Chaisi sat on a park bench, staring blankly ahead, his gaze unfocused.
He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, his body half-hunched over. His large hands dangled down, and a T-shaped rod was tucked into the back of his waistband.
Anyone who passed him on the small path tried to subtly take a few steps back, giving him a wide berth. For several meters around Chaisi, the ground was empty.
A moment ago, two young girls had approached from a distance, constantly glancing at him while whispering and laughing to each other. But as they got closer, their expressions changed. They stared straight ahead, quickening their pace as they hurried past.
Everyone reacted to a madman in much the same way: stealing glances through narrowed eyes to see where the madman was, what he was doing, and how far away he was, while also keeping a blank face, pretending not to see him, and quickly putting distance between them.
