Earlier that day, before Elir left for Azar's house…
She knocked on his door several times.
Elir opened it slightly to find that woman standing there, trying to get inside. He closed the door further.
She looked at him, annoyed. "What are you doing? Let me in!"
Elir said shortly, "My father's not here."
She stepped back, puzzled. "He's not here? But he promised… we had an agreement."
Her face crumpled as she tried to hold back tears upon realizing the situation. If she didn't get the three kirto he gave her…
She began, "I have no—"
Elir interrupted her by closing the door. Tears flowed from her eyes. Dinner for her children… in exchange for Elir's father's pleasure. She had accepted this unfair deal.
She was about to leave when the door opened again. Elir handed her a few kirto coins. But the look in his eyes—why did he look at her like that? Was he despising her?
She pushed his hand away angrily. "I don't want your pity!"
Elir replied coldly, "Would you rather sell your body than accept a bit of pity?"
Her eyes widened in shock before she lowered her head in shame. She always hated coming here because of Elir. How could a child—her son's best friend—made her feel like this?
Elir threw the coins on the ground and said before slamming the door in her face, "My father's not here. Don't come again unless he calls for you. Take these, and don't let Nier see you begging at people's homes, selling your body to feed them. Do whatever you want after he leaves!"
Nier's mother screamed, "Don't talk as if you know everything! You know nothing! You don't know what it's like when your children's stomachs ache from hunger—when they can't even speak from hunger! I'd do anything for them! So don't talk like you know everything! Don't look at me like that."
Elir said, "You're right. How can you live like this… Why not… just die?"
He closed the door. The last thing he saw was her wide eyes, tears streaming down them.
She walked aimlessly through the streets until she entered the small bakery in town, where the owner baked her children's favorite bread. She was clutching the coins Elir had tossed at her, until she placed them weakly on the counter in front of the baker.
The baker was a large woman with a red face and long black hair in two braids. The baker, Skiki, looked at Nier's mother—her tearful, red face—and said angrily, "Rora… you're still going to that fat pig?"
Rora replied wearily, "No… a kind young man gave me these coins."
Skiki put pieces of bread into a plastic bag. "That's why you're crying? Because of that young man's kindness?"
Rora asked, "What do you want me to say, Skiki?"
Skiki added two more sweet pastries and said, "I told you, you can always come here! I have enough bread for three small children! I don't want you going to him again!"
Rora took the bag and moved away weakly. "You already have enough problems, Skiki… Thank you…"
Skiki looked at her sadly. Then she turned to the young man covered in flour, who was arranging baked goods on the shelves. He looked at her and said, "Why doesn't she ever listen?"
Skiki turned to him. "Because she has pride!"
He looked puzzled, so Skiki continued, "Listen, Ayk. These women sell their bodies to feed their children. They have nothing else to sell—they still have something to give. They don't grovel or beg for money… they earn it with their bodies!"
Her voice rose in anger. "And the vile men who exploit these women whose husbands ran away!" She clenched her rolling pin. "Don't ever become like them… or else…"
Ayk backed away, laughing. "I know… I know!"
Skiki said, "Speaking of vile men… where's Mika?"
Ayk's face paled. Skiki's face darkened, and in a frightening tone she asked, "Where is Mika, Ayk?"
Ayk answered helplessly, "He's in the storeroom!"
Skiki's face turned red with anger. She rushed toward the storeroom, kicking doors open. Ayk sighed and followed her, shouting, "Skiki, wait!"
Skiki kicked the storeroom door, letting the bakery's light seep into the dark room. She saw him lying naked on sacks of flour, and beside him, a naked girl.
Mika raised his hands to shield his eyes from the light, annoyed by the intrusion, until he noticed Skiki—massive and furious—blocking the doorway. He got up fearfully and nudged the girl next to him to get up.
The girl woke up and jumped in fear from the sight of Skiki and grabbed her clothes to cover herself.
Skiki looked at the girl, who nearly cried from fear. Skiki spoke quietly but ominously, "Didi… what did I tell you…"
Didi cried, "No, Auntie Skiki, he didn't give me any money!"
Skiki, trying to contain her anger, said, "That's what you understood when I said don't give your body to men for money? You give it away for free? Did you hit your head, or were you born stupid?"
Didi, sobbing as she held her clothes, said, "I love him…"
Mika laughed, but Skiki's glare cut it short.
Skiki asked, "Will you marry her?"
Mika laughed nervously. "What are you saying, Skiki?"
The girl looked at him, tears streaming, and Mika said, "Come on, Didi… I thought we were just having fun."
Didi stood up and ran out of the storeroom!
Skiki shouted without turning to her, "Don't forget to wear your clothes before you go out, you idiot!"
Her gaze remained on Mika, who moved slowly to pick up his clothes.
Skiki demanded, "What is your naked butt doing on the flour I use to bake bread?"
Mika laughed. "That's what gives it the flavor Bial's women love!"
Ayk shook his head. "Don't provoke her, Mika."
Skiki cracked her neck angrily and moved toward Mika. Fear crept over him, and he backed away. " Skiki, come on! I'm joking! I'm sorry—it's the last time…"
Skiki clenched her fists. "What's wrong? Aren't you about to join the army? Come on, let's train. Show me if you remember what I taught you…"
Ayk left as Mika shouted, "Ayk, don't leave me alone with this giant woman!"
Ayk closed the door and said, "You should listen to Skiki, Mika… You bring this on yourself every time."
The last thing he heard before the door shut was, "Skiki, wait! I'm not wearing any clothes—let me put on my pants first!"
Ayk stepped outside and looked at Bial's streets before him and at the huge statue in the center. He sat on the stairs, gazing at the statue. He didn't know how much time had passed until the bakery door opened and Mika came out, shouting, "You're insane, woman! I won't visit you after I leave here!"
Skiki yelled from inside, before Mika slammed the door, "You'll bring your scrawny butt back here to visit or I'll come to you myself!"
Ayk let out a short laugh. Mika, furious, hit him with his shirt. "What are you laughing at, idiot!"
Mika sat beside him on the steps, putting on his shirt, still muttering under his breath.
Ayk looked ahead again, at the statue.
Mika looked where Ayk was looking and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Ayk pointed in front of him. "That."
Mika said, "Those guys? Oh man, where did they get cigarettes? I want one so bad!"
Ayk answered, "No, fool. The statue."
Mika asked, "Why?"
Ayk shrugged. "No reason… I just like looking at it."
Mika looked at him curiously, but before he could say anything, raindrops started falling on them.
They both looked up. Mika said, "It's raining? It hasn't rained in a long time…"
A joyful smile spread across Mika's face as he raised his hands to the falling water. Ayk also raised his hand, letting the raindrops fall onto it. He felt a pang in his heart and said, "For years, I never wanted anything other than joining the army and leaving this place. But today…"
He looked at the children gathering in the street, splashing in puddles, clothes and bodies getting soaked. "I feel like I'll miss Bial."
Mika stood up, arms still raised and face turned to the rain, shouting, "Not me! I'm so happy to leave this shit-hole!"
Ayk chuckled, watching Mika spin under the rain, which now poured heavily.
In Azar's house, a girl in a slightly worn white nightgown—its edges muddy, her fair face tinted red on her cheeks and mouth—ran barefoot down the corridor. Someone chased her until they reached Inini's room.
Inini crouched on her bed in a red nightgown, crying. She looked up in surprise at the girls standing at her door, smiling broadly.
They said excitedly, "Inini! It's raining!"
Inini asked, astonished, "What?"
They rushed to Inini's window and opened it, letting in a few raindrops. They stuck their heads out happily, not caring that the stolen Frata makeup on their faces now dripped off.
Inini also approached the window, leaning her upper body out. The rain poured over her face and hair—cold, yes, but how wonderful it felt.
Her eyes fell on someone crouching beneath her window, out in the cold. She recognized his swollen face and bruised arms beneath his ragged clothes.
Inini shouted, "Arlo!"
Arlo raised his head to see her standing at the window, soaked with rainwater, a wide smile lighting up her face.
Inini shouted excitedly, "It's raining, Arlo!"
At that moment, Inini didn't care about anything else—not Azar, not the army, not what would happen to them. She was truly happy.
Unintentionally, a smile spread across Arlo's face. He looked up at Inini on the third floor. Normally, you'd need 5,000 kirto to reach a third-floor girl in Azar's house. Today, Arlo had lost all his money. But he had to reach her anyway.
Arlo moved, ignoring his aching body, climbing a rusty pipe along the house's side. The girls gasped, excitement dancing on their faces as they glanced at Inini.
Inini screamed, worried for him when his feet slipped on the wet pipe. She and the girls reached out their arms when he drew close, pulling him inside the room.
As soon as he entered, he looked at Inini's thin face and that wide smile, then pulled her into his arms. Amid the excited whispers and giggles from the other girls, Arlo and Inini stood hugging each other—both soaked by the rain.