Laurice opened the door slowly, 'creeeaaakk' as she noticed a letter on the desk, "Auntie, I have a shift today, I might come home late," she read and stared at the paper once more, 'you're so independent, I wish I was like you when I was young...' she crumpled the paper, 'Don't overwork yourself Klein...' she bit her lip because she feels vulnerable, she throws the paper and tied her hair, 'let's start job hunting I guess?'
***
'Clank! 2x'
"more beer here!"
"More beer there!!"
Klein's head began heating up, he was losing his mind from his shift, he worked this and that, he almost worked everywhere. He walked outside as the chaos has stopped, walking lumpy like a drunk person, he rested his back in a dark corner slowly sliding down while looking up in the sky, 'how tiring' he noticed tears falling in his eyes, he felt so much pain as he carries heavy burdens from his parents, he hugged his knees and began to shed tears.
"you've endured for a long time I see..."
a strange voice came out of nowhere. "who are you?" he raised his head and put his guard up, "you don't have to know," he walked towards him slowly. "s-stay back!" his eyes staggered as he saw the man's silhouette, the man walked towards the light, "you can see my face now, don't be scared I won't hurt you," Klein slowly raised his head and stared at the man's face, his face looks like its sculpted by a famous sculptor that has been admired by many in a lavish museum.
the man smiled as he squat, "I'm glad you stopped crying, but you're pretty when you cry," his words made him speechless.
***
'IS HE A SADIST?' I knotted my brows in confusion and puzzled, he chuckled "I have an engagement for you, would you like to hear it?" he said with his lips curved as he smiled, the engagement sounds malicious as I heard it. "What do you mean? do I even know you?" I asked, "you are Klein Adrien, from the xxx village, age 21, both of your parents died in a car crash while you celebrating your high school graduation in your house alone, as your parents died, they left you to pay their debt which cost a million or two, and loan sharks are trying to find you and your Aunt Laurice in Los Angeles so you moved here in San Fransisco by borrowing money again, now if I calculate your debts, it will be... exactly 3.5 million or billion dollars," he said more information continuously while smiling.
'how much does he know me? even he knows my parents and the debts I'm trying to pay,', a light bulb lit above my head, "did you do a background check on me?" I stood as I said it, "Bingo!" he raised his head. 'he looks more like an idiot than a millionaire,' "If I can read your mind right now, it said he looks more like an idiot than a millionaire?" he stood from squatting while patting his suit.
I bit my tongue as he read my mind, "now would you like to go somewhere to discuss the engagement?" he asked as he stepped closer towards me. "No, here is fine," I looked away from him "I see..." he stepped closer to me as he successfully cornered me, he leaned closer to my ear as I hear his deep breathings, 'this is not what I signed up right?', he blew my ear which made me tingle, "be mine and you'll get what you want," he whispered in my ear, 'Excuse me?'
***
I pushed him away as I heard him whisper, "A-Are you crazy!?", "Maybe?" he looked at me smiling, "I was smitten by you as I saw your face," he caressed my face as he continue to corner me, "remember me?", 'Remember me? I don't know you,'
"you must be mistaking me for someone else mister," I pushed him slightly away as I looked away, "what do you mean mistaking for someone? don't you remember me?" he asked and made me look at him. "sorry, but who are you," his eyes darkened as I asked him who is he, he instead gave me his number If I might change my mind, he left earlier than expected, I guess it's good that way.
***
"Auntie..." I took a peek at the door as I saw the light open, "Klei!-" 'Thud!' I ran immediately to the living room to see if she was alright as I heard the loud sound. "Auntie! what happened? there's a lot of newspaper here," I glanced around every corner of the living room, "I'm fine, I just slipped, but I have good news!" she grabbed me in the shoulder with her eyes gleaming like stars. "I can go back to my job as a lawyer! and after that, I might be able to help you with paying all of your debts," I was shocked as she said. "But how?" I asked my Aunt, "My former co-worker, I asked her If I can go back to my job, she said yes and I'll be working with Detective Evans," she pulled me back and forth in excitement.
"I'm... Happy for you? now stop shaking me off I'm gonna puke," she dropped me on the floor as I told her to stop, "Oh, there's buttered chicken on the table, the neighbors gave it, enjoy~," she said as she organized the newspapers on the floor, I stood from the floor and stretched myself. "sleep later, okay aunt?" I rubbed my eyes as I told her to sleep,
"yeah... later don't worry," she said while organizing the newspapers.
***
Klein headed to his room holding his business card, his questions kept popping on his head. "you look so familiar..." he glanced on his bed as he walked towards it as if he was drunk, ("be mine and you'll receive what you want,") his statement made him rethink his decision. "If I sell myself, I'll be able to receive anything I want? then I will have no problems in life..." he glanced at the business card and stared at the ceiling, "am I making the right decision?"
'DING!' a notification popped up on his phone, he spring immediately from bed and grabbed his phone,
{Unknown Number}
: have you made your decision? Klein?
you: are you the? the one I met earlier?
: I'm glad you remembered me ^^
: Shall we meet tomorrow?
you: I have no problem with that, goodnight.
Read 1:34 am
***
the man rested his face on his palm with his eyes darkened, he looked disappointed as Klein didn't remember him. "what should I do?... you hardly recognize me anymore," he clicked his tongue as he stared down the marbled floor, "I guess money changes people," he placed down his phone and stood from his chair stressed and ruffling his hair,
'I finally found you, Klein,'
to be continued...