The warmth of sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a golden glow on a small bedroom packed with stuffed animals. A bulky figure lay sprawled across the bed, a book open on his chest, titled Love in the Moonlight. The muscular man wore soft pink pajamas, adorned with cute pandas. Despite his tough exterior, Leon's expression was one of pure contentment as he read the sappy romance novel. It was a rare moment of peace for him.
The door swung open, and a scruffy man in his mid-twenties barged in, shaking his head with a wry smile. It was Fred, Leon's childhood friend and fellow gang member. "Leon, enough of this nonsense. We've got work to do," Fred said, his tone a mix of exasperation and amusement.
Leon glanced up, a hint of irritation flashing across his face. "You know, I really don't want to go," he grumbled, tossing the book aside as he sat up. "Why can't I just stay here and finish my book?"
Fred scoffed, though there was a hint of softness in his gaze. "You've got the body of a bear and the soul of a teddy bear. But in case you forgot, you're a gangster, not a romance novelist."
Leon sighed heavily, running a hand through his dark hair. He never asked for this life; it had chosen him. With his rough looks and bulky build, people had always assumed he was a thug. When no one would befriend him and fights seemed inevitable, he eventually gave up and embraced the persona everyone else assigned him. His friends—if he could call them that—were mostly brawlers and misfits like him, people who accepted him for his strength and nothing more.
But in his heart, Leon longed for a different life, one where he could openly embrace the things he loved without judgment. Yet, this was the path he was on, and the gang had become the only family he knew.