---
The next morning, Eli dragged himself out of bed, his body protesting with every move. He splashed water on his face and went through his usual routine: a quick shower that didn't quite wake him up, the same instant coffee that tasted like burnt pennies, and a pathetic stab at eating some toast. His shoulders still ached from stocking shelves the day before.He signed In.
He found Jin chilling on the couch, already digging into a bowl of cereal. Jin glanced up as Eli grabbed his jacket.
"Work?" Jin asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yep," Eli replied.
They walked down the street together. Briggon was just starting to stir. It always felt calmer in the morning before the mad rush began. The empty streets gave you room to think.
As they approached The Corner Pocket, Eli slowed his pace. Something was different.
The store was glowing. Light poured through the front windows—no flickering. For once, the place didn't look like it was about to fall apart. The Corner Pocket actually looked inviting, like it was ready for business.
Mr. Duan was inside, beaming.
"Well? What do you think? Not bad for a night's worth of work, huh?"
New lighting panels hung above, casting a bright, even glow down every aisle. It wasn't fancy, but it was consistent. Eli looked up at one of them, letting the light warm his face.
"Feels like the store can finally breathe," he said.
"Still haven't touched the plumbing or wiring," Mr. Duan added. "But at least people won't think we're selling stuff from a horror movie anymore."
A few regular customers came in, pausing to admire the new lights. Even the shelves—still a little jumbled and not fully stocked—looked better in the brighter light.
Jin wandered toward the back room to check on his secret project. His boxes were still stacked neatly, the cartoon characters untouched. He'd added another one overnight: a soy sauce bottle giving a thumbs-up.
Eli leaned against the doorway, watching him.
"You know, you could've signed one of your works. The pepper dude would vouch for you."
Jin scoffed. "Anonymous storage is kind of cool, though."
---
### **Evening – The Hospital**
Later that evening, Eli and Jin took a bus to the other side of the city. The mood was quiet, the sky fading into shades of purple and blue.
"Where are we going?" Jin asked after a while.
"I want you to meet someone," Eli said.
They got off at the hospital and walked through the halls. The place was sterile and quiet, with soft lighting and signs on every wall. Room 207 was near the end of the corridor.
Eli quietly opened the door, revealing a room dimmer than the rest of the hospital. Machines beeped steadily beside the bed. His mom lay still under crisp white linen, peaceful but unmoving.
"She's in a coma," Eli said quietly. "She has been for a while now."
Jin paused, then followed Eli into the room. The air was heavy, filled with unspoken emotion.
Eli pulled a chair up to the bedside and took his mom's hand, like always. He gave it a light squeeze.
"Hey, Ma. Still not waking up? Typical."
He looked back at Jin.
"Come here."
Jin hesitated, then walked over, standing awkwardly near the foot of the bed.
"This is Jin," Eli said, glancing at his mother's face. "He's staying with me. Helping me out at the store. He's... figuring things out."
Jin swallowed, unsure of what to say.
"Hi," he said awkwardly. "I... um. You raised a great person."
Eli blinked but didn't say anything. He just smiled faintly.
They stood in silence, the only sounds the steady beeping of the machines and the soft hum of the overhead lights.
After a few minutes, Jin stepped closer and gently adjusted the blanket near her shoulder.
"It's strange," he said. "Even though you're not awake... it feels like she knows."
"She always knew more than she let on," Eli said. "Even when she was mad at me."
Jin sat down on the edge of the second chair.
"Do you think she'll wake up?"
Eli didn't answer right away. He just kept holding her hand.
"I don't know," he said finally. "But I'm not giving up."
Jin nodded slowly.
They didn't speak on the trip home.
---
That evening Eli sat up on the bed and decided to check the amount of money he had in his account which added up to 24,000 Yuan Eli then got up and decided to start his delivery round. So he wore his uniform, opened the app and not to long later an order came in.
------
Eli parked his scooter in front of a tall, overpriced apartment complex called **The Heights**, the kind of place where the elevators played jazz and the mailboxes had gold trim.
He checked the receipt:
**Order: One chicken burger, no tomatoes, extra pickles, triple-wrapped, lightly toasted bun, sauce on the side (separately bagged), and fries. No salt.**
Room 1804.
He sighed. "The Pickle Princess returns."
Eli took the elevator, which chimed like a harp every floor, and knocked on 1804. The door creaked open an inch, and a single suspicious eye peeked out.
"Did you triple wrap it?" the voice asked.
Eli held up the bag like it was a sacred offering. "Three layers, like an onion of sanitation."
The door opened slightly more. A woman in a silk robe and face mask stared him down. "And the fries?"
"Unsalted. Guarded them like state secrets."
"And the sauce?"
Eli pulled a **separate mini paper bag** from his pocket with a dramatic flourish. "Sauce. Uncontaminated. Like it's never even met the burger."
She took the bag with surgical precision, as if she were defusing a bomb. Then she paused.
"…This feels light."
Eli blinked. "You ordered a *chicken burger* and *fries.* Not a Thanksgiving turkey."
She stared at him. "Last time, it was heavier."
Eli leaned forward slightly. "Maybe gravity was working overtime that day."
She narrowed her eyes, then gave the tiniest nod of approval and closed the door without a word.
Eli turned, walked a few steps, then muttered, "Next time I'm bringing a brick just to throw her off."
The elevator was slow on the way down. Jazz again. He hummed along, deadpan.
When he got back to his scooter, a notification pinged on his phone.
> **New Order: chicken. With sauce. VERY extra."**
>
> Customer notes: *"Last guy didn't bring enough napkins. I remember."*
Eli sighed, looked up at the sky, and said, "Is this my villain origin story?"
---