YOUNG SATISFIER

Chapter 02: A Lonely Woman

Three months earlier, Reno had just received his first paycheck after working part-time at a café. The moment he opened the envelope, his expression immediately changed. Earning only thirty dollars a day was far below what he had expected.

As he walked home, he grumbled with obvious disappointment and exhaustion.

“Thirty dollars a day. I work from the moment the café opens until it closes, cleaning piles of dishes and dealing with difficult customers. Is this really all my hard work is worth? This money isn’t even enough to cover food expenses, let alone rent and college books.”

His footsteps stopped in front of a nightclub whose neon lights flashed in colorful patterns. Near the entrance, a beautiful woman leaned against the wall while smoking a cigarette. The black dress she wore hugged her figure perfectly.

Reno could not help staring.

But when the woman turned and their eyes met, he immediately looked away and pretended to cough. He quickly crossed the street toward a grilled sausage stand so he would not appear awkward.

He ordered a portion, but after hearing the price—five dollars—he instantly regretted it. The only money left in his wallet was a single thirty-dollar bill meant to last him through the rest of the week.

The vendor handed over the food while stating the price, but Reno continued holding the bill uncertainly. Growing impatient, the vendor raised his voice.

“Hey, are you buying it or not? If not, give it back so I can serve other customers.”

Before Reno could answer, the woman approached from behind.

She tapped the vendor on the shoulder and handed him ten dollars. Her voice was calm yet firm.

“It’s fine. I’ll pay. Two sausages—one for him and one for me. Keep the change.”

Reno turned around in surprise. He opened his mouth to refuse, but the woman had already placed the package in his hands.

Feeling embarrassed, he thanked her.

“Uh, thank you. Sorry for the trouble. I’ll pay you back if we meet again.”

The woman smiled, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“There’s no such thing as free,” she replied. “There’s no free lunch in this world. If you want to repay me, follow me right now. That’s all.”

Reno froze. Raising an eyebrow, he asked quietly while holding the sausage package.

“Repay you with what? I don’t have anything besides this.”

The woman turned around and beckoned him with a finger. Without answering directly, she simply told him to follow her as she walked into the club.

Reno followed behind, not daring to walk ahead of her. His eyes accidentally lingered on the way she moved with each step, and he quickly slapped his own cheek to bring himself back to his senses.

After they had moved away from the crowd, the woman stopped and extended her hand with a crooked smile.

“Kenny. Just call me Kenny. No need for ‘Miss’ or anything like that. I don’t like being called old.”

Reno shook her hand briefly and introduced himself, mentioning that he was eighteen years old. His voice remained stiff.

“Reno. Eighteen years old. I work at a café... well, you know how it is. The pay is terrible.”

Kenny chuckled softly. She gently brushed his arm and spoke in a slightly teasing tone.

“That’s pretty pitiful. I’m bored, and tonight is incredibly quiet. Keep me company and chat for a while, Reno. Consider it repayment for the five-dollar sausage. How about it?”

Reno thought for a moment before asking hesitantly,

“Just talking is enough to repay a five-dollar debt? Really? There’s no other work involved?”

Kenny did not answer.

Instead, she grabbed his wrist and led him into the hotel lobby connected to the club.

Reno immediately grew nervous when he saw the receptionist. He gently tried to pull his hand away and whispered,

“Why do we need a room? We can talk outside. There are benches in the park. Why waste money?”

Kenny accepted a room key from the receptionist and twirled the keychain around her finger.

“A room is the most comfortable place to talk, Reno,” she said casually without letting go of his hand. “It’s quiet, nobody listens in, and the air conditioning is nice and cold. Besides, you don’t need to think too much. I really just need someone to talk to.”

Reno still looked unconvinced.

“Why didn’t you say so from the beginning? If it’s only talking, I could’ve invited you to my apartment. It’s small, but it’s clean. I even have hot tea.”

Kenny burst into laughter.

“Oh my goodness, you’re adorable.”

She pinched his cheek playfully while accepting the key.

“Inviting me to your place and everything. Fine, come inside first and take a look. If you don’t feel comfortable, you can leave. I’m not forcing you.”

The room door opened.

Reno was immediately astonished.

He turned in circles, taking in the soft bed, the large television, and the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city.

He could not stop admiring everything.

“Wow... so this is what a hotel room looks like. No wonder it’s expensive. The bed is so soft, the air conditioning is cold, and it even smells nice. This is my first time entering a place like this. At the café, I only clean tables—I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

Kenny closed the door gently and lit a cigarette. She opened the window so the smoke could drift outside.

Turning around, she looked Reno up and down before offering him the cigarette pack.

“Your first time, huh? No wonder you’re so amusing. Want to try one? It might help you relax and make our conversation more comfortable.”

Reno stepped closer. He hesitantly took a cigarette but had not lit it yet.

Kenny leaned against the window frame and exhaled smoke into the night.

Then, with a smile that made it impossible for Reno to guess what she was thinking, she said,

“You’re not as innocent as I expected, Reno. Your eyes are very honest.”