BLOODY FRIENDSHIP

CHAPTER 2: TEMPORARY WORKER

The next day, Rafiz was unable to work due to his injuries. He was disciplined by Rafael, their father, and was confined in his room, not allowed out until he was fully healed. The punishment was not that terrible but he only got frustrated that he could not get out of the house.

Kairi, on the other hand, was advised by their father to be careful with the dishes and not to repeat the same mistake. He also had to do twice the work with other waiters due to Rafiz's absence. Not that their numbers were many to serve everyone at once. There were only nine of them; three culinary, one cashier, and supposedly including Rafiz would have five waiters.

It was very disastrous for them when customers chose Rafiz's absence to come in many groups. Their tavern was full of customers and there were still some new customers waiting outside. Rafael had to tell his employees to put extra tables and chairs outside.

Virgo, who came the day before, visited the restaurant again that night. He did not see Rafiz anywhere so he called Kairi who was in a hurry to do his work, to come to him. Kairi finally paused at his table with slight panting.

"Yes, Mr Virgo? Your order will arrive soon. We apologise for the delay." 

He still remembers Virgo because Virgo had helped him with an armed customer yesterday.

"Dude, you're supposed to call me Virgo only. Nevermind..." Virgo let go of the teasing. 

"I don't see that worker. His name... Rafiz, right? He's not working?"

"No... Yesterday, he injured his hand. Dad told him to rest until he recovered," Kairi replied.

There was a little bitterness in his tone. One, Rafiz's negligence toward his safety makes him get injured. He found out yesterday that Rafiz also wounded his right thigh with something sharp. Another resentment was now, they were short-handed for the tavern.

"Oh... Then, erm, are you short of workers?"

Do you have to ask? 

Kairi thought. Virgo just smiled when he saw irritation on Kairi's expression.

"As you can see, yes. But what can we do, right? There's no part-timer around this time... Yes, I'm coming!" Kairi replies when an employee at the counter calls him to deliver the meals.

Kairi had to leave and Virgo watched him again, amused. His smile vanished and his eyes widened when he noticed Kairi was wearing a chain emblem around his neck.

"Eh, that is...?! Impossible! It looks like Pegasus' emblem!" He exclaimed silently.

He did not move toward Kairi or call Kairi to ask about the emblem because he did not want to disturb Kairi who was busy. He waited until the time for all the customers to leave. 

After that, he headed towards Kairi when Kairi stopped to relax and sit on a chair near the counter. Some of his colleagues were still tidying up in the dining room and some were changing clothes to go home.

"Hm? Oh, you are still here? Is there anything I can do for you?" 

Kairi was surprised to see Virgo was still around. After all, it's almost four in the morning.

"It's Virgo ..." 

Virgo didn't feel like teasing Kairi anymore but wanted Kairi to call his name correctly.

"So... The chain around your neck, can I see it?" He pointed at the chain emblem hanging around Kairi's neck.

"This? Sure. Actually, I found it," Kairi replied, lifting the chain off his neck and showing it to Virgo.

"Found...?" 

Virgo was stunned to hear it. He began to feel uneasy.

"Where did you find it?" Virgo takes the chain emblem and squeezes it.

"I found it accidentally. It was carried by the river and coincidentally stuck to my hand when I was washing. It was in the North River Wood," Kairi explained honestly after feeling that Virgo seems to know this emblem's owner.

As for Virgo, he found the emblem alive with Pegasus vitality.

"It's real..." He felt complicated. 

"What happened to him? Could it be that he was in trouble?!" His heart thumped fast in anxiety.

"... Did you see a man there? He has dark green and long hair about waist level. About 1.9 metres tall." Virgo asked Kairi.

Kairi shook his head. "No one. Sorry…"

"That's a tall man. Even taller than Rafiz, a few inches..." Kairi secretly commented.

Virgo was silent for a moment. He could not help but pray silently for the protection of the emblems' owner.

"Pegasus…"

"Erm, Vi, Virgo?" Called Kairi while trying to pronounce the name without Mister. However, he still stuttered.

"Hm?" Virgo looked at him.

"You know the owner of this emblem, right? Sorry, I took it without checking anyone nearby. You can keep it," said Kairi.

"Thank you. This emblem was owned by my friend. It's very important to him," Virgo said while looking at the emblem. Then, he put it away in his pocket.

"I'm sorry, Virgo," Kairi felt wrong for taking the thing without investigating it first.

"It's okay. You don't know it either. Thank you for returning it, Kairi." Virgo appreciates it and gives a small smile.

Kairi does not remember that he told Virgo his name but he replied with a nod. The two went silent and engaged in their thoughts. Virgo later left the tavern.

"I hope he is safe..." Pray Virgo again.

Three days passed quickly and Rafiz was still not fully recovered and Kairi had to work hard again. While Virgo, he was still in town, visiting the restaurant every day without feeling bored of eating the same thing. Well, he did taste other cuisines too but he loves to eat ice cream the most.

As for why he never changed place, it was because he was intrigued by Kairi's presence. He was comfortable talking to Kairi although he did not know the reason. After all, he should have left the town earlier to find Pegasus to find out his circumstances. But, he didn't.

When Kairi headed to the counter, Virgo went to him with a smile.

"Working hard today again, huh?" He remarked

"Should buff up later, haha!" He continued with a tease.

Kairi chuckled slightly. "If you want to compare me to you and Rafiz, it's not up to that level yet..."

He realised that Virgo and Rafiz have the same strong physique. Not the bulky type but the tall and lean type of guy that hid their explosive strength.

"When will he resume work?" Asked Virgo.

"I don't know... Today is the fourth day he's stuck in the room and can't get out. I hope he recovers quickly."

Kairi complained and he missed talking to Rafiz at work but... He did not feel lonely when Virgo always pestered him every day. Still, he missed the feeling of working with Rafiz.

"Heh! Good..." Virgo said.

"Huh?" Kairi was puzzled. "What's good?" He doesn't understand.

"No, I mean, you've stopped talking to me formally. Hehe! Who would have thought we're the same age," Virgo smiled.

Coincidentally, they both were 20 years old.

"Err, I thought you were older."

"Tsk! I look that old to you?"

Kairi nodded slowly and was not sure if his honesty was wrong or right.

"You're so mean... Don't you think I look mature instead?" Virgo said in a sullen tone.

"Err, now that you mention it, yeah, you look mature!" Kairi said with a grin while moving his eyes elsewhere.

Meh, you look more like a gangster to me. 

Kairi silently thought.

"Hmph! He's secretly mocking me." Virgo also thought in silence after seeing Kairi's expression. "Whatever..."

"Hey, Kairi..." He said slowly. "Do you need help?"

"Huh? What help?" Kairi once again doesn't understand his meaning.

Can't he just say it altogether? Kairi's eyes twitched.

"This..." Virgo pulled on Kairi's waitress's sleeve.

"What? Do you want to be hired? Really volunteer yourself?" Kairi gawked at him.

"Why do you look so surprised? Yes, I'm willing. Besides, I don't have anything to do right now. You don't mind, do you, if I take Rafiz's place for a while?"

Virgo wants to find more information. Working as a waitress might help him listen to news about his kin. He also has a task which was to find Pegasus but he wants to be by Kairi's side for a while longer. It was unusual for him to feel sticky to a stranger.

Who was Kairi? 

He made him feel he knew him a long time ago but he had never seen Kairi before. It was a mysterious feeling...

Kairi went silent for a moment. It was not his right to hire someone. He needs to ask his father about this. But, before he could ask Virgo to meet their father, Rafael interrupted while surprising the two. He also patted Virgo's shoulder from behind.

"Good, good! You're hired! We desperately need employees right now! Good, you just come in time! Haha!" Rafael said cheerfully.

Without giving Virgo the time to think or withdraw his request, he was given a waitress outfit and immediately told to begin his task. Kairi was stunned to see Virgo doing the job smoothly and quickly. He was amazed.

"You're great, Virgo! You're like Rafiz!" Praised Kairi.

"Haha! Of course! I've done this before. Oh, yes! Before I forget, I want you to hold this. Keep it safe and don't lose it." Virgo pulls out Pegasus' chain emblem and gives it to Kairi.

"Eh, why?!" Kairi was shocked to get the chain back.

"Before we meet with the owner of this emblem, I want you to keep it. After all, you are responsible for finding it. You will need to explain it to the owner later, hehe." Virgo smiles evilly.

Kairi gaped. He feels like Virgo deliberately wants to release all the responsibility to him.

"Eh, wait a minute! Why should I be the one to explain? I have already given you the information."

"True..." Virgo nodded. "As you can see on this emblem pattern, I also have the same emblem except mine is a different pattern."

Virgo removed his chain from his shirt collar.

"My emblem is called Virgo Star. Don't ask me why my name is similar to it. It's a secret," he said while he wink at Kairi.

"Huh? But, aren't you a man?" 

Kairi tilted his head to the right. He knew that Virgo is one of the twelve main zodiac stars but Pegasus was not.

So, what is their relationship?

"Of course, I'm a man but in my lineage, whoever is chosen to be the owner of this chain will be named Virgo. So, regardless of gender, that person is still called this name. Do you understand?" 

Virgo explained.

"Oh... Okay..." Kairi deadpanned. 

Didn't he say that his name is a secret?

He had a lot to ask but he kept quiet. He looked at the Pegasus emblem in his hand that was carved with a steed and had wings. 

"So, the owner of this emblem is called Pegasus…?" 

"That's right!" Virgo nodded.

"Okay... Although I don't quite understand everything, if I'm not mistaken, a person named Pegasus did stop here to eat a few days ago. Maybe he-..." Before he could finish his words, Virgo surprised him with a hard hold on his shoulders.

"What?! Really?!"