Fate Online: Shadow

Sip! Sip!

Michael sipped through his coffee while reading some notable events in the newspaper on his hands.

Right now, Michael is currently inside a cafe called Midnight Summer, a shop very similar to the popular coffee house chain, Starb--ks, and the place is currently almost packed with customers.

And of course, this place is actually Amanda’s place, and Michael is currently here spending some relaxation time while observing his surroundings.

On the other hand, Amanda who is helping around the counter of her shop, would glance from time to time at the direction of Michael.

She always wondered why this guy had always been coming here every early morning everyday since she opened her cafe, wondering what he wants as she always has this gut feeling that this guy wants to tell her something everytime she sees him, but the most absurd thing is...that she always had that feeling like they’ve known each other for years now even though they barely know each other, especially when she noticed the emotions in his eyes every time they locked gazes.

Meanwhile, Michael looked towards a certain direction where he saw a beautiful lady accompanied by a couple of bodyguards walking down the street, where they arrived in front of the cafe and walked inside.

When they entered, the customers looked at them warily at first but when they saw that it was Jenny and her group, they smiled in relief as they first thought that someone is looking for trouble with the owner of this place, and then some even came towards her group and especially greeted her.

On something like that happening is now new as Jenny is really well known around these parts of the city, it wouldn’t even be an exaggeration to say that her status here is like a small celebrity, as she’s known for her beauty and kindness.

Michael immediately pulled over the newspaper near his face as he doesn’t to be seen by them, but of course his actions didn’t escape the eyes of Jenny as she immediately walked over towards him with a huge smile on her face, while Amanda who was just about to call out to her stopped and watched her actions with curiosity.

"Hey, you’re here again. Just be honest with me, you really like my bff don’t you? That’s why you’re always here early this morning since its opening" Jenny said as she lowered the newspaper on Michael’s hand with her fingers, but Michael pretended not to hear him and focused on the newspaper in front of him.

Jenny wasn’t bothered, and instead she smiled and pulled the chair opposite of him and sat down.

"You like her, don’t you? Don’t even lie to me, I’ve seen that loving look in your eyes every time you would look at her" Jenny whispered to him.

Michael sighed, then lowered the newspaper in front of his face and looked at Jenny intently, while the latter just smiled, not even the least bit intimidated with the looks he’s currently wearing, but those customers sitting behind Jenny and in front of Michael got scared when they saw his eyes that they immediately moved to another table, thinking to themselves that something important is probably going down right now and they don’t want to be implicated.

Michael leaned his head towards her and whispered, "Yes, I do like her. Now, shut up"

After saying that, he stood up from his seat and gave a quick glance towards Amanda who’s currently busy, before making his way towards the exit.

"You won’t get her like that, stop acting like you’re some kind of an ice prince" Jenny quickly stood up and went after him and whispered those words near his ears and left.

Michael just chuckled and shook his head, as he knew that it’s not time to make a move yet.

He just took a few steps out of the cafe when his pair of eyes suddenly became sharp.

’Finally ran out of patience, huh?’ Michael grinned and continued walking away from there, while three inconspicuous people tailed behind him. Michael already knew that there had been people following him during the last few days, but he never any actions and let them do whatever they wanted as he doesn’t want to alert the big fish.

A few moments later, Michael quickly turned into a deserted alley and the three people also quickly followed, afraid that they would lose him.

And when they arrived inside the alleyway, they just saw Michael leaning against the wall, with a smile on his face while looking at them.

"So..why don’t you guys tell me who you are or should I say what does...Jin want from me?" Michael grinned coldly, especially when he saw their startled actions when he uttered the word "Jin" just now.

"Hmmmp! If you don’t want something bad happens to you...you should obediently follow us or else..." the man who’s standing at the very front of the three just snorted and showed Michael his pistol shoved on his waist.

"Okay, you guys win. Lead the way" Michael just smiled and slowly raised his hands up in the air.

Then the three guys surrounded him from both sides and behind him, before leading him somewhere, but the direction they’re walking to would actually let them pass by at Amanda’s cafe, which Michael didn’t expect as he thought that they would lead him somewhere else first and get into a car, but he actually didn’t expect them that they are this unprofessional on trying to kidnap someone.

After all, Amanda or Jenny would certainly see him, or maybe even one of Jenny’s bodyguards would see him walking along with these three people with him, and it would be bad if that happens as Jenny tends to be really nosy just based from how he had seen her behaviour thus far.

And just as Michael expected, Jenny and Amanda did see him along with the three people with him while the two girls are busy chatting with each other near the window.

Jenny felt a bit worried when she saw that while Amanda frowned as she recognized those people with Michael. In fact, the two girls knew who those three people accompanying Michael.

’Aren’t they Jin’s men? Did they already found me? Is Michael...related to them?’ Amanda thought in worry, as that would certainly be bad news for her.

And just had Michael expected, the two girls did saw him but they didn’t immediately make any actions, especially with Jenny who grew a bit worried, but at the same time knew that someone like Michael wasn’t just someone easy to deal with how he wasn’t a bit worried when he offended the people from Black Skull before, and that no one from that group are even bothering him and his family is already a testament of his capabilities.

But Jenny still sent some of her men to follow them from a distance and report to her. After all, the man did saved her a couple of times before and it wouldn’t be okay for her to just sit back and do nothing when she saw that Michael had probably gotten himself into trouble this time. It was because she knows that Michael aren’t affiliated with any semi underground group in the city, that’s why she had the feeling that Michael had once again courted trouble to himself.

At the same time, Jenny would also like to return one of those favors and save Michael if something goes wrong.

Meanwhile.

’Oh my god, this people are so amateurs’ Michael cursed inside.

After all, he didn’t want to be seen that he was with these people this morning in case something happens later, and would force him to dispatch these people and maybe even Jin ahead of time, but that is of course the purpose that these three are escorting him to meet him.

And if Michael would really be forced to show his hand and kill them, then he wouldn’t have a choice but to call some "cleaners" to clear the crime scene so as to not leave any evidence that would to him, and if that happens, then it would be another burden on his wallet as he’s really tight on cash right now.

"Are we there yet? Don’t you guys not even have any cars at all?" Michael said to them a bit annoyed, and when he said that, the three people paused and looked at each other.

"Dammit, we forgot that we have a car again! Booker, you go and get it and pick us up here after" the de facto leader of this three stoogest said.

’Oh boy’ Michael thought, as he face palmed while wondering how these three stooges even became bodyguards.

’No wonder...It was no wonder that I was able to accidentally kill him that night and even managed to flee with Amanda from the scene back then’

Now, one of the things that had greatly puzzled Michael before had finally been solved!

And it was because of these three unreliable stooges that they managed to flee back then and gave them a few hours to escape to another country, probably because they belatedly discovered Jin’s dead body and reportedly late to Jin’s father.

But it also came at the cost of losing his best friend that they managed to flee, and the latter’s family suffering from that for a couple of years before Michael was able to help them get back on their feet.

A couple of minutes later, a white van stopped in front of them, where Micahel and the other two stooges quickly get on inside, and the two stooges never noticed that Michael gave a quick glance towards a certain direction with a smile on his face.

’Geez, it seems those two girls are worried about me that they even sent someone to follow us’

*****

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