Chapter 4 FOUR

The door slammed open, and a young boy ran toward the thug. Ayu's face flushed with relief as he saw Ali arrived on time.

At the count of seconds, the duel began. Ali's punches slammed that man's body, but in response, his fists smashed Ali's jaw. Their bodies collided, sending them rolling on the floor. That scoundrel man pinned Ali's shoulders to the floor and strangled his neck with his larger torso.

Ayu and her mother screamed for help as they watched the incident. Unexpectedly, Ayu's gaze was drawn to an object on the ground. Ali would have lost consciousness if a powerful bang hadn't stopped the man's grip on his throat. Ayu managed to hit the man in the nape with an iron stick, and the thug collapsed.

The commotion inside Ayu's house drew her neighbors in. The man was then taken to the village hall. The village chief summoned the police officer to transport him to the police station.

Ayu's mother, trembling, thanked Ali and the neighbors for saving them from the stranger. Her mother pretended not to recognize that jerk. Nonetheless, the way Ayu looked at her mother, she was convinced that her mother knew that man. She chose to keep her mouth shut. The people had left her house in less than an hour. Ali, Ayu, and her mother were the only ones who remained.

Ali froze in place, feeling pain all over his body. He hid his scowl behind his stern expression. For him, the safety of Ayu and her mother was paramount. He could treat his wounds at home later.

"Are you all right?" Ayu's attention shifted to Ali's pitiful appearance; his face had turned black and blue, and blood clots had spread all over Ali's shirt collar. "You must have treatment for your injury or it will become infected."

"Don't be concerned. It is only a minor injury." His lips curved into a soothing smile. He said his goodbyes and returned home.

The watch on his wrist read 11 p.m. The road in front of Ali had become dark. The moon lurked in the night's shadow. Only the dim light from the lanterns along the path aided his strides toward his home.

With severe wounds on his legs, he staggered through the soil lane, winced. That strong man nearly broke his bone and took his life. God graciously saved him through Ayu and her neighbors, who intervened just in time.

He would not have discovered Ayu's hardship if it hadn't been for Anisa; Anisa's story about the market turmoil shocked him. His decision to see Ayu tonight was the best decision he ever made. Even though fighting that thug was beyond his expectations, he was able to save Ayu and her mother. But who exactly was that man? How did her mother meddle with him?

Ali was out of his mind when he came to a halt in front of a quiet building surrounded by a tall fence. He took a deep breath and slowly approached the loosened gate, which he opened. His mother, as a protective and caring parent, must have stayed up late and left the door unlocked, as Ali was still outside.

He trudged to the main door and inserted the duplicate key into the hole under the handle. The door creaked open, revealing the room. He slid inside the house after inspecting it. He was relieved, but only darkness greeted him. The light was turned on before his tiptoe brought him to his room. His mother welcomed him.

"Do you have any idea what time it is? What have you been up to?" He was certain that his face had turned pale beneath the hoodie. Hearing his mother's intimidating questions, his audacity to lift his chin faded even further. He tensed and quickly hid his injured hands behind his back.

"I just saw Anisa." He pressed his trembling lips together, as lying was not his forte. However, confronting his mother and telling her the truth was not the best option. He promised to reveal it the next day. He needed to rest as soon as possible because his unbearable pain was nearly knocking him out. That woman in a white long gown climbed back upstairs to her room without saying anything.

Ali shuffled into his room and shut the door. When he removed his jacket, the vanity mirror reflected his blemished face and arms. The touch on his face was even painful. His white shirt was dotted with red splotches. He dashed into the bathroom and washed his hands. If his mother found out, he'd be in big trouble. He forced himself to sleep after doing the laundry and taking a bath. The physical injury was so painful that he could only close his eyes when dawn arrived.

"How come you lied to me?" His mother's abrupt question pricked him even before his buttocks landed in the breakfast room seat the next morning. Her stare shrunk his body to nothing. His oversleeping exacerbated the situation. "Did you get into a fight with anyone last night?" He dropped his gaze to the table and accepted whatever his mother had in store for him. He made a mistake; he should have told her what had happened earlier.

"I apologize, Mom. Ayu and her mother were in danger. So, ...." His mother's fork and spoon thumped against the table. Her face flushed with rage. He faced her wrath in an instant.

"Don't you realize that girl only brings you bad luck?"

"I believe there is nothing wrong with assisting people who are in danger. As humans, we should assist one another." His father's sermon calmed Ali's heart and silenced her mother. It is beyond his comprehension that his father would support him. "Tell us about what happened last night. According to the news, the thug had been taken to the police station."

In a low rhythm, he told the story of the tragedy. His father concentrated on it, while his mother went about her business as usual. Her hands shoved the meal spoons into her mouth. When the story ended, she had finished her meal.

"I am proud of you, son, for making the correct choice. You made the correct decision. One of the good deeds is to assist the weak and those in need. I agree with you. However, you have made a mistake. Do you have any idea what it is?" Ali simply nodded. Ali knelt before her mother and begged her forgiveness for his deception.

"I apologize, Mom." He kissed her mother's hands on the back.

"Yes, dear, but with one condition. Please do not approach Ayu. That girl will only present you with difficulties." Ali jerked up his chin in surprise. He was unable to fulfill his mother's request. He couldn't ruin their long-established friendship.

"How could you possibly say that? How could you untangle their friendship? After all, she isn't a leech to avoid."

"We already know who her parents are." His mother remained steadfast.

"Just because she was born to an ex-prostitute and a prisoner does not mean she deserves to be mistreated."

"However, visiting the girl's house late at night cannot be justified." She was still confronting her husband's words. "Accepting the stranger man into their home proved that the mother and daughter are not decent people. Who knows whether the man is a debt collector or his mother's ex-boyfriend. With her previous reputation as a popular whore, she must have met and been in relationships with a plethora of men."

"Stop it! Don't pass judgment on people based on their past. How can you be certain that we are better than them?" Ali's mother's words were cut off by his father's harsh exclamation. Ali's heart was filled with guilt because he was the one who started their argument.

"Please forgive me, God." His father regretted his harsh demeanor toward his wife. He then apologized for being rude to the woman in the blue dress and wiped her tears.

"I sincerely apologize for starting this argument." After his parents had calmed down, Ali finally spoke up. He then gave them both a compassionate hug.

***

Ali had fastened his shoelaces and was ready for all of his classes today. He took a deep breath before walking toward his school. He chose to walk instead of ride his bike.

The fresh air in the morning refreshed his mind and improved his mood. He only noticed some students in the classroom because it was too early. He walked outside after putting his backpack on the desk and waited for Ayu by the gate to ensure her well-being.

There was no indication that the girl would arrive until the bell rang. Ali returned to his classroom with an uneasy feeling, knowing that his class would begin in five minutes.

"How poor Ayu is..." a girl behind Ali said to a friend. Ali attempted to listen in on their conversations. Their voices were too low for Ali to understand what they were saying.

"Why?"

"A thug assaulted her and her mother, I heard. As a result, my mother informed me that they had left the village earlier this morning."

"What exactly did you say?" Ali's curiosity prompted him to ask an abrupt question. They both gaped, their jaws open. "Could you please tell me where they went?"

Ali yanked his backpack and dashed out of the classroom after they revealed where Ayu and her mother headed to. He was only thinking about Ayu at this point.