The Last Spade Master

Chapter 22: Flying Sneakers

" Thief...thief catch him" a girl was chasing the man who had just bumped into him.

"Ah.. what is this world going to do without me" sighing again, Hardin rolled up his sleeves and chased the man.

He caught up with the man in less than a minute, he grabbed the one end of the bag before delivering a strong kick to the man's chest that sent him flying away. He grabbed the bag and turned to leave.

Hardin, who had been immersed in checking the condition of the bag, didn't notice that the man came behind him with a knife in his hand.

He only turned around when he heard a loud thud behind. He saw the thief faint on the ground with the sharp knife in his hand, beside him lay peach coloured sneakers with untied shoelaces.

"Whose this..." before he could finish his words he saw something fly towards him and smacked right at the face.

Hardin was dumbfounded and speechless.

When he opened his eyes he saw another pair of sneakers on the ground. He saw the same girl who had chased the thief running towards him.

"I am sorry sir, it's just that you look like that thief from a distance" saying that the girl bowed before him as a sign of apology.

Hardin pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, it was the very first time someone said to him that he looked like a thief. He observed the girl from top to bottom, she seemed like a college girl, her blonde hair full of curls and looks soft and shiny, and shoes missing from both of her feet, of course she used them to hit him in the face

"Stand up" hearing this the girl stood straight but still refused to meet his eyes.

Hardin closed the distance between them and lifted the girl's chin with his slender fingers.

"Now.. How do I look"

"Huh..." the girl didn't seem to understand what he was saying

"You said I look like a thief from a distance, now how do I look in close, Hmm...?"

Seeing that the unknown handsome specimen further moved close towards her, the girl panicked and lifted her knees and collided with where the sun don't shine.

Hardin who did not expect this move crunched in pain, "You... How dare you?"

"Pervert... you look like a pervert up close," the girl picked up her bag and sneakers and ran away from the site.

Hardin still felt a slight sting in his crotch, he saw something fall off from her bag. He bent down to take the ID of the girl.

He gritted his teeth, "Noah Carter... you are dead meat."

He stuffed the ID in his pants pocket, made his way towards the car and drove away.

Noah, who ran away from the strange men, took a deep breath to calm her erratic nerves. It seems like she would catch trouble wherever she goes. She opened her bag to see the money she got from today's work at the bar.

Relief washed over her when she saw the money was still there and closed the zipper and tucked the bag in her arm securely. Life has not been easy for her, attending school in the morning, working part time in the bar, and taking care of her little sister made her exhausted.

She slowly walked towards the bus stop to catch the last bus for her home. She took a seat and put on a earphone listening to her mother's favorite song,

Just smile for me and let the day begin

You are the sunshine that lights my heart within

I'm sure that you're an angel in disguise

Come take my hand and together we will ride

On the wings of love

Up and above the clouds

The only way to fly is on the wings of love

                                                           ~Song by Kyla

Tears welled up in her eyes, reminiscing the time she had spent with her mother. She once had a beautiful family with a loving mother, a caring father and little sister, but everything changed when her father's business started to go bankrupt.

He started to drown himself with alcohol and drugs, it was her mother who took care of everything in the house but fate had other plans.

Her mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and passed away three years ago leaving a five year old child in her care.