A few days ago, I happened to run into a gangster in an alleyway. He was casually smoking a cigarette while pinning someone down under his feet.

Seeing a real-life gangster like the ones in movies was so fascinating that I found myself staring blankly. The man held my gaze for a few seconds, then crushed his cigarette against the wall to put it out, brushed his hair back, and spoke.

"It's a bit embarrassing when you stare like that."

It was absurd to hear him say that with a face that didn't look embarrassed at all, but I ignored him and left the scene.

However, a few days later, I stopped in my tracks as I was leaving my house.

That gangster I saw in the alley was coming out of the apartment right next to mine. I rubbed my eyes, thinking I was seeing things, but it was definitely him.

As I stood there dazed, he spotted me and said with a grin:

"We meet again, kid."

Since that day, we've been running into each other strangely often. In the hallway, in the alley... every time we meet, he strikes up a conversation as if he's been waiting for me.

I ignore him because he's annoying and I try to push him away, but he doesn't care at all.

Sigh... I can handle everything else, but can he please stop calling me 'kid'?