Chasing in the dark

CHAPTER 10

I'm in my happy place, when I'm beating someone up. Especially the type that make my job difficult.

We're busy punishing a scumbag that forgot about his due date on his loan he made from us.

Dumb motherfucker!

I'm holding down the fool and look up to where my boss is standing. The single streetlight hits his face just the right way, for you to see the faint dimple as he sucks on his cigarette.

I will do anything for him. He is my goal in life. To serve him and lighten the burden of his shoulders.

I met Jae-A when he joined the gang. So young and naive. Eager to learn the ropes. He obviously worked himself up to being in charge of his own group of men. Some would say I'm a spoiled rich kid looking for attention. I see it as me forging my own way through the jungle that is life.

Something from the corner of his beautiful eyes catches his attention. I look into the same direction but see nothing.

What is he staring at?

Later that night I couldn't shake this feeling that something is wrong with my boss. So I decide to leave the guys at the bar and go check up on him.

As I walk past the corner house into the direction of his apartment, I see him speaking to someone in the window.

Isn't it that weird guy that likes to hang out at the old man's diner? What would the boss be doing at his place this time of the night?

I see my boss sneak into the person's room. This is very strange behaviour.

I jump over the fence and hide behind the big tree in the garden. I can make out a little bit of the visual in the room.

Boss is threatening the guy. But why? Did he do something to the boss?

Shit, he's leaving. I hide myself as he walks past me. He has a weird look on his face.

He jumps over the wall and disappears. I wait a bit before I decide to leave as well.

What did I just witness?

~

We're finally having a beer after a long day of work. I'm telling the boys about my plan to make us the primary handlers in our neighborhood.

I look at my boss and he has a slight smile on his face. I wonder what he is thinking about? Or rather who is he thinking about.

He scoffs "You don't think it'll work?" Why is he rejecting my idea? I thought that we wanted the same thing. But I guess that isn't his end game anymore.

He gets up and finishes his drink. He makes an excuse and leaves the bar.

My boss is an interesting person. So it's just natural that I would want to know what he is up to.

So I decide to do what any normal second in command would do, I got up and followed him.

I keep a safe distance between us. He seems to be in a hurry. Maybe he is just rushing to catch his bus.

We finally make it to the bus stop. I continue to maintain the distance between us. He is smoking a cigarette now and staring at something.

It must be something good, because his whole face lights up. He even tries to reach for whatever it is.

I cannot make it out. A bus comes and most of the people that were gathered at the bus stop, get in.

Good. Now I can see what the boss was staring at. He moves a bit back to stand on the other side of the bus stop. I turn my back to him.