Chapter 16
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“Trouble is A Friend”

 

It's not like I didn’t have any expectations when following him but I didn’t expect someone dressed like him to have access to this fancy club. After being exposed to good quality items, even a slum raised scum like me can tell the differences. He is definitely not a person made out of money. 

Yet, he strolled into this place casually. It feels weird but I guess he is a regular customer of this place. I’m not sure whether or not that is a good thing or a bad thing.

It's already evening but the sun hasn’t gone down but the moment we walk into the club, the atmosphere immediately feels like it's nighttime. There are people scattered around the place partying without care about the hour. I can feel my sense of time becoming distorted to the point I’m feeling uncomfortable. I have to double-check my watch to make sure it isn’t nighttime yet.

The air and the atmosphere feels different compared to the outside. It makes me feel unsettled because it’s a little hard to breathe in this club but I keep the complaints to myself as I follow him.

Earlier today from our conversation, it seems that he knows me. Well, not me per se but him. I pretended to go along with it because my instinct says that he might lead me to a certain answer to the unsaid question of mine.

The club is packed with people already since it is Friday but people don't usually get off work at 5. It’s suspicious that there are a high number of people and from the way they’re dressed, they are definitely partygoers. It makes me curious if they came here straight from work dressed like that or they brought a change of clothes before coming here.

The club even set up partitions to give a sense of privacy on certain seating. It’s a little further away from the dance floor but close enough to be able to see it completely. The people seated there reminds me of the type of people that no one should be messing with because they have a dangerous vibe. 

Although they’re dressed appropriately for the place yet they still didn’t feel like they fit in. In my eyes, each one of them seems to be eyeing for prey instead of dance partners. Their eyes have a strange glint as they watch the crowd and talk amongst themselves. I try not to glance more than once since that was enough to see everything and pretend I don’t notice anything. I also have to hold myself back from showing my emotions on my face and control the light tremble I feel when we walk past them.

“We’re here,” He stops at one of the seats. The people here do look like thugs but they have a less oppressive aura when compared to the ones we passed. I take a seat next to the guy that brought me here. Instantly, his presence lessened in front of these people.

“Ah, my favourite customer is here,” The guy with a bulging stomach sandwiched between two voluptuous women spoke to me while holding a cigar. He puffs the smoke with arrogance but I’m glad he’s the one I’m dealing with rather than those people we passed by earlier.

“I’m sorry but your favourites are out of stock,” He doesn’t appear the least bit remorseful as he continues to tease the girls next to him.

“How come?” I ask while appearing frustrated.

“Don’t know. The supplier disappeared. All I can offer you is the next best thing. It’s new in the market and some daresay it’s as close as it can get to it,” He puts down a small packet and pushes it to me.

The guy next to me shows some interest but he doesn’t move to take it since it isn’t his place to do so. He turns to me with clear eagerness written on his face.

However, I just looked at it but didn’t touch it. “An imitation can’t replace the real deal,”

The man stares at me for a moment. Silence ensues among us and I almost felt like he would ask the people around him to ‘take care’ of me but instead he laughs out loud making the others join him. Everyone bursts into laughter too with the obvious intention to please him.

He holds his hand up and everyone stops laughing. He passes the cigar to one of the girls and she places it gently on the ashtray.

“Nobody likes a smart kid,” He pauses. My heart is beating but I’m doing my best not to show my weakness here. These people would eat me up in a second the moment I do.

“However,” He continues lazily. “I like a smart kid,”

“Fine. I will let you in on something. The thing is, I do have one person that might have what you're looking for but if I give you this information, you have to bring some back for me,”

“Why me?”

He chuckles before answering, “Because everyone I sent there never came back. If I send you and you come back alive with my stuff, it’s a win-win for us,”

“And if I don’t...”

“Well, if you came back alive but didn’t give me my stuff, I’d have to,” He makes a gesture of a gun shooting to the head. “I’m not too desperate for it but those things are good for business. The rarer they are the more money I can get,”

I contemplate his words. Following his lead might bring me to the source but it also meant there is a higher probability for me to die. In his eyes, I’m disposable labour. It doesn’t matter to him whatever happens to me in the process. He’s hoping for the best end result but it wouldn’t matter either way since I’m nothing to him.

“I’m giving you a chance, kid. Once I provide you with the information, I’m not letting you back down. Giving you this information may profit both of us. Whether you come back alive or not, that’s based on your luck. Wouldn’t it?”

It’s a tempting offer to someone who would be desperate for it but I’m not. The reason I’m here is because the guy I came with wanted some since he had never tasted any. I told him I didn’t have any left and brought me here.

It’s obvious that he’s using me to get his hands on the stuff too and if I agree to this transaction, this guy will benefit from me like a parasite. He started to appear giddy when that big guy gave me the offer. I was worried he would say something that would put me into a sticky situation so I quickly answered.

“I’ll think about it,”

The big guy smiles before gesturing for me to leave. He probably has said everything he needed and didn’t want to waste any more breath if I’m going to be useless for him. It’s a good thing he doesn’t push me into accepting the transaction either.

I quickly get up and leave the place. The guy that leads me here follows me.

“Why didn’t you accept right away?”

He only sees me as useful since I can provide some to him too. He’s definitely thinking that I’m just a stupid kid since he’s a little older than me. His voice also revealed his dissatisfaction towards me for not accepting the deal right away. I pretend that I didn’t see his hidden motives.

“Can’t rush things. I might be able to find someone who can give me a better offer than putting my life on the line, right?”

I glance at him and can see that he happily accepts my explanation. He probably believes that I have a way to find another source since I was able to get those things previously. It’d be troublesome if this guy gets me into trouble. Luckily, he isn’t too bright. I guess he isn’t involved too deep into this other than being a user.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t try and use me.

I’m not sure but there is a possibility that the lead offered to me might explain the source of that thing but I’m not too sure how far I’m willing to go to discover the truth. Will finding out the source of his death be good for me?

After thinking about it for quite some time, I feel like I should have kept a little bit of that thing instead of dumping everything down the toilet. From the start, something just doesn’t feel right. I never understood the appeal of using such stuff and he didn’t seem to either based on his earlier entries in the journal but all of a sudden he was tempted by it.

Within the crowd that I’m walking towards, I can feel a sudden wave of heavy oppression. My gut instinct is screaming at me to run away the moment my eyes fall on the person that appears and has become everyone’s centre of attention. 

He feels different compared to anyone here. His ash coloured long hair and mismatched eyes make him appear out of the ordinary. The way he carries himself down the path feels harmless as he has such a friendly wide smile that he gives to everyone. Yet the level of fear I feel from looking at him is higher than the feeling I had while passing by those people at the partitioned seats a moment ago.

Our eyes meet and he gives me a warm smile but a chill goes down my spine. I change my direction quickly hoping that he won’t follow.

“Where are you going?” Anywhere but here.

The guy that brought me here tries to keep up with me despite my weird action. I ignore him and increase my speed while trudging into the crowd of people. I manage to reach the side hallway leading to the bathroom where there are fewer people. 

My heart is beating to the point my eardrums are pounding. I don’t want to be anywhere near that man. Something is off about him. There’s this feeling that keeps telling me that he isn’t human.

Sometimes I do meet people like him. We rarely cross paths but there have been a few times I see such people in the slum I used to live in. Never at this close encounter. I’ve been told to stay away from them. Best if I don’t encounter them at all. If I do, running is the better option for the sake of survival.

“When your instinct tells you to run, don’t hesitate,” That was the advice I received.

I’m scared of him to the point my body is visibly trembling and I can’t control it. I’m not sure if it is my instinct or this body’s natural reaction but he definitely screams trouble.

I want to run far away from here. Whoever he is, I don’t want to know.

My mind is racing as my body rushes out and away from the crowd. I feel safe for a moment before someone pulls me by my wrist and spins me around to face them.

“How come you’re here?”

Ryan's face is so close to mine as the gap between our bodies disappear since I crash into his torso. He can see the panic in my eyes and scan the surroundings before pulling me away to leave from a hidden side door.

We stop when we reach his conspicuous car. He opens it and pushes me in rudely before slamming the door and going into the driver’s seat. He drives away and into the heavy traffic road. I look at my watch and realise it's already late and since it’s a Friday’s night, there are more cars than usual.

“Call your bodyguard and tell him you’re with me,”

I did as he said and quickly informed the guard. He sounded distressed but didn’t pursue it further. While I was doing so, I could feel the burning gaze coming from my side.

“Why were you there?”

I’m not even sure how to respond to it but before I can even make something up, Ryan cursed.

“Ah, sht,” His eyes glance at the rearview mirror before accelerating and cutting several cars on the road.

He drives erratically while ignoring the road and safety regulations. I turn my head to search what he’s driving away from but I can’t see it other than regular cars since he’s cutting them left and right.

“What’s wrong?” I can’t find the reason for his reckless driving and decide to ask rather than wait for him to explain.

“Someone’s following us. Who did you meet?” His voice changed as the level of seriousness increased.

“It’s…,” I hesitate to tell him but Ryan doesn’t appreciate that.

“Who is it?!” He yells while turning the car sharply into a corner.

I would have slammed onto the car door from the inertia if it weren’t for the fact that I remembered to put on my seatbelt before he started driving.

“A dealer but I don’t think he would be sending someone to chase after us,”

“Are you fvcking kidding me? Why the hell are you meeting a dealer?!” Ryan getting angry at me seems normal at this point but this time it feels harsher and more intense.

“I- I,”

“You knew what happened last time I found you with them!!!” His words make me startled and confused.

“What do you mean by that? This is the first time I saw them!” His anger has infected me into becoming angry too.

Ryan glances at me and has a look of realisation. That look of his makes me pause and then I understand completely. He wasn’t talking about me.

“What did you mean by that?” I ask him.

“Nothing, we’ll talk about this later,” His voice has calmed down a lot.

“No, tell me!” I push.

“We will talk about this later when we’re not being chased, okay?!” He snaps back at me and manages to silence me.

I sit down properly and the two of us stop talking to one another. I’m a little hurt by the way he said his words but I swallow my grievance because it's not the right time to fight him. Ryan skillfully avoids all the cars on the road as he drives out of the heavy traffic. This is when I can see the chaser in a bulky black car. 

They have their car tinted in black and I can’t see the inside. They drive recklessly trying to get in our way but luckily Ryan’s car is faster than theirs. It would be shameful if a car made for speed to lose to their car that seems to be made for durability.

Ryan makes a feint that causes them to take the wrong turn before he takes a hidden path on a different side. The road is uneven to the point that I can feel the car shaking as it moves through the pebbles on the ground.

I’m starting to become worried as the scenery changes from buildings to trees. The density of the trees makes me feel that we are no longer in the city but have entered the forest and mountain path as I can feel the ascension while the car continues forward.

The scenery around us doesn’t change much but slowly I can see residential buildings. It looks organised and well-planned. It’s like a hidden community within the depth of the undeveloped side of the city.

Ryan slows the car as he drives deeper and that allows me to carefully scrutinize the area. There are several groups of people running in sync around the vicinity. They appear to be well trained and reminded me of someone.

The car finally stops when it reaches a mansion located to the furthest depth of the community. Ryan steps out without telling me anything. I stare at him as he walks to the front door and that's when I noticed an older gentleman standing by the door holding a cane.

It feels awkward to stay in the car while he is outside doing who knows what. I take off the seatbelt and slowly get myself out of the car. Ryan seems to be talking seriously with the older gentleman. I think they might be talking about me since I’m being glanced at once in a while.

I don’t know what to do after getting out of the car and decide to check my phone. My eyes grow wide when I finally realise I have no reception. I didn’t tell my parents that I will be out late and the sky is getting darker by the minute.

“Evan?” I turn to my back and see a sweaty Do-Hyun standing nearby. I almost jump at the sight of him because as I recall, he’s not supposed to be here since he is out of the country. He must have come back quite recently.

“Ryan brought you here?” Seeing that I didn’t reply, he makes the assumption on his own and hits right on the nail. I nod as a response and he appears to be thinking of something before coming closer.

“Let’s go in,” He starts to lead me to the front door.

I follow from behind but keep a distance. I stop nearby when we reach the older gentleman but not close enough to be part of their conversation. Do-Hyun respectfully greets him and Ryan.

“We can continue our conversation inside,” The older gentleman turns around and walks in. Ryan follows him after glancing at me while Do-Hyun waits for me to come inside together.

The house is decorated nicely with artworks in the form of paintings and antiques around the house. It has the atmosphere of the olden day’s noble house. Except, there’s several people scattered around the house but I don’t think they are house servants. Each of them appears serious and in the process of doing something. Either with paperwork or items in their hands.

None of them looks anything like an office worker either. They all wear a black short sleeve t-shirt which exposes the bulging arm muscles. I’m conflicted as to feel safe or threatened since they can definitely protect or kill someone.

Ryan and the older gentleman have disappeared off to somewhere. Do-Hyun starts to guide me to a room on the second floor. He leaves once I enter and tells me to stay put before closing the door. 

Well, it’s safer to stay in the room and I don’t want to leave without knowing my situation. It’s also best that someone that I know can easily find me rather than put myself at risk and face those muscular guys. There’s a few of them loitering around the interior and exterior of this mansion.

I take a good look at the furniture around me and notice there are several bookcases. Otherwise, the room is sparse of other furniture than for seating. This room feels like a mini-library.

I walk to the window to see the sky turning darker. I sigh inside since I’m told not to stay out late today. Every time I go out, I’m slowly starting to wonder what will happen to me because I’m always involved in something that’s not desirable. Though, I did this to myself today.

I shouldn’t have gone to that club today. Curiosity kills the cat. Maybe it will kill me someday but not knowing things makes me more unsettled. No one wants to tell me anything. It feels like I need to find it myself.

I hear the door opening and turn to face it. I’m standing across the room so there will be some distance between the person opening the door and myself. I watch as the door slides wider and almost slips my hand off the windowsill when the door is wider enough to reveal the person.

We both stare at each other for a moment before he opens his mouth to ask first,

“Why are you here?”

May go on a haitus. Please leave a comment about the book and how you like it so far. I don't even know if it's worth it to rewrite this.

Edited 25/11/21 Added an art I commissioned @Killokii .. Follow her on SH @Killokii too cause she's an author too and amazing~

 

Below is the glorious Elua!

Spoiler

Elua by Killokii

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