Chapter 2

6 years later...

"Leaving so soon? You've been here for barely a week," Caela muttered. 

"Sorry, sis. I really have to go. We're setting up our new office in a new city. I have to make sure everything will go accordingly," Calum said as he put on his coat.

"I know that. Are you sure it's just that? I know what date it is tomorrow, Callum. It's been six years," Caela said.

Callum tensed at his sister's accusation but he quickly composed himself. 

"Can we not talk about that, please," Callum almost begged. 

"We never talked about it. Callum, you need to-"

"Stop it, okay? Can't I just leave without any argument issuing between us," he cut off.

"I'm not starting an argument. You just act so hostile every time I bring that up," Caela defended. "If you're that fucking adamant on leaving, then go," she huffed before turning her back on her brother and running back to her room.

Callum sighed as he rubbed his temples. It was not something he wished to deal with. He already had enough on his shoulders. The last thing he needs is his sister throwing a tantrum because he wouldn't talk about what happened years ago. Callum grabbed his luggage and walked out of the front door. 

The drive to the airport did not take long. Callum was spaced out the whole time and the driver had to snap him out of his thoughts. His phone rang and his assistant's name popped up on the caller ID.

"Keane, what's up?" Calum greeted me on the phone.

"You boarded yet?" he asked.

"Yeah, I am. Of course not, dipshit. I wouldn't be able to take your call if I was already on the plane," Callum annoyedly said as he walked inside the airport.

"Did someone fuck you in the ass last night? I was just asking, man," Keane grumbled. "I was just calling to say that you're going to be staying in a hotel for a few days. The renovation is still not done so you have to stay there for a while."

Callum sighed. "I thought they said they were going to be done last week?" he asked.

"Well, they found more damage done by the previous tenants so they asked for an extension."

"Shouldn't they have found that out when they first inspected the place?" Callum asked.

"I don't know man. Just enjoy a few days in the hotel. I'll handle everything with the unit. Have a safe flight. Bye."

"Yeah, bye."

Callum sighed as he hung up the phone. He hasn't even stepped foot on the plane and he's already met with a problem. He's glad that he had Keane or else he would've just abandoned the thought of renovation and tried looking for another unit, but he knew that would be impossible given that there have been limited housings for sale in the city. 

Callum finally boarded the plane after half an hour of going through security and check-in. The flight only lasted for two hours but Callum felt extremely exhausted once they landed. As he exited the airport, Keane was already waiting for him with a huge signboard saying "Welcome My Love!" Callum could only sigh in defeat when Keane started approaching him.

"Welcome to our new home my love!" Keane yelled, gaining the attention of the people around them.

Callum wishes that the ground would swallow him whole and never rise again. Keane pulled him into a hug which he did not reciprocate. 

"Calluuuummm~~~" Keane sang.

"If you don't get off me right now I'll rip your guts out," Callum threatened.

"Aw, my poor baby is grumpy," Keane cooed as he pulled away. 

Callum sent him a glare but the man wasn't threatened. He had worked for Callum for years now and the man no longer fazes him. Keane grabbed his luggage and talked him through his schedule for the week as they walked to his car. Hearing his schedule made him stress out even more. If he was doing this on his own, he doesn't think he'd get as far as he did. 

"Do you want to work tomorrow or do you just want to lay down on your bed and mope?" Keane asked.

This man knows me too much. Callum thought. "I'll work," he replied. 

"No, you're not working. You'll get all grumpy and then we'll all have to deal with it," Keane said.

"Why'd you ask me then?"

"I wanted to give you the illusion of choice," he shrugged.

Callum sighed for the nth time today. It was true, the date tomorrow was a very unpleasant day for him. He tried to move on and forget but he couldn't. A lot of questions were left unanswered and he also does not wish to talk about it to anyone, thus he ended up bottling it all up. Years had passed but it all felt like it just happened yesterday.

They reached the hotel and Keane dropped Callum off before running a few more errands for the day to let Callum rest from his flight. He got to his room and changed his clothes before heading out to go to a coffee shop nearby. The weather was perfect, not too warm and not too cold. The wind had a light breeze so Callum opted for a seat on the patio. 

Callum was looking around when he saw a man pass by from afar with brown hair and white streaks. His heart thumped loudly in his chest and for some reason, his body compelled him to follow the man, leaving his coffee behind. Callum walked as quickly as he could, trying not to alert other people as he tried to locate where the man had just passed by. He saw him turn around a corner and he lost sight of him.

Callum jogged to the corner but as soon as he turned, the street was empty. Callum shook his head and sighed. His mind must be playing tricks with him again. He needed to do something to get his mind off of that man. Callum walked back to the hotel and changed into his gym clothes before heading down to the hotel gym. He's hoping that a good exercise would take his mind off of whoever that person is.

Lian let out a sigh of relief when he was able to successfully hide from Callum. All these years he never thought they'd see each other again so he ran. He doesn't want Callum to see him like this, especially with how things ended between them. Once he knew it was safe to come out from where he was hiding, Lian made his way home. 

A small dirty apartment that looks like it will fall apart any minute but it's all that he could afford. And the means he had to take to afford it was something he wished to never do again. Lian opened the drawer and took out a small tin box. He pulled out the bills and poured the coins on the table. He counted them to see if he could afford to pay this month's rent on time.

"456, 457, 458," Lian counted under his breath. "$476. Shit."

Lian wanted to cry. He needed twenty-four more to pay this month's rent. He just got fired from his job and he had nothing to eat for the rest of the week if he paid his rent. His landlord's not going to be happy if he's late with rent again. Lian grabbed his bag and poured out all the contents, hoping that somehow, there were enough stray bills or coins that could add up to what he already had. After almost an hour of searching, he came up empty-handed.

Lian accepted his defeat and packed everything that he could, as well as his money. He left out one-hundred seventy-three dollars so if the landlord ever tries to take whatever is left of his money, he'd still have a lot of them left. Just as he expected, a loud pounding came from his door. He slid his backpack under the bed in the meantime and opened the door.

His eyes landed on the most disgusting man he had ever laid eyes on, wearing a robe that looked like it hasn't been washed in months, a white shirt underneath that had stains and holes all over and pajama pants that looks like it's about to rip at the seams. 

"Got your rent, boy?" the man asked, his putrid breath hitting Lian on the face.

Lian tried not to cringe at the smell as he handed the money he left out. 

"This isn't enough," the man grumbled and forced himself inside the apartment. "You're not a bad-looking one. I can pardon this month's rent if you do something for me," the man suggested, an eerie smile creeping up on his face.

Lian's blood ran cold. He took steps away from the man as he approached him. I just need to grab my backpack. He thought to himself. The man grabbed his arm and forced him to kneel, his face dangerously close to the man's crotch. Lian knew he needed to get out. He punched the man where the sun doesn't shine and quickly grabbed his bag. The man toppled over in pain and Lian ran away as the man writhed on the floor. 

He could no longer go back to that area because he's sure he won't come back alive the next time. Now he's back on the streets, looking for another home.