Luca came from a normal family. Well, normal for Valleria. His father was a very well respected man everywhere, even as a salary-man and his mother was very social housewife. But they did put pressure on the him as well. Just like himself, his father wanted his son to learn boxing in childhood, and also be good at studies. So they drilled him on that for that start. And as they about diamonds, he did amazing under pressure. Always one of the best even as kid, continuing this tradition till middle school as well.
And his friendship continued with Dante to the middle school as well. But in a violent city like that, recruitment starts early as hell. Lots of bullies were jealous of Luca. But more of them were afraid him and Dante. At the beginning of their third year, Dante had a growth spurt like my teenage boys, and they even had to change his football position from mid fielder to defender. But the bullies had it enough. One particular guy named, Vince, who was a average height kid for his age but slightly plump.
Vince had a cousin in Valleria Angel High School. It was quite famous school but just like the city it was a breeding ground for bullies. Despite its prestige, the school administration intentionally turning a blind eye to the bullying culture that festers beneath the surface. The principal and school board are more concerned with maintaining the school's image rather than dealing with its internal issues. Vince's brother , Marco , was already on his way to join Hounds a quite notorious gang.
But Vince couldn't do anything to Dante and Luca, or convince his brother to help him fight a classmate for no reason. Vince had pretty much his middle school in his control, except for Luca and Dante. They answered to no-one, listened to no-one, which is why some victims even asked for their help but they didn't reply. They weren't interested in this conflict.
But, one day, Dante got injured on the field during practice. It was due to mistake by Pierro. He didn't make it seem obvious. During their defense drills, he went for a hard tackle. Vince watching from the distance, 'Finally, I can get the fucker Luca on my palms' Vince paid him a good amount just to keep Dante out the fight and the school for a week.
Luca had been sitting by the window, staring out at the gray skies above the city. His mind wasn't on class or the pointless chatter around him; it was on Dante's injury. Something didn't add up. Dante was too sharp, too strong to get taken out like that, and Luca's instincts were telling him it wasn't just an accident.
The sharp thud of a punch broke his focus. He turned his head slightly and saw Vince—overcompensating as usual—taking out his frustrations on some poor, wimpy kid. Vince had always been one to throw his weight around when he felt threatened. It was pathetic.
But then Vince's punch went wide. The kid stumbled, and the punch ended up flying right past him, toward Luca. It didn't hit him, but it was close enough that it caught his attention.
Luca turned, his eyes slowly locking onto Vince.
It was those eyes.
Vince froze. He had always been able to push around other kids, but Luca? No matter how much he tried to act tough, whenever Luca's eyes were on him, it felt like the ground beneath his feet was shifting. Luca's gaze was like an abyss, pulling you in with contempt, as if you were insignificant. But worse than the disdain was the pressure—the weight of someone who looked at you and saw nothing of value.
Luca didn't say anything at first. He just stared, unblinking, letting Vince's confidence drain away. A smirk slowly curled at the edge of Luca's lips, as if Vince's attempts at intimidation were laughable. But behind the calm exterior, Luca was already thinking ahead. He knew Vince was behind Dante's injury. Now, he just needed to send a message without making it obvious.
Luca slowly stood up, unfolding his tall frame as he moved toward Vince. The room felt smaller with each step he took. Without breaking eye contact, Luca reached out and grabbed the wrist Vince had just thrown a punch with. He squeezed it—gently at first—but Vince winced, realizing how much strength Luca actually had.
Luca leaned in close, his voice low but steady. "You want to act tough, Vince?" he asked, his tone more amused than angry. "Find someone else to play with." He glanced down at the kid Vince had been bullying, making it clear he wasn't going to tolerate any more of Vince's cowardly moves.
He let go of Vince's wrist, but the pressure of his words remained. The room was still silent, all eyes on them. Luca didn't need to yell or throw a punch. His presence alone was enough to make Vince feel small. It was as if Luca was daring him to make another move, but Vince knew better. Luca wasn't someone you fought directly—he was someone you outsmarted, but even that was nearly impossible.
Without waiting for a response, Luca turned and calmly walked away, but he left Vince with a final sentence.
"You'll pay for what you did to Dante."
It wasn't a threat; it was a promise. And Vince knew Luca always kept his promises.