Chapter 17: Where Do I Find This Punk?
7:30 am, Tuesday.
Ring~!
Michael’s eyes immediately snapped open, the moment the sound of the alarm clock reached his ears.
He slowly grabbed the alarm clock and turned it off.
*Yawn!*
Michael yawned as he got up from his bed, "I’m still feeling sleepy,’’ he mumbled as he headed towards the bathroom and went to wash himself.
After a few moments, he came out, looking refreshed.
He went over to his old laptop and opened it, he immediately opened his search engine and went to the official website of the game, and saw that there’s still five more hours to go before the update ends.
"I wonder what the update is about that even the official website can’t be accessed and that its only showing a countdown" Michael mumbled as he turned off his laptop and stood up from his chair.
Michael is actually just borrowing his neighbor’s internet connection through his neighbour’s wifi, and because the internet speed is not that great, he would sometimes need to go to an internet cafe if he wants to play some games as a pastime, and that was before he transmigated back to his younger self.
Michael then looked around his room, it was just a small 7x7 apartment room, that has its own small bathroom.
It has only one window facing the street, his bed is on the left side of the window, his small desk with a laptop on top of it is positioned beside his bed, and below the window, and at the right side of the desk is a small fridge with two pack of cup noodles lying on top of it.
And at the opposite side of the bed is a door leading outside of the room, and if someone is facing the front door, then at the left side of that person, at the left corner of Michael’s room, there is a door leading to his small bathroom that occupies 2x2 space of his apartment, and the foot of his bed is own wardrobe.
Michael was just lucky to get this room that has its own bathroom, and it was because the owner of this three story apartment building, an old couple pitied him.
They had even looked after him like he was their own son or grandson everytime he got himself into a pinched because he can’t pay for his own rent or would go almost an entire day without eating, and if it wasn’t for their help, he would have been sleeping on the streets by now.
Mostly because they don’t have any children of their own, as the old woman was discovered that she can’t conceive when they were young.
This is the reason why Michael had even started treating them both like his own grandparents, and they were one of his worries during his time on the run as they didn’t know what happened to them when he suddenly left with Amanda without even saying his goodbyes to them.
And only when he was able to make a name for himself in the underground world and didn’t need to worry about most of his enemies did he find out that they are doing okay and still living and operating their apartment building.
He even made sure to leave them a small fortune, just enough for them to live their remaining time on Earth without any worries before going to his suicide mission.
"Now that I have money, I at least need to throw a feast with gran and gramps as a celebration for a new beginning and me, being back!" Michael grinned, as he really miss those two old couple.
And all of the tenants here don’t have their own kitchen, and instead, they would need to go to the public kitchen on the ground floor to cook for their own meal.
In his memories, Michael would also go there from time to time to cook his meals, but sometimes, he would just prefer to eat cup noodles like a neet.
Michael then went over to his small fridge, and it was almost empty, as there is only two bottles of mineral water sitting inside.
"Eh? It seems I need to go get some groceries later" Michael scratched his head as he seemed to have just realized that hiss fridge rarely had something inside except for his water.
Michael then took a quick shower, and left his apartment as he headed towards a nearby grocery store.
Michael had just stepped out of his apartment building when he suddenly muttered to himself, "Don’t tell me I’d stumble upon another trouble again like last night?"
Michael then just shook his head, as he thought that the chance of that happening is almost zero, and it’s not like there would be a crime happening or would happen wherever he goes.
"Lately, I haven’t seen gramps or gran around the apartment building. I wonder what they have been doing lately?" Michael was muttering to himself as he walked on the street, with other people walking in the same direction as he is or the opposite.
A few minutes later, Michael arrived at a decent looking grocery store called "5th Street Grocery", and there is at least thirty people not including the employees inside, browsing the products inside.
Some of them are looking through their list of items they need to purchase, while some would just grabbed something they like and threw it inside their carts or baskets, especially the kids.
Michael greeted one of the employees as he went inside and took a small grocery cart, as he started browsing the items inside the store.
"Need to get some pork meat, chicken meat, some fruits and spices, and pasta. I’m gonna make Spaghetti Bolognese for lunch, their favorite" Michael murmured, and at the same time, he felt some cravings for some spaghetti just thinking about it.
Michael immediately bought what he needed and went over to the counter to pay for the goods.
He suddenly thought that the man manning the counter looked familiar somehow, ’Do I know this guy from somewhere?’ he thought as he tried to look into his memories.
And when it was Michael’s turn, the cashier turned towards him smiling and was just about to greet him, when suddenly, the cashier called out to him in shock, "Eh? Aren’t you that guy who beat up and kevin and his gang? I’m surprised that you’re still...eh still walking around normally?"
"Now, I remember, you’re one of those guys in the gym that day" Michael said as he finally where he saw this guy.
"And what do you mean by that..Dan?" Michael said as he took a quick pick at his nametag.
"Eh? You didn’t know?" Dan said as he started scanning the goods.
"The Black Skulls...they’re looking for you" the moment Dan said those words, the other customers waiting in line behind him, slowly back away from him.
"Kevin even put a $1000 bounty on your head just to find you" Dan said to him as he started putting the groceries inside separate paper bags.
Michael then grinned as a flash of coldness flashed in his eyes.
"So where do I find this punk...called Kevin?"