Lucas opened his eyes and met Ash’s gaze, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Asthma.”

Ash didn’t react the way Lucas had expected. There was no flicker of pity, no quiet understanding. Instead, Ash snapped, his voice cutting through the quiet.

“...That’s your excuse? Asthma?”

Lucas flinched, his eyes widening as he stared at Ash. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but it wasn’t this.

“I-” Lucas started, but Ash cut him off again.

Ash’s gaze didn’t waver, his expression sharp, calculating.

“So, let me get this straight,” Ash said, his voice carrying an almost bitter tone. “You pulled people into your mess because…you had asthma?”

Lucas looked away, his jaw tightening. He didn’t say anything for a long moment.

“When I was little,” Lucas began quietly, his voice barely audible, “some kids at school found out about my asthma. They’d see me struggling during P.E., clutching at my chest, gasping for air. You know what they told me?”

Ash stayed silent, but his gaze didn’t waver.

“They told me I’d never live a normal life. That I’d always be weak. That I’d need someone to help me with everything, every little thing.” Lucas’s voice shook slightly, but he kept going. “And for a while, I believed them. I thought they were right. That I’d never be able to do anything on my own. And that’s when it hit me- They were right. I was damn weak.”

Ash watched him, his expression unreadable. “So you dragged those guys into your plan because…what? You wanted to prove you weren’t weak?”

“...”

“You don’t have a justification, do you? I’ll tell you what you’ve been avoiding.” Ash's tone was sharp, harsh, but it was honest. He shrugged, taking a moment to gather his thoughts, and then faced Lucas, who was already looking at him for answers. His eyes- red eyes- were desperate for answers.

“You chose to involve Blake and other people because it was easier than dealing with it yourself. Easier than admitting you might not be the strongest guy in the room.” Ash took a deep breath, and then looked over to the train tracks.

Lucas, however, couldn’t find the courage to look away. That was right. He chose this.

It’s all my fault.

“And now you’re sitting here, telling me you did it because some kids told you you’d never live a normal life? That’s your reasoning? It’s not even logical.”

Lucas opened his mouth to respond, but Ash cut him off.

“Don’t,” Ash said sharply. “Don’t waste your breath trying to justify it. You don’t need to explain yourself to me- what’s done is done. But don’t expect me to coddle you. And don’t ever try to justify it to me with some sob story again. You’re better than that- or at least, you should be.”

Lucas sighed deeply, not taken aback by Ash’s bluntness to the slightest. At Least he was right when he said it was a sob story and a lame excuse.

It was my choice. It’s all my fault.

Ash rested his head on the ground, his throat burning, itching for water, even a drop of water. But he waited, and said, “Then?”

Lucas startled slightly, and then said, “W-What?”

“Continue, dumbhead. Think of your choices later. I’m not going to spend the entire night here, listening to you, got that?”

Although Ash said that, he didn’t actually want to go home, since he wasn’t sure if the chaos at home was finished or still going on. Screams, shouts- No, he was better here.

Lucas lowered his gaze, and shifted, the grass damp and wet, sticking to his trousers, but he didn’t mind. “R-Right. So, then I helped him. And he helped me.”

“Already told me that. Just, when did you get Blake under your thumb? He’s older than you, isn’t he?...And stronger too.”

Lucas looked at him, his voice low, but audible, “One day, I asked him that I didn’t need him. That he wasn’t helping me the way I wanted him to.”

Ash blinked, confused, “You did- what? Like you finally understood you were wrong, and you decided to stop that mess-?”

Lucas rubbed at his neck, sheepishly grinned, and said, “Yeah, about that. I didn’t mean it. I just said it so that he would feel like he needs me more than I need him. That I was a worthy fighter, and an ally.”

Ash sighed. “A mind game…?”

“Yeah, something like that. So, then he took it to heart, and decided to push further than he already was. After that…he started to call me ‘Boss’. That’s pretty much it. You know after that.”

Ash looked at him, Lucas’ was now fiddling with his sleeve, twisting it, and then out of nowhere, Ash questioned, “So, what did you want from me? Why invite me over to the warehouse…?”

Lucas visibly tensed.

I didn’t want to talk about that. Why is he so damn stubborn?

“You were sneaking around, giving Blake those notes, so…as the ‘Boss’, it was my job to stop you. I just wanted you to keep shut and never cross us again. It had to be my job to do, since Blake and the others had to know I was on their side. But…” Lucas trailed off, then looked at Ash, and said, “You have to know I didn’t actually want to kill you. Just stop interfering in our business…That’s all-”

“You do know, Lucas, I won’t keep shut, right?” Ash said.

At that right moment, Lucas flinched, “You-” And then, after a few moments of silence, let out a dry chuckle. “I know. You cannot change.”

Ash nodded in approval.

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant hum of the approaching train. They sat there, not moving, not speaking.

When the train finally disappeared, leaving only an echo in its wake, Ash relaxed his hands but kept his gaze locked on Lucas. His voice broke the heavy silence. “What’s your goal, Lucas?”

Lucas froze. For a moment, he considered brushing it off, pretending Ash hadn’t asked. But the sharp, knowing look Ash shot him made it clear that wasn’t an option.

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I thought he would forget.

Lucas sighed deeply, his shoulders slumped. “I thought you wouldn’t remember,” he muttered under his breath, barely audible.

Ash raised a brow. “Do I look like the type to forget?”

Lucas let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. “No, guess not.” He hesitated, his fingers returning to fiddle with his sleeve. “Fine. You want the truth? My goal... it’s to kill someone.”

Ash tensed immediately, his posture going rigid. His dark eyes bored into Lucas, unreadable but intense. “Who?”

Lucas didn’t respond right away. He looked down at his hands, watching them shake as he clenched them into fists. “A man,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ash’s jaw tightened. “That’s not an answer.”

Lucas finally met Ash’s gaze. “That's all you’re getting.”

Ash studied him for a long moment, his mind racing through the implications. His voice, when he spoke again, was steady but cold. “You’re telling me you started fighting, excusing is as a hobby, but the truth was, you wanted revenge? And you won’t even say why or who?”

Revenge. That’s right. I’ve to take revenge.

Lucas didn’t flinch this time. “I didn’t say it was revenge.”

“Then what the hell is it?” Ash snapped.

Lucas’s eyes hardened. “It’s something I have to do. That’s all.”

Ash exhaled slowly. “If you think I’m going to let this slide without answers, you’re mistaken. Forget about making amends.” Ash sighed deeply, then muttered, “Idiot.”

Lucas pointed at himself, “Are you blackmailing me right now?”

Ash scoffed, “Of course, I am.”

Okay. Ash, I’ll tell you, but I hope you don’t tell it to someone else. I hope that…you trust me.

Lucas moved his hand to his hair, passing them through, although it did no good in settling down his dishevelled hair.

“His name is Anthony Jack.” Lucas waited to gather his thoughts, but Ash was focused. His mind was swirling with ‘Why, Who,’ but he faced Lucas.

A Distant honk brought Lucas’ focus on the present, and then he looked over to Ash, who was already staring at him with focus, and Lucas said.

“He killed my dad.” Lucas said in a low voice, almost like a hiss, his voice bitter with venom, and then he scoffed and repeated the words, as if reminding himself about it.

“He…killed my dad.”

While Ash visibly tensed, he was not expecting it. At first, he thought of not pushing Lucas further into telling him why and when, but then he slumped his shoulders. He shouldn’t ask him about his personal issues, right? But before he told Lucas that he can stop if he wants to, Lucas continued.

His voice was low, but not shaking in the least. “My dad was a famous politician. You must have heard of his death, the one who was missing for two months?” Lucas looked over to Ash, while Ash nodded in denial.

“No, never heard of it.” Ash responded.

Lucas averted his eyes to the train tracks, his hands clenched into fists, and shaking in his lap, he continued. “Right. So, he was a really famous man around this town. He had everything, power, control, and the trust of the people. People loved him, voted for him. But then…”

Lucas trailed off, wiping away the sweat from his forehead.

Ash lowered his gaze, Lucas was obviously not comfortable with sharing it. “If you want to…you can stop.”

Lucas let out a chuckle, “No, no it’s alright. So, there was another politician that worked under his orders. He wasn’t famous, just like a right-hand man for my dad. When my dad was chosen for the chief role in the party, he got jealous. One day, my dad was on his way to the office, when, when-”

Lucas stopped again, closed his eyes, and let out a shaky breath.

This topic is always too hard for me to explain.

Ash brows furrowed, and he shakes his head thoughtfully, “When…?”

Lucas nods, clenching and unclenching his fists in an order to stop them from shaking.

“When, his car got missing. Like…the driver was a traitor and…he turned the car towards another city, and took my dad with him forcefully. He remained missing for two months.”

Lucas looks over to Ash, “Can you believe it? Two months? And then news spread of him, and police worked to find him. After two months, they got a bit of luck, and found him in another nearby city, but he was…”

Ash looked at him, and Lucas let out a heavy breath, and closed his eyes.

“He was dead.”

Ash looks down on his feet, feeling utterly sorry for him, while Lucas chuckles a bit, and then says, “Word has it that he was dead for one month. He did it. Anthony Jack killed him. Out of jealousy.” Lucas spats, looking down.

Ash was now only confused. How hasn’t he heard of this news? Surely, it seems like a big deal. Why was Anthony Jack so jealous? That he killed a man out of sheer jealousy, and the fact that he didn’t have what Lucas’ father did?

Ash’s focus is now solely on Lucas, forgetting why he was there in the first place. However Lucas mutters something under his breath and then says, “I wasn’t even born when it happened.”

Ash heaves a long sigh. That’s why he doesn’t know about the news. He wasn’t born then either.

Ash narrows his eyes, “How do you know it was…Anthony Jack?”

Lucas shrugs, “It was all over the news. Besides, I know it was that damn bastard.” Lucas hisses, then mutters, “The court freed him. They said he didn’t do it. But I know…He killed my dad. And I’ll kill him. That’s my goal.”

“Listen. I don’t know what’s better for you now. I don’t know a thing about revenge. But I do know that you have to give me a reasoning of how revenge and your bullying group are related.”

He didn’t understand…

Lucas rubs his neck, and then said, “It was pretty bad news for us. I wasn’t born, but my mom…She was heartbroken when she heard that my dad died. My mom…she died when I came into this world. I wasn’t physically fit either…that’s why I have asthma as a constant reminder of the trauma my mom faced.”

Ash looks down. He hadn’t known that Lucas was an orphan, and that he was raised by some other people.

Lucas chuckled, and then said, “I’m so glad I’ve a big brother. He raised me alone. I only knew him. Not my mom, not my dad. That’s why, I’ll kill Anthony Jack, and make him pay for what suffering and hard life I and my brother lived. He’s the reason I can’t breathe right, damn him.”

Ash runs a hand through his hair, he doesn’t know how Lucas lived, but in his mind, he can’t judge Lucas now for what he did. He seems right.

“Even if that’s your goal, it still doesn’t explain why you dragged Blake and his band of idiots into this. Why involve them at all?”

Lucas hesitated, “I wasn’t sure I could face Anthony Jack alone,” he muttered, his tone quieter now. “My asthma... It’s a constant reminder of my limits. What if I couldn’t do it? What if I failed? I needed people who could step in if I couldn’t finish the job. Blake- he seemed perfect for the job. He was my backup plan.”

Ash didn’t even blink. “Does your brother know?”

Lucas tensed at the question, his shoulders stiffening. “No,” he said firmly, shaking his head. “I can’t drag him into this. He’s already done enough for me. I have to protect him.”

Ash let out a small sigh, “I don’t know if you should…take revenge. But killing Anthony Jack won’t protect your brother, Lucas. His kids- or someone else close to him- they’ll come for you. Or worse, they’ll come for your brother.”

Lucas frowned, his lips pressing into a thin line.

“Then what do you suggest, huh? I should just keep living under the rock and let that bastard run free? Besides, if I do that, I won’t be able to…protect my big brother. If, by some miracle, Anthony comes to know where we live and…about my plans, he will kill us both.” he muttered, bitterness leaking into his tone.

Ash leaned forward slightly, his hands clasped, his voice quieter. “Protection isn’t about revenge.”

Lucas scoffed while Ash trailed off, and then, as if he remembered something, continued, “Protecting someone doesn’t always mean being some kind of hero.” His eyes softened as he leaned in closer. “Have you ever seen a father, or even a stranger, standing in front of someone else, shielding them? Or maybe holding a kid’s hand real tight while crossing the street so they don’t have to feel scared?”

For a moment, Lucas just stared at him. Then, out of nowhere, he let out a soft, dry laugh, shaking his head. “I do. But do you know, you sound just like him.”

Ash shrugged, there was no way Jamie is somehow related to Lucas, right? Ash literally told Lucas the entire protection talk he had with Jamie when he was seven.

“Who…?” Ash asked.

“Jamie. But you probably won't know him.” Lucas said, finally returning to his old self.

“H-Huh? You know Jamie?” Ash questioned, clearly taken aback.

Lucas' eyes widened in shock, and he nearly jumped. “No way! How do you know him?! He’s my brother!”