Capítulo 74: Chapter 71: Going Back For His Pouch
Taka's eyes sparkled with anticipation as he examined the sizable pouch in his hand.
With careful fingers, he began to unzip it, revealing a sleek container inside.
"Whoa, where did this come from?" he wondered aloud, amazed at the unexpected find.
It seemed too fancy for a homeless person to possess.
Excitement coursed through him as he eagerly opened the container, hoping for something valuable inside.
But as he peered into its depths, his eyes widened in astonishment.
Sin furrowed his brow in confusion as he observed Taka's sudden silence.
"What's going on, Taka?" he asked, tilting his head confusedly.
"Just take a look," Taka replied with an annoyed sigh, his lips twitching with speechlessness as he placed the opened container before Sin.
"What is it?"
Sin leaned in closer, extending his hand towards the container.
"Can't you see it up close? Is your vision getting worse, Sin?" Taka inquired, concern lacing his voice.
Sin's eyesight had been deteriorating for years, a fact that weighed heavily on both of them.
Yet, stranded in Meteor City with no access to medical care, there was little they could do to alleviate his condition.
"Yeah, everything's a bit blurry," Sin admitted with a casual shrug.
Taka's heart sank at the confession. Sin was his only family in the city, their bond as strong as siblings despite their uncertain origins.
As Sin tentatively reached out to touch the container, his eyes widened in surprise.
"A chopstick?"
"That's right, goddammit. Fucking useless..."
Taka cursed, frustration evident in his voice, "Why would Aniki bring something like this?"
"Aniki? Who's that?" Sin's frown deepened as he turned to Taka.
Taka immediately looked away, avoiding Sin's gaze as he scratched his head.
"Uh, he's just a new guy," he mumbled evasively.
"...Are you doing that risky job again?"
Sin's frown deepened as he made the connection.
Taka grumbled in response, "So what? It's not that dangerous..."
"What if these newcomers are human traffickers?"
Sin countered, his worry evident.
"Alright, alright, calm down!"
Taka took a step back, settling onto the grimy floor with a sigh, "Besides, the old-timers are there..."
"And more importantly..."
His smirk faded as he reached for his pouch, only to find it missing.
Confusion flashed across his face as he muttered, "...the pay is good..."
"Where the heck is my money!"
Taka erupted in frustration as he realized his pouch was gone.
"You lost your money?" Sin asked incredulously.
"That's right! I had it in my pouch, and now it's gone!"
Taka replied, growing increasingly agitated.
Sin shook his head disapprovingly, "I told you to stop stealing. Now you know how it feels when someone takes your stuff, don't you?"
"Okay, okay, I understand, bro..."
Taka shook his head, his mind racing as he tried to retrace his steps and figure out where he might have lost his pouch.
"It was there when I got paid for the job," he muttered to himself, recalling the moment when the old-timers had handed him his earnings.
Then it hit him—he hadn't gone anywhere else after that, immediately heading home.
His eyes widened in realization.
"It has to be that crazy guy!"
Taka shouted angrily, his thoughts fixated on Raymond.
"You know who did it?"
Sin inquired, concern evident in his voice.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was that Aniki whose pouch I stole..." Taka admitted reluctantly.
He had never lost his pouch before and was certain he had secured it tightly.
The only interaction he could recall was when he pretended to fall, and that's when Raymond was close enough to potentially snatch it.
"Damn it, I knew he wasn't just an ordinary guy, but to think he's a fellow pickpocketer!"
Taka muttered, scratching his head in frustration. He regretted ignoring his instincts about getting involved with them in the first place.
Sin sighed, settling down on the floor beside Taka.
"It's okay, Taka. It's done, and they could be long gone by now. We still have some money left; we can buy a slice of bread for you..."
Sin suggested, trying to reassure his friend.
"No way!"
Taka snapped, refusing to entertain the idea of giving up the stolen money.
Taka knew that if they couldn't retrieve the money, they wouldn't have enough to buy something to eat for both of them.
With Sin's condition, Taka couldn't bear the thought of him going hungry.
"If I don't eat, he won't either..." Taka thought to himself, understanding Sin's stubbornness.
To ensure they both had enough to eat, Taka was determined to retrieve their stolen money, no matter what!
"I know where they were staying. They couldn't have gone too far. I'll go and apologize, return their stuff..."
Taka declared, determination burning in his eyes as he rose to his feet.
Carefully, he placed the chopstick back into the container and secured it inside the stolen pouch.
"I'll come with you," Sin insisted, attempting to stand up, but Taka gently pushed him back down.
"No, your vision is too blurry to walk properly. You should stay here," Taka reasoned, concern evident in his voice.
"But..."
Sin began, wanting to express his desire not to be a burden to Taka.
"No, Sin. I'm not asking; I'm telling you," Taka interrupted firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Sin sighed in concern, "Isn't it risky to confront them? They're adults, after all."
"I'll see if I can get some backup."
Taka nodded thoughtfully.
"Backup?"
"Yeah, I'll ask Granpa Jiro to accompany me," Taka explained.
Sin furrowed his brow skeptically.
Normally, he would have corrected Taka for referring to someone like Uncle Jiro as "Grandpa," but now was not the time for such remarks.
"Do you think Uncle Jiro will agree to come with you?
"Absolutely," Taka replied confidently.
"Before I went out, you gotta sit in a better spot..."
Taka carefully guided Sin deeper into their shelter, where he settled him on a worn-down tire serving as a couch for them.
However...
He furrowed his brow in confusion as his eyes caught sight of a strap of rope lying on the back of the tire.
"When did we get this rope?"
Sin's expression immediately changed as his voice quivered, "R-Rope? Oh, um, yeah, I've been using it to help me move around..."
Taka's eyes widened as he put the pieces together.
With a knowing grin, he responded, "Ah, got it. If you can move around better, it'll put my mind at ease when I'm not around!"
Despite his blurred vision, Sin could sense the warmth emanating from the smiles on Taka's and his own lips as he clenched his fist tightly.
"Okay, Taka, I'll work on moving around independently," Sin spoke, feeling his eyes stinging with unshed tears as he mustered a smile.
"Sure thing. I'll be back soon with the money!"
Taka affirmed before exiting, leaving Sin alone.
Feeling all alone again...
Sin lowered his head as tears began streaming down his cheeks as he wept silently.
"I don't want to burden him... Isn't it better if I just left," he whispered to himself, unaware that just outside their shelter, Taka was leaning against the wall with tears trickling down his cheeks.
Unable to bear hearing Sin's sorrowful cries, Taka wiped away his tears with his small, dirt-stained hands and vowed softly, "I'll find a way to get us out of this place, Sin. Just hold on a little longer."
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