CHAPTER 10

From afar, Mang Jun was approaching, and Michael already knew why the old man's face looked so bright as he walked home. Michael was waiting outside.

He had planned to leave earlier to go home, but D, the being in the black daffodil, told him not to go yet because the elderly guard was heading home.

So here he was, waiting for the old man.

"Don't trust anyone again, Michael..." the voice said to him.

He looked at the approaching guard. "You don't really believe in someone's kindness, huh?"

He was getting used to the presence of the being in the flower. He was accustomed to it suddenly speaking, not just in his mind, but actually hearing its voice as if it was right in front of him.

"I am a demon, what do you expect? Have you ever forgotten what happened to you?"

Michael shook his head in response. He looked down, as if he could see the scar on his chest. He touched his neck, the scar a reminder that he was killed by people for no reason.

"It still haunts you..."

Based on D's voice tone, it wasn't a question, but a confirmation.

He nodded.

There's no need for him to lie about how he feels when it comes to D. It knows what's on his mind, as if he's an open page in a book.

"Yes, it does. There's no reason for me to be calm when I remember what happened to me every second. For every stab wound I suffered that night, I'll make sure the ones who killed me will taste the same. Maybe then I'll finally find peace."

"There's no peaceful place in hell, Michael."

What he said was based on what he read. What did he really know about hell, anyway? He hadn't been there yet.

His laughter echoed in the quiet place at the thought. He's now losing his sanity.

Before the being beside him could say anything, he walked towards the old man to meet him halfway. He took the plastic bag, and from the smell, he knew it was beef.

Maybe the old guard got it wrong. Maybe he thought Michael didn't eat breakfast because he didn't eat canned goods.

"I'm going to cook so you can eat. We're leaving—" The old man stopped walking towards the house when Michael grabbed his arm. The old man looked at him in confusion.

"I'm not eating."

"Ah, are you still full? In that case, I still need to cook the meat so it won't go to waste. I don't have a fridge yet."

Michael shook his head. "Mang Jun, you know what happened to me, don't you?" The old man nodded, and with Michael's sharp gaze, he saw the old man's skin crawl. The old man still seemed frightened. "Since I woke up from what happened to me, I'm no longer hungry. I also can't taste anything."

He smiled, not wanting the old man to be scared of him, although it seemed unlikely.

He saw the old man's hesitant smile before scratching his head. "I-I see. Well, in that case... But you still need to try eating because, somehow, you're alive." The old man held his arm. "We're leaving now; we'll buy your stuff. Have fun, so you can forget your problems, at least for a while. Don't worry about the money; Sir Brent gave me some. Come on, let's go inside."

The old man went inside the house first, and Michael followed. He placed the plastic bag on the table. Mang Jun went to his room, which was just behind a curtain made of flour sacks.

"By the way, hijo, you can start working tomorrow. Just bring your resume, Sir Brent said." The old man looked at him. "You know, I didn't have a hard time asking Sir Brent. He actually approached me and said they were looking for a new janitor. He thought I was going to send my son. I told him it was my nephew, and that's you." Mang Jun came out of his room, wearing basketball shorts and a white shirt. "So, hijo, won't you have a hard time hiding from them? Anyone would recognize your face."

"I'll handle that."

"Well, you can use magic for that. Okay, I'll boil the meat first before we leave. Where would you like to go?”

"Anywhere is fine, Mang Jun."

"Oh dear, I don't know any nice places, hijo. When I have money, after payday, my family and I would just sit on the sidewalk, eating street food and drinking cold drinks."

Michael smiled out of the blue. Something warm and like a hand caressed his heart when he heard that from the old man. He could imagine the things they did before the trouble that involved the old man because of him.

He had a feeling that someone saw the old man during the time he overheard Freddie's conversation with someone.

"Your family seems happy, Mang Jun. Sorry for ruining things because of me."

"Oh, it's not your fault what happened to me. I got a lot of money for lying in front of the camera. The pain and beating I endured were payment for the money I received. Let it be. Don't think it's your fault, especially since you're a victim too." The old man looked at him while washing the meat. "How about you, hijo? Your childhood with your family must have been happy, right? You know, people in the company are talking about you. They're very curious about your life. Since you didn't introduce any girls to the company, it seems like all the girls like you."

"I was courting someone before something bad happened to me," he admitted.

"Really? Oh dear, what a waste."

Was it really a waste? Why didn't he feel any regret in his chest? Maybe he accepted that after D brought him back to life, he would die again. Now, he needed to work hard to avenge himself. Well, he had experienced hardship in life before.

But something changed now because of Mang Jun, who offered to help him. Because of the old man, he felt what it's like to have a family, something that he didn't experience when he was young.

"It's okay. Maybe the girl I was courting didn't really love me since I didn't see her. It’s a good thing that Jam was there and took care of my burial. I'm lucky to have a friend like him."

"You're right," the old man agreed. "Sir Jam is kind, but I have to say, you're my favorite among your friends.”

"Really?"

"Yes, you always greet us, even though we're just simple employees. That's why when you disappeared, we were sad. We couldn't attend your wake and burial because the bosses were there."

He smiled at the old man.

Before, he wondered if anyone would attend his wake and burial. Now, he knew the answer.

Even if no one attended, he was glad to know that someone was secretly mourning his death.

When everything was fixed, before he disappeared again, he would make sure to help the ordinary employees of his company because they were the ones who truly cared for him.

After helping Mang Jun with cutting the meat, he took a bath. Mang Jun lent him a long-sleeved shirt and pants since he had nothing to wear.

As he fixed his hair, something crossed his mind.

"How strange..." he said

to himself. But he shook his head. "Maybe it's just a coincidence. What do you think, D?"

He didn't get an answer from his invisible friend.