「20:37」

I turn my phone off before putting it inside the pocket of my school pants. I close my eyes and rest my back on the seat inside the tricycle.

I am alone here excluding the driver. The light source here are just few yellow lightbulbs.

I can feel the vibration passing through the fibers of my tired muscles from my back to as far as my calf.

The cold breeze against the running tricycle is chilly giving me goosebumps all over my body.

With all of this, I just wanted to sleep.

A lot happened in just less than a day. I won't say it's too big of an event but it sure isn't insignificant as well.

Mae-chan, my very first love came back to town and coincidentally transferred into our class.

Al who is a friend I made in my first year of junior high— whom I had a bitter past with too, reunited and reconciled with me as well. Apparently.

And I also got myself in a fight, albeit I just stood by on the sideline.

But oh hell, give me a break.

*Creak~!*

The shrill screech of friction between the wheel and the brake wakes me up from my thoughts.

I look outside through the dusty window. I'm now in the entrance of our neighborhood.

If I pass through this street, I'll be stepping on the land of Starville.

I give a ten peso coin to the driver.

“Here's your change.”

“Thank you po kuya.”

He hands me ten pieces of one peso coin. As a student, the normal fare for a tricycle is lowered by two pesos so I have extra allowance with me.

It's not like we're poor. In fact, with the standard in the Philippines, we're considered to be part of the upper class.

My father is a senior level doctor who earns an average salary of ₱1,559,269 per year in Manila.

While my mom gets an average annual salary of ₱500,000-or-so for being a senior sales manager in our city.

Collectively, our family's annual income is two million pesos to say the least.

But my parents use our money sparingly.

They only give me fifty pesos to spend in a day at school. They spend on what's necessary and save most of their income into the bank. It's for the sake of emergency, the future, and for my blood.

I'm not familiar with any of this because I leave this financial accounting to other people, and in our household, Crystal and mom are the one who manages our family's finances.

But I know that my parents spend a lot of money for my blood reserves.

I have an Rh null blood type or also known as the ‘golden blood’. It's highly valued in the medicine world due to its property as a universal donor.

But for us with it, it's hard.

Searching for Rh null blood donors is not easy. The rarity of this blood type is too high. As far as I know, there are only fifty-or-so of us officially recorded in the whole world. That's why it's pretty expensive.

And even if you do find a donor, it still won't be that easy. There's a lot of documents and paperwork required for transporting and exporting blood bags, in and out the of Philippines.

I'm already privileged to be able to have three regular donors who donates blood for me to be use in the future.

Publicly, selling and buying blood is forbidden for good reasons but my parents used a backdoor to allow me to have three regular donors.

And my parents pay those donors everytime they donate their blood to be frozen reserved for me. And the price aren't naturally cheap.

I don't really know what exactly is going on and I couldn't care any less.

In short, we might be one of those with high-income class in the Philippines, but we're not really that wealthy.

And it's because I am weak.

I am really weak. And losing blood is my greatest physical vulnerability. I can't afford to lose so much blood or I'll suffer from hardships. Or at the very least I'll just die.

So it's not like the reason why I'm hugging an itchy tree is because I'm afraid of dogs or anything. It's just that my blood is precious and expensive.

My parents work hard for it so there's no way I could allow myself to be hurt, right?

*ARF!*ARF!*ARF!*

This cute and white ‘aspin’ keep barking and now I'm surrounded by his fellows.

Currently, there are eight dogs welcoming my return. I wonder if they also have angels and trumpets with them.

You miss me that much huh. Well I don't.

*ARF!*ARF!*ARF!*

Three dogs-or-so jump in sync. I am taken aback. I am about to fall so I use my skills to stabilize myself.

No. I wasn't scared. It's a normal response. It's not like a trauma flashed before my eyes which made me defensive.

Oh hell. I guess I have no choice. I'll beat you up you little PuuuUUUUU—!

Fuck. They jumped at me again.

Agh! My reputation as a great protagonist is being damaged. What are you dogs going to do if we loses readership?

Hell, I'll be a hero and protect this world. If the creator became unhappy, this world could end easily.

No! I said I'm not scared!

It's to protect the world by protecting Voracity's happiness.

Fuu~

Alright alright.

This is easy. I take a pen from my backpack to use it like a dagger.

It's fine. Just go down there and stab them all one by one. Just make sure to utilize what you're good at and evade their assaults.

Fuu~ Easy right?

I slowly stretch my leg to land on the ground.

*ARF!*

Ah. Oh.

A dog jumped.

It's sharp scary teeth brushes on my pants. I have execute a tactical retreat.

Fuu~

I exhale after a short contemplation.

That's right.

It's cruel indeed. Killing dogs is a very cruel act. They also have their own life and feelings.

It's even known that they are a man's best friend. And their owners could even go as far as nourishing themselves using them once they die so that they will be part of their owner and be together forever.

Perhaps, they just really wanna to play with me.

*ARF!*

*Crack!*

A dog gnaws the pen.

Whoah. That was an awesome vertical jump.

Regardless, perhaps I'm actually a girl. Why did they say ‘dogs are man's best friend’?

Either they're wrong or I'm actually a girl.

『ZzzZzzZztT! zzZZzZZZTT!』

Hmm..?

My phone is vibrating.

It's mom and she have thirty-seven missed calls and seventeen text messages in my notification bar. I didn't noticed this earlier I was checking the time.

“Oh hell hello good evening mom~”

『Ahh. I'm gla~d you finally answered. I was about to call the police you know~』

Fumu. This long-winded manner of speaking while in a gentle and soothing tone is my mother's.

“My bad mom. My phone was in airplane mode.”

『Sheesh~ Don't make me worry~ And why are you even still out? Where are you~?』

How'd she know that? Crystal I guess.

“I'm at the entrance of our village.”

『Oh I see~ I'll pick you up』

“I'm fine mom.”

Yes I'm fine.

『No~ It's already raining baby Mark. You didn't bring your umbrella with you right~? I'll pick you up』

Wait it's raining?

“Yes mom. Why are you even home this early though? Not like I am against it.”

『Not yet. I~ am still on the road but I'm close by~』

“I see. Thanks mom.”

『Hehe~ You~ are more than welcome baby Mark~』

‘Baby’.... Aghh~

 

Or not.

“When it rains, it pours.”

It really does huh.

I'm drench.

The loud crashing wails brought by the rain clashing against the roofs and concrete road dominate the silence.

I can barely hear the barking of these really patient dogs.

Won't you go home? I really wanted to go home now so kindly leave me alone.

“Ba~by Mark~”

This voice calling me in an embarrassing nickname belongs to my birth mother.

I turn to the source of sound. There's a lady in an office suit walking under the barrage of rain with a pink colored power puff girl umbrella as her only cover.

She's ‘Merlin G. Reverren’, Thirty-seven years old. She has a short and dark pink hair beautifully harmonizing with her purple bright eyes which Crystal inherited.

She is also a tall woman but with right fat in right places which makes her rather sexy. Thicc as they call it.

I call her ‘mom’ and if I am to describe her, she is a sweet, clingy, caring, and easygoing mother.

“!”

Ohh, she found me.

She starts walking towards this tree.

But....

“Wait mom! Please don't come over here. There are several stray dogs over here.”

“Ara~ You a~re re~ally there~”

“Mom!”

“It's fine baby. It's a~lright~.”

No it's not alright. Look, they're all now fiercely observing you.

Oh hell.

I take another pen from my backpack preparing to leap forward.

“Were you sca~red by them~?”

Eh.

“No! I'm not scared.”

“Oh I see~ You're just prote~cting yourself right~? Hehe~ Your blood is expensive after all.”

With the way you speak, it sounds like you're being sarcastic even though you're actually supporting me.

“Anyway, it's dangerous for you mom.”

*Arf!*Arf!*Arf!*Arf!*

The dogs bark before walking towards mom.

I tighten my grip on the ballpoint pen.

“Ara, do you ha~te me now~?”

Mom squats down to show her face to the dogs. She's smiling gently without any trace of fear, sadness, or anger. It's just a genuine smile.

But that won't make the dogs kind to you mom.

*Swish*

*Thump!*

I jump to the ground and run to the dogs. They turn towards me while growling fiercely. They're prepared to fight me.

I ready myself waiting for the proper timing.

The dogs run towards me in an unusually aggressive manner.

*Arf!*Arf!*Arf!*

“Hey~!”

Mom shouts so I stop. I didn't stop just because of her, but because the dogs halt their steps as well.

Hmm...?

“Wha~t are you all doing~? Why~ are you guys fighting~?”

Mom strides and walks in between the dogs and I.

“Stop it okay.”

She looks at me.

“You too baby. The~y won't hurt you so you shouldn't as well.”

I don't think so.

“Yes mom. My bad.”

“Hehe~ Good.”

She squats trying to pat the white aspin but I stop her immediately.

“Wait mom. It's dangerous.”

“It isn't.”

I let her go but I didn't lower my vigilance.

Mom pats the dog. However, the dog didn't show any hostility. But it's wagging its tail instead.

*Arf!*

*Arf!*Arf!*Arf!*

Their barks isn't as sharp filled with hostility as earlier. They are soft and gentle now.

Okay, I feel a sense of unfairness.

“Why are they so cold to me but so warm to you?”

“Because I'm fee~ding them so hehe, they lo~ve me~”

“I see. So it's because they're receiving benefits from you.”

“Don't make it sou~nds so bad. It's because they saw that I~ am a friend. I showed them I am one by feeding them.”

“I see.”

“They a~re only hostile against you because they're uncertain if you~ are a threat or not so they rather be ca~reful than not. You just need to remove that uncertainty.”

“I get it. I'll make sure they recognize me surely as a threat now.”

“Sheesh~! That wasn't wha~t I mean.”

“Don't sulk mom. I was just kidding.”

Mom stands up then she waves at the dogs.

“I'll feed you a~ll tomorrow but for now, bye bye~.”

*Arf!*

The white aspin barks then it glances at me before leading his fellows away.

Mom pulls me into her embrace to let me be covered from the rain by her umbrella.

Too late though. You prioritized patting the dog. And now I'm so soaked.

“You're so~ wet. We need to go home quickly to wa~rm you up or you'll get sick.”

“Yes.”

Mom drives us home.

—Our house is a 180-or-something meters squared modern house with two floors.

Our household has a wide green lawn at the front and a lush yard at back which mom uses as her garden.

The lawn is big enough for cars to be parked at. And this is where we park our cars leaving the garage for bicycles and tools.

Our family has a total of three cars: a white sedan which we're currently riding on, one black MPV which is with father in Manila, and one white USV with anime designs.

The last one is what I like the most because most of the anime characters designed on it are basically my waifus.

“Wait here. I'll open the gate.”

Mom wants to get off the car to push open the gate.

We could just ring the doorbell and call Crystal to open it up for us though.

She should be expecting us right?

However, it's raining. I think she wouldn't want to get soaked.

“Wait mom. I'll do it. I'm already wet anyway.”

“Hmm? Are you sure~?”

“Yes mom fufufufu.”

So I open the gate letting mom drive the car inside. After I closed the gate, I get back into the car.

Few minutes later, I unmount from the car to knock on our front door.

The door opened and a wild little sister appeared.

“Good evening... Mommy. Welcome home and oh well... Good evening to you as well my beloved kuya Mark.”

Why are you acting surprise?

“Good evening Crystal.”

“We're home sweetie. Please~ prepare a warm bath for your kuya Mark. He might get sick otherwise.”

“Heh. Did something happen to you kuya Mark?”

Crystal asks while helping mom takes off her wet coat.

“What do you mean? Nothing happened.”

“Heh. Let me guess.”

Hmm.

“Go ahead.”

“Did you get surrounded by dogs that it scared your soul out of you or something like that?”

That's too accurate to be a guess li'l sis. Are you an Esper?

And...

“I wasn't scared!”

“Oh really now?”

“Sweetie, please hurry up or your brother might really catch a cold.”

“M'kay~”

Before leaving, Crystal says—

“And if ever kuya Mark get sick, I could just take care of him.”

—which totally made me me shiver for some reason.

Perhaps it was just because I'm soaked or perhaps it's completely something else.

Well whatever.

“Baby, you should ta~ke your uniform off and wrap yourself in a towel. And ma~ke sure not to let the electric fan blow wind on you okay~?”

“I got it mom.”

I sit on a chair barechested and exhale a warm air.

I'm home. And I want to sleep.

Oh that's right.

I turn my phone on and open a website.

I might be taking Yellowhead lightly but I won't let myself be oblivious about them especially now that I got entangled with their life.

Besides, he and Al mentioned something about Viper gang which I only heard once. Now that I have the chance, I'll check up on it.

Hmm... fumufumu—

Arehh~

This is a surprise.

The ‘Boss Screw’ who is also Yellowhead's friend is actually one of my classmates.

Boss Screw is the younger brother of the Viper gang's leader known as ‘Sir Viper’. This guy is a brute who fought and conquered the gangs in the city few years ago. Now, they're the biggest gang in the city.

According to the data I have, they're the ruling gang in Naga City having a total member of not less than a two hundred.

They're instated near the slums called ‘H-Haven’ where most criminals lives. This place is under the rule of Viper gang and the government never really care about them.

It is because there is no civilian that lives in there and the government couldn't care any less about the lives of those criminals who lives in there.

As long as their crimes are inside that slums, the government wouldn't care.

It would be just a waste of time and human resources to eradicate them.

This also gave those criminals a place for them to stay and to wreak havoc with.

Viper gang's revenue came from drug trade, prostitution, and racketeering.

Based on what I read, they doesn't seem to be a threat but they could be an annoyance.

However, would the Viper Gang care for Yellowhead or not?

Perhaps they would because Yellowhead and company are most likely under the protection of the Viper Gang.

Whatever. I don't really care about them.