HELLO, STRANGER

CHAPTER 12

KAI'S POV

I ended up at the park. I was just sitting on the swing while the lights were still on. It's already passed 7pm and I'm still here in the park. Mom and my sister tried calling me but I ignored them. I called Layla and Paul and they said that they would be here any minute.

Finally, they got here rushed. Layla hugged me and also Paul. They sat on the swings too.

"I'm sorry for calling you guys this late. I just need someone.. uhh.. I mean ugh!" I said and their faces were all worried.

"Did you and aunt fight?" Layla asked.

"Uhh no no, I just don't know," I said.

"Hey, it's alright, we'll never force you to tell us, but I prefer you to talk to us like just you know, let it out." Paul said, then I smiled.

"Thanks," I said.

"Oh, we almost forgot. At least to reduce our problems, we had alcohol." Layla said. I chuckled

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Well she kinda forces me to bu--ow!" Paul said.

"No, but when we talked on the phone, we felt that we were in trouble, so I decided to buy some drinks. Come on, just you know have fun and forget something happened today." She said.

"Told ya." Paul said, and we all laughed.

We started drinking beer and, of course, the mischief would not go away. Layla was the drunkest among us and Paul was second. Sometimes they tease and tease, later they kiss in front of me after fighting. Hahaha, they look like children.

Nor will it be lost in drunken dancing. I'm a bit dizzy because I don't drink alcohol. Maybe I'm drunk twice but I know I'm already drunk. Paul had fallen and couldn't take it anymore. Layla was like a fool dancing around the corner. I can't leave them here.

"Hey Paul, wake up." I said and he just groaned.

I walked to Layla, who looked stupid while she was drunk.

"Come on Layla." I said and she started to laugh, then she was babbling and mumbling, then she started to cry like an i***t haha.

"Come on, help me." I said and I carried her and put her inside the car. She fell asleep and snored. I shook my head and I went back to Paul and I grabbed his waist for support and put his hand on my shoulder and we walked towards the car.

I put him in the driver's seat and he also started to snore.

I'm tired. I want to sleep too.

Since Layla was sitting in the back seat, I sat in the passenger seat and yawned.

I took my phone and it was already 2am and my mom started to message me outragedly.

I was too tired to reply and fell asleep.

______________________________

MR. OLLINS' S POV

It's early morning and I'm still finishing my work on the case we're dealing with. I'm tired and I put the things away. When I stood up from the chair, a picture frame that had a photo of me with Kai's father suddenly fell. It was kinda funny that I used to call him crunky because he always had this crunky face and he's not a smiling person, but in this photo broadcast showed that he had this wide smile while his right arm is on my shoulder. I cherish this photo.

I smiled when I still saw my partner at my side. If only, if only he was still alive..

He's my best friend, buddy, brother. I do miss him sometimes.

I remember when I was a rookie at the station, no one would talk to me and I was rarely given a case because I was just a rookie as a detective. They didn't really trust me before. But one day, I met Karl, Kai's father. There was a celebration because it was Karl's birthday, but instead of being happy, he just frowned and had this crunky face. He seems to be at the highest level here at the station and many people respect him.

They did not celebrate his birthday at the station, so the efforts of our colleagues in preparing him were ignored. After that, we all went home and I was in the parking lot when I saw Karl smiling and laughing. When I looked at what he was doing, I saw a beautiful family packed, I saw Karl's family with packed balloons and a cake carried by a little girl.

"Happy birthday honey." The wife said and I saw Karl's big smile as he kissed his wife and carried his baby son.

"Happy birthday dada!" The little girl said and he also carried his daughter.

"Wow! Did you and your mommy do this? It looks delicious." Karl said and his wife laughed.

"Oh geez we made a lot of mess, Kai also did that too," his wife said.

"I can see that." And they all laughed.

I saw how happy Karl was. With a simple thing made by his family, he was happy. I really thought he was scary because he was always frowning in the office, but I was wrong. I see how genuine he is as a man and as a father.

"What a beautiful sight." I said and got in my car and left.

That was my first expression to him, so in the office I immediately greeted him and gave him coffee in the morning. I have a lot of respect for him as he is at the highest level here.

Until one day, I had a project and Karl was with me. This was my big chance to meet him and be like him.

When I was with him in a few cases, I noticed a lot of good things about him. He is a very kind and considerate person and he is willing to sacrifice his life for other people.

Until we became close to each other, there were times when I told him the truth about why I wanted him to be my partner. He is kind and easy to get along with, but when it's time to work, it should just be work. He introduced me to his family and there I met Margaret, his wife, his eldest daughter Kelly and his youngest son Kai. His family is beautiful and kind. I became a part of them too. I don't have any family or relatives. My parents also passed away, so I was happy and I became part of the Hilbert family.

Until one day, Karl said to me...

"If one day I was gone, take care of my family, take care of them and protect them, protect them from the bad and fight for them. Do not abandon them and always watch over them. They are my weakness, so take care of them until my last breath." That's the only thing that I remember until his last breath.

*Ringing* I looked at my phone, then I saw Margaret's number.

"Hello?"

(Help me! Kai is not home!) Margaret said.

"Wait what?" I said, panicking.

(I'm sorry to disturb you but I need you right now, find Kai please!) She said hysterically.

"Okay okay! Calm down, I'm looking for him." I said and I turned up my phone and took my keys and drove,

Damn!