The Men's Final Step

CHAPTER 3 GROWING ACCUSTOMED

Time moved forward, as if nothing could ever hold it back. For Rian, the days spent within Maya’s humble shop passed far more quickly than he had ever imagined possible.

In other places he had once stayed, time seemed to drag on endlessly. It felt as though every second was held back by boredom, emptiness, and a longing for something he could not even name. But here, everything shifted. Mornings arrived swiftly, turning into busy afternoons, then fading into evening until the sky grew dark once more. Before he realized it, weeks had gone by since the very first day he stepped through that door the day he chose to pause his endless, aimless journey.

During that time, fresh habits slowly took root and grew strong within him. Rian became thoroughly familiar with the location of every single item in the shop. He knew precisely which shelf held rows of soap bars in various brands, which corner stored piles of rice and sugar, and even the exact position of small objects that were rarely purchased yet always had to be available. He knew which goods sold out fastest and which ones were barely touched by customers.

His hands now moved deftly and confidently when retrieving items, no longer confused or glancing around the shelves searching for products as he often did in the early days of his arrival.

He also began to recognize the faces of those who came and went. There were mothers passing by every morning buying kitchen supplies, school children stopping by to buy snacks or drinks right after the dismissal bell rang, older men pausing briefly just to ask about the price of certain goods, and people who merely looked around then left without buying a thing.

Rian started to know who greeted him warmly, who remained quiet, and who enjoyed bargaining over prices. He was no longer just a stranger standing silently in the corner; he had become a small part of the daily rhythm of the people around him. This change happened naturally, slowly but surely, as if this place was gradually embracing him and making him feel he had found a new ground to stand upon.

One afternoon, when the shop was relatively quiet and only the two of them were inside, Maya approached Rian as he was rearranging items on the front shelves. She stood beside him for a moment, observing the way he worked—now so fluid and accustomed quite different from the hesitant figure who had walked into her shop that day.

“You don’t seem confused anymore when I ask you to fetch things, do you?” Maya said, breaking the silence. Her tone sounded satisfied yet relaxed, with a faint smile touching her lips.

Rian paused his movements for a moment, glancing briefly at her before straightening the boxes in front of him again. He returned a faint smile one that now felt more natural and no longer weighed down like it used to be.

“Only a tiny bit of confusion remains,” he replied softly, his voice low but steady. “The rest… well, I guess I’ve started to learn the ins and outs of this place.”

Maya stepped a little closer. Her eyes scanned the neatly arranged room, then returned to look directly at Rian’s face. There was a question hidden in her gaze.

“If that is the case, it means you’ve begun to feel you fit in here,” she stated. It sounded like an observation, yet leaned more toward a question. “You’ve started to feel comfortable with the atmosphere and the work.”

Rian shook his head slowly a small yet firm motion. He looked back at the goods on the shelf, as if the answer was hidden somewhere among the stacks of items.

“Just because I feel I fit in doesn’t mean I will stay,” he replied softly and carefully.

Maya furrowed her brow, slightly puzzled by this unexpected answer. She could not understand why Rian always spoke as if there was an invisible boundary that must never be crossed, as if he held a specific fear of becoming too settled in one spot.

“Why do you talk like that?” Maya asked, her voice rising slightly but remaining gentle. “Isn’t it true that if you feel you belong and are at ease, that means this place is right for you? It could be a place to rest, a place to finally settle down.”

Rian remained silent for a moment. He stared straight at the rows of wooden shelves stretching along the room, his eyes examining every corner as if looking far beyond just the inanimate objects there. His mind drifted back to the past, to the places he had visited before. In every one of those locations, the beginning was always the same. There was the excitement of something new, there was comfort, there was a sense of belonging. Yet the ending was always identical too: separation and his departure.

“Because… sometimes the very things or places that feel the most suitable, themost right and comfortable… are the ones that later become the hardest to leave behind,” Rian finally answered, his voice sounding heavy and full of meaning. The words came from the deepest part of his heart, a bitter truth he had always held firmly onto. “And to me, being left behind or having to walk away from something that already feels like it belongs to you… feels far more painful than never having it at all.”

Quietness enveloped the room once again. Maya fell silent, pondering over the words she had just heard. She began to understand little by little what lay hidden behind Rian’s attitude of always keeping his distance, behind his eyes that often seemed to wander far away. There was a long history there, a trail of a journey filled with goodbyes.

“You leave often, don’t you? Moving from one place to another?” Maya asked softly, her voice full of concern. She did not intend to dig into his past, but she wanted to understand the reasoning behind this young man’s view of life.

Rian smiled faintly a, smile filled with bitterness that he tried to conceal as best he could. He nodded slightly.

“Often enough,” he answered briefly. “It’s become a habit. Walk away before getting too attached, move on before feeling you belong too deeply.”

“Why does it have to be that way?” Maya asked again, her eyes looking intently into his face, trying to uncover the true answer. “What made you choose that path?”

Rian did not answer immediately. He took a long breath, letting the air flow in and out of his lungs slowly, as if gathering the strength to speak about something difficult.

“Because for someone like me… leaving feels far easier than staying,” he replied quietly but clearly. “Departing only requires the movement of your feet. You simply walk away, and it is all done. All the problems, all the memories, all the feelings… everything gets left behind.”

Maya looked at him deeply, her heart feeling slightly torn hearing that confession. She could sense the heavy burden this young man had carried all alone for so many years.

“But you know that isn’t always true, Rian,” Maya countered gently yet firmly. “Running away or leaving isn’t always the simpler choice. Sometimes, what looks easy on the surface has the heaviest impact. Escaping is exhausting, and in the end, you only end up going in circles because the problem still exists, following you wherever you go.”

Rian turned his head, looking straight into Maya’s eyes. There was a flash of surprise and recognition within them.

“…but still, running away feels much lighter compared to having to face what lies right in front of you, or what lies within your heart,” he answered weakly. “Confronting reality is far heavier.”

Several seconds passed in prolonged silence. The sound of the wind blowing softly outside could be heard faintly, breaking the quiet between them. Maya did not argue further. She understood that what Rian said wasn’t just an excuse, but the result of bitter experiences he had lived through. She realized there was no point in forcing him to change his perspective instantly. Change required time, trust, and a peace of mind that was hard to come by.

“What about now?” Maya asked finally, breaking the silence with a voice that was soft yet struck at the core of the matter. “Right now… here, with me… do you still choose to run? Or is there even a tiny wish to try something different?”

Rian shifted his gaze toward the shop door, which stood slightly ajar, looking out at the street that was beginning to empty as afternoon turned into evening. He recalled his feelings the very first time he stepped inside this place. He remembered his resolve, he remembered the small promise he made to himself. He remembered the realization that, for the first time, he wasn’t actually running away.

Slowly but surely, Rian turned his attention back to Maya. The look in his eyes changed, becoming steadier and more determined. The doubt that usually haunted him slowly faded, replaced by a growing sense of certainty.

“…I am trying,” he replied quietly but firmly. “I am trying not to run this time. I am attempting to stay a little longer, even though I don’t know how long I will be able to endure it. But at least… I am making the effort.”

Maya nodded gently, her smile now widening a little, feeling so sincere and calming. There were no follow-up questions, no long speeches of wisdom, and no persuasion of any kind. Only one word left her lips ,simple yet profoundly meaningful.

“Good.”

Just two syllables, short and uncomplicated. Yet for Rian, that word was more than enough. It meant everything because it carried understanding, support, and acceptance which meant trust. In the middle of his long journey filled with uncertainty, that single word became a marker that his decision to stop here had not been a mistake.

Beneath the light of the shop lamps, which were now turned on as dusk settled in, Rian felt something shifting inside him. He was no longer merely existing here. He was beginning to feel alive here. And for the first time in a very long while, his fear of separation was slowly being overcome by curiosity: What would it feel like if, this time, he truly chose to stay?

Auothor :

Stiven shangra haliem