Chapter 1: Weight of Millions

 Kai's hands shook as he cut the carrots. The knife shivered in his grip, and its blade barely scraping the cutting board like the edge of his patience. He felt like a cage in his kitchen station, which was once a place of his pride and dedication. The buzz of bright light over his head felt too bright, too harsh to stand. He hated it here, not always but now. 

He wanted to get away from everyone___the loud clanking of pots and pans, their endless talks about 'business' and ceaseless chattering. These business talks and boring words were meaningless to him, now. It's nothing more than a noise. He just needed quiet and silence. He needed.....needed something to calm him down. It's been ten years since he first walked through those doors and started working at the restaurant. 

He took a deep breath and raised his head to look at their happy faces. But the restaurant hummed with its usual energy___chefs shouting orders, the sizzling of food cooking, the clink of pans and knives. It was like everything around him was too loud, too fast. He can feel the spiral of his thoughts around him, the constant ticking of the clock, and the sound of his own breathing. As if he were trapped inside his head, unable to escape or find a place to rest his weary mind. 

"Hey, Kai," Ricky's voice pierced through the tension. "All good buddy?" 

Kai didn't look up. He couldn't look up to face him. He felt his chest tighten, and his breath became shallow. He was focused. Just too focused on cutting the carrots. On the knife. The rhythm of the chop was the only thing keeping him grounded. But even that felt off. 

"Ummmm, Yeah," he uttered, forcing a shrug. "Just...busy."

But Ricky didn't buy it. He narrowed his eyes as he leaned against the counter, studying Kai with a gaze that wasn't fooled by the lie.

"You sure? You're not looking so hot."

"I said, I'm fine, Ricky," Kai snapped, his words were sharp. He wiped his sweat with the back of his hand, refusing to make eye contact.

But Ricky, his best friend, wasn't ready to back off. "Man, you're messing up the cuts. That's not like you."

Kai's breath caught. Somehow Ricky was right, of course. But he didn't want him to point it out___at least not here, at his workplace. He already knew. Every slice, every failed movement, felt like another failure. Another crack in his shattered life. 

"I...I'm just tired, Ricky," he whispered. The words slipped out before he could stop them. They lingered in the air, heavy and suffocating. 

Ricky's eyes darkened, shifting from concern to something harder. He straightened his back and held up his hand, trying to stop him. "Are you still on that loan? You're not going back to them, are you?"

The question hit him like a punch in the gut. The knife in his hand froze mid-slice. His mind raced. The thought of that night, the moment he'd sealed his fate___still scared him. 

[Flashback!!]

The flickering neon lights cast an eerie glow on the grimy walls in the dark alley. Luis stood there with his ugly, predatory smile. The air smelled of a desperation of a deal which he couldn't reject. Kai''s eyes darted between two men standing in front of him. His hands twitched at his sides, ready for action, but hesitated. The anticipation made him sweat. 

"One million dollars, Kai" Luis began in his low, threatening voice. "You'll work for me. All you have to do is cook. Cook the best damn food anyone's ever tasted. But don't ask questions. Just follow my orders. If you screw this up, you'll regret it."

Kai had been drowning in debt, barely able to breathe under the weight of the millions. His credit was shot. All he needed was a way out, a way to fix everything, fix his life. 

He had already ready the contract, and the terms were simple: a million dollars for a personal chef. Serve the criminals at the top. Make meals for the people who don't care about anything but the bottom line. He didn't ask any questions. He just couldn't afford to. So, he agreed to Luis's conditions, even if they burned in his stomach with anxiety. One million dollars. Just enough to cover the mortgage, pay off all his debts, and his landlord. Then he could finally live a normal life___a life without any worry and stress. 

At first, it had been just about debts. But now, it was about survival. 

[Present]

Ricky's words still echoed in his ears. 'You're not going back to them, are you?'

"My loans had no end. The dollars I got from Luis were long gone__spent on the debts that kept stacking up." Kai thought. "The gang didn't just want meals; they wanted loyalty. They wanted control. And now I was a slave to their demands."

"Please, Ricky, not now" he whispered, barely audible. "Don't....don't ask me anything about it."

Ricky took a deep breath, his face softening with concern. "I'm not asking to judge you, Kai. But you've got to let someone in. Let me in. I'm your friend. You're not alone in this," he said gently. 

"I can't. I don't want to trouble you," Kai croaked, shaking his head. "I signed my life away to them. They own me. I can't get out." 

Ricky stepped closer. his hand hovering over his shoulder. "You don't have to do this alone. There's always a way out. Trust me." 

But Kai stepped back, away from his touch. "No. You don't understand. In fact you'll never understand this. If...If I stop..they'll come for me. They'll...." His voice cracked, and his chest tightened with the weight of the truth. 

Kai looked away, unable to bear the sadness in Ricky's eyes. He didn't want pity. Didn't want anyone to see the person he'd become___the broken shell of the chef who once had dreams, who once believed in the beauty of food. Now, it was nothing more than a means to survive.

"Just leave me alone," Kai muttered. "I know you're my friend and want the best for me. But I just need some space to process all this. I'll call you if I need something. Promise."

Ricky's hand fell to his side, his shoulder slumping. He didn't know what to say. There were no words that could fix this. Kai had already made his choice, and now, he had no other option but to live with it. Ricky gave him one last, lingering look before walking away, his footsteps fading into the background. 

Kai stared at the pile of vegetables in front of him, his knife moving in autopilot. His eyes unfocused, and the kitchen, despite the people around him, felt quieter than ever. The buzz of the light almost mocking him, the cruel reminder of his solitude.

Then, as the last slice fell, the back door of the kitchen creaked open. 

"Everyone out!!"

Kai froze. That voice. He could never forget it. His heart skipped a beat as he turned slowly, only to find a figure standing in the doorway.

"Luis__?" Kai whispered.

 "Why weren't you answering my calls?" Luis smirked, his gaze sweeping over Kai from head to toe, a predator sizing up his prey. "You thought you could get away, Kai?" Thought you could work a dead-end job and escape the life you owe me?" He stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with menace.

But then everything changed. 

Kai shook to his core as he saw a familiar face beside Luis. 

"Ricky?"