Chapter 7

Sean refused when Edmund invited him to stay at his house. He didn't want Edmund to become a target of Luis as well. It was enough for him to be the target of that greedy man, not anyone else.

“After I meet my friend, I'll see you again, sir. And after that, I'll be a big bother to you,” Sean said all of that in a playful tone.

“I'd be happy to have you bother me, Son. You're like a child to me,” Edmund said sincerely.

Sean smiled in response. “Get married again and have many children.”

“I'm not interested in that. It's a hassle!” Edmund laughed heartily until his cheek muscles lifted, but then he lowered them again. “I'd rather have you stay with me.” Edmund looked disappointed when Sean rejected his offer. He lived alone, and it would be nice to have Sean there. Edmund had been married before, but his wife passed away before they had children. After his wife's death, Edmund decided to remain a widower up to now.

Sean sighed heavily. “What's the point of remembering that family? A family without a conscience. Just wait and see how I'll destroy all of you.” Sean clenched his fists, and unknowingly, he hit the seat in front of him hard.

Some passengers on the bus looked in his direction. Sean didn't care; he just wanted to vent his anger and disappointment at the moment. Although he felt like hitting more, he restrained himself and chose to look out the window with a gaze full of resentment.

After half an hour, Sean got off the bus. He looked around. It had been two years, but the place hadn't changed much. There was still a fried chicken stall across the bus stop. The stall was still open, although not as bustling as it was two years ago. Turning away from the fried chicken stall, Sean turned his body and headed west, following the direction of the returning sun.

After about fifteen minutes of walking, Sean arrived at the courtyard of a simple house. He gazed at the wooden house in front of him. He took a long breath because the house looked messier than the last time he was there two years ago.

A little hesitant, Sean walked towards the building. Without knocking, he entered because the door was unlocked. The sound of creaking wood was heard as Sean's feet stepped on the wooden floor full of dust.

Sean went straight to the room. He opened the door slowly and took a long breath as he looked into the room.

Sean's eyes moved, as if searching for something. When he saw a pillow lying on the floor, he picked it up.

“Wake up, lazybones!” He tossed the pillow towards a young man who was sound asleep on the equally messy bed. However, the young man was completely unaffected. He just stretched and went back to sleep.

Sean got annoyed and approached the young man. Seeing a glass of water on the nightstand, Sean picked it up and splashed the young man's face with it, causing him to jolt.

“Damn! Who did this to me?” he cursed as he leaped off the bed. He used one hand to wipe his wet face. Sean only rolled his lazy eyes while waiting for the young man to realize his presence. “Se-Sean!” His eyes widened as he discovered Sean's presence there.

The young man jumped and immediately approached Sean. Surprise was still evident on his face, as if he was seeing a ghost or something.

He grabbed Sean's arm and squeezed it slightly. “Are you really Sean?” he asked, trying to convince himself. He blinked several times, as if he couldn't believe that what was in front of him was real.

“Hey! I'm not a ghost!” Sean hit the young man's head somewhat hard, making him yelp in pain.

“Why did you hit me?” he protested with a tense face. He rubbed his head where Sean had hit him.

“You deserve it because you're lazy!”

“I'm not lazy. I'm a polar bear, so I'm hibernating.” The man defended himself. Sean rolled his lazy eyes upon hearing that.

“Clean the corners of your mouth full of drool!”

The young man quickly pursed his lips while wiping the corners of his mouth. Sean, seeing this, chuckled. The man in front of him was indeed smart but also foolish.

“Are you trying to prank me?” The young man glared sharply at Sean, who just shrugged in response.

The angry expression on the young man's face now turned into a dejected one. “I've really lost the will to live since you died.” He put on his shocked expression again and stared at Sean sharply. “Is it really you, alive? Where have you been for the past two years?”

The young man jumped up and hugged Sean, making Sean feel very uncomfortable. Although they were the same age, their behaviors were very different. While Sean always appeared calm and cool, the man was different. He often acted silly, making Sean embarrassed when they were together.

“Of course. Who else would dare hit you if not me?” Sean rolled his eyes as if searching for something. When he saw the sofa, he walked over and sat on it. He raised one leg, resting it on the other. The young man, who still had questions, followed Sean and sat in front of him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Sean furrowed his brow as the young man in front of him stared at him with an intimidating gaze.

“I'm not entirely convinced that you're Sean. You could be someone disguised as Sean to get something,” the young man said with unblinking eyes, making Sean uncomfortable.

Sean rolled his lazy eyes. “Ask something only the two of us know.”

“What's the name of the girl I liked in middle school?”

“Mia.”

“What's my favorite color?”

“Blue.”

The young man let out a heavy sigh. “It seems like everyone knows that.” He fell silent for a moment, as if thinking. “If an elephant can fly, then goats will?”

Sean fell silent for a moment. His face looked serious. “Are you stupid or what? There's no connection between flying elephants and goats.” Irritated, Sean threw a soda bottle on the table towards the young man's face.

The young man quickly dodged it. He then laughed loudly and said, “That's the Sean I know. I believe you're Sean. I didn't believe it when they said you were dead. Especially since they didn't allow me to see your body because they said it was burned in the explosion, so it couldn't be recognized.”

Sean was about to speak, but Oscar—the young man—spoke first. “Are you back to life or what? Where have you been for the past two years?” Oscar was so curious about his friend's life during his disappearance. Why did Sean only contact him now?

“It's not a short story.”

“I'll listen to it even if it takes a whole day to hear you out.” Oscar looked at Sean with great interest. It couldn't be that Sean suddenly rose from the grave after two years of being dead?

Sean took a deep breath, then exhaled. “I never burned like they said.” Sean fell silent for a moment and looked at Oscar with an expression that was hard to interpret. After that, he truly recounted what had happened to him over the past two years.

Oscar was left speechless. He couldn't believe that Sean had experienced such a life. From someone who ruled everything to someone who was belittled and constantly insulted.

“Are you going to teach them a lesson?” Oscar asked after Sean finished his story.

Sean grinned. “Of course. I won't let those who disturb me, let alone belittle me, get away with it.” Oscar shuddered at the sight of Sean's grin, which seemed psychopathic. Unconsciously, the man rubbed his arms as he shivered.

“You're very scary. I'd never want to deal with you.”

Sean put on a serious face again and turned to Oscar. “I need my Pandora's box.”

The young man neutralized his expression. He rested both elbows on his knees, with a serious face, he said, “Let's do it.”