"None of your business, get lost!" the boys retorted to Richard rudely.They ignored Richard's words, forbidding them to steal there, and kept busy grabbing what they could hold in a hurry, their heads constantly moving between observing the items they were about to grab and looking around.Richard looked at the teenagers, rather disturbed, he again tried to get closer and obstruct them. "Of course, it's my business." He slipped between them. "This place belongs to my friend, and I won't let you guys harm it."The teenagers gave him an annoyed look. One of them, standing right in front of Richard, clenched his fist and acted defiantly. "Then what are you going to do, huh? You're going to yell and make him come out?! Just mind your own business and leave us alone. Don't act like a jerk by getting involved in other people's business."Seeing the attitude of the teenagers, Richard realized that social problems did not only come from adults. They all stemmed from when they were teenagers.
The teenagers stared frantically at Richard and the mess, the bravest of them looking up at Richard even as his body reacted anxiously. "You did it!" he shouted, pointing at the items scattered on the floor. "It's your fault! You're the one who pulled us down and caused this. We won't compensate you."Richard stared absurdly at the teenagers. "You guys seem to be used to blaming others for your actions, considering how easily you accused me when the mess happened right before your eyes."One of them stood up immediately. He shook the dust off his pants and went to Richard. "If you hadn't shown up and interfered, this wouldn't have happened, asshole!" there was fear in his eyes that were busy moving around observing the situation, but he still tried to intimidate Richard by being bold.While his two friends in the back observed the antique glassware lying on the floor anxiously, they began to imagine that bad things would happen because of the current situation. One of the two cowards
The rambunctious teenager looked at Richard with annoyance. "Are you a complete moron or what?" he approached Richard with a mocking look on his face. "Can't you read the situation? The old man said to leave it alone. Do you know what that means?"The teenager had confidence that even if Richard reported it to the authorities, it could be severe. It could lead to them getting sanctioned or, worst of all, getting punished in juvenile prison. But that didn't scare him. Unlike his two friends, who were at the back, they clearly showed their fear.He raised a hand, spread it out, and pointed at Richard's chest. "That is, there is no point in contacting the police."Richard looked at him coldly. He brushed off the boy's hand. They were staring intently. On the one hand, the teenager was challenging him, while on the other hand, Richard responded calmly."When you make a mistake, you should lower your head. Instead of raising your head proudly like now." He noticed the crooked smile on the
The policeman named Rick turned to Richard and stopped his steps. "You misunderstood." He smiled immediately at Richard after not paying the slightest attention to him. His hand moved to point at the group of teenagers. "They're just kids joking around, nothing serious." Richard looked at his shoulder, which the man tapped flatly, then moved his shoulder out of the man's reach. Richard knew what he was seeing and could judge for himself regarding their behavior that Rick had called a joke.For a joke, what they did was beyond the pale. They were harming others financially and mentally as well, so how could it be a joke? He wasn't sure he agreed with Rick."Their actions are not a joke, I'm sure you know, regarding the actions they committed can be subject to which articles." Richard was also not a person who did not understand the laws of his country.Rick smiled sarcastically in front of him. He was starting to feel tired of Richard's attitude that only wanted to make things difficu
The man named Jackson, who was called the commander, then looked sharply at Erick. "What are you doing? As a law enforcer, how can you behave so far from a role model?" Jackson snapped at him loudly, ignoring the stares of those looking at him, still in shock. Erick frowned. He didn't fully understand what Jackson was saying. He knew he had done the right thing in this situation. "It seems you misunderstood me, sir, but I did nothing wrong. I handled the situation with them as usual." He argued confidently. "I've done well. There is no problem." Erick knew handling the matter regarding those teenage boys was a bit of a departure from the rule of law, but if he had enforced the law properly on them, then the real problem would have been even bigger. So the best way is to make peace with the person the teenagers are bullying. Not only did he do it, but most of the police also handled it the same way when dealing with them, so it was not a mistake but perhaps a misunderstanding that
"I didn't expect you to know such an important person, Richard." The shopkeeper's uncle praised Richard's abilities that he did not expect. "I didn't think that you were such an influential person either." All this time, the Richard he knew was a man who lived simply, a man who worked hard for his family, and someone who bought things wisely in his place. Most of what Richard was looking for in that place were necessities and not antiques that were only used as displays. Richard smiled in response to the shopkeeper's uncle. "Well, that's about it." He felt a little awkward at his drastic change in status. "Uncle, you should not feel afraid if such a situation happens again in the future." The shopkeeper smiled weakly as he let his breath out in a long sigh. "I don't have much choice but to respond like that Richard." he lowered his face, still with a smile that strangely revealed something sad about his figure. The shopkeeper had an amiable demeanor and tended not to want to ma
Richard parked his car in one place, he was still in the same neighborhood. Not so far from where the shopkeeper's uncle Jack was.He walked down the small alleys that he used to pass by when he returned to his house. It was a fairly densely populated area. A smile appeared on Richard's lips as the ball from the small field rolled to his feet."Sir, can you throw the ball!" the boy on the sidelines shouted at him.Richard gently kicked the ball to him, at the other end the little boy received it well. "Thank you, sir!" he called back.His exclamation made Richard pay more attention to them, so he approached. It sat on some concrete pipes that were stacked up and became a pyramid there."This place has memories that can't be replaced, and it's still the same." Richard muttered under his breath, looking around him attentively.Besides his painful story with Jasmine, Richard had other memories of that place that he spent alone.Although there was no meaningful interaction, he was still a
"Who are you? Her grandson?" The stranger named Reynold looked at Richard who was between them. Before Richard could answer and was still watching him, the man spoke again loudly. "If you are her grandson, you should take good care of your grandmother." He pointed at Emy.Amy, who almost fell and was held by Richard, then corrected her body position to be able to stand properly. He moved very slowly, making Richard pay more attention to him and help him. Although Richard let Amy stand on her own feet, he still gave her a hand by giving her his arm to hold on to."What's your problem?" Richard averted his eyes after making sure Amy was standing better and holding on to her. "You shouldn't come to an old man's place with such a loud voice." Richard ignored the man's large body that stood non-dominantly.The small and thin Amy standing in front of the stocky Reynold with a tall stature and black skin made her look very scary from Emy's point of view, especially when her voice spoke loudl