thinks that I'm a demon shooting dead bodies. And maybe they think that I can shoot them from here at any time.

But it won't happen, they don't do anything. I'll just return this bullet to the owner directly. Do you know what I mean when I say it in person? Yeah, I'll shoot the rest of this bullet at him.

My index finger is about to move smoothly. The wind blew slowly and the dry leaves began to fall from the old trees that grew unkempt. With a slight jolt in my finger, I could shoot the rest of this bullet at any time through his skin and flesh.

No one can stop someone holding a weapon, right? This proved, nothing stopped me when the previous two bullets I fired. I took one step forward, aiming closer.

But the intention was immediately void. Brother Hana instantly got up from his position as quickly as possible, and snatched the gun I was holding as soon as he was already in front of me. Then without cue, throw the cursed object pitting the skin as far as possible. The small gun fell on the dry and arid ground, dust flying around it as it touched the ground.

The rhythm of Hana's breath changed a little quickly. And from the way he looked at me, it was certain that he was angry. Her eyes were still slightly watery and her face mirrored those all. It was not a warm smile that he used to give.

We looked at each other, our eyes met. But I'm sure he's not happy looking at me. In that disturbing silence, I finally opened my mouth first, throwing a word from both lips.

"Why?" my words are flat without tone.

Plakk!!

Just one word I said, a slap back landed right on my left cheek. I'm not surprised at all, it's been the second time today. All right, what else is my fault? I'm just asking, right? I touched my own cheek that had just been slapped by him. And honestly, it does hurt a little.

"You still ask why?! you've gone too far, you killed him!"

Brother Hana looked at me more and more sharply, as if her eyes could pierce and tear my body into small pieces. She's never looked like this before, even I can swear she's a very soft girl like sponge cake.

He used to be like an angel, until I was amazed and didn't want to be parted from him. But I seem to expect too much. The past is the past and the present is the present. The two times are not the same, they all turn and become two opposite poles.

Time can change a person, isn't it really scary?

"I just want to help you. He's gonna kill you. Anyway.." obviously I defended myself.

"I don't care if I die. You don't get it! With what you did, everything will be completely destroyed. Why don't you listen to me?" cut instantly.

The more confused I was, the wind grew stronger between us, making the hair and clothes we were wearing dance. It might even be getting colder, the sun has started to fall.

I stared back at him not accepting. Why is he talking like what I did was wrong? Okay, alright. Maybe it's a little overdone, but the guy deserves it.

"Yes! I don't understand, you cry and get angry every time I ask. You just told me to go, I told you I wanted to be with you" I argued.

"You're stubborn. Ever since you ran away from there last week, they came back here and cut down on the parlor's meal money, a lot of people quit school because you left, "the story is still fiery.

My eyes are round still in disbelief. Uh, wait a minute. What does the parlor have to do with those people? Everything is becoming clearer. My mind flew everywhere, trying to imagine what the words meant.

"But they won't let me see you. I met another kid from here too. They lie, that's all..."

The girl in front of me sighed, as if not to lose.

"That's how it is. Every year something is taken from here. And in exchange they will finance the life of the parlor. Even this place is theirs, no one can live without them" he explained as he caught his breath. His disorganized and fiery words made him frenzied.

"You should thank them by following them. They feed you. And you're wasting it instead" he added.

Huhh...

Now I'm the one who sighed imitating his speech style. Then reply to his words. This useless debate will have no end.

"It seems you don't understand! You know, there it's hell, there's a lot of people that get there and I see them die almost every day."

"Then just get out of here and save your life. If there is hell, then here is hell. All places are hell! I hate you, I really hate you,"

"But..."

"But, I..."

"I hate you. I wish I had never met you at all,"

Degs...

That last sentence felt like a bottle of poison that stopped the circulation of blood throughout my veins. I thought someone was sticking a dagger right in my heart, but there was no blood or wounds there. My breath was blocked, it was hard to bring air into my lungs. Every node of my nerve seems to be cut off.

My eyes started to glaze over. Isn't that too cruel to say to a fourteen-year-old boy like me? Moreover, he is ten years older than me.

I'm starting to lose my mind, my emotions still can't be processed. And in a split second, I felt the void. Can this be called a heartbreak? Hi, this is a sensation that is no less bad than when my body is injected with strange substances every heart. The color of the world seems to be fading now, leaving only black and white like the production films of the 90s.

I turned my body around and took the first step that felt heavy. Slowly I accelerated and finally I ran back without looking back. I'm gone, I've been hated by him.

From the beginning, my existence was wrong. Even being hated has become my daily meal. But why is it so painful this time? Is it because he was a very good person?

I left, and began to live and live on the streets until I found a place that could accept me.

Never mind, I'm done.

Flashback is done, back to the present.

A little bit of a fuss is still raging between Brother Hana and Allen. One told me to leave immediately and the other still maintained my desire to see him.

Their voices were mixed with the voices of the little children in the parlour playing in the next room. Although confined to the room, their voices still sounded strong until here.

The air here is a little stuffy, there are no fans or AC. Even all the windows were tightly shut without any gaps. In these circumstances, Allen finally offered a solution.

"All right, let's make a deal. If you want to give us a chance, then we'll leave after. How's it?" proposal Allen.

It seemed like he realized that arguing with a woman would not produce anything. Or maybe he felt unprofitable because he thought of a heretical idea that stated that "Women are always right."

"What's in it for me?" reply sister Hana. A sly smile came from his face, and I don't know when he changed the way he smiled. I don't like.

The sentence just now was also replied by Allen with a smile that was the exact same shape, impressed no less cunning. Adults are scary.

"Miss, if you're discussing the matter of luck, how about we talk about the children's lives here?"

For a while, his interlocutor tried to digest the sentence he had thrown just now.

"What do you mean?"

"Since the beginning I knew that there was something wrong with this place and how about I report it to the social service? They could provide a more decent place for these kids, instead of this being so unworthy?"

Allen showed a defiant look and casually he raised his chin, acting a little arrogant. What's he planning?

"Unfortunately they will not leave, for example, the child next to you. I took great pains to make him leave and he came back again" replied Hana, taking a quick glance at me.

I gulped, he made me remember the incident.

"That's not true!" my dispute.

"You're still not being honest with yourself, I always tell you to be honest, right?" he answered while narrowing his eyes.

"As long as you know, miss, I can guarantee that now he feels very disgusted with you and this place. Oh, and do you know, lady, I know a little bit about this dark secret place. So don't you think I'm here without an alibi."

Okay, alright. This conversation is getting boring. I don't like to see silly discussions between them.

"You...tau? Did he tell you?"

Brother Hana looks a little uncomfortable, he tidied his hair that touched the face and tucked it behind his ears so as not to disturb his view. Or is it possible that he was troubled by Allen's words just now?

"Hmm? Now that I am her brother, there is nothing she can hide from me. And just so you know, maybe giving us a chance isn't a bad choice" Allen replied.

I chose silence without commenting. Adults are scary, but they are also convoluted. They can't just say what they want. And in a few moments later, Brother Hana nodded.

"Alright, tell me what you want."

He's agreed.