Original - Duty

[kiestan]

Title: Duty
Original
Rating: Gen

“One story?” The teen stripped the page from his notebook, passing it to the old woman seated before him. She squinted at his scribbles; he spun his pen. “Eight dollars.”

 

“Four.”

 

“Four? Aiya, miss, don’t be silly.” He leaned forward, and the table rocked under his elbows’ weight. “Listen: take that, go in, show it to Madam Shan. The money's just a deposit. I’ll return it.” At her frown, he sighed. “Six, then. Six okay?”

 

She handed over three two-dollar notes, before meandering into the shophouse.

 

“Good luck,” he muttered. He tucked the cash into the shoebox, with the others.