Heartstrings In Dilemma

CHAPTER 13

FLASHBACK...

In the middle of pouring rain, a little boy, around the age of 10, sat on a bench in the park, his clothes clinging to him, tears mixing with raindrops. The pain of losing his parents two years ago still haunted him, and being an orphan had left him vulnerable. Now, due to certain circumstances, he couldn't even find shelter in the orphanage. His body had a few wounds, which were the same reason for leaving that orphanage,that was making his life a living hell.

"So you think you can run away from us?" Another boy, a little older than him, said with two others.

The little boy looked up. "Now what do you want? I've left that place, leave me alone, please."

"Not that easily. You think leaving the orphanage means you can escape from us." With that, the three boys started beating him. The boy was too weak to defend himself, which was the reason for leaving the orphanage.

Suddenly, the beating stopped, which was unusual because in the past, they would beat him until they were satisfied.

He looked up and saw a boy of almost his age beating the bullies as if he did this daily. He curled himself up and hid his face, crying and the rain still pouring on him.

Suddenly, the little boy felt the rain was not pouring on him anymore, but it was still raining. He looked up and saw the same boy who protected him standing there with an umbrella, shielding him from the rain.

"Are you fine? Why were they beating you?" The boy asked him, but he didn't answer back.

"My name is Phayu. What is your name?" He asked, but he still did not reply.

"Phayu! Phayu! Where are you, son?" He could hear someone calling the boy's name.

"Paa, I am here." As soon as Phayu said that, a man came with an umbrella and some bodyguards.

"Where did you go, baby? Paa got so tensed," said Phayu's father and hugged him.

"Who is he, Phayu, and why is he injured? Did you fight with him?" Phayu's father asked him.

"No, Paa! I did not fight with him. Some older boys were bullying and beating him. When I saw him, I came to help him, that's it. Believe me," Phayu explained everything to his father.

"Hello, little one. Where are your parents, and what are you doing in the rain?" Phayu's father could see the boy was afraid, maybe because of the guards with him.

"No need to be afraid. My name is Pete. I am his father," Pete introduced himself to help the boy relax.

"What is your name?" Pete tried again.

The boy looked up, somewhat relaxed now. "Dao, I am Dao," he said his name.

"Dao, hmm. Where are your parents, Dao?" Pete asked him again, but he still didn't reply.

"You are injured. Look, there is blood on your knee, and your clothes are torn," concern was clearly visible in Phayu's voice.

Phayu turned to Pete. "Paa, can we go to the hospital to treat his injuries?" Phayu asked in a very sweet voice.

"Of course, my baby. We can take him, but first, we have to ask for his permission or his parents' permission. We can't take him like that, right?" Pete said.

Pete knelt down beside Dao, speaking gently, "Dao, would you like us to take you to the hospital? We can help you get better."

Dao hesitated for a moment, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. He had learned to be cautious, to trust no one but himself. However, the genuine concern in Phayu and Pete's voices touched something within him. Slowly, he nodded, a faint glimmer of hope emerging amidst the darkness of his past.