Corruptions Are Best Exposed In The Autumn!

Chapter 10 - One Tren After Another

"Mrs. Tren, please!"

I was in Mrs. Tren's apartment room, which was right next to where I was supposed to live, had I not gotten suspended. I had just arrived after my work shift was over; instead of going back to Lily's place, I bused back to my usual apartment home, ready with a proposal for my landlord.

It took a million tries just to have her let me in, but now was the hardest part. I dropped to my knees and bent over in a praying position, catching her by surprise.

"Mrs. Tren, please hear what I have to say," I began. "There's nowhere else I can stay, and I can't stay at Lily's place...I'd feel too guilty to impose such a burden on her!"

Mrs. Tren didn't budge at all, and she only deepened her frown.

"And why would I let you come back? You're only three days into your suspension."

I stayed with my back hunched over like a camel, keeping my forehead glued to the cold floor. "Please, Mrs. Tren, I beg of you," I pleaded. "I'm willing to pay you back anything if you'll let me move back in."

A teardrop splashed onto the floor where my face hovered over.

Mrs. Tren stepped back, perhaps perplexed by my tearing up. While I waited for her to answer me, I thought back to earlier in the day, after Dally dropped the bombing truth about my father to everyone in the café: His actions had destroyed Lily's family business, which was probably why they lived so frugally now.

"Lily, please," I begged. Both of us had just finished our shifts and were grabbing our bags in the storage room to go home. "Let me apologize formally to your parents."

"I-Its..." she avoided my gaze. "It's fine. Just pretend nothing happened when we're back."

"Wait," I stepped in-between her and the door, blocking her way out.

"K-Kai! I told you it's fine!"

"Why?" I looked down, frustrated. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?!"

I would've never taken her offer to live at her parents' place otherwise.

"I was going to confront you about it," Lily sharpened her eyes at me. "But after what happened with you being suspended, you needed a place to live, and you would've felt too guilty to take my offer."

A brief silence filled the air between us, and we both couldn't help but look down in frustration. However, I knew my next step.

"Lily...I have something to do first. I'll be coming home late tonight."

Just as my recollection ended, Mrs. Tren's legs began to tremble, and she sat back in her rocking chair while sipping her tea. The small round tea table between us blocked me from seeing her face.

"Kai...why are you doing this? What's the motivation? Why can't you just go back to Lily's place until your suspension is over?!" She asked.

"Because..." I wiped my tears, directed my gaze back up at her, and tried to smile. "I must be responsible for my own problems. My father and I ruined the Meyer family's business, and to think I have any right to step foot in their small household would be heartless of me."

Mrs. Tren, while keeping her bulking eyes at me in surprise, finally let out a sigh and crossed her arms. "F-Fine, I will add an additional fine on you instead then, with a deadline to pay by the end of December."

I bounced up with both fists pumped up in excitement. "R-Really?! Thank you, Mrs. Tren-"

"However..."