• The Market •
Obed had been waiting for minutes, his gaze fixed on the girl. She seemed oblivious to his presence, completely engrossed in serving her customers. Each time she finished with one, another would appear, creating a seemingly endless stream of patrons. He couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration. He had already waited longer than he’d planned, and she hadn't even acknowledged him. He wondered if she was deliberately avoiding him. Wouldn't it have been better to simply ask him to come back later? He felt a growing sense of disrespect.
His patience wore thin. He was tired, embarrassed, and frustrated. He looked up to see if Ruth was still there, but she was gone. Perhaps she'd left to avoid the awkwardness, the unspoken tension between them. He imagined her running away, overwhelmed by the weight of his presence.
He turned back to the girl, his throat suddenly dry. She still hadn't noticed him. He decided to take the initiative, to break the silence. Maybe if he told her he was leaving, she'd finally acknowledge his existence.
"Alright, um, I can see you're really busy right now. I should probably go and come back later when you're less swamped," he said, a nervous smile playing on his lips. He rubbed his hands together, his gaze fixed on her.
In that moment, the girl finally realized he was there. She had completely forgotten he was waiting. The truth was, she was so focused on her customers, on the crucial task at hand, that she had simply blocked him out. She hadn't been deliberately ignoring him, not at all. She was just caught up in the whirlwind of her work, her mind elsewhere.
"Ow... I'm so sorry... I actually forgot you were here waiting for me. What was your name again?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine remorse.
"Obed," he replied, but his words were cut short by a loud, angry voice. A customer, the one she'd been serving, had interrupted. It was clear he was frustrated by the delay. "Hey! Don't waste my time!" he boomed, his voice echoing through the small space.
Obed turned to see a tall, imposing man with a physique that spoke of strength and aggression. His face was etched with displeasure. Obed quickly shifted to the corner, not wanting to provoke the man. He knew better than to challenge someone like that.
"Oh, I'm very sorry, darling!" the girl said to the man, handing him his order and then turning back to Obed. "I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting. You can see why I forgot you were here. My name is Selah, by the way. My friend told me a lot about you, and guess what? You seem like an amazing person. I know you're the kind of person I've been looking for to be friends with." She smiled, a warm, genuine smile that reached her eyes.
Obed felt a surge of relief. She hadn't just forgotten him, she'd been genuinely apologetic. He realized that Ruth had already done the heavy lifting, introducing him and building up his image. All he had to do was be himself, and she seemed to be already impressed.
He smiled back, a deep, meaningful smile. It seemed Selah was already aware of his interest in her. For what Ruth have done so far he had a feeling that Ruth was going to be more than just a friend. He was going to reward her for her kindness, but exactly how, he wasn't sure yet. He had a plan, a plan that involved a lot more than just friendship.
"Ow? Really? I'd be glad to be your friend. Actually, the first time I stepped into this town, I saw you and I just knew. Something inside me told me you were amazing," Obed said, his gaze fixed on Selah. She smiled back, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Thank you," she said, her voice soft and sweet.
"Come on, I'm just telling the truth. You don't have to thank me for it. You're such a hard-working girl. I can see it. You're always busy, never have time for yourself, let alone for someone else," he said, his tone laced with admiration.
"Oh yeah, and I'm so sorry about the way I was acting earlier. The frustration just gets to me sometimes. I'm always stressed, always in a bad mood. I'm not always the easiest person to get along with..." she began, but Obed interrupted her.
"You don't have to explain. I can see why. It's nothing serious," he said, his voice reassuring.
"My turn, please?" Another customer, who had been patiently waiting, finally spoke up. He seemed like a nice guy. He could have easily snapped at them for taking so long, but he chose to be polite. He could see they were engrossed in their conversation, and he was willing to wait a little longer. But he had to interrupt eventually. He was sorry, but he needed to be served.
"Oh, come on, Obed! You can help me sell for a bit. While we would just be discussing and talking about ourselves. Where are you from? Did you come from this town? Because I haven't seen you around before. You just suddenly appeared. Are you from this town, or are you one of those traders who come to buy things?" Selah asked, her voice full of curiosity.
Obed, happy to help, jumped into her shop and started assisting her with selling. He took on the makeshift uniform – a simple sash they tied around their waists to hold the money they made. As they worked, they continued their conversation, getting to know each other better.
"Yes, I'm actually from this kingdom. Just haven't been to this part before. I haven't been to the golden city, not really, because I was living with my grandma who lived down Town, and she didn't always want me to come here. I don't know why but I am here now because she passed away recently, so I came to stay with my sister," he explained.
"I'm sorry, You lost her?" Selah asked, her voice filled with sympathy. Obed nodded sorrowfully, accepting her condolences.
From that point on, their conversation flowed easily. They discussed their lives, their dreams, their hopes, and their fears. They were getting to know each other better, just as they had promised.
           • Later At Night •
Today’s sales at Selah’s mother’s shop were incredibly stressful and ran late. The influx of customers, particularly traders from outside the kingdom, was overwhelming. At one point, they ran out of fruits and vegetables, necessitating a transport of more supplies, which Obed kindly helped with.
Despite their efforts, they couldn’t sell all the new stock, and a few items had to be transported back to the warehouse. Obed remained the only option to assist with this task, and he willingly did it out of love for Selah.
As a result, he returned home very late, exhausted and stressed. Ruth had been searching for him in his room but couldn’t find him. Growing increasingly worried, she considered visiting Selah to inquire about him. If she found no clues, she thought about reporting his absence to the princess or prince to initiate a search.
While she was walking through the passage, she finally encountered Obed returning, looking weak and disheveled, with fruit and veggies stains all over his clothes. Seeing him in such a state raised her concerns. It was clear to her that Selah had been using him as a puppet. Ruth realized that Selah had many other suitors—wealthy men and kings from other kingdoms—so she questioned what value she truly saw in Obed. But she isn't the one to be blamed. Obed is the one throwing himself at Selah when he has someone like her that is ready to love him for who he is.
Ruth, seeing Obed's state, knew she needed to intervene. She knew she had to advise him to stay away from Selah, but she wanted him to get closer to her first. If she just gave him advice right away, he might think she was jealous. She wanted him to see her concern for his well-being.
"Obed? What happened? Why are you looking so rough?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
"Hmm, I had a really stressful day. I'm starving. Can you please go get me some food?" he asked, trying to pass her and get into his room. But Ruth wouldn't budge. She needed to talk to him.
"Obed, look at your clothes! They're filthy. It sounds like you were working for that girl. Don't tell me she didn't even feed you, and let you come home hungry?" Ruth exclaimed, her voice tinged with frustration. She expected him to complain, to share his grievances. Instead, he started defending himself.
"Well, I think you should let me handle my own problems. You've already done your part by introducing me to her, and I'm still grateful for that. I believe one day I'll repay you for your kindness. Now, if there's any food, could you please get me some?" He gently pushed her aside and stepped into his room, leaving Ruth standing there, her concerns unanswered.