Me and My Badump

The next morning,

I'm peeking behind the wall, trying to see who is in the arcade room.

"!"

Then Mr. Laith sees me first and gets up.

"Pok-pok-pok."

The sound of someone playing ping pong.

I step out and walk to Mr. Laith.

"Morning, Roelle."

Two team members greet me.

"Hi."

I greet back.

"Mr. Laith."

And turn to the tall man with soft pudding hair.

"How are you feeling?"

"!"

I quickly bow to him.

"I'm so sorry to cause you trouble, Mr. Laith."

"…"

"You didn't cause me trouble, Roelle."

He grabs my head and pulls me up with a smile.

"Let's go eat."

Mr. Laith.

The Kimbok restaurant

"Kimbok noodles for two."

"Thank you."

"You must have been startled last night…"

Mr. Laith.

"…"

"Are you really not in trouble, Mr. Laith?"

"Mmm."

He glares at me.

"Roelle… I'm not in any trouble. Your shadow that ate that man's arm was just not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?"

"I mean, situations like that happen often. The shadows fight each other and cause a lot of blood…which is quite normal in gangster alley…"

"…"

"So there's nothing to worry about me getting in trouble because of you and your shadow, okay?..."

"If you say so."

"But it's a big deal for me that you're worried about others but yourself."

"…not others… it's you, Mr. Laith."

I look at him.

"…Roelle."

He raises his hand, holds my cheek, and touches it gently.

"Thinking that those fuckers touching you… and do other things… I wanted…"

He pauses his hand and pulls back.

"You must feel shocked seeing me like that last night."

He continues.

"Yes…but I was more afraid about me causing you trouble and making you worried."

"…"

"And they didn't do much. Emris and Xin helped me."

"Didn't do much!? You talked like it's…what did they do? No, don't tell me!"

"…"

I use chopsticks to grab the noodles and put them into my mouth, watching the opposite man concerned and lose his tight eyebrow the second after.

"I'm the one who should say sorry. I should be with you and shouldn't let this happen."

"…Apology accepted."

"Huh…Roelle you are so…"

"Heh, Should we go get the prize after?"

I ask.

"Yes, Roelle."

While we're on the way to the Center building, some locals are looking at us and whispering, the gaze and the gossip that I don't know what is about. If it's about last night, the word travels too fast in this village. But if not, then what?

"Kid."

Security guard no. one.

"Mr. Kint."

Security guard no. two.

"For pay?"

Security guard no. one.

"Yes."

I answer.

Then, Security guard no. one gets up and comes to me. I look at him curiously. He gives me a piece of white paper and a pen.

"Hm?"

"I want your signature, Kid."

"Hehe."

Mr. Laith.

"You're famous, I want to get your signs before anybody else."

"Ah…okay."

I take them and intentionally sign my name beautifully.

"Here."

I give them back to him.

"You're the talk of the town about last night."

Security guard no. two.

"!"

I'm stunned a bit and glance at Mr. Laith.

"This morning they aren't shutting up the match."

Security guard no. One.

"Ah…"

"Roelle, let's go."

Mr. Laith calls me.

We're inside the elevator.

"Are we sure we're…we still can go get the money... Do you still have a job, Mr. Laith!?"

"Hehe… Don't worry too much. We're fine. I still have a job, and yes, we still get the money."

He holds my head, shakes it a little, and we exit the elevator.

"They deserve what they did…you need to know what karma is working."

He tells me.

"11th floor."

We're heading to the money booth and waiting for the lady inside the booth to do her paper things while she glances at me again every time I am here. And, like always, the money bag shows up behind the hidden wall in a square shape. And this time, they're two bags. 

"!"

My eyes open widely from behind.

Mr. Laith carries them by himself and smiles at me.

The Underground.

Mr. Laith, Emris, and I are in the tower, the glass view room, watching Raden match in the Shading fight. The Shading fight doesn't allow the audience to get the seats like other fights due to the aggressiveness of the shadow, which can harm and be dangerous to the audience. Only the fighters themselves, their coaches, the two judges, the two moderators, and VIP guests who buy the exclusive shading match need to read and understand the conditions very well and need to sign the paper before they can be allowed inside.

I brought snacks and drinks with me, even though they provided us with expensive drinks inside the glass-view room.

I try to move the couch near the view, but it's quite heavy. Before Xin is about to form his form, Emris comes in and pushes it for me.

"Thank you."

I smile at him 

Then, Mr. Laith opens the door and gets inside the room with two team members, watching us change the position of the furniture. Emris doesn't care what Mr. Laith is looking at. He keeps pushing over to the view, walks back to his usual couch, holds it up easily, and puts it near mine.

Emris sits and pulls out his phone.

"We want to see Raden clearly, Mr. Laith."

I explain.

"We, you say?"

"Yes…Do you want to join?"

"Yes."

Then, Mr. Laith and I sit on the same couch.

I hold the plastic bag upside down and shake it to let the snacks fall out on the couch.

"Did you buy everything in the store?"

Mr. Laith.

"Haha, no."

"Here."

I give Emris his favorite snack.

"..."

"What about me?"

Mr. Laith.

"Here, Mr. Laith, you can choose. I don't know which one is your fav."

"Hmpt."

Emris smirks a little, grabs his snack, and puts it on his lap.

"1 point to Riz."

One of the team members mumbles behind us.

"So. I bought quite a lot for you to choose."

"Hehe, you're so cute."

Mr. Laith.

"1 point to TL."

Another team member speaks up lightly.

What is going on with those two?

'They are having fun, haha.'

Fun?

"Here he is…"

I speak up after seeing Raden in his black suit walking in.

"He's looking handsome in that suit."

I speak my mind.

"Ooh…1 point to Rad."

"Can you guys shut up?"

Mr. Laith turns to scold the two men behind.

Oh, I almost forgot. I hurriedly take out the pink sign from my purse. Mr. Laith and Emris look at me wondering. Then, I expand the long sign out and get up to the glass window. And wave so hard to make Raden notice me.

"He looks at it…Hi!!"

I speak out even though I know that Raden doesn't hear me.

"!"

He looks surprised and tries to hide his face. Then, he suddenly becomes shy and waves back at me.

"Hee— Raden waves at me."

I jump my body a little like a child.

"Hehe."

And Mr. Laith chuckles behind me.

I turn my body to him.

"Raden sees my sign."

I tell them.

"Hahaha, that's great, Roelle."

Mr. Laith laughs at me with his pink cheeks.

"Heh."

Then, Emris accidentally chuckles out.

"!"

I look at him immediately.

Emris is laughing. 

Then, I turn to Mr. Laith. He's still smiling widely without the creepiness or hidden feelings like he always does. He's genuinely giving me a sweet smile.

"Ha…"

I slowly walk back to my seat and sit in between them.

"Roelle, what the sign says…Can I hold it to Rad?"

One of the team members.

"Yes! here."

I give it to him

I sit still in the middle. I feel something is different.

"!"

Mr. Laith puts his hand on my head and gives me a tiny shake.

"You're so adorable."

He tells me.

"..."

I face up to look at him.

His smile…

Badump, Badump.

I quickly turn my face back to watch what's in front of me instead. Then I notice Emris's hand slightly moving to me. Suddenly, he holds my hand.

"!!"

I look at his hand while he holds my right hand and leads it to touch his snack.

I look up at him.

"..."

He opens his mouth to show me that he wants me to feed him. I grab the snack, tear it out, pick the piece, and slowly raise my hand automatically. Then, he moves his face closer and takes the piece of my fingers with his mouth. I can feel his lips and tongue touching my fingers.

My eyes watch his action and shift to his eyes. He's also gazing at me.

What…What…

What kind of situation am I in!!?

"Hmpt."

Then Mr. Laith softly makes an upsetting sound in his throat. I hurriedly pull my hand back.

Badump, Badump, Badump.

Xin…Calm my heart for me.