Chapter 007.2: A Snatcher

Now then, I guess I'll just buy from him. There are only few people queueing here so I won't spend so much time waiting.

While waiting for my turn to come, I can't help but feel bored so I let my maladaptive daydreaming take over my head.

I am immersed on it until I notices that it's already my turn.

"Kuya, how much for one tray of egg?"

I gently caresses one of the eggs using my right index finger.

"That's medium size tray so 155 pesos sir."

There's varying sizes of tray but he only told me the price for the egg I'm touching.

"Please give me two trays."

Mom only said to buy two.

"Okay. Is there anything else?"

"How much for these cabbages? "

"₱80 per kilogram. Well, will you buy?"

Ohh.

"I'll get 1 kilogram po."

"Okay!"

"!"

At the corner few meters away from me, I felt something so I turn my head towards that place.

Several seconds later, a figure covered in hooded jacket while wearing a handkerchief as a mask to cover their face, is sprinting towards my direction— well, to be exact, they're running towards the staircase.

A snatcher I see.

The people just look at them seemingly confuse. But when they realizes what's going on, that snatcher is already downstairs.

Some people follows that person immediately while some just choose to stay spectating on what's happening.

"Kuya, how much for carrots?"

"!"

He wakes up from being in daze and smiles wryly at me.

"Ah, it's just—"

Oh. There's a familiar presence at the same corner the snatcher came out from.

It's a slender woman slightly taller than me. She wears a white long sleeve shirt and an ice blue tight jeans.

She's ma'am Iris.

She's jogging towards the staircase seemingly chasing the snatcher. She still looks expressionless and in fact have a colder face, but I can see subtle signs of distress.

She even just passes by in front of me. It seems like she didn't see me at all.

Still, ma'am is kind of charming looking like this.

"...Sir? Sir!"

Oh right. I'm buying right now.

"Kuya, can you keep them for a while. I just need to do something real quick."

"Oh?"

"No worries, I'll pay for it right now. I'll just come back for it later."

I pull a 500 peso bill from my wallet and hand it over to him. Before he could say anything, I immediately run towards the side of the building to observe.

That snatcher already crossed to the other side of the road. They're running towards an alley. And few meters away, there are still those guys chasing after them.

Several meters more is a silver haired woman chasing after them. She's not running but not walking either. She's just jogging.

With my eyesight, I can somehow see her chest going boing boing— No. I didn't looked at it on purpose.

Whatever.

I perform a turn vault on the wall and drop myself to the ground. I then sprint towards the alley the snatcher run into.

The guys chasing after them stopped because it's a dead end.

They're looking at the right wall because there, the snatcher is climbing on the wall using the protrusions as a handholds and footholds.

They actually have skills.

Fufufu. I can also do that.

I perform a double tic-tac on the two walls of the alley and then grab the top edge of the right wall to pull myself up.

Immediately after that, I grab the bottom edge of the window of the building to climb up.

Several seconds later, I'm on top of the roof. That snatcher gasps for breath and seemingly relieved.

After they turn to their front to walk away, I lift myself up and stop hiding.

Now that I see their figure clearly, I manage to get few information about them.

She wears a hood and a loose thin pants but her curves, hips, and gait shows me that she's a woman.

Her gait doesn't only reveal her gender but also shows her physical quality. She's an athlete or at the very least, she have a great constitution.

A fighter or perhaps a runner. Anyway, it's obvious that she performs physical activity frequently with her mastery of climbing up she did just earlier.

And she's kind of good at it. She sure have a years of experience.

Well then, I'll sneak behind her, making myself stealthy by walking towards her while ducking slightly and breathing silently.

"!!"

Several centimeters away from her, she tries to swing a kick on me but I kick her lower back disrupting her balance.

I see. She had experienced several dangers before. Even though I'm not putting so much effort into being hidden, she still discovered me when I was close to her.

Fufufufu. Too bad. I kicked her and she falls to the ground. She didn't manage to turn around so she failed to see my face.

I step on her neck and head to prevent her from turning around. She still struggles trying to kick me but she can't hit me nor free herself from me.

"I'm taking this bag. And you will need to calm down in the precinct."

I'll bring her to the guys below to turn her in to the police.

"You bastard! Let go me! I'm doing this to help!"

Ohh. She have a deep voice? Well, she's just trying to speak manly and combine that with her mask, she sounds deep and rough.

"I see. I don't care but I need to take what you snatched away— hmm?"

Because she's doing her best to turn around and break free, her hood lowered and now I see her head.

Her neck is filled with tattoos and even though I can't see her face, I can tell she also have tattoos on it.

If not because of the light of the day, I wouldn't have seen the mark 'S' amidst her tattoos. I initially wanted to bring her to the police but I'll let her go. I'll just take the bag from her and leave silently.

That aside, why ruin such beautiful skin? What a waste.

"Let the bag go and I'll set you free."

"FUCK YOU! I'LL KILL YOU AFTER THIS!"

She's grabbing the bag tightly and I can't pull it out from her hand.

"Are you aware that that could scare me? Saying that you'll kill me just makes me reluctant to free you.”

Fufufufu.

"Fuck you! You're so nosy. You're helping the wrong person!"

Oh hell. She doesn't really want to let the bag go. And she sure have a sharp tongue.

My heart is wounded fufufufu.

"I see. Please tell me why then."

“Grrrr..”

She didn't respond but just let out angry groans. She's also gritting her teeth judging from the noises I hear.

I just also remained silent. Me stepping on a woman's neck didn't move in anyway.

"I... I'll be giving the money I'll get to the kids on the street!"

Hearing the noises from the people below, she broke the silence.

"That woman is rich anyway! She doesn't need that much money! So let me go! I'm doing something good."

Sounds like you have a deep hatred for wealthy people.. but..

Bloody hell. Please let the bag go. I'm getting sweaty here to be honest. It's so hot today you know.

"I respect your perspective but I don't care. I only care about this bag so please let it go."

Beside, this is ma'am Iris'.

She didn't listen but instead tightens her hold on it.

"Over my dead body!"

So stubborn. Now then, what should I do?

"I can't have that. That will just trouble me. So let's go with this..."

And I have no more time to keep playing around. The guys below are approaching. They still haven't given up.

So...

"What..?"

*CRACK~*

"!! AaaaAaAAAHHHhh!"

She's screaming really loud and because of that, her true voice is revealed. Mm-hm. She have a high pitch.

Anyway, I managed to take the bag easily because she no longer have the strength to grab it given that her arm is fractured.

After taking the bag away, I lift my feet from her broken arm and neck then immediately turn around because she will try to see my face while squirming in pain.

Can't have her targeting me. It's better to reduced the chances of meeting again. But given of the group she belongs to, I don't think our chances of meeting again is low.

"I'll probably see you again. But goodbye for now."

I walk diagonally because there are still those guys in the alley. I can't go down there anymore.

“Hurry up and run.”

Your scream should have alarmed the others already.

"Aaaahh..! Hiss!.. I'll.. I'll find you you bastard. Then I Will KILL YOU!!"

I see.

Please queue then.

After sneakily coming down— albeit there are still those who see me given that it's daylight, I meet up with ma'am Iris who's looking around anxiously.

"Mister.. Mister Reverren?"

She looks the same but for some reason, I can tell that she's surprised by my sudden appearance.

Fufu. Didn't expect to see me here?

I give ma'am Iris her bag and smiled at her. It's not noticeable though. My default expression is a smiley face after all.

She takes it while looking at me with a daze expression.

"Thank you."

She then turn around preparing to leave. From the looks of it, she seems in a hurry.

"......."

If I haven't have a glimpse of her personality, I will really find this attitude as cold and harsh.

"Wait ma'am!"

She stops and turn around slowly.

"What is it?"

"I helped you ma'am so can you please help me as well? We're friends aren't we?"

Is it just me or did she look agitated just now?

She walks back to me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."

You don't sound nor look like you're sorry though. In fact, you look like you're uncomfortable with me.

"It's fine. We're just starting our relationship anyway. You don't need to force yourself. And I understand why."

I actually don't know why you look like your trying to run away. Wasn't she kind of excited when I said we're friends last time?

Is it just my imagination? But she agreed to it. Wait. Did she?

Hell. I can't remember properly.

"Mm..."

She nods softly.

"Thank you then. What should I do mister Reverren?"

She still calls me with that ‘mister’. I'll make her drop that next time when I have the opportunity.

“My mom told me to buy groceries. But I'm unfamiliar with things like this.”

“Ohh. You don't even know this?”

You spoke with the same monotonous tone but I feel like you just looked down on me with the words you chose.

“Well it's my sister who does the work.”

“.......”

Please don't stare at me like that. It's not my fault she wanted to do all the housework herself.

“Learn how then.”

She turns around coldly and didn't even wait for me to reply.

"Alright po ma'am. Let's go back to the market."

I still need to get the eggs and cabbages from kuya. So I chase after her.