Legions of unspoken affliction

Chapter 2 : Hope

Lonely, hungry and cold in an alley in the middle of the night. Dim mood light shining down onto his face, so beautiful it almost seemed as though he was the child, a gift from the moon.

Riki sat there on the cold, hard, wet and dirty floor leaning against the brick wall, trying to fall asleep, but to avail. An older lady about the age of 35, was disposing of her trash bags as she noticed a figure seated at the end of the alleyway. Her survival instincts told her it would be best to not go near, but curiosity got to the best of her as she decided to make her way towards him.

"Hey there are you alright?" The lady asked in a kind and loving tone, waiting for the response she didn't receive.

She squat down to try to make eye contact with the figure but the figure was avoiding to look her in the eyes and the alley was too dark for her to see clearly. All she could make out from what she saw was that the figure was a young boy.

"Are you lost? Why are you here alone at such time? Don't be scared, i'm here to help you." She said, hoping to get a form of response, which she felt a little pleased when riki looks at her, shivering from the cold.
"What's your name little boy?
"R-riki" he responded stuttering.
"Are you lost?"

He shook his head. "Mama and papa threw me out"
That completely changed her assumption, her first instincts told her that he was a boy who ran away, now it was full of empathy as she wrapped her jacket around the boy's shoulder.

"Tell you what, my home is just around the corner. You can come stay for the night, also i have a little boy who seems to be just around your age"

Riki looked up at the lady as if he saw light and hope, one that he has never seen or felt in the past 16 years of his life. He was unfamiliar with this feeling, he felt safe as he took her hand with no hesitance and followed her home.

"Maybe the gods sent her to help me." Riki thought to himself, but he wasn't wrong, maybe the gods did send her change riki's life

On the walk there, he wondered about how his family was doing, how this household is going to be like, how old the son was and what will happen if he does something wrong. So many different thoughts rushed through his mind while he stood still watching the lady opening the front door as she shouted for her husband and son.

A little boy walked out holding the wrist of the older man. He was rather short but quite good looking. He smiled at Riki and excitedly waves his hand, but Riki stood there frozen, deep in thoughts.

"Come on in" the lady said, which snapped Riki out of his thoughts.

The young boy politely took his shoes off and made his way in, greeting the other boy and his father with a 90 degrees bow. The son of the lady excitedly introduces himself, "Hello, i'm Jay, 15 this year! Nice to meet you! Let's be friends!", and dragged Riki off to his room to play. Although Jay was a teenager, he sure was a childish and playful.

He's one who dislikes following social norms and prefers to go his own way at things, which made it harder for him to learn his lessons because rather than doing what others have already done, he insists on trying things out his way.

Jay enjoys playing video games but he doesn't have much friends even though he tries, he doesn't have a sibling either, one that he have always longed for. It gets lonely at times, from time to time he would spend time talking to himself to feel some company or play games with strangers online.

Although Jay's parents are very loving, they have a busy life as the man and woman who runs a travel agency. They are the boss and could choose to stay home and do nothing, however, they insists that since they are the ones who calls the shots, they should see the situations and interact first hand with the tourists. It was visible where Jay's headstrong attitude came from, much clearer that where his sense of stubbornness and perseverance came from.

Jay sat Riki down on the bed as he told him more about himself and his family, not forgetting to share about the special memories they made when they fly overseas for vacation. Hearing the happy tales of Jay's family made Riki break down into tears. He wants to be happy with his family but he just isn't given a chance to.

Jay was scared and anxious, he didn't know what he said wrong, he looked around and took a stuffed bear and made it say funny things to Riki, also using the bear's paw to poke against Riki's rosy cheek.

"What's the matter Riki? What's bothering you?" Jay asked after noticing the younger has calmed down a little, but received no response but weeping in return. Riki leaned onto Jay's shoulder, sharing about his life and everything that happened today, with his raspy voice,while tears trickle down his cheeks.

Jay gently wraps an arm around Riki, wanting him to feel safe and comfortable, gently patting him like how his parents used to, in attempts to comfort him. Riki for the longest of time, has never felt such warmth and comfort, he may have just met Jay, but he knew he could trust him. And for Jay, all he wants to do now is to protect Riki, as long as his parents let Riki stay for long, he can treat the younger like the little brother he has always wished for.

Riki laid on the older's abdomen as they talk about their troubles and got to know each other better while Jay strokes the head of the latter.

Riki wanted to thank Jay for listening to him, he headbutt jay in the stomach which made him yelp in pain while holding his belly. Riki was satisfied at first but the moment Jay's parents came, busting into the room to check on Jay made him confused.

He scooted backwards, sat further away from jay, crossed legged, unsure about what wrong he committed this time. He was scared, afraid that Jay's family would throw him out like his own parents did. The thought made his eyes watery as he watched Jay's mother rub her son's tummy gently.

Jay felt much better and they left him to rest. Jay's parents brought Riki out to the living room and sat him down. "Riki, what you did in there was wrong. You cannot do that to Jay or anyone." Jay's mother said, then patiently further explained the seriousness and consequences it could bring. It was confusing for Riki, but he could make out what the lady was trying to convey, he understood that he cannot hurt Jay or anyone at all, and he has to watch his actions so he doesn't hurt others around him.

"Will you throw me out, Mrs Park?" Riki asked, fully prepared for the worst.

"Of course not darling, i'm sure it's not your fault. You just wasn't sure that such actions is not nice, but now you understand. There is no reason to throw you out Riki."

"Are you not going to punish me for what i did?"

"Don't worry, Riki. Even though we just met you, and now you may still be like a guest, we'll treat and love you as if you are my own son, i won't punish you. If you do any wrong, it would be my duty to teach you the right things." Mrs Park said with a calming smile on her face.

"We'll take care of you Riki." Mr Park added.

For the first time in Riki's life, he felt love, parental love, family love. It was comforting, a feeling that makes his heart feel warmth rather than the cold, icy sensation his biological parents brought him.

Now, with his new family, he doesn't have to spend time and effort trying to be the perfect child, he doesn't have to be a slave to the family, much less be punished emotionally and physically for his wrong doings which he can never understand.

After feeling true love, his first thought was "did they really mean it when they said they did it for my own good, because they love me?". Such thoughts kept him up all night as he gently caressed one of his old wounds.