When the Rains Changed

Chapter 29

JIN's POV

"You can do this" Jin told himself as he turned the 'closed' sign to 'open'.

Things had been pretty bumpy for the boy while growing up. Financially, his family was not in a good place. His father was the sole bread-winner of the family and had a hard time meeting basic needs. Jin was aware from a very young age, that the only way he could help was if he got a job in the city.

Today, here he was, proud to open his own little shop.

Jin went back to his desk and started arranging the few pamphlets that were left after yesterday's distribution. He was eagerly waiting for his first customer to walk in.

Suddenly, he noticed a tiny stain on the wall next to the entrance. One would easily miss it but Jin was a perfectionist. Everything had to be in order.

He swiftly walked to the spot, bent down and started wiping it. As he was fixing the spot, he heard the door open. He briskly stood up to greet the customer, but the next thing he knew, he was lying flat on the ground, trapped under a pile of stinky, sweaty, unwashed clothes.

"Uh... I'm so sorry!" whoever had knocked him down apologized.

Jin felt extremely embarrassed, tangled in all the clothes, feeling his cheeks heat up. He knew he had to say something funny to lighten the situation and not embarrass his very first customer! It was a genuine accident.

"Ah... They always told me, that opening your own business had its risks, little did I know that my very first customer would tackle me down to the ground!" he laughed as he managed to come out of the mess, but immediately regretted saying so. A boy with dark brown hair and thick-rimmed glasses, stood dumbfounded in front of him. He wasn't very old, probably late teens.

The boy was trembling, clearly nervous around him. Jin was used to the stares he received quite often and he never felt flattered. He absolutely despised that. But this boy...'oh he is so cute' Jin marveled.

"Um, excuse me Sir, but would you like me to show you around and tell how this place works?" Jin carefully asked, stressing on a particular word. He felt victorious when he got the reaction he was hoping for. The poor boy choked and burst into a fit of coughs. Teenage hormones were always the funniest and most messed up. 

Jin patted himself mentally, almost bowing to an imaginary audience. The boy stopped coughing and started taking heavy breaths.

Okay, now Jin was seriously worried.

'What if the boy hit his head when he fell?' Jin questioned himself. That could explain why the boy looked petrified. Did he have a concussion or something?

"Uh, are you okay, sir?" Jin asked again. He would take this kid to the hospital if required.

Before Jin could further probe him, the boy scampered out of the store. Jin ran up till the entrance but the boy never looked back. He hadn't even taken his clothes with him.

Jin stood at the entrance, exceptionally puzzled at what just happened. He considered running after him but stopped when he saw an old woman making her way towards his shop with a bag of laundry.

Well, he would have a few questions to ask this boy the next time they met, 'if they ever met again', he thought.

Little did he know, that time was not far away.

a/n:

AAARGHH I haven't been keeping well lately and that's why my updates are not regular! :(

I'm sorry... :((

And now I have made a small promise to myself, I will not upload until I write a new chapter, just to maintain a balance. 

(I have finished writing till Chapter 35 :P ) 

Bigger news- 

WE HIT 800  READERS!!!!

I ATE LIKE 3 WHOLE DONUTS TO CELEBRATE!! :D