A Surefire Way to Get Rich

[Lustre]

HOMELESS ✘ RICH BOY

Queza & @Pretty Peach

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Never before in one’s lifetime had the fog been so thick under the watchful eye of the Moon that it resembled much a scene from a horror film that seemed unwilling to end. Blind to potential danger, Tsubasa spent the night on a park bench, waiting on tenterhooks for something eerie to appear. To his disappointment, nothing of that sort wanted to bother to entertain him. His eyes dropped like a stone around sunrise when the fog finally cleared up. However, the stentorian barking of an approaching dog frightened him out of his sleeping attempt. Both startled and irked, he quickly jumped on his feet while a flow of cusses poured from his pale lips vigourously enough to scare the dog off.


“Damn, mutt,” his tongue briskly clicked, “humping on my nerves…” Heaving a deep breath simmered him down as he gently fell back on the bench, shuffling his feet and tucking some stray hair behind his ear. His nose wrinkled in less than a second at a strange but familiar smell that surrounded him. Could it be? “Oh, it’s me,” snorted the guy who could surely use a bath. He cupped his face with his hands and shook it as hard as he could to wake himself up. Luckily, there was a nearby fountain he could use to freshen up.


Three long whistles later, he was frowning at his reflection in the water. He was muddy all over and his unkempt hair could no longer be easily finger-combed. It wasn’t as though he expected to see a change every time he took a look at himself but it was still nice to hope. It was time to wash that face, though. A chill ran down his spine upon touching the cold water so it was only reluctantly that he splashed his face. Once the dirt and mud were off, the reflection in the water revealed a cute face. For a homeless person, he was fairly good-looking, and as one of his friends would say, his looks could be a sure-fire way to grab a hold of a rich woman. Still, Tsubasa would always laugh it off nonchalantly, claiming to be a bad boyfriend material. The loud rumbling of his empty stomach brought him back to the issue that repeated itself each morning, however. How to ease hunger was now put first. Emptying his pockets only gave him some loose change, enough for a cup of coffee. That was where he would be headed, then.


After making a few stops along the way, to relieve himself primarily, he found that the coffee shop he frequented was already crowding with customers. They had told him countless times to stay away but he never listened. Some nearby beggars had already assumed their usual posts, eagerly waiting to hear their money cups clack. Tsubasa leaned against the window to survey the shop and see who was working the first shift today. To his luck, it was a kind old-lady that always welcomed him regardless of his social status, and would on top even offer him a discount which Tsubasa would often so kindly refuse. He plucked up a broad smile and armed himself with confidence as he strolled through the door, giving the old-lady an enthusiastic hand wave. She nodded gently in response, glancing over her shoulder to check whether her manager was away or not. Once secure that he wasn’t there, she beckoned him to come closer. Tsubasa wasn’t sure if she just pitied him or was truly a good soul, but knowing that she would willingly pour him a cup of coffee was enough.


“Good morning,” she said in a gentle monotone to which Tsubasa said the same yet in a chirpy voice. He paid no attention to people’s complaining about his smell or mere presence. He was proud that he could so easily annoy the likes of those in fancy coats and designer shoes. “Here you go, dear,” said the lady and gave him his order, hot and steaming coffee with an intoxicating odour.


“Thanks!” blurted the young boy; though, suddenly startled in understanding that the manager was creeping up behind the old woman, with a not so happy frown on his face.


“How many times have I told you to throw this punk out of my shop, Kaede-san?!” he tried to keep his gruff voice in undertones so as not to disturb the customers but he certainly unsettled the old lady. Tsubasa immediately spotted the worry on her face, displeased with his unappealing attitude. Narrowing his eyes in annoyance, he spoke bluntly,


“Someone should put a bell on you…” The manager braced his knuckles and bit his tongue; evidently, he wanted to beat Tsubasa up to a pulp but doing it in front of distinguished non-homeless and paying customers was inappropriate. Instead, he took it out on Kaede.


“I will not tolerate your incompetence anymore, Kaede-san. One more strike and you are out.” He threatened in a calm yet rigid voice, unconcerned by the pleading look in her eyes as she was apologizing for the third time in a row. Guilt wasn’t something Tsubasa often felt but when the time called for it, it would usually sting a bit in the chest. Therefore, he decided to take action.


“Always…,” he began in a low voice after sipping his coffee, etching a diligent pout on his face, “you always serve me bland coffee while everyone else’s tastes super good, Kaede-old-hag! I may smell funny but I got my pride. Good not so day to you, hmph!” he played it out as nicely as he could, strutting towards the exit, most offended by the looks of it. He wasn’t sure if the kind of reaction he wanted to call for the manager surfaced or not, but the pat on the shoulder that man gave to the old lady sort of reassured him that he wasn’t just wastefully acting as a snob.


Having finished off his coffee, Tsubasa too, like all the other beggars, assumed his usual position, hoping to get enough money for some food. Not long after he crouched against the building next to the coffee shop, did a small black cat begin to bother him.


“Shoo, shoo, leave me alone.” No matter how much he tried to shake it off, the kitty kept sitting next to him, meowing from time to time. “You hungry too?” he murmured as they both watched the street get busier and busier and their stomachs emptier and emptier.