Kaizo stared at the teen as he clumsily wrapping the bandage around his arm. His good hand proping his head up, leaning on the steering wheel.

"I don't get you." He voiced out, finally bringing to an end to this endless silence.

"I kill people, and your loved ones kid." he hissed, when Cyclone purposefully tightened the bandage on his wound. There was awkward silence and the teen cowered slightly in fear for his reckless action. Kaizo glanced away, to check around their surroundings in case the certain madman already catch up to them. There's still little time left before the drug lords' meet up.

"Because..." Cyclone spoke softly, a heavy sigh escaped his lips. "...it's the right thing to do."

"Saving a murderer. Is that right?" Kaizo questioned which make the latter bit his lips nervously. Probably rethinking his life decisions.

No matter how you see it; a rabbit saving a fox, only to know any sooner or later it will become the fox's dinner in the end. A useless heroism.

"Why do you kill?"

He glance back to him, his fingers tensed. He isn't expecting such question. Those blue eyes casted a weary look on him. Sharing the same tired and lost look.

"What cause you? Why..." he sighs, leaning into his seat. "...dad?"

Even to say his name feels so wrong now.

Kaizo sighed, resting his head on the steering. Why? It feels so heavy in his chest thinking of it. For the first time after 8 years, he felt like...breaking.

Breaking, a man like him?

The world's really going to end it seem. Even his facade can't put up on him anymore.

He closed his eyes, fingers curl around the steering tight. It was just fair to tell him now. About everything. He used by the feeling of hate thrown to him. But guilt? He is. right now.

"Eight years ago." he whispered, "Your father killed my family."

He ignore the squirming ruckus his eight year old sibling putting up to. Keeping his face sandwiched between his trembling chest and arms. Covering the ears from the outside sounds. The atmosphere feels dense and hot in the cupboard but he darw not to make a sound. Peeping from the small crack on the door, he prayed the fighting slowed down.

But it escalated. Hanging with a gunshot.

Not once, but twice.

His body froze, chill sent down to his spine witnessing to bodies fallen on the ground in each other embrace. Bathed in their own crimson blood. His father reach his hands out, muttering something to the culprit.

That wicked smile.

Another sound of the gun shot filled the air.

He felt like puking. Looking away, he buried his face into his hair, holding Fang tight to him.

They never walk out from the cupboard that whole night.

On the next few days, that's when their neighbour coming to check out the household, noticing the horrid smell from the inside and finding out two living boys alive. Sleeping silently blanketed in the arm of their dead parents.

He never forget that face.

He wanted to do the same, rubbing the same pain he felt on the man's face with equal actions.

And he did it,

he killed his beloved wife.

unfortunately witnessed by his son.

He didn't feel the accomplishment of his action.

"I'LL KILL THEM ALL, ALL OF THIS WRETCHED FAMILY."

it never feel enough.

Taken into custody for murder, seperated away from his only family left and sentenced to be jailed for three years. Eventually, he caught the attention of someone in the end of his first year.

"He have potential. List him in the programme."

"But, sire! He can't--"

"You heard me." The male voice boomed as he pretend to sleep in his jail.

"If you say so, Lord Retakka."

A programme where the potential teenagers were chosen and trained for the special police force unit. Unlike the actual kind of legal police training, this one is not under the supervision of the government.

Not fully.

Undergoing as lab rats, execute nasty mission, training to kill... They're the Trump card used in this corrupted system.

Prodigies, intellectuals and prisoners. All are chosen and absorbed for this programme.

And here, he created a new bond.

"Hello! You're new aren't you?" the boy approached him once he step into the main room after being forced to be marked with tattoo on his body. He stayed silent, looking at the boy fr head to toe.

Neat.

"I am Earthquake! Oh. and he's Thunderstorm." he introduced, pointing to another boy behind him. Much messier than he himself and giving off unwelcoming aura.

"And you are?"

"...Kaizo."

"Cool!" he complimented, trying to know him more. "You must be pretty awesome to get yourself in here. Say, what did you do?"

Thunder noticed the strange silence.

"He's a criminal."

It hurts. How hard those words to swallow in his own throat.

Earthquake eyes soften, his hand holding his arm. "Its okay. Everyone makes mistakes."

Acceptance. It'd been awhile for him to feel this once again.

It feels good.

but it didn't last long.

Only a fool makes mistakes twice.

He is a fool.

"Move on. You're wasting your time mourning."

To him who had felt lost,
Crying never solves anything.
Sad? Of course he did.
But it won't bring the dead back.
Weeping beside his dad till he fell asleep proves that.

So, why....

Is he glaring at me?

"YOU HEARTLESS JERK!" Thunder shrieked, holding him by the collar. "IT'S EARTHQUAKE! NOT SOMEBODY ELSE!" He screamed painfully, red eyes glaring back to him as he spat the words out of spite,

"No wonder you're a killer."

"I-I'm not-"

That smiling face of Amato.

He sunk to his knees, tugging fistful of his hair.

Blood pooling down under his feet.

"N-no-"

"I-I'M NOT!"

Thunder attacked him, choking him in his hands as he tried to pry them off. A loud cheers resonates the whole room, suffocating.

That until a masked man pulled Thunderstorm away, and silenced everyone.

Thunder is missing after that.

The programme were forced to an end as the risk is getting higher for their own liking.

Unlike anyone else, he doesn't have a place for him to go back to.

So he stayed in his old jail at the end of his third year.

"Where are you going after this?" The masked man sat in front of his cell. Uninterested, he remain lying on the ground, legs crossed.

"Hell, most likely."

"Your brother won't like that." Hearing this he sat straight. Surprised that he knew.

"Freedom to the wolf has often meant death to the sheep."He said, opening the jail door.

"Couldn't help but make me feel ashamed to live in a land where justice is a game."He holds out his hand to him. "But someone out there haven't give up on us yet. We're their hope. At least, live for them."

Hope.

Maybe that's what he seek for all this time.

But a sinner like him who is incapable to let go.

Isn't that a bit arrogant to feel such hope?

He don't deserve it.

The hope to continue living.

The silence wrapped around them like a blanket.

Cold, but unusually. comforting.

Cyclone hummed, resting his head on his knees as his arms wrapped around his legs.

"Funny, how both of us are victims in this endless cycle." He whispered.

"If I kill you, the cycle will continue. If I kill my dad, the cycle of hatred won't leave without a mark."Cyclone look to his left where the man has now settled to lean his back in a restful manner.

"And killing yourself won't make you escaped from your guilt."

"That's why its okay to hope. To be better. In the end, humans are both bad and good."

Hope you like it~!
let me rest in peace for now
2 more chap im-
and deadline today aye.