Chapter 40 - Sacrificial present

COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!

"MMMMM! Uhhhh… What time is it already?"

From doing some stretches to my whole body while lying on the bed, I rolled over to the side to get my phone that was put under beneath my bed to check the time. "EH!? 9 AM!? Damn it! It was already late yesterday night and there were less passenger vehicles present at the streets. Good grief."

Goodness, I think I'm getting a bad feeling about this for sleeping late yesterday night--- or should I say I arrived near 12 and slept somewhere around 00:30 am.

-----*-----

"Hooray! So, what place would be fun to go today?"

"Not so fast Francis. We'll set aside the fun stuffs for another day. You guys, let's discuss our Business 2 project." Romeo stated.

Today is Monday, but even though I had the time yesterday to cover up my exhaustion since last Saturday, I'm still feeling drained down up until now.

On the other hand, after classes was dismissed for today, the gang and I decided to put our attentions once again into our priorities, and that is school requirements.

"As usual, our boss gets to initiate first." Kevin said.

"Let's go back to my uncle's place." Romeo suggested.

"Eh? EEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHH!?" Been able to hear clearly what Romeo has said despite still feeling the exhaustion, I reacted aloud as I did not have a grasp of my self-consciousness this time around.

"Huh!?"

On the other side, the four were just staring questionably at me because of my sudden weird act.

"Is there something wrong bro?" Kenneth worriedly asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. That was nothing. I just forgot something really important, that's all" I made my fake excuse while wearing a tired face.

"Oh well, if that's the case… then let's get going then!" Francis exclaimed.

Phew~ That was close~ I'm glad the energetic guy has been useful for me today.

While on our way to Mr. Alvarez, I secretly took out my phone from my pocket to try text him about us who were approaching the place.

I'm sure that the manager would instantly understand the situation and would probably know what to do about this, but while in the process in making my message, I did not notice it at first but I somehow got left behind due to my slow pace when I started typing, my movements were pretty much alike with a moving tortoise.

"Huh? Hey! Is something the matter Zaki?" Romeo called out to me and has noticed me holding my phone.

"Ah! No! This is nothing… just checking some things. Come on let's go." I said as I began to catch up to them.

"You're kind of weird today Zaki, did something happen?" Romeo concernedly asked.

"I'm just tired. I haven't got proper hours of sleep lately."

"Oh, I see. Soaring high for your future, is it? Goodluck with that!" said Romeo as he gave my back a light slap.

Hehe, good thing he took it the wrong way as usual.

-----*-----

"We're back uncle Sam!" Francis loudly greeted as he widely opened the door.

"Oh, hello there! It's been quite some time since I last saw you four."

"Four?" Francis wondered.

Oh crap. As Mr. Alvarez has made a wrong move over there, the both of us have gone frozen at the current moment.

"Of course it's just you four. I have seen Romeo for a plenty of times already, hehe."

Hmmm. Quite the light excuse, but it is acceptable.

"Did we just see each other recently uncle?" Romeo inserted, building up the tension and pressure as he was probably wondering about it while looking at his uncle. "Well, setting that aside, we've come for another help uncle." Romeo added, fortunately breaking our bad state without his knowing.

"That's actually a no problem Romeo. Now, please choose a place wherever you like." The manager smoothly led the way.

On the other hand, even though we have arrived at this place, we haven't made our move yet as we were still waiting for the manager to have some spare time from his busy schedule, but as the usual back up plan, we started discussing some parts of our project for a while.

Yet in the middle of our serious planning, I noticed David came out from the cooking place and was taking a breather, catching his breath to likely pick himself up.

But when he was done and was about to go back inside, he noticed me at my spot from a glance. Seeing him who got excited with his face that was making a cheesy wide smile, I instantly detected a trouble heading forth towards me.

"OOOOOOOOI! HANZ---" David froze, noticing my burning eyes that was gazing fiercely at him as I rested my chin on my crossed hands, covering the lower half of my face, and on the other hand, Romeo, Kenneth, Kevin and Francis turned around as they heard the loud and cheerful voice of this unlikely uninformed, idiot guy who was about to crash my plan in covering up myself. "Hanz... HANDS! That's right! Silly me, haha. I forgot to wash my HANDS. HA.HA.HA. Here I come, faucet!" David lifted and stared at his hands while spouting nonsense, looking like a person who has bumped his head into something.

Jeez, what a lame excuse that was.

David then quickly went back and avoided the possible trouble that he may likely cause for me.

"What's wrong with that guy?" Francis questioned.

"Ignore him." I said.

"I really thought he was calling you Zaki." said Kevin.

"Impossible." I immediately responded, trying to avoid suspicions.

After finishing what we had planned for today, we then directly called it a day and have started going back to our places, but as for me, I acted in going back, and when their presence was not there to be detected anymore, I went back inside the restaurant.

Opening the door of the restaurant, Manager Alvarez and David were already in front of me, standing while wearing such an apologetic and funny face.

"Sorry for that kid. We're not used to do these kinds of things." Manager Alvarez gave his apology with a sigh while slowly scratching his head, likely because of his bad acting.

"Ahehe, that was really a close one don't you think?" said David.

"You both did your best actually. Thanks manager. And you too David, much appreciated." Despite the close call, I was still thankful for their lending hand, and the two of them made a little smile that was directed at me.

"Well then, the day is not over yet. I've got to go back now!" David said as he went ahead while stretching out his head from left to right and while leaving me and Mr. Alvarez behind.

"It's almost a year since you started working here, right?" Manager Alvarez suddenly questioned to me.

"Oh right. I just thought about that too."

"Time sure flies fast. It's almost Christmas and New Year again."

Recalling my previous times at the same events in the previous year, it wasn't that bad for me actually, and it wasn't that fine either as well, or more likely, I'm just too focused on my own self to be minding about these kinds of stuffs.

Frankly speaking, I'm dead serious in eyeing for a good future ahead of me as what Romeo would always say and even if it means sacrificing and missing whatever potential fun and a once in a blue moon out-goings in the present just to achieve it, even if it means sacrificing and missing my own youth.

Oh well, it's not like I had a long years of fun and good experience in my youth to begin with, so what is there to worry and feel bad about going through the same thing anyway?

"Oi Hanzaki. Come by at my place during Christmas and New Year. I'll invite along David too."

"Uh, really? Would that be okay?" Genuinely surprised, I questioned the sudden invitation.

"Yeah. Usually many people would come at my house. We always invite people who we had known. So, is that a no go for you?"

"Oh--- ahh, no. I really appreciate it. I'll go." I replied with a hesitation.

"ALRIGHT. Then I'll be expecting you at the place. Now, time to go back for work."

"Oh man. Do I really deserve this?" Looking outside, I mumbled, doubting myself of this grace.