Blood Of Platinum
Chapter 92. Things to Do Together
At the bar table that had become a temporary dining table for the children, Theo sat down with the others. He ate the strawberry cake that Michaela gave him first. Joel who was still standing there noticed the sight.
Joel begins to question the little things that he ignores in the first place.
‘The injuries on the little boy's face were like they had been beaten. The bruise still exists apparently. Is that Justin's work?’
He walked up to the children and saw that almost all the skewered meat and fried chicken he had bought were gone.
“You are really hungry apparently. Lucky I bought all this without having to wait for that old heavy meal. Ahahahaha!!” he said while laughing and making a waist-pull pose
Not forgetting, Joel returned Theo's hat which he held in his hand. He put the hat back into place, over Theo's head.
“What?” ask Theo
“Just return your hat. You want me to rub your head again?” Joel asked back with an expression as if mocked Theo
“Hmph!” Theo ignored him and went back to eating
Joel who saw Theo's mannerisms could only smile while maintaining his mocked face. The children who were still busy with their food smiled at Joel while simultaneously thanking him.
“Thank you, Joel-ojichan~”
“Oo, equally. But..”
Joel looked at all the children and saw the shopping bag containing the clothes he bought.
“I want to know why you guys didn't shower and clean yourself up just ate?” joel asked while looking at the contents of his shopping bag
“If we take seven showers first then the others will have to wait for the person to finish. Besides, you know that we were dirty from the beginning, right? It's too late to think about the cleanliness of” explained Theo in a flat tone while chewing his food
Joel didn't say anything. He felt like he had offended Theo. Of course from the beginning he knew the difficulty of how they felt. But it was unexpected that a small question could make the atmosphere back very foreign to him and the children.
“In your house there is still clean water to go to the toilet, right?”
Joel completely ignored the fact that they were all eating.
“Oi! Where's your manners, perverted uncle! We're eating. Don't talk about the toilet to us, you idiot!” shouted Theo
“I didn't say anything weird, did I? Just asking about your toilet” Joel tried to defend himself
“Not everyone is comfortable with that stupid question of yours including me! Also do not spoil the appetite of these children!
“Ma–maaf, sorry. I just asked”
“Cih! You old man are impolite!” theo grumbled while eating the one remaining skewer meat
“Yes already, I will wait for you guys to finish eating just”
Theo fell silent and answered his question, although he felt very upset that Joel was not paying attention to their current situation.
“In the old building where we live there is still water to use. I think it's groundwater because it's not so clean but it's enough for us. Even so we can't use that water to drink”
“So”
Joel became a little curious about the way they lived during this time while in the shadow of Justin. He took a chair and sat down near them. Michaela and the other children only focused on their food and soup without commenting.
Joel asked Theo about many things.
“Your wounds on your face don't want you to treat?”
“This is nothing. Just like the gorilla did to us so it doesn't matter”
Theo answered him very casually. According to him, maybe it was his best response since the big man beside him must have known what kind of difficult life he and all his friends lived.
“You just want to make it easy, right? I don't mind if you ask me anything else. I'm sure you know a lot of things yourself. It's just that because you didn't dare to fight that gorilla, so you chose to be quiet. Right, right, perverted uncle?”
- Jleeb
A good guess from Theo. As if he had been stabbed by another knife, Joel showed a panicked face.
“A–I'm just trying to make you not stiff anymore” replied Joel nervously
“Hmm..yah is up to you, perverted uncle. Haamph” Theo responds while eating the last meat in his prick
“Hey you, can't stop calling me perverted uncle! I'm Joel! Besides, I am the boss of Arkan and the owner of this place”
“Talking about this place, do you not feel strange since morning until noon no one came?” Theo asked seriously
“I think due to information about last night's incident has made some of my customers not come to this place in the past some time. Besides..”
Joel looked at the floor of the bar which was still full of red as well as the broken doors and walls with a sad face.
“I can't possibly let bad gossip about this place spread” continued Joel with his sad face
Theo looked at Joel with a flat face, then after finishing chewing the meat in his mouth he asked Joel.
“Nee, perverted uncle. Are you sure the bases are done?”
“Eh?”
“You want to ask about how our life is and what we will do after this, right?”
- Deg
A very unexpected question. Joel tries to find a topic of casual discussion as an opening before asking other personal questions. However, the boy in front of him was even smarter than he expected.
While gulping, Joel looked at Theo with a serious look.
“I really want to know.no, I already know how bad your neighborhood is and how bad the treatment you receive. I also know I may be too late to help you now. But, I hope you guys think about this well”
“About what?”
“After Justin dies, you are free to do anything. I wonder if you and these kids have any plans for the future or not”
Theo fell silent and thought for a moment. It's not like he didn't want to do anything else after Justin died. Replying to Justin's actions and escaping the shadow of his fear is Theo's dream and purpose. However, after that dream and goal had materialized then he had to think about his next move.
Theo looked at the little children in front of him with a sad look.
“Uncle pervert..”
“Hmm?”
“Actually I still haven't thought of anything else. But obviously, for now both me and these kids have the same desire. I just want us all to regroup. I want to meet again with Stelani and Fabil. I want to meet again with Kino-nii and everyone”
“When all return safely, I will think of many things together. I will think about what we will do in the future. That's why I can't answer your question right now, perverted uncle. But, I'm sure after all congratulations I can think of the answer”
Theo showed a strong determination and confidence in the look in his eyes. Joel who saw that was convinced that this little boy in front of him had a strong desire.
“I understand. When that time comes, I will ask you the same thing again”
“While if you remember, perverted uncle”
“I told you to call me Joel. At least Joel-ojichan as did those sweet kids. Nee~”
Theo again gave his scathing comment.
“Your smile is unsightly. You really are like a pervert and a pedophile. Don't look at Michaela and the others like that!”
“Basic is not polite!”
All the other children just saw the two people who were more mature than them talking while enjoying a warm soup.
“They're talking about something, Michaela. You understand what they're talking about?” a little boy whispered to Michaela while enjoying his soup
“I just understand they discussed something with the name Kino-niichan also in it”
“I want to meet Kino-niichan. Of course want to meet Stelani-neechan and Fabil-niichan” whispers another while holding a glass filled with fresh drinks
“I too. Later we will have another cake with Kino-niichan and the others. Theo-niichan should also be invited this time”
“Really! Ryou-niichan is also welcome, right? She's Kino-niichan”'s sister
“I like Ryou-niichan too because she says my name is beautiful as Kino-niichan told me” Michaela smiled blushingly as she said it
“You're right, Kaito-niichan is also good and gave Theo-niichan some money. Later we go to eat with them also ya” said another child
“You're right. If everything comes back, we eat together like this as well ya” said Michaela with a smile
It seems that the whispers made by the children were more interesting than the serious chatter of Theo and Joel.
Seeing the six children were whispering and looking very exciting, finally both were curious about the topic of discussion.
“You guys are whispering about what?” ask Theo
“Do you guys keep something secret from this Joel-ojichan?” Joel asked as he pointed to himself and smiled widely
“We are talking about what we will all do later after Kino-niichan and all back” Michaela replied while showing a happy face
“Eh?” Theo was surprised
Not only Theo but Joel was also shocked to hear it.
‘I just talked to this little boy about his plans ahead. Who would have thought children turned out to be much more sensitive than adults. Absolutely amazing!’ he murmured in the heart
The curious Joel finally asked with a smile to the children.
“Nee, Michaela..What do you want to do after everything comes back?”
“Me and the others want to eat together with Kino-niichan and everything!!”
“Ki–Kino-niichan?”
Joel recalled the names mentioned by the children.
‘One of the people who ‘taken’ by the black market manager was yes. They seem to like that kid named Kino. I wonder what that kid looks like’ he thought to himself
Joel asked the children back.
“You guys really like that Kino-niichan huh?”
“We love Kino-niichan! She is kind and her smile is sweet~” compliment a little boy with a blushing smile
“Heee~last then what else?” Joel grew curious about the children's reactions
“Kino-niichan gave us 500 Franc money while at altar”
“Li–Five ra...500 Franc?!” and now Joel is shocked to hear that
“True, 500 Francs. In addition we also ate at the family restaurant and ordered all food”
“I want to eat with Kino-niichan again. But, this time I want Theo-niichan to come too!” michaela said with great enthusiasm
“Michaela...” said Theo in a very slow tone.
Michaela who was very enthusiastic mentioned all the things she wanted to do to the two people.
“I want to be able to get together with Stelani-neechan and Fabil-niichan, then eat together with Kino-niichan and Ryou-niichan and Kaito-niichan and.”
“I understand. The point is you want to be with them after this, right?” joel asked with a smile
“True. Everyone wants to do it together, too. We want them all to return safely and be able to get together with us again”
The excited-looking Michaela returned to being a little sad. All the other children also ended up being sad.
When everyone suddenly looked sad, Theo began to catch his breath and smiled.
“Uncle pervert..”
“What's up?”
“I think I've found the thing I want to do after this”
Joel silently listened. He seemed to already know what the boy wanted to say with his smile.
“I think I'd love to try what it's like to be able to eat together like a family”
“......!!!” Joel was surprised to hear that
“Today I did always do it with them. But we can never feel the full warmth because there is always a shadow of sadness and fear when tomorrow comes. Now, the source of that fear and misery has disappeared. I too have found a very good man and I would love to repay his kindness. I...want to be able to eat together with that person and all of them in a warm dinner table”
Sounds like a simple desire. But for Theo, it was an extraordinary thing that even his entire life might never have felt. That's what he thought first. However, there finally came a moment where he said his little wish.
“I hope you can get together with that kid named Kino-niichan and eat together at the warm dinner table” Joel rubs Theo's head back with a smile
******
