Kael was scrolling through a current webtoon he was interested in while working as a cashier. He'd spend most of his days like this, just scrolling chapter to chapter, manhwa to manhwa.
Occasionally he'd get customers who'd usually just buy cheap snacks, vapes, and two-dollar scratch cards.
Today was like any other day.
The automatic glass door slid open as Mike, a fully black-suited man with slicked-back hair, entered.
Kael didn't look up and just muttered,"Welcome" Mike glanced at the distracted Kael then muttered a complaint.
Kael heard but didn't care.
Because, his favorite character was about to fight a major antagonist.
'Hell. Why is he even there?'
He could already smell death for his favourite character, tears for himself, and character development for the protagonist.
He scrolled faster. The panels bled together. Characters shouted badass one-liners, blood-red smears splashing across the screen.
His hands grew damp with sweat. His favorite character was on his last breath.
'Damn it. Where are you, protagonist?'
Second-to-last panel. Almost there.
But the next thing he saw wasn't the final panel.
It was a dark screen.
Kael's eyes twitched. His lips parted as he looked confused. He raised his head to see Mike with his finger on the phone's power button.
"Enough of that, kid," he said. "Your phone isn't going anywhere. So why not do your job?" He smiled—tight-lipped, professional, the kind of smile that belonged on a campaign poster.
His eyes stared at Kael with great intensity, but was only replied back with Kael's uncaring eyes.
'Alright, old geezer.' Kael thought as he placed down his phone. His brows raised when he saw that Mike had bought 10 bottles of cheap champagne. But, made no comment about it.
After scanning and bagged, Mike swiped his card then grabbed his groceries.
Though, Mike shook his head before muttering, "Kids these days," as he left.
Kael's eyes followed Mike for a while, until he reached his expensive red lamborghini.
He thought of how great it must be to be wealthy and such. Though, he doubted that was Mike's money he used.
Since, Mike was a congressman of their small shitty city. And him driving such a expensive car in these potholed streets smelled extremely corrupt.
Though, Kael shrugged it off since, what business does he have with politics.
He rolled his eyes then looked at his phone.
'Where was I?'
But before he could reach for his it,
the glass door slid open again.
Kael bit his tongue, "Welcome, Master."
Though next he heard a familiar voice—
a voice he didn't expect to hear, not for a year at least.
"All brands are shit these days." A young man ranted to the guy beside him. The guy looked uninterested with the conversation, as he was too busy scrolling through his phone.
The young man pocketed his hands then shifted his eyes to Kael. He was about to asks where their bathroom was. But, he froze still for a second.
Kael was frozen as well. He didn't expect him to be here. At least not for a year. Not after the incident.
The guy beside the young man pocketed his phone then raised a brow with an impatient look on him.
"A buddy of yours?" He asked, but without waiting for a reply, he added,
"Could you cut the reunion. We're running late."
The young man stopped staring at Kael then cleared his throat. His teeth grinded for a second as if he was thinking of something.
Until the young man said,
"Long time no see, loser."
Kael gritted his teeth.
Falco Floyd.
One of the top dogs of his high school back in the day. Known for petty crimes and excessive bullying, he was a walking red flag.
But a year ago he was sent to juvie for attempted murder on a fellow classmate.
That classmate being,
Kael Reed.
"Suprised? Didn't expect me huh?" Falco sneered. "You know, I've changed. Juvie did something to me, man" he said as he offered a handshake. "Don't worry."
Kael's face twisted to confusion.
Did Falco really change after juvie?
Well, in some cases, juvie does change people. So, maybe, maybe Falco is one of those cases.
Kael reached out for Falco's hand but at the last second Falco took it back.
He snickered then looked at the other guy with an awkward smile. But, the guy tayed silent. So, Falco looked back at Kael.
"Dumbass, did you really believe that? You're naive as I remember,"
Falco placed his hand on the counter and leaned forward.
"Did you really think that I'd forgive the motherfucker who wasted a months of my life?"
A killing chill in his tone made Kael shiver. He started to tremble and sweat started to form in at the back of his neck as well.
Falco did towered over Kael, being above 6'5 and was lean in muscle, he looked like a beast compared to Kael. And it didn't help that Falco knew Muay Thai. His teeth were sharp and ragged like those of a predator's, and his white spiked hair sat on his head like a crown.
Falco saw Kael tense and trembling and looked back at the guy again and saw he was slightly amused. And so Falco swallowed a breath. He stretched his tense body then searched his pockets for some money.
But, he couldn't find anything, so, he turned to the guy.
"Hey, Asher. Got any change?"
Asher replied to Falco with a shrug then said, "Don't you have credit?"
"Nah, that shit is just a hassle. And besides, the bank doesn't have enough space to hold my cash"
Falco chuckled but Asher rolled his eyes.
Falco's eyes looked uneven as he started to breath heavier for some reason.
He gritted his teeth, then asked,
"Hey, Kael. Is your mom dead yet?"
Kael's breath caught in his throat. He didn't flinch, didn't speak, didn't blink. Just stared at the floor like it might swallow him whole. His fingers twitched behind the counter, curling into a shaky fist.
Asher sighed.
Falco stared down at the silent Kael and felt an itch in his throat.
Then, Kael raised his head and locked eyes with Falco. Which made Falco stumble a step back. He saw Kael's eyes that screamed like he was about to jump him right there.
Asher caught Falco and scoffed, amused.
"Where you going?"
Falco shoved Asher away.
And turned back to Kael.
"Hell you looking at, freak?" Falco snapped, his voice aggressive.
Asher's phone suddenly rang and so he walked outside. Falco hesitated, but, followed the next second. Though, before he left, he looked back at Kael with a glint of remorse.
Kael couldn't make out Falco's face.
His eyes stayed locked on the empty space where Falco had stood, trembling as if caught in a loop.
The automatic glass doors slowly opened then closed. Kael stood behind the counter, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles ached.
Kael's fist shook violently, until it didn't.
Kael released his fist, then exhaled.
A word escaped his thoughts and slipped to his tongue. His voice was shallow and weak, as he whispered,
"Damn it..."
****
The rest of the day passed how it usually does. The customers came and went. Bag, scan, "Thank you, Master," loop.
The sun fell, but throughout the day, Kael could only replay what Falco said. His venomous voice still echoed in his head.
Kael drowned in his thoughts.
But, reality pulled him in a form of an angry costumer.
"Hey, kid. Get your head out of your ass. My throat is dry."
Kael snapped—he'd realized he'd been holding up the customer's soda can for a straight minute.
"So—sorry, Master," Kael hurriedly scanned and bagged the soda, then, forced a smiled. His smile faded when the costumer exited.
His mind went back to murky waters.
He couldn't keep living like this.
He had to change.
He needed to change.
Kael looked at his reflection on the refrigerator door. For a 17-year-old he was pretty short, shorter than the average height.
His unkept messy hair covered half his face as he looked like a crack addict who hadn't taken a bath in weeks.
Kael felt a rush of motivation hit him.
A rush to change.
To become someone new.
And the first thought that struck him was,
'I have to hit the gym.'
****
Kael walked out into the cold, neon-lit night. The street was half-dead, flickering signs and potholes, the usual dogs rummaging through alley bins. He inserted his hands into his jacket pockets.
He took a left, past the boarded-up barber shop, down the steps of the park. And there, just a couple paces away was the gym.
At first he marched with purpose.
That was until he thought of it more.
And the more he thought about it, the more his steps slowed.
Until, he turned back. And decided to just go home.
'I could just do home workouts.
Yeah, that'll be for the better.
Yeah...'
Suddenly his foot kicked something plastic.
He looked down at the thing and saw that it was a transparent casing with a plain disk inside. It had no logo or engravings on it, and so Kael at first wanted to shrug it off.
But his curiosity took the better of him as he picked up the casing and took the disk from inside. He threw away the casing and observed the disk more. And saw that the disk did actually have a label on it, on its back it said,
[ SoulStream ]
"What's this? A game?" he whispered, his breath turning to mist because of the cold.
He pocketed it into his jacket, then hoped it wasn't some virus by some stranger.
After a while of more walking he'd finally arrived at the run-down-looking building. He was finally home.
Some windows were shattered and the roof had some holes in them, but the rent was cheap and there was Wi-Fi
So, he didn't complain.
He walked in the building then looked for the receptionist, but it seemed she wasn't there.
'Probably hooking up with some dude again.' he thought as he walked up the stairs.
He'd reach his floor but stopped when he saw a little girl sitting outside an apartment with a brown teddy in her arms.
It was Alisa.
Shouting came from the apartment. Kael leaned in, listening—and he understood.
So he walked up and said, "Hey, uhh... Kid,"
His hands searched his pockets for some spare change. Alisa looked up at Kael and replied, "It's alright, Mister."
Kael was taken aback by the Alisa's kindness, so he insisted on giving her something. Well, that is if his hands could get a hold of anything.
"Really, it's alright. Guessing from the time you're taking. You're probably pretty broke."
Kael froze in disbelief.
"You're the guy from next doors, right? Yeah, it's alright. You probably need it more."
Alisa smiled at Kael then waved her hand to shoo him away. "Could you move, please? Power Pop Girls is on."
Kael, though still dumbfounded, moved silently out of the way. He glanced at the hallroom TV and saw a colorful cartoon.
Then, glanced back at Alisa, and felt a slight sense of pity.
Though, with nothing to say, Kael awkwardly walked towards his apartment. The one he'd saved up for when he was still a naive child. Well, he was still pretty naive even now.
He held the doorknob which was colder than expected, but understandable. Winter was coming soon, after all.
And with a sharp breath and a turn of a wrist. He'd entered his room,
[001]