Chapter 27: Chapter 26: Ren
Everything happened so fast and Joy can't still believe how her life drastically changed since she met Light who has never left her side since then. Now they are together, and Cammy is now at their side too. He wants to help them save other people like him who are suffering and fighting their battles. However, Light is not really in favor of the idea and he often sulks about it. It has been days since he died, but his soul is still wandering in this world and it seems like he was still waiting for something.
"So we have a new mission now huh." Cammy said, looking at their necklaces.
They are on the way to their next mission, to the City of Smiles beyond the mountains and the lake they really adore. It seems like even in the City of Smiles, there can still be a lonely soul. Joy pondered deep but the cuts in Lights wrist caught her attention- happiness had settled on her spirit because the cuts are now fading away- so she looked at hers too and she was more than delighted to see how her cuts are slowly vanishing in front of her eyes.
Just then, Light looked at her and smiled a little- then slept again.
'Just what? Hahaha.'
Cammy was on his side sleeping like a baby and he was like leaning on Light because of their position. Joy looked at Cammy's peaceful appearance and realized the pain he possessed on his eyes which drove him to take his own life away from the pains of the world. No matter how much he smiles and jokes, he can never mask his pain.
Joy was sleepy too because they all boarded the train so early in the morning, even without the sun to light their way. Light had been sulking because Cammy had been pestering him to let him join in the mission, but Light wasn't able to do anything about it because Cammy really wants to go. Joy closed her eyes and held her necklace as she did. The mission today wasn't the usual kind of mission that they have taken. The location projected in the necklace was on the public market where a little boy named Ren resides. Joy hadn't been able to sleep in the journey because she was clouded with her thoughts. How can a small, innocent child feel pain in this world? How can one child fall into the pits of depression?
The radio had started to play music and that made her wide awake even more. Sooner or later, she heard voices that were calling out for her and she opened her eyes.
"We'll be taking off at the next station." Light said.
Joy fixed herself and looked at Cammy. He was looking into the window with a sadness that Joy can't imagine. Cammy must have suffered greatly. He must have been alone.
It was a bright, sunny day and Joy happened to be annoyed because she wasn't able to bring her umbrella. She had been searching her bag for so long that Light and Cammy thought she had already forgotten about the mission.
"Joy, knock it off. Don't you want to be exposed to the sun? It's not really hot" Cammy said and Joy sighed in return.
"Fine, let's go." Cammy must be numb because he seemed different to them. Light and Joy was sweating terribly that it started to drip from their skin while Cammy was just chilling.
"Hey, what part of this marketplace was it again?" Cammy asked Light.
The market place was so busy and Joy thought that she wont be able to breathe if she ever tried to get past the crowd.
"I don't know." Light said and looked around. "We should split up and meet up here after. Let's search for him. Cammy, go with Hope." Cammy saluted and Light started to walk.
"I suppose Light really needs to be alone. It feels like my presence is a bad news to him." Cammy smiled and looked down. "But I really want to help people because I know how it feels like to suffer."
"Why don't we start helping people now?" Joy approached him and gave him a warm smile. Cammy cheered up and nodded happily.
Vendors had offered them numerous products but they still continued to go into circles as they searched for the kid.
"But Joy, I don't know how this boy looks like. What's his name again?" Cammy asked Joy who was busy looking around. She stopped and opened her necklace so that Cammy would see it. "Oh, a broken clock, I see? Why dont we go for repair?"
"Can you not see it? The image of the boy and his name? It's here and it's clear." Joy said, surprised by what Cammy said.
"Oh, I must be unable to see it since I'm not like you," Cammy smiled. "Maybe you can describe him to me?"
"Okay. The boy's name is Ren and he is approximately 12 years old. I have no idea about his height but he have a dark, sad eyes. His hair is brown and he have thick eyebrows." Joy said.
"Does he have a mole on his left cheek and is he dirty?" Cammy asked her. Joy looked at the image of the boy again and saw a small mole on his left cheek, but he did not seem dirty on the image.
"How did you know that?" Joy asked him while he seemed to back off and looked behind Joy's back. "What's the matt-"
Joy turned around and saw a boy that barely reached her shoulders- he was very skinny and dirty, but when he looked up to them, he looked pale even if he had dirt in his face. It seemed like he was starving because he was frail and Joy felt like he might collapse anytime. His shirt was a dirty brown sando that had huge holes in it and his shorts doesn't fit his size. Despite that, he was smiling wide to them, with his hands raised, begging for money. He had brown hair and dark eyes. It was Ren. Joy wasn't able to hold herself from hugging the child in front of her because of pity and sadness- the kind that will never leave her even if she tries to wave it off.
"I-I'm sorry, i stink, please stay away..." Ren said, and Joy had realized that she was hugging the child so tight. "I am Ren."
He offered his hands again for Joy to shake while tears started to fall from her cheeks. "I am Hope. Nice to meet you. Where are you going?"
"I was supposed to search food in that" Ren pointed out the trashcan on the side of a food establishment where other kids like him had gathered together with other stray animals. "I have to go now or I'll never have food. Goodbye!"
Ren strided towards the garbage but Joy pulled his shirt, and because he was enthusiastic to go, his shirt ripped out even more. "This is the only shirt I have, and it's now unwearable." he cried, but Joy held his hand and wiped away his tears.
"Come with me." Joy said and did not even wait for a reply when she pulled him. Cammy was frozen as he saw the kids. He had loved children but to think that one might actually decide to take his own life is unacceptable to him. He have read studies which had shown how depression becomes so common these days but he did not even think about children having it. More than that, he saw himself with Ren who was so hopeless and he was yearning for love and survive the cruel world. Before he knew it, Joy and Ren had already dashed towards the food stalls while he was spacing out.
"Are you an angel?" Ren asked Hope who was waiting for their order.
"What - why?" Joy asked him. She had noticed that the kid was observing her since she dragged her on the stalls.
"Your eyes are different." Ren said. It was then the Joy remembered that she had also asked that question to someone before.
"If you say I am, then I am." Joy smiled at him while Cammy just stared at them.
"If you are my angel, can you save me?" Ren asked and held his chest. "My body is fine and all, I am not bleeding but this here is in pain." Cammy was startled and so was Joy. The kid doesn't have the slightest idea on what is going on with him.
"i don't understand myself because I don't feel anything except throbbing of this."
Ren did not have cuts but he did possessed an indescribable sadness that a kid must not be feeling. He was supposed to be enjoying his life but he was on the street, fighting to survive everyday.
" Hope, please help me! "
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