Page 46 of Primal Bonds 1
Shiro nodded. “Okay.”
Lan nudged at Shiro by the elbow, and Adam wondered what they were up to. Shiro, looking a little nervous, said, “Adam, umm…” He licked his lip and then continued. “First, I just wanted to say thank you for helping me and stuff.”
Here it comes,Adam thought. He leaned back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest.
Shiro said, “Since I’m kind of healed now, I thought it would be better that I leave. It must be a burden for you to have me around.”
“It’s not,” Adam said.
Shiro stared at him, his eyes large. “It’s… not?”
“Having you around is not a burden, Shiro,” Adam said. “But go on. You want to tell me something, don’t you?”
Shiro glanced at Lan for a brief second and when Lan gave him an encouraging nod, the boy continued. “I don’t want to burden you so I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning.”
Adam picked up his wineglass and gave the liquid inside a swirl. He said, “And then what would you do?”
Licking his lip, Shiro said, “I’ll look for a part-time job. Nighttime preferably, and during the day, I’ll look for my brothers.”
Adam suspected by brothers he meant Aka and Kuro. He said, “What line of work are you looking for?”
Shiro turned to Lan then and said, “Lan will introduce me to his boss.”
Adam flicked his eyes to Lan and said, “What line of work do you do, Lan?”
Lan widened his eyes, and the boy was quick to figure out Adam was not happy where this was going. He chuckled nervously and then said, “But, Shiro, my work is very dangerous, and I have to work both day and night. I swear it’s not for you.”
Shiro widened his eyes. “Huh? But you said you’d take me to see your boss.”
“Well.” The boy shrugged his shoulders. “You didn’t tell me you’d only work nights.”
Shiro’s shoulders slumped then. “But I can’t work both days and nights. I need time to find Kuro and Aka.”
Lan wrapped his arms around Shiro and said, “I’m sorry, Shiro, but I’m sure we’ll find you a nighttime job.”
Adam said, “You do realize to have a proper job, you need a permanent home address?”
Shiro looked a bit shocked at that realization. “Oh, yeah.” The boy sounded dejected. He turned to Lan and asked, “What about you, Lan?”
Lan knew where this was going and said hastily, “Oh, where I work, that’s where I live. I mean, it’s a live-in job, being a bodyguard.”
Flabbergasted, Shiro asked, “You’re a bodyguard?”
Lan looked damn proud of his vocation. “Yep. I’m my boss’ personal bodyguard. I saved his life once already.”
Shiro looked even more dejected. “No wonder you said your job is dangerous. I’m not at all athletic and fit like you, so there’s no way I can be a bodyguard.”
“It’s okay, Shiro,” Lan said. “I’m sure Adam probably knows a few people who he can refer you to, right?” Lan winked at the man, which made Adam chuckle.
Adam said, “If you’re that keen on getting yourself a job, Chase would probably have a position for you. You okay being a jack-of-all-trades? Cleaning and doing odd jobs at his clinic?”
Shiro nodded his head furiously. “I’m okay with anything as long as it’s a night shift.”
Adam chuckled. “As for home address, you can put this one down when you sign the work contract. You can stay here as a boarder. I won’t charge you, but if you’re adamant in paying me, then a few hundred bucks a month is fine.”
Shiro looked like he was about to burst out crying, and Lan patted the friend on the arm. “Isn’t that great,Shiro? Isn’t Adam awesome? Now you don’t have to worry.”
Wiping tears from his eyes before they could roll down his cheeks, Shiro said, his voice all emotional, “Thanks, Adam.”