[ Haa... Haa... Haa... ] Shinjiro heaved for oxygen.

After running out in the city for a short while, he was finally able to lose the guys that were chasing them.

[ Haa... Where is this place...? ] he asks with him still carrying the kid in his arms.

What Shinjiro is seeing now is a huge place filled with shops and stalls on the side of the road. There are a lot of people that are holding bags and sacks, buying all kinds of stuff. And like what he saw when he first arrived in this world, many of them were non-humans.

With this many people looking at him with suspicious eyes, while carrying a ragged looking child, he decided to leave the place for a while and look for a corner he can bring and talk with the kid at.

[ Haa... Those eyes... They're looking at me as if I'm a thrash of a being... ] he whispers to himself as he continued to look for a private place.

( I'm not what you think I am! I promise! ) he pleaded in his mind with his eyes looking down begging for mercy.

Soon, he was able to find a small alleyway. He walked to the place and brought the kid down.

[ Haa... Stealing is bad, okay? ]

That was the first thing he said to the kid. He looks at him and turns his eyes to the loaf of bread the kid was holding. The bread is now already covered in dirt, probably from when he stumbled on the ground.

A ragged-hooded kid holding a dirt-covered bread was pitiful for him to see. He already knows that the era of this world was the same as the medieval era of his previous one, he was expecting to see something like this, but he was never prepared for it.

[ Haah... Look, that bread is already covered in dirt; don't eat it - ]

( ... )

[ Why are you already eating it!? ]

It was only a few seconds after he removed his eyes on him, but with that few seconds, the kid was already able to eat half of it.

[ You'll have a stomach ache! ] he shouted and forcefully took the bread from the kid's small hands.

[ Eh... Ehh...!? ] the kid exclaimed in confusion.

*Growl...

That's when suddenly, his stomach grumble in hunger.

[ ... ]

[ ... ]

They both stared quietly at each other before...

[ You... You can have half of it... ] the kid whispered with his voiced dejected and seems to be in pain.

( Did he just thought I took it from him because I was also hungry...? And he says I can have half of it... He already ate half of it though... )

[ Look, eating something covered in dirt is dangerous! You have to at least completely wipe it off before you try to eat it. ]

Saying so, he wipes the dirt from the bread. It took only a short while and after he was finished, he gave the bread back to the kid.

[ Here... ]

( Normally, I wouldn't let him eat something that already touched the ground but it seems that he really needs it... )

[ ... ] the kid quietly looks at him first before he took the bread from his hand again.

[ Thank you... ] the kid said, again with his quiet and tiny voice.

The kid's eyes are covered with his hoodie but Shinjiro was able to sense that he was sincere.

[ Haah... ] he sighed.

The kid had already started eating and he was left quiet looking at his figure. He got curious and decided to peak at his hood to see what he looks like, but before he could, the kid already finished eating and he again stared at his direction with his eyes still unseeable.

*Growl...

[ You're still hungry? ]

*Growl...

[ You too... ] the kid replied back.

( ... )

[ HAA! What should I do! I've never been this hungry my whole life! ] he snapped and shouted.

( Running fast like that after a long life of no exercise also exhausted me like crazy! I'm also tired as hell! )

[ Kid! What do you think I should do? ] he asks the only person he could, the little kid in front of him.

[ Steal...? ]

[ Didn't I just said stealing is bad? ] he reverted to the kid with a blank expression.

( Well, I guess that's probably the only thing this kid knows about... )

[ But nee-chan told me that I should steal when I'm hungry... ] the kid said.

Those words made Shinjiro think back.

He was now in a world where stealing is the norm when someone with no money is hungry. He thought that if he's hungry and has no money, isn't stealing the most common and easiest way to find something to eat?

[ Steal when you're hungry, huh? ]

( No, no! I can't think like that! I'm a decent guy with morals! I won't steal! )

*Growl

Again, both their stomach grumbles.

[ Haah... Look, maybe the shop owner is nice enough to give us one for free. We'll try to ask him, and once we finally filled our belly, we'll look for a proper way to earn money. ] as he says so, he pokes his head to the stalls outside.

There, he saw a rather small stall selling apples.

[ We can also try to ask for food, you know? I'm sure the shop owner is nice enough to give us one or two for free. ] he walks as he says so.

Holding a hand of the kid, he went to the stall.

[ Umm... Excuse me, but... Can I ask for some apples? ]

[ Ohh? How many do you want? ] she smiles at them as she replies.

[ Two would be enough. ]

[ Okay, that's 4 copper coins. ]

[ Sorry, but can we pay it later? I actually don't have any money right now... ]

[ ... ]

***

He was desperate...

( I'm desperate... )

[ Okay, kid, this is the plan, bla bla bla... ]

At the corner of the alleyway, Shinjiro whispered his plan to the little kid he just met today.

Needless to say, the shop owner didn't want to be paid later and she brushed the two of them off, mocking them as she did so. And so now, Vlad is now not looking for food to eat, but also revenge.

[ You get it? ]

[ Un! ] the kid nodded to his words.

As he heard and saw the kid reply in a positive way, Shinjiro gave him a thumbs up before he sends him off.

[ Our plan is perfect, just believe in yourself...! ]

[ I... I believe in myself! ]

[ You're Saiyaman and you can do anything! ]

[ I'm Saiyaman and I can do everything! ]

[ That's it! ] he shouted, pumping him, and the kid up.

[ ... ] but instead of getting pumped up, the kid only turned quiet and looks at him.

[ What is it...? ]

[ Who is Saiyaman? ]

[ Just do your stuff! ]

[ U-Un! ]

With that exchange, the kid finally left the alleyway and walk silently to a nearby stall that sells apples. Shinjiro on the other hand, stayed in the alleyway looking carefully at the kid.

The kid quietly walked towards the stall and just stood beside it for a while, waiting for the shop owner to turn it's eyes away and get their chance of stealing a few apples.

A few minutes later, the shop owner finally turns away a little and the kid took that opportunity to rush and grab a few apples and carry it inside his hoodie.

[ That's it kid, that's it...! ] he excitingly whispered to himself, cheering for the kid he partnered up with.

[ He-Hey! Stop that! ] finally, the shop owner was able to see what they were doing and immediately shouted for help and took action.

But it was already too late for the shop owner as the kid already finished doing his part.

[ It's my turn! ] with those words, Shinjiro immediately dash towards the kid.

He took him by his arms and immediately runs away from the whole place. Many people came to try and catch them, but his legs were faster than anyone there was in the whole place.

[ Hehehe... I know this is bad, but... I didn't know it'll be this exhilarating and exciting! ] wearing a mask, he shouted and continued to run as fast as he could, the kid, on the other hand, had already started eating one of the apples.

[ Whoohoo!!! Catch me if you can! ]