章 3: Chapter 02
"Stop being so sad, Hiro. Come on, get up" he said as he helped Hiro to his feet. "I'll help you look for another work okay? But before you get one, how about you help me in the shop? I'll pay you and you'll get free meals"
A horrid memory that once happened in the shop flashed in Hiro's mind and he shook his head. "No. No, don't worry. I'll get something else to do."
"Why do you always reject my help?" Michi asked, feeling offended. "I'm your best friend. I'm supposed to help you. Why won't you accept help from me? This not the first time you're doing this."
Hiro glanced through the window of the restaurant and his face scrunched in disgust when he set his eyes on Michi's uncle. The owner of the restaurant. He couldn't work there because of that pervert.
Michi's uncle had once tried to sleep with him. He barely managed to escape that night and he didn't want a part two.
He could never forget those disgusting hands on his skin and the man's bad breath. Even the words he said to him.
'Why do you always tempt me with that big ass, Hiro? And that face. Don't you know how beautiful you are? Just one look from you and I get hard.'
He shuddered and took his eyes away. "I can't work here, Michi. I have my reasons. Please, respect that."
Michi noticed when Hiro glanced at his uncle and he frowned. He had long suspected that his uncle had scared Hiro away but he didn't know if it was true or how so he decided to let it go for the time being.
"Then come in and have something to eat okay," he said. "I can't let you leave on an empty stomach."
As if on cue, Hiro's stomach growled loudly and Michi laughed. "Looks like your tummy agrees with me. Come on, let's go in."
Hiro blushed, feeling embarrassed but followed his friend inside.
The place was packed and very noisy. The customers were almost all men in groups of two or more, eating, drinking and laughing. It was filled with the nice aroma of food and an undertone of beer, cigarettes and sweat.
Hiro recalled when he used to hang out with his friends, eating, laughing and playing. Now they were all gone. They all abandoned him when his family went down.
Only Michi remained.
That was how Hiro differentiated the real friends from the fake ones. The fake ones always leave when you're in trouble.
"Take a seat. I'll get you a plate" Michi said and Hiro nodded. He scanned the restaurant and found an empty table for two and the far end of the room so he made his way there.
A few heads turned as he passed by. Some even whistled, trying to get his attention but he paid them no heed and quietly took his seat. He was already used to the attention. Although the fact that men found him attractive was disgusting to him, he had no power to stop them from flirting with him and trying to get in his pants. Sometimes he felt like a lady trying to protect her chastity.
Hiro was aware that he was very attractive. Although he didn't look as healthy as before, he still retained his beauty. He was blessed with white smooth unblemished skin. Glassy light brown eyes surrounded by long brown lashes that glittered whenever the sun hit his face. He had a small cute round tipped nose that made people want to pinch it and small pale pink lips. On his head rested thick locks of sandy brown hair, falling down to his ears and eyebrows.
Hiro looked like a beautiful little fairy that anyone would want to own and hide away.
He used to have chubby cheeks and a little fat here and there but after suffering for years, all the fat had melted away, leaving him looking frail and small. The only little fat that remained was in his ass and Hiro didn't really like it for he had always been teased by co-workers about it. They kept saying all the little food he ate went straight to his butt.
It wasn't that big. Just plumpier than the rest of him but noticeable.
He placed his head on the table and sighed heavily, thinking of where to start looking for a job. Because of his parents and their bad reputation, he could hardly get a good one. The ones he got were either cleaning, washing toilets, packing boxes of goods or taking out trash. No one even wanted him as a waiter or nanny and he was good with kids.
"Just what did I do to deserve such a life" he mumbled to himself. "Have all the Gods abandoned me?"
"Hey, did you hear? Someone bought that old Watanabe Medical Facility and they're hiring workers." someone said.
Hiro raised his head instantly. The old Watanabe Medical Facility belonged to his parents. It was one of the many properties that the government seized from them.
"What kind of workers? Those with degrees or people like us who never graduated high school?" someone asked.
"People like us of course!" the first person answered. "They need cleaners and all that shit and they need them urgently. I heard they don't even need to screen you. As long as you look okay and can clean, that's it"
At that point, Michi arrived with a tray of food. "We should head there after your meal," he said, placing the tray on the table. "I heard my uncle talking about the same thing with a customer. It's authentic."
Hiro didn't know what to feel. On one hand, he was happy to know of a place in need of workers and on the other, he was saddened that it was a place his parents used to own.
"It's a bit weird you know" he said to Michi. "Going back to a place my parents owned. As a worker."
"If you don't want to work there, we can look at other places" Michi suggested but Hiro shook his head. "Let's try there first. Besides, it's been 4 years. It shouldn't bother me anymore."
But it did.
It bothered him a lot. Because he was meant to inherit it. Now others were reaping the fruits of his parent's hard labour.
"Okay. Eat up now" Michi said. "I also packed a meal for your sister. We'll take it to her after checking out the job."
Hiro nodded. "Thank you, Michi."
The meal consisted of a bowl of sticky rice and soup with peppered fish and pickled vegetables as side dishes. Michi even sneaked him one boiled egg and a small carton of juice. It was a whole meal and Hiro was very grateful. He started to eat quietly while Michi sat with him to keep him company.
Hiro and Michi met at a park when they were in Elementary school. Then, Hiro was quite spoilt and arrogant. Whenever he wanted something, he would fuss and throw tantrums until his parents or siblings gave it to him. He was already used to it and kept doing it because it worked.
The same thing happened that day.
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