Fire
There was fire—raging inside and outside the store where she worked part-time.
How… how did it even happen?
Everything had been perfectly normal only moments ago. Then, without warning, flames erupted, devouring shelves and climbing the walls in a matter of seconds.
She barely managed to escape, stumbling out into the street without a single burn. Her breath came in shaky gasps as she turned back, staring at the blazing scene in horror.
Standing near her was a crowd of onlookers, murmuring in disbelief—some even raising their phones to record the scene.
Down on his knees, the manager stared at the flames with a stunned, hollow expression. A few people held him back, keeping him from rushing headlong into the burning store.
Then, the wail of sirens split the air. Fire engines arrived, and firefighters rushed in, pushing the crowd back as they set to work dousing the inferno.
"It's your… fault," the manager muttered, his eyes locking onto her.
"What?" Rin blinked, stunned.
"It's your fault my store burned down!" he shouted, voice breaking with anger and despair.
Rin opened her mouth, desperate to say something in her defense, but before she could, the manager erupted again, screaming at the top of his lungs.
"You're fired! Do you hear me? You're fired!"
"Please, don't do this. I… I have a sick sister to take care of," she pleaded, voice trembling.
"I don't care! Get the hell out of here, or I'll sue you!" the manager barked.
Rin froze, her chest tightening, then bolted—running before anyone could stop her. Tears streamed down her face, blurring the city lights.
What am I gonna do now?!
She wiped at her eyes, but in her rush, she bumped into someone and fell hard to the ground.
"You okay?" a familiar voice asked.
Rin blinked up through her tears. "Ezekiel?" she whispered, seeing him standing over her.
"Yeah, that's me," he replied casually. "But why are you running like that on the road? That's dangerous, you know. You never know when a car might come out of nowhere and hit you." He extended his hand toward her. "And really… what are you even doing out here at this hour? It's not safe for a young girl like you to be wandering around at night."
Rin hesitated, then took his hand. He pulled her up with ease, and she quickly brushed the dirt off her clothes.
"Part-time job?" he said, raising a brow.
Her eyes widened. "Please… don't tell anyone at school. If the word gets out, I'll be expelled."
Ezekiel shrugged, almost dismissive. "And why would I bother? Geez, it's not my problem."
"Thank you," Rin said softly. Still, her heart twisted with unease. She could only hope she hadn't been caught in anyone's recording back at the fire. If her face showed up… it wouldn't take long for the school to discover her part-time job.
"However…" Ezekiel tilted his head, studying her. "That still doesn't explain why you were running like that." His gaze sharpened slightly. "And also—why are you crying?"
Before she could turn away, he reached out and brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away the damp trail of tears still clinging to her skin.
"Tell me, I am rather curious. Besides…" Ezekiel gave a faint smile, "you know, it's rather unmanly to leave a girl like you in such a state. Perhaps I could be of some assistance?"
Rin frowned. "But… didn't you just say you don't care about my problem?"
"Ah, about that—" he lifted his hands in mock surrender, "forgive me. What I meant was that I won't snitch on you. It's not good to snitch on a woman."
Hearing that, she lowered her head and whispered, "I… got fired."
Ezekiel blinked. "Fired? From your job? For what?"
Her voice trembled as she explained, "A fire broke out out of nowhere… it burned down the store. The manager thinks I'm responsible, so… he fired me."
"I see…" Ezekiel said calmly, eyes narrowing. "Though, it's possible someone deliberately caused the fire. After all, fire doesn't just break out of nowhere."
"But… why would someone do that?" Rin asked, her voice unsteady.
"Perhaps some kind of asshole," he muttered with a shrug.
Her fists clenched as tears welled again. "If so, I'll never forgive that person. Because of them… I have no way to buy medicine for my sister. She needs her medicine…"
"Ah, your sick sister," Ezekiel recalled, tilting his head slightly. "You mentioned her once in the cafeteria. I was going to ask—are you two living alone? What about your parents?"
Rin lowered her gaze, her voice trembling. "Our parents died when we were little. My sister… she was in her second year of high school back then, but she dropped out to take care of me and handle the expenses. Unfortunately, she later got tuberculosis. Now she just stays home—she needs her medicine, and we can barely afford it with all the bills and other expenses. I was hoping to buy it with the bonus I was supposed to get this month… but now…"
Her voice cracked, the weight of her situation pressing down on her.
"I see," Ezekiel said thoughtfully, before adding, "How about I help you by offering you a job?"
"A… job?" Rin blinked in surprise.
"Yes," he replied smoothly, his tone carrying both weight and confidence. "I am Ezekiel Gracior, heir of the Gracior Empire. I can arrange a high-paying position for you—something respectable, like a senior post at one of our Japanese branch hotels. The salary would be more than enough to cover your sister's medical bills."
Rin froze, her lips parting slightly as the words sank in.
"Though you're still a high school student, giving you an official position right now might land us in a little trouble," Ezekiel admitted, rubbing his chin. "So, for now… how about becoming my tutor? Teach me math and a few other subjects until you graduate. After that, I'll arrange the job I mentioned. In the meantime, I'll still pay you a high salary—enough to cover your bills and your sister's medicine."
Rin's eyes widened. "Why… why are you helping me?"
"Why not?" He gave a small smile, almost wry. "You look lonely. We've only known each other for two days, but I can already tell—you don't really have friends. Neither do I. So, how about you rely on me… as a friend?"
"A friend…" Rin whispered, her voice trembling. "Thank you." She gently held his hands.
"It's fine," Ezekiel replied softly. "But it's late. Should I drop you home?"
"No, no, no—it's fine. I'll go myself," she said quickly, shaking her head.
"Alright," he said with a small smile. "But remember—if you ever have a problem, come to me. I'll always be there to reply to you."
Rin nodded and then turned away, walking toward the path to her home. Her steps were lighter now, her heart brimming with the thought of finally being able to tell her sister the hopeful news.
The moment Rin disappeared from sight, Ezekiel's expression shifted. He slipped a phone from his pocket and dialed a familiar number.
"Yes, young master," Reistu's calm voice answered on the other end.
"The plan worked flawlessly, just as expected," Ezekiel said with a faint smile. "Send a few extra million yen to the manager—he did a decent job."
"It will be done," Reistu replied without hesitation.
The call ended with a soft click. Ezekiel slid the phone back into his pocket, his crimson eyes glinting as he lifted his gaze toward the moon.