The King // ATEEZ

{1} Thieves and Thugs

CHAPTER ONE : THIEVES AND THUGS

Standing behind the counter, the almost empty diner stared back at me. Checking the time for what seemed to be the millionth time this hour, the same time stared back at me as it did two minutes ago. There was still an hour left of my shift, and then I can finally go home and sleep.

"Hey Nabi, can you close tonight? Something came up at home and I need to get back," my boss ran out from the back, worry on his face making me stand straight from my slouched over position.

"Sure," I nodded, giving him a fake smile. Why am I such a pushover? That hour just changed into another four, and after closing it will be well past midnight by the time I get home.

People my age are usually out on a Saturday night, enjoying their lives while they can. Not me. Call it cliché, but I have to work two jobs right now to support myself and not go into debt and end up on the street and then inevitably die. Oh and also, I'm a bit of a drama queen, never seen the light side of things. But at least I have a roof over my head and a few packets of instant ramen, so I can't exactly complain.

"I owe you big time," throwing his coat on, he ran from the diner while tossing me the keys. Giving him the thumbs up, I went back to mindlessly polishing the mugs in front of me. Hearing the bell tinkle again, I looked up with my usual fake smile plastered on my face.

"Hi, what can I get you tonight?"

"Coffee, black," his voice was rough and tired, but what did I expect in an area like this? We were on the wrong side of the city right now, and the people who usually came through that door just want a coffee and to get on their merry way with whatever shady business they are up to. It's not up to me to judge, or even care. I just get paid to pour coffee and serve pancakes with a smile. Although, a please now and then would be nice.

"Coming right up," giving him another smile, he sat at the counter and placed the money in front of me. Handing him the coffee, there were only a handful of others in the diner left.

"Thanks," he mumbled taking a sip. Looking back at him, I noticed his eyebrow was bleeding. Handing him a napkin, he raised the brow only to wince straight after.

"For the brow," like I said, wasn't my place to judge or even care, but I didn't want to be cleaning the blood off the counter yet again. Earning a nod, he started dabbing his eyebrow, only for me to notice the cuts and bruises on his hands. Huh, he looked too... dare I say attractive to be doing what I think he's probably done. But hey, as I've said: none of my business.

Turning my attention away, I started putting the mugs away. I mean, it's not as if there were going to be any more people coming in tonight.

I hope. I'm too tired to do actual work now. 

"Hey, can I get a refill little lady?" Turning, the big guy at the back of the diner in the  booth lifted his mug up, waving it at me. Taking the coffee pot over, I just refilled it with a fake smile like usual. As I was turning away, his hand was on my ass. Pulling his hand away and giving him a look, he grabbed my wrist. Now by all means I'm not weak, and I can certainly defend myself to an extent, but I don't know how to defend myself against a guy that is twice the size of me.

"Anything else I can get you?" Asking politely, he just stood towering over me, my wrist still in his grasp. Dropping my hand, he stood a step toward me, making me instinctively take a step backward. And another, and another, until my back hit the counter.

And then it happened, something I had been expecting to happen since I started, to be honest. I'm just surprised it took this long.

Pulling his gun out, a smirk spread across his greasy face. "How about everything you have in the register over there?" Rolling my eyes, I put the coffee pot down and walked around the counter. I don't get paid enough for this shit; I'm not going to argue over around a hundred at most.