We all told Wolf what kind of jobs we thought we’d be good at, and he took us around to the places that seemed like a good match. I went to the town’s medical clinic. Bepo went to a factory where his strength would be useful. Penguin became a waiter at a restaurant. Sachi became an assistant at a beauty salon.
Wolf accompanied us to each destination and explained that we had good intentions, would work hard at our jobs, and could be trusted. Thanks to his endorsement, each one of us was hired on the spot. It was so easy, I almost started to get suspicious again.
“I’ve always wanted to work at a salon! Once I’ve learned all their tricks and tips, I’ll give you guys haircuts!” raved Shachi.
“You’ve always been good with your hands, Shachi. I bet you’ll be a great stylist. As for me, I’ve always wanted to try serving food, but I am nervous about dealing with customers. I hope the cooks aren’t mean,” worried Penguin.
“So I’ll be working at a factory… Do you think they’ll let me operate drills and diggers and stuff? I always thought those machines were really cool,” Bepo mused.
The three of them were so excited that it seemed their fear from that morning had entirely evaporated. Funny how that works. Then again, the truth was, I was really excited too. Of course, the clinic would start me off doing basic tasks, but I was just happy to be working for a place that practiced medicine.
I could still remember the satisfied looks on my parents’ faces when they cured a patient of what ailed them. A lot of time had passed since I’d seen that, but the thought of working as a doctor, just as they did, filled me with an intense warmth at the center of my being.
“Still, I’m scared I might screw up and get in trouble,” Bepo murmured.
“Don’t worry, Bepo. If you come to the clinic all beaten-up and bloodied, I’ll fix you up,” I reassured him.
“So you’re expecting I am going to get maimed and mauled at my new job?! Aye aye!”
Ha ha…this is fun.
It had never even occurred to me that I’d be laughing and having fun about the idea of getting a job with other adults. Though I hated to admit it, it was probably Wolf’s good deed that had changed my assumptions. Just then, I realized that Wolf, who had been so friendly and happy in front of us moments ago, now had a bitter scowl on his face.
“We’ve got one last stop. C’mon, brats,” he grunted and marched in the opposite direction of home.
“What do you mean, Wolf? You bought your springs and coils and stuff for your inventions. Shouldn’t we be going home now?” asked Penguin.
“And we already got our household supplies and foodstuffs, too,” added Shachi.
But Wolf didn’t respond; he walked on with great purpose. All we could do was trust in him and follow along.
“Hey, aren’t we heading toward…?” I thought out loud.
“Yeah!” whispered Penguin and Shachi behind me. They were clearly uneasy about the situation.
Eventually Wolf came to a stop in front of an extravagant mansion.
Does he have friends in there?
“Why are we here?” the boys said with alarm. I turned toward them and realized that Penguin was absolutely ashen.
“What? I hoped I’d never see this place again…” said Shachi, his voice trembling.
Oh, I get it now. It all made sense; this was the house where Shachi and Penguin had lived with Shachi’s uncle and aunt.
“What are you up to, Wolf? Why did you bring us here?!” Shachi yelled, on the verge of tears.
“Shachi, Penguin, I know you didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, but it’s still a fact that you were a party to wicked deeds. If nothing is done about this, the townsfolk are going to figure it out sooner or later, and they could lose their trust in you. That means it’s time to atone for your past.”
“B-but! I don’t think I can face my aunt and uncle… My legs keep trembling!” Shachi clenched his jaw to hold the tears back.
But Wolf put a protective arm around Penguin’s and Shachi’s shoulders and said, “It’ll be fine. Just stand back and watch—this part is my job. It’s a grown-up’s responsibility. Trust me.”
He opened the mansion’s front gate and walked toward the front door. Before he could get there, a maid opened it.
“Y-yes? Who are you?”
“My name is Wolf, the genius inventor,” the old man said. “I’m sorry to drop by unannounced, but I’d like to talk to the owners of this house.”
“I see,” she responded nervously. “But if you don’t have an appointment, I’m afraid I can’t—”
“Then tell them I’ve brought Shachi and Penguin!” Wolf exclaimed.
“V-very well, sir.” The maid retreated into the house. A few minutes later, a man wearing a gold lamé suit and an abundance of glittering jewelry appeared.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Penguin and Shachi!” the man said. “Did you really bring them back for us, old man?”
I’d never heard this man speak before, but it was a voice I knew very well—the voice that grown-ups use when they want to mock and belittle someone. I instantly knew that this was the guy who’d treated Penguin and Shachi like his own personal servants.
“Just to confirm, am I correct in assuming that you are Shachi’s uncle?” Wolf asked.
“Yes, I am. I’m Shachi and Penguin’s guardian. The boys just ran off without a word, and it caused me a lot of trouble. Thanks for hauling them back here for me,” the man in the golden suit said, stepping toward the two boys.
But Wolf quickly sidestepped, standing in front of Shachi and Penguin.
“Hmm? What is the problem?” the man asked. “I haven’t seen my nephew in weeks. I’m sure they’ve been in a terrible condition since they ran away, so let me bring them inside where they can feel at ease.”
“I’m not letting you have these kids,” Wolf stated bluntly.
“What? Are you nuts, old man? Have you gone daft already? Oh…of course, now I see! You didn’t bring these kids back here for nothing. How much do you want for them—five hundred thousand berries? A million? They’re valuable tools for me—of course you deserve a reward!”
“Tools?” Wolf’s eyebrows rose dangerously. If looks could kill, this one would do it; I had never seen Wolf like this before. “Unfortunately for you, I did not come all this way to bring them back to you,” he said.