Chapter 173 - STEAL

'Oh, she could be sweet? Why was she cold to him earlier? She's cute either way.' Movu's smile widened as he thought, it felt like he tamed an adorable pet. He slowly extended his arm and pet her head, she did not say anything or stop him which made him more delighted. 

"Why do you even eat at the filthy place? You can just buy food here, it's cheap." Movu said, wiping the grain of rice on her lips. 'So small ...' He thought seeing that his hand was bigger than her face. 

"The money is not enough." She replied, pressing her lips together. 

"But you enjoy it, right?" He said, referring to the meal she had. 

"Yes, thank you. I will pay you back later." She returned to her cold and distant demeanor but still allowed him to fondle her hair. It's fluffy and smooth, if she could just take a bath he will embrace her and squeeze her tiny body. 

"How will you do that? This big brother will take care of you." Movu stated and pinched her cheeks, she held out her hand to stop him then brushed away his hand. She's back being aloof, he chuckled.

Movu thought that he should feed her more if he wanted her to be docile than cold. But she's still charming, whichever her personality was. "You should take care of yourself." She said and stood up then looked down on him, "You're not still used to this, you should take things seriously or else you will suffer in the end." He laughed while heeding her preach. 

"Stop talking like an adult. But it's adorable to hear you nagging. I think you should wash up then you will be cuter." Was it good to bring her home? His father would probably kill her if he found out that Movu had taken an interest in a living thing. 

"I want to take a bath too, don't worry you will be dirty a week from now." They head back from where they will be fetched to get back to the syndicate's place. 

When they lined up to give the money they earned. The man who was counting what they earned, glared at the two of them. "Are you kidding me? This is all for the two of you?"

"I'm sorry. I did not teach him well." Yanarym said, bowing her head. The man was enraged and signaled the other men to take her away. She was handled harshly by one bulk guy, Movu saw her pained expression with the man's careless actions. He saw this coming, but he wasn't expecting her to speak up and carry all the blame.

"It's my fault!" He strides in her direction and takes her away from the man. "I will accept the punishment for us! Hey, kid, are you okay?" He inspected her and saw nothing wrong, he was relieved. Why is he concerned?

He had no time to contemplate why he was doing, what he was doing. Because she struggled to get away from him, he unconsciously grasped her closer to him to restrain her.

"What are you doing? You will get punished as well!" She hissed at him and tried to push him but she's too frail to do so. "No! I brought him there! He's new here, how would he know?!" She directed to the man when she couldn't break free and Movu furrowed his brows listening to her. 'I'm trying to save you stupid!'

Movu shifted his eyes to the man and shielded her body, "I did it, it's my fault!" He refuted. The in-charge man shook his head. 

"New kid, you should be thankful to her, she's taking the blame for you. Anyway, I have no time for this, punish her." He said casually and the large man tried to reach her but Movu moved fast to evade him. 

"No! It was my fault! I brought her there!" He continued to baffle but the man only got irritated. And kicked him hard on the stomach causing him to get smacked on the ground.

"No, no! Wait! Hey kid! Let go of her!" He was lumped on the ground. While they took her away, she glanced at him and mouthed, "It's alright." Before vanishing away. 

"That was my fault!" He screamed angrily at the man and was about to launch a fight but was restrained by the other men. 

"Take this kid away. He is too loud. And I'm busy enough to entertain him." The man in charge uttered and looked at the other kids lined up. "Next!" 

The chaos ended and the big men left the place leaving all the kids behind after they took the money and gave the kids a ration of bread. Movu was on the corner with dark clouds. Even though he just met the little girl today he felt very attached to her, he thought he would have fun going here yet he was fuming with madness. Besides his father, none was ever able to make him feel so weak and useless. Yet, right now, he felt so downcast from his powerlessness.

Just thinking what they could do to her, she was not even fighting back! And willingly accepts everything. He stood up and walked to the kids. With his current darkened aura, the others instinctively distanced themselves from him. 

"How do you earn so big?" He stopped at the older kids who were praised and had a proper meal by being the number one. 

"We steal." The eldest replied and offered him bread but he declined.

"Steal?" They can steal? Why did she insist on begging on the streets if they just could steal? If she told him that earlier they could earn enough.

"Yes. Obviously Rym didn't tell you that?" The kid said and smiled at him. "It's a given, if you get caught and brought to the station after stealing you might die from your penalization." The kid added, which caused Movu to crease his brows.