AMIDST IN THE RAIN

When Leansei's shift at the restaurant was over, he walked to the nearest fast food restaurant to eat dinner before going to his last part-time job for today.

He got to eat his favorite meal, which was less expensive but tasted fantastic in Leansei's opinion. He ambled along the side walk as he walked across the bridge, gazing at the beautiful lake.

Leansei couldn't deny how beautiful the Larken lake of Lemous City was at night. The cold breeze, the lake scent, and the magnificent view.

As he crossed the pedestrian walk, he glanced at the bar before going inside.

The Rivigal Bar is the most recommended bar in the city. The high-class people mostly go there to show off. Some rich kids highly recommended this bar.

While walking, Leansei filled his thoughts with how to pay Mr. Bien with that sum of money. He can't lend anymore due to the risks. He was thinking of adding another part-time job, but that would be hell for him, or he may have stopped going to classes to lessen the expenses.

Luckily, Leansei met Manager Lim and helped him pay his rent when his parents died. Manager Lim didn't charge any money from Leansei, instead he was told to work for her. He was hired as a waiter and a substitute bartender. The salary wasn't high, but enough in addition to his earnings.

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As Leansei goes inside the bar, it is filled with different people with different statuses. Other people were dancing and getting intoxicated while spending money on alcoholic beverages. Leansei scent from the different scents of alcohol, cigarettes, and perfumes was combined by different people.

Finally, as he arrived at the counter, a familiar voice was coming towards him. "Leansei! Thank God. You're an angel," the manager of the bar said while holding Lean's hand with an excited tone. "Please do me a favor. I badly want to go there, but I have an errand to do. " Leansei couldn't say anything because he had no idea what manager Lim was talking about.

He knew that if the manager acted this way, she would ask him for another favor again. Leansei's is thankful for what manager Lim's has done for him. That's why he never says no to every request from her. Thus, Leansei is also desperate to have an income since he has a lot of bills and debts on his hands to take care of.

If he isn't needy at all, he would live his life in a stable way. This kind of way of living can cut his life span or shorten his life due to tiredness and stress. He also believes that too much pride will not get him anywhere but starve to death.

"You can't say no to this!" The manager, Lim, exclaimed, while looking at her purse. His manager is a transgender person. She has white skin, long straight hair, and a figure that every girl dreams of having. Ever since, people adore her so much that they mostly come here for her, regardless of who she is. "You must go there now! Take this envelope and go to this address."

"b-but--"

"No more talking! This is an exclusive job!" The manager said and pushed him out of the bar. "Don't disappoint me! All you have to do is serve drinks, and that's all!" and shut the door.

Leansei let out a deep breath before he opened the envelope. It was carved in fancy paper with classy writing. It's a high-class hiring job; specifically, it has a location in the bottom left part and a written letter aligned in the middle. It was a job hiring for one day to be a waiter or waitress for the exclusive grand celebration.

Leansei coughed as he almost choked on his saliva as he read the salary amount for this job. The money is enough to feed his stomach, pay the bills, and pay Mr. Bien half of the debt.

He didn't waste anymore time and dashed his way through the side walk; nonetheless, he was still further away from the waiting shed.

As the waiting shed came into his sight, he stopped at the moment when cars started to move in front of him. He glanced at the stop light when it was green. Leansei thought that would be the end of the wait, but fate intervened when the rain began to fall in small droplets. He tried using his bag as an umbrella, but it was useless.

Leansei looked around, but there were no nearby shops to stay in until the rain stopped.

"Shit—," he cursed as the rain continued to fall.

He put down his bag and took out the plastic from his bag, putting the envelope inside as well as the money he had to protect it from the rain. He didn't cover it up. Instead, he put his hand above his head as if it could cover him from the rain.

As the light rain continued to fall, he felt someone standing beside him with an umbrella large enough to cover Len's from the rain. Leansei slowly glanced at the guy beside him and saw a sideways glance from the guy. It is a good-looking man holding a Dome umbrella. Leansei could feel the heat in his cheeks and slowly put his hand down.

After a long period of silence and awkwardness, Leansei swallowed as he felt the presence of the person beside him. It gives an intimidating aura, an addicted manly perfume, from the brand of clothes he wore, a muscular body and how much taller the person is than him.

Leansei flinched as he heard an intimidating yet deep voice beside him say, "You look pathetic." Leansei wasn't able to speak while trying to process what he had just said and when he realized it, "You covered the letter but not yourself. Idiot." Leansei glared at him in annoyance.

Leansei will definitely cover the letter and the money since it is the most important thing in his life.

Leansei opened his mouth to talk, but the person took his hand to hold the umbrella that he was holding.

He could feel the warmth and firmness of the hand. He tried to look at the guy's face, but he couldn't since the guy was blocking the light from the lamp post.

"Sir, the car is ready," a voice approached them while holding an umbrella.

Just like Leansei thought that the person beside him wasn't as ordinary as he was. He looks like he came from a noble family in Lemous City. The way he spoke and moved was purely a gesture from a powerful family. Though he isn't interested in the things he isn't involved in, he could say that they really catch everyone's attention.

The guy walked away from him. "Wait! your umbrella---" the stuttering voice of Leansei.

The guy didn't look back as the black-suited guy immediately covered him from the rain. "Keep it or throw it away," he said before climbing into his black Mercedes car.

After what happened, the people behind his back started talking with displeasing comments.

"Isn't that Vcheroi's son?"

"No way!"

"Who is the person beside him?"

"Look how ordinary he is."

"Maybe he made himself look pathetic to get his attention."

Leansei didn't mind the people behind him; instead, he thought of what had just happened as he walked across the pedestrian walk. He just realized that you can't be near someone with high status or else you'll get negative feedback from other people.

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Leansei looked at the window whilst riding the bus. He was staring at the umbrella, thinking he would never get to thank the people who helped him. Leansei wants to repay the kindness, but he doesn't know how.

With restrained motion, Leansei arrived at the destination, and he was stunned to see a large cruise that he hadn't seen before. It was big enough for 400 people to ride it. It has magnificent and astounding features that make him excited and, at the same time, nervous.

He walked towards them as he saw several high-status people wearing fancy clothes while walking towards the bridge wing. Leansei shrank as he approached them. He felt that he was a power plug that was forcing him to use a universal outlet.

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As he reached the entrance, a body guard blocked his way while holding a clipboard that contained the names on the list.

"Your name please." The body guards said as they looked at him from head to toe, Leansei took the plastic from his bag and handed over the envelope. The body guard stared at him before he let him inside.

"Follow me." The body guard said and walked away. Leansei looked around with a twinkle in his eyes while following the body guard. "All you have to do is serve what the guest wants. As much as possible, no trouble." The body guard said as they stopped at the back of the ship.

"Change your clothes immediately. The celebration is about to begin," he said before he left him alone.

Leansei closed the umbrella and opened the door. It was a locker room for the janitors and waiters. He wore a sommelier uniform. After putting on a red blazer, a white shirt, a ribbon tie, and red pants, he checked himself in the mirror.

He smiled as he realized he never got to wear things like this. He will surely thank the manager for giving him this job.

Leansei goes outside while holding the umbrella. Even though the rain hasn't stopped yet, they still continued the celebration despite the weather.

A horn sound from a cruise ship made him flinch in surprise. It is a signal that the cruise ship will start moving. Leansei went near the deck to look at the view, and it was the most breathtaking thing he had ever seen in his life.

Leansei felt the cold breeze through his skin and the pleasant smell of the rain from the lake that gave it more warmth. It was the best thing he had experienced in his life.

"Sir, let's go inside. Everyone is waiting for you two." Leansei flinched as he heard the voices behind him. He almost forgot that he was here for a job. He gradually looked behind him, and he was stunned to see a familiar person.

The guy was wearing a navy suit with a clean hairstyle, blue mercurial eyes, and a cold expression that was looking deeply directly into his eyes.

Leansei felt the electricity from the back of his spine and made his heart race from the intimidating look he received.

' Isn't that him? The arrogant person from the crosswalk? '

"Hey, what are you staring at? Let's go inside," said the other good-looking guy beside the blue-eyed guy, and he turned to Lean.

"Hey! What are you still doing here? You're needed inside. Do your job!" Leansei immediately walked past them when the manager of the cruise ship scolded him for being lazy.

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A few minutes had passed, and Leansei was continuously bringing drinks and dishes to the guests. He was moving and being careful to walk on the slippery floor.

Leansei held onto the wall as he began to feel nauseated. He hasn't tried to ride on cruise ships or any ships before. He composed himself to prevent vomiting. He gently rubbed his chest to lessen the feeling of puking.

Leansei flinched when he heard a shout in front of the deck. He immediately ran towards it and saw a short-haired girl and a red-haired girl fighting under the rain at the edge of the deck. Leansei hurriedly walked towards them in a panic. He even forgot to take the umbrella with him.

"Y-You thought I wouldn't do it?!" a mad voice from a red-haired girl said while she was angrily holding the girl's hair. Leansei came in between them while they were soaking in the rain.

"I don't know what you're talking about! Let me go! Crazy bitch!"

"Ma'am, It's not the right place and time. You should go back inside---" Leansei couldn't finish his phrases when the red-haired girl pushed him away. He was weak and nauseated. He didn't have enough strength to not be swayed by the red-haired girl's shove.

"You slut! Give me that record!" Leansei tried to stop them for a second time, but the red-haired girl slapped his face and pushed him away. "You should stay away from this! A disgusting slave!"

He felt the sting from his bruise in his face and the pain in his stomach when he felt the hit on the railings. He tried to stand up, but the rain was making it worse.

"I'll kill you!" As Leansei heard that, he saw the red-haired girl pushing the girl towards his direction at the edge of the deck. But Lean pulls the girl and they exchange positions. Unfortunately, the red-haired girl pushed Leansei to the edge of the deck instead of the short-haired girl. From the out of balance and slippery floor, he was pushed off the deck and fell into the deep and wavering water.

He tried to swim up, but Leansei was unable to move when the moon above spotlighted him. It was like devouring his soul deep within himself. As he started drowning, he stared at the stunning full round moon until he could feel his chest tightening and was about to run out of air.

He was gradually drowning. That made him slowly lose consciousness.

All he could think of before his last breath was the determination and strong desire to live his life regardless of his situation.

' I need to live. '

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