Welcome

Miya was in a deep sleep while Lim had a nightmare about his past.

***

Eighteen years ago, after losing his parents in a bus accident, the ten-year-old Lim had become an orphan. He didn't have any close relatives who could be appointed as his guardian to take care of him.

So here he was!

Lim was sent to an orphanage by the social workers.

He brought nothing with him, but his favorite dinosaur's backpack full of his favorite items and his shoes, the last present he got from his parents. At that time, he suffered a lot. The accident left him wounded, both physically and mentally. Some physical minor injuries were healed but some others left scars on his arms and his face. Not to mention what kind of scars engraved on his soul.

Losing his parents at such a young age affected him psychologically. He refused to talk to others. He just couldn't be easily vulnerable to the new people. Because most of them would say hello only to ask further about how he lost his parents. He hated talking about the truth that his parents died due to his choice. The regret of how he begged his dad to go by bus haunted him. "My parents died because of me! I killed them by using my choice!"

Day after day, Lim spent his time all alone in silence during daylight. At night, he would sneak out into his favorite hiding place, a tiny storage room in the backyard, just to cry. The way he distanced himself created a bad image for him in front of most children at the orphanage.

They called him a werewolf and spread the rumors that he probably snuck out every night to transform into a werewolf. The rumor turned to be more ridiculous when they added more fantasy and said that the Warewolf-Lim had a fight with hens when trying to eat its poor chicks. That's how he got his ugly scars on his face.

The boys in the orphanage mocked him every time they passed each other, "Hey! 

Cowards!"

"Boooo! Boooo! How dare you having a fight with mothers?! The chicks' mothers! Hahahaha…"

On the other hand, the girls would run away from him. They were afraid that Lim would transform into a werewolf, even under the sunlight. They whispered loudly to each other in front of Lim, to make sure that Lim would overhear their fears. So that Lim would stay away from them.

"It's daylight. He couldn't transform into a werewolf."

"We're talking about a werewolf, not a vampire!"

"A werewolf needs the moonlight of a full moon to transform."

"You see that!" A girl pointed the sun up above, "The sun is as round as a full moon. Nobody knows about the true desire of animal instinct. Who knows? He can attack us anytime, anywhere. You know, I heard that one of the social workers who brought him here just died last night!"

"Really?! Is it possible that—"

"Aaaakkkkk… I'm afraid. Just go! Stay away from him. How scary he is!"

"Yes. Stay together whenever we go."

"He is obviously a killer!"

"Yes! Nobody knows how his parents died."

Lim clearly heard all of those small talks which had a big impact on his mind. He rushed to his safe place to cry, "I'm not a killer! I don't know! I'm not a killer… I never willing to kill them… I love my parents… I miss them…"

***

Back to Lim's living room, Miya woke up because of Lim's sleep-talking, "Mhhh... No... Ma... Eum..."

Miya saw her cell phone, it's late at night. She went closer to him to check his body temperature. She put her palm on his forehead.

"I don't think he has a fever. But why he was mumbling in his sleep?"

Miya put her palm on Lim's neck to further check his body temperature and brought her face closer to Lim, "Does he cry?"

DEG!

Lim opened his eyes!

Their faces were so close, even they could see their own reflection in each other's eyeballs. They could feel the puff of each other's breathing air on their face.

Lim felt cold, but he could feel the warmth of Miya's palm on his neck.

Slowly, Lim grabbed Miya's hand.

He couldn't hold back such a sensation inside him.

He got goosebumps.

HATCHIIIIUU!!!

Lim sneezed right in front of Miya's face.

Miya tried her best to be patient since Lim just had a bad time.

"Sorry… Sorry… I can't hold it any longer— Why it's so cold in here?" Lim's eyes spotted the big hole in between his glass doors that brought the cold wind to blow inside.

Miya petrified. Her brain trying to figure out some excuses to free herself from such an expensive trouble she was involved in.

"I have no choice to save your life. I bet, your life is more expensive than anything in this world, right? You treasure it the most! Don't you?"

"Um… Thank you— You saved my life, anyway. So—"

Lim tried to find the right way to ask Miya to work with him. But his pride told his brain that he could not obviously be the one who needed her. And after all, how to ask her?

"Um... I have a good news. I welcome you."

"Welcome?"

"Um… I approve your job application."

"You mean, I can work here?"

"Yes."

"Really?!"

"Yes."

"You change your mind?"

Lim took a deep breath, "Should I change my mind again right now?"

"Nononono… Does it mean I'll get money? It's unbelievable!" Miya cried happy tears. She imagined paying all of her bills, plus giving extra tips to everyone who had been scolding her for being in arrears before.

"You got a job, not money," Lim was about to be blunt, but he was afraid that Miya might change her mind, so Lim made an offer, "But I think I can give you 30% of your first-month salary as a down payment soon after we sign our agreement tomorrow. How?"

Miya let her tears drop dramatically, she didn't remember the importance of her pride anymore, "Thank you… It means a lot to me. Thank you— You know, aaakkkk! I'm about to hug you now because I'm so grateful. But I won't. I know that it's forbidden since you're so stern— I mean, firm! Firm! You're so firm! I adore you so much! From now on, you are my one and only boss. What should I address you? Mr.? Sir? Boss? Bro, perhaps? To make you look younger?"

"Just call my name, Lim."

"Oooo… No no! I can't! How come I dare to call you by name? How about Boss? You know? You will be radiating the vibes of a rich man if people around you keep calling you, 'Boss! Boss!'"

"Up to you…" Lim was too tired to argue.

"OK Boss! You can call me Miya. As simple as that."

"Let's talk about the details tomorrow. It's almost 2 a.m."

"Sure! You need to take a rest, after all."

Miya was looking around, "Um… Where can I stay, Boss? To sleep?"

"Oh, you stay outside."

"What?! Did you mean it? when you told me that you 'welcome' me? Am I a 'welcome' rug or something? Why on earth do I have to stay outside?"