The Aged | Gyuhao (Sequel to Youth)

- 2

| Chapter Two — New faces |
| 📍 Okayama, Japan |

"Get back here!"

It's chaos.

Two officers chase a duo toned haired boy, with darkened tips and blonde roots. The teen runs through the intersections, pushing past many different people with a smile.

He's always found crime amusing— even at this young age of his.

"Stop right there!" His native language is spat at him, well, more like screamed.

There's a buzz in his chest, his heart beating against his rib cage so hard out of adrenaline it's almost making him go crazy. But there's also a faint buzz in his ear, he takes a while to catch it, sliding into a stray store, back against the wall to stay hidden as he presses on the earpiece.

"Riki, I told you to stay on the down low!" A voice fans out in Korean.

"Sorry," Riki chuckles, back straightening when the officers run right past the store, "I find the thrill of being chased kind of exciting."

"Well, it's not fun when you're actually caught. Get the hell back here now. I won't ask again."

"Come on, Seokmin-san. Do you have to be such a buzzkill?" Riki's shoulders drop.

"Just get back to Cerise. Boss' orders."

Riki groans, sighing softly, "Fine. Give me 20." He peeks his head around the corner, smiling when he notices the lack of security. There's nothing actually, just tourists and Japanese people flooding the streets.

Christmas was just around the corner, after all. It's definitely the busiest time of the year. Riki knew it would only worsen. There weren't a lot of religious people that lived here, but that wasn't gonna stop them from buying all sorts of gifts.

But that would just be better for Cerise.

More people— More places to hide. To blend in.

"Can I help you with anything?" The store owner says. She was a simple elderly woman, a huge smile on her face like she's earned her first customer after several decades.

"No, thank you. Wonderful store, though." Riki whips around, going to leave.

But he stops, doing a double take as his eyes flicker towards the store he stands inside.

There's records everywhere, jukeboxes and pianos splattered all across the room. It was a beautiful store, it really was.

And Riki always had a thing for music.

When he was 9, his mother signed him up for piano lessons. He hated it at first and would do anything to make it so he couldn't go to each and every appointment— But in the end, he learned to love it. He found that pressing the keys just to hear the sweetness of a note was the most amazing thing he's even seen or heard.

He's long since stopped playing the piano, and he ran away from home not even 2 years ago.

So now, he walks over slowly, taking a seat at the stool and letting his fingertips ghost over the keys.

It's been so long since he's played a tune, it seems like he's forgotten how to play.

Riki frowns, pressing a key out of spite. He lets the deepened note ring through the air.

"Ahh," Riki turns around when a gruff voice comes from behind him, "It seems you've stopped by to sing a song. Bad hiding spot, though."

Riki grits his teeth, "You."