"Find anything interesting, Jev?"
Startled, Tom quickly hid the book behind his back and spun around only to be met by the Norwegian.
"Tord! Ahah... Hi...?"
Tord looked at him strangely. Something seemed off. Tord noticed that Tom was hiding something.
"Tom, what's that?" He questioned while gesturing at his arm that was hiding behind him. Tom nervously stood there attempting to mutter a lie.
"Huh? N-Nothing! ... Nothing at all..." Tom whispered the last part. Quickly changing the subject, he asked Tord.
"What are you doing here?"
Tord put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I thought I could find a new manga here... I guess I was wrong. By the way, Edd is looking for you."
Tom turned around; the book still hidden from Tord's vision. "Tell him I'll follow from behind."
Tord looked at Tom suspiciously. He was definitely hiding something.
"Fine, but you better hurry." Tord walked away. Deciding it was best for him to do so.
As soon as Tord was seen exiting the store, Tom skimmed through the pages. He wished he could just buy the book, but he was in such a hurry that he forgot his wallet at home. Now during this, Tom held the book in his hand; contemplating wether or not to leave the book, or steal it.
Yes, he was thinking of such.
He could always choose the first option, which is a better option, yet he was very tempted to choose the latter.
'Maybe it's best if I leave and come back tomorrow... But it might be gone by then! So what if... But that would cause me trouble...'
He looked at the book in his hands. He flipped the boom around to look at the price. Pretty cheap. He was sure no one would care if a book that old would suddenly disappear. After all, no one seemed to be buying it.
It would cause him less trouble.
He gazed around the area, looking left and right, before carefully removing the price code off the cover. After that was done, he placed the book in his bag and casually walked passed the cashier thinking no one noticed.
Boy did he not think things through.
As soon, as he was about to reach the mini plaza, a guard suddenly called out. "HEY!"
Tom turned to face him when he suddenly realized the guard was after him. He began to panic. His first instinct was to run. So he did.
He ran passed people shoving them in the process as he muttered out apologies and excuses. Yelps and complaints were heard though the crowd.
"Ow- watch it!"
"Sorry-"
"Hey!"
"Excuse me- coming through-!"
He managed to push himself through the crowd and ran up the escalator in hopes of losing the guard.
Nope.
Instead, it attracted more guards. Security was after him now.
He ran through booths outside the stores, careful not to destroy anything. Many of the owners yelled at him in frustration and even caught the attention of other guards.
He was in a pickle.
He jumped over the tables at the dining area. Again, complaints from random civilians filled the air as food particles went flying here and there. It was chaos.
Tom spotted a fire exit nearby. Without hesitation, he ran towards the door.
Almost....
There...
... His hand barely reached the handle when his hoodie was pulled back by one of the guards.
For a pretty small person, he could run fast.
Books
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