7 PM :
Paul, who had already returned to his apartment, was sitting on the sofa, fiddling with his smartphone like he was waiting for something. His living room was dark; he had already turned the lights off. And soon enough, a notification arrived on his phone. He quickly typed in the passcode, opened the screen, and tapped on the mail.
It was Baldy's report—set to arrive before 6 PM. At least, that's what Loka had said to Sara, and what Sara had passed on to Paul, Simon, and the others. Paul, however, believed it was never too late. He quietly thanked Loka in his mind for at least delivering it.
Carefully, taking his time, Paul read through the contents of the report. Ten minutes later, he changed into an all-black outfit—from top to bottom. Black jeans, black T-shirt, black shoes, and a black hoodie. After making sure everything was in place, he walked to the exit door of his apartment, opened it, locked it again, and slipped the key into his front jeans pocket.
Next, he took the elevator down to the ground floor, stepped out, and walked toward the main exit of the apartment building. After crossing the main yard and metal gate, he reached the main street and waited for a taxi—maybe the place he was going to wasn't nearby.
After a few minutes, a yellow car with black stripes pulled up beside him. Paul opened the back door and got in, saying to the driver—who was wearing a white T-shirt under a cheap brown leather jacket that looked like it hadn't been polished in months, paired with worn-out blue jeans. The driver had sunken eyes and dark spots beneath them, a patchy beard covering half his cheeks—probably hadn't shaved in weeks—and medium-length hair that just touched his ears, all greasy and unkempt from hard work and exhaustion.
"Botti-more"
Driver gave a short glance at the Paul reflection in the mirror up-front nodding inwardly ,and pressed his leg on the accelerator. Meanwhile in the back of the seat Paul already adjusted himself looking outside the window.
Many people are walking home after a long day of work, and some are waiting beside the street food stalls to get their meals, lights from small stores to big buildings all illuminating the stage, though he was looking at them, his mind was already shifted somewhere else currently.
He recalled the contents he had read, baldy's real name stated to be "Liam Hart" he lived near the city style mall in the average cheap rental apartment, he also saw the exact location and a picture of apartment in report, age 28, he had no job for last two months, last two months?
Paul wondered "he had a job but it was just not mentioned here, guess I won't really know the truth 'til I look for it myself, you think too, right?" His last job was something related to transporting at port side, in a place called "Neomar", Neomar is it ?
Paul recalled the place vaguely, "is it on an edge of the island, what's this baldy doing out here?"
He, almost 3-4 days in a week, went to the nearby bar called "NIGHT LIGHT", but rarely chats with anyone in the bar, even daily customers in the bar don't know him clearly, also even if someone have seen him in bar, and have a chat with him, they don't know much about him, he doesn't talk about something that's related to himself, or his work, but there's an exception.
It was another man [ Name Unknown ] who was more mysterious than baldy himself, this man roughly comes to the bar, but also this is the man, who have talked with baldy much more than others, though it was clearly wasn't mention in the report, Paul made the speculation "maybe this was him". And nothing about his family, close friends , also he roughly talked with his neighbours .
Ten minutes later the taxi stopped and Paul came back from his mind pool, he opened the taxi's left door which was facing towards the walking street, and got out, after paying the driver in cash he took out his smartphone, and started walking at a slow pace.
Meanwhile the taxi driver put cash in his leather jacket's pocket, pressed the accelerator and drove off, to find his next customer.
Paul observed it , with the corner of his eyes the taxi going his way straight, but the city mall was not even ten meters away from the place Paul got out of the taxi, he quickly reached the mall, however it wasn't his destination, giving a side glance towards the city mall, which is still open.
Four-story tall building, with yellow and light blue in color, there's a big name banner up-front in the entrance inside, which was illuminated with blue color , and on the edges of the banner was strips of light changing color, going around the edges of the name banner and changing color every second.
Paul noticed that there were very few people entering and exiting, his mind slightly drifting "is it because of the timing or.." but he quickly brushed past those thoughts.
Paul didn't go to places like this so he doesn't have much idea about, all the clothes he wear, his school uniform, regular clothes, even the clothes he wore when he's going out in some special occasions, which he doesn't, are given him from either Simon, or Sara had brought her for him . Also one day Sara invited him, Julian, and Alex to go watch movies together.
He obviously tried to decline at first, but when Alex urged him saying "I am going too and it's pretty fun movie you won't regret it for sure", somewhat he agreed to come, and watch movie together with them, but next Julian made a very lame excuse like he always do, he said that -
"Sorry, I can't, I haven't talked with my mom in the past two weeks cuzz of the work you know, how'd she feel ? when her only family, her own son doesn't have time for his mother, I really wanna go with you guys but... anyway have fun without me."
Sara suggested Julian, that you can visit tomorrow or some other time, but Julian didn't listened and respectfully cut the call, and the invitation, meanwhile at that time, Paul didn't have much clothes and any dressing sense, he don't have currently too, so he wore the most suitable clothes he had , the white shirt and black formal pant with, black shoes and black blazer.
When he arrived at the meeting place, which Sara had decided beforehand, he saw her standing alone waiting for him and Alex, Julian wasn't coming.
She was wearing short skirt which covering upto her thighs , black stockings, and white colored t-shirt, covered with long light brown colored jacket that was almost reached to her knees and hill sandals, her hair tied-up in bun shape and few little curly strands of hair falling side by side like veins of tree, and small golden wrist watch in her left hand that she is checking every one minute.
He walked up to her and checked the time on his smartphone, just one minute left for the time, Sara had fixed for the meeting. After seeing him Sara was glad, but scanning his dress she felt a little , only she would know herself , the first sentence that came out of her mouth was -
"Really? Don't you have something else to put on?"
He first felt irritated but after looking at himself again, he replied with "No"
Sara ignored his words and said "Let's go then."
He wondered, wait "Isn't Alex also coming ?"
Sara had just taken a step while she looked back saying "What? Alex didn't tell you that, he wasn't coming."
"No" he didn't mention anything to me, he wondered, why??
Sara made an expression like she didn't know the reason either, he then quickly took out his smartphone called Alex , after two rings someone answered "Yeah, is something happened ?" It's Alex's voice.
"Why didn't you tell me you weren't coming?" Paul asked, looking at the back of Sara .
"I texted you though, didn't I ? Last night, did you forget ?"
He tried recalling, but didn't remember receiving the message from Alex last night. He thought maybe he forgot to check , he slightly said - "Ok" and asked "so, where you right now?"
"Right now?" The voice was a little hesitant. "Even I don't know, .....sorry budd it's time , have to go ASAP, we'll chat later when I get back, you have fun.." And call ended
He put the phone back in pant's pocket, and asked "Just the two of us?"
"What? Is there any problem?"
Paul denied it with the gesture . And both him and Sara walked to their destination, after that they both watched the movie together, but it was some romance stuff, which is he clearly not much fond off , also when time to time he glanced at Sara from corner of his eyes , she was clearly enjoying it, later Sara went to buy some clothes, and all the time Paul was just following her like a good puppy, main thing is, she brought the clothes for Paul, much more than what he had at the time , after that, they ate and went to their places which was called home.
....
After passing the city style mall he turned left, walking no more than six steps, he once again, recalled the place location and how'd it look, from here onwards, the area looks little silent as he walked towards Liam's place, the sound of cars and bikes grew dimmer, only thing brighten up streets are the lights from street-pole which is flickering every- second.
He passed the first pole, there's ten to 15 meter distance between the each pole, he glance sideways to the right , there's ashok trees growing besides the brick wall, the light from the house are dim, in the yard there's two bikes and car , although he doesn't know from which brand it is but he had seen it many times.
While looking sometimes left , sometimes right or sometimes front, he'd passed a few of the Houses and next was his destination.