The night of October 1st felt endless. Ash lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, the shadows shifting with each passing car outside.

The quiet of the night should have been comforting, but instead, it felt like a heavy weight pressing down on his chest.

‘Tomorrow’s the day,’ he reminded himself.

October 2nd.

The date Lucas had mentioned.

The sports ground near the warehouse.

He turned onto his side, trying to push the thoughts away, but they kept circling back, refusing to let him rest.

Why did he even care so much? It wasn’t like he had any obligation to get involved. Blake, the Boss, all of it... none of it was his business. And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had to be there. Maybe it was his own curiosity, or maybe it was the memories of the notes he had sent to Blake, forcing him to stop his bullying ways.

Ash wasn’t sure why he felt responsible, but the feeling was there, gnawing at him.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t go,’ he thought, closing his eyes, trying to convince himself. ‘It’s probably just a trap... I’ll only get myself into trouble.’

But even as he thought that, he knew he wouldn’t be able to ignore it. He needed to know what was going on. He needed to see it through.

As he rolled over to grab his phone, it buzzed in his hand. He squinted at the screen, the brightness harsh against his tired eyes.

It was a message from Lucas.

Lucas: “Hey, you asleep yet?”

Ash blinked in surprise. It wasn’t like Lucas to message him this late, especially not with something as simple as that. He hesitated for a moment before typing back.

Ash: “No, not yet. What’s up?”

The reply came almost immediately.

Lucas: “Can’t sleep either. I’ve been thinking... you know, about tomorrow.”

Ash felt a strange sense of relief. At least he wasn’t the only one who was restless.

Ash: “Yeah... me too.”

A pause. The three dots on the screen indicated that Lucas was typing, then stopping, then starting again, as if he wasn’t sure what to say.

Lucas: “Honestly, I’m kinda curious but also... scared. I mean, who is this Boss guy anyway? You think it’s worth the risk going there?”

Ash’s heart skipped a beat. Lucas was actually considering going?

Ash: “No way. I don’t think we should go. What if it’s a setup? I mean, we have no idea what’s waiting for us there.”

There was a longer pause this time, and Ash found himself holding his breath, waiting for the reply.

Lucas: “Huh... you’re actually replying for once. Usually, you just leave me on read.”

Ash couldn’t help but smirk a little at that.

Ash: “Yeah, well, I can’t sleep, okay? My mind’s all over the place.”

Lucas: “Same here. But still... It's weird, right? We’ve heard all these rumors, and now there’s an actual chance to see the guy who’s been controlling everything from the shadows.”

Ash hesitated, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He knew that Lucas was tempted, just as he was, but he couldn’t let him get involved. Not if it meant walking into something dangerous.

Ash: “I know you’re curious, but it’s not worth it. You remember what you said, right? Let’s just stay out of it. ”

For a moment, there was nothing, just the blinking cursor on the screen as if Lucas was contemplating his words.

Lucas: “Alright, alright. If you say so. But... promise me something, Ash. If you ever do decide to go, you won’t go alone, got it?”

Ash felt a lump form in his throat. He hadn’t expected that. He didn’t respond.

Lucas: “I don’t want you to do something stupid, Ash. I don’t want you going to that place tomorrow. Do you trust me?”

Ash’s heart skipped. The sincerity behind Lucas’s words hit him harder than he expected.

He could almost picture Lucas saying it, his usual teasing tone gone, replaced with something... deeper, something protective.

For the first time, Ash felt like Lucas wasn’t just the guy who made his days annoying with his teasing. He was genuinely concerned.

Ash: “I trust you, Lucas. But I still don’t know what’s going on. I just feel like I need to know.”

Lucas: “No, Ash. Listen to me.”

There was a pause before the next message came through.

Lucas: “I don’t want you getting hurt. If you go there tomorrow, there’s a good chance you won’t come back in one piece. Not because you can’t handle yourself, but because you don’t know what you’re walking into. Please, stay out of it. For me.”

Ash’s breath hitched.

Ash: “I don’t want to go, but... I don’t know what to do, Lucas.”

Another long pause, and then, a final message from Lucas.

Lucas: “Gosh, you’re sounding like Jason. Trust me, Ash. You just need to stay out of it. Promise me you won’t go tomorrow. Promise me you’ll be safe.”

Ash sat up in his bed, staring at the screen, his thoughts swirling like a storm.

He didn’t know what was going to happen. He didn’t know if he could trust that everything would work out. But in that moment, he realized just how much Lucas’s opinion mattered to him. He realized that no matter how stubborn he was, or how much he felt like he needed to figure everything out himself, there was someone who cared. Someone who was asking him, genuinely, not to make a mistake.

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Ash closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.

Ash: “I promise, Lucas. I won’t go.”

The response came swiftly.

Lucas: “Good. Now, get some sleep, alright? We’ll figure this out another way, when it’s time.”

Ash: “You too, dumbhead. Goodnight.”

Lucas: “Night!”

Ash put his phone down, the weight in his chest finally easing. He lay back in his bed, the quiet of the night settling around him. Lucas’s words kept echoing in his mind- I don’t want you getting hurt.

‘Should I go or not?’

Ash didn’t know, but his instincts screamed at him to go, to find out who was the final boss.

Maybe he’ll stay hidden, not show himself, and find out.

Yeah, that sounded good, he’ll just stay at the sidelines.

But one way or another, he was gonna go.

Sure, promises were meant to be kept, but sometimes, people do what they have to, even if it means breaking them.

Ash lay there, staring up at the ceiling, trying to steady his thoughts. His mind was racing, but his heart had already made its decision.

‘I promised Lucas I wouldn’t go, but… I just can’t let this go. I need to know. I need to see it with my own eyes.’

The thought of staying hidden, staying on the sidelines, comforted him. It felt like a compromise. He wouldn’t get involved, he’d just watch, just observe.

No one would even know he was there. And if things got dangerous, he’d turn back.

‘Yeah… that’s the plan. Just stay out of sight. Lucas won’t even know I was there.’

But even as he tried to convince himself, a part of him knew that he was about to break his promise. The promise he had just made not more than ten minutes ago. The promise that Lucas had practically begged him to keep.

‘Do I really want to disappoint him? But if I don’t go, I’ll never get another chance to find out what’s really going on.’

Tomorrow was going to be a turning point, he could feel it.

But for now, all he could do was drift into an uneasy sleep, knowing full well that he was about to walk straight into the unknown, even if it meant breaking a promise to the one person who genuinely cared.

‘Sorry, Lucas. But I have to do this.’

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was the second day of October.

‘This is it,’ he thought, staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. ‘Whatever happens today... I just hope I made the right choice.’

He dressed quickly, his hands trembling slightly as he buttoned his shirt. His mind was a cyclone of what-ifs and worst-case scenarios.

What if the Boss saw him?

What if it was a trap?

What if Lucas found out he broke his promise?

Ash shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. ‘No. I’ll stay hidden, just like I planned. No one will even know I was there.’

Grabbing his bag, he headed to school, silently praying that things would go his way. That he wouldn’t end up regretting this decision.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The school corridors were bustling with the usual morning chaos.

As Ash turned a corner, he spotted a familiar figure leaning against the lockers.

Blake.

But something was off. Blake’s usually confident posture was replaced with slumped shoulders, and his face was pale, eyes darting around like a cornered animal.

He looked... terrified.

Ash’s heart skipped a beat. ‘What happened to him? Did he already meet the Boss? Or is he just nervous about today? Why is he early today? I mean, I was here to pass the note, but…’

Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Blake quickly looked away.

‘Well, that’s new,’ Ash thought, a frown forming on his lips.

But he didn’t approach him. Instead, he walked past, pretending not to notice.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By lunchtime, Ash was barely holding it together.

He sat at their usual table, his mind far away, but the familiar sounds of Jason and Lucas bickering managed to pull him back to reality.

“I’m telling you, there’s no way you can eat that, without getting sick,” Jason argued, pointing at the snacks Lucas snatched from him.

Lucas smirked. “Why, Jason? You were going to eat it, so why can’t I?”

Jason groaned. “That, Lucas, is only healthy for me.”

Ash gaze drifted across the cafeteria, and he saw Blake again, sitting by himself, staring blankly at his untouched food.

‘He looks even worse now... What the hell is going on?’

“Asher, you alive over there?” Jason’s voice snapped him back, and he realized they were staring at him.

“Uh, yeah,” Ash muttered, forcing a smile.

Jason gave him a weird look but didn’t press further, instead pointed at Lucas “You need to tell lightning Lucas that It’s not good for him.”

Lucas, however, was watching Ash with a different expression, something more intense, like he was trying to read his mind.

The moment Jason got up to grab something, Lucas scooted over, lowering his voice.

“So, did you change your mind?” Lucas asked, his tone casual, but there was a flicker of concern in his eyes.

Ash stiffened, his pulse quickening. ‘He’s asking about the Boss. Damn it, does he suspect something?’

“What do you mean?” Ash replied, feigning confusion.

Lucas leaned closer, his voice barely a whisper now. “You know what I mean, Ash. About today. Are you still planning to go?”

Ash hesitated.

He knew Lucas was only asking because he cared, but he also knew he couldn’t back down now. Not when he was so close to the truth.

“I told you, Lucas,” Ash said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I’m not going. It’s too risky.”

Lucas studied him for a moment, then he sighed, leaning back. “Alright. I’ll take your word for it. But seriously, Ash... if you trust me, don’t even think of going. It’s not worth it.”

Ash nodded. “I trust you, Lucas. I won’t go.”

But even as he said the words, he knew he was lying. Because deep down, he had already made up his mind. He was going, whether Lucas liked it or not.

Lucas gave him one last look before turning back to his food, and Ash felt guilt. But he pushed it down, focusing on the plan for tonight.

‘Just a few more hours,’ he told himself. ‘And then I’ll know the truth.’

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The school day felt like it dragged on forever. Ash had barely paid attention in class, his mind wandering to the events of the evening. As soon as the final bell rang, he was out the door, moving quickly through the crowded hallways and out of the school gates.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once he was home, Ash went straight to his room, tossing his bag onto the bed. He changed into something more comfortable, a black hoodie and a pair of jeans.

He tied his sneakers with shaky hands, trying to calm his nerves. ‘Alright, Ash,’ he told himself, ‘this is it. You’ve been through worse, right? It’s just another night.’

Just as he was about to leave, he heard a small voice from the doorway.

“Big brother, where are you going?”

Ash turned to see Noah standing there, clutching a small toy in his hands, looking up with those wide, innocent eyes.

Ash forced a smile. “I’ll be back soon, Noah. Just... going out for a bit.”

Noah’s brows furrowed, and he took a step closer. “But Daddy’s coming back today. He said he’ll be here before dinner. You promised you’d be here too, remember?”

Ash’s heart clenched. He had forgotten. His father was supposed to come back after weeks of being away. He glanced at the clock on his wall; he still had some time before his dad’s usual arrival, but not much.

“Don’t worry, Noah,” Ash said, kneeling down to ruffle his little brother’s hair. “I’ll be back before he gets here. I promise.”

Noah looked unconvinced, but he nodded slowly. “Okay... but you better be back.”

Ash chuckled softly. “Sure.”

With a final pat on Noah’s head, he slipped out of the house, the door clicking shut behind him.