Gerald looked up. “What’s up?”“We’ve got a gathering between old friends tonight. It happens every couple of months. I’ve never mentioned it before—but since we’ve bumped into each other, this is me letting you know!“Also, Sharon will be there.” Lilian stifled a little laugh. “Come to think of it: Back in high school, you’d come first place in grades, and she’d come second. The two of you were close—in fact, you were after her, weren’t you?”Gerald didn’t reply.Sharon Leslie, an old friend from high school. It was true that they got along well back then.It was also true that Gerald had harbored feelings for her, but that had been before… all of this.Had he pursued her? He hadn’t dared.Early on, during their first year of high school, they’d chat together often. Later, even on those few occasions when he’d tried to strike up a conversation, she hadn’t replied. And so, they’d drifted apart.Three years had passed in a flash.“Tee-hee! Come on… you know, last month, Sharon’
Her face smeared with dirt, the little girl was talking to the boy beside her.“Maybe they haven’t started classes yet—that’s what’s missing!” The boy wiped away some snot. “I wanna go too!”Another somewhat chubby boy piped up, “You need money to go to school. We don’t have any money. Ms. Queta is already working several jobs to feed us. We can’t ask her for any more!”“I’m hungry!” the little girl whined.“I’ll find you some bread in a bit!”“Why are you urchins crowding the gates? Get lost!” A security guard came out, hollering in fury.The three children leaped up in fright.The guard was in his fifties, the sort you might find at a construction site.The children were visibly terrified by him, and on the verge of fleeing—but they kept on gazing at the school, just a little longer…Gerald spoke up: “They’re only looking. That’s fine, isn’t it? It’s not like you paid for this school.”“Kid, I didn’t say anything about you going inside earlier, but don’t be putting on any a
Gerald recognized her straight away.He had met her in Homeland Kitchen just a few days ago. Jane had been scolding her—back when she still worked for them.She’d left an impression on him. Even just seeing her from the side, he had known that she was an extraordinary beauty. Seeing her again now, she’d immediately seemed familiar to him, and then he’d placed her.“You know me?” she whispered, gathering up the three children protectively.She was evidently frightened of him. What if he was involved in human trafficking?“Yes, we bumped into each other in Homeland Kitchen. Have you forgotten me?” Gerald smiled at her.The woman spent a moment in recollection, then brightened up. “Oh, it’s you, sir! Thank you for helping me out, that time!”That time, she was being scolded so hard she didn’t dare look up from the floor. It was only when she was leaving that she had stolen a brief glance at Gerald.Meeting him again now, what she recognized was his voice.He had saved her that ti
Why would such a powerful man be interested in her friendship?Gerald wouldn’t just come out and say why, either. Today was just a chance meeting.He was a soft-hearted man and held particular sympathy for people who were suffering.Of course he could just solve their problems straight away: Find them a nicer place to stay in, put all the kids in school… all it would take was a few words from him.However, from the moment Gerald saw Queta again, his heart had been racing wildly out of control. Some subtle emotion was compelling him to get closer to her, to get to know her better.He didn’t understand this feeling.Yet, thinking back now, he’d known from the first time he laid eyes on her… Just one look from the side and her face had been burned into his memory.A girl he’d met purely by chance. How could he be feeling this way about her?He didn’t have the slightest clue. All he knew was that, from the moment he met her, he’d felt like he’d known her forever.The two of them b
“Did anyone say you could sit here? This spot is reserved for my boyfriend! Goodness gracious… it’s one thing to have been a loser back then, but after three years of university, you still haven’t improved one bit! Go, scram, get lost!”Gerald couldn’t even remember her name anymore, and he couldn’t be bothered to pick a fight with her at the moment.That left the seat by the door, where all the food would be brought in.Realizing that this had been everyone’s intention all along, Gerald simply resigned himself to it.Actually, there was an empty spot beside Sharon, too. However, she’d left her handbag on there, indicating that she was saving the seat for somebody. Certainly, she’d made no move to offer it to him.Lilian grinned at Gerald, then turned and asked, “Sharon, when’s Murphy gonna get here?”“That guy… Hmph! Always wishy-washy about everything. Every time, he’ll say he’s almost there—but you’re still gonna have to wait a while!”Although she sounded upset, in truth her
“Ahaha, don’t say that! He goes to Mayberry University, you know—after he graduates, he might very well find himself a job along Mayberry Commercial Street, too!”Everyone wanted to get in on the merriment.“Oho? Then we’d basically be colleagues! Let’s get along, Gerald!” Murphy chortled.He wanted to keep this conversation going. He would often have to hear about everyone bringing up this old friend of Sharon’s.It had made him curious about what she’d seen in a penniless guy like Gerald.Sometimes it even made things awkward for him.That was why, the moment this guy was introduced to him as Gerald, Murphy couldn’t resist having a bit of fun at his expense, just to see how he’d respond.So far, it appeared that this Gerald had no social skills to speak of whatsoever. Once he started working life, it would be a carnival with him!“Haha… Leave him alone, Murphy! For a guy like him to get a job in Mayberry Street, the boss would have to be deaf and blind!”“Oh, yeah—Murphy, yo
“Sir, there’s just no way! Their food has already been served!”“You still don’t get it? Don’t you know who you’re talking to? Three minutes, that’s all I’ll give you—and if you can’t get it done for me, your manager will do it in your place. Try me!” the man blustered arrogantly.“Alright… I’ll give it a shot.” The waitress hurried inside and explained the situation.Lilian and the others would have none of it.What was the meaning of this? They had gotten here first—they had even begun eating already! Now, you come in here and say, what, switch tables? Just like that?Who do you think you are!“No way. Tell them we’re not moving!” Lilian was glaring, her temper suddenly flaring.“Oho? I’d like to see just who that is hollering in there, thinking she’s hot stuff!”The doors to the private room opened, and the other group strode right in.It was building up toward a brawl.Murphy was their champion on this side. He had nothing to fear from your run-of-the-mill rich brats—espe
Who would have thought that Mr. Crawford would be here, hanging with this sort of crowd?“Oh? Mr. Ziegler, you know this hobo, Gerard?” Murphy asked in surprise.For some reason, when Yancy Ziegler greeted Gerard Crawford by name, Murphy and many of the other guys present at the scene were overcome with jealousy. How was it that Yancy knew that guy but not them?What was this?“How the hell is it any of your business whom I happen to know? Get the hell out of my sight!” Hearing what Murphy had called Gerard, Yancy was roaring with rage.The blood drained out of Murphy’s face.Gerard set down his chopsticks before calmly replying, “Ah, it’s you, Yancy. I remember you from my last visit to Sunnydale. Oh, yes—did you find yourself a ticket after all?” He had deliberately modified past events slightly.“Oh, yes! I did indeed! Thank you so much, Gerard! Really, thank you!”Yancy bent over in a deep bow. Considering how he was always bowing and scraping in Aiden Baker’s presence, wha