I was sitting at the bench while looking at a familiar hospital from afar.

I opened my wallet and sighed.

"I wonder how long I'll be able to keep this up."

I then looked back at the hospital and thought.

No, I'll just work harder. After all-

[This is all your fault!]

That's right... this all my fault.

It was the memory of my mother yelling at me while my dad was in a hospital bed.

My dad has been in a coma for 3 years and has never opened his eyes to this day. My guilt and self-hatred kept building up every time I thought about that day. I had been anonymously paying for his medical bills ever since because I thought it was the least I could do.

I could never properly visit him to check up on his condition, because every time I tried, I felt the guilt slowly overwhelming me. I have never set a foot in his room, I just couldn't.

I looked at the time and thought it was finally time to go to work.

As I was walking, I suddenly spotted a familiar woman coming out of the supermarket while talking with an old lady.

Shit!

I became extra cautious. I really didn't want to meet her after all this time. I managed to hide at a corner and waited for them to leave.

"Are you really going to cook that again?"

"It was my son's favorite dish."

The woman said with a smile.

"You've been cooking that dish almost every day ever since he left, do you still believe he would come back after all these years."

Stop

"I do, and when he does..."

Please stop

"I'll have his favorite dish waiting for him."

Even though she was smiling, I can only see sorrow in her eyes.

I kept my head down as I clenched my fist,

I can feel the guilt building up inside me. her words were like a knife to my heart. I've almost thought of going back but I shook away that thought. Because-

[You'll make everyone around you miserable.]

Yeah... I'm just a walking disaster.

After I saw the two turn around and leave. I finally got out of hiding.

*Clank*

Shit!

The woman turned back and met my eyes.

"S-son?"

Her eyes widened as she saw me.

"You got the wrong person."

I immediately put my hood on and ran away as fast as I can.

"Wait!"

The woman followed me and tripped. I didn't look back, I just kept running.

"Please! Wait!"

I kept running until I couldn't hear the sound of her voice anymore.

Please, just forget about me.

***

I tried to forget about what happened earlier. I feel like I'll just get depressed if I continue to think about it.

I shook those thoughts away and focused on work.

I've been working in a convenient for a few weeks now and my life has been pretty uneventful lately. Some might say that my job is a bit boring, dull and mundane but for me, I find it quite relaxing. No blood on my hands, nobody chasing me nor anyone pleading for mercy.

"You know, the first time I saw you I thought you were looking for a fight or something. Guess you really shouldn't judge a book by its cover huh. Keep up the good work."

"Yes sir."

I was very cautious around everybody the first time I started working here. Must've been a habit I've developed from that damn job. But the more I interacted with them the more I became less tense around them. If I were the same as I was in the past, I wouldn't even think of interacting with them. I wonder when my change started.

[Me and Cody saw you at work today. and frankly, with the face you were wearing, I wasn't sure if you were working in a convenient store or the military.]

[Was my expression really that bad? Cody?]

[Yeah bro! You looked like this 'This sandwich is pissing me off.' or something like that. Anyways, Loosen up a little. Just talk like how you would with me.]

[Like this? 'Hey boss, you better stop making shitty impersonations of me or else I'll demote you to a floor matt.']

[T-then talk like how you would with Alice.]

['Boss, it's too early to wear high heels.']

[Shut up!]

I smiled as I remember the conversation we had after my first day of work.

[Just smile a bit more alright.]

Guess I have another one I have to thank them for.

I looked outside and hoped this peace and quiet would continue.

"Hey buddy, long time no see."

Son of a bitch.

A man that looks almost twice my size came up to me in the counter with a grin on his face.

"I thought you'd be laying low for a bit after the last job. Well, it's not like anybody saw your face so I guess it's alright."

"What do you want?"

"The boss got another job for us."

"I'm not interested."

"Is it because of that asshole you had a problem with before? Don't worry, let's just say we've already solved that problem for you."

With a grin, he handed me bloody cloth containing a finger.

"I've already told you, I'm not interested in going back to that kind of life."

"Look here, that joke was funny the first time you said it but it gets old real fast."

I didn't reply. I just looked at him with a cold expression.

"Hold on, are you fucking serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

After I said that, he began bursting out of laughter like he heard the funniest thing in the world. Louder than when I first said it. His laughter continued for a while until he finally regained his composure.

He looked at me again then asked the same question.

"Are you fucking serious?"

But this time, he wasn't laughing. His eyes were cold and his aura was that of a demon. But that wasn't enough to scare me, let alone make me flinch.

"As I said, do I look like I'm joking?"

I expected him to become angrier but instead, he just sighed and looked at me with disappointment.

"Do you really believe it's that easy?"

I didn't reply, I couldn't... because I know deep down that it wasn't.

"What happened to you lately? you've gotten soft. I'm telling you this for your own good, come back or else, everything and everyone you care about will disappear."

It didn't look like he was joking.

"How would you know?"

He showed me a sad bitter smile as I asked the question.

"How indeed."

I felt a chill down my spine as I thought of the two.

"We'll be waiting."

With that, he finally left the store. I began sweating nervously as he left. I waited for a while tapping my fingers impatiently until the man was fully gone.

As soon as the man was out of sight, I began sprinting out the store towards the old building with everything I've got.

*Pant* *Pant*

Please be safe!

I ran as fast as I can hoping I wasn't too late.

[You'll make everyone around you miserable]

I should've sent them back home!

*BAM!*

"Gaah!"

I fell as I felt a blunt object hit me in the back. I looked around and saw a couple of guys surrounding me.

"Wrong direction asshole."

I wiped the blood off my mouth and slowly stood up.

"Hey."

I looked back and saw my previous boss walking towards me with a grin.

"Do you think I don't know your weakness?"

"What do you-"

"You know what I mean, it would be a real shame if those two got into an accide-"

*BAM*

"Don't you dare!"

He was sent back by the force of my punch and fell. He looked at me with eyes filled with rage. I immediately ran away in the midst of confusion.

"Get him!"

I ran around town until they finally lose track of me.

***

"Haa... Haa..."

I was trying to catch my breath in front of the old building.

"Bro!"

I immediately raised my head worried that something bad has happened. Then breathe a sigh of relief once I saw that they were okay.

"Bro! What happened? You look exhausted."

I gave the best smile I could muster to not make the two worry.

"I just ran back as quickly as I can because I suddenly missed you guys. Anyways, did you see any weird guys wondering around here"

"Excluding you?"

Alice said in a jokingly manner.

I smiled. Looks like they haven't found this place yet, but I can't be too sure.

"Hey, I've been thinking of moving out for a while now. Don't worry, this time it won't be an abandoned building. This time it will be an abandoned house!"

"How is that any better?"

"Cause that place doesn't have ghosts in it."

"There are ghosts here?!"

Cody reacted.

"Where did you think those weird grunts were coming from at night."

"I-I just thought you were constipated or something."

"Nope, it was those ghosts who were constipated."

"Constipated ghost!?"

"That's right, so you better pack your things now cause we're moving out."

"B-but I like it here."

"Even with the ghosts here?"

"Yea-"

"Cody."

Alice interrupted him.

"Let's pack our things."

"But-"

"I'm scared of constipated ghosts."

"You don't look sc-"

"Just do it."

Cody finally gave in and started packing. I looked back at Alice and asked her a question.

"Was I that obvious?"

Instead of replying, she just handed me a mirror. I gave a bitter laugh as I looked at the mirror.

I looked at Cody and it looks like he finally caught on. I felt my heartache as the two gazed at me with worry. I then looked around my surroundings.

Is this really the kind of life a kid should have? Constantly running away, moving around from one abandoned place to another?

I looked at the two who were looking at me with worry.

No. This isn't right.

I collected my breath and spoke with a heavy heart.

"It's time for you two to go back home."

The two trembled.

"...Y-you mean to that new abandoned house r-right?"

I closed my eyes and slowly shook my head.

"W-why?!"

I tried to calm down.

"That's because... I'm a bad person."

The two were silent for a moment.

"...we had our suspicions about that for a while now."

Alice looked at me and made a bitter smile.

"Your not exactly the best actor in the world."

She continued with a trembling voice.

"W-we knew. We knew b-but..."

She then looked and opened her mouth.

"We don't care!"

She continued.

"We don't care if your a villain, a gangster, or the freaking demon king! You were the only ones to help us out when we needed it the most!"

"I'm pretty sure there were plenty of people-"

"No... There weren't."

I looked at Cody at his response.

"...I've never mentioned this to you before, but... you weren't the first person I've approached when Alice was sick... I've asked dozens of people on the street, but none of them were willing to give me the time of day, some even avoided me like I was the plague."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

[https://i.imgur.com/o4ll6lL.png]

I silently listened to his story. He spoke with his head down.

"After that, I didn't expect much help from others and gave up... I was really desperate so I thought of stealing a few medicines from a drug store... but I didn't know which ones to get. And that's when I saw you. At first, I thought you'll just ignore me like the others so I thought maybe I shouldn't even bother asking... B-but I didn't know what to do."

He then looks at me with a smile and tears in his eyes.

"Do you know how freaking happy I was when you agreed to help?! Not only that, you even fed us and gave us a place to stay. So please... Don't go thinking you're a bad guy. We don't care what other people say about you, because to us, you're a hero."

A hero huh. Never thought a day would come where someone would see me as a hero.

I smiled at the two. Their response gave me a lot of resolve.

"Alright, as your hero, it is my responsibility to keep you two safe and protected."

"Th-then-"

"That's why you two have to go back."

At that time, I saw a couple of people outside the window coming near the building. The two also saw them and panicked.

"B-bro, are those-"

"Yep, they're my fellow bad guys."

I pointed at the other exit and their eyes soon followed.

"As soon as I give the signal, I want you two to run outside and head to the police station as fast as you can."

"What about you?"

"I'll keep them distracted. Don't worry about me, we'll just have a little chat. Now head towards the other exit and wait."

"Alright, d-don't die on us okay."

"Hey, who do you think you're talking to. I'm the hero of this story remember, and the hero never dies."

"Just promise us."

I was a little hesitant but finally gave my reply.

"I promise."

When the two were finally a distance away, I took out a paper containing a contact number and called him.

"I found your kids."

I told him the location and made him promise me to not let the two anywhere near this place. As I was about to tell him to also send the police out here, the battery ran out.

"Ha..ha... Just my luck."

I then looked outside and sighed. I took out the four-leaf clover and resolved myself.

Looks like I'll be counting on you again little buddy.

After that, I looked at the two and gave them the signal.

"Now!"

At the same time, I started running towards the window and jumped out of it. The sound of the glass shattering made them look towards my direction.

As they saw me, I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"OVER HERE ASSHOLES!"

They soon started chasing me as I ran as fast as I can. I worryingly looked at the direction where the two were going and felt relieved that nobody was following them.

At some point, they finally caught up and started surrounding me. I made a bitter smile.

"Didn't know I was so popular, almost makes me blush."

"Do you think your in a situation to be joking around right now? Look around you, I know you're strong but do you honestly think you can take on all of us alone?"

I looked around and found around fifty men ready to burry me to the ground.

*Sigh*

Sorry you two, looks like I won't be able to keep my promise.

I smirked and looked at my previous boss dead in the eye.

"Try me and find out."

The rain started pouring down and I readied myself for the worst beating of my life.