〘CHAPTER 4〙
Opening the door, Vinny was met with a familiar sight.
Jack - his beloved tabby cat, sitting patiently by the entrance, wide amber eyes staring up at him expectantly.
The moment Jack saw him, a soft meow escaped the feline's throat, as if scolding him for taking so long.
A small smile played on Vinny's lips as he knelt down, running his fingers through Jack's soft fur.
"Were you waiting for me?" Vinny asked, his voice tinged with affection.
Jack purred in response, nuzzling into Vinny's palm, pressing his tiny head against his fingers. It was moments like these that grounded him, reminding him of the simple joys that life had to offer.
No matter how tired he was, Jack always welcomed him home like he was the most important person in the world.
Chuckling, Vinny played with the cat for a few minutes, gently scratching behind his ears, feeling the warmth of his tiny body under his touch.
But when he glanced at the clock, he sighed. He still had time before he needed to leave, he couldn't afford to get too comfortable.
The hospital wasn't going to visit itself.
"Alright, buddy" He said, standing up "Let's get you some food before I go".
Jack meowed in approval as Vinny grabbed a can of cat food, filling up the bowl before ruffling the cat's fur one last time.
Satisfied that Jack was taken care of, Vinny headed into the bathroom, letting the warm water of the shower wash over him, chasing away the lingering exhaustion that clung to his bones.
After drying off and dressing, he grabbed the essentials for his trip, slung his bag over his shoulder and slipped on his shoes.
Before stepping out, he turned back one last time - Jack was watching him from his spot on the floor, tail flicking lazily, eyes following his every move.
"Be good, Jack. I'll be back soon" He said.
Jack let out a small meow and Vinny chuckled, it almost felt like the cat understood him.
With a final glance, he locked the door behind him and stepped out into the crisp morning air. A sharp wind bit at his skin, sending a shiver down his spine.
The seasons were changing, the city air was starting to carry the chill of approaching winter.
As he walked, his thoughts drifted to Minu's house, to that night when the rain had poured relentlessly, drumming against the pavement in an endless symphony of melancholy.
The image of her small figure curled up in a blanket flashed in his mind and he frowned.
"Next time, I should bring her a warm coat" He mused to himself, rubbing his hands together "And maybe a hot pack too".
Then his thoughts shifted, turning to the person he was going to see - his mother.
The surgery had been a success, that alone was enough to make his chest feel lighter. He had spent weeks drowning in worry, his mind consumed by the possibility of losing her.
But now, she was recovering well. Her face had gained some color, her appetite had returned and she even smiled more often.
The Doctors weren't ready to discharge her just yet, there was still a lingering fear of complications, a reminder that nothing was truly certain.
Vinny exhaled deeply, relieved yet still on edge. That was why, no matter how tired he was after school, he always made time to visit her.
She was his only family - the only constant in his life.
The thought of her being alone, even for a second, made his stomach twist.
He wanted to be there, to sit by her side, to hold her hand if she needed it, to remind her that she wasn't alone.
But as his feet carried him forward, another set of memories pushed their way into his mind - memories of a time when he had nearly lost himself completely.
The abyss had been deep, suffocating. He had once believed that money was the only thing that mattered.
That desperation had led him down a dangerous path, illegal races, gambling, cutting ties with people who genuinely cared about him.
He had thrown away the parts of himself that mattered.
He had hurt Yumi - ended things with her when all she'd ever done was love him, wholeheartedly and without hesitation.
He had abandoned his passion - the thrill of riding with his friends replaced by the high of winning reckless bets.
He'd walked away from those who had stood by him - who once called him their friend.
〜〜〜FLASHBACK〜〜〜
He still remembered the moment everything had changed.
At first, his friends had been furious and he hadn't blamed them. He had disappointed himself too, he had expected them to turn their backs on him forever.
But then Minu did something he never saw coming - he offered him money to help him out of his mess.
"Minu... why?" Vinny's voice was barely above a whisper, shock written all over his face.
Shelly smiled "Duh? Because you're our friend".
Vinny looked at them, speechless, guilt welled up inside him "But... didn't I betray you guys? Don't you guys blame me?".
"Of course we do, you idiot!" Yuna scoffed, arms crossed.
"And I'm still pissed at you!" Dom added before punching Vinny's shoulder lightly "Should've knocked some sense into you back then".
Mia placed a hand on Vinny's shoulder "But friends don't abandon each other".
June patted his head "You're so damn stupid! You should've told us, we've always been here for you".
"The Crew isn't the same without you, man!" Jay said.
Minu shoved the money into his hands "Just take it! If it's not enough, I'll give you more".
Vinny trembled, his eyes burning with unshed tears and his hands shook as he accepted the money.
How had he been blessed with such incredible friends after everything he had done?
He cursed himself for being such a fool, June is right - he's the dumbest dumb person on the face of the earth.
"I swear I'll pay you back, Minu... thank you. Thank you so much" His voice cracked as he spoke.
Minu grinned, gripping his shoulder and said seriously "I know you will~ but promise us... never again. We don't want to lose you, buddy!".
〜〜〜END FLASHBACK〜〜〜
That day had changed everything. Minu's words had pulled him back from the edge.
He had realized then that money wasn't what defined his life - it was the people in it.
Vinny understands that he made a mistake, he knows it. And now he tries to fix it every single day, he was working toward a better version of himself.
He wanted his old life back, he wanted to ride with his friends again and most importantly to have Yumi back in his arms.
Needless to say how grateful he was when Yumi forgave him, they had found their way back to each other.
If it weren't for Yumi and his friends dragging him out of that abyss, he might have been lost forever.
He was grateful.
God had given him a second chance and this time, he definitely won't waste it.
He would live - not just for himself but for the people who had never given up on him.
His mother had always told him "Never lose the people important to you".
And he was so damn glad he had listened.
〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜
The moment Chan stepped into the dimly lit karaoke room, the deafening music crashed against his ears.
His friends were already drunk on the excitement, their voices hoarse from belting out songs off key but he had no interest in joining them.
The thick scent of alcohol and cigarette smoke clung to the air, swirling around him like an old, unwanted memory.
He barely acknowledged the chorus of greetings thrown his way as he made a beeline for the table, pouring himself a drink with a slow, deliberate motion.
The liquid burned as it slid down his throat but he welcomed the sting.
"You finally made it, buddy!" A heavy hand clapped him on the shoulder, belonging to none other than Minho - one of his closest friends or perhaps just one of the few people who tolerated his moods.
Chan barely glanced at him.
Instead, he reached for his pack of cigarettes, sliding one between his lips before flicking his lighter.
The flame briefly illuminated the sharp lines of his face before he took a slow drag, the red ember glowing ominously in the dim lighting.
Across the room, a familiar smirk tugged at Jaebum's lips. The guy exhaled a lungful of smoke, leaning forward with casual interest "School treating you well?".
Chan let the smoke escape from his nostrils in a steady stream before answering flatlym"Like shit".
His friends burst into laughter, sensing the bitterness laced in his words. They exchanged amused glances, intrigued by his unusually sour mood.
"So~ have you met her yet?" Minho - ever the nosy one, leaned in.
The room quieted just a fraction, anticipation thickening the air.
Everyone knew who they were talking about.
Chan's grip on his glass tightened slightly before he downed another sip. His jaw ticked, his expression dark "Yeah".
Seeing Chan's expressions, his friends was curious. They all guessed something must have happened so that's why this dickhead in such a bad mood.
"And?..." One of them pushed.
"Can't believe that she dating with him!" Chan let out a bitter scoff, running a hand through his hair before suddenly slamming his cigarette into the ashtray.
The brown hair guy frowned "Who? Who is she with?".
"Jay Jo!" Chan gritted his teeth, spitting out the name like it physically pained him "She's dating with that fucking Jay Jo!".
"Jay Jo? Damn~ now that's interesting" The glasses-wearing guy said with a chuckle, leaning forward "So~ what are you gonna do about it?".
Chan let out a sharp breath, it was supposed to be easy - get close to her, win her over and make her his.
But this?
This changed everything.
"I still don't get it" His friend snorted "Why are you so hung up on this chick? There are plenty of other pretty girls".
Honestly, Chan doesn't understand why he thinks about that blonde so much. Of course he knows that there are many hot chicks out there.
But when Chan remembered her bright smile that day, the fire in her eyes.
That defiance - it intrigued him.
"She's sassy" He said under his breath, smirking "I like that~".
"Well~ too bad she's with Jay Jo now" The brown-haired guy said "Just let it go, man".
Chan's fingers twitched - he was ready to snap back until something clicked. A new idea - one that made him pause and smirk.
A slow, twisted grin spread across Chan's face as a memory surfaced - the race where Jay Jo had humiliated him in front of everyone.
He'd sworn revenge that day and now?
Now, it felt like fate had handed him the perfect chance to settle the score.
Minho narrowed his eyes "What's that look for?".
Chan swirled his drink in his hand, watching the liquid slosh against the sides before lifting his gaze, his smirk deepened "The plan's changed".
"You mean...?" Jaebum's voice trailed off, his expression showed he had a pretty good idea.
Chan leaned back in his seat, exhaling another cloud of smoke "If I can't hurt him directly... I'll do it through his little girlfriend instead".
"Damn~" His friend laughed "Thought you just wanted to steal her?".
"Still do~" Chan chuckled darkly "But revenge is sweeter this way".
The air in the room shifted, some of his friends laughed, others exchanged wary glances.
They'd seen Chan pissed before but this was something different.
Darker - more dangerous.
Minho hesitated before asking "And what exactly do you intend to do with her?".
Chan took another drag from his cigarette, his grin widening "Enjoy her first~ then break her".
The laughter died down, a tense silence settled over the group, uneasy glances passing between them.
They all knew Chan could be ruthless but this was cruel even for him.
Still, none of them spoke up against it.
Instead, they watched as Chan took another sip of his drink, his mind already plotting his next move.
The game had just begun.
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Do you guys like my Fiction?? I really don't remember the names of Chan's other friends so I made them up 😅
Please wait patiently for my next Chapter 💐
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