The weather was getting gloomy, showing signs of rain, and with the approaching sunset, the road had also become crowded. A young guy of average height, with brown hair and black eyes, sat on a bench, his back hunched, lost in thought.
Rafael let out another sigh as he drifted deeper into his thoughts. A year had passed since he graduated from college and started his internship, and today marked a year since he finished his internship at the hospital where he had been recruited.
When he had gone to meet Don Mateo, he had been a little annoyed but later changed his mind when he saw the advantages.
The important condition he gave him was that he shouldn't be discovered in the first month of infiltrating his mansion. Thinking about it was enough to give him a headache. He wasn't sure about his capabilities in spying on Don Marco, the number one mafia in the city known for his ruthless nature.
He knew that getting caught meant certain death, and he wasn't ready to die—not, at least, by the hands of his crush. What bad luck.
As he hunched over, pondering his plight, the next bus came by, and he boarded it to the orphanage. It had been a while since he visited, and he needed to see them before entering the lion's den.
After a few rides, Rafael reached the street leading to the orphanage where he had lived until he was eighteen. As he stepped into the compound, the young kids he knew well came to hug him, and he shared the treats he had brought with him.
He walked over to meet the caretaker in charge of the orphanage. After a few knocks, he was let in.
"How are you doing, ma'am?" he asked as he took a seat on one of the chairs in the room.
The office was small but comfortable, with chairs and tables for visitors, a cushion, AC, and a fridge.
"I'm good, Rafael. Seeing you brightens my heart and at the same time saddens it," Mrs. Lopez, a middle-aged woman of about 40, said.
"What's wrong? Are they disturbing you again?" he asked, already worried as his mind thought of the worst.
The caretaker hadn't taken the loan for herself but for the children at the orphanage who needed medical intervention. It was one of the reasons he studied medicine. They say one's childhood influences one's decisions.
"It's about that," she said, a tear escaping her eyes. "Since you're going into the lion's den as a spy, we might as well sing your funeral songs."
"No, don't say that. Have faith; I won't die," Rafael assured her, even though he wasn't sure of it himself. He had been brooding over it, but if there was no one to comfort him, he had to stay cool. Otherwise, the girls might be taken as prostitutes, and he didn't want that for the young ladies at the orphanage.
"I've heard you, but…" she started to say before Rafael stopped her, adding reassurance.
"Keep calm and be strong for us. I'll come back with no reason to worry."
Rafael left Mrs. Lopez's office to visit his old room, which was now occupied by new residents, but his luggage was still there. The orphanage being private made it hard to cover its expenses, as there were few philanthropists in the city, and the few that helped barely contributed enough.
After graduation, Rafael had brought his belongings from his previous apartment back to the orphanage and stayed at the hostel provided to them during his internship after he had dropped some of his things there.
Now, he was about to pack a few clothes he would need to work at the mafia house and stay with his friend until he was accepted there.
A few weeks later, a young guy with brown hair and black eyes, looking more tired than usual, could be seen standing under a tree in a nearby park. Rafael had left home quickly after sending a final message to Don Marco, deciding to call it quits.
He had been messaging Don Marco's secretary about how he could help with insomnia treatment. He knew something about the mafia boss that most people didn't: Marco couldn't sleep well at night, and it bothered him.
If Marco didn't engage in rigorous work, specifically having sex, to the point of exhaustion, he wouldn't be able to sleep, and Rafael had a cure for that.
But his proposals seemed to fall on deaf ears, as each message he sent went unread by Marco's secretary. He had been trying for two weeks until his friend advised him to send the message directly to Don Marco.
After much thought, he did and left immediately as he had more pressing matters to attend to.
"Let's break up," Rafael said bluntly to the black-haired guy in front of him.
It was simple. It wasn't his fault. He had only agreed to date him because of his money, and now that he had more pressing issues to attend to, he couldn't care less about any guy, let alone his money.
"Did I do anything wrong?" Matthew, the guy he was dating, was baffled by the sudden breakup.
He hadn't expected it. He still thought they would go on a date and that their relationship would last three months.
"No, it's just me. I was just dating you because of your money and want to call it quits now," Rafael said plainly, hiding a little fact.
"I don't mind if you want my money. I can give you that," Matthew replied, almost giving Rafael a headache.
"I'll think about it," Rafael said before leaving, not ready to argue. He knew Matthew wouldn't back off. That was how he had been when he had been pursuing him.
____________
In a well-furnished office with white walls, stylish wall art, couches, tables, a bookshelf, and an inner room with a king-sized bed sat a man.
Marco Leonardo Diaz, the number one mafia lord in Spain, was known for his ruthless, brutal ways and strictness. He was a workaholic.
Marco sat at his desk, dark circles under his eyes, visibly annoyed as he went through some files.
The fact that he couldn't get any rest continued to irritate him. The thought of closing all his gay clubs, since they were useless, crossed his mind, but he dismissed it.
His annoyance was starting to interfere with his work, and coupled with the fact that he felt weak because he couldn't sleep, it only bothered him more. With a hiss, he decided to check his phone for anything of interest.
As he scanned his phone, he saw the message he needed.
[Good morning, Don Marco. It's me, Rafael, whom you helped five years ago. I just finished my internship in college and would love to assist you with your illness. Do you still have trouble sleeping?]