Suddenly the door was opened. There, stood a young man not even taller than 5'6", looking inside the dim lighted cafe. It looked like he just finished crying and repenting over himself.
"Big Brother James!!!" The boy shouted and jumped down his chair. He rushed and bumped himself to that young man.
"Oh, hello, Charlie. Long time no see. How are you?" That young man tried to lift that boy up to his shoulder, "Argh... you are so heavy now!!" He put the boy down the floor again.
"Of course, I am already ten!" The boy answered in a proud tone.
The young man smiled and ruffled the boy's hair roughly. He looked down with a tender love like a real older brother, though they weren't blood related at all. The old lady looked at those two while sipping her coffee. Then, the young man lifted up his face, straight to the old lady.
"I am sorry."
An awkward silence floated between them, especially when there was that little boy in the middle. The old lady just smiled sympathetically. It's not like he will back to me anyway, the lady said inside her heart.
"But I am still not going to work here. At least... not now. It's no more about pride, it's just.... I think... I think it's better for me to see the outside more. But I will definitely come back and help you here. Definitely."
"Are you going somewhere, Brother James? Is it going to be long? Will you come back?" The boy clung his hands to the young man.
The young man smiled, "Of course I will. I promise you," He offered his pinky finger to the boy. The boy pouted but reached it back with his pinky finger.
"Just don't forget to send me a letter. Once a month is good enough," The old lady finally said softly.
The young man looked at her and took off his hat, bowed deeply to his chest. Then he walked away the cafe. The boy followed him until the edge of the door. He didn't see puddle of tears in the corner the old lady's eyes.
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