Shattered Bonds

Five Years Ago

Hiro stepped out of the organization's headquarters, the weight of his decision pressing down on him like an iron chain. He had just spoken with the boss, made his intentions clear—he was done. Finished with the gang. Finished with the violence. Finished with the bloodstained life he had been dragged into. The cool night air hit his face as he walked toward the old abandoned factory—the gang's hideout—one last time. He needed to grab his belongings and leave without drawing attention. His heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing. "It's for the better," he told himself. "At least now I won't have to carry this guilt anymore." As the dim glow of the streetlights guided him toward the factory, a voice called out.

"Hey, Hiro! How'd the meeting with the boss go?" Hiro froze for half a second before forcing himself to keep walking. He turned to see a familiar gang member approaching. "It went… fine," Hiro said carefully. "But I gotta get going. My father wants me home early." The gang member squinted at him but shrugged. "Oh… well, let's talk later then."

Hiro gave a tight nod and hurried toward the locker room. His pulse quickened as he grabbed everything important—documents, files, anything that could be used against him. "If I leave through the main exit with all this, someone will notice," he realized. His mind raced until he remembered something—a secret escape route he had discovered when he first joined. It had been his safety net back then, a hidden exit in case things ever went south. But as he moved toward it, a shadow shifted in the dimly lit corridor.

Aidan.

Hiro's childhood friend—and now the one person who could ruin everything. Hiro kept his expression neutral, hoping Aidan hadn't seen anything. "You're in a hurry," Aidan said, his tone casual, but there was something sharp underneath. Hiro forced a chuckle. "Just finished a big mission. Can't talk about it. You know how it is." Aidan's eyes flickered to the bag Hiro carried. He didn't say anything right away, but his silence felt heavier than words. Finally, he spoke. "We'll talk later, yeah?" Hiro gave him a brief nod before heading straight for the hidden exit.

But as he slipped out of the factory and into the alley, a cold voice sent a chill down his spine. "What's wrong, Hiro? You look like you've seen a ghost." Hiro turned slowly. Aidan stood behind him, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. "What are you doing with all that stuff?" Aidan asked, voice dangerously low. Hiro tightened his grip on the bag. "Just wrapping up some things." Aidan's stare darkened. "Don't lie to me." Hiro clenched his jaw. He knew there was no easy way out of this conversation.

"I'm leaving the organization," he finally admitted. Aidan's fists clenched at his sides. "You're joking." "I'm done, Aidan," Hiro continued. "This life… it's not for me. The things we've done—" "The things we've done?" Aidan cut him off, stepping closer. His voice dropped to a near whisper. "You knew exactly what we were getting into. You knew the jobs we had to do to survive. And now you're just walking away?" "It's wrong, Aidan!" Hiro shot back, his voice raw with emotion. "Hurting people, killing them because they owe money—it's not survival, it's greed! The organization is rotten, and you know it!" Aidan's expression twisted in fury. "You've gone soft," he spat. "You're turning your back on everything we've built. On me." Hiro's fists trembled, but he held his ground. "I never wanted this life. You know that." Aidan let out a bitter laugh. "You think you're better than the rest of us? You think you can just walk away without consequences?"

Hiro saw the punch coming a second too late. Aidan's fist collided with his jaw, sending him stumbling back. His bag hit the ground, files spilling onto the pavement. "What the hell was that for?!" Hiro shouted, rubbing his face. "You're not leaving!" Aidan roared, launching himself at Hiro again. This time, Hiro reacted. He blocked Aidan's next swing and countered with a sharp right hook. The force sent Aidan staggering back, but he recovered quickly, eyes blazing with anger.

The alley exploded into a brutal fight—punches, blocks, dodges, neither of them holding back. They had trained together, fought side by side, but now they fought against each other like caged animals. Aidan gritted his teeth as he swung at Hiro. "THIS IS OUR FAMILY! OUR HISTORY! YOUR FATHER, MY FATHER—" "SCREW THAT!" Hiro bellowed, dodging and landing a punch square in Aidan's ribs. "I REFUSE TO BECOME LIKE THEM!"

Aidan snarled and drove his fist into Hiro's gut. The force knocked the wind out of him, sending him to his knees. But Aidan didn't stop—he tackled Hiro to the ground and wrapped his hands around his throat. "You think you can just walk away from me?" Aidan growled, his voice shaking with rage. "WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE BETTER THAN OUR FATHERS!" Hiro gasped, his vision darkening. His hands scrambled against the pavement until he found his opening. With one last burst of strength, he drove his knee into Aidan's stomach. Aidan coughed, releasing his grip. Hiro didn't hesitate—he kicked Aidan back, sending him crashing into a pile of trash cans.

Panting, Hiro stood up, his entire body aching. He looked at Aidan, who was doubled over in pain, and for the first time… he saw something else in his friend's eyes. Hurt. Betrayal. "I'm sorry, Aidan," Hiro whispered. "But I can't do this anymore." He grabbed what files he could, then turned and ran. He didn't stop. He didn't look back. One item remained on the ground, forgotten—a single USB flash drive.

Hiro burst through the front door of his home, chest heaving, his knuckles bloody. His mother, Mai, turned from the kitchen, alarm flashing across her face. "Hiro? What happened?" He clenched his jaw, his body trembling. "I fought with Aidan. I told him I was leaving. He… he didn't take it well." Mai's face softened with understanding. She crossed the room and pulled Hiro into a gentle embrace. "It's okay," she whispered. "You did the right thing." For the first time that night, Hiro let himself breathe.

Hours passed before his father, Kousuke, returned home. Hiro sat on his bed, staring at the ceiling when he heard the door creak open. "So," Kousuke said, sitting beside him. "You finally decided to quit." Hiro nodded. "Was it because of Mission X?" Hiro's breath caught in his throat. He turned to his father, his voice barely a whisper. "How… how do you know about that?" Kousuke exhaled. "You left a file on your desk once. I saw the name." Hiro's stomach twisted. "Let's not talk about that," Hiro muttered, voice hollow. His father studied him for a long moment before nodding. Then, standing up, he placed a hand on Hiro's shoulder. "At least you're not following the same path as me," Kousuke said softly. "I'm proud of you, son." Hiro swallowed the lump in his throat. "I love you, Dad," he murmured. Kousuke smiled. "I love you too." 

(End of Chapter 2)