It was the early morning hours, the kind where the world still clung to the remnants of night, and a loud voice shattered the silence: "The food is ready! Eat it quickly before I leave. Take care of the house and don't wander outside all day!" Ryan jolted awake, the words echoing fiercely in his mind like thunderclaps. Suddenly, he sat up on the floor with a sharp thud, muttering under his breath, "Is it always necessary to shout like that? He ruined my beautiful dream." Slowly, he folded his blanket, smoothing out the creases with deliberate care, as if the simple act could restore some order to his disrupted morning.
He made his way to the bathroom, a cramped space barely large enough for two people to stand side by side. Glancing at the water in the bucket, he dipped a single finger in, then withdrew it dramatically. "Today, I'll spare you," he declared to the water with mock solemnity. "Live another day!" He burst into loud laughter, the sound bouncing off the tiled walls. Ryan had a deep passion for comics, which infused his life with bizarre and quirky dialogues—he couldn't resist turning everyday moments into theatrical monologues.
But today, he had no mood for a full bath. Instead, he sprinkled a few drops of water on himself, just enough to feel refreshed, and stepped out. In the room, his eyes fell on a black outfit laid out: a hoodie and matching black pants. The hoodie featured two eyes—one red, one blue—embroidered on it. It belonged to his brother, Romi. Ryan idolized Romi, viewing everything about him as legendary, almost mythical. He slipped into the clothes, but they fit too snugly, hugging his frame awkwardly. With a sigh, he took them off and put them back, opting instead for the outfit his brother had given him the night before. It had dried by now: a white T-shirt, a blue hoodie, and black pants. This was his favorite set, not just because it was comfortable, but because it came from Romi—a symbol of his brother's care.
Descending the stairs—only five steps down to the ground floor—he entered the living area, which was as sparse as the upstairs. The plate of food waited for him: rice pudding, already cold. But it was his favorite, so he ate it without complaint, savoring each bite despite the chill. The house held little in the way of possessions: a photo of his parents on the wall, and another of him with his brother. He glanced at them briefly, a flicker of emotion crossing his face, before locking the room and stepping outside.
In his hand was a gadget—a phone borrowed from his friend. It buzzed with a message: "Where are you, bro? You haven't come out yet. I've been waiting on the road near the sewer for ages. I just saw a truck leave from here—hurry up, we need to go, or we'll miss everything!"
"I'm coming," Ryan replied aloud, though no one could hear. His pace quickened into a jog. "If I'm late today, Kai will kill me."
Kai had been Ryan's friend for five years, ever since they shifted here to their grandmother's house. It was after a tragic accident that claimed his parents' lives; Romi had brought him here, and they'd been living together since. In Ryan's eyes, Romi had grown up too fast—he never joined them on outings, always leaving early for work. Romi shouldered 90% of the household expenses, a quiet burden that made Ryan admire him even more.
This place was where Ryan had met Kai, a tech nerd obsessed with electronic items. Kai loved dragging Ryan along on scavenging trips, allowing them to haul more junk. They'd extract valuable parts, repair them, and sell them off. Kai's father ran a small garage for minor repairs, which had ingrained in Kai a knack for tinkering. To him, garbage dumps were like gold mines—treasure troves waiting to be unearthed.
Ryan navigated the twisted, narrow alleys until he reached Kai, who wore a mask over his face. In his hand was another mask. Though Ryan couldn't see Kai's lips, he could sense the curses forming behind it, the frustration evident in his stance. As Ryan approached, Kai tossed the mask at him sharply. Ryan caught it mid-air and yelped, "Hey, that could have hit me!"
He quickly fastened the mask over his face, tightening it so it covered from forehead to chin, with a yellow film over the eyes. Only his hair remained visible. Then, Kai activated the frequency set, blasting a voice into Ryan's ears so loud it felt like it could draw blood. Ryan winced and shouted, "Let's go, hurry! I don't want us to be late because of your nagging." Kai's face twisted in mock annoyance, but he fell in step behind Ryan as they moved.
They passed under the bridge, where expensive cars roared overhead on the upper level. Below, a filthy river flowed—the sewer stream, polluted with wastewater from biotech companies. The stench was unbearable, unfit even for breathing. The creatures living in it had mutated from the toxic solution, turning venomous. People died from time to time due to encounters with them; occasionally, city cleaning squads would arrive to remove the threats.
Kai had once told Ryan a story his father shared: years ago, the river housed massive crocodiles that could stand on two legs, terrorizing the area until the city defense force intervened and saved everyone.
Ryan's dream was to join the city defense force. His parents had been part of it too—a legacy that fueled his aspirations.
Lost in these thoughts, Ryan and Kai arrived at the garbage dump, where a fresh truckload had just been unloaded. Most of it was electronic waste, mixed with biotech scraps. They donned their gloves and began scavenging hurriedly: broken robot arms, a sword-like tool, some crystals pulsing with faint energy, and more.
Suddenly, a voice barked from behind: "You two again? You know this is our territory. We warned you last time, and here you are back." Kai touched the side of his mask near his ear and responded coolly, "Look, Sunny, we're here for our stuff. This isn't yours—it's waste dumped by companies. The Scorpion Gang controls the under-side area, and nothing special comes from here anyway. I don't think we've trespassed on anyone's turf." His voice projected from the mask's side speaker.
In Ryan's ear, his own voice whispered urgently through the comm: "Bro, why are you provoking a fight? Last time we barely escaped. They've brought five extra guys today—don't talk too much, or they'll beat us so bad we'll end up in a dumpster ourselves."
Kai lifted his light gear slightly and muttered back, "Coward. If you're scared of these guys, how will you ever join the defense force? Don't worry, I've set everything up this time. Besides, from last time's haul, I've got something special ready. Just run when I say."
But before Kai could finish, Ryan bolted at the word "run," sprinting away. Seeing this, Kai cursed and chased after him: "Ryan, stop, you idiot coward! I said when I tell you—now you're leaving me behind? I should've let them kill you!" The pursuers—Sunny and his five men—gave chase, Sunny yelling, "Don't let them go, you bastards!"
Ryan and Kai darted into the alleys. Ryan panted, "What was the plan? You were showing off so much—if we get caught today, they'll beat us senseless."
Though Ryan looked like a scaredy-cat, his physique was no less than an athlete's. He ran like a seasoned sprinter. Kai, trailing, shouted, "Stop, you coward! Don't run so fast—I'll get caught alone!" He tossed a ball toward Ryan: "Throw it at the alley entrance!"
Ryan caught it mid-stride and hurled it back toward the start of the alley. It smacked into a red-haired guy's face, exploding in a gooey mess. Kai glanced back and cheered, "Nice shot, coward! That's one down."
They turned another corner. Ryan snapped, "People who show off without reason die like dogs. I know my limits—that's why I choose flight over fight. Not like you, jumping into battles without thinking. I'm only 15, and next year is the defense force recruitment. If I hurt my hands or legs, how will I join? And I haven't even gotten married yet—I've got to charm so many girls with this handsome face. I don't want to die single like you."
Kai, his breath ragged as if his lungs were about to burst, retorted, "You coward, how will you pass defense force recruitment if you run from five guys? You'll hide instead of saving people. Someone's dying, and you'll cower away."
Just then, an iron bat was flung their way. Ryan sensed it coming and dodged sideways, the bat whistling past by inches. Behind them, shouts: "Stop, you scum! Today I'll rip out your kidneys and eyes and sell them!"
Kai handed another ball: "Throw it between those two guys." Ryan did, and it released an electric jolt, shocking them to the ground. Now only Sunny and a green-haired guy remained. Sunny's build was solid, keeping him close despite the chase. They'd reached the sewer-adjacent clearing.
Kai instructed, "Throw this one ahead and duck into the right alley." Ryan complied, lobbing it forward. Smoke billowed everywhere, and they veered into the side alley, hiding.
Sunny and the green-haired guy stumbled into the smoke, looking around blindly. The green-haired one knelt, hands on knees, gasping: "Boss, I can't run anymore. We'll get them next time. If we chase further, I'll die from exhaustion before catching them."
Sunny, hiding his own fatigue, snarled, "What idiots I have with me—can't even catch two rats." He turned and headed back.
Relief washed over Kai and Ryan as they waited. Kai clutched his stomach and sat down. "What do you eat to look so normal after that? You don't even seem tired."
Ryan laughed. "I'm training—it's built up my stamina. Defense force requires 10 km in 25 minutes. I do it daily; my brother made a program for me."
Kai said, "Bring your brother sometime, man. I want to see this great guy who's dreaming of sending a coward like you to the defense force."
Ryan shot back, "Don't talk too much. My brother is great—he could've taken down all five in one go."
He handed all the scavenged items to Kai, and they started walking. But as they turned, Sunny stood there, fist flying toward Ryan. Ryan dodged the punch, then the next, and a kick—evading fluidly. Kai's eyes widened in shock. Seizing an opening, Ryan landed a punch to Sunny's gut. Sunny lifted slightly off the ground, foam spilling from his mouth as he crumpled, clutching his stomach. The green-haired guy fled at the sight.
Kai yelled in awe, "Whoa, my lion! What a punch!"
Ryan explained, "After last time, my brother taught me this. I've practiced for two weeks." He raised his arms, flexing his biceps. "I could've finished them there, but we had to run because of you."
Kai grinned. "Enough bragging. Meet at my garage this evening."
They parted ways, heading home.
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