"Hey."

"Hey..."

"Hey Justin, wake up!"

Justin

I heard the sweet smooth voice of a familiar girl trying to wake me up. I opened my eyes to meet with her red ones gazing down upon me.

When my eyes adjusted to the light, I could make out who the person was. It was my friend, Mia. A girl that I met one day when I was strolling down the street, buying some food using some money I stole out of someone's pocket. She was lost and getting bullied by a few children when I started to hear her cry. When I approached them, I saw her getting cornered by a bunch of older kids that were bullying her because she was an outsider or something along those lines. I stood up for her and beat some bullies in the process and got beaten myself. It was thanks to an older shop owner that happened to be passing by that we were able to leave that encounter not harmed any further. And from that day on, we became friends.

I raised my chest and looked at her while still a little sleepy, wiping my eyes and yawning while preparing to lie back down in bed.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" She said happily.

"Good... Morning. What time is it?" I asked.

"5:30!" She replied.

"What? Why did you wake me up this early?" I asked, still feeling sleepy and annoyed that I was woken up this early.

"I usually wake up this early. Anyway, wanna go play?" She asked me.

Why does she think that an 8-year old like me would wake up and decide to go out and play at 5:30? Before I could answer her, I drifted back to sleep on the bed. Before I went entirely unconscious, I was able to hear "Ugh! All my efforts have gone to waste! But... wait a second... Okay then! What a great idea!"

An hour later, I started getting ready to wake up properly and leave the house for work. And by work, I mean asking shop owners if they have some errands to run in exchange for money, and if not, steal some out of unsuspecting people's pockets. I opened my eyes and looked around — no sign of the redhead anywhere.

Suddenly, I felt movement and heard groans coming from my right-hand side, next to me in my own bed.
I looked next to me and noticed a familiar short red hair. 'Oh my god... Why?'

She opened her eyes and smiled when she saw me staring at her as she slept beside me, not paying attention to the fact that I am no adult, and neither is she.

"Good morning!" She said.

I jumped out of bed out of shock as to what just happened. Although it is not a first, it is surprising every single time.

"WHY ARE YOU IN MY BED?!" I asked, yelling at the top of my lungs.

"You're so cute when you're asleep. I decided to sleep next to you since you will not wake up. And so I decided I won't waste my efforts trying to wake you up." She explained.

"Well, I'm awake now..." I replied, rolling my eyes and following that with a sigh.

She immediately jumped out of bed and used her wings to thrust her way to me, tackling me to the ground. I was pushed down on the ground with sheer force, with her on top of me.

"Totally forgot you're a succubus." I said in a bored tone.

"And a vampire!" She said happily.

"What? I never knew about that." I said in the same bored and tired tone, which is obviously a sarcastic reply.

"Well, now, you know!" She chuckled, playing into the sarcasm with feigned ignorance.

I raised my chest, implying that I want her to get off me. She jumped off of my body and tucked her wings back under her clothes.

"Wanna go play?" She asked me.

"Yeah, yeah... Alright. Let's go." I replied, opening the window behind my bed and jumping out of it towards the balcony. From there, we started running towards a ladder that leads to the roof of the building I reside in.

Reside is the word I chose here because I don't own the place or rent it. Heck, I think the owner considers my apartment an old attic where other residents leave their stuff. It's not like he's to blame, though. The entire area where we live is a poor town near the main capital.

I managed to find an old mattress and placed it on the bed I found in the apartment after cleaning it. The same goes for any piece of furniture that I 'Own.'

"I'll beat you to the roof of that building first!" Mia said while hovering with her wings.

"Unfair! You have wings!" I replied.

"Aww! That's right. You can't fly!" She said in a voice that seems as if she was conversing with a cute animal or a baby, mocking me. I rolled my eyes at her response and pointed my finger towards the floor. Then she got down and looked at me with a smile that never fades.

"Race you to the top? Running, of course." She asked.

"You got it!"

We started running and trying to beat each other to the top of the building. It wasn't any big deal since I am used to climbing. I got used to climbing and running ever since I escaped the orphanage I was placed in as a baby.

"I'm first." I said as I reached the top, gasping for breath as I placed my hands on my legs and breathed heavily.

"Okay... You won fair and square." She said as she placed her hands on her hips and tried to catch her breath as well, panting between words.

*Beep* *beep* *beep* *beep*

My smartwatch, the one that I got as a gift from my not so unfortunate friend Alex started beeping. I was receiving a call from him. I answered and greeted my friend, who has been gone for a while.

"Hey, Alex! Long time no see." I said.

"Justin! How's it going, bro? I'm in the shopping area! Is that Mia with you? You guys should come too!" He said.

"Yes, she is. We'll be there shortly!"

"I see you've gotten used to the codex, huh?"

"Yea! It's nice. Thanks, man, I really appreciate it." I stated.

"No problem! In fact, I think I should've gotten you one earlier! But meh, better late then never, I suppose. Okay then, I'm waiting for you guys!"

"Okay! On my way!" I replied before hanging up.

"What is this watch, Justin?" Asked Mia while sitting next to me as we were relaxing on the roof.

"A 'codex'. I can use it to call, message, track people, and stuff or check my health." I explained. The smartwatch was red and silver in color. Mia seemed fascinated with it. The look of curiosity and intrigue on her face was evident.

'Maybe I should buy her one.' I thought to myself.

"Let's go." She said. Getting up and stretching her arms. "I think that was a great morning exercise! We should do that more often!"

We started running on the rooftops looking for Alex. We looked down on both sides of the streets, trying to spot him as he didn't stand out from the crowd, being a young kid.

Alex was the Adrenaline Junky of our trio. He is eight like Mia and me, but when someone sees how crazy and childish he could sometimes be, someone would say he's an annoying little five-year-old that his mom failed to discipline. Alex comes from an upper-class family with businesses that keep them busy 24/7. He has black hair, blue eyes, and a bright smile that shows his happy, devil-may-care attitude towards life. We didn't see him for a week because he had some family affairs and stuff to attend to, so he did not drop by often. He bought me the watch one day before he left, and we started messaging and calling each other through them.

His family really like Mia and me. Unlike most rich people who look down upon people like us with contempt. I believe it's due to Alex's parents, the Millers, believing that people are people, regardless of their class in society.

When we arrived at the shopping area, a place with shops and stands where people buy stuff and food, Alex was nowhere to be seen. We walked for a while until we finally spotted him near a shop. He looked as if he was buying something. We casually approached him and called out for him. He turned around and was carrying three orange juice boxes.

"Hey, guys! These are for you!" He said.

"Aw, come on, man! You didn't have to!" I stated.

We took our boxes and sat next to him on a bench near the store where we met. The area was crowded with people in the morning. That's when shop owners open and get their stock refreshed. People around here flock towards the shops to buy whatever they can to sustain themselves and their families.

"So. How're things?" Asked Alex. "It's been a week."

"Well... the usual. We play and have fun and spy on other people and stuff." I replied.

"Oh, okay." He said. "I missed you guys! Every day was just the same old boring stuff in school and whatnot."

"Oh, yea? Well, thank goodness neither of us goes to school. It's bad enough as it is. I don't need homework to pile up on my list of worries." I stated.

"Do you even have such a list?" Mia asked.

"Uh, no. I mean it would be in addition to the work I need to put in order to get money." I informed.

"Oh, I know what you meant. I mean, do you even worry about stuff? Like, at all?" She asked.

"No. But still, you know what I mean. I don't want to go to school and do the school stuff." I replied.

"Oh, okay."

One minute or so later, Alex asked me a question. A question that I have never thought of before, or might have done but shrugged it off as mere happenstance.

"I always wanted to ask you, and I know I shouldn't ask this the way I will but... What do you work?"

"Huh?" I always asked myself that very question. Was I planning to keep stealing and pickpocketing people for the rest of my life?

"It's weird how you seem to have an apartment all for yourself and manage to keep yourself fed. What do you work, huh?" He asked me.

"I don't work. But I do ask some owners if they need help cleaning or selling stuff. Maybe even getting stuff from A to B or even doing some house chores while they are working." I replied. "It doesn't pay much, but I get by."

An errand boy was the only thing I was allowed to do while I was not busy stealing from unlucky individuals who happened to be passing by and were unaware of a little kid running around stealing stuff.

"Then how do you get food and stuff?" He asked me.

"Hmm..." I looked down, reflecting on that question. Then I looked left and right at the people on the streets, not wanting anyone to hear a thing.

"I get a package every month or so from an unknown address. Each has enough food and drink for two months." I replied.

"You don't have a clue as to whom sends those to you?" He asked.

"Nuh-uh." I replied and took a sip of my drink. "I think it's probably some deliveries for the landlord.

"I always see those packages in your kitchen." Said Mia. "They're filled with delicious food! I don't make myself such stuff!"

"Well, I'll find out one day." I finished my drink and got up. "But for now, let's go and have fun! All this talk about me is getting me bored."

Mia and Alex got up. Mia started to stretch her arms while Alex fixed his shoelace. Then we all walked away from the bench and away from the shopping district.

"Let's go and meet Ethan!" I said before walking ahead of the two.

"Right behind you!"