DICE

"Geez, late again?"Gala, just putting on his apron, goes quiet. "It's not even five minutes, Mr. Kim," he quips."You! Help wash all the cooking utensils. Don't leave any oil residue there. If there's any left, Gala, you're fired."Gala nods, his eyes darting around, watching the stocky man almost filling the gap between the kitchen table and the cooking area, looking pretty cramped. Mr. Kim's way of moving seems difficult to Gala, especially with his reddening face."Cheer up, Gala," he says quietly, striding towards the sink where, to Gala's surprise, there's already a pile of pots and other cooking utensils. Gala wonders what's happening.Yesterday evening, Gala cleaned this area, so why does it look like it's doubled now?"Gala," Luke calls loudly from the kitchen door. "Don't take too long washing up; the kitchen area stinks. Us cooks can't work if it smells rotten."If only... yeah, if only he didn't rely on Mr. Kim's pay for survival. Plus, trying to find a job in South Metro

"What are you doing, Gala?!"Gala doesn't dare to lift his face. Trembles run through his entire body, he can't contain it. It's the first time Mr. Kim has been this angry, using such a high tone. He knows he's returning with a messed-up bag and appearance. Gala is sure Mrs. Gennie has already contacted the restaurant, complaining about her lunch being a mess on the asphalt.The strange woman's cane hits Gala's back twice. It stings a bit, but he ignores it. Gala apologizes repeatedly, but Mrs. Gennie's anger cannot be contained. Whether out of fear or unwillingness to engage further with the strange woman, the girl who had helped Gala earlier is already gone. She didn't even say goodbye or tell her name. Good Lord, Gala meant himself, who hadn't said thank you for the help given.Gala returns, struggling, pushing his half-broken bike to his workplace. Apologizing to the angry woman feels pointless. Curses echo along the street, making Gala a free spectacle. His face is lowered betwee

Gala wraps himself in a thick blanket, shivering in fear, his breath heavy. He vividly recalls how it all unfolded. Why does he have to face such a fate? He feels like cursing, but he's just too exhausted. Gala, driven by curiosity, finally dares to approach the voice. The orange glow begins to dim slowly. It leads him to a spot where the orange light seems hidden behind one of the stacks of old cardboard boxes. Gala slowly moves the pile. The sound of chirping rats and scurrying cockroaches doesn't stop him from getting a closer look."Dice?" Gala asks, astonished by what he finds. A die as big as his fist, orange in color, which was shining brightly before. And... talking? He cautiously picks up the black die with colorful dots on each side. The orange glow starts to fade completely, leaving Gala staring at it in bewilderment. He picks up the die slowly, dusting it off with the edge of his old shirt sleeve, trying to see it clearly.The die moves! It seems to split on its own, altho

"Ms. Bellamie won't be able to hear you, sir."His chest rumbles intensely, his breath becomes ragged due to the overwhelming emotions. His mind is constantly filled with the image of his mother. The one he misses deeply but is also angry at simultaneously."Where's my mother?" Gala asks impatiently, wiping the tears off his nose."North Metro."Gala is astonished. His body is slightly rigid after the hologram girl's recent statement. "How could she?" He shakes his head quickly. "What is she doing there now?""That information cannot be accessed, sir. There's a system blocking the location of that person in North Metro."Gala shakes his head softly. It all still doesn't make sense to him. How could his mother be in North Metro? For what reason? And earlier, her face seemed burdened. What really happened? Does it have anything to do with the reason she left?"Then... Xavier? The man you said was my father?" Gala is quite curious about this. "Where is he?""Sir Xavier closed all access

"All the food I eat will only dirty the floor later."Gala chokes. "So you're transparent?""Correct. But I can hold solid objects. Like when I was cooking earlier. Didn't you see it?"Reminded of the earlier incident, Gala feels embarrassed. "So, what do you eat every day?""Inside the dice, I recharge energy.""Electricity?"Dice shakes her head. "Solar."Gala doesn't understand Dice's meaning; he just gives the hologram girl a clueless look. "Can I touch you?""Yes. Only the owner of the Dice can do that. If the owner allows someone else to introduce me, then I can be touched."Gala is very curious about this. "Will I get an electric shock?"Dice laughs awkwardly. "No. Feel free to touch me." She stands up, approaching him slightly bowed. After all, the awkward young man in front of her is her master. Her owner.Slowly, Gala's hand moves closer to the hand Dice extends. He's actually scared but also curious. But every time Dice does something, it's like a human who can touch many t