Chapter 64
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The slightly taller boy jerked as though he'd been electrocuted, but he had enough sense not to yell out loud or give away any of his shock.
"What's wrong?" the boy says faintly, a confused look on his face. Hong Jun's heart jolted in shock when he realized that he couldn't remove his hand from the smaller kid's.
Alec wanted to look at him strangely, but he didn't because that would be OOC. He didn't even grab the kid with any of his strength. It was as light a grab as he could possibly make it, so what was his problem?
Hong Jun looked at the younger kid with concealed shock, his heart beating a mile a minute. Not only had he been grabbed, he'd been caught like it was nothing. How!
Or rather, he thinks he's been caught. Hong Jun tries acting oblivious in case the other had grabbed him because of something else, but looking at the other's smile, he has a feeling that the gig was up.
He didn't understand. How could he have been caught? He's never been caught before! Hong Jun was good. Very good. He's even pickpocketed several mages before, and they've never realized anything.
Of course, he then had to dump the goods quick because mages tended to be paranoid, keeping locating or tracking seals on everything, which made it less thrilling.
The kid who looked so gullible and smiley had grabbed him like it was nothing, but Hong Jun couldn't jerk his hand away no matter how hard he tried. How was this even remotely possible? A rich kid like this, with actual, physical strength?
Hong Jun always thought that these rich brats were just flowers growing up in a greenhouse, unable to take even the slightest gust of wind. These were usually the best targets. They were so sure of themselves that they never once stopped to take in their surroundings.
When the boy ha split with his caretaker earlier, Hong Jun had presumed that the boy must have sent the caretaker off on an errand before sneaking off, but what was this?
"What do you want?" Hong Jun repeats, his voice testy. His lips curled down into a snarl that usually terrified some of the other street kids that run around.
Alec doesn't say anything, but he doesn't let his hand go either.
This was great. It happened so quickly that he almost couldn't let himself believe it.
He'd intentionally split from Philip because this way, he'd be an easier mark for any pickpockets to find.
Not only that, because he was so young, only street children of similar ages would try to approach him. He'd shoved a few loose bills into his pockets when they were exiting the bank as bait, and sure enough, the fish had bitten the hook.
"The money," Alec says. "I'll let you keep it in exchange for some information. If you make me happy, I'll give you even more."
Hong Jun warily draws back. "Information? What information could I possibly have? I'm just a gutter rat."
The gentle smile remained curled on his lips, but his eyes cooled as he stared at the boy.
"Tch," the pickpocket spat. "Fine, but not here."
Hong Jun's mind flitted from thought to thought as he tried to find a way out of his predicament. Unfortunately, he preferred to move alone, unlike the other kids who liked going around in threes or fours.
Since he was so good at what he did, he never needed any lookouts to bail him out of trouble. This was coming back to bite him in the ass. He had been so confident in his own abilities that he never once stopped to think about what would happen if something went wrong. After this, he would have to rethink his modus operandi.
Should he dupe the other and make a run for it when he was let go? That might work, but somehow the other boy's cherubic looks made him wary.
Just as Hong Jun tensed his muscles to try and make a break for it, he heard the rich boy's words float into his ears. "Don't even think about it."
Hong Jun felt chills go down his spine. Was this really a kid younger than him? How was it that a few simple words were able to so effectively dissuade him so thoroughly? Hong Jun cursed his previously peaceful life.
The two of them backed into a nearby ally, where no one took a second glance. The light there was dimmer, and the sounds from outside the ally echoed in their ears.
Hong Jun crossed his arms, leaning on the wall. "Talk," he said roughly.
Alec didn't say anything, just looking silently at the boy. The longer the silence dragged on, the more unnerved Hong Jun appeared.
"Hurry up, I don't have all day!" he spat in an attempt to cover his nerves.
"I'm looking for two teens," Alec pulled out two sheets of paper with Cyrus and Zacharias' likeness on it. "Seen them?"
Hong Jun snorts when he hears what the boy says. There were so many teens in and out of the city. How could he ever possibly have seen them or heard of them? But then, he takes in the drawing he's been shown, and his face pales.
"Never seen them before," he tries, but knows its futile anyway. His reaction most likely gave him away a long time ago.
"Try again."
"I know them," the pickpocket says grudgingly, shoving his hands in his pockets. "There aren't many that don't know them around these parts. Hard to miss, with the way they're beating down people left and right."
Alec raised a brow. Sure enough, both of them were in the city. Zacharias and Cyrus were going around beating people up left and right? That didn't quite sound like the two he knew.
Though Zacharias was more prideful than a normal person, he certainly didn't go around and unceremoniously give a smackdown. Alec thought about it. If someone walked up to Zacharias and insulted him, it would most likely involve a fight. However, that didn't mean that he was the type to go spoiling for a fight after.
Not to mention, Cyrus, who liked to see himself as a big brother of sorts to the rest of them, was actively participating in this as well?
Something was up here.
Perhaps Hong Jun could see from his face that he didn't believe him, because before he knew it, the pickpocket was shoving his arm in his face, all but snarling. "Look at this! I got this from a fight with them! I wouldn't ever mistake their faces."
Alec looked at the scar on the boy's arm. It was a pale, silvery thing along his tanned arm, but the cut was light and didn't go much deeper than surface level. That was fine bladework indeed.
It was a surface wound that would likely have healed up without a scar should it have been taken proper care of, but Alec suspected that the kid was living off the streets, which meant that he had no such active facilities to nurse his wound.
Since the kid was not sporting any more of such scars, he assumed that his friends had noticed this fact as well, rectifying it.
Now, he had his clue. All he had to do was find them.
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The slightly taller boy jerked as though he'd been electrocuted, but he had enough sense not to yell out loud or give away any of his shock.
"What's wrong?" the boy says faintly, a confused look on his face. Hong Jun's heart jolted in shock when he realized that he couldn't remove his hand from the smaller kid's.
Alec wanted to look at him strangely, but he didn't because that would be OOC. He didn't even grab the kid with any of his strength. It was as light a grab as he could possibly make it, so what was his problem?
Hong Jun looked at the younger kid with concealed shock, his heart beating a mile a minute. Not only had he been grabbed, he'd been caught like it was nothing. How!
Or rather, he thinks he's been caught. Hong Jun tries acting oblivious in case the other had grabbed him because of something else, but looking at the other's smile, he has a feeling that the gig was up.
He didn't understand. How could he have been caught? He's never been caught before! Hong Jun was good. Very good. He's even pickpocketed several mages before, and they've never realized anything.
Of course, he then had to dump the goods quick because mages tended to be paranoid, keeping locating or tracking seals on everything, which made it less thrilling.
The kid who looked so gullible and smiley had grabbed him like it was nothing, but Hong Jun couldn't jerk his hand away no matter how hard he tried. How was this even remotely possible? A rich kid like this, with actual, physical strength?
Hong Jun always thought that these rich brats were just flowers growing up in a greenhouse, unable to take even the slightest gust of wind. These were usually the best targets. They were so sure of themselves that they never once stopped to take in their surroundings.
When the boy ha split with his caretaker earlier, Hong Jun had presumed that the boy must have sent the caretaker off on an errand before sneaking off, but what was this?
"What do you want?" Hong Jun repeats, his voice testy. His lips curled down into a snarl that usually terrified some of the other street kids that run around.
Alec doesn't say anything, but he doesn't let his hand go either.
This was great. It happened so quickly that he almost couldn't let himself believe it.
He'd intentionally split from Philip because this way, he'd be an easier mark for any pickpockets to find.
Not only that, because he was so young, only street children of similar ages would try to approach him. He'd shoved a few loose bills into his pockets when they were exiting the bank as bait, and sure enough, the fish had bitten the hook.
"The money," Alec says. "I'll let you keep it in exchange for some information. If you make me happy, I'll give you even more."
Hong Jun warily draws back. "Information? What information could I possibly have? I'm just a gutter rat."
The gentle smile remained curled on his lips, but his eyes cooled as he stared at the boy.
"Tch," the pickpocket spat. "Fine, but not here."
Hong Jun's mind flitted from thought to thought as he tried to find a way out of his predicament. Unfortunately, he preferred to move alone, unlike the other kids who liked going around in threes or fours.
Since he was so good at what he did, he never needed any lookouts to bail him out of trouble. This was coming back to bite him in the ass. He had been so confident in his own abilities that he never once stopped to think about what would happen if something went wrong. After this, he would have to rethink his modus operandi.
Should he dupe the other and make a run for it when he was let go? That might work, but somehow the other boy's cherubic looks made him wary.
Just as Hong Jun tensed his muscles to try and make a break for it, he heard the rich boy's words float into his ears. "Don't even think about it."
Hong Jun felt chills go down his spine. Was this really a kid younger than him? How was it that a few simple words were able to so effectively dissuade him so thoroughly? Hong Jun cursed his previously peaceful life.
The two of them backed into a nearby ally, where no one took a second glance. The light there was dimmer, and the sounds from outside the ally echoed in their ears.
Hong Jun crossed his arms, leaning on the wall. "Talk," he said roughly.
Alec didn't say anything, just looking silently at the boy. The longer the silence dragged on, the more unnerved Hong Jun appeared.
"Hurry up, I don't have all day!" he spat in an attempt to cover his nerves.
"I'm looking for two teens," Alec pulled out two sheets of paper with Cyrus and Zacharias' likeness on it. "Seen them?"
Hong Jun snorts when he hears what the boy says. There were so many teens in and out of the city. How could he ever possibly have seen them or heard of them? But then, he takes in the drawing he's been shown, and his face pales.
"Never seen them before," he tries, but knows its futile anyway. His reaction most likely gave him away a long time ago.
"Try again."
"I know them," the pickpocket says grudgingly, shoving his hands in his pockets. "There aren't many that don't know them around these parts. Hard to miss, with the way they're beating down people left and right."
Alec raised a brow. Sure enough, both of them were in the city. Zacharias and Cyrus were going around beating people up left and right? That didn't quite sound like the two he knew.
Though Zacharias was more prideful than a normal person, he certainly didn't go around and unceremoniously give a smackdown. Alec thought about it. If someone walked up to Zacharias and insulted him, it would most likely involve a fight. However, that didn't mean that he was the type to go spoiling for a fight after.
Not to mention, Cyrus, who liked to see himself as a big brother of sorts to the rest of them, was actively participating in this as well?
Something was up here.
Perhaps Hong Jun could see from his face that he didn't believe him, because before he knew it, the pickpocket was shoving his arm in his face, all but snarling. "Look at this! I got this from a fight with them! I wouldn't ever mistake their faces."
Alec looked at the scar on the boy's arm. It was a pale, silvery thing along his tanned arm, but the cut was light and didn't go much deeper than surface level. That was fine bladework indeed.
It was a surface wound that would likely have healed up without a scar should it have been taken proper care of, but Alec suspected that the kid was living off the streets, which meant that he had no such active facilities to nurse his wound.
Since the kid was not sporting any more of such scars, he assumed that his friends had noticed this fact as well, rectifying it.
Now, he had his clue. All he had to do was find them.
The slightly taller boy jerked as though he'd been electrocuted, but he had enough sense not to yell out loud or give away any of his shock."What's wrong?" the boy says faintly, a confused look on his face. Hong Jun's heart jolted in shock when he realized that he couldn't remove his hand from the smaller kid's.Alec wanted to look at him strangely, but he didn't because that would be OOC. He didn't even grab the kid with any of his strength. It was as light a grab as he could possibly make it, so what was his problem?Hong Jun looked at the younger kid with concealed shock, his heart beating a mile a minute. Not only had he been grabbed, he'd been caught like it was nothing. How!Or rather, he thinks he's been caught. Hong Jun tries acting oblivious in case the other had grabbed him because of something else, but looking at the other's smile, he has a feeling that the gig was up.He didn't understand. How could he have been caught? He's never been caught before! Hong Jun was good. Very good. He's even pickpocketed several mages before, and they've never realized anything.Of course, he then had to dump the goods quick because mages tended to be paranoid, keeping locating or tracking seals on everything, which made it less thrilling.The kid who looked so gullible and smiley had grabbed him like it was nothing, but Hong Jun couldn't jerk his hand away no matter how hard he tried. How was this even remotely possible? A rich kid like this, with actual, physical strength?Hong Jun always thought that these rich brats were just flowers growing up in a greenhouse, unable to take even the slightest gust of wind. These were usually the best targets. They were so sure of themselves that they never once stopped to take in their surroundings.When the boy ha split with his caretaker earlier, Hong Jun had presumed that the boy must have sent the caretaker off on an errand before sneaking off, but what was this?"What do you want?" Hong Jun repeats, his voice testy. His lips curled down into a snarl that usually terrified some of the other street kids that run around.Alec doesn't say anything, but he doesn't let his hand go either.This was great. It happened so quickly that he almost couldn't let himself believe it.He'd intentionally split from Philip because this way, he'd be an easier mark for any pickpockets to find.Not only that, because he was so young, only street children of similar ages would try to approach him. He'd shoved a few loose bills into his pockets when they were exiting the bank as bait, and sure enough, the fish had bitten the hook."The money," Alec says. "I'll let you keep it in exchange for some information. If you make me happy, I'll give you even more."Hong Jun warily draws back. "Information? What information could I possibly have? I'm just a gutter rat."The gentle smile remained curled on his lips, but his eyes cooled as he stared at the boy."Tch," the pickpocket spat. "Fine, but not here."Hong Jun's mind flitted from thought to thought as he tried to find a way out of his predicament. Unfortunately, he preferred to move alone, unlike the other kids who liked going around in threes or fours.Since he was so good at what he did, he never needed any lookouts to bail him out of trouble. This was coming back to bite him in the ass. He had been so confident in his own abilities that he never once stopped to think about what would happen if something went wrong. After this, he would have to rethink his modus operandi.Should he dupe the other and make a run for it when he was let go? That might work, but somehow the other boy's cherubic looks made him wary.Just as Hong Jun tensed his muscles to try and make a break for it, he heard the rich boy's words float into his ears. "Don't even think about it."Hong Jun felt chills go down his spine. Was this really a kid younger than him? How was it that a few simple words were able to so effectively dissuade him so thoroughly? Hong Jun cursed his previously peaceful life.The two of them backed into a nearby ally, where no one took a second glance. The light there was dimmer, and the sounds from outside the ally echoed in their ears.Hong Jun crossed his arms, leaning on the wall. "Talk," he said roughly.Alec didn't say anything, just looking silently at the boy. The longer the silence dragged on, the more unnerved Hong Jun appeared."Hurry up, I don't have all day!" he spat in an attempt to cover his nerves."I'm looking for two teens," Alec pulled out two sheets of paper with Cyrus and Zacharias' likeness on it. "Seen them?"Hong Jun snorts when he hears what the boy says. There were so many teens in and out of the city. How could he ever possibly have seen them or heard of them? But then, he takes in the drawing he's been shown, and his face pales."Never seen them before," he tries, but knows its futile anyway. His reaction most likely gave him away a long time ago."Try again.""I know them," the pickpocket says grudgingly, shoving his hands in his pockets. "There aren't many that don't know them around these parts. Hard to miss, with the way they're beating down people left and right."Alec raised a brow. Sure enough, both of them were in the city. Zacharias and Cyrus were going around beating people up left and right? That didn't quite sound like the two he knew.Though Zacharias was more prideful than a normal person, he certainly didn't go around and unceremoniously give a smackdown. Alec thought about it. If someone walked up to Zacharias and insulted him, it would most likely involve a fight. However, that didn't mean that he was the type to go spoiling for a fight after.Not to mention, Cyrus, who liked to see himself as a big brother of sorts to the rest of them, was actively participating in this as well?Something was up here.Perhaps Hong Jun could see from his face that he didn't believe him, because before he knew it, the pickpocket was shoving his arm in his face, all but snarling. "Look at this! I got this from a fight with them! I wouldn't ever mistake their faces."Alec looked at the scar on the boy's arm. It was a pale, silvery thing along his tanned arm, but the cut was light and didn't go much deeper than surface level. That was fine bladework indeed.It was a surface wound that would likely have healed up without a scar should it have been taken proper care of, but Alec suspected that the kid was living off the streets, which meant that he had no such active facilities to nurse his wound.Since the kid was not sporting any more of such scars, he assumed that his friends had noticed this fact as well, rectifying it.Now, he had his clue. All he had to do was find them.
