Chapter 3 - Youth's crisis

It is 8:53 pm as I look at the clock, and my alone-time had already expired during sun set.

It was very satisfying to release the stress by using half the day. Although there was a time-out during lunch time because the villains got back here to have their meals, it was a no problem at the end since they went back straight to their works afterwards.

It was a little price to pay for a bigger pleasure.

Meanwhile, I was busy doing homework in the middle of the hour, when suddenly…

“Hanzaki!”

It wasn’t that loud and it’s audible from here upstairs, yet father called my name with an angry tone.

All that time during the day has gone to waste as another unfortunate event is waiting just below.

This is it again, acting high and mighty in front while giving another one of those lectures of theirs, and as if they know everything and all of it are right.

My blood boils from imagining the repeated scenarios, and then I have started heading down to them without even fixing my things up.

I strode along the way, making the *creek* sounds from every step to envelope the house, and the dodgy silence has got me aggrieved.

I go down the stairs, and when I was about to get a clear look of them, they were already giving off a pressuring stare, scowling at me for a certain action of my misbehaviour.

Father is sitting down with his arms placed across each other and while mother is standing right behind him, playing the victim’s role.

Looking at their faces, my eyes were blazing fury by them who were making the same kind of expressions all over again, and especially those glaring eyes of theirs which are implying that they are looking down on me.

I refuse to be overwhelmed by their confidence and mistaken beliefs, so without showing a bit of fear and self-doubt, I move towards them.

“What is it?”

The reason for this sudden call was because of my retaliation.

About three days ago, I badmouthed my mother for annoyingly giving me continuous piled up works together with all of that ‘This should be a man’s job’ and ‘that suits you! It’s because you didn’t even put effort to it’ and many more ignorant quotes of hers.

I couldn’t resist myself since I’ve got other things to do aside from these household chores.

She keeps pressuring me about my academics yet at the same time was also giving me a full of these side quests. Her behaviour got me on my nerves.

But seriously, it took this long for her useless concern to be addressed at.

“You know what’s wrong. Why did you do that? What has your mother possibly did to you?”

Like a predator hunting its prey, father went for the attack when the prey (me) was close, causing me to cease from moving closer and have stopped at a distance. Despite of him trying to stay calm, his loud angry voice made me gulp.

“*sighs* It’s because she’s so irritating. And besides, it’s not like she has been a good parent to me for all this time.” I replied with my eyes slightly facing away to them.

My heart has already gone stone-cold from this repeatedly boring and nonsense scenario, and in which had made me said insulting and unmoral statements.

“What did you say!? After all we have been through to just support you, and this is what you’ll give us in return!?”

“Support me? Heh! You’re also one to talk aren’t you?” Upon my disapproval, I immediately glared back with a hiss, making father to become furious with his brows slanting, pointed to each other.

“WHY YOU… How dare you talk to me like that!” From sitting, he instantly exploded and has stood up while pointing a finger.

“HANZAKI! YOU---“

“Why don’t you just keep your mouth shut over there!?”

Mother was about to say something, but I already had enough of her spouting.

Her lips trembled while showing out a pitiful face when she got shouted at.

“Why are you always like that to your mother!? You’re really such a bad and a failure of a son! You’re a disgrace!”

“SHUT UP! I had enough of you!”

I shouted again without any restraints and was enraged, yet surprisingly, in the midst of this quarrel of family members, I have noticed the recently created opportunity--- the opportunity for the execution of my longed secret plan.

As I have gone in silence from thinking about it and with the two of them questionably staring at me, I then have come rushing back inside my room like a hurricane while being followed, and the door has been slammed against the wall when I hurriedly opened it with great force.

My things were a bit messy and unarranged but every important thing is being pack in inside two large Jansport bags, and finally that stupid father of mine caught up and has gotten confused of my actions.

His head has turned side to side of the scene happening in front of him.

“What are you doing!? Huh? Why are you packing your things? You plan on running away!? You got guts!”

“That is right, I am leaving this freaking place, and YOU freaking people!”

“Are you sure!? You sure are tough with that awful mouth of yours. Then go! And leave this house for good!”

When everything was ready, I slide passed by the man to go down while leaving him behind with an insulting exclamation mark, but he continued to follow me and has stopped at the door as I got out in going further outside the gate, and the stomping inside the house has ended.

“Make sure you don’t regret this you disrespect!” He yelled, slamming the door close.

On the other hand, the thought of my neighbours catching a glimpse of this commotion has made me anxious, making me to move my feet with haste away from the house.

As of the moment, the night is already deep, and I wander on the empty road without having to look back at the place, and while wearing a satisfied face.

Normally, one would be hesitant and would regret of what has happened.

Most people would go back, eat their pride, and apologize.

But it was fortunate for it to happen, at least for me.

Meanwhile, the coldness of the area has reached deep through my bones, making me shiver and sneeze along the way while only wearing a casual T-shirt and long pants.

After giving it a thought for a really long time, a day like this has come; to be able to distance myself from the source of my pain that has been there for many years.

Yet on the other hand, this won’t solve everything and that I’m still bound to them, and everything sounded like crazy but my limit has reached its peak, leaving me no other choice but to run away.

The operation to free myself and start a new life has just begun, and real battles are just about to come.

While I was having a full of these thoughts, I already walked a long distance and have arrived at this place called “Puerto”.

It is commonly known for its large public market in the area and especially the mall that is just over at the opposite side of the road.

Not to mention also it is the path going to the distant lands (mountains) which is called “Bukidnon”.

And speaking of mall, it seems it’s a good spot to rest for the night for someone who doesn’t have a place to go.

It is quite risky but there is no other option, and then I put my heavy bags down after I set foot on the huge structure.

As I look around, there were also people on the place who were peacefully sleeping on the ground and covered by their thick clothing which was keeping them warm.

Moreover, darkness has mostly covered the place with only minimal side lights present in the area, and the night sky is beautiful as usual, unlike my life.

“I am tired of being that way, and in that situation. They won’t listen to me. Their EGO and PRIDE! *Grrrr*. This is fine, I am fine with this. I want to start a new leaf. This might be difficult but, I’ve got to manage it for my own good.”

I slowly lay my head on my bag and with my body flat on the rough surface, spending the cold night alone with full of worries about what to do and how to survive all by my own.

Even in trying not to mind, these thoughts continue to consume my head as my surroundings are starting to get blurry and blurry as the seconds go by, and up until the darkness too has devoured everything in my sight.

"YOU DISGRACE!"

"I didn't raise you to be like this"

"You're such a bad influence to your little brother!"

“Kids with no manners like you should be taught a lesson!"

My head has already turned around a number of times to see where these voices are coming from, but the place was a pit of nothingness and everywhere was just pitch black.

I murmured some words, and suddenly there was a warm sensation coming from behind.

A light showed up from out of nowhere in which it made me cover my face from the brightness for seconds, but despite it, I forcedly peek through its blinding consequence, and there was a man who has shown out from the blinding light.

I became curious to who it was. It wasn’t clear to see but he has an orange cloth tied around on his forehead that had signs or symbols on it, and surprisingly that man has reached out his hand to me.

“Is this a sign? A sign of hope? Is God currently giving me signs?” I continue with my delusions.

But who am I for God to show up himself?

I am not that great and good of a person, and this is really confusing, but still I have moved closer to grab the person’s reaching hand.

As I was floating on the empty space while nearing the man at the same time, I notice that his face seems to be somewhat familiar.

He is not someone I know, but when it was a bit clear enough for me to see his whole face, I was shockingly looking at a reflection of my own image.

What is this? I have no idea what is going on anymore, yet still I grab his hand when it was close enough for me to do so.

My expectations: this hope should be giving me the strength needed to face problems.

But right after I held his hand, a scorch of blue flames has shockingly lit on me.

Thunderous clouds have shown out all around with lightning passing through the unknown space, and then it was followed by a ravaging land falling down from above and together with a titan-sized tsunami in which at any minute would devour me.

Filled with fear, I scream from the hostile act that has made my situation a sudden death, and this burning sensation is quickly eating away all of my flesh, making it look like charcoals in the end.

I tried tapping myself everywhere to stop the flames but not a bit of it have been put out, and in which it had me yelling non-stop from the ridiculous pain that it was giving me.

“AAAAAAAAAARRGGGHHHHH------- ACK!“

Panting from the questionable and unknown scenario just recently, I quickly rose from the ground with a frightened face.

After that night, I woke up from a dream early in the morning with my bed hair on, and still worried about the responsibilities and consequences alongside with me.

The place was still cold even though the sun has risen.

But more importantly, there’s no time to be idle around. I planned to start moving, yet the dream continued its disturbance.

‘What was that all about?’ I thought, so I held my head up and took deep breaths in trying to forget.

“Alright, let’s start this new life of mine.”

I said from standing up and did some light stretching.

“My scholarship shouldn’t be a problem until I’ll graduate, and the cash that I have currently should likely last for a week. Then by that time, I just have to find a job to accommodate for my daily expenses. But the real problem here is… where in the world should I stay? Probably most of my expenses would go to rent. I hope everything would go well for me. *sighs* God bless me!”

Without any hesitation and having no confidence to actually get one, the hunt has been initiated.

I’ve also got no ideas and background knowledge of finding one, and asking for help from a close friend would be risky, so it would be best to search for one at the heart (in the middle) of the city where the opportunity to get a job is higher, and to search for any news or any information that might give a lead was the only thing in mind.

Under the burning daylight, there were posters posted on the different walls along the way and torn parts of newspapers were left on the ground, yet its details were neither credible nor reliable from having to finish analysing it.

It looks like these needs to be done face to face at every place in order to be assuring, but I doubt things would go smoothly on my side.

So let’s go fast forward 

I’ve gone at a cafeteria.

“I’m so sorry but we don’t need any more staff”

At a random residence.

“I’m sorry kid, but as you can see, there are already a lot of people helping around the house”

Another is at a merchandise type of business.

“All of our shifts are already full”

And at a construction site.

“What!? Hey kid, there is no way I’m letting you in. Look at yourself, you’ll break!”

Hopping from one place to another wasn’t that simple, or in other words, asking and begging for a job to get for 3 straight days and along with a number of rejections got me exhausted.

I slept at the streets again within those times and have forced myself to be comfortable to the environment.

Moreover, I wasn’t been able to take a proper bath but had only taken a wash on one of those days which it rained.

Now this time, it is the 4th day of desperation.

Currently, I go down from a stair with a disappointed face once again coming from another rejection of job application, walking off the frustration while still having my patience and motivation under control.

Shortly after, I was sitting down at the side of an empty road with a lot of sweat, dripping and panting, and while also taking my time to rest for the moment until… there was somewhat abruptly odd going on around me.

It seemed that someone from a distance, towards my left direction, has been standing under a streetlight for almost five minutes while facing towards me, or maybe just at my direction, or maybe it was just my imagination.

Now I’m confused. Good grief.

Having a stalker is impossible, because this face of mine isn’t that quite attractive and handsome (In my humble perspective).

The person is suspicious to me, but it was only a passing thought, and accusing someone just because of it would be out of the question.

Furthermore, it is kind of hard getting a clear look and I couldn’t turn my head over since things might get complicated, well… more likely it’s because I’m lazy enough to deal such things, so leaving and forgetting all about it has been in mind since from the start.

“*Sighs*. I should probably stop from overthink--- huh?”

But just after I calmed myself down, the person have started heading towards my direction.

My suspicions aren’t that credible but the sudden act got me alerted.

This is becoming more dangerous than I thought, yet at the same time surprisingly thrilling.

If that person would dare to try anything funny, I’ll be letting him/her see stars even though it is still early in the day, but it would be best to observe things first to avoid misunderstandings and more complications.

And with a silent guy like I am who has great observation skills (the perks of being an introvert… and don’t think funny, I’m not using this for any inappropriate reasons), hearing the sound of footsteps from a far and deducing that human being’s coordinates would be a no sweat.

My head was fixed forward with eyes secretly and intensely staring to the left when this scenario started.

“Goodness gracious… It’s painful! Ouch! Ouch!”

Yet in the end, having to force myself from getting a good look of the scene has made my precious eyes to hurt, making me rub them gently with both of my hands, but as I made a few blinks of it…

“Eeehh?”

A shadow has emerged and swallowed my whole presence all over.

From looking up, an old lady has appeared in front of me.

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