บท 16: Behind The Closed Doors
The man had an antique cabinet with coded doors that he hid from everyone and no one could open. Ru could guess what was hidden in the cabinet. Three years ago, Mr. Thargata had given Ru something from his very special collection. This very special item was a Lolita dress, and he had asked Ru to wear it.
"Is that all," Ru asked three years ago.
Mr. Thargata nodded excitedly and said, "Yes, of course." Then he added, "That is all. I will allow you to visit my precious son, and I will give you an allowance of $500 if you wear this dress."
"Let me think," Ru responded.
"Remember, little one, it was I who rescued you from the asylum," Mr. Thargata said, grinning filthily.
Ru was a child then. He snapped at the man and hurled at the dress, saying, "Are you retarded or blind, I'm a man, can't you see?"
In the present, Ru believed he had become an adult. He was also as cunning as the Norse god Loki in his own way.
"What difference does it make, boy or girl?" Ru asked himself. What he would get as a reward for dressing like a girl was a rich future.
Ru was eyeing one of the black dresses, but the man had already chosen one for him, complete with accessories.
"It's so cute," Ru said when he saw that red dress. Then he picked it up and went into the changing room.
First, he swore, put on the dress, and looked at himself in the mirror. He looked pretty good. The girl he saw in the mirror was the girl of his dreams. Ru fell in love with himself and planted a kiss on the mirror.
Since he could not get enough of himself, he wore an exaggerated amount of make-up and pulled up the skirt of his dress. Ru's flamboyant style, though suitable for nightlife, was more than his stepfather desired. Mr. Thargata removed Ru's make-up and lengthened the skirt to the correct hemline.
"You are much more innocent like this," Mr. Thargata said.
Ru coy chuckled and said, "Really?"
"Why don't you sit next to me," Mr. Thargata said.
For some reason, Ru didn't like his look and tone.
"Come here and let me cuddle you a little, my doll," Mr. Thargata repeated. He pointed to his knee.
"No way, I gave up," Ru said, frowning.
"Why are you angry now? I thought you were willing to play this secret game with me," the man asked.
"Don't pressure me, give me some time," Ru said solemnly. Even he was surprised that he could say that.
When the man said, "As you wish," Ru relaxed a bit. He took the hem of the dress and curtsied.
He had saved the day, but in the days to come, his stepfather would not be so tolerant.
"Put on the pink dress and get over here, NOW!"
As for the work of broadcasting live performances, Ru was caught twice secretly filming. He was banned from using electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, and computers. Because, as Mr. Thargata was told by his wife, he didn't study and was addicted to the Internet.
Ru tried to deny it. He wanted to explain the situation to Vaelan, but the man was paying him a lot of money to keep quiet. Tensions rose when Ru, seeking to increase the bribe, threatened to expose Mr. Thargata to his wife and son.
Mr. Thargata had told his wife and another son that Ru had started hallucinating again. He had even arranged for a psychiatrist to confirm that his young son, Ru, was suffering from mental illness. Of course, Claude Leblanc was not the doctor Mr. Thargata had paid to look after Ru's mental health.
Time broke Ru's resistance. He found himself missing his rookie doctor. Unlike before, he decided to see Dr. Claude Leblanc in secret, bypassing his family.
"I want my stepfather dead. For example, a murder disguised as an accident... Let the murder weapon be a banana peel thrown on the stairs. I'll enjoy watching Mr. Thargata tumble down the marble stairs, I really will. I'll even make popcorn. Come on, Doctor, let's watch it together," said fourteen-year-old Ru.
"But you are talking about murder. Those are bad thoughts, you have to need to get away from them," Claude began, but Ru shook his head and refused.
"It is not. This man is a pervert and he is abusing me. I am a minor, so he should die," Ru said suddenly.
Claude said solemnly, "Lirui, your feelings are justified; of course, you can hate this man and express wanting to kill him. But when it comes to taking action, the law steps in."
"The hell with the law," Ru said angrily.
"I will report Mr. Thargata's crime immediately," Claude said and got up from his desk. He was about to leave the room when Ru intercepted him.
"If I report my stepfather, my stepmother will disown me and disinherit me. You don't know, she is a greedy woman, so a murder disguised as an accident is best for her husband. Maybe I should kill her first," Ru said bleakly.
"You won't have to do anything of the sort, Lirui. Trust me, I will handle this. I won't let anyone harm you, I promise," Claude reassured him with genuine concern in his voice.
"You didn't even bother to ask what he did to me. And now you want to do something for me? Oh, come on, noob," Ru snapped at him with frustration evident in his voice.
A flicker of concern crossed Claude's face. "Oh, you're right," he conceded, his voice gentling. He returned to the worktable and sat down. "Come on, tell me. What did this man do to you?"
Ru walked briskly over and pounded his fist on the table, angrily saying, "The truth is, Doctor, he couldn't and won't do shit to me. But I know what I'm going to do to him. Mr. Thargata will get what he deserves!"
"Stay calm, please," Claude said, reaching out to touch the pendulum on his desk. Whenever he wanted to lower his pulse rate, he would watch the pendulum swing.
"You're not even my doctor! And you're telling me to calm down! How dare you! You have let me down, Claude!" shouted Ru, angrily kicking the chair over.
"What can I do? You didn't want me, found me incompetent, and criticized my medical training. And now you say I disappointed you, Lirui," Claude said, keeping his composure.
At that moment, the door opened slowly. Claude looked up and winked at the nurse who had partially revealed himself.
Noticing the doctor's evasive gesture, Ru asked: "What's going on?"
"They're worried about a little rumble, you know. Violence against health professionals is unfortunately common these days," Claude remarked, closing his eyes and intertwining his fingers on the table.
"Are you accusing me of being violent with you? What happened now," Ru asked with a maniacal smile on his face.
"I don't blame you, Lirui. And no one should blame you. What happened to you is significant, even if you're trying to conceal it all right now," Claude said, opening his eyes and fixing his gaze on Ru.
Ru looked away from the doctor and looked at the pendulum, "I always wanted you to be my doctor, but that bastard took you away from me. He called you young, cheap, inexperienced, and a faggot," he said.
"Ahem!" Claude's reaction was a small cough into his palm. Fortunately, his surprise didn't last long. He took a deep breath, nodded his head, and said calmly, "Perhaps."
Ru returned to the chair and lifted it from the floor, while Claude continued to observe him discreetly.
Ru ran his hands through his hair, a gesture that often signaled frustration or deep contemplation. He let out a deep sigh and took a few steps toward the door, his hands finding comfort in his pockets. He glanced back at the table and looked at the objects scattered across it, maybe thinking about his own memories. With a mix of determination and resignation in his voice, he said the words that marked the end of his time in the room: "I'm leaving."
"Where to," Claude asked.
"To the amusement park. Would you like to come with me," Ru said grinning.
"Sure," Claude replied, glancing at his watch. "Just give me ten minutes to wrap up my shift."
"Deal," Ru agreed, then promptly exited the room.
When Ru left the room, Claude took a moment to compose himself. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had remained after his conversation with Ru. He knew he had to handle the situation sensitively, but he also felt a sense of urgency to ensure Ru's safety.
Claude reached for the phone and...
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