Big-town boy in a small arcade

Huobai was limping the street just looking around. It did help a bit, but his mood didn't brighten at all. He was still depressed, and he knew about it.

He had no destination. He had no idea where to go. Huobai just knew that he wanted to be far enough from his parents, from his friends, and just be alone.

He had to thank the driver for this opportunity. Because without him, he would have suffocated at home. Under the care, everyone was showing him.

And the pity he saw in their eyes.

His first operation was scheduled in two weeks, and before that, everyone kept thinking what would happen if it came to the worst… would he die?

And that was something Huobai couldn't take anymore.

It was dark already when he found a place that suited his mood best. It was lively, shining brightly, full of chatter, life, and youth.

An arcade.

Curious about the house he had never been in before. Because he was usually practicing or having private tutors at home.

He headed in.

And as he found out outside. This place was really lively. Huobai was watching kids his age, laughing happily, jokingly fighting each other. Younger kids running around having no worries.

It was something that suddenly filled him with light. Hope. A warm feeling formed in the middle of his chest when he went to one of those machines.

He tried to play one of those, but he couldn't. He felt a tugging on his sleeve and when he looked down what it was a small kid was standing by.

"You have to buy special coins!" the little kid shouted with such a cute voice, Huobai had to grin. He ruffled the kid's hair and kneeled down to him, ignoring the immense pain he felt.

"Thank you, kiddo. And do you know where to do that?" he asked and grinned, even more, when the kid turned around and pointed at one machine. Huobai thought for himself that he was such an idiot to not see the big sign.

"I see… I don't know how to do it. Can you come with me?" he asked, but he saw the kid's frown and understood it was a stupid question to ask.

"It's okay, I will try it alone…" He smiled immediately, and the kid nodded. Huobai stood up, sweat forming on his forehead. He limped towards the machine. But when he saw it, he did not know what to do, where to put money or anything.

To his luck, he felt another tug on his sleeve. The same kid was standing there, pointing in a direction.

"Mama said it's okay to help you, that she was watching me all the time…" the kiddo said, and Huobai nodded to the lady, watching from afar, who answered him with a smile. Huobai felt at ease now.

She let him do whatever he wanted but under her surveillance. In some sense, he was similar to this kid more than he thought. Living under the surveillance of their parents. Their only difference was their age.

"You have to put money in here, and coins would come out heeere." The kid was pointing at the holes, explaining it, and Huobai was really grateful for that. Because the stickers, that explained it, were already scuffed, totally unreadable.

Huobai took out his wallet and looked inside. He had a lot of money. Not as much as his father, but he had more in his account than in his wallet.

He took out the smallest bill he had and put it in the machine. Pressed the button, the kid was showing him and the coins started falling out. He didn't care and put another banknote there.

When he was done, under the surveillance of totally excited kiddo, he started taking out the coins, handful after handful, and putting them in his pockets.

"Close our eyes and don't peek," he said when he was done and squatted next to the kid. He took the last two handfuls of coins and put them in the kid's pockets.

The excitement that filled the kid's eyes when he opened them had warmed up Huobai. He decided to spend his fun time with this young kid and his mother.

***

It was so late that he stood out in the school uniform. But he still didn't want to go home. Given that he already celebrated his eighteenth birthday early this September, he wanted to try something.

He saw a still open clothes shop and entered. He bought casual clothes and was allowed to change into them in the changing room.

When he walked out of the changing room, a bag stuffed with his uniform, he searched up closest bar on Baidu and headed in that direction.

Huobai already tried to be childish today, so what about trying to be an adult for a few moments? It wasn't as if he had a bucket list of things he wanted to try, and do. But today, he suddenly felt curious. How those things felt.

Still ignoring his painful knee, he walked into the bar. He was asked to show his ID twice. Which slightly annoyed him, but he got it. He was young and basically turned eighteen a few days ago.

He sat at the barstool and looked at the alcohol in front of him. He didn't know what was good, so he took the list of drinks that laid on the table.

This was supposed to be a super high-class bar, but those prices weren't as bad as he thought they would be. Otherwise, the guy a few stools away from him would be broke. He was dangerously lying on the bar counter and ordering one more whiskey.

Huobai was interested in the drink, so he got the same one. When he was passed the same glass as the drunkard next to him, he watched him what to do.

But the guy just sniffed it and drank the whole glass in one big gulp, stunning Huobai. Without even trying out the drink, he saw how the guy was sliding off his stool and he hurried to catch him.

He didn't want that handsome face to have permanent consequences of falling down.