The old man sat across from Satoshi, arms crossed, jaw tight. Satoshi lounged back in his chair, one leg propped up on the table, both hands buried in his pockets.
"Hey, old man. You want to be compensated or what?" His tone carried the smugness of someone who didn't know, or didn't care, whatever his manners were.
Beside him, Riot stood stiffly, expression flat but eyes twitching. 'That tone doesn't even sound like you want to.'
The old man scowled, tapping one thick finger on the table.
"Why are you even asking when it's obvious?"
Riot's gaze drifted to the cracked walls and half-collapsed counter.
'True… this place is half-broken thanks to this jackass of a brother.'
Satoshi tilted his head lazily, clicking his tongue once. "Well, that's your fault for serving awful food to a paying customer."
"Sooo, how much do you want for compensation? Actually, tell you what,"
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, flashing a grin. "I could fix and renovate this place better, free of charge!"
Riot's jaw dropped, completely stun. 'Is that… a new form of blackmail?!'
The old man's eyebrow twitched. He crossed his arms tighter and bluntly respond.
"I refuse. That's more unbelievable than you turning into an archangel!"
Satoshi clicked his tongue. "Tch. Stubborn old man." His face twisted in mild irritation, like someone annoyed the standing line was taking too long.
He pushed back his chair with a screech, standing up with the posture of someone who'd rather be somewhere else.
Riot pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Of course he won't accepted, idiot…'
Satoshi turned his back, brushing the imaginary dust off his coat as he headed toward the exit. "Fine. I can't force an elderly but…"
Riot blinked. 'Huh?'
Satoshi paused near the exit, not looking back. "Of course," he said lightly, "how will an old husband support his wife when the restaurant's half destroyed?"
The old man flinched.
His fingers twitched against his sleeve, trying to compose himself but failing to hide the crack in his tough act.
Then Satoshi.
Reached for the handle..
Pulled open the door...
dramatically slow....
And as he's readying to leave.....
"Wait."
That single word cracked through the air.
"Mmm~?" He turned slowly, the corners of his mouth curving into a grin just a bit too wide to be kind nor evil.
The old man stiffened at the sight.
Clenching his jaw but managed to stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the floor.
"I'll accept your proposal, BUT!" He jabbed a finger toward Satoshi.
"I still don't trust how you'll be able to renovate it properly." His voice faltered at the end, pride struggling against reality.
Hiding the desperation of an husband, who now has to ask the very person that cause all of this for help.
Meanwhile Riot stood there in silence, his brain short-circuiting in absolute confusion. 'Is this blackmail… or generosity??'
"Hm… in that case… hm..." Saruto's grin faded into something unreadable, more thoughtful.
He tilted his head, squinting as if he were staring into a galaxy of imaginary math problems. "Hmm...."
He crossed his arms, began pacing in slow, deliberate steps. "HMMM...!" One hand rubbed his chin; the other tapped his elbow like a philosopher pretending to find world peace.
His eyes narrowed, brows knitting together, and he let out a dramatic hum every few seconds. "Mmm-hmm..." Literally.
Riot stared blankly beside him. 'Is he… thinking or having a stroke?'
Saruto stopped mid-step, "OH!" Raised one finger in the air like he'd just solved everything.
His face brightened.
"I won't compensate you then!" He declared.
Voice cheerful and confident, as if someone announcing they'd found the cure to boredom.
The old man froze. His hands dropped onto the table, shoulders jerking back.
"What?! Didn't you just say you'd repay me for the damage to my restaurant?!" His voice jumped up a notch, anger leaking into panic.
Riot blinked hard. 'Wait, WHAT?! I thought he was coming up with a renovation plan! Not this!'
Saruto only shook his head. "Ohh nooo... Yup, I did say that."
The smile vanished instantly, replaced by a dead serious stare.
Lowering his arm, he begin walking back toward the old man. Each step made the floor creak under his boots.
When he reached the table, He stopped close enough that the old man could smell his cologne despite standing oppositely from each other.
Thud!!
He slammed his palm down hard enough to rattle the plates. Making the old man flinched once again, spine stiff as a board.
Riot took a cautious half-step back, hand hovering near his sword just in case this became another disaster.
He spoke slowly.
Each sentence gonna had the weight of it own rule set...
"First," He said, eyes hard, "you tried to harm a noble who came here out of goodwill." He tapped the table for emphasis.
"Second," He continued, voice low, "You've been rude to an noble through the entire conversation." Letting the words sank in.
"Third," He said, counting on his fingers as he listed, "you already rejected the offer. clearly, and without hesitation."
He paused, eyes narrowing further. The old man swallowed hard. Raising a fourth finger and leaned down so close the old man had to crane his neck.
"And fourth," Saruto finished, "you doubted the person who is offering kindness?"
The air seemed to tighten.
The old man instinctively stepped back, bumping into his chair. His fingers gripped its edge like a man clinging to pride, sweating profusely.
Riot looked from one to the other, completely lost.
'What is even happening…? He's dead serious. That isn't the elder brother I know...' His grip on his sword loosened for a second.
'But still, isn't he guilt-tripping this poor elderly into gratitude? Is this the reverse psychology technique I heard of?!'
He blinked, trying to read the angle.
He did not know there was someone else inside the bastard body. He only knew the behavior didn't match the old record. That small change made him very uneasy.
Then suddenly, the old man's voice cracked.
In a stuttering tone, the old man finally spoke. "I–I... I deeply apologize for my behavior, Young Master. But please..."
"Help my family. I can't burden my son, he's trying to achieve his dream at the magic academy…" His words stumbled over themselves, his throat tightening.
The man, broad and solid like a boulder, bowed his head with both hands pressed to the table. The gesture was awkward but genuine. Years of pride in his arms seemed to collapse under the weight of desperation.
Saruto stare, the shift catching him off guard.
The old man's frame looked smaller somehow, shoulders trembling as he stayed bowed. Before Saruto could say anything, a soft voice drifted from the kitchen.
"Honey? What's all this commotion?"
Everyone turned.
From behind the open kitchen, a frail old woman shuffled out from the back of the kitchen door, her steps unbalanced. Her tone was gentle, the kind that belonged in quiet mornings, not these tense rooms.
"Dear" The old man's eyes went wide. He rushed over, worry overtaking everything else.
"I told you to rest! Your leg hasn't healed yet!" He caught her by the arm before she could stumble, holding her steady with both hands.
Saruto's eyes tracked the movement, his tone flattening in thought. 'Wait a minute? her left knee's bruised… the wrapping's also bad, guess that mean they can't afford a proper healer.'
'Looks like it's from that last incident the original owner of this body caused. Damn crowbar guy, can't believe I had to clean your stupid mess.'
He watched in silence.
The sight told him everything. '...But, now I understand why he bowed.'
The bruises across her left knee, the uneven bandage wrapped with care but no skill. Proof of a home treating wounds without help.
He stepped closer, boots scraping lightly on the wooden floor.
"What a pathetic sight you've shown,"
He said, voice calm, almost bored. Then he added, "Fine. I'll compensate you, under one condition."
"You'll cooperate with whatever I say during the renovation." The tone was harsh, clipped like a noble giving orders, yet there was no venom in it.
Riot watched from the side, arms half-crossed, half-hanging. 'He's insulting them while helping them. Is that… kindness? Or just his version of it? Wait, what am I thinking?? He's not type to offer kindness!'
*
To be continue...
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Synchronization: 00███