Chapter 5
A Week Later
It had been a week of repeating the same grueling tasks every day.
At first, it was manageable during the weekend because I wasn't going to school.
But from Monday to Friday, it became a different story.
I woke up and did everything I could in my room, which now had a bit more space since my little sister's bed was pushed to the other side.
I did all my workouts there before heading to school, already feeling exhausted.
During breaks and lunch, I studied the subjects I had chosen for that day, sometimes even dozing off in class to recover lost energy.
After school, I would walk home—a 30-minute journey—and immediately change out of my uniform.
I washed my school clothes, then headed out for a jog to the workplace, which was 10 kilometers away.
Once there, I spent three straight hours unloading and loading heavy boxes.
I never asked what was inside them or showed any interest.
By 8 PM, I would run back home, usually arriving around the same time as my mom—between 9 and 10 PM.
After that, I ate whatever food was available and went straight to bed.
This routine defined my last seven days, and it saddened me because I was spending less and less time with Kai.
We still talked and hung out, like today, which was Saturday, but it wasn't the same. Even so, I tried to remind myself why I was doing this.
Over the week, I managed to earn $100.
I used part of it to buy some food for Kai and spent $25 on a necklace for my sister, who was coming back today.
I wanted to welcome her properly, but I had responsibilities that couldn't wait.
My mom noticed all of this and didn't stop me; she simply said, "Be careful."
At the moment, Kai and I were back in the deepest part of the South District, at Mike's old place.
It surprised me how a guy with so much money still chose to live there.
Mike's business involved owning trucks that transported goods—whatever they were—from one place to another.
He earned money for both transporting and selling the goods at higher prices after adjusting their rates.
Mike employed only five workers, including me, and paid everyone $200 per week.
At the house, Mike wasn't around as Kai and I looked around.
"Do you know why we're here?" Kai asked.
"Why?" I replied, stepping into the next room, which was practically empty.
"Well, we're going to buy this place," Kai said with a grin.
"What?!" I exclaimed, confused by his intentions.
"You heard me," Kai replied. "I want to create a gang, and I want you to be its leader."
"What?!" I shouted again, utterly baffled.
Kai laughed at my reaction. "You heard me," he repeated.
"Are you joking or something?" I asked, still trying to process his words.
Kai's smile widened. "Do I look like I'm joking?"
I didn't know what to say and fell silent, trying to make sense of everything.
Kai started explaining his plans for the place while I listened quietly.
He wanted to turn it into a bar because bars attracted people like gang members and low-paid workers.
These were often individuals who were angry or dissatisfied with life, making the chances of them visiting the bar high.
"Kai," I said, interrupting him.
He looked at me with a smile as I continued,
"I don't want to be in a gang. I don't want to be a leader. I don't know a single thing about leading."
Kai kept smiling. "Elijah, who are the people ruling the world right now?" he asked.
"Gangs," I replied reluctantly.
"Yes, gangs," Kai said. "Gangs make the rules. They do whatever they want as long as they have the power to back it up.
Even the police are paid off by the big gangs in this city. We all pay them protection money just so they don't cause chaos everywhere.
My mother and father died because of gangsters, but…" His voice trailed off, and he lowered his gaze.
"There's no way to gain power or change the world without being part of a gang," he continued. "They control almost everything these days. The special White Lotus only exists to stop gangs from killing the rich in Tier 1 or Tier 2 cities. But this is a Tier 4 city, where gangs are everywhere—it's shocking."
"We can try to ignore them, but they're everywhere, and you know it," Kai said.
He was right. Even when jogging, I saw them.
At school, two 16-year-old girls went missing, and everyone knew they had been taken by gangs.
Fights broke out constantly, though they were limited due to the presence of more powerful gangs.
I understood all of this, but becoming part of a gang just to protect myself seemed ridiculous.
Still, something about Kai's words made me reconsider.
"What would you do if I were the one taken by those gangsters?" he asked.
I hadn't ever imagined living a life without Kai.
"Even worse, what if it's your mother or sister?" Kai added.
I frowned, my expression darkening as his words hit me. "People have different reasons for starting gangs," he continued.
"What's ours?" Kai asked.
I took a deep breath and looked out the window. "I want to protect my family. I want to protect you. I can't imagine a life without either of you."
"Then why not do it?" Kai asked.
"But how?" I questioned.
"With power," Kai said with a confident smile. I understood what he meant, even if I wasn't ready to embrace it yet.