Captivation: Want Nothing But You

It was just a little past nine o’clock, and the snack street had started getting crowded. In front of each snack stall, there was a long line of customers who were waiting for their turns to be served. 

The snack street here was different from the one that was near the Red Hackers headquarters both in terms of style and quantity. Looking around curiously, Joey wished he could go to every stall and have a taste of what they offered.

Joey was a cute child and he had even worn suspenders that day. As he held Rachel’s hand and walked through the crowd, he naturally attracted many people’s attention. Their focus was first on little Joey, then on the two people beside him. From their clothes to their temperament, everything just screamed how different they were.

“Fifteen dollars for two roasted chicken wings fresh from the grill. Delicious chicken wings cooked with my secret sauce! Buy them while they are still hot.” A vendor shouted as he packed the food for other customers. His voice was the loudest among all the others near them. Attracted by the shouting, Joey stopped suddenly and turned around.

The oven, which was about his height, was full of coal that emitted sparks. Chicken wings were placed on the grill, and sesame oil and sauce were spread on them again and again, making a sizzling sound. They were a nice reddish -brown color that called out to his stomach.

Joey couldn’t help swallowing hard with desire shining in his eyes.

After packing the last bag of roasted chicken wings, the stall owner caught sight of Joey who was looking at roasted chicken wings. He had seen that same look in so many different eyes. He smile and called out to him, “Little boy. Say, would you like to have some?”

Joey went to nod but stopped on second thought and looked up at Rachel as if he was asking for her opinion. “Go ahead.” Joey was already walking towards the stall before she could finish her sentence. He stared at the big oven and said, “Sir, I want three skewers, please.”

“Coming right up!” The owner picked up the chicken wings from the shelf quickly and packed them. “Little boy, I also have roasted trotters and roasted drumsticks here. Would you like to buy some of those too?”

“Are they delicious?”

them. Tell you what, if you think they are not delicious, then you don’t need to pay them. Little boy, I have never seen you before. So I’m guessing this is your first time coming here, right? I promise you that you made the right choice to come here. My stall may be small, but I have worked here for more than ten years. I have sold at least tens of thousands of roasted trotters in that time. And no one has ever said that the food I

years of experience, the stall owner had learned how to read his customers. He could tell at a glance that the kid in front of him wasn’t from an ordinary family. By just looking at the parents he instantly knew that they were rich. They had probably brought him out to experience an ordinary life for a change. If he played his cards well, maybe he would make

it and said, “Then, if

in the oven. Only then did Joey see that the trotters were wrapped in tinfoil and placed in the charcoal

to it. He wanted to look at what was inside, but he couldn’t

and then Joey was lifted

turned around and was shocked to see Victor’s face, which was very

a bit and replied, “Yes? Can

at the oven. Instead, he looked down at

him realize that his father was holding him. He

knew that he wasn’t going to fall no matter what happened. Was this the feeling of being held by his father? Truth was, it wasn’t comfortable

free hand to pick the to-go boxes from the owner. “There are some tables and chairs just up ahead. You can sit there and eat peacefully. These are extremely delicious when they are hot. If

the owner politely as Victor turned around

would put him down now that he didn’t need to be carried anymore, so he became

Victor asked in a

immediately understood that he had no intentions of putting him down. His eyes lit up at the realization and he took the initiative to put his arms around Victor’s neck. He then boldly instructed Victor to hold him as they looked around the other stalls and bought a lot

time with out saying anything. Looking at the two from behind, she pursed her lips as she tried to contain the