Lenny, with a dark shadow covering his eyes, proceeded to remove his yellowed-out white vest. He noticed the brown-skinned girl chuckle slightly and mutter with exaggerated finesse to the spider-tattooed brat.
"Haha, he's like sooo skinny… like I'm looking at a skeleton. Hahaha…"
"Yeah, like a twig. It's like he hasn't had a proper meal in ages," the edgy brat joked and laughed.
"Pff…"
A little chuckle was heard. Surprisingly, it was Lenny's.
"Pff," he chuckled again, then burst into laughter with them.
"Hahahaha … AHAHAHAHA …"
It was all so funny. He had never imagined he would ever be in such a situation. He worked hard and studied. He did everything he was told about ensuring a successful future in an advanced society, however, he was immensely played. He was brazenly lied to.
As he laughed widely at their mockery of him, he slammed the vest on the counter. His body was exposed, revealing the bruise marks and red spots from Boss Falcone's onslaught, along with those from his goons.
What amount of brutality got this regular convenience store cashier like this? And had he possibly run mad? Such thoughts ran through the minds of the young customers at Lenny's display.
The brown-skinned girl and spider-tattooed brat were obviously scared, same for the girl at Johan's side. They wondered if they chanced upon one of those poor, mentally ill, and deprived people of the underclass, fueled by desperation and hopelessness to commit various criminal and inhumane acts. If so, they had best be leaving before things went south.
However, Johan was different. His smirk gradually widened to an abnormal degree.
"You're fun!"
He slapped two more hundred-dollar bills on the counter again!
Lenny's laugh died down at that moment. He knitted his eyebrows and clicked his tongue as he saw the sum on the counter had increased to a staggering $1,600. The regret he felt deep in his heart was palpable.
'…Tsk. Dammit. I should've worn more clothes…'
Without needing a jeer, he clutched the hem of his briefs.
"Wait," Johan intervened, pausing the proceedings.
He slapped another $200 on the counter and spoke succinctly:
"Don't worry about that one. Let's substitute it for something else. Besides, I don't think I want to see your junk."
Chillingly, Johan ordered, "Get down and kiss my foot."
"Sure, why not?" Lenny cheerfully concurred and left his position behind the counter, still limping.
In silence, he knelt before the handsome brat in only briefs, and without complaint, he pressed his lips on the tip of the latter's leather boot.
Johan squatted down to meet Lenny's gaze, a triumphant smile playing on his lips.
He placed a hand on Lenny's head and ruffled it, with furrowed eyebrows and a mocking grin, he voiced:
"It always puts a smile on my face to see someone that knows their place and embraces it. It is as the world should be, Lennard."
Lenny just held an awkward smile.
Despite his outward acquiescence, beneath the awkward smile, he harbored a deep resentment, anger, and a burning hatred for this world — this world where he was subject to the inevitable fate of life-long suffering, destined to lead a life of no meaning, and perish as though he never existed.
He had to do what he could to escape this fate, no matter how degrading or humiliating. There was no excuse for failure.
He had fully accepted his desperation, and desperate times … surely called for desperate measures.
'…Dignity? Pride? Integrity? Never heard of them.'
A deep shadow covered Lenny's eyes as he faced the floor, but raising his head to meet Johan's gaze, he sported a jovial smile as he let out in response,
"Woof!"
"Puhahahaha…" Johan burst into immense laughter but still maintained his gentlemanliness. He was so amused that he palmed his forehead.
However, he was the only one laughing. Noticing this, he immediately shot a deathly glare at the spider-tattooed brat and the brown girl in his arms.
"A…haha…haha…"
Awkwardly, they started laughing too.
During all this, Lenny couldn't help but notice that Johan's girl didn't share in the laughter. Instead, she looked on with discomfort, her gaze completely elsewhere.
His eyes met hers as she briefly glanced down.
She wore an expression of shock before noticing Johan was glaring at her from the corner of his eyes.
Suddenly, her face contorted to express a rising irritation as she said frightenedly to Lenny, her eyes darting around unfocused, "S-Stop staring at me, please. You disgust me."
The store fell into an uncomfortable complete silence after Johan's girl made her cutting comment, but it was quickly broken by the group's renewed laughter. This time, they were all genuine.
Still kneeling, Lenny held his awkward smile.
'…You can all laugh for now. It's alright. I'll make sure to laugh even louder when it's my turn…'
Johan's gaze shifted back to Lenny's half-naked body riddled with purple spots and bruise marks.
Clip!
Lenny was jolted from his thoughts as he heard the sound of a camera shutter. Johan had slyly taken a picture of him!
Fear and panic surged within him as he screamed, "W-What are you doing?!"
Pa!
Johan's open palm landed harshly on Lenny's face, causing him to fall to the ground.
The handsome brat spoke with deep annoyance, "I'm tired of your whining. Can't you just let us have fun?"
Lenny held his tongue as he lay half-naked on the dusty and cold floor of the convenience store. The familiar feeling of powerlessness washed over him once more.
Johan got up and walked over to the counter, snatched the pack of beer and cigarettes, then headed for the door with his friends.
"The money's on the counter. I wanted to take it back, but you're such a loyal dog. Heh, and every good dog deserves a treat. Also, don't ogle another man's girl so brazenly. Next time, I won't be so lenient."
He sported a smirk as he walked away, an arm resting on the fair-skinned girl's shoulders.
"Have a good one, Lennard. You have some nasty bruises, that amount is enough to pay for treatment or eat some proper food. Not that I care though."
As Johan and his group left the store, Lenny tiredly sat up.
The entrance door creaked open again, announcing a new customer's arrival. It was the spider-tattooed brat.
He quickly walked past Lenny, grabbed all the cash on the counter, and stuffed some into his pocket.
Lenny just stared blankly at him. Noticing his gaze, the bratty bastard stammered nervously with a grin, "Y-You won't mind if I take these, right?"
Without waiting for Lenny's reply, he stuffed the remaining cash into his inner jacket pocket and hastily ran out the door.
Gring~
Almost immediately after the brat's exit, a simple message registered in Lenny's mind.
[Task completed.]