Chapter 31 - Lifeless summer

HANZAKI'S POV:

"Well then, off I go sir!" Waving my goodbye, Manager Alvarez responded with a wave too.

"You take care of yourself kid." He remarked loudly despite the current time at night.

With our conversation already over, I started heading back to my place.

With my chest that has lifted out some of my troublesome worries in me, I was a bit enlightened while feeling my whole body that was enlivened up, lightly moving myself around. It was all thanks to the manager; anyhow, my busy summer days at work continue.

A month has passed eventually, and since the first commotion, my family--- or rather to say my father, mother and Hiro were not seen again in our area. And by that, without anything to be anxious of at my side, my daily routine went smoothly, and another exciting and interesting day has arrived for me.

"Hanzaki!" Manager Alvarez called out to me.

Knowing what it was all about, I quickly went dashing towards him excitedly while ignoring the narrow space of the working place.

"Eh! That was quick." A bit of a shocking reaction he showed as I popped out when he turned around from facing at the opposite direction.

"Here's your month's pay." Holding an envelope and reaching it to me, I silently nodded and gently claimed it with my wage that was inside and while holding back my excitement.

I then opened the envelope a little bit to take a peek. By seeing the pile of money inside, I showed no reaction outside but I was overflowing with joy inside my mind.

'Alright!' I shouted in mind.

"Grrrr! Why am I seeing a very bright light around him?" Manager Alvarez somehow mumbled it out of the blue while covering his eyes, probably seeing something in his imagination about what he just said.

"Ahem, ahem. Thank you very much as always sir!" Turning back to my usual serious face--- or rather to my serious mood and thinking, I bowed a little.

"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it. This is all because of your effort." The manager pointed it out to me.

With my pay already in the palm of my hands, I went back with a mix expression of a huge smile and a poker face. My eyes were pretty much fixated on the envelope, and even while walking my way back, the envelope was the only thing that was running inside my mind.

'Ahehehehehehe' I giggled inside my mind while imagining myself drooling because of this money.

"But I wonder, should I just save this one?--- Oh wait, I think I've got an idea!"

After having a thoughtful way to spend the money, I then rushed my way back while continuing to drool over inside my imagination.

-----*-----

COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!

A quick, long series of preparation is about to begin.

Quickly my eyes went wide open when I clearly heard the noises that were coming from the roosters. Succeedingly, I kicked my legs out off of my bed and stood up like a robot, trying to get my mind into sense from still feeling the sleepiness inside my head.

Checking the time on my watch, it was 6:50 A.M. I then went outside to have my breakfast, but this time, I was heading at a bakery to get some bread. I bought a few "pandesals" and have gone at a "sari-sari store" to buy a pack of coffee, and this was a classic and usual culture of breakfast here in my country.

When I arrived back at my room, I took out a new cup of mine which I had bought in my previous pay during the previous months. Dropping a coin inside a water dispenser that was owned by Nang Inday and is solely for the used of the boarders, hot water was being poured down into my cup. I then took a bath after finishing my breakfast, and finally, I put on my casual T shirts in order for me to go shopping at the mall afterwards.

"I wonder what brand I should be picking." I seriously wondered.

Yesterday night, I came up of an idea in trying to find some nice, comfortable foam and pillow for me to put over on my bed. Although I already got used to the hardness of the wooden bed, I'd still prefer that I had something covered on top of it, and not to mention my back would slightly hurt every time when I woke up during the mornings. It was really a struggle for me.

Inside 'GAISANO MALL', I was taking my time to ask for opinions and suggestions from the assistants that were present around. One by one I compared the brand together with its uniqueness and benefits, and especially their prices. I've got to be wise about this, or else I'll be heading home with regrets.

After hours of spending time in finding the things that suited my taste, I finally got to buy one of each of what was needed, but unfortunately it turned out to be a little troublesome for me on the other hand.

My newly bought stuffs weren't that really big, but it was so damn wide and a bit heavy that I had to put effort in stretching the both of my arms to the sides while carrying it upfront of me, making it somehow exhausting, and yet though there was still a lot of time left to spend around in the morning, I decided to make my move in going back to my place directly. I don't want to hang around with these stuffs with me, you know. It'll just make me completely more exhausted at the end.

Putting my feet on the escalator, my eyes have gone wandering around while patiently going down, and in the process, I have stumbled and sighted a friend of mine from below.

Seeing this person, it was Kevin who was together with his whole family that were seemingly doing their shopping.

As soon as I reached and step foot on the ground, Kevin instantly saw and has likely started heading towards me.

"Ah!" When our eyes crossed each other, I acted surprised.

"Zaki!? Hello bro! And hey, what's with the stuffs?" Kevin pointed it out.

Oh crap~ Generating an idea of what to do and what to say, my whole body became frozen like ice.

"Uhhh---Uhmm---" I stuttered as I was continuing to think of an excuse while looking away, eyes fixed at the foam that I was carrying.

"Congrats for the new foam and pillow dude!" Unexpectedly, he said.

"Eeehh?"

Surprisingly, my bad expectations didn't happen, but I was glad of it and have taken a breather.

"Yeah, thanks. Mine got already old so I decided to buy for a new one."

"I see. Well, more importantly, where are you heading now?"

'Lol Kevin. Where do you think I'm heading with all of these heavy stuffs that I'm carrying?' I reacted in mind.

But maybe, Kevin thought at first that I still have to go somewhere important. Okay, now I regret of badly reacting to him.

"Hmm? I'm going back now." Showing an obvious reaction of mine, I replied.

"Oh, really? Hey, why don't you go with us to have lunch?"

"What?"

Wait, wait. First of all, I don't want to spend any more of my savings on unwanted things. I might get broke since they might go to an expensive restaurant, so without any hesitation, I decided that it would be wise to decline the offer.

"I'm sorry dude, but I've got to do something important in the afternoon---" I replied after a few seconds from thinking, but suddenly, coming from behind on Kevin's back, his mom appeared and has approached me.

"But there is still much time left before afternoon. Hanzaki, was it? Come join us for lunch. Don't worry, it's all on us!" Kevin's mom exclaimed as she was showing a bright smile that was directed at me, and of course, the usual same reaction of mine happened.

With my outer appearance showing a poker face, I was luckily surprised and loudly celebrating inside my mind, and without any hesitation, I quickly took back my thought of rejecting the offer.

"Okay ma'am! Thank you very much in advance!"

That being said, I spent the rest of my time in the morning eating my treated lunch together with Kevin and with the rest of his family.

While we were enjoying our meals, Kevin and I had our own world as we were having a chitchat to each other about the trending stuffs, but as soon as noon strikes, I then properly announced my leave to them and have went home ahead.

"Now this is what I'm talking about!" Finishing in organizing some things on my bed, I happily exclaimed.

When I arrived back at my board room, I quickly took out and tested my newly bought foam and pillows without having to change my clothes yet. Slowly I was rolling over and over everywhere to feel the softness of my upgraded bed set.

"This is more comfortable than before. Now I can sleep in peace." Stopping from rolling around, I then let out a sigh with a joyful face out of satisfaction.

-----*-----

"Good afternoon ma'am! May I take your order?"

Several days have passed but still I did nothing else aside from doing my job.

The summer break was nearing its end and the start of a new school year was fast approaching, yet still the day was bright and sunny as ever.

At the restaurant, I continued with my work with no fun plans booked in mind.

"Hey Hanzaki! Shouldn't you be doing something else?" A voice suddenly called out to me when there was no line of customers in front.

To the person at my side, it was my new co-worker David who questioned.

David is just a few years older than me, and I don't know why, but he has been feeling close to me even though he just started working at this place after a few days since the commotion.

Jeez~ Another annoying person.

Together, we were positioned at the counter which we were assigned for the meantime.

"I don't get what you are trying to say Dave."

"Come on! Don't you get it? The normal things that your fellow teenagers do, you know? Do you realize what season is it today?"

"Yes, today's season is to work hard as usual in order to survive in this unfair and cruel world."

"Oh Come on Hanzaki! Not that philosophical speech of yours again. Be serious!"

"I am serious here, working hard for myself to have a pay and meet my daily necessities."

"Dude, you're out of this world! Haven't you once thought of hanging out with your friends in this summer or something?"

"Uhh--- I think I did."

"See! As I expec---- Wait, what!? Really?"

"Yeah, but I can't say that we really had hangout that time."

"Eeehhh? Then tell me what you guys did."

"I just ran into a friend of mine at a mall while I was buying some stuff. He was with his family, and suddenly they invited me for lunch and have said that the expenses were on them. It was pretty much benefitting for me, right?"

"YOU--- I'm starting to change my opinion of what kind of a person you really are."

"Hey, knock it off. Besides, they asked me at first. I couldn't reject a blessing, you know."

"Hmmp! Just excuses. And see! Just what I was about to say earlier, you do not have even ONE fun experience this summer break."

"I don't really need one though"

"Seriously dude, are you even a high schooler? You really sound like an old man. I mean, you're like really someone older than me who had gone through a great war or something."

"You're not wrong actually." I whispered to myself.

"Huh? Did you say something Hanzaki?"

"I said you're so handsome, but deaf."

"Now you're just fooling around. Take it seriously man!" Being full of my serious, stone cold replies, David sighed.

"You're one to talk. Ever since I've been with a person like you, you always got something funny and crazy things up your sleeves."

"Ahehehe, I'm sorry that I exist in this world." David replied in a humorous way as usual.

"Well, but because of that, you managed to liven up my days. It gives me energy to do my work too. So thank you for that."

David then looked at me in surprised with what I said. He continued to stare at me for several seconds with his eyes that were wide open.

"Seriously Hanzaki, you are really stubborn…."

"It can't be helped."

"… but you're one good guy for sure."

From hearing what he said, I then looked back at him in return with the usual poker-face.

"Heh! Stop being cheesy. Let's just finish the day."

"Alright! Keep 'em the customers coming then!"

After that, another usual day has ended for us and we started heading back home.

On my way to my place, my phone vibrated twice inside my pocket. I then reached to it to pick up my phone and see what it was all about.

"Oh, it is a message from Romeo… or rather this is a group message. I see… it's for the four of us." From turning on my phone, I saw its chat head in which where our names were displayed.

With a number of clicks and slides I did on my phone afterwards, I start to read the full message.

"Hmmm… A trip to a beach, huh? I guess it won't hurt if it is just for once."