It's an chilly evening. You're on your way back from whatever you did that day, taking a shortcut through the park, when you suddenly come accross two young girls, sitting alone on a bench. They are huddled up together, wearing a dirty clothes, desperatly trying to keep warm. You can't help but notice that they seems to be staring at you with tired and wary eyes.
The two young girls shiver on the bench, trying to blend in with the darkness of night around them. One has long brown hair and tired blue eyes; the other has black hair and piercing green ones. They're both dressed poorly, wearing ripped clothing that doesn't provide much warmth against the chill in the air. As you approach, they glance at you nervously, unsure of whether or not you mean them harm.
Hi, girls... Listen, I don't mean to scare or bother you, but... I see you all alone and shivering from the cold; it's almost night and it'll get even colder... Do you have anywhere to go? They look at each other and then at me, with a mixture of hope and apprehension. Oh, come on... I can't just leave you like this, you're too young to be suffering so much... Listen, I'll take you out for something to eat... I point to a burger place in the distance, outside the park. It's a good place over there. Come on, and if you don't trust me, you can always leave whenever you want... What do you say?
The brown haired girl with blue eyes bites her lower lip and glances at the black haired one with green eyes. "It's... nice of you to offer, but..." she begins hesitantly, clearly torn between suspicion and desperation. The other girl looks scared but also hopeful. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, the blue-eyed girl nods slightly and says, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves in the wind, "Okay... we'll go."
Their movements are slow and cautious as they stand up from the bench, careful not to make any sudden moves that might provoke fear or suspicion. The black haired girl with green eyes keeps glancing warily at you over her shoulder while walking beside her sister. "I'm Adalia," she says finally, her voice still quiet and shaky.
"And I'm
Adalia glances at her sister before looking back to you. "And I'm... Akio." she mumbles softly, still feeling uneasy around you despite the offer of food and warmth. As you lead them towards the burger place, their bodies are tense, as if preparing for a fight or flight response at any moment.
They follow you. The air grows cooler as the night progresses, but at least they're no longer shivering uncontrollably.
Nice to meet you, girls, my name is Frank... the wind blows, icy cold; I take off my enormous jacket and cover them both with it; they are so thin that they are perfectly warm; they look at me with gratitude and surprise that's better, isn't it? let's hurry, the place isn't far but the wind is picking up... maybe it will rain tonight.
"T-Thank you..." Adalia whispers gratefully, her cheeks tinting red as she realizes how dirty and unkempt she must look compared to him. She shivers despite the jacket's warmth, not just from the cold but also from the attention. Akio mumbles something incoherent before looking away, eyes darting around nervously, trying to make sense of this strange situation.
They both remain quiet as you lead them to the burger place, their steps slow and cautious despite the warmth of your jacket. The delicious scent of burgers and fries fills their nostrils but doesn't seem to register in their minds; all they can think about is why this kind stranger would help them when no one else ever has. As you enter the restaurant, heads turn and eyes wander in their direction...
We arrived at the burger place and I opened the door for them; we went inside and the warmth enveloped us; there weren't many people. Brrr... it really was cold outside... Listen, girls, take a table and wait for me. What would you like to eat? Burgers? Hot dogs? Cheeseburgers? A salad? Just ask and I'll bring it to you... it's all on me, of course. I smiled at them without showing my teeth and looked at them, waiting for their answer.
Both girls take a moment to look around the restaurant before settling on a small table in the corner. "Um... I'll have a cheeseburger," Adalia finally says quietly, her hands nervously twisting together in her lap. Akio nods but remains silent, her gaze fixed on the menu as if trying to decide what she wants.
The waitress comes over and smiles warmly at you before glancing briefly at the girls. "Welcome! What can I get started for you?" She looks expectantly between you and the two young girls, seemingly not quite sure how to approach this situation.
Good evening, lovely lady... I smile at the waitress, who is older and seems pleased by my words It's cold, isn't it? My friends are hungry... Please bring us all large cheeseburgers, complete with fries and sodas... I look at the girls, who are staring at me in disbelief What would you like to drink, Adalia and Aiko? Coke, 7 Up, water?
"Um... Water is fine," Adalia mumbles, still gazing down at the menu as if trying to find something else that she could afford. Akio slowly nods in agreement, her eyes flickering up from the table before dropping back down again when they meet yours. She swallows hard and looks away, fingers tightening around the edge of the paper menu.
I look at the waitress Three bottles of water then, one sparkling... Adalia, do you see anything else on the menu that you like? Go ahead, order it, no problem... they have nachos with cheese, salads, chili con carne... Adalia's face lights up with hope Come on, girl, It's no joke, really.
"...Oh..." Her voice trails off as she looks at you in disbelief. "But we don't have any money..." She mumbles softly, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red. The waitress, having heard this exchange, hesitates before looking back and forth between you and the girls uncertainly.
You don't, but I do. This is my invitation: don't be afraid to ask for whatever you want. You too, Aiko. I smile at her What will it be, then? The girls look at each other shyly
"I-I..." Akio starts, hesitating before glancing at her sister for support. "I'll... I'll have the cheese fries too," she finally manages to say, her voice barely audible even to herself. Adalia nods slowly, still looking unsure but willing to trust your generosity for now. They both look at you expectantly, hoping against hope that this strange night might end with something better than what they've become accustomed to.
Well, you heard the young ladies, my lovely waitress... the waitress is mature, Latina, and very beautiful, and she likes me to address her like this Please add the cheesy fries to the order, if you please... the waitress smiles at me, nods, and goes to take our order Now, ladies... we've ordered the food and it will be here in a moment; in the meantime, feel free to ask me anything you'd like—I'm sure you have a lot of questions, don't you? I rest my elbows on the table, interlace my fingers, and rest my chin on my thumbs, looking at them attentively
"Um..." Adalia says hesitantly, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on the table. "Why... Why are you helping us?" she finally manages to ask, still not quite able to believe that someone could be so kind to them after everything they've been through. Even if it does feel good, the idea of trusting this stranger is terrifying.
Akio nods in agreement, her eyes wide with disbelief and suspicion. "We're just... just trying to survive," she whispers, avoiding eye contact with either you or Adalia. The thought of opening up any further makes her stomach knot up into a tight ball.
I understand your distrust; this doesn't happen to you every day, and you probably think I'm going to ask for something in return... The two girls look at each other and then at me, nodding. Well, calm down: there's nothing like that here. I simply saw you alone, sad, starving and freezing, and it broke my heart. I frown, shaking my head. I think it's unfair that girls as young as you are suffering so much, that's why I wanted to help you... I have no other explanation: I just feel I should help you. Look. I take out my wallet and put five one-hundred-dollar bills on the table. If you don't believe me, or if you still feel distrustful, take this money: it will be enough for dinner somewhere else and even for a couple of nights in a hotel, away from the cold... you're not obligated to stay with me if you don't want to. Don't worry, I'm not doing this out of anger, I just don't want you to be afraid of me... and I want to make it clear that I want to help you. The two girls stare at me in astonishment, not knowing what to do
"I-I... Th-Thank you..." she whispers shakily, glancing at her sister before looking back up at you, tears welling in her eyes. It's the first time anyone has ever offered to help them without expecting something in return. "We... We really appreciate it." Her voice cracks on the last word as she struggles to keep from breaking down completely.
Akio looks like she wants to say something but can't find the words. Instead, she nods silently and blinks back tears of her own, a lump forming in her throat as emotions war within her. They both sit there, hands trembling as they try to wipe away their tears without making too much noise or attracting any unwanted attention from other patrons.
You're very welcome... Oh, girls, please don't cry... I smile at them wistfully Tell me, what do you want to do? Take the money and leave? Or would you like to join me for dinner? I'm a foreigner, I'm alone in this city, and I would appreciate your company... Look, we can tell each other our stories and then you can decide what to do, what do you think?
Adalia looks at her sister, uncertainty written all over her face. "I... I don't know..." She glances back at you before averting her eyes again, unsure of whether she can trust your offer. But the thought of being able to talk with someone and not be alone is strangely comforting.
Akio chews on her bottom lip, hesitating for a moment longer. "Y-You don't have to..." she trails off, her voice barely above a whisper. "I mean... we could just go with you, I guess?" She meets your eyes cautiously, searching for any signs of deceit or malice. Finding none, she swallows hard and nods slowly. "Yeah... okay."
The three of you sit there in silence for a moment longer as they consider your offer and what it might mean for them. Finally, Adalia decides to break the
"Okay..." Adalia finally says softly, meeting your gaze with trepidation and hope. "We'll stay... but if you try anything funny--" she starts to warn, only to be cut off by a gentle laugh from you.
Akio glances at her sister nervously before looking back up at you. "Y-You have good intentions?" Her voice is barely above a whisper as she searches your expression for any hint of what might come next.
Adalia, the only funny thing I can try to do is make a joke... and I only remember really bad jokes... Adalia smiles shyly at my remark; I look at them with a smile Please don't worry, I just want to help you. Tell me your story, if you don't mind: I want to get to know you better... Are you from this city? Do you live alone? Are you friends? Where are your parents?
"W-Well..." Adalia begins hesitantly. "I'm originally from here, but my parents moved away a few years ago... we lived with them until then." She glances at her sister before continuing. "We don't really have many friends anymore, after what happened..." Her voice trails off and she busies herself with folding and unfolding her paper menu.
Akio slumps down in her seat, eyes fixed on the tabletop. "My parents disowned me," she mumbles bitterly. "They said I brought shame to our family." She looks up at you then, tears glinting in her eyes. "We don't have anywhere else to go... My sister and I just tried to survive, you know? But it's hard..."
I look at them with interest as they tell me So you're sisters... you both have Asian features, is Akio a Japanese name? Are you of Japanese origin?
Adalia nods slowly. "Yes, we're sisters. And yes, I am Japanese. Our father was Japanese and our mother was American." She looks at you carefully, trying to gauge your reaction to their story.
Akio eyes you suspiciously but remains quiet for now, waiting to see how this mysterious stranger will react.
Of course, now I understand... hey, here's our food! The smiling waitress places the cheeseburgers, three plates of fries smothered in cheddar cheese and bacon bits, various condiments, and bottles of water on the table; the two sisters look at each other, happy, unable to believe what they see Thank you so much, beautiful lady... The waitress smiles at me, tells me not to be silly, and walks away, swaying gently Now, girls... help yourselves, while there's still food to eat! They both laugh happily and begin to eat with great appetite Relax, girls... eat slowly... no one's rushing us, we have all night. I smile at them
"This is so good... Thank you..." Adalia murmurs through a mouthful of burger, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. "I haven't eaten anything this delicious in ages..." She glances at her sister and gives her a small smile before taking another bite. Akio, still wary but growing more comfortable, nods in agreement. "This is really... really nice of you," she mumbles around a fry.
The three of them continue to eat in relative silence for several moments, each lost in their own thoughts and the welcome comfort of full stomachs. Finally, feeling a bit more at ease, Akio decides to break the quiet. "So... what do you do here? In this city?" she asks hesitantly.