The Cost of Everything

When I was a child, I thought my world was big.

As I grew up, I realized I was confined by four stoned walls; it became suffocating.

I want to feel free, I want to see the real world, and I did.

I did see the world, I became free, and everything was colorful and alive.

People are all over the place, they're interesting. They laugh, they get angry, yes, even the fighting is new to me.

Everything is so good and fascinating until I looked back and saw no one with me.

I knew it, I was too greedy. I already had my own world but I asked for more.

The cost of everything … is my everything.

...

She's been lost and hungry for quite some time and was attracted by the smell of freshly baked bread, creamy soup, and roasted suckling. She can't help but drool when she saw the food being served in a table besides the window of a restaurant.

She tried to keep my drool from dripping and keep my prim, but still, her hungry wormies [1] overruled her rationality and led her towards the meal.

Several minutes ago in the restaurant...

People can't help but stare when this group of five people entered the restaurant. It's not because of their striking looks but because they release some pressure that makes one cower in fear.

They just finished their killing mission so they weren't able to retract their aura. If not because they were famished then they wouldn't try to eat in public within a short interval.

"Waiter, give us some suckling pig and beer, hurry up! " before the waiter even get to their table, White Panda already already shouted his order.

He got a knock on his head from the Commander. Everybody else can't help but hide their faces from embarrassment.

As cute as his name but White Panda really is a shameless and brash man.

They placed their orders properly after a while.

Their mission this time had been really harsh and mentally exhausting, so they decided to replenish their energy before going back to the base.

The group is happily taking their meal when an incident happened.

"Hey, who took my chicken leg?!" White Panda made a commotion when he noticed he's missing his food.

"No one would dare eat your food, maybe you just didn't notice that you ate it already" Black Panda reasoned out.

"White Panda behave yourself" the Commander reprimanded.

White panda can't help but go back to eating even if he felt injustice.

Not a minute later.

"Yogi, don't try to hide my sausage roll, you know I always save it for last" Koala gave Yogi a fierce stare.

"I knew you took my chicken!" White Panda grab the chance to accuse Yogi seeing he's not alone with the predicament.

Everyone had fallen into an argument until they noticed a little white hand sneaking from below the table.

The Commander being the first one to notice immediately looked under the table and saw two big black eyes as deep as an ocean staring at him.

He tried to reach for the little girl's arm, intending to pull her out but she managed to dodge him in such a cramp space and made her way out. But she didn't run away, instead, she stood in front of them calmly.

"I'm sorry I took your food and have you ended up fighting" the girl said in a small but sincere voice.

The group having seen the owner of the white hand was stunned to see an angelic little girl in front of them. They didn't expect that the thief was someone so fragile and soft. Hearing her apologize, they just can't get themselves to be angry.

"It's alright, I'm sure you did that because you have no choice. Why don't you join us and eat properly?" Koala being a woman can't help but feel sorry for the beautiful little girl.

A look of delight registered into the girls face upon hearing the invitation, but she seem to hesitate when she met the Commander's eyes.

"It's alright, you can join us" the Commander approved.

In their surprise, the girl suddenly gave the Commander a hug.

"Thank you" she said, and as if not noticing the bewildered faces of the group especially the Commander, she took a seat beside Koala and began eating her fill.

'Isn't this little girl a bit shameless' they thought.

[1] wormies, is just a term I used whenever I feel hungry but won't say it directly. It's like a monster in the stomach that gets hungry or something like that.