Kalin felt a sense of hope filling his heart, but he knew that the work would not be easy.
The worker who had smiled at him earlier suddenly changed his expression after hearing his request.
It was as if he sensed something strange in Kalin's gaze and wasn't sure how serious this small boy really was.
A heavy moment of silence passed before he finally answered.
"You're too young to work here, aren't you?" the worker said with a cold, faint smile, giving Kalin a long look.
Kalin didn't feel afraid…
Now, all he cared about was making his parents happy and proving that he deserved a place in this world.
The worker thought to himself quietly,
"If this boy wants to work here, he'll have to carry some responsibility… He'll learn how hard life is."
Then he looked up and said,
"Alright… if you're serious, come tomorrow morning."
Kalin felt a tightness in his chest, but this was a chance for him.
He gave a small smile and replied,
"Thank you. I'll be here."
After Kalin left with his little sister, the worker paused for a moment, his eyes following them.
"Where did this kid come from?" he muttered to himself while staring at the door they walked through with a hint of mockery.
"That boy doesn't look ready for work… heh."
Kalin stepped out quietly.
The streetlights were dim and the air was cold.
Yet… the farther he moved away from home, the more his heart filled with worry, even as he tried to appear confident.
He thought he could live on his own,
but he didn't realize how cruel the world could be.
The streets were dark, the people were strangers,
and everyone rushed past as if carrying burdens heavier than any child could imagine.
With his first step into the world
the street, the faint lights, the emptiness… everything felt new to him.
His breathing quickened, his heart fluttered, yet he couldn't move.
Someone was approaching.
Heavy footsteps echoed, a clear sign of danger.
His sister stepped back and hid behind him.
Suddenly, a tall figure appeared.
His eyes glowed, and a frightening smile spread across his face.
A chill ran through Kalin's body, but he quickly tried to face him.
In a moment
without thinking, Kalin slipped his hand into his pocket
and pulled out an old tool he once thought useless.
At that moment, anything could become a means of survival to protect himself.
He pushed the tool toward the stranger.
"You think you can mess with me?" the man said. "You have no idea what I could do to you."
Kalin struck forward, forcing the man to step back.
It wasn't enough to defeat him,
but it awakened something strange inside Kalin…
A strength he didn't know he had.
And this was only the beginning.
The stranger stepped back but kept watching him with eyes full of shock and anger.
"You don't know who I am…" he said in a very low voice.
But Kalin didn't care.
Every step he took was bringing him closer to his fate.
After the man retreated, a wave of exhaustion washed over Kalin,
yet his fear slowly began to fade.
He took his little sister's hand; her eyes were wide with shock,
but she didn't step back.
"Are you okay, big brother?" she whispered.
"Yes… but we have to keep going," Kalin answered calmly. "Let's go."
Suddenly, the man disappeared.
Kalin turned around, looking everywhere.
Where did he go? He was just here.
This time, Kalin didn't feel weak.
Something in his heart whispered that things would get better, even though he didn't know how yet.
His little sister looked at him with wide, shining eyes, as if she realized he had changed in that moment.
She stepped closer and asked softly,
"Are we going back home?"
But Kalin had already made his decision.
"We're not going back," he said seriously.
"Now we're here… and we have to be very strong."
Even as he spoke, he wasn't fully sure of his own words.
He took Kala's hand and led her down the road.
The streets were still dark and quiet, lit only by the night lights.
It felt like a foreign world, but he would keep going
not just for himself, but for his sister Kala too.
Before taking another step, he suddenly paused.
He looked at her and asked,
"Where will we go, I wonder?"
Kala said sadly,
"I don't know… I just want to sleep. Big brother, I'm with you wherever we go."
He felt the weight of responsibility
but also something greater: hope.
After walking for a long time through the dark streets, they reached an area full of shops and bright lights.
The lights illuminated the road, and the atmosphere suddenly changed.
Stores sold everything, and music echoed from everywhere.
Kalin stopped and took a deep breath.
He had never seen this kind of life before: colors, sounds, people… everything felt new.
He looked at his sister and whispered,
"Here… maybe we can find a chance to work."
They headed toward a small café. The smell of fresh coffee filled the air.
"Maybe I can work here," Kalin murmured.
They entered the café. A young worker stood behind the counter, busy taking orders.
Kalin stepped forward, giving a small smile as he looked around his new surroundings.
"Hello," he said carefully.
The worker looked at him and smiled warmly.
"Hello! What would you like to order?"
Kalin shook his head.
"I don't want to order anything. I want to work here."
The worker's expression changed, surprised by the boy's words.
He thought for a moment, then muttered to himself,
"If this boy works with me, that means he wants a part of my money… oh my…"
But he smiled again.
"You're very young. If you're serious, you'll have to adapt and help here… though I don't think you need to work."
Kalin didn't fully understand what he meant,
but he knew the road wouldn't be easy.
He pushed away the doubts trying to enter his mind.
He had decided to prove it—to himself first, then to his sister, and finally to the world.
He could succeed on his own.
He could help his parents…
But he had forgotten the way home.
Would he ever find it again,
or would he continue working to survive for himself and his sister?