Chapter 93: Choose.
The red-haired youth walked through the alleyway with his hands in the pockets of his red jacket, an indifferent look plastered on his face. Soon, he reached a corner that opened on a wide square hidden at the center of the surrounding buildings.
The space seemed to have been previously used as an outdoor dining area by one of the nearby restaurants. There was a small fence separating it from the rest of the alley, with the interior covered in flooring panels that had a woody pattern.
The tables must’ve been cleared and stored inside the garage connected to the area, but two old couches remained in one corner. Either the restaurant owners didn’t care and left them there, or the rats who made the place their hanging spot had brought them there.
Currently, those rats were in the middle of a mating ritual, trying to impress the females they invited to hang out in the hope of their relationship advancing. One could tell who among the males was getting lucky tonight at a glance. Unfortunately for them, the party was going to reach its end a lot earlier than expected.
"Hey! The hell do you want!!?"
When he stopped to look at the bikes parked near the exit, the red-haired youth knew that he would draw the attention of the teenagers. Their laughter died down the instant the first one called out to him, and as if suddenly alert, they all turned their gazes his way.
Whatever went through their minds, they probably never expected him to smile and start walking toward them.
"There you are!" He called, a look of recognition on his face.
Confusion struck the teens and their growing hostility seemed to recede. Did he know one of them? The friendliness he was showing said so, but when they looked at each other and saw that no one recognized him, the confusion only increased.