Chapter 1: Love Is The Worst
~~~
Porsche
The sound of hitting caught my attention while smoking at the bar's back
alley I am working with. I put the large garbage bag into the bin as my eyes
found a group of 5 or six men pouncing on someone who was lying on the
ground helplessly. Their hard fists and feet hitting relentlessly.
I tighten my grip on my backpack as I turned away, sipping on my cigarette
exhaling the smoke as if I didn't see anything. I'm used to seeing this kind of
scene, in this dark back alley, where only the staff and deliveries can
walkthrough.
"You're a tough one shit!"
Comes the sound from one of the bastards. I didn't care as I focused on
locking the back door. My part-time job as a waiter just ended and im
planning to go straight home.
At times like this, customers and bystanders began to thin out. Some are
waiting for taxis, Some randomly picking out a girl to take home.
And some are just having a brawl just like the one behind me.
I'm not a bad person, but I don't want to interfere in anyone's business. I don't
want to be dragged into someone else's mess.
You can curse at me all you want for not helping, but I won't give a damn.
For all I know, that man who is being stomped upon may have done
something bad, that's why he is being beaten.
"Let me go!"
I turned to look at the poor guy who was slumped into the dirt, stood up, and
tried to fight his way. I throw my cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it as I stretched lazily, preparing to leave quietly and go home. I am starting
to descend when someone holds onto my shirt.
"Help."
Came the hoarse voice, my attention was caught up by the university logo at
the back of his uniform. As I turned to look at the face of the one who's
holding me, his nose and mouth were bleeding. I was stunned when I take a
good look at his broken face. Even though it was ruined with gushes and
blood, he looks so divinely gorgeous, his skin was delicate and smooth. From
the dim lights of the alley, he looks younger than I thought.
"Hey! Come here!"
One of the morons walked up towards us and pulled the boy's collar. I looked
at the guy who was asking for help and I can see his desperation. Something
tugged at my chest so I pulled him back.
"Take it easy, brother."
I said in a smooth voice. Looked at his mustache-covered face and I can tell
he is a lot older than me. Why are they bullying children? From the looks of
the boy I held by the arm, we are the same age, and judging his clothing
brands, he must be a rich kid. Then suddenly I thought of something brilliant.
I grabbed him away from the man's hold and get him behind me. I looked at
the group of bastards in front of me and see that all of them are looking
dangerously.
"If you don't want to get hurt, don't meddle with our business and
return that boy to me."
I hesitated a little before I answered. "What if I don't?"
"I told you to let him go!"
He screamed.
I was silent for a moment, thinking this is none of my business, and my
brother was waiting for me at home. My subconscious mind began to hesitate
as the shattered face of the boy behind me flashed through my mind. I am
indeed selfish most of the time. I don't go helping damsels in distress, just to prevent confrontations like this. I won't get anything by helping anyway.
"If you help me.. I'll pay you a large sum of money."
The boy whispered in my ear. Did he really think he can get his way through
money? How brazen he could be to lure me with money.
"How much?"
I asked him...
Yes...You were right, money can buy me especially at times like this when I
needed it the most.
"Is Fifty thousand enough?"
With that, I put my backpack down, gripped my knuckles, and make a
cracking sound...
Stretched my strained neck and back muscles a little. That was enough for
my brother's tuition fee, of course, I'll help.
"Deal. If you back down on your word, I'll kill you."
I said before seeing one of the gangsters pick up a stick and tried to hit me in the head, but my reflexes are better than the rest of them combined. I kicked the man in the jaw and managed to move him out of the way. One down.
Another one charged forward but my feet were faster to connect a flying kick at his gut. The others followed suit but no one succeeded in getting their hands on the boy.
Being a Martial Arts Champion since high school, I knocked down a lot of people. And I used all of my knowledge and skills to protect that one person behind me.
Now, I became the target and they took turns in throwing punches at me, some connected with my jaw, and I smiled at the tangy taste of blood on my lips. That won't be enough to bring me down, mother fuckers!
I managed to counterattack, punches after punches and kicks after kicks rained. When finally, all of the gangsters were grunting and falling to the ground, I snatched my backpack and grabbed the bloody boy who was sitting near the trash bin holding his stomach. I dragged him by the hand and ran towards my motorcycle. I looked back and saw the gangsters chasing after us.
"Where are we going?" He asked me while still holding his abdomen.
"Don't know."
I answered, taking his hands to hold into my waist as he was reluctantly looking behind at the running morons towards us. I made sure he was holding tight, I can't afford to let him fall before he can even pay for my services.
I started the engine and run quickly at full throttle. I looked back and saw a few still chasing us but get lost when I turned into the main road. I accelerated without looking back, they might get into a car and come after us if I didn't get far enough.
"Thank you."
The hoarse voice spoke behind my ear, and I feel a shiver down my spine. I can feel his head, heavy on my shoulder. He must have been badly hurt.
"Don't thank me yet."
I say looking back through the side mirror. I let out a sigh when I make sure that we are far enough and no one is chasing us.
"They won't follow us anymore. Thank you again." Said the tall figure behind me, his head and body fully leaning on me.
I'm afraid he might faint so I took hold of his hands with my left, to make sure his grip is tight, afraid he would fall.
"Hold me tight or I'll be dead." His voice suddenly became smooth and deep. Gone was the hoarse tone.
I feel his fingers tighten his hold at the hem of my T-shirt.
"Thank you." He said again.
"Fifty thousand."
I said, looking at his face through the side mirror. He nodded in pain and adjusted his sitting position.
"Let's go to my house, then I can give you the money."
I thought for a while. What if this guy is a drug dealer? Or a mafia member? I'll be dead before I even get hold of the money.
"You don't have to look like that, I'm not deceiving to kill you."
As if he heard my thoughts, the guy commented looked straight at the side view mirror,r and smiled at me.
"Who knows?"
"Do I look like a criminal to you?"
"What if you were related to goons or the bastard like earlier?"
"Hehe." He laughed through a pained expression.
I'll be damned. So I told him I'll be stopping at the nearby gas station and he can take a taxi home. I make sure that the gas station has an ATM so that he can withdraw and pay me back.
"My phone is lost including my wallet."
"Hey! You liar, how could you trick me? I should just probably beat you to death right here." I said turning my face into him who happens to still be sitting on my back seat.
"Oh, you can take this, this is worth more than fifty a thousand." He said taking off his watch.
"How will I know it's not fake?"
"Then return it to me."
I inspected the watch, even though it was soiled, I can see it was beautifully crafted and sold even for a hundred thousand.
"Okay, you can get down now, but if you tricked me, I'll come looking for you and beat you to a pulp."
"Wait a minute, can I borrow your phone? Let me call my Dad."
Okay, now you can call me completely paranoid, but what if he runs with my phone? But judging from his hunched figure and ragged breathing, I wonder if he could even get away from me.
"Such a nuisance," I murmured before I hand my phone to him.
He pressed some numbers and there came an answer on the other end of the line. He did call his father. I heard it, he asks for someone to pick him up at our location.
I gently watch him as he makes the call, there's a strong urge inside me to take him to the nearest hospital. I can't leave him breathing like a dying cow like this. The gushing blood from his head seems nonstop.
What if I told him that I'd take him to the hospital but I'll add another thirty thousand, will he agree?
"Thank you again even if you're a money-greedy one." I pretend not to care for what he said. A person must do what he needs to do to survive.
"We are in the same school, what's your name?"
"How do you know?"
"Your shirt."
I realized I was wearing my school uniform atop my working clothes, which are now bloody red.
"What's your name?"
He breaths so hard making him hard to speak, I want to tell him to stop speaking and reserved his strength until his escort came.
"Why? You're waiting for them to beat me?" I raised my eyebrows.
"No, can you just tell me your name?" He kept asking.
"Why? So that you could write it on the wall and glorify me?"
"If you don't want to, I'll get the watch back, you can come with me to my house and pick up the cash."
"Jom, my name is Jom."
He gazed at me for quite a while before turning back and walking a little wobbly away from me. I wonder who is he and what is he doing with those gangsters. I just shrug my shoulders. It's not my business anymore. I put on my helmet and start to drive home.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
coffeesiuss
coffeesiuss Translator: iKON_BL
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