A Great Day I

None of them spoke to the other on their way back to the store.

The walk was at least ten minutes long but they kept silent till they got to the store.

"Yo, I'm back. What did I tell you? See I brought the old man back safely." Luke called out to Seth who seemed lost in his thoughts as he rested his face on the counter.

Hearing Luke's voice, Seth's head swiftly rose from the counter and he ran at them, hugging them both.

"I was so worried." Seth was already crying.

"I know, that's why we returned as early as possible." Luke tapped him on the shoulder to comfort him.

"Old man Jarod, you still won't speak?" Luke asked the old man.

The old man simply ignored him and walked toward his seat. A wooden cane rested on the wall.

"You seriously won't answer after all I did back there?" Luke asked with a sad tone.

Whip

"After all you did back there?" The old man asked.

"Uhm, yes." Luke answered, confused about why the man had flogged him.

Whip! Whip! Whip!

"Aiyaah… calm down old man." Luke hurriedly pleaded with the old man.

Seth was the one to hold the old man back.

"Where the hell have you been for the past two weeks? I thought… we all thought you were dead. Khar spread the rumors around that you died after fighting them." The old man's eyes were already wet with tears.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to inform you earlier. I went for training and I didn't even get the chance to tell anyone about it. I'm really sorry." Luke bowed deeply.

"Oh, is that so? Then I guess it can't be helped since you couldn't tell anyone. Welcome Back." The old man was convinced.

"It's good to be back boss." Luke's face was filled with a warm smile.

"Now get back to work. Before I choose to fire you." The old man scolded his worker.

"Yes, sir." Luke and Seth replied in unison.

They looked at each other. Luke smiled but Seth could hold his laughter. Each of them thought the old man was referring to them.

Seth and Luke returned to the counter and Luke sat on one of the chairs and rested his head on the counter.

"So how was it?" Seth asked Luke.

"How was what?" Luke didn't understand Seth's question.

"How did it feel beating the crap out of Khar?" Seth clarified his question.

"I didn't touch him this time, but the first time, it was very very satisfying. It felt like owning the entire world in the palm of my hands." Luke explained to him.

*That's superb. I'd like to learn some moves. Would you teach me?" Seth asked Luke again.

"It's not big of a deal. I'll help you out." Luke replied to Seth's every question.

"You guys need to tone it down. I can't have you disturbing our neighbors." The old man warned both of them from where he sat down.

"We will do that, old man."Luke replied this time.

*****

"It's about time we go inside and start the job." Dhyn walked into the building where Luke resided.

"Yeah, we should do that. There's no time to waste. I'm pretty sure you have other jobs to attend to today. I don't wanna hold you down." Obed replied Dhyn.

They finally arrived at the apartment though and Obed unlocked the door and walked inside.

Dhyn's expressions were too complex to describe. He was filled with different expressions and…

"What the heck is this?" Dhyn asked Obed.

*****

It was past five and Luke needed to take count of the items in the store. The bell at the entrance of the door rang and someone walked in.

He was wearing a hooded shirt with the hood covering most of his face.

Ignoring the old man, he walked forward, toward the counter.

Luke was at a corner of the store taking records so the man barely noticed him.

The man in the hood finally arrived at the counter. He pulled out a dagger and shouted. "Bring out the golds!"

Seth flinched for a second and got scared. Before the man could shout again, Luke interrupted him.

"I don't know if you were sent or if this is just a coincidence, but if you're still here in the next ten seconds, you'll be either unconscious or dead. Those are your options. Now it's left for you to decide." Luke warned the man.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…" by the time Luke got to four, the man had vanished from the store and its premises.

"Phew, that was super cool. Would you mind teaching that to me too?" Seth was in awe.

"I already said I'd teach you the basic arts of defense and attack. That should be enough to protect yourself and the old man from robberies. I'd rather hope you don't run into Chosens like myself though." Luke had just finished his recording and returned to the counter and dropped the book on the table.

"Ah, I see. Thank you very much. I'll be in your care." Seth gave a shallow bow.

"It's six already, it's time we close up." Luke informed Seth.

They exited the store and Seth closed the door. Luke had always been the one to hold the key to the store so Seth extended his hand to return the key. Luke had returned the key to the old man on the day of the gang incident.

"Nope. Hold it. You should be here by six in the morning. We're starting your physical training tomorrow." Luke pushed back Seth's hand.

"See you tomorrow then." Luke headed home.

"Ah, they would be too tired to wait for me to cook, I better buy something on the way for them to eat."

*****

Luke arrived just in time before Dhyn got ready to leave.

When Luke entered the room, he could hardly tell the places that had been cracked.

"Oh, you're back. Welcome, welcome. I was just getting ready to leave since I'm done with the job." Dhyn stood up to leave.

Luke who was already close by him, pushed him back on the seat. "Hey Ob," Luke called out to Obed who had been in one corner of the room arranging things.

Obed walked closer. "What is it?"

"He did an amazing job." Luke complimented Dhyn openly.

"I know right? I was surprised too." Obed replied to Luke.

"I wanted to thank you both for your hard work so I got this on the way back. It's a combo of different meats. I think it was called the Deluxe meat mashup, or something like that." Luke dropped the big cooler he was holding in his right hand.

"No way!" Obed gasped.

"Yes way." Luke smiled brightly.

"Doesn't this cost like ten golds? That's like a third of your salary. Why would you buy that?" Obed was in awe and disbelief.

He knew Luke wasn't someone who just spent money anyhow he liked. Something good must've happened.

As if reading Obed's mind, Luke answered. "Something good happened. Don't sweat the small details, both of you should dig in. I'll head into the bathroom first and join when I return. Like I said, I got I for you guys so don't wait for me and just eat."

"Thank you very much, I really appreciate your kind gesture. How can I even repay you?" Dhyn asked. The money Luke and Obed paid was considered huge but the materials for the job took over ninety percent of the fee he had charged.

"You want to repay me? Do that by stuffing your belly full." Like smiled and entered the bathroom to wash up.

He walked out a few minutes later. "Ah, what a great day."