Realistic or Modern .

[elskagalla]

.

 

[ebb]

Turns out, being a self made criminal came with a set of stresses. Avery had wrestled with the ups and downs of his life choices long enough to understand how to deal with it. But that didn’t make it fun. Crashing into a seat at the front on a book shop cafe combo, he collected himself quickly in the broad window, sliding his travel worn bag from his shoulder.

When he’d first faced the world with Justin, they’d claim out abandoned structures for a while, the decaying wood and dusty floorboards quickly growing old. It was easier to pay rent. To have a real place. Only problem was they had to keep a certain output if they didn’t want to be kicked back out.

The plan was simple enough. There was an uptight boutique across the street, just above the gurgling drain grates and piss soaked pavement. Every day, he watched tight pleat suited men and women breeze through the doors, throwing down thick amounts of money. When the manager crossed the alley on the far side of the block, behind the sandwich shop, they would snatch the deposit pouch. No weapons, no holding them up, no violence. Getting locked up for something small like a grab and run would be pointless, so Avery kept it streamlined.

Any member of his team could do it. In fact, this was a task he could do himself, but there was value in giving direction. It reminded them who was in charge. Normally, he’d rely on Shin to formulate a plan, but this one was too rudimentary. If anything, Shin could bail them out. He doubted there was anything Shin couldn’t cop them out of.

Best part was, he didn’t have to sacrifice his coffee shop. Petty theft wasn’t enough to launch any serious investigation. He could still watch the come and go, only with satisfaction of knowing he threw a bolt in the cog.

The trickier part was insuring a solid escape route. Chances were, the worker would be flustered enough to not act quickly and call the police. Yet, it didn’t hurt to be prepared. Unfortunately, snooping around the alley in search of a route might draw attention. Someone might be able to identity him later if it came to that. Unlikely, but a possibility.

A trim waitress gingerly set a mug of steaming coffee beside him, wiping the remaining condensation from the steam off on her apron. Cafes were his sanctuary. It gave him a pocket of time to pretend he was a normal guy. Pretend he was killing time before his 9 to 5 or waiting for a tinder date.

They had their own lives, him and his collective. Or, at least, some disappointing mirage of a life. They couldn’t have dinner parties and go to school, but being able to explore at their leisure kept them from going insane. Being trapped in a house with a handful of overwhelming personalities was enough to make anyone stir crazy. Meanwhile, it was an odd comfort. He doubted any of them could do it alone. If they started making too many friends outside the circle, even an oblivious person could pick up on the red flags. The multiple bank accounts. The shiftiness. The stolen IDs.

His parents had always encouraged Avery to start his own business, and in an unconventional way, he lived up to that expectation. Keeping tabs on his members was like managing employees. Disputing personal differences, handing out paychecks, and trying to stay as detached as possible. He’d even found himself hunched on the floor of a library in his earlier days, scavenging the shelves for project management and leadership guidance.

But now it was as easy as sending a group text. A few words in the touchscreen and he could have people rallying to his will. The caffeine from the coffee was nothing compared to the rush of power, the feeling failed to grow old on him, even after these long years.

I have a job. Something easy. First person to respond gets the job, I’ll send the location.

 

[ebb]

Avery wasn’t surprised at who answered first, or that he succeeded. Trust was a tricky thing, he never knew who pretended to respect him for their own gain. Also, as an untrustworthy person himself, he couldn’t blame anyone for self perseverance. Justin was different, he’d proven himself too many times to count, and Avery had known him longer than anyone else in his life. Avery often relied on him to offer the inside scoop. It gave him a clear understanding of what was happening within the group if people weren’t talking. Justin was the friendly face you couldn’t help but vent to. He’d never admit it to anyone, but he had trouble being harsh when it came to him. Which was rare, considering he’s shoved people for not giving him space on the sidewalk.

“Good job,” he said simply as he counted up the bills, not wanting to seep too much enthusiasm. An idea sprang from the moment, one that would undoubtedly boost morale. Avery kept them on a firm leash, so doing a nice thing wouldn’t hurt. Pacing, he addressed the men in the room.

The space had a simple elegance to it, a collection of practical items and straightforward design. The kitchen had a low island, framed by deep green walls and hardwood floors. Accents of brushed metal and copper were found throughout the house. Once you entered the bedrooms was when you noticed the distinction in style. Each member had their own way of running their personal space.

“You’ve all worked hard this week. I have some things to take care of beforehand, but you’re all coming to dinner tonight. You could try to worm out of it, but I doubt you’d want to. I’ll get us a table at Assaggio, anything you get will be on me. It’s back to work after, though. Don’t think this is an everyday think or else you’ll all be so soft I’ll have to roll you away from every scene.”

He added the last sentence as an afterthought, didn’t want them thinking he’d start kissing their feet and buying them bouquets of wildflowers. Avery didn’t have patience for that shit. The location he’d chosen was a lavish eatery with an air of pretentiousness you could choke on. They deserved to eat like kings now and again, and they had enough extra this month for some fun.

 

[Cheshire Coat]

Angelo chuckled as he watched the interaction unfold. Justin was obviously high on adrenaline, if his manic grin and flushed face had any indication. Avery was holding back his excitement; this was a big victory for everyone.
Angelo threw Justin a weak thumbs up from his position crosslegged on the kitchen counter, then went back to munching on his dry cereal.
"ppSSHFFF!!--ach, ugh.." he choked on the fruit loops at the mention of Assiaggio. ASSIAGGIO?! The last time I was in Assiaggio I was posing at a waiter and not returning the credit cards. God, that was a good day. I'm totally still going though.
"Thanks boss! And you too Justin, you really saved our asses this month. I wonder how many times we can run that scam..."
He stowed the loops back in the cabinet, watching Avery pace.
I wonder if his other business is anything more than paying rent. Guess I don't want to know. Guess that's why he's the boss.
"Justin, you think that guy saw your face? Should we switch runners for next time?"

 

[A lecto]

Something was off in their little kingdom. Well maybe Shin was just being paranoid, but that was very unlikely, he never panicked and he rarely got paranoid. There was always a good reason when he was suspicious about something. He could swear someone had been skulking around the drug shipments a little too much lately he just couldn’t figure out who it was.

If there was someone getting the impression they could mess with the gang and get away with it they were sorely mistaken. There was too much work, energy and money put into this for Shin to let one individual mess everything up. What bothered him more was that it appeared to be one of his guys. Who else would have gotten to the secret warehouse guarded by his men otherwise?

If it was one of Shin’s men then that meant he was doing something wrong, was it a mistake not to show his anger? Sure the newbies feared him because they had no idea what he was thinking behind his poker face and not knowing messed with their heads more than someone being outright pissed but were the rest of the gang having the feeling that he didn’t give a shit about things because he wasn’t showing his emotions?

Shin shook his head as he got ready to leave the warehouse. There was no reason for him to doubt himself. Emotions had nothing to do with this since he didn’t shy away from punishing traitors and people in the gang knew that. The possible traitor messing with the shipments must have known that as well and still decided to take the risk and soon Shin would make sure they would get a full clip of consequences.

There was no point in wasting time thinking about this since he had already set up a trap to figure out if one of his guys was behind it. The plan wouldn’t reveal who it was but at least they would know if there was someone selling them out or not, it would give them a chance to make a counter move or come up with a plan.

The gang came a very long way since the night Shin had met Avery and Justin. He would never admit it out loud, not even under the thread of a knife to his throat or a gun to his head since it would just blow their ego sky high but Shin was proud of the guys for getting as far as they did. They all become a force to be reckoned with and while Shin had helped a lot during the years something told him Avery and Justin would have done well even without him.

Sighing, he grabbed his jacket before leaving the warehouse to meet with the boss and the guys at their apartment. The drive back home wasn’t long so he came home just in time to witness Justin’s proud entrance from the sofa he was now sitting on. But what lifted Shin's mood even more was the mention of Assaggio and going there for dinner. It was one of the finer things in life, something that Shin enjoyed almost as much as money. There was nothing better than getting something nice or being able to buy it himself.

 

[ebb]

(All italics are written by A lecto )

Clapping his hands together, Avery crossed the room to join Shin on the couch. Earlier, he’d mentioned needing to meet. Avery used to take notes on meetings like this, but he quickly realized how stupid that was, as any physical evidence could be used against them later. Every detail was stored in his head, and he surprised himself with how much he was able to keep track of.

Watching Shin, he tried to gauge why he’d request a meeting. Shin wasn’t the type to meet for no reason, so it had to be either wonderful or terrible news. He wouldn’t waste Avery’s time, he knew how busy his job was.

“So,” he started, sitting forward in the chair. “You wanted to talk? Fire away.”

"Boss I don't want to mess up your day but I have some bad news. I noticed something off at the drug warehouse I think you need to know about. I don't have any concrete proof yet but I am sure we can come up with a way to get that."

Frowning, Avery processed the news. "What do you think is happening at the warehouse?" Even without proof, he'd take Shin's word for it if something was off. Acting quickly was essential.

"I think we have a rat skulking around the shipments. You know I wouldn't come to you if I wasn't sure something was up. One of my guys is most likely working for someone else, maybe even the people that tried to jack us last week"

Avery sighed, he feared as much. Whenever some stupid asshole tried to walk up and ruin what he’d built, it made his blood boil. What right did they have?. It they didn't catch this now it could spread to them having to shut everything down. "Shit," he growled, standing again after being filled with impatient energy. "And you said you had a plan to take care of this?"

Shin was almost smiling at the question his boss had asked but he restrained himself. "What do you think about this: we could give the real information about the pickup to Nicolai, the guy is too desperate and afraid to cross us. But then we could also give the wrong information about it in a way the other guys would just happen to overhear it, then all that's left is to put someone on the fake location to see if something happens."

Avery nodded, that made sense. Rubbing his face, he didn’t try to hide how annoyed he was. Kicking the edge of the sofa, he replied simply. “Sure. Give it a try. If that doesn’t work I expect you to fire everyone under your wing and start from scratch. One bad apple will ruin the whole bunch and we’re not getting canned for that shit. I’m sure you understand the importance.”

✖​

Pulling up to the building housing the restaurant, Avery’s driver nodded politely, rushing around the car to release the doors. He might’ve thanked him, but his head was still back at the meeting. How irritating. Just when they were getting ahead too. At the very least, this kind of thing kept him on his toes and prevented any type of routine.

Riding the elevator to the 14th floor, he didn’t stop to enjoy the view. The city glittered below, impressive and vast. Jaw tight with anger, he slid wordlessly into his seat. Most of his inner circle were already present. One perk of being the boss meant you didn’t have to pretend to be festive to make people like you, and he surely wasn’t going to tonight. They could have their own celebration but Avery was too in his head to join the cheery atmosphere.

Flagging down a waiter, he raised a hand impatiently. “Bring us a bottle of something, I don’t care what it is.”

 

[Cheshire Coat]

Angelo caught the waiter's arm as he passed him. "Ah, I do care, though. Be a pal and grab one of the smoked reds from '68 in the birch display case without breaking the seal. Thanks kindly." He leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head and sighing satisfactorily as the waiter walked away, a bit shaken.
"Knowledge is power, boys. Get ready to become wine addicts, because you're about to have the best glass of anything you've ever tasted." he chuckled. Man, I am SO glad I faked working here. I'm looking so smooth right now, hell yeah!
"That bottle isn't even on the menu. It's supposed to be saved for meetings between the stockholders. We are kings tonight, right Boss? Boss? ...Avery?"

 

[GumGumChomp]

"The '68?" asked Albert, butterflies forming in his stomach. No one told him that there was a shareholders' meeting! Well, at least he'd get a nice tip tonight. Albert bowed slightly, “Yes sir. I will get it out as fast as I can. Is there anything else I can get you? Some appetizers, perhaps?”

Considering his offer, Avery leaned back in his seat. Flipping the menu over, he made a quick decision on the appetizers. He'd been making decisions for the group long enough to not bother asking their opinion. "One order of calamari and one order of whatever's fresh today." Daring the waiter to question him again, he glared up expectantly. Tonight was not the night to press the issue.

Albert caught the glare, his breath shortening a little bit. He’s worked as a waiter for long enough to know when someone is trouble “Thank you, sir. I’ll be right back with your food and drinks.” he said, and walked away as fast as he could without looking strange or rude.

He walked back to the kitchen, taking deep breaths. "Apparently, some shareholders are meeting. I would've appreciated a heads up that I'd be waiting them. I'd have worn my good shoes. Anyways, they want they smoked reds from '68, which they specifically asked for to be brought out with the seal intact. They also want some calamari and the clams. Make it snappy, if the smallest thing goes wrong tonight I won't be getting tipped." he told the chef, the person with the key to the birch case. "You know my... situation. I can't afford to lose the tips from a shareholders' meeting."

 

[Cychotic]

Flip a coin and you get two choices. Its chance, nothing really can go wrong if you don't get your side of the coin. And yet, Nathaniel discovered that he could indeed 'go wrong' with a coin flip. He bit his lip, wincing soon after. Paper cuts were not nearly as annoying as one on your lip. It was to be a fair bet. Heads and information would be passed to him without a hitch. Tails, and he would have to pass what he knew. The chances were even. Well, even until Nathaniel stuck his foot out so the coin landed on its side, neither heads or tails. An even trade. Both sides won.

At least that's what Nathaniel had planned. Instead, he was rewarded with a rather scuffed lip and a bruise blooming on the left side of his waist. Shoving his hand into his pocket, Nathaniel fished out a worn down leather wallet. His day was long enough. Nathaniel spent it scurrying to and fro, sometimes stopping to flirt with a handsome chap or a rather fair lady, but mostly sitting himself somewhere to talk his way into the secrets of others. Information wasn't hard to come by for Hawthorne. The locals had no trouble spilling a few words after a drink or two and the ladies were particularly fond of his visits. Some of the men as well.

Yet his last encounter was more difficult, too protective of the man Nathaniel wriggled information out of. Nathaniel shook his head and loosened a button from his coat. Stomach rumbling, he peered over the side of the street, unsure if he should allow himself some type of reward for a nearly perfect day of snooping. Nathaniel fished out his wallet, skimming over the bills inside. For once, Nathaniel had more cash than he usually did. His stomach pressed him to hurry.

Oh, what's the harm in treating myself this once? he decided.

Besides, it would give him the ability to mull over the amount of talk there was today on a full stomach. Names were passed around from hand to hand, eventually landing in his lap. Names without faces, faces that he itched to locate. Nathaniel pushed forward, taking the elevator to the 14th floor. Assaggio wasn't lacking in its decor, with the furnishings dancing between the lines of elegant and modern. The restaurant was vintage in a way that was charmingly timeless. Nathaniel wasn't usually one to stare, but he allowed himself for the city's dazzling view. The lights were twinkling and the smell of higher air was more than welcome. Nathaniel sat himself at the bar stool, tapping his fingers against its granite surface.

Hawthorne's green eyes met with those of the bartender. He paused, not wanting to be too hasty. From behind him, he heard the elevator ding, bringing a group of men who seemed more than happy to be there. Nathaniel raised a brow. One in particular seemed to be full of steam, as if his body was tense and rippling with subtle anger. "Sherry, please" he ordered.

The drink was slid towards him. He brought it to his mouth, observing with amusement. Trouble was something he could never resist. Nathaniel itched for it, even. Especially if the face presented to him was one familiar on the streets. Whispers of notorious gang leader, Avery hadn't escaped Nathaniel. They piqued his interest more than a few times but he was never able to pursue his interest. To have the man waltz into his hand was more than delightful.

Nathaniel slid off of his stool, a predatory grin spreading across his face. He was always one to bring trouble to his doorstep, hell, he drew it too easily. He moved towards the table Avery, gingerly slipping into the seat next to him. "You, sir, look very familiar." He turned his focus away from Avery's face, pausing to trace the edge of a nearby wineglass.

Written with the help of ebb elskagalla

Immediately, Avery was on guard. This man could be anyone, even someone sent to hurt him and his collective. “You’ve got the wrong person,” he stated clearly, shoulders square and determined. Poised to jump into action any second, he continued. “If you don’t mind, we have this table reserved. Kindly move elsewhere.” His voice was loaded with steely calm, but his eyes betrayed an intense intent.

Nathaniel was no stranger to cold behavior, especially none so famous as the man he was dealing with. If anything, it made the man much more persistent. "Oh, that doesn't seem right. You're Avery, aren't you?" he chuckled. His movements and words were becoming more languid, habit from enjoying his encounters too much. "No one ever brags about how hospitable you are and I can definitely see why. No one really talks about you from more than a few years ago." He paused, lowering his gaze. "I wonder why that is.."

Avery's blood started pumping. If this man wasn't bluffing, this could be real trouble for him. Scooting his chair loudly across the floor, he got to his feet, leaning both arms against the wooden table. "I asked you to leave. I would recommend you take my advice kid, before you find out who I really am. You seem to think you know me. But clearly you don't. Otherwise you wouldn't be here."

He dared a laugh. "I might not know who you really are, but give me some time and I'll know everything there is about you." Nathaniel leaned back into his chair. "I don't see the harm in greeting someone I've heard about so much. They talk about you on the streets with so much hesitation". Making a show of setting his coat on the chair rest, Nathaniel rose. "I guess you're really as hot tempered as they say," he jabbed.

Avery laughed back loudly, acknowledging where this conversation was going. It was clear that, whoever this guy was, he was looking for a fight. In front of his inner circle, he was filled confidence. There was nothing they couldn't handle, especially one man. The second he tried anything, everyone at the table would pounce like wolves. But Avery rarely got the chance to get his hands dirty nowadays, so this was shaping up to be a great way to let of steam. "Sounds like they're smarter than you, buddy. If people are talking, you might want to start listening." As he finished the last sentence, he strode purposefully towards Nathaniel until he was directly in his personal space. "And I don't see how you're going to learn so much about me, if you spend the next ten years in the hospital." He threatened, only a foot away now.

Nathaniel raised a brow in alarm. Maybe he had overestimated Avery's temper, maybe he provoked the man too much. And yet the devil at his shoulder prodded at him to continue. He pursed his lips. "I think the risk might be worth it." He turned his gaze to the rest of the room. "I don't think Assaggio's owner, Juilien would appreciate an injured customer," he observed. Nathaniel pulled out his only card at the moment, having known the owner for quite a while. Yet it was a bluff, a bluff that Juilien cared enough to back him up. But Avery couldn't know this, Juilien Fung was too quiet of a woman. "You do know her, don't you? Juilien? She won't take to kindly to this."

He chose the wrong day to pick a fight. Still irritated at Shin's news, he felt his face heating up. "What? Like you're important enough that she'd give half a shit?" He taunted. "We've probably given more money to this place than you've seen in your entire lifetime. Somehow I think she'd rather have you leave over us." Shoving Nathaniel to drive the point home, he warned him one last time. "Take your $5 cocktail and get out of here, you weird fuck."

 

[ebb]

Nathaniel​

Fuck. It was definitely time to back out. But looking at Avery's state, Nathaniel didn't think he'd be able to back out. The man's temper was triggered so easily by his words and he doubted it would subside easily. "With that look on your face, you look ready to commit murder," Nathaniel hissed. One last jab. One last jab and he would stop himself, he thought. One uninformed, not-so-innocent jab.

Justin​

For most of the evening, Justin kept silent, allowing Avery to do all the talking that was needed, as per usual. But the moment Nathaniel mentioned murder a certain spark lit off inside him. Shooting up and out of his seat, he pointed his finger at the punk like a dagger. “You better watch how you fucking talk to him!” He hissed through gritted teeth. His nostrils flared and his breathing was choppy with frustration. Accusing Avery of having the cruel aptitude to kill another human being was enough to make Justin’s blood boil. How dare this loser even suggest something like that.

Avery​

A faint ringing buzzed in the back of his head when he heard Nathaniel suggest murder. Maybe he really did know who Avery was. There was no way this guy was walking away now. With Justin egging him on, he grabbed a wine glass from the table and smashed it across Nathaniel's face. The lightweight glass made little impact, but was enough to make silence fall over the restaurant.

Albert​

At this point, Albert HAD to step in. It got too serious. "Sirs, sirs, I'm afraid I'm going to have to kick you both out of the restaurant. Shareholders or not, you have clearly outstayed your welcome. I will also have to call the authorities."

Nathaniel​

Nathaniel's world froze. The glass hurt. He spat outwards, eyes burning. To his side, a waiter was attempting to calm the situation, but Nathaniel's blood was now hot with anger. He shoved the chair into Avery and whipped around. He ran into the authorities before and even knew some of the faces there. Getting out of trouble wouldn't be too hard of a task. "You might want to get out of here," he spat. "Since you are criminals." If they could.

Avery​

Resisting the urge to throw another glass at the waiter, Avery alternated his gaze between the two, trying to make a choice. As much as he hated this asshole, he was right. Having the police show up would be a disaster. Realizing the perfect solution, a smile crept over his face. "Sure, we'll leave. No problem." He stated, motioning to the table to follow his lead. "But since we're just starting to get to know you, why don't we take a little ride? " Eyes glittering maliciously, he nodded in Nathaniel's direction, hinting at them to grab him.

Nathaniel​

Nathaniel's eyes darted from side to side, looking for a way of escape. He blew out a breath, realizing he wouldn't have time to dash to the elevator and that the only other way out was the jump off of the balcony. "Damn," he mumbled. He knew that as soon as he ushered the group out, he would be in for a beating.

Justin​

Justin sauntered around the table and gripped Nathaniel by the ear, a smug smirk across his lips. “You thought you were so tough, aw. Boohoo.” He rolled his eyes and used his free hand to hold onto the man’s arm instead, freeing his ear in the process. His glance directed towards Avery, awaiting direction, and secretly hoping for some praise. It wasn’t all that hard to be motivated when it came to standing up for not only his boss, but his best friend.

Avery​

After a quick sweep of the windows to scout for police cars, he cursed aloud when he noticed a cluster of flashing lights. Quickly burying his panic, he gave the waiter on last glare before joining Justin. "Hope you feel good about calling the cops on shareholders," he said loudly to Albert, hoping the owner of the place would hear and grant them some justice. "We won't be back soon, what a shame!" Can't a man beat another man without getting shit for it? Unfair. Giving Justin another affirming nod, he led the way towards the elevators. Cramming inside with his crew, he was finally able to speak freely to Nathaniel. "Hey, tough guy. If you try making things worse for us, we'll track down your entire family and make sure they feel your mistakes. Do you understand?" He growled into his ear, gripping his other elbow for emphasis.

Nathaniel​

After being shoved into the elevator with hostile men, Nathaniel allowed himself a tad bit of regret for his actions. Upsetting a gang leader was never a good choice, and yet he could never resist his inner devil. He rolled his eyes. “You’re never going to make it out this way.”

He jerked his head towards the doors. “First floor’s probably crowded with cops.” Nathaniel hesitated. Maybe it would be smart to prove himself useful. “I can get you guys out without the mess.” He left his deal hanging in the air for them to decipher.

Avery​

This guy didn't quit. But at least he was offering them a way out. Avery was a proud man, but not proud enough to risk his entire team over a stupid grudge. "Fine. But again, don't try anything. Justin here may look nice, but I once saw him bite a man's finger clean off for talking back," he lied, putting on the pressure.

Justin​

Justin stared at the elevator doors ahead of him, not moving his glance an inch as Avery caved and attempted to scare Nathaniel one more time. In his mind, he was holding back laughter, finding the fib of his boss' choice to be pretty funny. If anyone ever truly tested him, he just might've done that. And if Nathaniel kept ragging on Avery, he'd get to be the first. But the male also knew that if he was caught finding humor in this situation, he could've easily been added to the chopping block himself. Quickly composing his thoughts, he shot Nathaniel another smirk, "don't fuck up this time," he taunted.

 

[Cheshire Coat]

As the motley crew hurriedly descended in the elevator filled with a low, alert energy, Angelo enjoyed the feeling of a full bottle of the '68 weighing against his leg in his messenger bag. He stared at the button for the third floor, (being the standard height for the lowest fire escapes), and watched the elevator tick down from 43 before tuning back into Nathaniel's bargain plea, and Justin enjoying his temporary role as Avery's manic attack dog.
"It's your call boss, but I like the kid," he admitted, probably to Nathaniel's great relief. "He's got moxy; like me at his age, but less pride. He's still owed a shiner though." he chuckled. "You get us out of here and I'll let ya pick which eye!"
Angelo was confident, of course, that he could get his crew out of here with no trouble, but he was interested in seeing how this mystery man handled the situation, if for nothing else than entertainment and not having to do it himself.
He locked eyes with Nathaniel and smirked; he knew how this affected people. The overconfident would become careless with the sense of a challenge, the under confident would shy away, and the capable would be calmed. A challenge meant an opportunity to seize, especially in the situation of landing on the good side of a potential enemy. How this boy would respond? That would be worth watching.

 

[A lecto]

A visit to that particular restaurant would have most likely lifted Shin's spirits and made him happy but somehow his mind and heart weren’t into it. The situation about the mole was nagging at his mind and had him distracted, which was quite unusual. Deciding there was no helping it Shin took out his phone and decided it would be best to keep himself updated on the trap they had set.

Once a stranger boldly walked up to them and joined the gang at the table Shin decided to pay more attention despite being preoccupied with his phone. The man was in for some serious trouble as he kept poking and provoking Avery who had been in a bad mood to begin with. There were some things people should just see coming and avoid at all costs, but that man was acting like he was blind to any potential dangers and simply went on provoking Avery even after the warnings he had been given.

Knowing that at that point he shouldn’t jump in or try and defend the boss Shin kept quietly checking his phone for updates while also observing his surroundings. Their boss probably needed the outlet for his anger and he most likely knew how far he could and couldn’t go with his actions in public. That, of course, didn’t mean there wouldn’t be trouble.

He was usually able to predict situations around him, Shin was good at reading people after all, but somehow there were times Avery and the guys still managed to surprise him with their actions, which was proven once again as Avery smashed a wine glass against the strangers face. Maybe that was also one of the reasons Shin loved to stick around, there was never a dull moment.

So deciding to take the wise road Shin kept quiet and instead made sure no one would stop them from leaving as the guys made their way to the elevators. Somehow Nathaniel seemed interesting, insanely reckless, but interesting. Shin had never seen someone go after Avery like that and not regret it later, of course once Nathaniel offered to help them get out of there without having to deal with the cops Shin also realized the guy was most likely regretting his actions and trying to rake in some brownie points that might save his ass once they weren't in public anymore. Smarter than the first impression I got of him Shin thought to himself as he fought a smile.