Allure: Peerless Beauty

chaper 9

Ada took the bag and looked at it, immediately delighted. "Wow, strawberry donuts! Are these all for me?"

Leo casually pinched her chin and chuckled, "Yes, silly girl."

Leo was four years older than Ada and had always taken care of her, showing her a lot of affection. However, Ada saw it as merely part of his caring nature. After all, Leo was Sherry's partner, although Sherry never admitted it.

Many people admired Leo, especially the women in the red-light district. He was like a handsome beast that every woman wanted to possess. However, apart from Sherry, Ada hadn't seen Leo with anyone for long. So, Ada regarded Sherry's denial of their relationship as a way to avoid jealousy.

Leo's life story was legendary even in this city filled with talents. He was the second generation of Japanese orphans left in the United States. His father brought him and his mother back to Japan in the 1990s, where they relied on government aid to survive in Shinjuku.

He was born and raised in Japan, fluent in both English and Japanese, and hung out in Kabukicho since he was a teenager. In that place, mixed with various nationalities, languages, conspiracies, and violence, he found himself at home among a group of fugitives who were also orphans.

He was tough in fights, had sharp senses, was cunning and aloof, and preferred to be alone. He had worked as a bodyguard for various entertainment venues, known as a protector but was essentially a thug. Although not affiliated with any organization, he attracted quite a few followers.

His life as a rogue, without a steady job for the future, was seen as cool by women, filled with a post-modern sense of decadence. But in Ada's eyes, Leo was just a kid.

He was only 25 years old. What were other 25-year-old boys doing? Were they living on the edge like him?

Sherry once said that Leo was like a lone wolf, noble and free, but burdened with unimaginable scars.

Ada believed that this might be the best interpretation of the man before her.

There was an abandoned basketball court outside the alley. Every time Ada came here to burn garbage, she would come over to breathe some fresh air, or in other words, to slack off.

Now, she was sitting with the handsome Leo on the overturned basketball rack, looking at the city's orchid-colored sky, eating donuts, feeling unexpectedly content.

"Aren't you supposed to be working in the front hall? How come you have time to come over and bring this to me?" Ada shook the bag in her hand as she spoke.

"You've been away for too long. Sherry was a little worried, so she asked me to come and check on you. Besides, they have people in the front hall, so I don't need to be there all the time." Leo lit a cigarette and took one of the donuts from Ada's hand, stuffing it into his mouth.

"Since the last incident, she's been a little nervous. So, how's it going here? Are you used to it?" Ada handed him another one, knowing that he always liked to snatch things from others.

"It's just a job. Nothing special," Leo replied nonchalantly.

"But you always refused to come over here before, even though Wilson has tried to recruit you more than once. You always looked down on him, and now you're working under him?"

"I didn't accept Wilson's recruitment because the chances of being a cannon fodder around him are much higher than elsewhere. But now he's offering several times more than others, and I'm someone who's attracted to money. Why wouldn't I be tempted?"

Ada didn't agree with him. "Is it for Sherry? If you're worried about her, just say it. Why be so aloof?"

Leo turned to look at her, his smile bordering on mockery. "You know nothing, so don't be so presumptuous. Do you think anything will be different for me at 'Allure'? I know what happened between you and Sherry that day, but let me tell you, even if I had been there, I would have just stood by and watched. In this circle, you have to accept the rules of the game. You, me, Sherry, all of us. Here, someone who helps you is also someone who wants to harm you. Someone who gets close to you is also someone who wants to use you. Don't naively think that anyone can be your support. Because sooner or later, you will find that the person who leaves you in tatters is often the one you trust the most."

Leo threw away the donut in his hand and lit a cigarette. "What happened that day means nothing to me. So, don't expect anything from me. I'm not a good person. What I've done in the past, believe me, it's beyond your imagination."

Leo left, leaving Ada alone to stare at the city's night sky. It was silent all around, with the occasional chirping of cicadas. Perhaps it was because this place was relatively remote, or perhaps it was because the stars were dim tonight, or perhaps it was the man's undisguised mockery that made people feel melancholic.

Sighing, Ada looked up at the night sky, the stars twinkling like Sherry's eyes.

Although she had always known that she had to take control of her own life, she couldn't help but hold onto a glimmer of hope. She fantasized that one day, someone would become the hero in Sherry's life, loving her as passionately as they loved their own life.

So even if she had to leave her one day, Sherry wouldn't have to feel lonely in the crowd.

But all of this was just wishful thinking.

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After work, everyone agreed to go to the street food stall together for supper. COCO naturally brought her cool and handsome rocker boyfriend Mark, while Sherry and Leo were together as usual. Only Ada was alone, but she didn't mind.

Five people occupying six chairs.

Whenever they got together, they were always noisy, even scaring the stall owner. But today, it was unusually quiet. It wasn't until COCO raised her glass, facing the empty chair, and said, "Cheers to Lily."

Everyone picked up their glasses and poured all the beer out onto the ground.

Women in the red-light district were like drifting duckweed, as cheap as ants. Even though life was fleeting like water, tragedies happened every day, yet life had to go on.

Everyone seemed a bit more relaxed now, chatting casually. Ada was a bit silent today, while Sherry was as lively as ever, challenging Mark all the time, determined to get this wild handsome guy drunk.

COCO was happy to watch from the sidelines, not helping anyone. These days, both prioritizing love over friendship and prioritizing friendship over love were frowned upon.

Leo was always quiet in such occasions, smiling along when someone cracked a joke.

The TV was playing some messy entertainment gossip news, and Ada was half-heartedly watching while peeling some not-so-fresh shrimp.