Crook | K.th

Crook 3: Lion's Den

/Narrator's POV/

"Bills, bills and oh look. More bills."

Liyah had quickly grown frustrated, staring down at the pile of envelops carrying notices for electric bills and threats of eviction. She was recently able to open her own bank account, and she had only a couple of hundreds saved up in her savings. Some extra she made from the club rolled up in wads in a little safe both she and Jimin kept at the apartment.

It was early on a Thursday morning that next week. Throughout last Friday all the way to yesterday, Liyah had brought in over ten grand. Of course that amount diminished into a little over 2,000 after Bobby took his cut every night. Jimin was going through something similar. In the span of a week they were only able to bring in a little over 4,000.

Jimin had to put forth some of his money for tuition due to him attending university classes, which brought them down to a sad $2,134. Some would go to the current rent which was about $500, then to cable, of course to electricity as well. In the end they would only have about $600 left for food, and any other necessities around the apartment.

"Goodmorning." A lovely, light masculine voice sings from behind her. Liyah turned around slightly just to see Jimin entering the small, box shaped kitchen. Wearing his plaid pajama pants and no shirt covering his torso. As he breezes past she could catch a glimpse of the lunar tattoo art on his spine.

"Morning." Liyah said, slapping down the latest notice on the table before reaching for her cigarette that had been burning in the ashtray. Taking a hit, she leaned back in her seat and shook her head.

"You didn't cook?" Jimin asked.

"No, I'm sorry Chim. I've just been busy looking at all of this bull." Liyah sighed, smoke slipping past her plump lips and forming clouds before her eyes.

"What bull?" Jimin frowned, walking over to the table. His hand picks up the first envelop he seen which just so happened to be one of the notices for an unpaid electricity bill. From a month ago.

"That one we still owe $130. The most current one we owe $218. And it's due by tomorrow morning." Liyah said.

"Liyah I told you not to worry about this so early. You're going to give yourself a fucking headache before the day even starts." Jimin chuckled, sitting down in the chair adjacent to Liyah's.

"I know. And I'm sorry but it stresses me out. The car needs a new tire, you just paid the rest of your university fees so you could attend in the fall, we have so much piling up. We made thousands alone in one night at the club but that asshole only lets us leave with a pinch of that money. We're struggling to stay afloat Jimin and it stresses me out."

"It's my job to take care of electric anyways. We agreed you would handle food and anything else we need around the house including cable and the landline. If it's anything that's late it's on me." Jimin mumbled.

"Not really. We go 50/50 on the rent." Liyah pointed out. Jimin nodded, running his hand down his face. That too. Honestly, the struggle between the both of them is what made their bond so tight. Jimin has watched Liyah suffer through some turmoil. From meeting her when she was still coping with losing her foster parents to seeing her cry in the dressing room after a dance all because a group of men assaulted and insulted her.

It was vice versa as well. The trauma between the two of them was quite heavy, enough to fill an entire room with.

"I'll pick up some extra shifts at the club. That diner hasn't given me word back on an opening position so we have to wait. It'll all get handled. I promised that I wouldn't let you see the day where you would have to sleep on the streets and I meant that Liyah." Jimin pulled a cigarette from the half empty carton Liyah had sitting out. He sparked it and took a hit with ease.