Thud, thud, thud.
The sound of drums echoes. In the circus troupe, drumbeats are common; the orchestra plays in every performance. Sixx liked the sound of drums, but at the same time, he didn’t. It was due to the strange sensation he felt when the loud drums resonated through his body. The vibration was fascinating yet made him feel nauseous. Moreover, as the time for him to go on stage approached, the drumbeats strangely seemed to grow louder. However, something was different today. For some reason, the vibrations seemed to be coming from deep below the ground. Sixx blankly stared at the floor. The slow drumming gradually intensified in speed and force.
Thud, thud, thud! Sixx!
And his name was called out.
Sixx! Wake up!
Sixx blinked his eyes open. The first thing that caught his eye was the beige mattress, stained with dirt from wear. Seeing the indentations on the mattress from the frame, it seemed like the owner of the upper bunk had returned. Luckily, what time could it be… Thud, thud, thud! Sixx had returned from work at 3 in the morning yesterday. Once again, a knocking sound was heard.
“Sixx, wake up!”
Since there was no response, the tone of the voice became more impatient. He hastily tried to get up, hitting his head forcefully against the iron frame. Ouch! He groaned, holding his throbbing head and slumping to the floor. Moans escaped involuntarily. Not forgetting the pain, tears welled up. Nevertheless, unable to keep the other waiting any longer, Sixx reluctantly opened the door.
“Ow, it hurts so much…! Good morning, Leticia.”
“Sixx, how many times do I have to call you… Hey, didn’t I tell you to wear clothes!”
At her reproach, Sixx glanced down at his body. Due to the habit of sleeping without a shirt, his upper body, just out of bed, was naturally bare. Leticia expressed her dissatisfaction with his exposure. Sixx scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
“I forgot. Just woke up, give me a break, Leticia. We’re not strangers, we’re between us.”
“Hmm… the shy and cute you from before has turned into a shameless person who tries to cover everything up with some childish charm, right? It’s not my fault. I’m telling you to go back to how you were back then, Sixx.”
“Oh, Leticia, you always found the shy me annoying, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t particularly want you to change like this. Anyway, it’s already half past ten. If you don’t hurry, you’ll be late for work. We were going to order pizza with Milo, want to join?”
“Wow, that sounds good. But, I might eat a lot. I’m really hungry…”
“It won’t be ‘a lot’, it’ll be ‘a whole lot’. It’s okay, we’ll order plenty. What about Corbin?”
“He probably won’t wake up. He came in late yesterday too. Should we just let him sleep?”
“Yeah, okay. Then, come out to the living room after you shower.”
Sixx nodded and closed the door again. His longtime friend, who used the upper bunk, showed no signs of waking up despite the conversation between him and Leticia. Approaching closer, he could smell the persistent scent of alcohol. Sixx sighed deeply. He had been drinking heavily again. Despite suggesting to drink moderately… But now they were all adults. Each had their own way of life, and no right to meddle in each other’s lives. Everything was different from before. Moreover, it was even more difficult because some of them didn’t understand his belated wandering at all. If Andy were here at times like this, she would have given him a piece of her mind…
Sixx entered the bathroom and turned on the shower. Warm, clean water poured down on him from above. Now, he had become too accustomed to such small luxuries. Showering with warm water, ordering pizza for delivery, sleeping in until ten in the morning, these things. Such everyday routines, which might seem trivial and natural to someone else, were once considered luxury to him. But that was several years ago. Time passed quickly. Perhaps too quickly. Time never waited for Sixx.
He stood in front of the sink, drying his hair with a towel. The reflection in the mirror, which had grown significantly larger, showed a sturdy young man’s appearance that might have seemed unfamiliar or even avoided by the Sixx of the past. He had grown taller, bulkier, to the point where he no longer resembled the small, skinny boy from before. However, his beard stubbornly refused to grow. He turned his face this way and that, hoping to see some difference since the last time he shaved, but there was hardly any change. This was still quite childish. The doorbell rang from outside. It seemed that the pizza delivery had arrived already. Before Leticia came to call him again, Sixx hurriedly picked up his jeans and shirt and went out to the living room. He was greeted by the aroma of freshly baked, steaming hot pizza.
“Good morning, Sixx.”
“Good morning, Milo. It’s strange to see you at this hour, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, the boss said he’s sick today, so the shop is closed. I got a call earlier.”
The young man tearing off slices of pizza was named Milo. He was another tenant living in this house. Unlike them, who had spent only about six years here, Milo was a native of Chicago, having lived there all his life. He had known Leticia since childhood and left his previous place in a hurry after hearing she was renting out cheap. Although not comparable to Corbin or Leticia, they had known each other for quite some time now. Sixx tore off two slices of pizza at once, stacking them, and took a big bite. The savory taste of the cheese was excellent. Leticia, looking disgusted as if she were seeing a wild animal, handed him a cola.
“Don’t rush, since you’re not taking it with you. Is Corbin still asleep?”
“Yes. Seems like he came in late. Looks like he had another drinking binge.”
“Again? He almost crawled in here like he was dying last time. I’m starting to worry about his health.”
“Yeah, I know…”
As Corbin’s story came up, suddenly his appetite seemed to disappear. However, he had to fill his stomach if he was going to work all afternoon. Sixx chewed on the pizza crust thoughtfully. He didn’t want to admit that his dear friend was deteriorating. He hadn’t refrained from trying to persuade him seriously. However, all his attempts crumbled in front of those brown eyes full of moisture. Facing those eyes, which seemed like they could shed tears at any moment, Sixx couldn’t say anything. Even the remaining half of shared pain felt too much for him.
“I don’t not understand why he’s like that. But, I’m worried, that’s why.”
“I wouldn’t worry about me…”
“Still, look at Tyler. If even you give up on him, there won’t be anyone left to catch him. Sixx, you know that. Living or dying is not something humans can control. He needs to wake up. This can’t go on.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“…Actually, I heard some bad things about Corbin.”
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“I have a friend who’s getting involved in some dangerous stuff. Angelo, I don’t know him well, but he sells drugs, takes money, does some errands, you know… Anyway, he’s doing some shady things. Do you get what I mean?”
Sixx nodded. It was true that it was easy to get involved in more risky activities if you wanted to make money quickly, and he himself had felt tempted several times, though he hadn’t acted on it.
“I’ve bumped into him when I went to the bar with Corbin before. Corbin showed some interest in Angelo, so I introduced them, and it seems like they’ve become quite close since then, judging by the way they’ve been in touch lately. I don’t know if Angelo’s influence has anything to do with why Corbin’s been coming home late recently.”
“…Corbin’s getting involved in dangerous stuff?”
“I’m not sure about that. But I’ve heard some stories recently about them hanging out together. I know Corbin’s a good kid, but you never know what people might do when they’re desperate.”
It was a reasonable deduction. Sixx felt his head throbbing. He knew. When people were pushed to the extreme, common sense and reason didn’t always prevail, and he knew that very well. Especially in Corbin’s case, that tendency was even stronger than in others. For the sake of his sister, he would do anything, even crime. Sixx, who had lost his appetite, eventually got up from the couch. Perhaps the time for simple persuasion had already passed. But if it wasn’t persuasion, how could he resist him? It wasn’t easy to tie Corbin up like a dog at home.
“I’ll go to work first. If Corbin wakes up in the meantime, tell him I want to talk to him. Oh, not today though. It’s the night shift at the theater, so today won’t work.”
“Sixx, don’t push yourself too hard. I understand the situation, but…”
“Of course. But still, no matter where I go, my stamina doesn’t give up.”
To reassure him, Sixx gave a little chuckle. He put on the black baseball cap with the Chicago Bulls logo, then headed out of the house. He worked at a nearby large supermarket from noon until 7 in the evening every day. Since the boss hated lateness more than anything else, it was better to arrive at least 10 minutes before the shift started. It was already April. Springtime in Chicago was beautiful. The once frozen streets of Michigan Avenue were now bustling with life. The ice that had covered Lake Michigan during the harsh winter must have melted away by now, creating gentle waves. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to go on a picnic by the lakeside next time. Sixx imagined happily, feeling the spring breeze rustling through.
Seven years. Almost seven years had passed since they fled from the circus troupe. And during that time, no one had been caught by the police. After escaping from the circus troupe, they had done everything they could to avoid being caught by the police for a while. They only moved at night and avoided crowded places. They feared that the ringmaster might issue a massive warrant for their arrest using connections. However, they soon realized that no one was looking for them. No one cared about the thieves who had robbed Landon Pierce’s safe.
That’s right. They had gained their freedom! And not just any freedom, but perfect freedom! They divided what was in the bag Sixx had brought. Although there were some disagreements, Leticia tried her best to handle the situation as fairly as possible. Those who had obtained the loot discussed their future plans with delight. Those who had a place to return to declared with joy that they would go back there. However, some people had nowhere to return to. Sixx, Corbin, and Andy, the siblings, were among them. Sixx had grown up in the circus troupe, and the siblings had vowed never to return to their father even if it meant death. Then Leticia made a suggestion to them. She proposed that they leave with her to Chicago. She confessed that a distant relative had left her a house after recently passing away. It’s okay to stay for a while. I get lonely by myself. She said so. Eventually, they went with her to Chicago.
Despite the word “for a while,” they ended up living together in Chicago all along. Of course, there were several incidents along the way. Leticia sold the suburban house and bought a new one in the city, and there were members who followed her to Chicago, then left the city after a petty argument, and new people filled the void left behind. One of them was Milo. However, there were no significant changes. Sixx, Andy, and Corbin stayed by her side. Andy settled in Chicago and soon underwent major surgery at the largest hospital in Chicago. They had spent most of the money they had stolen to cover the surgery costs, but they didn’t mind. After all, that’s what the stolen money was for in the first place. Andy was furious when she found out that Corbin had dragged Sixx into something dangerous, but Sixx actually thought it was fortunate that things turned out this way. If he had stayed in the circus troupe, he would have continued to live as a dog on a leash, blindly loyal to the ringmaster. And it was also good news that he no longer had to perform. He felt relieved that he no longer had to transform into that terrible monster.
For a few years, everything went smoothly. Leticia always wore the necklace her mother had left her, and she got a job as an instructor at a “basic yoga class for housewives” operated by a local center (although she admitted she had never professionally learned yoga). Sixx studied writing as he had hoped, and Andy and Corbin received job training with the help of a job support center. Corbin said he would quit as soon as he could make enough money, but Andy shyly revealed her long-time dream.
She said she wanted to learn craft skills. On the day she received her first training, Sixx personally put a scarf around her neck.
I only have one hand, can I do it well?
Sensing her voice trembling slightly, Sixx hugged her tightly.
Of course. You’re the smartest and most intelligent person I’ve ever met. You need that kind of handicap to be fair.
Because of his words, Andy smiled broadly. He thought those days would continue. However, the goddess of fate was generally not very kind to Sixx. She stubbornly brought other trials to make him cry out.
Sixx still vividly remembered that day. When he came back from outside, shattered pieces of glass were scattered on the living room floor. The sky was overcast as if it would pour rain any minute. Andy was leaning against the couch, almost collapsing, shedding tears endlessly. Instead of her silently crying, Corbin screamed. It was a grotesque and terrifying scream, as if a monster was about to emerge from the agony of death. Dread swept over. Finding Sixx, Corbin approached him and grabbed his arm tightly, as if he were about to burst it. At the moment when he was about to ask him to let go because it hurt, Corbin blurted out suddenly.
She has relapsed.
At first, Sixx didn’t understand.
What?
Then, Corbin yelled as if he were crazy.
It relapsed! Andy’s illness, it relapsed!
Ruin.
Sixx saw ruins in him. A house that lost the sturdy pillar named Andy couldn’t withstand even a small shock. Sixx felt his head go white. The word ‘relapse’ echoed incessantly, confusing his mind.
That was the beginning of all the problems. The nightmare. The demon that tormented Andy resurrected and pushed their lives back into misery once again. Although rare, the doctor said sometimes such cases occurred. With a rueful face, he tried to comfort them by saying that the recurrence of the disease was not their fault, but rather something decided by God, and that although rare, such things happened in the world. However, Sixx wanted to ask that God why Andy, of all people, had to be the sacrificial lamb. Why did God choose Andy instead of those who were worse and more evil? He’d rather have himself or Corbin. At least they had a history of stealing something. Seeing them in despair, the doctor sighed.
Trying to reoperate would be futile. We can continue treatment, but it’s just a kind of life-sustaining treatment that might extend life for a few more years at best. And it’s quite expensive.
However, they couldn’t give up. It was because of the small hope that perhaps a new drug or treatment might be developed in the next few years. And surprisingly, a few months ago, hope became a reality. A groundbreaking new drug was developed.
“Hello, Mr. Mueller. Oh, did you get a haircut? Looks great.”
“My wife didn’t even recognize me, you’ve got a good eye.”
The boss, who was arranging the items, patted his newly short hair with satisfaction. But, there was a slight upward curve at the corners of his mouth, indicating that he wasn’t feeling bad about being recognized by Sixx. With a chuckle, Sixx raised his thumb and headed for the dressing room. The locker farthest to the right was Sixx’s. After putting on a turquoise apron, he walked out, and colleagues who worked at the same time as him had been pretending not to notice and nodded their heads. Sixx waved back at them. Sixx, the truck is coming at one today! The boss said. He made a circular motion with his thumb and index finger to signal his understanding. Whenever the logistics arrived, it was generally Sixx’s job to carry and transport them. The boss particularly cherished Sixx because he had much better physical stamina and strength than others. He could easily lift heavy boxes that two or three others could barely move, and even showed the leisure to ask where to put them. Moreover, despite working hard like that, he kept smiling until the end of the shift. Thanks to that, he was popular with customers too. With a pleasant personality and getting along reasonably well with colleagues, to Mueller, Sixx was the perfect employee without any flaws. Hoping he wouldn’t leave and work for a long time, the boss even gave him a separate bonus last Christmas. Of course, he asked to keep it a secret from other employees. He liked it because he didn’t seem like kids these days. Mueller thought so.
There was still time until the truck arrived. Sixx decided to help Miriam, who was rearranging the detergent. Sitting side by side with her, he lined up the detergent boxes in a row behind her so she could easily organize them, then pushed them back. She smiled slightly and thanked him.
“Oh, Miriam, weren’t you sick and left early yesterday? How are you feeling today?”
“I’m okay. Thanks for caring. By the way, you’re exactly as I heard, Sixx.”
“Exactly as you heard? What, are there rumors about me circulating behind my back?”
Miriam had joined the store as a new employee about two weeks ago. Since this was the first time Sixx had a proper conversation with her, he wondered if she had heard any rumors from other coworkers. However, he didn’t pay much attention. In fact, Sixx wasn’t one to be concerned about others’ opinions.
“Strictly speaking, it’s not gossip.”
When Sixx jokingly threw a quip with a grin, she also chuckled and revealed the truth. Miriam glanced around as if she wanted to share a secret conversation, then lowered her voice to whisper.
“Everyone was talking about how kind Sixx is. Unlike other male coworkers who just boast about trivial matters, he’s humble, kind, diligent, and also…”
“And also?”
“Well, something like that. What do you think? It’s not gossip, right?”
“Well, it’s rather scary, to be honest. I don’t have memories of being that kind to anyone….”
“Yeah, some even see that as a flaw. Acting so affectionate to the point of being mistaken, but never daring to ask anyone out. Saying he doesn’t have a girlfriend, what’s the reason for that? Is it because he’s picky?”
“Well, I guess you could say he’s picky. Actually, I’m not sure.”
When Sixx chuckled and scratched his cheek, Miriam made a hmm sound, as if finding him intriguing.
“Rejecting a woman who’s a ten out of ten, Sixx. Isn’t that setting your standards too high?”
“It’s not about rejecting, it’s not like that—”
“Of course, it’s a joke. Everyone has their own preferences. Thanks for the help.”
Miriam tapped his shoulder. With a sigh of relief, Sixx, who had been sweating nervously, went out through the back door. Suddenly, it was already one o’clock. The truck that was supposed to arrive with the goods was coming soon. Sitting on a large metal trash can, Sixx swung one leg. His head was spinning. Could it be that Samantha was interested in me? Samantha was the prettiest among the female staff at the store, and most of the male staff had a crush on her. Of course, Sixx knew her looks were impressive, but he had never thought beyond that. But a date. Going out into town on the weekend and sitting face to face with Samantha, eating ice cream or something. However, he couldn’t imagine such a scene at all. A monster like him going on a normal date with a woman. Maybe Samantha would scream and run away if she knew he was a werewolf.
He chuckled bitterly. How much longer could he hide it? The last time he had turned into a wolf was when he escaped from the circus. He hadn’t felt the urge to transform into a wolf yet, but Leticia had advised him that suppressing his nature too much might not be good. Spring has a strong recoil the more you push it. Maybe humans are similar when it comes to adolescence, she said. As someone who hadn’t experienced adolescence as severely as Sixx, he couldn’t fully understand the analogy, but he got the gist. In short, someday his werewolf nature might explode. Sixx sighed. There weren’t many people left who knew he was a werewolf. Just Leticia, Corbin, and Andy. There were people from the circus, but they were no longer relevant to Sixx. Yes, all the people left in that city… Sixx felt a pang in his chest. Thinking of it, an invisible chain squeezed his heart like a vice.
“Hello, Paul.”
Before he could continue his thoughts, the truck arrived. Smiling warmly, Sixx, who had long ago reconciled with Paul, opened the container’s door. The boxes were stacked full. Well, he had to work as long as he was getting paid. Sixx took gloves out of his back pocket and put them on.
***
The ticket booth at the nighttime movie theater was quiet. Those who came to the theater at this late hour were mostly couples, and most of them came to see movies targeting adults. Occasionally, when he sat with his chin resting on his hand, the faint moans coming from beyond the wall would make Sixx’s cheeks flush. Especially last year’s adult movie “Deep Throat” was quite popular due to its provocative subject matter. Some people even pointed and whispered when they saw the yellow poster hanging in the theater, calling it the end times, but most couldn’t resist their curiosity and came late at night to ask for tickets, secretly handing over bills. As a result, the owner, who had significantly increased his sales, started showing adult movies in earnest around that time. Sixx’s friends envied him for being able to sneakily watch adult movies if he worked at the theater. Of course, except for the beginning, there were hardly any people coming to buy tickets during the movie, so even if Sixx went in the middle and watched the movie, it wouldn’t be a big deal. However, he wasn’t interested enough in adult movies to do that. Ironically, there was a movie that Sixx had watched several times, which was also released last year:
“The Godfather.”
The movie, which had gained immense popularity among the public, depicted the story of the Corleone family, who stood at the pinnacle of a crime organization founded by an Italian-American. The moment Sixx first saw the movie, he sensed that the events depicted in the movie were not mere fiction or fantasy. Although there may have been some embellishments, the content of the movie was undoubtedly real. They—the Corleone family—existed. Although their name was not directly mentioned in the movie, as far as Sixx knew, they were called the Cosa Nostra or the Mafia. They transcended the cruelty that ordinary people could imagine. As shown in the movie, cutting off the head of a horse that the actor cherished and putting it on the bed as a ‘reward’ for rejecting their ‘request’ was just a drop in the bucket. They frequently received murder contracts and sent assassins to kill rivals during power struggles. And Sixx had been involved in their feud and suffered greatly. Sixx absentmindedly scratched his uninjured side.
Over the past seven years, Sixx had gradually expanded his knowledge about them. Surprisingly, they existed in any major city. Here in Chicago, like in Portland, they had a grip. Even if you went to another city, the only thing that changed was the name of the family that ruled there; you could never escape them. They were called the second government of the city. It was said that all the money-making businesses, whether legal or illegal, passed through their hands. But that was as much as Sixx could find out. They excluded outsiders thoroughly. Becoming a part of the organization was also not easy. In the world of criminals, becoming a full-fledged member of the Mafia was considered a tremendous promotion. Every criminal fervently wished to become a true member of a powerful family, but even that required passing through strict conditions. That was all Sixx could gather. Unless he dipped his toes into the world of crime, it seemed unlikely that Sixx would learn more about them. So what should he do…
“Is anyone here?”
The voice of a woman from beyond the booth awakened Sixx from his reverie. He hurriedly went out to the counter. A few women were surrounding the counter. When Sixx asked how he could help, they nudged each other and giggled. What’s the matter, they really came! Since it wasn’t uncommon for him to see intoxicated patrons while working at night, Sixx could maintain a smile without much effort. It had been quite a while since the movie started, and he wondered what was going on since there were hardly any customers. Then he remembered that a new club had opened a couple of blocks away from the theater. Naturally, they wouldn’t have just danced at the club; they all must have had a drink… Sixx pondered. If they had caused a disturbance, it would have been neat to just call the police, but in this case, there was no way to intervene except to become their playground. The women glanced at Sixx for a moment, giggling and chattering among themselves, then eventually pushed the woman who was standing farthest back to the front. She had black hair and contrasting blue eyes. Unlike the others, her face looked sober enough that you wouldn’t think she was drunk at first glance. She tilted her head slightly into the counter, then openly scanned Sixx from head to toe. The satisfied smile that appeared on her face a moment later indicated that Sixx had passed the test.
“Do you work here?”
“Yes. Are you looking to purchase tickets?”
“No. I’m good with tickets. When do you finish? Wanna hang out with us after work?”
It was awkward. He couldn’t just go out with a woman he didn’t even know. While Sixx was carefully choosing his words of refusal, she took out a cigarette from her pocket and lit it. With a click, the cigarette lit up, and the pungent smell of nicotine spread all around. He didn’t particularly like the smell of cigarettes.
However, there’s always an exception. The moment that smell reached Sixx, he snapped his head up. It was so familiar. So painfully nostalgic that it sent shivers down his spine…
“…Why, do you smoke too?”
“No, it’s not that… Someone I know smokes.”
“How strange. There’s someone else around here who smokes? It’s excessively harsh, and the smell is so unique that everyone avoids it. Plus, this brand isn’t widely available. That person must know something.”
“Where do they sell those cigarettes? They’re not sold in regular tobacco shops, right?”
“Normally they’re not. But there are one or two places on the fringes that handle them. If you place an order, they’ll deliver.”
“Where are those places? Could you tell me?”
“Hmm, why are you so interested in my cigarettes? You don’t seem like a smoker… Do you have some weird, unspeakable fetish?”
She giggled. Unable to respond immediately, Sixx hesitated, but she seemed more intrigued by his hesitation. Leaning forward, she whispered in Sixx’s ear.
“If you come out with us after work, I’ll tell you.”
Sixx closed his eyes tightly. Was there really no other way? But besides that man, he had never met anyone who smoked those cigarettes in his entire life. He had always kept his senses alert, but he had never even encountered someone with a similar smell. Perhaps this opportunity might not come again. He knew it was strange to be so obsessed with a cigarette, but Sixx was desperate.
“Alright. Let’s go out together. Someone else will come to take over within an hour, so please wait a bit.”
“When you make that face, it seems like I’m doing something wrong. It’s just dancing, for goodness’ sake. Well, fine. We’ll be in there watching a movie. What’s your name?”
“…Sixx.”
“Sixx? Your name is Sixx? Ahaha, I’m Lori. Let’s go, everyone.”
They all rushed into the theater. Of course, they didn’t pay for the tickets, but since there wasn’t much time left in the screening and it was a bit awkward to ask to pay full price, he didn’t say anything. In fact, he didn’t have the courage. Once again, left alone, it took Sixx a few minutes to finally come to his senses.
Well, I could just go out and have a drink with them, right…?
Sixx scratched his cheek. There had been similar situations before, but this was the first time he had actually succumbed to temptation, so he couldn’t grasp the feeling. As long as he didn’t go in too late that it affected his work the next day, it should be fine. Besides, Sixx was quite capable of drinking. Even if this woman named Lori was strong, she probably wasn’t stronger than him. After accompanying her for a while, if he could find out where they sold those cigarettes, he would just go back. That was Sixx’s plan. And that plan went slightly awry due to an unexpected encounter.
***
Frank, who had come to take over from Sixx, threw him an envious look as he saw Sixx leaving with the women. However, the problem was that Sixx himself felt quite uneasy despite receiving such a look. The women took Sixx to some club. There, a pre-party was unfolding before the weekend. There were so many people that there was no room to move. It seemed like everyone who wasn’t sleeping in Chicago had gathered here. Amidst the chaos of the booming music and the colorful lights pouring from all directions, Lori suddenly asked Sixx, who was looking around bewilderedly.
Do you live around here?
Understanding her and nodding, Sixx seemed to surprise her.
No way… You’re coming to a club for the first time?
As Sixx nodded repeatedly, she looked annoyed. She wanted to ask why, but she decided that buying a drink first as a price for providing information was more important, so she ordered a drink from the bartender first.
With tequila, is it okay?
She shrugged in response to Sixx’s question. It seemed like she didn’t care about the type. After the bartender handed her the glass, she emptied it in one gulp. Yet, her complexion remained unchanged, indicating that she was quite a heavy drinker. It seems like it’s been a while since he drank outside… Sixx also sipped his drink.
“Why did you make that expression earlier?”
“When someone like you comes to the club, they somehow find their way to my ears. The fact that you’re meeting me for the first time even though you live around here is one reason. So, what you were saying earlier wasn’t just an act, was it?”
“It sounded quite impressive.”
“Well, it’s just having a few friends. Oh, do you mind lighting the cigarette?”
She tossed a silver lighter to Sixx. It was his first time lighting someone else’s cigarette, so he felt a bit nervous as he brought a small flame to the end of the cigarette she was holding. A cruelly familiar scent gradually spread to Sixx. She first took a deep drag of smoke. Hmm… As she closed her eyes, seemingly enjoying the spreading smoke to the tips of her toes, she let out a moan as if relishing the poison. Watching her quietly, Sixx held his breath. Indeed, she had similarities with him. Beyond her black hair and blue eyes, her enjoyment of the scent of the cigarette, soaking in its toxin, particularly evoked the image of that man. As their eyes met, a cigarette was suddenly offered to him.
“Do you want to smoke?”
Sixx shook his head. It’s not that I want to smoke. He didn’t like the smell or taste of cigarettes. There was only one kind he could tolerate, and even then, if it was someone else smoking it, he wouldn’t be pleased. That cigarette was the only exception for Sixx.
“Are you pretending to be innocent, or are you really innocent?”
“… ”
Malon’s Sister?
This is really a big change! Thank you very much for the translation 💓
A time jump and baby boi is big! I’m so happy they’re all living together! So Sixx is about 18 yrs right? It’s sweet that Leticia let them come with her. I’m so sad about Andy, and disappointed about Corbin (I understand his pain though) Omg Deep throat! I know about that one. Amanda Seyfried was in the movie Lovelace and played the adult film actress Linda Lovelace
Seems like he is around 19 or 20 already since he was 12 about to be 13 the last time he and Malon met
Oh, hello timeskip! Smooth transition!
Thank you!