Monday, February 9th. The clock by my bedside now points to 9:28 AM. It keeps ticking, showing that I've spent the entire morning in this room. The atmosphere is calm and cool, just perfect for me to sleep with a pillow over my head. The ceiling fan spins at the set speed, as today's heat is unbearable, so I let it keep running.

  This room is a mess, with unwashed clothes scattered around. The desk is cluttered with old gadgets, an unused music player, and a monitor to my left, which I haven’t bothered to clean. It's still sitting by the window. Aside from the wardrobe, a bookshelf, some pictures, and posters on the walls, there's a trophy from my elementary school days sitting atop the shelf. It reads, "Best Actor for Elementary Students goes to—" with a name inscribed at the end.

  Everything is quiet, not a sound or disturbance. But then, the silence is broken. The house phone on the right side of my desk starts ringing. I turn my body towards it and press the answer button.

  “Hey! Adam! Why didn’t you come to school today? Hey! Answer me!”

  I immediately recognize the voice—it’s Siti, my classmate. Her tone is rough, typical for the first day back after a two-day weekend. She probably has something important to tell me, but honestly, I just don’t want to deal with anything today. Skipping school and resting at home is enough for me.

  I cover my head with my hand, hoping the sound will go away on its own.

  “Hey! If you keep skipping school, you're going to get expelled! Hey! Can you hear me? Hello! Adam!”

  I couldn’t care less…

  “Fine, idiot! I’m just warning you. If you don’t come to school tomorrow, you're going to be in serious trouble. That’s all I’m telling you.”

  She ends the call, leaving the same sound of silence to return. I lift my hand and glance at the clock again. The second hand has moved, and now the long hand points to the four—9:34 AM. Another few minutes wasted just lying in this room. There’s an official school event happening today anyway. Boring.

  I drift off to sleep for a while. When I wake up, the time has passed—it’s now 12:35 PM.

  I sit up halfway, rubbing my hair with my right hand a few times before dragging myself to the floor. I feel like I’m sleeping in a pile of trash with today's heat making things unbearable. My feet press against the ground, and I head straight to the bathroom.

  The cool splash of water hits me, refreshing me from the earlier heat. After cleaning up, I grab a black t-shirt, jeans, and a cap with a front brim.

  There’s a video game promotion at the gym shop near the city center today. I don't want to miss it, so I plan to head there and buy the new game that just came out yesterday. I have to get there before 2 PM and be the first to grab it.

  But the shop is quite far, right in the heart of the city, while my house is in a residential area, far from any major buildings.

  I turn the doorknob, sliding the key into my jeans pocket. The sun tries to glare into my eyes, but my black cap shields me. I step out, my feet hitting the pavement in front of my house as I start walking down the street.

  ***

  The place where I live has two central cities. One is located in the coastal region, while the other lies on the island. The distance between the mainland and the island is only about 27 kilometers, connected by two bridges. There’s also an underground railway linking the station here to the one over there. Ferries and boats are often used to travel between the two places. People say the island is far more dangerous than the mainland, where I live.

  There are frequent reports of robberies and ambushes. Even though I’ve heard all about it, I’ve never seen any of it with my own eyes. The crime rate in this state is high, but the general public seems to brush it off. Criminal factions often roam around the city, blending in so well with ordinary people that they’re almost impossible to distinguish. Even the authorities find it hard to act.

  The buildings here are densely packed, and it only gets more crowded in the heart of the city. The pounding beats of pop music blaring from massive speakers have become a normal part of life for the locals. The sidewalks are bustling with people, always moving. It’s like any other major city in the world. There’s even a railway that operates on a set schedule. Not far from the city center, there are housing areas neatly organized behind gates—where I live.

  The weather today is scorching, so hot that a mirage forms at the horizon, shimmering like sound waves. Pop music fills the air, coming from my left, fading away as I quicken my steps, not really wanting to hear more of it.

  Every building I pass has posters plastered on the windows, advertising job openings or discounted goods. I ignore them all. Cars honk, pulling me out of my thoughts now and then.

  A new war-themed game just got released, and I’m here to find it.

  As I approach the automatic doors, they slide open with a chime. The heat instantly vanishes, replaced by a cool, refreshing breeze. The loud music fades away once the door closes behind me.

  Rows of neatly arranged shelves greet me, stocked with all sorts of newly released games. I expected the place to be packed because of the promotion, but I was wrong. There are only a few people here, just some adults and a couple of kids. Maybe the school crowd hasn’t come yet since classes aren’t completely out.

  I make my way to the right, heading to the far end of the shelves. The game I’m looking for is the third in a series of two previous installments. In the first one, the story started with a war, with no clear reason behind it, and the main character’s role wasn’t fully developed yet. But in the second game, the protagonist became determined to find a way to end the war, only for the story to end in a cliffhanger with the king’s death.

  I’m hoping the third installment continues the story without changing the setting or timeline. It would be disappointing if they replaced the protagonist. I’ve grown fond of the character's strong, determined personality.

  I scan the shelves from front to back, carefully checking each title. They’re arranged alphabetically. When I reach the middle, I glance up, spotting the game I’ve been searching for. But it’s on the highest shelf, out of my reach. I look around for a way to grab it or for someone to ask for help. My eyes dart between the shelves and the security camera that’s slowly turning in another direction.

  Seizing the moment, I quickly tap the shelf rail and leap, snatching the game from the top. I land smoothly on my feet and stand up immediately.

  All clear. The security camera didn’t catch my swift move.

  This is all I wanted. The one thing I needed before anyone else could grab it. I’m lucky I skipped out to get it before it sold out. The box, with its bold red cover and the image of armed soldiers, looks exactly how I imagined. I can’t believe it’s finally here. I’ve been waiting forever for this game.

  There are three people standing in line at the cashier—all adults. Even though there aren’t many, I don’t feel like queuing with them, so I decide to browse the other shelves, checking out what games they have.

  The store is quite big, though it’s a shame it only has one floor. As I walk down the aisle, casually glancing at the game covers, I see a boy shoving his friend roughly. The kid looks mad, and the one who was shoved is starting to tear up, like he’s about to cry.

  A girl, standing nearby with her father, watches the scene unfold. She suddenly speaks up, as if addressing the boy who fell.

  "Weak! If you fall, don’t cry about it!"

  Her father scolds her gently, "Why are you being so harsh with them, dear?"

  "Boys shouldn’t be weak. Ugh!" She stomps off, leaving the two boys behind.

  Her attitude reminds me of someone I know—a lively, energetic girl. I turn my attention back to the two boys. They look about eight years old. The one who shoved his friend starts to apologize, and his friend accepts it.

  That’s the thing about kids. When they make mistakes, they’re quick to forgive and move on. It’s different with adults, though. When they argue or have misunderstandings, it tends to drag on. Add envy and resentment into the mix, and it festers until they don’t even want to face each other anymore.

  Humans really are complicated, and everyone I meet seems different. Maybe it’s because we’re raised in different places, brought up in different ways. Perhaps that’s what shapes a person’s character.

  There are kind-hearted people, and then there are those who seem heartless. The second type seems to be behind most of the crime here. Theft, muggings, robbery, fraud—it’s all so common that it’s etched into my memory.

  People without souls? I’ve heard that phrase somewhere before, from someone I can’t quite place.

  Sometimes, people can be cruel, stirring up trouble and tearing others apart. They stab with lies and slander, ruining someone’s life. Some don’t even care about others’ feelings, treating them poorly as if it’s a hobby. They’re so consumed by their own desires that they’ll use anyone to get what they want. Lying with sweet words, only to manipulate. They push others into despair, until there’s nothing left—just death. That’s how things work here, hidden beneath layers of false information.

  There are rules we’re supposed to follow. Break them, and you risk harming yourself or others. But I don’t really care about the rules. I do what I want because my life has been shaped this way. I follow my own path, ignoring what others think. Anger, frustration, disappointment, sadness, envy—they all distort my view of the world, and I hate it.

  But profanity and insults? I’m used to them. I don’t care. I just go with the flow.

  Everyone has a dark past. I do too. But I don’t want to dwell on it. It’s enough to just leave it in the past.

  ***

  As soon as the machine calculated the price and the payment was made, the automatic doors opened, allowing the heat to once again touch my black shirt. The sound of the beep disappeared as soon as I stepped outside, and the door closed on its own.

  In this state, three types of language are commonly used: the official language, the colloquial language, and street language.

  The official language is the national language, widely spoken by the entire population of the country. It serves as a bridge between different regions, with structured and polite sentences. In official language, words often include affixes, and the vocabulary used is more formal. The sentence structure is well-organized and follows the correct format. Generally, this language is used by the nobility, scholars, upper-class society, and individuals with a refined manner of speech.

  Meanwhile, the colloquial language is used in conversations between close friends or people who have known each other for a long time. Unlike the official language, colloquial speech does not include affixes, and it is spoken directly, in a simpler and more understandable form. Words are often shortened so that the message can be delivered quickly.

  Lastly, street language is much harsher compared to the official and colloquial languages. Its sentence structure is often reversed, and there is no formal organization to the speech. This type of language is usually spoken by gangsters, and its tone can be offensive. Additionally, street language often adds unique tones to each word, changing their meanings.

  "Why won't you let go, huh?"

  My eyes were drawn upward as I saw a snatcher running through the crowd. He even managed to grab a woman's handbag before pushing her down.

  "Hey! Stop running!"

  Two police officers on the scene began chasing him, urging the crowd to step aside. I sharpened my gaze, focusing on the woman who had fallen. She was clutching her wrist, and people were gathering around her, seemingly trying to help.

  The snatcher ran past me, barely acknowledging my presence, and the police followed the same path a few seconds later.

  This is what I mean by the high crime rate. But seeing a snatcher brazenly committing a crime in broad daylight is crazy. He must be desperate, driven to such extremes by pressure that he can’t think straight anymore.

  Aside from the three main languages, there’s also slang used by people from different regions. Slang is rarely spoken because only a few people still use it. Nevertheless, the older generation in this country still preserves it.

  In terms of geography, the state is divided into five regions. The coastal region consists of three areas: the northern region, the central region, and the southern region. The coastal areas are slightly larger than the island regions. The island region is divided into two main areas, the northeast and the northwest, commonly shortened to the eastern and western regions. Each region has distinct building structures.

  The central region, or the city center, is filled with loud music, and teenagers from the northern and southern regions often come here to enjoy themselves. Entertainment centers, arcades, game shops, karaoke venues, shopping malls, and other attractions are why coastal teenagers love the central region. It’s a place to let loose and unwind after studying.

  The skyline is filled with skyscrapers visible from a distance. Their heights are uniform, allowing people to walk across rooftops without obstruction. Since it’s packed with buildings, alleyways are found everywhere, providing a home to heavy drinkers, beggars, and addicts. Graffiti also marks the walls, signaling that certain areas belong to someone.

  Some people dressed in colorful costumes—commonly called cosplayers—hand out flyers to passersby, promoting cafés or selling products. They’re always on the city’s corners, smiling as they attract attention.

  This is a glimpse of the bustling, densely populated capital city. Its lighting fills the surroundings and becomes even more beautiful at night, with brightly colored lights illuminating the modern city.

  At least that's what I thought as I boarded the train to the northern region, where I live and which is my main region. The train doors closed, letting the sound of the rails ring out and leaving this region for the next.

  In this world, there are people with talents and those without. Each hidden talent gives an individual an edge in their career, but not having talent doesn’t put others at a disadvantage. In professional fields, those without talent can still succeed with skills and experience.

  Talents here are divided into five categories, generally possessed by chosen individuals.

  First, there’s natural talent—a type of talent where a person quickly learns new things. If taught something, they easily understand and excel in it. This talent is varied and considered common, making it easy to find.

  Next is physical talent, similar to natural talent but involving the body and movement. People with physical talent are usually strong and agile, often taking part in strenuous activities or physical labor.

  Then, there’s spiritual talent. Those gifted with a spiritual sense can interact with the supernatural, seeing what others cannot. People with this talent have a higher potential for predicting the future and tend to have favorable zodiac signs. Some can even communicate with beings other than humans.

  Intellectual talent is the ability to solve problems and make sound decisions. People with this talent have leadership qualities, staying calm and in control during critical situations. Those with high intelligence and knowledge often possess this intellectual talent.

  Lastly, there’s absolute talent, where someone excels in a field without needing to be trained or taught. Most people with absolute talent have high intellectual capabilities and think rationally. Because of this, they rarely act poorly and are often seen as polite in both speech and actions. Their minds always remain positive, making them cheerful and active.

  If someone is born with absolute talent, their curiosity is heightened, pushing them to delve deeper into subjects of interest. For example, someone born with a talent for drawing will naturally view art as an integral part of themselves and intuitively understand how to improve without being taught. They often make this passion a hobby and continually develop it, unwilling to separate from their talent.

  However, it is rare to find someone with such an extraordinary gift, and the chances are slim. Those with absolute talent tend to hide behind the illusion of normalcy, keeping their uniqueness a secret.

  I, too, possess an absolute talent that I’ve kept hidden from society.

  While walking through the gated residential area, somehow the fence at the right corner suddenly shook violently, as if something had slammed into it. I glanced in that direction, trying to see clearly what was happening. Suddenly, a girl in a sweater leapt over the fence. One of her hands touched the metal surface while the rest of her body twisted sideways to make room to pass through. As she was in mid-air and everything seemed to move in slow motion, her eyes briefly glanced toward me before both her feet gently touched the ground. Her sweater hood almost fell off, but she managed to fix it just in time.

  “Area?”

  After fixing her hood, the girl immediately turned and grabbed my hand.

  “Adam, come on, you have to follow me.”

  She pulled me along, running toward the road behind me. I couldn’t resist or stop her—only watch her ahead of me, gripping my right hand.

  “Wait, hold on, what’s happening?” I asked.

  “We don’t have time right now—we need to run.”

  “From what?”

  Suddenly, a group of thugs appeared behind us, as if they had just jumped over the residential fence. I glanced back, trying to figure out what was really going on. A bald man scanned left and right before his eyes locked onto something.

  “Chase them!” he shouted, pointing his finger.

  They all began chasing us at once. I looked ahead and quickly picked up speed, trying to match the pace as we closed the slight gap between us. Once we were side by side, I started asking Area questions.

  “Area, what’s actually going on? Why are those thugs chasing you? Where did they all come from?”

  “I’ll explain everything later, Adam—for now, we have to split up!” she said, her breathing heavy. Her body was starting to slow down slightly, probably from running nonstop.

  “Split up??”

  “Yes!” she exhaled.

  Two alleyways appeared ahead—one was blocked by a metal barrier, the other was clear. Area veered right, heading toward the alley with the metal fence. She kicked the barrier and began climbing over it, spinning a few times mid-air before gravity pulled her down, and she vanished into the dark alleyway beyond.

  I took the left alley, slipping something into my shirt as I ran. The thugs chasing us chose to follow me instead of the path Area took. Their numbers seemed to grow as I glanced back briefly. The farther I ran, the more obstacles appeared in my path, but I cleared each one.

  Stacks of boxes in the middle of the road—I leapt over them one by one. As quickly as I could, I turned left and sprinted down the second alley. The thugs followed, shouting as they picked up speed and closed the gap. I knocked over several trash bins leaning against the wall to slow them down, then turned into the right alley. Once again, I leapt over another barrier of stacked boxes.

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  Finally, I managed to outrun them—but up ahead, at a turn, there were three paths. I glanced toward the alley on the right and noticed several thugs emerging from it. Without wasting a second, I made a quick decision to take the left path and dashed straight into it.

  The longer I ran, the heavier my breathing became. My legs were starting to ache too.

  I looked back briefly and saw the thugs getting closer and closer. The moment I turned my gaze forward again, two new paths came into view—straight ahead and to the right. Since the path ahead was blocked by two metal fences, I decided to jump over them.

  One foot planted on the wall to my left, and my right foot pushed off the metal fence. I lifted my left hand and launched my body over the barrier. Landing as quickly as I could, I kept running forward. Another similar obstacle appeared ahead, and I repeated the same move.

  I jumped, lifting both hands into the air to grab onto a metal pipe, swung my body forward, then released and landed as quickly as possible. Without pause, I sprinted ahead at full speed. The thugs seemed confused, struggling to climb the metal fence blocking their way, but failed—left stuck and frustrated behind it.

  I looked forward and kept turning down every alley I could find, trying to throw them off my trail.

  Once I reached a safe spot, hidden from their reach, I exhaled in relief and tried to catch my breath. Moments later, the sound of footsteps—Area’s—echoed nearby. She seemed to be running toward the back of the building where I was hiding. I peeked out from behind the wall and quickly grabbed her hand, pulling her toward me. Her body was pulled against the wall, and she ducked behind me, finally letting out a relieved breath.

  “Hey! Did you see her anywhere?”

  “No, I think she went that way!!” one of them shouted as they changed direction down another alley.

  I turned to look behind me, right where Area was, and asked in a soft voice, “Area, are you okay?”

  She was catching her breath, both hands resting on her knees. “Urmm... I’m okay. Just a little tired from all that running.” She straightened up, smoothing out the wrinkles on her clothes. Her face and outfit were soaked with sweat.

  “Area, can I ask why they were chasing you?”

  “I’m not entirely sure myself,” she replied. “I was just walking through their neighborhood when one of them said, ‘Hey, aren’t you the kid who insulted us yesterday?’ I didn’t really understand what he meant, and suddenly they got angry. So I had to run. Maybe they mistook me for someone else.”

  “You’re not trying to lie to me, are you, Area?”

  Area paused, thinking it over a few times before finally telling the truth. “Alright... I did have some business with them. But it’s nothing important, so don’t worry about it, Adam.” She then began walking again, her gaze lowered to the ground.

  I immediately sat down, resting on one knee, and began pulling something out from under my shirt.

  “I'm heading to the hideout—what about you? Wanna come with?” She turned her eye onto me. “A-Adam?! What are you doing?! Why are you taking off your shirt?!” she yelped, quickly turning around and covering her eyes, her face turning red.

  “I'm not taking it off, I’m just getting the game I hid under it! Don’t get the wrong idea.”

  I pulled out a compact disc that had been tucked inside. Its surface was a little damp, but not too bad. Thankfully, the plastic wrapping I used was waterproof.

  I let out a relieved sigh. “Good thing it’s still safe.”

  Area peeked through her fingers, carefully observing the situation. She stood upright, as if trying to confirm something.

  I wiped the surface of the disc with my shirt, then held it up to the light to inspect it. It gleamed, the shine so bright it reflected light off its surface.

  Afterward, I lowered it again to read what was written on it.

  Area slowly dropped her hands, taking a cautious step closer while keeping her eyes on me. Even though she tried to compose herself and appear proper, the flush on her cheeks was still clearly visible.

  “Combat Soldier?”

  She gazed at the disc from behind, causing her shadow to block out the sunlight. The scent of the perfume she wore gently reached my senses, like the fragrance of blooming flowers.

  After that, I stood up, prompting her to take a small step back.

  “Yeah, this game just released yesterday. I was supposed to get it earlier, but I got lazy, so I had to wait until today. I feel lucky, though, since not many people came to buy it.”

  “Maybe it’s because it’s a school day, so a store like that doesn’t get many customers.”

  “Maybe...”

  My gaze remained fixed on the disc in my hand. After a moment, I held it firmly with my left hand. Area glanced to the right for a brief second before asking something.

  “Oh, by the way, Adam, aren’t you going to school today?”

  I replied, “I skipped today... I usually don’t like formal events.”

  “Hee...” she chuckled softly.

  Before stepping forward, I briefly caught a glimpse of her face, which seemed a little puzzled. Her eyes were a mix of ocean blue and light blue, with a pale complexion that reflected the sunlight. She maintained a neutral expression and continued walking past me.

  Aside from her smooth skin and delicate features, Area always wore a white hoodie sweater with a curved hood. The sweater was made of waterproof material. Unlike others, she wore a short skirt that reached just above her thighs, paired with tights that kept her legs covered. She always wore shoes, which allowed her to move freely—even to jump without restriction.

  Her hair was smooth and short, just touching her neck. Two strands at the front were long enough to reach her shoulders. It had a black hue with a hint of golden-brown highlights. She always covered her hair with the hood of her sweater.

  Her appearance was that of a cheerful girl, constantly wearing her sweater with the hood pulled up, paired with a short skirt and tights, giving her a playful and carefree vibe.

  “... That’s why it’s been hard for me to get past it. Adam, are you listening?”

  “Yeah, I’m listening,” I replied, following her closely. “So, where are you headed now, Area?”

  Area raised her hand to her chin, adopting a thoughtful expression. She let out a small sigh before answering my question.

  “I think I’ve already told you, I’m going to the Hate base.”

  Hate, also known as the street gang Hate, is a street gang made up of five members. A street gang is a small group consisting of teenagers aged around 12 to 17 years old. Each street gang has its own distinctive traits, and the clothing they wear is also unique. Every gang has its own hangout spot, and Hate is no exception.

  Our base, Hate, is located inside an abandoned culvert at the edge of the neighborhood. It is hidden behind a set of stairs and a restricted fence. To enter our base, all you need to do is walk into one of the abandoned parks in the neighborhood. It was left behind, so no one goes there. Once you’re in the park, you’ll notice a white staircase at the left corner. Below the stairs is a river and a grassy area. If you step onto the grassy area, you’ll see a culvert hidden at the end of the stairs. That’s where our base is. All you have to do is open it, jump inside, and walk straight until you find a door that says “Welcome.”

  “Hello, everyone,” said Area as she stepped into the main room of the hideout.

  “Arhh, it's you, Area? I thought it was someone else.”

  A girl wearing a black shirt and slacks placed a box at the end of the wall. Area walked in and greeted the girl.

  “What are you doing, Mika?”

  “Nothing much... Just found this thing earlier at the abandoned stuff place. Don't you want to help, Kai?”

  “If it was important, I'd have helped already,” Kai replied, turning his body and starting to type something on the keyboard.

  Mika is one of the members of the Hate group, skilled in graffiti and creating artistic drawings. She is often seen wearing black clothing with white-striped slack pants. Mika also loves wearing a cap with a front brim and tying her hair into a ponytail. She tucks her hair through the hole at the back of her cap.

  On the other hand, Kai is a 12-year-old boy. He often wears a black t-shirt with black jeans and a front-brimmed cap. Kai is rarely seen in any other clothing besides his signature black t-shirt. Much like Mika, Kai has a talent that influences our gang. His skills in technology are exceptionally high, surpassing even the potential of many adults. I still don’t know why he has such potential, but to me, it seems like his personal talent.

  The last member of our gang is Siti. Siti is a cheerful girl who loves to talk a lot. However, it seems she’s not here right now—probably busy with something important.

  “Oh, yeah, where’s Siti? Is she busy?” I asked Mika.

  “Siti has extra classes today, so she’s pretty busy until 5 PM. I think after her class, she’ll just sleep at home,” Mika replied.

  “Is that so?”

  Siti’s ability to talk to others is impressive. However, her words to me can be quite hurtful. That’s the talent of the Hate members. Like them, I also have a hidden talent, and I’m quite good at using it. I use it every day, but I don’t want to tell anyone about it.

  Kai stopped typing on the keyboard and turned towards us from his seat. He scanned the room, his gaze eventually landing on the compact disc I was holding. He then asked me.

  “Isn’t that the game that just came out today?”

  My right hand was lifted as I answered his question in a low tone, “Yeah, I just bought it earlier today.”

  “Can I borrow it?” he asked.

  “I think it’s fine.”

  I walked over to Kai and handed him the game. He immediately took it and started looking at the text printed on the packaging.

  “Third chapter?” he asked to himself.

  “Have you played this game before, Kai?”

  “I’ve completed a few missions at higher difficulty levels. I hope the story continues from where it left off. Didn’t expect you to get it, Adam.”

  “Yeah, I got lucky earlier because the store wasn’t crowded,” I replied to Kai, who was now inserting the compact disc into his computer under the table.

  He was copying 15GB of data into his storage, making us wait for a while. Although my gaze was focused on Kai's monitor, I could clearly hear the laughter and chatter of Mika and Area in the background. They seemed to be playing with the items in the box.

  “Looks like this one’s cuter, Area.”

  “But I don’t really like stuff like this.”

  “What are you doing, Mika?”

  “Looking for decorations for our Hate room. You know, these things are still usable,” Mika explained to me after pushing a pillow toward Area a few times.

  The Hate gang's base is divided into three rooms: the main room, the back room, and the storage room. The main room is where we gather, while the back room serves as the sleeping area. The storage room is used to keep important items.

  Hate is a street gang focused on theft. We usually carry out our work at night, taking items from other gangs and then handing them over to those who hired us.

  As a street gang, we have two types of outfits: Alpha and Beta.

  Beta outfits are worn during meetings with other gangs. The gang's name is written on the clothes, showing that the gang is an official street gang. On the other hand, Alpha outfits are used for our theft activities.

  The Alpha outfit consists of items that make little noise, such as black sweaters, jeans, shoes, and hats. We also wear face masks to hide our identities. The entire Alpha outfit is black, making it easier for us to move stealthily during the night.

  In addition to our outfits, we also carry tools that help us with theft. One such tool is the radio. When sneaking into a building, and if we get separated from the group, we typically use radios for communication. While we do have smartphones that make it easier to stay connected, the radios we carry are actually ones taken from the police station. Because of this, when the police arrive at a location, we can easily get information about their movements.

  We also have tools to help us escape, and the most common one we use is smoke bombs. We usually use them to confuse our enemies during operations, and they also serve as support for us to escape if our presence is discovered. It's not difficult to make smoke bombs, especially with the internet where everything is within reach.

  The casing of the smoke bomb is made from cardboard, easily recycled from trash. It contains chemicals that make it hard for people to breathe. Anyone who dares to enter the smoke will experience difficulty in breathing, as it causes a lung condition known as “water in the lungs.”

  Each street gang also has its own martial arts, which they often use for self-defense. Some members are skilled in parkour, allowing them to jump from one building to another with ease. Others are proficient in using skateboards as a mode of transportation.

  Members of Hate also have individual martial arts skills, including myself. The only one I know for sure is Siti, who is skilled in close combat. She used to be part of a karate club when she was in primary school. As for Area and Mika, I’m still unsure what their martial arts skills are. However, the martial art I’ve learned is close-range punching.

  The wall clock ticks quickly, as if eager to leave this time behind. Time seems to pass faster as the evening approaches. The hands point to seven, the time when people typically start returning home from work. I lean against the wall, hands tucked into my pockets, and realize something.

  “Looks like I have to head back. It’s getting late, and I have the house keys with me.”

  “Alright, Adam. See you tomorrow,” Mika says, followed by Area’s voice, “Take care.” Then the door closes, leaving me to step out from the drain where our hideout is located.

  ***

  The cold breeze blowing from every direction carried newspapers and paper across the street, creating a quiet atmosphere devoid of hustle and bustle. There were no pedestrians or vehicles in sight, only the stillness of the night that seemed to wrap the city in a blanket of inactivity. The silence filled the space, distant from the noise of daily life. The flickering streetlight finally went out, leaving the road colorless, as if reflecting the emptiness and hollowness that enveloped the place. I walked on, feeling the loneliness and quietness, my heart pounding with each step.

  As I reached the residential area, my ears caught the sound of voices, a light conversation, like a casual discussion.

  “...that’s why I don’t drink saltwater, it doesn’t quench thirst.”

  The voices immediately stopped as someone shouted toward me. “Isn’t that the kid who ran earlier?” They all turned to look at me, followed by another scream, “No doubt, it’s him!”

  A quiet breath escaped from my lips, “Damn it,” before I quickly turned and made my way down the alley, trying to escape their attention.

  “Catch him!!”

  Their footsteps grew louder and closer, each step echoing in the narrow alley. Panic surged through me as I pushed myself to run faster, my heart racing. I glanced over my shoulder and saw them split up, trying to block every possible escape route.

  As I looked ahead, I found myself surrounded by winding alleys that seemed to only make my head spin. The sound of their footsteps was almost deafening now, right on my heels.

  “Damn it! I’m done for this time,” I muttered under my breath. I tried to pick up the pace, but soon enough, exhaustion caught up with me. My legs gave out, and I had no choice but to stop, panting heavily.

  In front of me, there were two alleys. Right or left? The sound of footsteps grew louder, urging me to make a choice quickly. Without much thought, I chose the right alley.

  As I entered the alley, hope flickered that I might escape, but soon enough, another group appeared in front of me, while the ones behind were getting closer. It felt like I was surrounded.

  Desperate, I had no choice but to fight. In this pressing situation, I punched one of them. However, a counterattack came relentlessly, leaving me confused by attacks from all directions.

  I had to find a way out before things got worse. In this critical moment, I grabbed a trash can lid and spun it, using it as a shield. Quickly, I threw the lid at them, forcing them to dodge. In the chaos, I took the opportunity to escape into another alley.

  Upon reaching the end of the alley, I stopped and picked up a ball lying on the ground. With one strong kick, I launched the ball towards them. It bounced off a wooden plank leaning against the wall, slightly blocking their path. This brief opportunity gave me a chance to continue my escape.

  Entering the left alley, I walked with hope. But as soon as I entered, my steps were halted.

  “A dead end?”

  A wall had been built to block this alley. The sound of grunts and groans from behind grew louder, and I realized they were closing in, trapping all the exits.

  “Where do you think you're running, kid?!”

  They were getting closer. I had no choice but to prepare to fight. In my mind, I counted their numbers—eleven of them.

  “A bunch of thugs trying to take down just one kid? It's unfair and shows how pathetic you all are!”

  “Did you hear that, a kid?”

  They all laughed mockingly in unison. The sound of their laughter was so loud it echoed for several meters. Some of them forced themselves to laugh, as if this was a new joke to them. Then, one by one, they stopped and put on serious expressions again.

  “So where is she?”

  “Who?”

  “That girl!! Where is she now!!”

  I denied it with everything I had. "I don’t know who you’re talking about. Maybe try laughing again—who knows, you might find her."

  “You little brat, you're mocking us.”

  “Watch your mouth, kid, or we’ll beat you up.”

  “I clearly saw you running with her earlier. She must be hiding somewhere around here.”

  “You’ve probably got the wrong person. I just moved here yesterday, I don’t know anyone.”

  “Yeah, right—slick little liar.”

  Someone appeared behind them and was immediately given way. “What’s with all the noise?” Everyone turned to look at the man. Dressed in a white jacket and a round cap, he walked forward and stopped right in front of the gang.

  “You know that kid—your friend—owes me money? It’s been three months and he still hasn’t paid.”

  “Debt??” I muttered to myself.

  “So, do you know where he’s hiding?”

  I responded gently, trying to deflect his accusation. “He owes you, not me. And besides, why are so many of you chasing a girl? That’s just disrespectful.”

  “It’s because she keeps dodging us whenever we try to collect. We’re getting sick of it,” the gang leader answered, a sly grin curling on his lips.

  “Boss, we don’t think he’s going to tell us where she’s hiding.”

  “How about we use the kid instead? He looks capable,” one of them suggested, causing the others to step forward.

  “Yeah… good point.”

  They boldly stepped toward me. “You know what this means, don’t you?” one of them sneered, cracking his knuckles with a grin.

  One by one, they advanced—but just then, a girl appeared behind them, shouting, “Stop! All of you, stop this!!”

  They all froze in shock, their eyes turning to the girl.

  “What’s going on? Why are you bothering him?” she demanded firmly, as if she didn’t even recognize them.

  Without thinking, I muttered softly, “Sister...”—just loud enough for them to hear.

  “The kid’s friend owes me money!” the gang leader snapped.

  “Money can be repaid—but a life can’t,” she replied, voice sharp and pressing. “How much does he owe you?”

  The gang leader slowly raised five fingers. “Five...”

  “Five what? Five thousand? That’s nothing,” she said, almost taunting him.

  Grinding his teeth, the thug added furiously, “...Fifteen thousand!!”

  The sister clenched her expression for a moment, clearly shaken by the amount mentioned. The gang leader grinned wickedly, assuming the debt was too great to be repaid. In that brief silence, a heavy stillness fell over the alley. Her eyes glanced toward me—just once—before returning to the thugs. Her gaze shimmered slightly, like a drop of water threatening to fall.

  Then, with unwavering resolve, she stepped forward and stood firmly before them.

  “Fine. I’ll settle every bit of that debt—right now!” she shouted with bold defiance.

  She shifted her shoulders, letting the strap of her bag slide down into her hand. Without hesitation, she threw the bag at the feet of the gang leader. As it hit the ground, it burst open slightly—bundles of cash spilling out in plain view. The thugs froze, speechless.

  “There’s your fifteen thousand!” she declared with authority, her voice slicing through the tension.

  The gang leader motioned for one of his men to check the contents. A tattooed man stepped forward, unzipping the bag and inspecting the cash inside. He then brought it over to the leader. The gang began counting, checking each bundle meticulously.

  “Is it enough?” the sister asked firmly.

  With a smug grin, the gang leader replied, “This is more than enough. Looks like we have no business left… for now.” And with that, he turned and walked away, his crew following him into the shadows.

  Silence returned to the alley, broken only by the soft whisper of wind passing through the empty street. I let out a long breath, relief flooding through me. The fear and panic that had gripped me slowly began to fade.

  My sister smiled gently and reached out a hand to help me up. “It’s alright now. It’s all over,” she said softly. In that moment, I felt both the warmth and strength of her presence.

  That night, in the stillness that blanketed the city, I made a promise to myself—I would never again let anyone trample over my dignity. The world around us stayed quiet, letting the wind carry our resolve into the night.

  I felt warmth and softness as my sister hugged me tightly, her arms wrapped around my chest. We returned home in the middle of the night, with only a few people passing by in the area.

  The door opened, and my sister went straight in, leaving me to close it behind us.

  “Adam, I just want to ask one thing from you. Please don’t get involved with those gangsters, and stay away from any street gangs—even your own.”

  The kitchen light turned on, and she placed a plastic bag on the table before walking over to the fridge.

  “Are you hungry? Is there anything you want to eat?” she asked while looking inside the fridge. “Sorry I was busy this morning and didn’t get the chance to prepare breakfast. You must be thirsty.”

  She took out a bottle of mineral water and offered it to me. But I didn’t move to take it, so she turned away and placed it back where it belonged.

  My sister walked over to the stove and lit the gas, heating something up.

  “Adam, promise me you won’t let this happen again. Don’t ever talk to those thugs who were chasing you. They’re all useless,” she said, tossing a few ingredients into the pan. “And another thing—stop skipping school so much. Education is important. Your teachers said you’ve been causing trouble. Is it true you hit a kid from another class?” She glanced at me, waiting for my response.

  I lowered my head, staring at the floor before answering, “Yeah… but he started it.”

  The food on the stove began to simmer. My sister quickly turned down the heat and stirred the food, making sure everything mixed well. For a moment, she was silent—her face showing that she was deep in thought.

  “Adam, you know our savings are running low. I’ve had to work extra hours just to cover our living expenses. If you keep getting into trouble like today—borrowing money, for instance—and I run out of cash, we might have to sell everything we own.”

  “It wasn’t me who caused it. Those thugs were the ones who started chasing me.”

  “Then why does your friend owe the gang fifteen thousand?”

  I fell silent, my mind overwhelmed with thoughts.

  “You shouldn’t be hanging out with them anymore, and you must never go back there. You need to start thinking about your future after school, not—”

  “You always tell me to study, but none of that even matters! None of this would’ve happened if that incident hadn’t occurred in the first place! This is all your fault too.”

  My sister fell silent for a moment, then sighed. “Adam, you know I don't like this place. In another year, we'll move to a new one. So for now, don't cause any more trouble. From now on, I don't want to see you hanging out with them, and you need to...”

  Without realizing it, the words came out of my mouth.

  “Enough! I'm not a little kid anymore. Besides, I can take care of myself,” I said, my voice sounding louder.

  She looked at me with a blank expression.

  “Adam, this is for your own good and mine. If you get involved with them, who else is going to help you? The street gangs and the people you know, they won't necessarily help you when you're in trouble. If something happens to you, I'll be the one who worries.”

  “You don't know anything about them.”

  “Adam!”

  Full of emotion, I opened the door and slammed it shut.

  The moon and stars always follow us every night. No matter where we go, regardless of the distance. They shine, providing countless signs for each different civilization. Even now, the stars up there are still visible, though they are fading.

  The car headlights occasionally dazzled with yellow light on the road. I climbed the pedestrian bridge and looked at the passing vehicles. Occasionally, my gaze fixed on the different lights. My hands were folded, resting my chin. In that moment, a sense of sadness flowed in my heart, spreading to my eyes.

  “Am I really this bad?” The money that my sister saved for her college expenses was all gone in just one night. I shouldn't have taken the same route back home. My head dropped to the metal bar, “What is my fate?”

  I don't know why, but I began to understand a little why people without homes sleep on the streets or in certain corridors. The sidewalks and black trash bins become the home for those less fortunate. I also thought about the fate of the mugger earlier. In this situation, I have to find a place to sleep for the night before going to school tomorrow. Maybe the sidewalk is a good place for me to sleep.

  The beautiful night was decorated with stars shining in the sky. The light guided me, giving me at least a little spirit to keep walking. The clothes I was wearing were a little dirty, probably because I had run through the alley earlier. What really happened to Area that made him chased by the local thugs? But, fortunately, nothing happened to her.

  Hate's hideout is located near the water, so there are many small insects active at night. Maybe I should sleep there while waiting for the situation between me and my sister to calm down. Without wasting any more time, I decided to go there, to our headquarters.

  The sound of rustling made Kai turn around as soon as he heard it, breaking the silence of the night. He saw me entering the room with a gloomy expression. In his heart, he probably had questions he wanted to ask.

  “I thought you already went back earlier?” he asked gently.

  “Not really...” I answered briefly as I closed the door behind me.

  Kai inspected me closely. He noticed that I was not the same as I was in the late afternoon. With a concerned tone, Kai asked, "You look down. Don't tell me you fought with your sister?"

  He started to turn his chair, ready to listen to whatever I had to say.

  “Yeah, we had a bit of an argument.”

  Should I tell Kai what happened? It seemed unnecessary, it’s probably better to keep this matter away from the street gang issues.

  “What about? Came back late?” Kai's tone was gentle.

  “More or less. We had a misunderstanding, and I got angry and left the house. Please don’t tell the others about this.”

  “I won’t, Adam. Besides, it's a personal matter. I won’t tell them.”

  I started to step inside, switching the topic of our conversation with a questioning tone.

  “So, what stage are you at now?”

  “I just reached stage seven.”

  Stage seven out of fifty main stages.

  “That’s fast...”

  “Yeah, the boss at stage five is cheating. One heal fills up one whole bar. I had to shoot him with a sniper ten times. I don’t know what potion he’s using,” Kai joked lightly.

  I looked around the hideout, glancing at the items Mika had gathered earlier. “Girls really like decorating spaces, huh?”

  Kai paused for a moment before responding, “Yeah, they like cute stuff. Plus, all these things are from Mika.” Then, he resumed his game.

  On the monitor, Kai expertly moved his character with exceptional skill, far surpassing most other players. The enemies he was facing seemed bewildered. In just ten seconds, he defeated seven opponents, all with levels much higher than his, using only three attacks and two special abilities.

  I examined the sofa and moved toward it, my body sinking into it as my gaze turned toward the ceiling. The fan above slowly spun.

  Then, my eyes fixed on Kai. His focus remained on the screen, unbroken. Perhaps, Kai enjoyed the game as much as I did.

  Kai's intellect resembled that of many adults. From what I'd observed, his intelligence was comparable to a calculator or a high-speed search engine, but was often hindered by his lazy nature. He had been learning programming languages since he was young. So far, he had mastered Ruby, PHP, C#, C++, Java, JavaScript, and Python.

  Now, it was already past one in the morning, and the silence of the night had settled. It was just the two of us, accompanied by the sounds of gunfire and explosions. Before long, my eyes closed, and my body drifted off to sleep on the sofa.