"Useless idiot! Just what do you think you''re doing, hah!?" The store owner pressed a finger on Ro''s head while thetter kept his eyes down. "This is why people like you are at rock bottom! With all those detergents you wasted, I won''t pay you for the week."


    Ro raised his head and talked back. "But I just can''t get paid for a week. I still have —"


    p!


    "Don''t you have manners, hah?!" the store owner, who was in his mid-forties pped the youth without a second hesitation. He was a fat, big guy, wearing a printed floral blouse with a white undershirt.


    The youth he was scolding for something so small that wasn''t truly a big issue was a petite and tall young man. Ro had long hair that could reach his shoulder, tied in a low bun, a few hairs falling on his side. At one look, he looked like those young teens his age that would be doing nonsense or just partying all night. But his demeanor and how he kept his head low while the store owner belittle him as if the youth was part of his property was a total mismatch to his appearance.


    Watching this unfold right before him, Maynard''s body trembled in anger. Conrad, who was standing beside him, nced at him.


    "That motherfucker…" Maynard balled his trembling hand into a tight fist, grinding his teeth, eyes burning at the store owner. It was apparent he was restraining himself from jumping in and knocking out the adult.


    Ro didn''t want them meddling with his affairs, especially with his part-time jobs. Ro would just mention his jobs in passing. It was the reason Maynard and Conrad never visited their friend or see Ro whenever the guy was working. This was actually the first.


    However, in Maynard''s understanding, this was the reason Ro didn''t want them to know about the details of his part-time. Conrad, on the other hand, had a different take on this. For Conrad, his respect and how Ro cherished their friendship were deeper than anyone thought. Instead of asking his friends or making them think he was using them, Ro chose this path.


    "Hey! Stop it!" the store owner''s loud voice snapped Conrad back from his trance. When he refocused his eyes, all he saw was Ro blocking the store owner from getting back inside the establishment.


    "Boss, you can''t do this to me!" Ro huffed in frustration. "Do you know that if I go to the authorities, you''ll be in big trouble for hiring a minor?"


    "You —"


    "I''m just asking you to be fair, boss!" Ro cut him off mid-sentence, lowering his hands that were on the side. "Please. You can deduct it from my sry little by little, but I can''t survive without getting paid."


    The store owner assessed the youth, who lowered his head under his gaze. "Hah… youth these days think they can just get away saying whatever. Out of my way, boy! You''re not getting paid!"


    The store owner took advantage of the fact that Ro''s guards were down, pushing him to the side. Ro lost his bnced, swimming into the tub of grills he was cleaning before this exchange.


    "That''s it!" Maynard didn''t waste a second as he stormed inside, keeping his fist firmly on the side. "Oy, fatty!"


    His voice echoed like thunder, getting the store owner''s attention. The moment the store owner turned his head, all he saw was Maynard''s fisting at his face. Maynard had trained in martial arts all his life, just like Conrad; a requirement these young heirs had to learn to protect themselves.


    Hence, the second Maynard''s fistnded on the store owner, thetter stumbled back andnded on his big buttock. Shocked by what happened, the store owner slowly raised his nk eyes, only for Maynard to grab his cor.


    "This motherfucker — I will fucking kill you, you fucking pig." Maynard raised his fist again, blinded by anger upon seeing how this guy exploit his employee and even harm Ro.


    Realizing what was happening, Ro froze as he shifted his shaking eyes at Maynard. Surprise instantly came into his head, seeing his friends in this ce.


    "Maynard —" Ro didn''t dwell in his shock and called Maynard to stop him. But s, Conrad suddenly stood in front of him. Ro slowly raised his head, locking eyes with Conrad''s pair of cold eyes.


    "Let him be," said Conrad emotionlessly, ncing over his shoulder. "People like that pig needs a beating."


    "Ugh!"


    Ro''s breath hitched when he heard the store owner''s grunt as another punchnded on his face. He kept his nk eyes at Conrad, and thetter didn''t show the slightest worry or remorse. Conrad didn''t even show the slightest trace of wanting to stop Maynard from beating up Ro''s boss.


    These two…


    It was not like Ro didn''t know how merciless Maynard and Conrad could be. Although Conrad was usually sensitive and rational, there were times he was scary, as if he was capable of doing something so vicious. Maynard as well, especially when Maynard was angry.


    These were his friends. They were cool most of the time, but at the same time, they were the people one couldn''t mess with.


    "What are you looking at?" Conrad offered his hand as Ro''s bottom was still dipped inside the tub. "Get up there."


    Ro snapped his eyes. "Uh," reaching out to Conrad''s hand, thetter pulled him up.


    Water dripped from the hem of Ro''s shirt and his pants. His height was almost the same as Conrad, maybe an inch higher. They looked at each other and then faced Maynard, sitting on top of the store owner whilst holding thetter''s cor to keep him still.


    "How much does your life cost, huh, you motherfucker?" Maynard spat out before another punchnded on the store owner''s face. "I will kill you —"


    "Maynard." Maynard stopped throwing another punch when Conrad called. "That''s enough. You''ll kill him if you keep doing that."


    "This fucker deserves it."


    "But he''s not worth the trouble," argued Conrad calmly, keeping his eyes on Maynard''s side profile. "Let it go and let''s go. Ro is drenched. He might need a change."


    "Who cares about changing clothes now?" Maynard let go of the store owner, looking back at Conrad in dismay. His lips parted to continue hisints, only to arch his brow when he sensed Ro''s gaze. "Fine."


    With that being said, Maynard pushed himself up from the store owner and walked away without looking back at the two. Conrad took a step and then paused, looking back at Ro.


    "You,e," said Conrad in a dull tone before he continued in his strides.


    "Me?" Ro pointed at himself, scrunching his nose up. His eyes fell on his boss and sighed deeply. He shook his head mildly, but still followed the two while scratching his head in irritation. "Can you two stop ordering me around?"


    Roined but the two didn''t stop.


    "Hey!" he clicked his tongue, tossing the apron just anywhere before jogging to follow the two. "I am a friend, not ackey! Wait for me — oy! Tch. These two just do whatever the hell they want as if they own the world. Hey, wait for me! You can''t just walk away like that after beating up someone!"