Chapter 39：Outburst

Xiao Ping widens her steps to catch up Yu Jin who is only half meter ahead holding her hand. The sky that should be full of stars now is reddish and covered with smoke. Some shops in the same block with her workplace are ravaged by fire. Some have no roof and have pitch black walls. Seeing it Xiao Ping was stoned, but Yu Jin's tug makes her to keep on running.

They stop running when they arrive behind a crowd of people across the road of their cafe. There are two fire trucks in front of the cafe. Firemen are busy to put the fire down. Yu Jin finds a gap in the crowd and breaches it through. His eyes, full of worry, looking for Mr. Bai.

"Uncle.. are you alright ?" Yu Jin asks in worry when he finally sees Mr. Bai standing and hugging A Lin. Mr. Bai turns to him and smiles. Though his face is pale and dusty, Mr. Bai is calm. "I'm fine.. I'm fine," Mr. Bai whispers. His hands are busy stroking A Lin's back, trying to calm her down.

"Mr. Bai.. Mr. Bai... Aiyo, how come this happens ?!" An overweight lady suddenly comes while crying. Mr. Bai turns to the woman. "Mrs. Tan, come on.. calm down.. we need to be strong," he says calming the woman. Mrs. Tan stares at the debris of her shop next to Mr. Bai cafe, then closes her face with both of her hands. "My shop..," she hisses then sobs. Mr. Bai lets his hug to A Lin go to herd Mrs. Tan away while keeps saying calming words to her.

Seeing how strong his uncle is, Yu Jin is slightly relieved. He turns to A Lin who stands backing at him. Her body is shaking. Both of her hands cover her face while she is crying with shaken shoulder. Yu Jin takes his jacket off and attaches it to A Lin's shoulder.

"It's alright.. Everything's gonna be alright," Yu Jin whispers to her ears. A Lin turns her body around and hugs Yu Jin. Yu Jin gently strokes her back and trying to calm her down with his words. A Lin is really in shock. She and Tian Tian were inside the cafe when the explosion happened from the chemist shop next to the cafe.

While Yu Jin is calming A Lin, Xiao Ping is approaching Tian Tian who sits on the edge of sidewalk. The young man expresses his shock with his own way. His fist is punching the surface of sidewalk while his mouth throws curses.

"Tian Tian," Xiao Ping calls softly. Tian Tian turns to her for a second. "Are you okay ?" she asks.

"Oh.. sure.. I'm fine. My head almost exploded.. but sure, I'm fine!" Tian Tian answers with high tone.

"When.. when.. the.. the whole.. kitchen.. it fell.. apart.. fell down.. I.. I thought.. I thought.. I was about.. about.. to die," Tian Tian stammering tells. His voice is muffled by Xiao Ping's jacket. Do not know what to say, Xiao Ping can only strokes his upper arms. Tian Tian is still crying on her shoulder. Xiao Ping shifts her sight straight toward, blankly sees the internet cafe debris. A place she calls her second home is now barely there. Worry, shock, sad, concern, all are accumulated in her chest, making it so heavy. She can only lighten it up by releasing tears from her eyes.

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"Okay.. tell me what really is going on," Hiroshi speaks after having a long sigh. His gaze still interrogates Takeshi who sits on the chair. Takeshi only squints at Hiroshi who stands with a cross-folding hands, then his sight is back to the necklace on his hand. "Takeshi ?" Hiroshi calls, raising his eyebrows.

Takeshi stares at him with annoyed look. "What should I say ? That boy stole from me, shouldn't I be angry ?" he asks in returns.

"That is just a rubber necklace... you..," Hiroshi is about to say that the thing is incomparable with Takeshi's rage.

"So what ? It's not about rubber necklace or diamond ring.. whatever it is, it is a gift from my fan, it is MINE. He should not take it without my permission," Takeshi snaps.

Hiroshi stares at him while rubbing his hand to his chin for some seconds. Receiving the look, Takeshi becomes awkward. He sighs to release his emotion. "If there's nothing else, I'm leaving," Takeshi says then stands and walks away.

"Takeshi," Hiroshi calls before Takeshi reaches the door. Takeshi turns to him reluctantly. "What ?" Hiroshi gives him the same interrogating look. "Are you sure that is the only reason for you to be that furious ?" he asks.

"You don't believe me ?" Takeshi speaks back at him with raising his eyebrows. Knowing Hiroshi has nothing more to say, Takeshi walks to leave Hiroshi alone.

Hiroshi still stares where Takeshi stood. If only he does not know Takeshi well, he definitely will believe Takeshi's words. But Hiroshi knows him too well. Takeshi is not a sorehead person. Takeshi usually also does not mind to give some gifts to the employees, not because he does not like it but because there is no room to keep. Perhaps because of that, the young man was dared to take the necklace.

The young man said, he found the necklace under the table, came out of its torn package. He was interested in the necklace because it has blue pendant, his favorite color. He thought that Takeshi already has a lot of similar necklaces, so he would not mind to give it to the young man. That was why he took it. Not knowing that he was going to face Takeshi's outburst. Takeshi even almost punched him on the face if he was not being held by other employee.

Hiroshi heavily sighs. There must be another reason to make his friend reacted like that. A reason that Takeshi does not want him to know.