Luca felt lost within the sea of people. It felt like one of those shows where there are two characters on a busy sidewalk but somehow they manage to see each other. In this case, it's just Luca and loneliness.

Luca sighed as he looked around at the bustling crowd. He was surrounded by people, but he felt completely alone. He felt like he didn't belong anywhere.

This is the price he paid for leaving everyone and everything.

He kept walking, his feet aimlessly taking him where there is a path to walk. He didn't know where he was going, but he didn't really care.

He just needed to keep moving.

Luca walked for hours, until he found himself in a park. The park has a big lake that stretches for miles and miles.

He was a coward.

A terrible son.

A terrible brother.

A terrible boyfriend.

He was a terrible person.

It was hard being an adult. An adult without the support of anything. He hadn't been able to make any friends, he kept everyone at arm's length.

People would think otherwise. With his contact list filled with names that he would never remember and him smiling and talking to everyone that he can see.

But Luca knew the truth.

He was a fake.

He was a shell of who he used to be. He was a lonely person who was desperate for connection, but too afraid to let anyone in.

He couldn't help but blame Wei.

Why did Wei do this to him?

If Wei never pushed him away, this would never have happened.

People saw Luca as the monster. The person who left someone because they were suffering.

He had loved Wei more than anything in the world. But he had also known that he couldn't help him. Wei had been struggling, and Luca had tried everything he could to help him.

Nothing had worked.

Luca was the villain of this story.

Right?

And villains never have a happy ending.

Didn't make sense why Luca needed to have one either.

Luca stood there on the desolate dock, his gaze fixed on the shimmering water below. His thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions, like a suffocating fog that threatened to consume him whole.

Was it truly worth it, this relentless pursuit of life?

His heart felt heavy with despair, and the future seemed like an insurmountable abyss. He felt trapped, lost, and alone.

The siren call of the water tugged at his weary soul. It appeared so inviting, a serene abyss that promised to cradle him in its depths and end his suffering once and for all.

Luca took a step forward, his breath catching in his throat. He knew that what he was contemplating was wrong, but he couldn't help but be drawn to the water's allure.

He took another step forward.

As he took another step, someone pulled back hard using the collar of his shirt.

"Are you stupid?" the person shouted. "What do you think that would accomplish?"

Luca turned around and saw a boy standing behind him. The boy was about his age, with sun-kissed skin and dirty blonde hair. He had a look of annoyance on his face.

"I don't know," Luca said. "I guess I just wanted to..."

He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

"To what?" the boy asked. "To end it all? To make your problems disappear?"

Luca shook his head. "I don't know," he said again.

The boy sighed. "Look," he said. "I don't know what you're going through, but I know it's gotta be bad. But trust me, suicide is not the answer. It's not the answer to anything."

Luca kept quiet as he stared off into the water.

The boy sighed yet again.

"Hey, let's bring you somewhere. This park is way more interesting than this boring lake," he said as he steered Luca away.

Wei: Hope you made it home safe.

Luca smiled as he read the message. He had just gotten home from the park with Wei, and he was still feeling the warmth as they walked together. He had had such a great time with him, and he couldn't wait to see him again soon.

He typed out a reply.

Luca: Thanks, Wei. I did. I had a really great time with you today.

Wei: Me too. We should do it again sometime.

Luca: I'd like that.

Luca knew that Wei didn't like racing, but that was okay. He was happy to just ride his bike with Wei, at whatever pace they wanted to go.

He liked the feeling of being together and just enjoying each other's company.

He put his phone down and stood up. He decided to take a shower. While it was calm and not a day where he felt dirty, the grime of riding his bike through the track made him feel icky.

As he walked to the bathroom, Luca thought about the lake in Erthka Park. It was a beautiful lake, with clear blue water and lush green trees all around. But it was also a place of sadness for Luca.

It was one of his lowest points. Where everything came crashing down and he just wanted to feel nothing.

But even though he knew that the lake was a source of pain for him, Luca couldn't help but feel drawn to it. It was the lake that had brought him to Erthka Park in the first place.

He stepped into the shower and turned on the water. He let the warm water wash over him as he thought about everything that had happened.

6 years ago, he decided to leave home. He got a really good scholarship from the university and he was already in a bad mental state from being ignored by Wei or handling all his outbursts.

Luca was meant to hold Wei together, but how can you hold someone together when you can't even hold yourself?

Over time, he perfected his smile, his presence.

No one would know his true feelings.

Even Leila, who had gotten close to him, could barely see through the wall he kept up to protect himself.

Stepping out of the bathroom with a towel over his shoulder and wearing sweats really low on his hips, Luca walked to his bedroom.

As he was drying his hair with his towel, he kept staring at himself in the mirror.

So much has changed.

He looks tired.

Tired from everything.

He needed to get everything together.

Luca looked happy the next few days. It's seemed to grab the attention of Leila and Omar.

Leila playfully nudged Luca as they waited in the studio, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Look at you," she teased, a mischievous smile on her face. "You've been smiling so much lately. What's going on?"

"Nothing," Luca shocked his head, giving Leila a clipped smile, "go finish your breakfast."

"Aowh, we have enough time before we go on air," she pouted, but she quickly finished it.

Once she was done, Luca watched as she fixed up her lipstick and made all the final touches.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on?" she asked.

"No," he bluntly stated as he straightened himself as he listened to the countdown.

He quickly slapped Leila's hand when she wasn't straightening up properly for the newscast.

She quickly fixed herself and the two were ready to go.

The newscast went well with Luca and Leila looking as proper and professional as they usually were.

"Dae? Are you not gonna tell me what's making you giddy?" Leila asked again, as the two left the room.

Luca tried to hide his smile, but it was no use. Leila could tell something was up.

"It's probably the adrenaline from yesterday," he claimed. "I went racing again."

Leila raised an eyebrow. "Racing? Again? Luca, I know you're an adrenaline junkie, but you have to be careful. You're not getting any younger."

Luca laughed. "I'm fine," he said. "I know what I'm doing."

But Leila wasn't so sure. She knew that Luca had a bit of an adrenaline junkie streak, and she was worried that he was pushing himself too hard.

"Just promise me you'll be careful," she said. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Luca smiled. "I promise," he said.

But as they walked away, Luca couldn't help but think about his next ride. He knew it was only a matter of time before he was back out there again.

He loved the feeling of adrenaline pumping through his veins. He loved the thrill of pushing himself to the limit.

That's why he loved racing so much. It was the perfect way to get his adrenaline fix.

But Leila was right. He needed to be careful. With Leila and Omar there fretting over him, he'd rather not put more on them.

But Luca couldn't help himself. He was drawn to the thrill of the race. He loved the feeling of the wind in his face and the roar of the engine in his ears.

"Luca, could you come with me?" Sarah asked as she was waiting for Luca by his desk.

Luca looked at Leila, who was sitting nearby. She smiled at him encouragingly.

"Sure," Luca said. He stood up and followed Sarah into her office.

As they walked, Luca couldn't help but feel nervous. He knew that Sarah was talking about him hosting his own show, and he was excited about the possibility, but he was also a little scared.

What if he wasn't good enough? What if he embarrassed himself?

Sarah closed the door behind her and sat down at her desk. Luca sat down in the chair across from her.

"So, Luca," Sarah said. "I've been thinking about you."

Luca raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" he said.

"Yes," Sarah said. "I think you have a lot of potential. You're intelligent, you're articulate, and you have a great personality."

Luca blushed. "Thank you," he said.

"We've been thinking about offering you your own show," Sarah said. "We just had an opening at 1 in the afternoon, and we thought you'd be perfect for it."

Luca's heart started to race. "Really?" he said. "I don't know. I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

"I think you are," Sarah said. "This was a whole consensus since the board wanted to keep you in your original position, but I know you've always tried to aim for higher. Here's some of the draft ideas for the show."

Luca's heart started to race as he slid out the folder full of papers that Sarah gave him. He carefully looked through it, his eyes scanning the pages quickly. He knew that this was a huge opportunity, but he was still nervous.

He hesitated for a moment. He wanted to give the best answer, but he didn't want to rush into anything.

"Is it possible to give a reply later?" he asked.

Sarah sighed. "I know you're nervous, Luca," she said. "But the producers are looking for a quick replacement ever since the previous talk show host wanted to retire. They're hoping to have a show up and running again as soon as possible."

Luca nodded. He understood. He didn't want to keep the producers waiting, but he also wanted to make sure that he was making the right decision.

"I'll give you a reply by the end of the day," he said.

Luca walked out of Sarah's office and towards his desk. Leila was sitting there, and she could tell that he was excited.

"So?" she asked. "How did it go?"

Luca smiled. "I might have my own show," he said.

Leila's eyes widened in surprise. "That's amazing!" she said. "I'm so proud of you."

Luca sat down at his desk and started to think about the pros and cons of hosting his own show. He knew that it would be a lot of work, but it was also an opportunity that he couldn't pass up.

But a talk show?

Luca couldn't believe it.

As he was deep in thought, his phone chimed.

Luca gave a frown as he read the text.

Wei: How was breakfast?

Wei has been sending messages to Luca, making sure he was taking care of himself properly.

He felt conflicted whenever he read them, the butterflies in his stomach going crazy thad Wei is going as far as checking on Luca's well-being.

Luca: Just had coffee but I'll get real food later

Wei: Why don't I believe you? ಠ⁠_⁠ʖ⁠ಠ

Luca: I'll send you a pic

Wei: Kay

Luca set his phone aside as he took a deep sigh. As he noticed his coworker come into sight, he picked himself up and had a smile as they walked by.

The smile never faltered as they walked past him.

Luca turned his attention back to his phone as he scrolled through his messages.

Luca: You wanna hang out?

Luca sighed as he set his phone aside. He had been waiting for a reply from Noah for days, but Noah had left his message on read.

Luca knew that Noah was busy as a doctor, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness when Noah didn't even bother to reply.

Luca wasn't sure why Noah was being so distant. He wondered if he had done something wrong. But he also knew that he couldn't force Noah to spend time with him if he didn't want to.

Luca picked up his phone and stared at Noah's message. He should probably just give up and move on. But he couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Luca got up and went to the enclave in the building. He went to the center of the cafe and got himself an egg and cheese croissant. Remembering that Wei wanted proof, he took a picture of the croissant before pocketing it away and eating breakfast.

Luca took a bite of his croissant and savored the taste. It was delicious.

As he was eating, he thought back to Wei. Their relationship has changed. Maybe it's for the better now.

Luca would feel less guilty about leaving Wei if they were friends.

Maybe changing the relationship would be helpful for him.

It might make him ready to move on.

Luca thought about the countless lovers he had back in college. None of them were Wei, but they each had a quality similar to Wei. It was as if he was looking for the next best thing.

The relationships never lasted long.

Luca knew that he needed to let go of his past relationships and focus on the present. He needed to learn to be happy with himself and to love himself before he could love someone else.

Luca thought about his old friends in City B. They had been pissed off at him for leaving, and he understood why.

He had abandoned them and Wei, and he had left them to pick up the pieces.

No one understood what he went through.

It makes sense, though.

He was the bad person in the story.

Luca's phone chimed, reminding him that he had work to do. Wei had not replied yet to the picture.

Luca went back to his desk and looked through the reports for the later segments. He was in charge of the 4pm segments and had to decide what news to display before he left work at 1pm.

After his stunt on "Meet The Neighbors," he hadn't thought much about being the main host of a segment or a show. Being an anchor didn't mean much except for choosing how to present everything, and you had support in case something went wrong.

As a host, you would have to be charismatic and keep the viewers' attention for at least 15 minutes. Luca knew that he had the potential to be a great host, but he was also nervous. He had never hosted a segment before, and he didn't know if he was good enough.

Luca took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves. He knew that he was prepared, and he had a good team behind him. He also knew that this was an opportunity to prove himself and show everyone what he was capable of.

Luca decided to focus on the positive. He thought about all the things he loved about hosting. He loved being in front of the camera and talking to people. He loved the challenge of keeping the viewers engaged and informed. And he loved the feeling of knowing that he was making a difference in people's lives.

But it felt draining in the end. Once he finished that episode, he felt like curling up in his blanket on his bed with a cup of hot chocolate.

Despite the challenges, Luca knew that he was lucky to have a job that he loved. He was grateful for the opportunity to share his thoughts and ideas with the world, and he was determined to make the most of it.

Luca got up and knocked on Sarah's office.

"Come in," Sarah said.

Luca entered her office and stood before her desk.

"I want to do the show," he said.

Sarah smiled. "I'm glad to hear it," she said. "I knew you were the right person for the job."

She picked up a file folder from her desk and opened it. She pulled out a contract and handed it to Luca.

"Look over it and then sign," she said.

Luca took the contract and sat down in one of the chairs in front of Sarah's desk. He read through the contract carefully, making sure that he understood all of the terms and conditions.

Once he was satisfied, he signed the contract and handed it back to Sarah.

"Congratulations, Luca," she said. "You're now the host of your own show."

Luca smiled. "Thank you," he said. "I'm excited to get started."

"Me too," Sarah said. "I think you're going to be great."

Luca stood up and shook Sarah's hand. "I won't let you down," he said.

He walked out of Sarah's office and headed back to his desk. He was still nervous, but he was also excited. He couldn't wait to start his new show.

He knew that it was going to be a lot of work, but he was determined to make it a success. He wanted to create a show that would inform, entertain, and inspire people.

He sat down at his desk and started to brainstorm ideas for his show. He had a lot of ideas, and he couldn't wait to get started.

He knew that he had a lot to live up to, but he was confident that he could do it. He was determined to make his show the best it could be.

Luca went to a quiet area outside of his desk, not fully leaving the office and called his mom to tell the news.

"Hi, Mom," he said, a soft smile forming. "It's Luca."

"Luca baby," his mom breathed, "how have you been? You never call."

"I'm sorry," he said softly, "I'll try to call you more often."

"Please call your dear old mother more often my baby," his mom said and Luca felt like a sob forming in his throat.

"Of course mom. Of course," Luca agreed as he had tears swelling up.

He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "Mom," he said, "I have some good news."

"What is it, Luca?" his mom asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

"I'm going to host my own show," Luca said.

His mom gasped. "That's amazing, Luca! I'm so proud of you."

Luca smiled. "Thanks, Mom. I'm really excited about it."

"I know you are," his mom said. "You've worked so hard for this."

Luca nodded. "I have," he said. "But I couldn't have done it without you."

"You're my son," his mom said. "I'll always be here for you."

Luca felt a tear roll down his cheek. "Thanks, Mom," he said. "I love you."

"I love you too, Luca," his mom said. "I can't wait to see you on your show."

Luca hung up the phone and took a deep breath. He felt so grateful for his mom's support. He hadn't been a good son the past few years but he's trying.

He wiped away his tears and headed back to his desk.

He needs to start thinking about what he's going to do for his show.

The days soon flew by.

Luca was exhausted. He had been working on his new show day and night, and he was starting to feel the strain. One day, he was so tired that he couldn't even bring himself to hang out with Wei. Wei understood, of course. He knew that Luca was working hard, getting the chance to let one of his dreams come true.

When Luca arrived at the restaurant, he was surprised to find Wei already waiting for him. Wei had a big smile on his face, and he was holding a glass of passion fruit lemonade.

"It's weird to see you finally coherent," Wei chuckled.

Luca sighed and sank further into his seat. "I finally have a break," he said. "Did you order yet?"

Wei gestured to his drink. "I ordered for you too."

Luca looked confused. "You ordered for me?" he asked. "What could you possibly order for me?"

Just then, a waitress came over and set a drink in front of Luca. "Here's the strawberry mojito you ordered," she said.

Luca looked surprised. He glanced at Wei, who took an annoyingly loud sip of his drink.

"I don't like alcohol," Luca said, giving Wei an intent stare.

"And there is none," Wei said. "Try it."

Luca took a sip of the drink. It was delicious. It was sweet and refreshing, and it had just the right amount of fizz.

Luca's heart melted as he realized that Wei had remembered his preference for sweet and strawberry drinks. He whispered, "You remembered."

Wei smiled. "Of course. You're my soulmate."

Luca sighed. "Wei," he said. "I'm not in the mood to deal with any romance right now."

Wei shook his head. "Luca, you were my best friend before we became lovers. Of course I would remember your preferences. You threw my bag out the window when I brought you a nitro coffee that one time."

Luca remembered that moment well. It was midterm week, and he had crammed everything he could into a couple of nights. He was exhausted and irritable, and he had reacted just fine when Wei had brought him a nitro coffee.

Luca rolled his eyes. "I was exhausted," he said. "And nitro coffee is gross."

"You threw the coffee on me, and then my mom scolded me for even suggesting nitro coffee," Wei grumbled.

"As she should."

Wei rolled his eyes as he leaned back and took his drink with him.

"How's the progress on the show so far?" He asked.

"We should start pre-recording in a couple of days, once the guest lists and prizes are finalized," Luca said.

"Prizes?" Wei asked. "What kind?"

Luca smiled. "The kind you won't be getting," he said.

Wei pouted. "But why not?" he asked.

"Because they're for the audience and the guests. That's about it," Luca stated.

"Oh."

"What about you?" Luca asked, seeking to divert the conversation towards Wei. "You never tell me about your work."

Wei let out a small chuckle. "My work? It's boring, to be honest," he admitted. "It's just meetings all day, and checking over numbers and reports. Nothing too exciting."

Luca raised an eyebrow, genuinely interested. "Meetings and numbers, huh? Sounds boring. But there's a reason why you're still there though."

Wei nodded, "I mean it's Miles's company, so it wasn't hard getting a good position. No one is pissed off that Miles had placed me that high up since I still do my work. If I was in a different company, like my internship, I would have been an HR assistant or a clerk. While my degree gives me more freedom to other industries, it doesn't give access to the best jobs."

Luca's heart sank when he heard that Wei worked with Miles. They knew each other for a while. That means he also knows Noah more than likely. He couldn't help but think about Noah. Noah had been ignoring his messages for over a month now, and Luca was starting to worry.

"Do you know if Noah is alright?" Luca asked hesitantly.

"Noah? He's fine. Nothing's wrong with him as far as I know," Wei claimed.

"Then why isn't he replying to my messages?" Luca asked. "He's been ignoring me for more than a month now."

Wei took a sip of his drink, his gaze momentarily avoiding Luca's probing eyes.

"You know something, don't you?" Luca inquired, his intuition sharp and unyielding.

Wei feigned innocence, his denials quick. "Of course not," he insisted, but the unease in his voice was palpable.

Luca, however, wasn't convinced. He could sense that Wei was concealing something, and the need for honesty weighed heavily on him.

"Tell me the truth, Wei," Luca demanded, his tone firm and resolute. "What's really going on with Noah?"

Wei hesitated, the weight of the unspoken truth pressing down on him. He sighed, reluctantly breaking the silence. "He's upset with me, and he's taking it out on both of us."

Luca's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why both of us?"

Wei's shoulders slumped as he revealed the source of Noah's anger. "He found out that we're exes," Wei admitted, his voice tinged with regret.

Luca absorbed this revelation with a nod, his thoughts racing as he considered the implications of their past and the impact it was having on their present.

"Also he's been busy since he's been doing surgery nowadays," Wei continued.

"Alright. How's Kai?" Luca asked as he moved the conversation away from Noah to Kai. He watched as Wei's eyes lit up at the mention of his brother.

"Kai is crazy. He landed an incredible commission," Wei bragged, his face lighting up with excitement.

Curiosity piqued, Luca leaned in closer, eager to hear the details. "A commission from who?" he asked in a hushed tone.

Wei glanced around, ensuring their conversation remained private, before leaning in even closer. Their noses were nearly touching as he whispered, his breath gently tickling Luca's skin. Luca responded with a subtle nose scrunch, his attention fully captivated.

"Kai got commissioned by that couple," Wei disclosed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Luca leaned back, his eyes widening in astonishment. "He got commissioned by them? That's incredible," he exclaimed, his own excitement matching Wei's.

"I know!" Wei replied giddily, "even he couldn't believe it. I've been dropping Kai to their house for a while now as Kai tries to get inspiration."

"Well good luck to him," Luca gave a soft smile, "he deserves it."

"He truly does. What about Lucy? How's she doing?" Wei asked.

"I really don't talk to Lucy much," Luca began, "but she always manages to update me on her life. She's pretty excited about her upcoming vacation with her friends to Country B in a couple of weeks."

Wei raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Country B?" he repeated, clearly puzzled. "What's so special about Country B?"

Luca let out a small sigh, as if lamenting Wei's lack of attention to their shared experiences. "You must have skipped that class," he teased lightly. "City A, where Country B is located, is a bustling hub that draws people from all walks of life. They flock there to see the iconic street signs and the mesmerizing sea of lights that pierce through the darkness. It's really a fantastic place to visit."

Luca began scrolling through his phone, showing Wei some photos of their past trips to City A. He seemed unaware of the jealousy that simmered beneath the surface as Wei looked at the images of Luca and Kofi surrounded by the radiant glow of the city's lights.

While he didn't want to admit it, Wei's heart ached with the longing to be a part of those cherished moments. He had missed out on so much during his time away, and seeing Luca's happiness with someone else stung more than he cared to admit.

Wei managed a weak smile, trying to mask the turmoil of emotions that threatened to surface. "City A looks incredible," he remarked, his voice tinged with wistfulness. "You guys seem to have had an amazing time."

Luca nodded, his eyes still fixed on the photos. "Yeah, it's been great," he acknowledged, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil brewing within Wei.

Luca looked happy in these pictures, having fun with Kofi and two other people. Wei couldn't shake the feeling that he was on the outside looking in, longing for a place in Luca's life that seemed to have been claimed by someone else.

"You know, I haven't asked before, but how did you meet Kofi?" Wei inquired, his curiosity getting the best of him.

Luca's smile barely faltered before returning with even greater enthusiasm.

"It was actually just by chance," he explained. "We met in Erthka Park, of all places. Kofi was the one who introduced me to motorcycles and the world of racing."

Wei listened to Luca's explanation with a polite smile, though his heart carried a mixture of emotions. The mention of Kofi and their shared experiences made Wei feel somewhat out of place, like an outsider peering into a world he didn't fully belong to.

"That must have been nice," Wei replied with a faint smile, acknowledging Luca's connection with Kofi.

Luca nodded in agreement, his enthusiasm for Kofi evident. "Yeah, it was quite an unexpected turn of events," he admitted, his gaze distant as he reminisced about those initial encounters in Erthka Park.

As the conversation continued, Wei couldn't help but wonder about the bond between Luca and Kofi and how it might affect their rekindled friendship. It was a complicated dance of emotions and unspoken truths, and Wei was determined to navigate it with grace and understanding.