Chapter One: Riku's Stupid Love

*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.

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