Chapter 28: You are not quitting! I'm firing you!

I wasn't all that used to taking a walk outside just for the sake of calming down my thoughts. Up until now, whenever I left my place, I would go somewhere to achieve some sort of purpose, be it to throw the trash out, go get some groceries, or meet up with friends.

But to just take a walk outside… for the sake of talking a walk?

'I wonder if that's just another part of becoming a proper grown-up…'

It was just one of the many random thoughts that popped into my head as I walked through the relatively empty streets of the morning town.

In just about an hour, those streets would fill with both people and cars, killing the peaceful ambiance the city had right now. Just an hour before the peace would turn into chaos of everyone rushing to their jobs, to their schools, or to whatever made them leave the comforts of their home.

Before that, though, I continued to just pace around, allowing my legs to drag me whenever.

'Thinking back, I've yet to train again after leaving the institution,' I thought, suddenly feeling an urge to get some exercise done.

It wasn't a matter of keeping myself healthy or even keeping up all the gains I've got over the years of keeping up with the harsh discipline of my regime. I merely missed the strain on the body killing my thoughts, forcing me to focus on achieving perfection with my next strike.

'Now that I think about it…'

Before I could even finish a single line of thought, my body jerked up before breaking into a dash, as if some ghost suddenly started to chase me down the morning streets of the city.

I wasn't dressed up for a jog. My shoes were nothing like what I should be wearing for a running exercise. Even my fit was just whatever I threw atop my back before leaving rather than proper exercise clothes. In short, I didn't look the part of a jogger currently out on their morning run. But at the same time…

'How is it so liberating?' Running through the streets, I thought nothing of what the passersby would think of me. I steadily ran across the streets despite wearing clothes many would feel ashamed to throw the trash out in.

But just like I thought, to cast away all my worries, all my concerns, and all my inhibitors and just run freely…

'Wait, aren't I a lot faster than usual?'

Suddenly paying attention to my own speed nearly resulted in me running straight into a road sign. But I was right, my casual running speed was now pretty much what would be my former max speed I could only achieve for a short amount of time!

'Didn't I run like that for a while already?' I thought, forcing my feet to stop as I looked around… Only to realize that even in my bid to just run freely for a while, my body followed its habits. And rather than bringing me out to a random part of the city, I have yet to explore…

My feet brought me all the way over to where I would usually take the bike. Before realizing it, I've arrived right at the doorstep of my part-time, the same part-time that my shift would normally be ending sometime around now, if not for me pretending to be sick out of my mind.

'I guess I should remove myself from here posthaste…' I thought, instinctively taking a step back as I imagined the mental burden of confronting the people from work. Yet, right as I took this one step…

'Since when I'm shying away from the challenge?'

Suddenly stopped, I just stared at the glass doors of the 24/7 type of small grocery shop where I just missed my shift because of alleged sickness, only to arrive at its doorstep right as the said shift was about to end.

'With my situation as it is now…' I thought back to the offers both Claire and her father made. Yet, regardless of which one I would pick… my financial prospects would advance to a level I could never reach by ending this dead-end job!

"I guess I've gotta deal with this first, then?" I muttered to myself, only to turn over my heel right as someone was about to strike my back.

"What?" Tom's eyes widened as his hand missed my back, nearly making him turn around and stumble off his feet. "What was that? A hyper instinct or something?" he asked, looking up from where he ended up bending down to keep himself stable on his feet.

"So the shift's over, isn't it?" I replied, ignoring the man's comment and raising my eyes up to the shop's entrance. "Is the boss in?"

Tom squinted his eyes, and a hint of suspicion appeared on his face.

"Yes and yes," he replied, raising up to straighten his back before resting his hands down on his hips and giving me an inquisitive look.

For a short moment, we just stood in silence, only for Tom to break it with a long sigh a moment later.

"So you've finally done it," he commented only to put a small smile on his head as he shook it sideways before reaching out and then patting my shoulder. "Congratulations, bro," he said, only to wipe the smuggish vibe off his face as he looked up and revealed a properly happy smile. "I know it's going to sound like a joke or a jab, but I'm really proud of you."

Ugh…

"Thanks, man. And yes, I did."

There was no need for us to explain our short messages in depth. We worked the graveyard shift together for long enough to pretty much understand each other just from our expressions alone. After all, how else could we have detailed conversations over who is to take care of the next troublesome customer… with said customer already standing at the counter?

And so, I didn't need to explain how I've finally managed to start cultivating. He could tell from how I've avoided his back-slap before. I didn't even need to tell him that I've now faced a completely new set of struggles that only became apparent once I finally overcame the wall that stopped me for so long - if I wasn't struggling, he wouldn't see me at the work right the moment the shift I skipped came to an end.

And definitely, he wouldn't hear me asking if the boss was in the shop if I didn't have the plans to…

"Tim!" A sudden shout broke me out of this self-reflective state meeting Tom put me in. "What the hell? Weren't you…"

Pushing the glass doors open, a tiny-looking oriental lady stepped out, her eyes first concerned only to then nearly turn red when her expression turned fiery as she connected the dots and realized the likely truth.

"Do you think you can skimp on work now? Someone really grew some balls, didn't you, huh?!" With every word, the middle-aged panda-like lady came a step closer, her knuckles already turning white from how hard she squeezed down on the reins of her bag.

She was the owner and the boss of the shop I was working at. A fierce lady who only ever appeared kind when she had to. And now that I've put myself in her anger's way…

"Kids these days really don't know how to work hard!" she screamed out through the empty street, the bag in her hand already starting to move back and forth as if she started to spin it up for an attack. "It seems I have no other choice but to teach you a damn less…"

"I quit," not missing a beat, I stared the middle-aged lady right in the eye as I revealed the news.

"Huh?" Tom jumped a little, slightly taken aback by the suddenness of the news.

"What?" Even the boss lady appeared to be caught off guard by my reveal. But she wouldn't be herself if she just allowed it to pass, would she? "No! You are not quitting! No one quits on me!"

And then, with the most vicious smile, I've seen her make thus far, "You are not quitting! Ha! I'm firing you!"