I can't remember when exactly my life went to shit. I guess ever since I was born, the world had it out for me.
Make no mistake, I'm not fishing for sympathy. I'm just stating facts for the record.
When I was born, half of my dad's company got burned by competitors.
When I was five, my dad lost all his money in a stupid bet that went horribly wrong.
When I was eight, he had already started drinking, smoking and keeping late nights at his 'friend's' place while doing all kinds of crazy shit.
When I was ten, he finally left after months of arguing with mom over who gets what was left of the family's money. Spoiler. He won, getting everything we had left.
Luckily—or unlucky, depending on how you look at it, he had an accident on his way out. Turns out taking apart the brakes on a car isn't so hard if you're keen enough on wrecking it.
His relatives swooped it all up within a week leaving us with only an old van he was too embarrassed to use for some reason.
Mom? Heartbroken but surviving the same way she had when dad had quit being useful. We moved to a quieter yet functional city. Away from all the chaos of my dad's relatives.
Within a year, Mom got married again to some nice blonde guy in a goatee who was at least a bit decent for a while. I think his name was Mark? Mario? Didn't really care.
Turns out he was cheating too. Killed him in another accident when he started beating up mom. At least she got something out of it this time. A few grand and a convenience store.
Luck wasn't on her side at all as she became hollowed out after all the heartbreaks. She started taking drugs and other shit. She abandoned work until all the workers quit and the only thing the store had was the beer section. Even that was being robbed often in front of my face more times than not.
When I turned fifteen, she was finally struck down with several terminal illnesses. At least now she would stop going to all her boyfriends' places at night. None of those assholes even showed up once.
We had to move...again.
Ah, I remember the day the doctor called me into his office and told me about my mom's troubles.
It's heartbreaking you know.
Seeing that person who still carried your ass around with her even though you were more of dead weight than actual help, seeing that person who would smile and ruffle your hair even though dozens of bills she couldn't pay came in the mailbox that morning lie lifeless on life support while you watched.
Yeah, not the best feeling in the world.
I think that was also the day I met Leon. Innocent-looking, snot-filled crybaby.
Oh yes... I forgot to tell you.
My name is Sai.
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"Sai Nirvan! Is there a Sai Nirvan here?" The female midman said. Her eyes were bored as she raised a small envelope in the air in the middle of the abandoned warehouse now used a local gang hideout. She wore a red tracksuit and a face cap tilted low as she waited for a particular somebody.
The envelope suddenly caught the eyes of a few ruffians and homeless people sitting about, their gazes filled with greed.
"Sly Nervepan, yeah that's me." A tall brutish looking fellow walked up to her with an ugly grin that had quite a few teeth missing and replaced with gold.
"Get out of here, who the hell are you poser? Hey pretty lady, I'm Sythe Nervean." A shorter guy came up to her acting like he owned the entire damn place while subtly eyeing her sleek bike.
After those two, a lot more people around started coming up to her, saying that they were Sai Nirvan. The name wasn't a known one and must have belonged to some stupid noob who didn't know that he had a payment today.
After a few minutes she sighed in exasperation. Her gaze suddenly fell on a boy in the back standing with a notebook and pen in hand, not among the crowd but leaning at the far wall with bored grey eyes.
"How long are you just going to stand there? Come collect your money, asshole." She finally shouted in annoyance after seeing he wasn't coming to her. All the fake Sais finally paused to look at the real person who was supposed to receive the money.
He sighed and finally walked to her leisurely.
"I'm here."
A young boy in a slightly worn tee and faded jeans walked up to her amidst the angry crowd. His hair was messy and his clothes were simple. He didn't seem at all like a proper gang member or even a high ranking one, making him seem out of place in this setting.
The woman sneered at his leisurely pace.
"I seriously don't get you." Sai just shrugged.
A particularly muscular man stood in Sai's way. This was the same one who was first to impersonate him. He wore a denim jacket with ripped sleeves and no shirt, exposing his hairy chest.
"Hold it punk. You look too weak to be a member of this gang. The Werewood City gang don't just take anyone... especially weak like you." He taunted, looking down on Sai's scrawny stature, eliciting murmurs of approval from the others.
'Trying to provoke him into a fight and then probably gang up on him for the money whether he wins or loses. Basic gangster move. I wonder how he would handle it.' The woman thought to herself, again tilting her cap lower.
Sai was thinking along those same lines as he sighed.
"Hey lady, it's against gang rules to try to deceive or lie to a superior right?" Sai asked, looking around the hulk in front of him.
"Yes, that is correct."She affirmed.
"Good."
In the span of a second he drew a gun from his pocket and fired straight at the man's head.
BANG!
The sound echoed throughout the warehouse as the others took an impulsive step back, seeing their fellow gang member drop dead.
"Did he just...shoot Fang?"
"That can't be right. Right?"
"It's against the rules to kill another gang member."
"Those eyes...he didn't even hesitate."
Murmurs started breaking out as they began to see the young man in a terrifying new light.
"Sorry, I'm quite in a hurry and have somewhere to get to soon." He said, looking straight at the midman
"It's okay." She said simply and tossed him the envelope.
"Thanks." He said and turned, leaving the building as the gangsters parted unconsciously for him.
After his steps faded, the silence turned into a loud noise as they turned to the woman who seemed to have a bit of authority.
"How could you just let that guy walk away after killing one of us?!"
"Does the gang no longer care for it's own?!"
She sighed, shaking her head as she strapped her helmet.
"I'm sure you all heard what he said. It's against the rules to deceive a superior. Impersonation included."
The gangsters quieted at this, causing a small smile to appear on her face. "Now, I wonder... doesn't that mean all of you also deserve to die." A collective chill washed through the gangsters as they knew the implications.
"Lucky for you,. I'm in a good mood today." She said and zoomed off in her bike.
—————
Meanwhile, Sai walked down the familiar street of his neighborhood as he made his way to his apartment to have a change of clothes. His smelled slightly of blood and sewage.
After a refreshing bath, he sat on the worn bed in a clean, slightly less worn shirt and fresh jeans and counted the money. Five thousand dollars. Sigh. This wasn't nearly enough for what he needed to pay for but it was a start.
He took out a fifty dollars and headed out to catch a movie with his best friend, Leon. As he passed the city park, his phone buzzed with a new message.
(Sorry dude, I'ma have to bail on you, work issues. Go on without me. (٥↼_↼))
He texted a simple 'whatev' to him as he decided to take a detour to his girlfriend's place.
He unconsciously started thinking about his life again, a disturbing habit that was occuring more often than he'd liked.
Ever since his mom died, he had started taking care of Leon's mom as she had the same problem as his mom. Maybe it was out of pity or some tragic camaraderie, he decided to foot half her bills on a whim. They eventually met at school and became best friends. He eventually met Lucy, his girlfriend the year before he dropped out.
He soon reached her house. He had already bought a pack of canned beer for them. He was about to knock when...
"Aah...Aah...Leon."
"Lu...cy."
"Heh, doesn't it bother you that you're with your supposed best friend's girlfriend?" Lucy asked teasingly.
"Heh, he's just a moneybag for my mom. You, on the other hand, are the only one that matters."
He heard continuous moaning from the living room. Two voices he could never mistake. Leon and Lucy.
He held himself back from doing anything rash. He exhaled softly, dropping the cans on the floor. As he walked away, he heard the door open slightly. Lucy stepped out softly, her hair still disheveled.
"Oh, hey Sai. Um...how long have you been standing here."
Sai just smiled. "Long enough."