The Last Show

It was a really hot and humid day, with not a single cloud in the sky. The sun was so strong that everyone tried to stay out of it. Restaurants hired water shamans to cool down their places, and people walked around with umbrellas.

Despite the heat, a boy stood under the sunlight without any cover. He was staring at a sign that read "Sorella Orphanage," looking as if he was thinking about the past.

The boy's name was Sakar. Today was his last day at the orphanage. Miss Sorella, who ran the orphanage and also was the principal of Chicken Head Academy, had decided it was time for him to move on. Now that he was eighteen, he was old enough to go to high school. Chicken Head Academy was a boarding school, which was good for someone like him who didn't have a family.

Sakar felt sad about leaving. He liked it here, even if sometimes he acted out. He often played tricks, like trying to sneak peeks under the skirts of the caretaker ladies when they weren't looking.

Sakar had a unique sense he called 'sexar.' This sense allowed him to detect when something sexy was about to happen. Whenever his sexar tingled, he knew exactly where to be to catch a gust of wind lifting a skirt or any other accidental reveal.

Sakar was always up to mischief at the orphanage, which got him into trouble a lot. He had been punished so many times that he lost count. He ran countless laps, cleaned the whole building over and over, and sometimes, they even made him skip meals as punishment. But none of that really worked; nothing seemed to discipline him.

Sakar was cooking up yet another silly plan—a final act before leaving the orphanage. Standing under the sun, he struck a pose like a deep thinker, thumb on his chin and index finger pointed to his ear. The sunlight made his blood-red hair glow, almost matching the light red of his eyes. Despite always being out in the sun, his skin remained pale, as if untouched by its rays.

Mrs. Helin, who was one of the caretaker ladies, walked up to Sakar holding an umbrella.

"You will be sunstroked! Get inside," she warned.

Sakar looked at her.

"I hope so."

"Ahh, sorry, I forgot your special condition for a moment."

Sakar had a unique condition that made him unable to feel any heat. He had once tried to burn himself just to understand what heat felt like, but it was no use; he felt nothing. He understood what it meant to feel cold, but only in an emotional sense, not physically.

"Watching you like that makes me sweat, come on, get inside."

Sakar glanced at Mrs. Helin's neck, noticing the beads of sweat there despite the shade from her umbrella. He understood the sensation of being wet but couldn't grasp the feeling of sweating. Finished with his planning, he decided to head inside. As Sakar entered the building, Mrs. Helin walked away, leaving him to his own devices.

In the orphanage, each kid had chores that rotated regularly. But since these were Sakar's last days, he was exempt from these duties. Still, he wandered over to the shift paper pinned on the board to see who was assigned to what. He was particularly interested in who would be cleaning the bathrooms the next morning. A grin spread across his face when he saw the name—Bella, the laziest person he knew. He was certain she'd let him take over her chore, especially if it meant she could avoid work. Knowing exactly where she'd be, he headed straight to her room, confident she'd be there, probably still in bed.

When Sakar entered Bella's room, he found her exactly as he expected: sound asleep. Her head was tilted to the side, giving her a peaceful look. Sakar thought she looked pretty cute like this. Bella spent most of her time sleeping and always wore pajamas, so Sakar never got a chance to see her legs or panties. But he wasn't too interested in Bella that way; she wasn't usually part of his mischief.

Sakar tried to wake Bella up, starting with a gentle call. "Hey, Bel! Wake up!" There was no response. He raised his voice, "HEY! WAKE UP!" Still, she didn't stir. Concerned, he shook her lightly.

Bella finally opened her eyes, looking confused. "Wha?"

Her speech was always like this—clipped, as if she were trying to use as few letters and words as possible.

"I checked the board; it's your turn to clean the bathroom tomorrow morning. May I do that instead of you?" Sakar asked, hoping to take over her chore.

"Suspicious," she muttered sleepily.

"I want to do you a favor before I leave. Can't I?" he persisted.

"K, bye," Bella responded vaguely, her attention already fading.

"K? What do you mean, can I?" Sakar tried to clarify.

"Ye, leave," she mumbled, clearly done with the conversation, and drifted back into her sleep.

It was already evening. Sakar headed to the refectory to have his last meal at the orphanage. He picked up his tray of food and found a place to sit. The food here was always good—nutritious and filling. Today's menu included angry chicken meat, which was spicy and flavorful, served alongside dark rice as a substitute for bread. For dessert, there was jam made from alarm flowers, which added a uniquely sweet touch to the meal.

As Sakar savored his food, enjoying every bite, the principal of the orphanage entered the dining hall. She walked slowly, her eyes fixed on Sakar as she approached the food distribution tables. Her gaze made Sakar a bit uneasy, but he tried to focus on his meal. The refectory was bustling with the noise of many other kids chatting and eating, yet the principal's focused attention on him made the space around him feel more confined.

The principal stood in front of the bustling refectory, her voice rising above the din to capture everyone's attention. "Today, your friend Sakar's last day here. It is something to celebrate, so I bought cakes for you all. I am so happy, a naughty boy leaving this place finally! I was looking forward to this day ever since!"

All eyes turned to Sakar, some with smiles, others perhaps a bit relieved. Sakar listened silently, offering no comments or defenses. Inside, he was unfazed by the principal's words, his mind focused on the final mischief he had planned as his parting gift. This was no time for words; actions would speak louder soon.

Without reacting to the principal's announcement further, he quietly left the refectory. His steps took him back to his room, where he would spend one last night. Knowing he needed to be up early to set his plan in motion, Sakar quickly prepared his bed and settled down. With thoughts of tomorrow's scheme playing through his mind, he drifted off to sleep, a slight smirk lingering on his lips.

As the first light of dawn crept through the windows, Sakar was already up and about. He headed straight to the bathroom, a place he planned to leave spotlessly clean as part of his final act at the orphanage. He scrubbed and polished every surface with such thoroughness that the floor gleamed invitingly, almost as if someone could eat off it. The sharp, clean scent of soap filled the air, mingling with the lingering humidity from the showers.

In the bathroom, there were five showers, frequently used by the caretaker ladies each morning, especially given the relentless heat that had been pressing down on the city. Knowing this routine, Sakar had chosen this location strategically for his prank.

He slipped into a broken locker that he knew no one used—a rusty, forgotten thing tucked away in a corner. The rust was a problem; it stained anything it touched, which is why it had been abandoned. Hidden inside, Sakar waited, barely breathing, his heart pounding with anticipation.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly as he crouched in the cramped, dark space, listening for the familiar sounds of the caretaker ladies arriving for their morning routine. His plan was set, and now, all he needed was for the stage to fill with his unsuspecting audience.

The caretaker ladies chatted amiably as they entered the bathroom, impressed by the unexpected cleanliness. "Look at here, who was the cleaner today? It smells nice. Let's reward whoever did this," one of them remarked, appreciating the spotless environment.

"You are right; I will check the shift," another responded, already moving towards the duty roster posted on the wall.

"Forget about it now; we are finally getting rid of Sakar!" a third chimed in with a mix of relief and excitement.

"Exactly, that pervert is finally no more!" another agreed, clearly pleased. "I was on edge all the time as if he was peeking at me!"

"Forget about him! He will be gone as of today," concluded another, eager to move past the discomfort Sakar had caused them.

As they continued their conversation, they undressed and stepped into the showers, unaware of Sakar's sneaky presence. Meanwhile, Sakar quietly slipped out of the old, rusty locker where he had been hiding. With the coast clear and the caretakers distracted by the soothing water, he quickly and silently gathered all their clothes. He was fully prepared, having previously stashed spare clothes in the laundry room to use as part of his plan. Moving with swift precision, he collected every piece of clothing that the caretaker ladies had worn, ensuring he left nothing behind.

With a bundle of clothes in his arms, Sakar slipped out of the bathroom. His heart raced with the thrill of his mischief, but he focused on the task at hand, hurrying to leave with every piece of clothing that a caretaker lady can wear.

Sakar hurried out of the building, each step quick and determined. In his hands, he carried two bags: one held his personal belongings, the other was filled with the clothes he had collected from the caretaker ladies. Though he wasn't running, his pace was brisk, propelled by the adrenaline of his final act of mischief at the orphanage.

Once he felt he had put enough distance between himself and the orphanage, Sakar found a secluded barn along his path. He stealthily slipped inside and deposited the bag containing the caretaker ladies' clothes, effectively hiding any evidence of his prank. After ensuring the bag was well concealed among the hay and old farm tools, he stepped back out into the open road, resuming his journey as if nothing unusual had occurred.

With the orphanage now behind him both physically and mentally, Sakar's thoughts shifted to his next destination which is Chicken Head Academy. Despite the excitement of the new beginnings that awaited him, his mind occasionally replayed the events of the morning, leaving him with a mixed sense of triumph and a twinge of regret about not being able to peek into them. Nonetheless, he continued onward.