I immediately hid behind the flowerpot, listening to the sounds inside.
"Ugh... I'm telling you, you really need to work on being so quiet all the time. Damn it... Hey, are you listening?"
As he spoke, Skinny seemed to find what he'd been looking for, and his footsteps headed back out.
I held my breath and readied my dagger. This time was more dangerous, so I also placed my other hand on the grip of my pistol.
"Tap, tap~ tap, tap~ tap, tap!"
The footsteps drew closer, and I grew more and more nervous. Then, at the edge of my vision, a foot came into view.
A moment later, Skinny stepped out too.
"Hey..."
Skinny seemed to have just been about to smoke. He held a pack of cigarettes in one hand and a lighter in the other. Just as he was about to light one, he froze in the doorway.
For a moment, I hesitated. Should I attack or not?
If I turned around now, he'd definitely see me.
No... I should wait a little longer!
With that thought, I held back and watched Skinny through a gap behind the potted plant.
"Is that blood?"
Skinny froze for a long moment, then forced the three words out through clenched teeth. After hesitating again, he turned and called down the stairs first.
"Boss! Come up here. Something's not right."
Then Skinny cautiously moved forward, keeping a close eye on the blood seeping from beneath the door.
The first person had probably lost too much blood, and it had spilled out.
The clear footprints I'd left by the doorway were covered in blood now, which might actually have helped me.
"What's not right? Don't tell me the second guy got his asshole blown out? Hahahaha~"
"Hehehe~"
Laughter drifted up from downstairs