Meeting you in the City

Chapter 21: The Plan

10-12 hours after the operation

I woke up and prepared. It was 7 a.m., already 10 hours since we left Astra and Yoru in the hospital, and now it’s time to come back. Chico is still troubled at what had happened before. I mean, who wouldn’t be? If I just don’t know how that kid’s guts work. I would surely be pissed off as well. The two ended up saying mean and hurtful things, but that wasn’t really what Chico meant. Those words are merely a lie to him. He treasures Astra, but what if Astra really meant his words was a question I think is rumbling in Chico’s mind right now.

“Chico, do you still want to come?” he looks at me with uncertainty in his eyes.

“I don’t know. Does boss still want me there?” he questioned. I don’t know as well, but I think it will be better if they talk this through or separate in the meantime.

“Well, it’s okay if you’re not going to come, but I would still like to check on Yoru,” I said

“I want to come, but just update me about Yoru’s condition, alright?”

“Wait, why? Aren’t you coming with me?”

“Yeah,” he smiled, but I know that even if he’s feeling dejected, he still would always care. That’s the kind of person Chico keeps his hopes up high even when he is so down.

“I want to check Salvy Velo… I don’t really know why, if he’s having a hard time processing this, but he, he never visit Salvy.”

“Chico, it might be hard for Astra. I can feel that he’s taking the blame on his self for what had happened to Yoru and Salvy.”

“But why does he need to include Salvy in this?”

“We both know what he meant to Astra. I think you could see that too.”

“I…”

“Hmm, let’s go now, Velo. I want to buy flowers for Salvy,” He happily said, and we both headed out. I have a sense that someone is calling for us.

“Velo, Chico! Wait!... Wait up! haaaaa!” before we even got far, Con, a member of the gang, called us. He was tirelessly catching his breath. Maybe from running, it looks like there’s something important he’s going to inform us.

“what is it, Con?” I asked

“Mu-Muerte” just hearing him say that name is bad news, but even though I wanted to get the information in a jiff, I also needed to make sure to keep our safety and privacy. I let him catch his breath first and went inside the hideout to discuss this in private and for it to be safer. After Con was already okay, I let him speak again.

“So what about Muerte? Talk,” I said like I was interrogating him. It just feels exciting to do this mostly Astra is the one always to do these kinds of stuff.

“Don’t get overwhelmed, nitwit. You’ll scare him, Velo,” Chico whispered in my ears.

“Hehehe, sorry, sorry, go on with it now, Con.”

“Muerte is recovering from his shot and could hunt Astra anytime soon.”

“Muerte’s underlings already are finding a way to trace Astra.”

“They are already searching hospitals since they got informed that our gang got injured.”

“What?! when will he be able to get out of the hospital?” I was tense with the revelation. I was worried about how much time can Astra prepared for this.

“The source says it could be two days from now.”

“that’s a short amount of time, but now I can’t say that’s all we needed.”

“Why, boss?” Con asked curiously

“In the condition Astra is in; he’ll barely even stand a chance to fight.”

“But we’ll try our best to take care of it, so for now, stay on a lookout and informed others fast.”

“Yes, boss”

“Make sure no one can follow you.”

“Be careful, boys.”

“Yes, boss, we trust Astra in your care” They had already left. Chico and I stayed for a while. We need to be cautious of any signs that someone is on our track. We can’t afford to be tailed by Muerte’s men since that will lessen our preparation time.

(15 minutes had passed)

We already bought flowers and decided to pass from the parking underground and then take the lift down there to the 3rd floor.

“Oh, there you go; we are here safe.”

“Hey Velo”

“Hmm? Yes, chico?”

“take care of boss okay?”

“I’ll handle this. Make sure Salvy is well.”

“Yes, I’ll go ahead” Chico and I separated ways, and I headed straight to Yoru’s room where Astra could be

As I entered the room, I saw Astra still sitting on the floor where I last saw him, his back resting on the walls. The lack of sensing and recognition that I was already in the room without him noticing was the evidence that he didn’t even sleep that night just thinking and guarding Yoru. I slowly walk up to him.

“Ha!” Astra was about to pull the gun from his pants, but I stopped him.

“Boss, it’s just me,” I said; in his state, he’s making his self more vulnerable, making him an easier target. He is only making it easy for Muerte’s men to get to him. This pitiful state you’re in Astra, how did you manage to let yourself slip? You never had time for this before, so why now you say you can never be soft or vulnerable? Do you want them to get to you? Is that what you wanted. Damn it, Astra. You make me worry more for you now than before. It’s new seeing you out of character and state like this. We ask for this for you to be honest with your feelings, but something still doesn’t add up, Astra. Something in between the lines, there is still something you’re not telling us, and Why now?

“Boss, I brought us some food. Let us eat now” he looked up at me. He looked like a total mess. His eyes were begging for all of this to end, disoriented, finding his path again. How could Astra be ready to face Muerte again? How do I say another terrible news to him? How will Astra deal with this? Could he even handle this, argh! dammnnn it, Astra, don’t be a pain! I offered him some food just even to gain his strength back.

“I don’t want to eat,” he replied, not even doubting his decisions.

“Damn it, Astra, come here and eat.”

“I said I don’t want to!”

“Damnnn it, don’t be such a pain, Astra!”

“Would you want Salvy and Yoru to see you in this situation!”

“Stop acting like a child!”

“All you do is, be a burden to them!” Damn Velo! What have I said? His reaction was not even shocked. Does he see himself like this all along? He does not seem bothered nor irked at what I just stated, but the boss appears to be mad at himself as he clutches his hand into a fist. Clenching his fingers to his palm.

“Boss, stop that you’ll hurt yourself.” as I order him to stop, he keeps doing it.

“Boss! Astra! Come on!” his hands, now with a bandage, are bleeding again. He looks at his hands as his soft-spoken voice speaks.

“See this, no matter how much blood flow away from me; I won’t feel a thing.”

“You think I don’t know? you think I care?”

“I already know, That I’m none other than a burden, but I don’t care, damn it!”

“To hell with you all. Why do you even care for a person like me.”

“Can’t you see I’m all numb inside and out, so leave me alone!”

“Why…” why? why?!

“Ha?!”

“You asked me why do we still care about you?”

“Even after this, even all the things you said to us, why do we still care?!”

“I ask myself that too dimwit!” I pulled Astra in my eye level, causing him to stand now and to say directly to his face what I think about his crap

“I know we are dumb, and you might as well treat us your trash!”

“BUT YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT YOU ONCE BELIEVE IN US!”

“YOU ALSO CARED FOR US!”

“SO WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT YOU, HA!?”

“CAUSE YOU’RE OUR BOSS….YOU’RE OUR FAMILY, DAMN IT!” he grasped at my hands that were holding his shirt tightly with the strength Astra is left with; considering that he’s in a state like this, it was still pretty strong. Astra uses his grip to get closer to my face.

“AND YOU BELIEVE, DIDN’T YOU? HAH! THAT’S WHY YOU’RE FOOLS! THAT WAS ALL A LIE” He looked at me, wearing an annoying, stupid smug on his face. Laughing and mocking me

“What the fvcking hell Astra!”

“Is that how you see Chico and me?!”

“Is that how little Yoru matters to you!”

“And Salvy, what about him, huh?”

“Don’t tell me he means nothing to you?!”

“Don’t you want to save them?! Damn it!?”

“So stop your crap and don’t put their lives in danger again!” Astra looked away from the intense gaze we shared. He never backed out to run away, not from anything, not for a fight or a stare. Not from something you’re proving that is cowardly, but something about that struck you, Astra, my words reach to you, didn’t it? Does that mean you’re not as numb as you thought? That means what you said is a lie.

“Then take care of Salvy,” huh? Does my word not reached him? What does he mean?

“What? What are you saying, boss?” he smiled

“Take care of Salvy.”

“No, why would I take care of him.”

“Even if you say that, I know you’ll break it and just go ahead and look after him.”

“Just like everybody did for me all these years, right?”

“Don’t just tell me that like you’re going to leave!” he just looks at me straight in the eyes. That silence seems to put doubt to my mind. that look that appears to let me see the answer to my question that he cannot just do this, right? I-I mean Astra?

“No... you’re not telling me that you’re really planning to leave Salvy, right?”

“Right?!”

“Boss, answer me.”

“I made my decision Velo. It was the decision that led Yoru and me to fight, leading him here.”

“I’m an a-hole, am I?” he once again smiled at his remarks

“Yes, you are; you’re really an a-hole!”

“Do you even know why I’m here, ha?!”

“What kind of a boss will decide that on his own”

“You really have no care or whatsoever!”

“I don’t really care if this was just about you and me. We can handle this but to drag them all to this situation.”

“then leave me g*ddamit you’re full of crap!”

“Now I’m the one who’s full of crap?! Huh, Astra?”

“We don’t have much time left, and none of this even matters to you?!”

“Velo, what do you mean? What time?”

“DO REALLY JUST DON’T GIVE A F*CK OR WHAT?!”

“MUERTE’S MINIONS ARE TRYING TO HUNT YOU DOWN, AND YOU DON’T EVEN CARE!”

he quickly faced me, his face startled, and he looked terrified as he also looked so alarmed. Painted on his face was everything to describe horrified. His eyes are gushing, sweat forming on his forehead like suddenly it became warm, his hands trembling, just a pure sight of terror in his face like something struck him.

Astra’s mind:

It sparks a nerve. Why does hearing the geezer’s name horrified me? Like my soul just left my body, like the flow of my blood suddenly streams rushing from my heart to my nerves as it heats my body, causing my body to tremor. The suffocating feeling of this happening rashly in my body forces me to run out of breath. Was this just the effect of the lack of sleep or the lately overthinking? Was this because every little thing stirred the emotion left in me?...no? That’s not it? It has been a decade since I first felt this, a sensation of fear to once come back at you damn you why can’t you just leave me in peace, old man! Or was this because I’ve near to execute my plans.

“Boss?”

“Boss?” ha? Huh? Oh, Velo, I look at him again. It still wasn’t clear to me what was happening.

“Boss...are you alright?”

“Ha...haa,” I gasped. I was catching my breath. I can’t feel my heart; I’m having a hard time breathing.

“Hahhh...ahhh...hahh..”

“Boss”

“Le-e-ave me alone.” I can’t breath

“Astra, are you not even worried about their safety!?” ah… please not this now. I can’t deal with this right now.

“Astra!”

“LEAVE ME ALONE! I can’t move any more just; please leave me in peace

“Boss, why do you have to leave.” peace

“Boss!” peace...I should have known.

“Damn it, why won’t you just leave me alone!” peace was never an option in my life.

“Don’t be such a coward!” it will never happen.

“Stop being like this. If you really want to protect Salvy, be strong!” Peace... Salvy...Salvy. To protect you, huh?

“Be the Astra I know.” protect them

“The Astra, you know..” protect

“Do you even really know who I am?” who am I again?

“I don’t know myself too.”

“I’m so tired, but I….” I can’t have peace

“I… wouldn’t let him touch them again, Velo.” can’t have peace...

“What are you really planning, Astra?”