"So… what kind of future awaits me?" His voice carried steady curiosity, echoing through the quiet room.
"An ordinary life. Marriage, a stable income, an office job."
The answer struck him like a sudden chill. So simple, so plain, an anticlimax against the wonder he had just witnessed.
"If that's it… my life sounds unbearably dull," he muttered, disappointment heavy in his voice.
"The future shifts with the choices you make in the present."
As though responding to his unease, the tome stirred again. Fresh ink emerged, weaving into new words.
Kaivan reread the line over and over, his thoughts unraveling. Doubt clawed at his certainty about life itself.
"Then… what is it that you truly seek?" appeared next, daring him to confront the question within his own heart.
He stared at the glowing words, intensity filling his eyes. The morning light poured over him, silent yet pressing. His fingers brushed the tome's wooden cover, rough and alive beneath his touch, as though the answer lingered just out of reach. His breaths came slow, burdened with thought.
"I just… I just want to help people now. I don't want to keep turning away, pretending not to care," he said at last. Each word carried a quiet resolve blooming deep inside him.
And then, almost to himself, he murmured, "If I hadn't helped that old woman back then… I might never have ended up with this tome at all."
He opened the tome, its pages strangely warm to the touch, as if pulsing with a hidden energy. Ancient text began to emerge before his eyes, flowing across the parchment like ink being written by an invisible hand.
"Go to the supermarket after school," the words declared. "Stop a student who intends to steal."
"A student... stealing?" he muttered under his breath. Confusion crossed his face, though curiosity burned within him. What did this have to do with him? Why was this act important?
Closing the book gently, he leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. Doubt flickered for a moment, but he quickly pushed it away. "If the book is giving me directions, there must be a reason," he whispered, convincing himself.
When Kaivan stepped through the supermarket's sliding glass doors, a chill from the air conditioning brushed across his face. The air smelled faintly of freshly baked bread mingled with the sharp scent of cleaning supplies. His eyes scanned the aisles, sharp and deliberate. Then he spotted him, a boy in a blue denim jacket shifting restlessly.
Radit stood by the shelves, his expression clouded. His gaze darted between the products and the passing customers. His hand trembled slightly as he reached for men's toiletries. In a rushed, nervous motion, he slipped the items into his jacket pocket.
Kaivan, not far away, observed from the corner of his eye. His heart raced, but he kept his face calm. This was the moment. Drawing in a long breath, he stepped forward, each movement deliberate yet steady.
"Hey," Kaivan called, his tone warm yet firm. He stopped a couple of meters away, careful not to corner the boy. "Do you need help?"
Radit flinched. His hand froze inside his pocket. Whipping around, he stared at Kaivan, his face pale. Shock and suspicion glimmered in his eyes. "What's it to you?" he snapped harshly, trying to mask his guilt.
Kaivan didn't move closer. His calm eyes met Radit's, his head tilted slightly in a disarming gesture. "I just want to help," he said softly, his voice flowing like a soothing breeze.
Radit scoffed, though his body betrayed his unease. He glanced around nervously, checking that no one was listening. "Mind your own business, shorty."
The jab made Kaivan flinch, but he took a single step forward, showing he wouldn't back down. "You know," he said, "if you get caught right now, your problems will get a lot worse. There are cameras everywhere, and security is always watching."
Radit's expression shifted instantly. He turned his head sharply, scanning the corners of the store for cameras. Cold sweat trickled down his temple. "I... I don't have a choice."
Kaivan exhaled slowly and moved closer, now just a meter away. Lowering his voice to a near whisper, he said, "Listen, I know what it feels like to be trapped. But this isn't the way. If you need something, we'll find another way."
Radit went silent, his gaze falling to the floor. His trembling hand slowly left his pocket. With guilt heavy on his face, he pulled out the items and stared at them for a moment before placing them back on the shelf.
Kaivan gave a small nod, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "That's better," he said gently. "Now, let's step outside. We can talk there."
Radit's eyes wavered, filled with inner conflict. But at last, he gave a small nod. Side by side, the two of them walked toward the exit, slipping past the unaware customers.
Outside, the streetlights glowed dimly, casting long shadows across the sidewalk. They stopped near a small park bench beside the supermarket, when suddenly two security guards approached. Their heavy footsteps cut through the quiet as their stern eyes fell on Radit.
"May we check your pockets?" one asked, his tone firm but not hostile. Radit swallowed hard, shooting a quick glance at Kaivan before nodding. Slowly, he opened his jacket, showing his empty pockets. The other guard gave Kaivan's bag a cursory inspection but found nothing suspicious.