—Randy
"We're sorry. You're too old to take this job" Right, that smile, that formal smiles the one saying, 'thanks for wasting our time', I'm sure inside these kid thinks why this oldy try'na apply for such a job.
"We're sorry you're too old, perhaps it would be better if we introduce you to a nursing home?"
Tsk.
Retirement. It sounds nice, till the bill comes around
The passage of time is cruel. Opportunities fade, the body weakens, your kids grow up and eventually—The World looks at you like your dead.
"WHY IS IT THAT YOU NEVER UNDERSTAND ME DAD?" My own daughter.
"YOU CALL YOUR FATHER LIKE THAT?"
"HONOR THIS HONOR THAT, BACK IN MY DAY THIS AND THAT, WHY CAN'T YOU EVER UNDERSTAND ME"
"WATCH YOUR TONE WITH ME NOW"
"I'M DONE, I'M LEAVING"
"NO YOU—"
SLAMMMMM
…
Sigh
"Dear…"
"… Tell me, where did I go wrong…"
"Dear…"
"This is 7th interview, and I was still rejected."
"Dear…"
"How am I suppose to provide to the family."
"…"
"How am I suppose to fund her degree."
"It's alright dear. We'll find a way."
"I Just don't—know anymore."
"What am I suppose to do."
"We'll figure it out dear…"
Pat Pat
—Present Day
These kids, did they hit themselves in the head?
"SCHEISSE" The kid who calls himself team leader went as his notebook had fallen off, he didn't move until the muscular one gave him his notebook, before he'd go silent and continued cleaning.
Sweep Sweep
Easy, one we'd do for a long time. Just cleaning a storage area, one for the newbies, but that was the job for today. Just sweeping the storage areas, only for those who were during that thing they call "Hotel Prosperity"
Sweep Sweep
…
"Cael? You good? your eyes looked red. you look like you haven't had a good nap for a while."
Nod
"Here have an energy bar" said little Evelyn as she gave him an energy bar, the newbie… only accepted it, before opening the wrap, stuffing it in his mouth before continuing with his work.
Sweep Sweep
Thud
The muscular one dropped her broom all of a sudden and she did a—What do those youngsters call it? a Push up?
"Amanda" the muscular one murmured before stopping and picking up the broom again.
Sweep Sweep
—
"Here have an energy bar" Little Evelyn always carried those things now, always. Never seen her without 'em
Thud.
"Scheisse."
Grab
"Here." The skinny one said, his hands trembling slightly, this old man may be old but he's sharp
Thud
"Amanda." the muscular one said again
Sweep Sweep
Crunch
Little Evelyn was eating another energy bar, it was the 7th bar this shift.
Tsk.
Kid these days
—
Crackle
Splash Splash
"Dear."
"…"
Right. The dead don't speak.
BOOOMMMM
Step Step Step
Footsteps, slow, careful, late
"About damn time."
Silence
"Your mother would've been happy."
BOOOMMMM
"…"
"Can't even look your old man in the eye?"
"Hello…" Yet it wasn't the voice I wanted to hear.
Glance
It was little Evelyn, all black, with a veil and all the fancy things, holding an umbrella
"…"
That stubborn brat… Just like her old man.
—
"I'm fine Eve." The skinny one said as he patted little Evelyn's head.
Nod.
"See I'm finee" with a smile. A smile that could fool no one. I wasn't convince—So wasn't little Evelyn
These kids—They're all the same, always so stubborn. Just like my daughter. Kids these days, acting strong even though there's an adult here. Yet these kids don't wanna share their troubles. Tsk.
Not my problem
—
"Old man this is?" The skinny one asked, his tone laced with confusion
"Tsk. Can't you take what an old man gives you?"
"Isn't this just—Candy?"
"Caramel flavor?" Little Evelyn asked, for a second it looked like there was a question mark appearing on top of her head, are these hallucinations?
"No thanks, I need to maintain my physique" said the so called 'team leader'
"T-t-t-thank you…" Muscle girl however accepted it and just ate it right there
"Tsk. even the muscle girl ate it and your not going to? kids these days, no respect for their elders."
"…"
"Listen here you piece of—[The words coming out of the team leader's mouth was so outrageous that the author believes it is much better for you to imagine it.]"
"Tsk. Finally have the energy to talk back at the old man now do you?"
—
"Hello…"
"Who? Oh it's little Evelyn again, come sit sit"
"…"
"I'm sorry for your loss…"
"Bah! no need for small talk, at least you came"
"…"
"Lass, my wife would be happy if you stayed cheerful like you use to, besides, at least you visit, unlike that stubborn daughter of mine"
"…"
"She used to be so cute, now she doesn't even wanna meet her old man, you know she used to—"
"…"
I've said to much, dragging someone else to family matters, what kind of man am I?
"Just think of it as an old man's rambling" I said with a dry chuckle.
—
"An apple?" That ungrateful team leader just had to complain
"what whiny excuses are you gonna use this time?"
"…"
Crunch
The next day…
"Lass the hell you brought?" That damn brat brought a huge pot filled with something, it was being carried by the muscular girl.
"Curry."
Twitch
"Oh it tastes quite good~? right Cael?"
"Yeah"
"You damn brat, you think I care for you because I give you an apple? listen here brat if you die I'll have to go to a different department, that's why you sho—"
"Sure sure, here" said that damn Team Leader as he handed me a bowl of his damn curry. Bah. Fine whatever as if it'll taste as good as my wifes—
Slurp
…
"You should make it sweeter. boil the potatoes twice next time you bring one."
"HeH—You like it don't you—"
FWOOSH
Step Step Step
Kids these days.
—A few months go by in a flash.
"Fuahhhhhh…"
"Finally done with the Gill Man's tank"
"It's much easier and safer when there's more of us right Cael~?"
Nod
"What's next team leader?" The muscular girl no longer stuttered when it was just us, well except when—
"Hyahhh?!?! Evelyn…"
"You know Amanda, sometimes I wonder how you get them so big…"
Poke Touch Touch
"U-u-u-uhm… well it's not exactly that difficult…"
"Oh really~? How do you do it?"
"W-well it's very simple actually."
"Oho? I'm curious, maybe I'll get mine as big as you"
"Team leader-?!?! Well—"
"Pleaseeee teachhh meeee, I also want to make mine as big as yours…" Even that skinny kid seemed to join in.
"100 pushups, 100 sit ups, 10km run, and 100 squats daily."
…
"Uhhhh On second thought I think I'll—" Yet before the skinny one could even run, he was strangled by the team leader and little Evelyn, one in a choke hold position, while little Evelyn just dragged him..
"C'monnn we should at least try it once~? don't you agree team leader?"
"It's a pretty effective method you know, you did say you always wanted some abs don't you now Cael?"
"T-t-then let's do it tommorow? It's a sunday after all."
"Sure~ Where should we meet up?"
"How about Jeremy's house?"
"Mercy…"
"Alright~ it's decided, I'll send it in the group chat~"
"O-o-okay…"
"Old Man"
Tsk. What does this kid want?
Grunts
"What?"
"You got any apples today?"
…
Tsk.
"You brat, do I look like a free vending machine? Back in my day we had to—"
"So do you have it or not."
"Tsk. Take two."
"Thanks Old man, You're joining us tommorow right?"
Tsk.
"Yeah yeah. Kids these daysss"
"See ya Old man"
"Byeee~"
"Bye Randy…"
"B-b-b-bye Grandpa—Ah"
Grandpa?
"A-a-a-a-a-a-ahhhh—I'M SORRYRYYYYRYRYYR"
FWOOSH
"Amanda-?!?!? quick Cael we need to catch herrr"
"Right"
FWOOSH
…
Grandpa…
…
…
That sounds nice.
Step Step Step
Fwooosh
Whisper Whisper
"Hey isn't that Old Man Randy?"
Tsk. Youngster
"I heard he was scary"
Step Step Step
FWOOOSH
"Oh? It's Old Man Randy?"
Who? Ah right that kid.
"The world is cruel is it not? why not join our organization?" Back then that man said with a smile, what did he call himself again? Ah right—Mr. G
"Tsk—What is it?"
"Look at these reports now would you? Don't they look interesting?" The man who recruited me said with a smile, thus reluctantly I looked at the paper he had stacked, without much thought I glanced at those Papers.
Reports
Flip
Missing person.
Flip
Missing person.
Flip
Witness statement.
A tall man.
Flip
Some research notes.
No facial features.
Flip
Security report.
Several personnel reported observing the same figure.
Flip
Psychological evaluation.
Subjects become increasingly distressed after repeated sightings.
...
Tsk.
"Not my problem"
"Hmmm?? Is that so—?" That damn Mr. G said with a smile, like a Ghost, no personnel recognized that man, yet the Silentium only ignored any reports made about him.
"Welllll I'm just saying, since we are 'Old acquaintance's' are we not?"
"I recruited you and your wife—Oh my apologies I was insensi-"
Twitch
"Well—It would be quite a shame if during one of your cleaning shifts, you guys 'accidentally' encountered this Remnant now would it not?"
…
"Haha—We're friends are we not, that's why I came to warn you this time~ Anywaysss Todaloo nowww I'll see you whenever"
Step Step Step
Glance
…
Tsk.
—The Next Day.
Tsk.
I shouldn't have come.
Little Evelyn somehow brought a whistle and a cheer leader's outfit, Team leader was grinning mouth to mouth, The skinny one was murmuring 'Mercy' and my granda—The muscular one was stretching her body avoiding eye contact.
"Old man"
"You joining?"
"Tsk."
"Scared~?"
This brat.
5 minutes later…
"Mercy…" The skinny one had given up after a couple of push ups.
"Haha—Cael you really need to exercise more~"
"Oh—Hah—Yeah?—Why don't—Hah—try?"
…
Tsk.
The skinny kid only did 10 push ups before collapsing, meanwhile Little Evelyn only did 30 before collapsing to the ground. Meanwhile…
"Heh, still going Old Man?"
80 81 82
"OId man's at Eighty two, and Jeremy's at Eightyyy"
"Why are we counting it by the way?" Little Evelyn muttered
"The pride of Men are at stake." Big talk for a skinny kid who couldn't even do 10
"???"
"HeH—Still going old man?"
"Big talk for a young man slowing down"
"Why you—"
90 91 92
Sweat rolled down the team leader's face. The brat was stubborn. Unfortunately for him—I was older. far more stubborn.
95 96 97
"Hah…"
"HeH—Tired?"
"No."
"Liar."
"You're breathing hard too."
"I'm old."
"That doesn't count."
"It absolutely counts."
98 99 100
"A Hundred!" Evelyn shouted.
"See? Still got it." with a annoying grin… This brat…
"Tsk."
101 102 103
"Old man?!"
"What?"
"Why are you still going?!"
"Tsk."
104 105 106
"THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER!"
The brat immediately sped up.
101 102 103
"Heh."
"Tsk."
110 111 112
"Jeremy's catching up!"
"Go team leader!"
The two of us kept going. Neither willing to stop first.
120 121 122
"Hah..."
"Tired?"
"Shut up."
"Tsk."
123 124 125
Then—
"Uhm…"
The muscular girl raised a hand.
Everyone stopped.
"Y-yes Amanda?" Evelyn asked.
"W-we're supposed to stop?"
???
As we slowly turned around, that damn muscle head was still doing push ups.
184 185 186 187 188
"What."
189 190 191
"..."
192 193 194
"Amandaa—?" Little Evelyn asked
The muscular girl blinked.
"W-well... nobody told me to stop..."
195 196 197
"Tsk."
Kids these days. They're all monsters.