*AHHHHHHH! BAM!* "Tell that BIG FOREHEAD to turn on lane 4 or I'm going to drag his forehead through and out the street\," I shouted. "Riku\, LET'S GO!"

Yes, that's my bro RIKU (CO-FOUNDER OF BLACK ROSE). He’s kinda cruel sometimes. Oh me? I AM ZANE (PRESTIGIOUS MEMBER OF BLACK ROSE, THE AUTHOR, YEAH YEAH IT'S ME). But this story isn't about me, it's about Riku and his STUPID, STUUUPIDD LIKE NEVER STUPID EVER BEFORE LOVE FOR HANA. Well, the fact he loves her isn't stupid, but the bond is idiotic. If you’re a fan of romance, let me tell you, I just hate romance (no reason, I find it cringy to say "I love you").

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I remember the first time he saw her. It was like a scene straight out of one of those sappy movies he claims to hate. There she was, Hana, sitting in her wheelchair at the park, holding an ice cream cone in one hand and a balloon in the other. She looked so out of place in our world of chaos and conflict, yet so radiant and untouchable. Riku, the co-founder of Black Rose, and a cold-hearted leader with a reputation for being ruthless, was drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

"Zane, check her out," he whispered to me. "Isn't she beautiful?"

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Seriously, bro? She's just a girl in a wheelchair. Wash your eyes."

But Riku was already lost. I could see it in his eyes. That tough exterior started to crack, and he became... softer. For weeks, he would find excuses to hang around the park, just to catch a glimpse of her. And when he finally worked up the nerve to talk to her, it was like watching a TRAIN WRECK IN SLOW MOTION.

"Hi, I'm Riku," he said, trying to sound cool. "I see you here often."

Hana looked up, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and amusement. "Hi, Riku. I'm Hana. Nice to meet you."

From that moment on, I knew things would never be the same. Our fearless leader had fallen for a girl who was everything we were not – innocent, kind, and full of hope. And despite my endless teasing and attempts to get him back to his senses, he was hooked.

"It's not just about her looks, Jude," Riku would argue. "She makes me want to be better, do better. For her."

I laughed. "Better? We're gang members, bro. There's no 'better' for people like us."

But he wouldn't listen. And as much as I hated to admit it, I could see the change in him. He started to question our actions, our motives. He wanted out of the chaos, to build a life with Hana. It was stupid, idiotic even, but it was also... kind of beautiful.

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And so, this is where our story begins. With Riku's stupid love for Hana and my reluctant acceptance that maybe, just maybe, there's more to life than the thrill of the race and the rush of the adrenalin. Maybe, there's something worth fighting for that doesn't involve fists or guns.

But don't get me wrong, I'm still Zane, prestigious member of Black Rose. This romance stuff might be cringe, but if Riku's in, I'm in. Because if there's one thing I know, it's that we ride together, fight together, and if need be, love together.

WELCOME TO OUR WORLD. BUCKLE UP, IT'S GONNA BE A BUMPY RIDE.

Speaking of bumpy RIDES, one of our money-making businesses is underground bets. Racing and fighting are over them all, but at the top stands racing—bike racing and car racing. Well, it may not earn much, but IT IS IMPORTANT TO WIN THESE RACES. It's usually against the Sapphire Panthers (I still have no idea where in this puddle-doop world they got a wrecky name like this), one of our rival gangs. There's a saying here: if you win tracks, you win streets, and it's often true. If you win races, we get money, more trust, and more... something (LOOK, I AM NOT THAT GUY WHO KNOWS EVERY POINT OF THIS GANG STUFF, I AM JUST IN THE GANG BECAUSE RIKU'S IN AND THE RACE IS IMPORTANT, huh!!!!!). Results vary every now and then.

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It was late at night, a couple of years ago. Riku and I were gearing up for a race against the Sapphire Panthers. The stakes were high, and tensions were even higher. Winning this race meant securing our hold over the downtown district.

"Stay sharp, Zane," Riku muttered as we revved our engines. "We've got to win this."

The race began\, engines roaring like wild beasts in the night. We were neck and neck with the Panthers\, the streets flashing by in a blur of lights and shadows. Just as we hit the final stretch\, a shot rang out. *BANG!* Chaos erupted. The sound of gunfire filled the air\, and the race turned into a full-blown shootout.

"GET DOWN!" Riku shouted, swerving his bike to avoid the hail of bullets.

The Sapphire Panthers had set us up. They weren't here to race; they were here to take us out. We fought back, our gang members returning fire, but it was clear we were outnumbered and outgunned.

Amidst the chaos, I saw Riku's bike go down. My heart stopped. "OH GOD "

But Riku wasn't down for long. He sprang back up, grabbing his pistol and firing back with precision and fury. We managed to fight our way out, retreating with injuries but no fatalities. It was a close call and a harsh lesson learned. The streets were no longer just about racing; they were about survival.

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Back to the present, the lessons from that night still haunt us. We know that winning the races isn't just about glory. It's about maintaining our dominance, ensuring our survival, and proving to everyone that the Black Rose is a force to be reckoned with. And for Riku, it's about more than that—it's about a future where he can be with Hana, free from the shadows of gang life.

We ride hard, we fight harder, and we never back down. Because in this world, winning isn't just about crossing the finish line first. It's about making sure you have the strength and will to keep racing, no matter what gets thrown your way.

Being in the gang means being the part of a huge family, society may downgrade us but for us this is what we are .

Buckle up, because things are about to get even bumpier.

"RIKU, WHAT THE HECK IN THE STUPID WORLD HAS HAPPENED TO YOU? THIS, BLACK ROSE IS OUR FAM, YOU DUMMWITTED PIECE OF BLOOD HEAD."

Okay, this needs so much explaining. I do find Riku's crush for Hana interesting, but what? Getting out of the gang, for what? Riku and I almost argued for hours. I went on explaining and arguing why he should never quit the gang until Riku went all silent and SMILED. No, not the usual sinister laugh—a SMILE, rare but he was happy.

"Don't you smile like that . creepy"

"Man, I know it sounds stupid, but what if Hana doesn't love me because I am a gangster?"

TO THE CREEPY HELL WITH HANA. "Riku, first go hecking talk to her. Remember the day you said hi to her?"

God, okay, let me give you a flashback. After DAYS AND DAYSSS AND DAYSS UNTIL IT WAS NOT ANYMORE DAYSS, Riku got to her and said hi. She waved back, and when I thought the stylish, cool-headed gangster bro was getting hooked, he goes, "Err... your name is Riku... wait, you look melting... no no... ice cream is hot... I gotta go," and he ran back to me.

"So, Riku, let's go tomorrow to the carnival and let's get her number. I will tell you what to do."

At the carnival, I SCRAMBLED through the crowd for Hana and finally found a ghost van. Oh, what's a ghost van? OK, THE GHOST DRAGONS, THE MOST CRUEL GANG EVER EXISTED. These guys are cruel; they do dirty, real DIRTY businesses. The gang has these ghost vans that show up out of NOWHERE. They usually do kidnaps, shootouts, etc. We never let the vans get near our area, BUT the city center where the carnival is happening is not under control of any gangs. The police have the upper hand, and vans in the carnival mean they are trying to LICK (well, lick means victim or an easier person to rob or kidnap). I felt something was wrong, BUT I had a job to do. After looking for hours, I couldn't find Hana. How FLIPPING PANCAKES DID A GIRL LIKE HANA NOT SHOW UP TO THE CARNIVAL? IT'S LIKE THE MOST COLOURFUL EVENT OF THE WHOLE YEAR. Riku and I were heading back to our place when Samji (he is one of the members I called to accompany me and Riku today) noticed a ghost van riding off, and there was a wheelchair without a person. I thought, it was... HECK, IT WAS HANA'S.

"RIKU\, THAT GHOST VAN GOT YOUR GIRL\, LET'S GOOOOO!" We raced behind the van on our bikes. Riku was mad and shouting. Samji blocked the van\, and Riku opened the van's door and dragged the driver out\, shouting\, "HOW DARE YOU LAY HANDS ON MY GIRL\, YOU STUPID *******." There was a showdown\, and I swear Hana was shocked\, crying\, and confused like why the heck did this random guy tell her she is his GF. After we scared off the van and rescued Hana\, we all three went silent for minutes (HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA\, I WAS LAUGHING THE HELL OUT OF MYSELF. HANA now knows Riku likes her). After some time\, I broke the silence\, AND AS THE BEST EVER WINGMAN\, I explained what was happening on our way back to her wheelchair. She laughed and asked Riku\, "Can you take me on a DATE this weekend?" Oh yeah...

How did the date went ? ...... wait for next chapter