The sun was slowly casting its crimson glow over the narrow streets of the old neighborhood. Children ran around laughing, shopkeepers were pulling down their shutters, and inside a small shoemaker's shop, the scent of leather filled the air.
Enes was bent over the workbench, stitching the worn sole of a customer's shoe. The needle pricked his finger and he hissed in pain. At that moment, his father, leaning on his cane, stepped closer.
— "Careful, son. If you rush the work, the customer won't come back," he said in a voice both stern and gentle.
Enes looked up and smiled.
— "Dad, why do you still come to the shop? Wouldn't it be better if you just rested at home?"
His father's eyes gleamed with determination.
— "How could I, son? Who's going to teach you? This craft is learned with patience. And don't forget… this shop is our honor."
Enes sighed.
— "But Dad, I'm twenty years old now. I'm not a child. I can run this place on my own."
A shadow crossed his father's face. He set his cane against the counter.
— "Yes, you're twenty. But true mastery isn't just working with your hands, it's working with your heart. And that's something only I can show you."
Enes glanced at the cane, and the memory of that night came rushing back.
---
It had been a rainy night. An old electric pole in the neighborhood was about to collapse, right next to the park where children were playing. Enes had wanted to run forward, but his father had pushed him back.
— "Stay here, I'll handle it!" he had shouted.
The pole came crashing down. His father caught the falling beam, saving the children, but his leg was crushed beneath it. Since that day, he could not walk without a cane.
---
Shaking the memory away, Enes looked at his father with a mix of gratitude and sorrow.
Just then, the shop door creaked open. A burly man in a dark suit stepped inside, a fake smile plastered on his face.
— "Peace be upon you," he said smoothly. "Name's Necip. Our boss is investing in this neighborhood. He wants to buy the whole street. I've got a good offer for you."
His father's expression hardened instantly.
— "Our shop is not for sale," he said firmly.
Necip's smile didn't fade, but his eyes turned cold.
— "Don't be stubborn, old man. This street will change soon. Those who agree early… will profit."
Enes clenched his fist, ready to step forward, but his father's hand on his arm held him back.
— "Thank you for the offer, son. But our decision is final. Now leave."
Necip paused at the door, then smirked.
— "Stubbornness… sometimes shortens a man's life. But suit yourself."
The door shut behind him, leaving the shop in silence. Enes turned to his father. The old man's hand was gripping the cane tightly, and though he tried to hide it, there was a faint tremor in his fingers.