R e n e g a d e s 🕯 High&Low

vol.26: Aiko

「Take a deep breath, close your eyes and get ready to fly.」

I glanced nervously at Yamato as we entered Nameless Street. "I'm no expert here, but are you sure a hooded jacket is a good enough disguise?"

"Be quiet." He nudged me with his elbow, keeping his gaze forward. "Just act like you belong."

"Fake it 'til you make it, huh?" I muttered, looking straight ahead as I dug my hands deeper into the pockets of the green zip-up hoodie I wore. I felt eyes staring holes into me so I glanced over, swallowing hard. The residents were staring blankly at us as if they knew we didn't belong. It was like the start of a horror movie. Do they recognize me from the last time I was here? I tugged my hood down farther, glancing at Yamato. He seemed to notice it too and he lowered his head, turning to walk in a different direction.

I heard something behind me – like feet hitting the ground – but when I turned around, there was no one there except for an old woman rifling through an old metal cart. "Did you hear that too or am I crazy?"

"Yes."

I scowled at him but it didn't last long as I heard something above us, like feet running across the piping that littered the sky.

"Run," Yamato whispered before darting down the alley with me hot on his heels. The Rude Boys gave chase, jumping over impossibly high obstacles and doing flips through the air as if this were a style competition. A shadow flew over us and I thought it was a bird but when I looked up, it was a guy flipping through the air as if he were flying. We ran for a while trying to lose them but they were stuck to us like glue.

As we turned the corner, Yamato shoved a signpost down across the ground as if that would somehow stop them.

"Are you serious right now?" I deadpanned. "Could you maybe not have chosen the world's tiniest signpost? What is that even gonna do?"

"I'm sorry. Next time I'll ask them to prepare a bigger one!"

As expected, the boys just stepped over it without even sparing it a glance. We tried to run again but Smoky appeared before us with Takeshi, P, and an unnamed male at his sides. The rest of the Rude Boys started to surround us, giving us nowhere left to go.

"Yo, Yamato," Smoky greeted.

"It's been a while," Yamato replied.

"Are you moving to Nameless Street?" the unnamed guy smirked, already knowing the answer. "We welcome you."

"We're looking for someone. It's a guy named Chiharu."

"We don't know him," P declared.

"I've heard that he's working in this town."

"Everyone who lives here is part of a family," Smoky explained as the citizens of Nameless Street started to join the boys, gathering around us like a sea of brown and green. "If someone tries to sneak in, I'll be the first to know."

"Even if it involves Red Rum?"

"Red Rum?" Takeshi echoed in confusion.

"It's a drug you guys are making here."

I brought a hand to my face. "Oi, don't call them out when we're surrounded by them. Have you never watched a drug movie before?"

"And what do you suggest we do? Ask to speak one on one?" He sent me a look.

P tilted his head to the side, taking a step closer as he stared at me. I quickly turned my head away, tugging the hood down further. I don't even know why I'm hiding from them but here we are.