Wings Of Despair - Prologue

Chapter 8 - First Mistake

 A couple of uneventful days passed. Yuto was alone to his devices, as Greg left for work. He impatiently awaited for his next Cupid job in the lounge room, when John and Bri barged through the front door.

"-How do you have so much money, anyway?" John wrapped up his prior conversation with his girlfriend. Without a job? He almost added.

"You should know by now, pumpkin!" Bri boasted her bags of impulsive purchases. John rolled his eyes; he despised that pet name. "My family are known for their self-owned business in soaps, they're quite successful! They're just so kind to lend me some of their earnings."

The couple continued to talk nonsense, unaware of Yuto's presence in the room.

"Well, we should have bought some lunch while we were out. I've been hungry since we went into that bloody shopping centre." To prove his point, John's stomach abruptly growled.

"Hungry, hmm~?" John instantly recognised Bri's implication from her change of tone. He paled. "I can fix that up."

"No-" John tried to voice his discomfort, however Bri snatched his hand and sensually led him to their bedroom.

Yuto noticed John's weird reaction and went to pipe in, until his tablet distracted him.

'Cupid: Bill and Mel. Possible location: Yxes shopping centre.'

The coincidence was impeccable.

Yuto took this opportunity to leave the awkward situation, as he heard the couple get themselves riled up.

He exited the apartment with his shoulder bag, Snab snug in his shawl and hidden from plain sight. As he walked along the pathway, he ensured he didn't get hopelessly lost like last time. He ventured the same passage as the Botanic Gardens, the midday sun glistened the lake. As he approached the same trail that led away from the coast, he realised his mistake that led him astray the other day. Yuto shook his head amusingly, then followed the same trail once more.

Yuto entered Yxes town, bustled with people as per usual. He still took note of the judgemental eyes from onlookers; gazes that seeped poison along his skin. He wasn't sure why he was irked – he shouldn't be irked! – But Yuto couldn't help but feel self-conscious about his body. He tried to brush it off, as he slowly approached a large building labelled 'Yxes Central'. Must be the shopping centre. Why does it have to be so huge? Yuto complained to himself, it'll be the end of the day until he completed his job. Dread bubbled in the pit of his stomach, as he entered the plaza.

It was unsurprisingly busy, which meant more stares that punctured his soul. Yuto held his shoulder bag closer to himself, but found an inner calm when Snab snuggled more in his shawl. Though the strangers' mere presence still made him feel overstimulated.

"Yuto!"

Yuto perked. Who was that?

"Yuto, hey! Over here!"

He paused in the middle of the walkway, he briefly glanced along the crowd. People shoved past him as he searched for the owner of the voice. He noticed a sickly-pale hand and a red-sleeved jacket amongst the crowd; it stuck up in the air and waved frantically.

Yuto recognised the sleeve of that jacket. It was Allan, from the Botanic Garden bus!

He smiled, and shuffled against the river of people to reach Allan. Once he did, he happily greeted them, alongside the other two people that accompanied them.

"Hey, flower boy. Fancy meeting you again." Allan seemed more relaxed around Yuto, compared to when they first met. "How was the Botanic Gardens?"

"Flower boy?" Yuto tilted his head, confusion evident as Allan led their group to the side.

"I dunno, you seemed real into flowers the other day. Easiest way I could remember you." Allan shrugged, as if it meant nothing.