Breaking news this morning—an explosion has occurred in the main market of Suncity. More than fifty people have been injured. Police have been investigating since early morning, but so far, no evidence has been found. Authorities have only been able to confirm that the bomb was planted two or three days ago…"
"Ryan, what are you doing?" Kora said while holding a black bag, pulling its zipper closed. "Why haven't you packed your things yet? Look at this mess—everything is scattered."
"Is it really necessary for us to leave this place?" Ryan asked sadly, pulling his knees up to his chest and lowering his face.
"I already told you—it is necessary," Kora replied while gathering Ryan's clothes. "If we stay here a few more days, we'll starve to death. We barely have any food left."
"But what about Mom and Dad…?"
"Forget about Mom and Dad," Kora said quietly. "They're not coming back."
"Why?" Ryan asked, his voice shaking with both anger and pain. "How can they just leave us like this? Don't they care about us at all?"
Tears began to stream down Ryan's face. Kora placed the bag on the floor, let go of the clothes, and crouched down in front of him.
"Ryan, listen," she said gently. "Maybe they had no choice. I'm not blaming them. But until they return, we have to take care of ourselves, okay? And besides…" she forced a small smile, "I'm here with you. So what's there to be afraid of?"
Ryan looked at her with watery eyes. "But Kora, aren't you watching the news?"
Kora turned her gaze toward the television.
"Didn't you see how dangerous city life is?" Ryan continued, curiosity mixed with fear. "Sometimes there are robberies, sometimes bomb blasts. How are we supposed to survive in such a savage place?"
"Don't worry, Ryan," Kora said, wiping the tears from his face. "Where there are bad people in a city, there are good ones too. I believe someone will help us."
"Come on now," Kora said as she stood up. "Pack everything properly. We have to catch the bus too. You know how difficult it is to get one here—it only comes once, and only at a fixed time."
"Okay," Ryan replied, stuffing the remaining scattered clothes into his bag.
Outside, the sun blazed fiercely in the sky. It was midday—one of those unbearably hot afternoons.
------------
The office was wrapped in peaceful silence when—
Ding. Tong.
Damien was asleep in his chair inside his office, leaning back comfortably. He was dressed in a black pantsuit, a tie neatly fastened around his neck, a watch on his wrist. His hair was jet black, perfectly kept. The sound of the bell stirred him awake.
"Who is it?" he said lazily. "Come in."
Straightening in his chair, Damien looked up as the door opened—and the moment he saw her face, his mood soured.
"You should really reduce your sleeping pills," Laura said coldly.
Damien's assistant stood before him, wearing a dark pink shirt with a white blouse, black heels clicking softly against the floor, her hair tied neatly in a bun. Her expression was serious—too serious.
Damien rolled his eyes in irritation. "I already know why you're here."
"Then why don't you just accept my resignation letter?" Laura snapped, though she kept her voice low. "For days now, you've been telling me to wait a little longer. But how long is a little longer, exactly?"
She crossed her arms, frustration written all over her face. "I already told you—my family is relocating, and I need to find another job. But instead, you keep wasting my time."
"Fine. Go."
Damien opened a file and began flipping through papers as if she no longer existed.
"What?" Laura stared at him. "That's it? 'Go'? If it wasn't such a big issue, then why did you make me wait all these days—"
"I'm telling you to go, aren't I?" Damien cut her off, his voice rising slightly. He finally looked at her.
"Then why are you still standing there?"
Laura looked deeply offended. "What exactly is there to get angry about? I only asked why you kept me waiting—"
"I wanted to waste your time."
Damien said it flatly, his gaze cold and emotionless.
That was it.
Furious, Laura slammed the resignation letter onto his desk and turned toward the door. Just before leaving, she stopped.
Damien lifted his eyes from the files.
"Remember one thing," Laura said sharply. "Because of this attitude of yours, you're going to suffer a lot in life."
For a moment, Damien said nothing. He stared down at the notebook resting on his lap, pen in hand. Then, calmly—
"Hm."
He lifted the notebook slightly. "Noted."
Laura could only stare at him in disbelief.
"Now leave," Damien said, stacking the notebook and files neatly to the side.
She stood there for another second, then slammed the door shut as she walked out.
What is wrong with that strange man? Laura muttered angrily as she stormed down the hall. All he knows how to do is talk nonsense. I don't even understand how he became the boss of this company.
Everyone in the hall turned to look at her. The space fell into complete silence—only her footsteps and muttering echoed. Perhaps she wanted everyone to hear.
She entered the elevator, pressed the button, and descended.
Behind her, the office slowly came back to life. Employees glanced at one another, whispering among themselves.
-----------
Back in the office, Damien did nothing but shuffle the files restlessly, moving them back and forth without actually reading a single word. Suddenly, his hand paused mid-air, hovering just short of the telephone receiver.
He clenched his teeth in irritation.
Then something clicked in his mind.
He reached for the phone and began dialing.
Tr-r-r… Tr-r-r…
In the security guard's pocket, an old Nokia phone began to ring. He pulled it out and squinted at the name flashing on the screen.
"What… the boss?" he muttered. "Why would he need me at this hour?"
He quickly pressed the phone to his ear.
"Yes, sir. Go ahead."
"I need to talk to you," Damien said. "Come to the office."
The elderly security guard hesitated, his voice turning nervous.
"Sir… right now? I mean—who will stand at the gate then?"
Back in his chair, Damien felt his temper snap.
He slammed the phone down hard, cutting the call.
"So this day had to come in my life too," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "And Laura had to quit at the worst possible time…"
With a sharp breath, Damien stood up, leaving everything exactly where it was, and walked out of the office.
☆☆☆☆☆