Chapter 45: Chapter 45

"Elmar? Ha ha ha…." Edison laughed nervously when he found his best friend appearing before him, hugging two girls at once. "You played so far? Have you had enough of the girls in town?"

Elmar looks drunk and unsteady. His arms were each wrapped around the shoulders of a beautiful girl. The two girls looked even older than Elmar.

"Is he your friend, El? He's so cute," said one of the girls while teasing Edison.

"What are you doing here?" asked Elmar, pointing at Ed's chest.

Ed was nervous. "Just like you, I guess. I'm looking for a new atmosphere. I was hungry and saw an interesting fried chicken restaurant over there."

"Fried chicken restaurant? So far? You with your driver?" Elmar looked around, looking for the bodyguards who usually followed Ed.

"Stay cool. I am alone. I managed to escape from them."

"You want to join us? We're going to go karaoke. Come on, join us to make it more festive!" Elmar tugged at Ed's hand without asking for approval.

Edison exhaled heavily. "Okay. I guess I also need a little entertainment and a warm place. It's cold out here." Edison bent slightly to dispel the cold.

"You ran away from your guards without your coat on?" Elmar laughed out loud.

They finally went to the karaoke place, four of them. The two girls who came with Elmar looked very enthusiastic. They sing and have fun. Elmar sat between the two girls drinking beer.

His happy laughter faded immediately when he saw Ed sitting away and enjoying his fried chicken alone.

"Uh, this brat!" grunted Elmar. "He doesn't know how to have fun other than playing games."

Elmar moved one of the girls sitting on his lap. "Ladies, you guys continue the karaoke. I want to talk to the young man there for a moment. Okay?"

The two girls sulk and cling to Elmar's spoil. But Elmar tried to brush it off. He approached Edison and patted his best friend on the shoulder.

"You had a fight with Ashley? Your face has looked somber since you last went out with her from school."

"Dunno," Ed grumbled, biting into a greasy chicken thigh. "My mind is in turmoil. Ashley keeps asking me to take her to Paris this winter break."

"What is the problem? You're usually the most enthusiastic when it comes to spoiling the girl. Are you starting to go bankrupt now?" Elmar asked seriously.

Suddenly Edison's face turned pale. He didn't take a bite of his fried chicken and put it back in the paper bag. Ed looked uninspired and looked away.

Elmar frowned. "What is it? Did it really happen? No way, right?"

Edison looked up and took a deep breath. As if he was holding anxiety in his heart and mind.

"Of course, it's impossible!" said Ed cheerfully. "I was only kidding, you know! How could my super-rich family go bankrupt? My parents' wealth won't run out for the next ten generations. In fact, maybe there will be more and more."

"Ha ha ha…." Elmar laughed even louder. "You can joke too, I see, Ed? So, what's the problem? Ah ... lest you're getting bored with Ashley. I think you should try to get close to other girls occasionally. How many years have you been with her? Since middle school? That's too long, right?"

Ed sighed. "Shouldn't you be the one starting to change, El? Our time for play is almost over. Real life awaits us next year. Until when are you going to keep fooling around with girls? Choose the one you truly love and try to be loyal to it."

Elmar just smiled bitterly.

The two girls who were karaoke-ing again approached Elmar and Ed. They clung and sat spoiled in his lap.

"Come on, this isn't interesting. Why are you guys just chatting here?"

The other girl also sat on Ed's lap. However, the young man showed a stiff and disgusted attitude.

Ed's cell rang. He hesitated when he saw the name on the screen. Wanting to avoid the girls, he was forced to use the call as an excuse to leave.

Ed looked for a place that was a bit quiet.

"Hello?"

"Until when are you going to ignore my calls!" shouted someone over the phone.

Ed frowned and slightly pushed the phone away from his ear. "D-Dad… I….”

"Return home right now and accept our offer!"

Ed closed his eyes. "I… have decided that I will not accept the choice you guys gave me! I don't care if you have to kick them out and live on the streets."

"You little bastard!" shouted the father on the phone.

Ed turned off his cell phone and looked tiredly in front of the karaoke building. Elmar was silently standing behind him. Edison was shocked and really couldn't hide anything from Elmar.

"You can tell me when you want. My house is open 24 hours for you." Elmar threw the key, and Ed caught it.

"I won't hold you back. I will continue the party with the girls. Do you mind?"

Ed shook his head, and they parted ways for the night.

The sun hasn't even come out early in the morning; Elmar wakes up in a narrow bed and is scented with a girl's perfume. He stretched when he heard a loud knock on the door.

"Catherine? Are you home yet? I heard voices from your room!"

The girl named Catherine immediately sat up straight on the bed. She looked to the side and saw Elmar's naked back under the covers. The girl jumped out of bed and ran to the door.

"Yes!" she shouted. "I'm still sleepy, Dad! Don't come in here."

Catherine returned to bed and hit Elmar's bare back, "Hey, wake up! Hurry up! My father is coming!" whispered Catherine, continuing to shake Elmar's body.

Elmar blinked his sleepy eyes. He tried to sit up straight, but his body felt stiff from sleeping on his stomach all night.

"Dad, wait a moment!" screamed Catherine, pushing hard at the door to keep her father out.

"Open the door! I heard a male voice in your room!"

"No, Dad! It's just the sound of a song!"

Elmar sat cross-legged on the bed, wearing only trousers that sagged to his hips. He rubbed his eyes and put a finger to his lips.

"Well, Catherine, calm down and don't make any noise!" said Elmar casually.

"Are you crazy?" Catherine hissed. "Quickly get out of here before my father kills you! If the door is open, it could be bad. My father will see you, and God only knows what will happen. You don't want to get involved in a scandal with a poor girl living in the suburbs, do you?"

Instantly Elmer's drowsiness disappeared. He looked at the door getting pushed open from the outside. Catherine was overwhelmed holding the door.

Bang!

"Hey, Catherine! What are you doing?" shouted the father. "You really brought a man into your room? What did you do last night with this jerk?"

Catherine's father stood before the bed and stared at Elmar, who was panicking while picking up his clothes.

"Wait, let me see your face!" said Catherine's father. "I think I know you."

Elmar covered his face with his hands and shirt.

"Dad, you misunderstood," Catherine coaxed. "I can explain." Catherine pulled her father's hand away from Elmar.

The father was angry because he saw his daughter smuggle men into the room. He looked for anything that could be used as a weapon. When he was about to hit Elmar with a flower vase, Elmar was already standing at the window and ready to jump.

"Go, hurry!" Catherine shouted, pulling her father's arm away from the window.

Without a second thought and wearing only his trousers on a shivering winter morning, Elmar jumped from a second-floor window and rolled across the tarmac.

"Aww!" Elmar groaned because his leg hurt badly when he fell.

Catherine's father was screaming from the bedroom window, brandishing a vase. "Watch you! Do not run away! I know you. I remember you now!"

Elmar ran as fast as he could down the aisles while hugging his body, which was shivering with cold. His long hair was messy, and his face was full of pillow marks. While running, he put on his clothes.

"Oh, my God, it's so cold!" shouted Elmar. "I lost my shoe! Those are limited edition shoes."

***

Winter vacation begins. After the party and charity night at Abraham High School, Jonea feels a bit relieved and free. Because she didn't need to go back to school for a while. She has much time to help her parents work at the fried chicken restaurant.

Early in the morning, before the sun rose, Jonea had to shop at the market for supplies. The girl is driving her scooter. On her way home, she chose a detour. Jonea crosses an underground pedestrian bridge that is mainly inhabited by homeless people.

The girl gives out free milk every morning to the homeless. She stopped at a group of homeless people huddled under their sleeping bags and blankets.

Jonea places a carton of milk next to the head of a homeless person who sleeps, wearing nothing but a cardboard blanket. The girl felt pity. She couldn't see the man's face because it was hidden by his long matted hair.

"Go to the social shelter for the winter. At least you can get free sweaters and blankets there."

As Jonea was about to leave and return to her scooter, suddenly, her hand was pulled. Jonea wasn't ready, and she couldn't fight back. Because the homeless person traps, ensnares, and hugs her from behind.