Encounters: Stained Regalia

Chapter X: Warm Gloves

This last few days the boy doing nothing new, some same routine. Reading a book, studying, playing some game, and doing some work with his "hobby" but his weekends gloomy.

Not because his heart, but the weather juts darker than usual, rain keep pouring from 6:00 AM in the morning, sometimes its stop but it will go mad in no time. The broken soul feel pity for people who had a plan to spend their holiday, perhaps they need to kiss it goodbye.

The boy himself never fancy to go out so much, usually he go out if he really need too, he won't go out without real or good reason to do so. Why you ask? It's because the broken soul simply doesn't find anything that interest him to go spend his times, of course sometimes he go out and spend his solitude life, but mostly he do that for his own sake.

There is one times in the past, he go out and take some dinner in some new restaurant, he really enjoying his times, that is a good times, while people comes with their loved one, Joshua comes bring his lonely heart.

How sad? No, not really in fact, he is really enjoy it so much that it becomes habits now, of course he is not do that kind of activity too often. Whenever he go out and seat, it always a good day, that is full of sunshine or perhaps the moon shine brightly that night, either way it must be a good day for him. Its rare event of course, knowing the boy rarely feel thankful for himself, but when he do it, it he will enjoy it to his heart content.

He grew up alone most of the times, his parent will not always home. He involuntary learns how to cook, that is why at first he never thought to eating outside since he can cook for himself.

That times, the moon shine brightly and it's one of rare days too. It was the day when he got his first birthday without anybody beside him. He planning to just have a walk around the down town, that night surprisingly not lot of people but not as quite as in the midnight. The boy walking alone with his coat warping his whole fragile body, people laughing and smiling everywhere, no matter where he goes, he can see the enjoyment aura from all people on the street. Peoples to self-centered that do not realized there is a lonely and broken soul walking alone on the street just among them.

The boy can see a mist comes from his mouth, his breath quickly fabricate into another form of element, it was indeed a cold day, and even his coat can't protect him from the coldness of that day.

The boy stop and looking up to the sky, and amazed how the moon shine brightly that day. It was snowing after all and he can see the moon and how the sky seems clearer that day, he feel thankful to the natured and god for this gift. He continue walking and he doesn't know how long and far he has been walking, all he know that he just want to keep walking.

Until suddenly a sweet scent coughs his nose and it somehow send a message to his belly, the thing is growling so hard that makes his faces blushing. He tried to looking around him scared that people might hear his abdomen protest, luckily people too happy for themselves to even care.

He check into his coat just to find his wallet inside the pocket, he doesn't have big amount of money for cash but he got his parent credit card with him, hopefully this cake shop won't make him using the credit card.

As soon as he step into the shop, he can smell the fragrance getting thicker and the temperature getting warmer, now, it is not because the warmer working properly but mostly because the atmosphere of this place bring that warm feeling itself. Joshua looking around the shop, people occupy almost every table, but it seem that night it was fate for him. There is one spot left, one spot beside the glass window.

The boy was walking slowly, he looking around and see people around him enjoying their times, some kids laughing while accepting gift from their family, some couples holding hand and smile toward each other's, some even gives a ring to their loved one.

The boy sit down on the cold surfaces of the empty chair, it is like the fate brought the chair and the boy together because it seems the cold comes from the emptiness of any soul, as is like the chair trying to welcome this broken soul to mourn his fate.

"Welcome little boy! Is there anything that I can help you? Where is your parent?" just need a second and the waitress comes and greeting the lonely soul.

The boy shakes his head and smile politely "I'm alone, and may I see the menu?"

The waitress passes him the menu and gives a curious looks on her face "aren't you too young to wandering alone?"

The boy look up to the waitress and give another smile "I'm old enough and I'm not wandering to far, I lived nearby. But thank you for your concern" Joshua shows his cheeky smile but one thing for sure, he is lying.

The waitress proceed write all the boy order on the list and gives a little pat on the head as the sign or adored, she leave before saying how independent Joshua in such young age. The truth is, Joshua already far from home, and he is young by the looks.

The boy left alone, he sitting there while staring outside the window, that visible surfaces even though it's blurred, he can still see the light and people passing the shop. The snow still falling, but the boy no longer in cold, this room giving him a comfort, well even his frozen heart can feel tingle flame from the outside. The wide screen showing some show and people laughing everywhere, smile coloring the street tonight it's so colorful it's the color of happiness.

And suddenly a sweet smell hit his nose hard, his eyes landing to the tables only to see his menu to be served.

"Enjoy it little boy! I give you extra chocolate bar for your cutie faces!" the waitress pat his head and give him a wink, put her index finger between her glowing lips "it's our secret okay".

Joshua only nod and muttering soft thanks before the woman go. And Joshua looking to his cakes it's just what he served the cinnamon roll with hot chocolate and chocolate bar from the kind waitress.

He turns his head again to the window, looking to the white crystal that falling from the sky, and he got some though.

Why me?

How this all happen?

What it's his sin?

He turns his head to the tables again, and smiles grew on the boy faces, he dig in into his heart content enjoying the food and the atmosphere. Its sweet really sweet he loved it, his teeth vibrating as the fork stab the cake, put into his mouth it was delightful.

It's sweet

There is milk

There is cream cinnamon

There is a chocolate covering the cake

After he is done with his cakes he takes the hot chocolate and sip it right away only to burn his tongue since it's hot... but he blow the wind the surfaces make sure the hot chocolate warm enough for his tongue to not screaming in the pain. He is content with the offering, he is satisfied only on that day he understand that being in the deepest solitude not a bad thing actually. He grabs the cup and smile while childish laugh slip forms his lips, what a melody.

His innocence slips through the cold surfaces, making his faces warmer than usual. Yes, it was a happy day.

On that day something inside him withering and died, just like a lovely flower who not yet showing its color and beauty but died because its late to bloom because winter season already coming. But certainly something inside him, another being, another him waking up and on that day he makes a vow.

"If something good happen, we shall walk down the street and treat our self, deal?"

"Deal!"

It's promised then...

That day he goes out without any gloves or mitten covering his hand, but somehow that is not needed.

He doesn't need other people in his lives; just like his bare hand don't need any warmer.

He can tuck his hand inside his pocket anyway.