Reaching Out 2

"What do you mean?" he asked, even though he already knew what she was getting at.

The way she touched his hand and traced his palm with her fingers made it clear she was looking for some fun.

She had been fantasizing about him ever since he started visiting the hospital, and she hoping that he was desperate enough to take her up on the offer.

"You're a good-looking boy, and I bet you can make some cash with your looks. Beside, you're in legal age already , right? "

She added that she knew his age from the records, so technically, it wouldn't be a crime to have him as her lover.

This wasn't the first time an older woman had offered him money

However, he'd always turned those offers down because he hated the thought of being used. His body was the only thing he took pride in, and selling it for cash felt really degrading. 

"Don't worry, we can take it slow. I can give you an allowance, and you just have to go on a few dates with me," she insisted. 

"Date, huh?" He let out a short, humorless laugh, the sound barely hiding his discomfort.

"You have a husband and a daughter, right?" he asked, his voice steady, never breaking eye contact with her.

"What about her?" her eyes narrowed in confusion, unsure what her daughter had to do with the offer.

"She's the same age as me. How would you feel if an old man offered her the same thing?" He responded with a cold stare.

Her smile faltered, and her fingers, which had been playing with his hand, froze in place.

"I'm just trying to give you some options," she replied, forcing a response. Her voice had lost its warmth, and now her face showed a hint of annoyance. 

Asher stood up. "I might be poor, but I still have my principles," he declared firmly.

"You..." She looked him in the eye but realized that escalating the situation would only reflect poorly on her. It was her fault for letting her desires take control.

"For now, I'll give you another month. This is going to be a hassle for me, so I hope you manage to get the money," she sighed, pretending as if this could cast her in a negative light with the administrative office.

"Here is the money." He handed 25K credits and left her office immediately. 

On his way out, he checked his wallet, and reality hit him—he was broke again.

In this place, currency wasn't made of paper; it was plastic, about a quarter of the size of traditional paper money but much sturdier.

Each card's color indicated its denomination: white for 10 credits, blue for 100 credits, and green for 1,000 credits.

There was also a rare black card for 10,000 credits, but he had never actually seen one.

Additionally, he had some coins ranging from 1 credit to 10 credits.

Though he earned more than minimum wage, life remained tough. Unlike other boys who splurged on shoes or outings, he valued supporting her mother who had cared for him.

'I can still make it,' he muttered to himself after glancing at the time. He took the train back to his neighborhood.

By the time he got near his apartment, it was already 7:00 pm.

In the distance, he spotted a pretty run-down two-story building.

The apartment had ten rooms, was old and moldy, but offered affordable rent.

But despite the low price, he was the only tenant there, as it was rumored to be cursed and bring bad luck.

As he approached, the entire structure came into view.

The apartment's design was very basic. The lobby, leading to the rooms, was an open space with concrete railings.

From the outside, he counted five doors on the first floor and another five on the second.

He walked into his room, located at the far right of the second floor, and entered.

Inside, the air carried the scent of age and mold. The worn wooden floor groaned beneath each step, and the faded wallpaper hinted at its old history.

The place was small, featuring just one tiny bedroom and a living room that shared space with the kitchen.

In the kitchen, he began preparing dinner, opting for plastic-pack noodles instead of cup noodles because they were cheaper. After boiling them for a few minutes, the noodles were ready to be plated.

He noticed an egg on the table and wondered if he should be a bit more indulgent tonight and boil it.

After a few seconds, he realized that one boiled egg was a bit too much. Deciding to save it for breakfast, he opted to stick with just the noodles.

He scooped it up with the fork, twirling them around before taking a bite

Chewing slowly, he savored the simple flavor.

Being poor made him appreciate simple things like this.

SLURP!

He gulped down the noodle soup in one go, ensuring that none went to waste.

After that, he lay down on his cushion. It wasn't one of those soft, expensive kinds, but a hard one that was barely comfortable.

'I can do this. I just need to find a way to earn more money,' he muttered to himself before closing his eyes.