Cole and Adam stood beside each other, peering over the edge of the balcony.
"The view is great right" whispered Cole to Adam who was in awe of the view he had from the top floor as he seemed to be able to see the entirety of Brooklyn.
"Want to go first" offered Cole.
"Why not" accepted Adam, who had prepared himself for the story he would give Cole, that had as much truth in it as he could tell Cole, without revealing the Dungeon System.
"Well, I will begin with the reason I left school. High school was a great time and probably the best time in my life with me, you, Emma and Sarah always being with each other and enjoying our time, but everything changed when my aunt collapsed.
The doctors thought she merely fainted from overworking herself, but after a few days of not waking up, she was diagnosed as a comma patient.
After watching everything my aunt had been through for me and working two jobs for me to be able to study and live a normal life without worry, I couldn't just leave her in a comma with nobody paying her medical bills and I also needed money to survive, so I simply left school to work.
I juggled between jobs, was sometimes homeless and starving when I couldn't find a job and needed to spend all my money on my aunt's medical bills, and was struggling to live and thought of giving up.
After two years, I thought it was over. until an old man one day saw me sleeping on the street and gave me a job and some money to clean myself up.
For the past half a year I have been working under him and training my body daily, as it was very weak, and managed to get myself to this position" narrated Adam, with pain and sorrow in his eyes as he pondered on his past.
"You stupid idiot" insulted Cole as he slapped Adam's head.
"You could have turned to me as your bro to help you out, but you took on the burden of everything alone. You know I also cared for your aunt as she also treated me well after my mother died, but you decided to keep me in the dark" stated Cole after hearing everything Adam had been through.
Cole's mother died when he was very young and he had always felt lonely, as his dad was always busy and working, until Adam became friends with him and played with him every day.
Cole over years became like a brother to Adam and another son to Adam's aunt as he was with them almost every day, with his father never having much time for him, and they were always happy together.
And to hear everything that had happened to Adam and his aunt, without him knowing, was a slap in the face.
"I didn't want to be a burden on you. It's all in the past now and I will find a way to help my aunt" declared Adam, not wanting, himself attempting to handle everything alone, to stay as the topic of the conversation.
"You know that I got your back bro, if you are ever struggling you can always turn to me" insisted Cole.
"Same for you" agreed Adam as they shared a deep hug.
"Now enough of that, how did Sarah get involved in this" asked Cole as he pushed Adam off him and returned to his jestful nature.
"Well, it was not long ago when I went to a club nearby, just wanting to see what it was like, and I saw a girl being abused by some men. So just like anybody else would do in that situation I turned a blind eye and walked away" narrated Adam with a wry smile as Cole began to laugh.
"After that, she ran after me, I had to fight the men and beat them up, then we both recognised each other and it was Sarah. Not long after I found out about her father, also being in a bad state like my aunt, as he was struggling against cancer and had to stay within hospital. So, I paid off her father's bills that she couldn't afford and I allowed her to stay at my place as she was very low on money." continued Adam.
"Nothing else" inquired Cole with a cheeky smile, giving Adam a wink.
"Oh yeah, I quit my job and gave all my saved money to Sarah to make a business for us" revealed Adam.
"What" exclaimed Cole in shock of what seemed to be a stupid decision.
"What if it doesn't work out and you can't make any profit, what will you do then" screamed Cole.
"Well, my bro is rich and can always give the lowly poor friend of his some scraps" answered Adam jokingly, as they both burst out into laughter.
"So what about you, what have you been doing over the past few years," asked Adam after they had finished laughing.
"Hmmm, where do I start. Not much has happened to me. I finished high school and after graduating from high school had a few holidays with Emma as it turned out, my father was really rich and had many businesses. I enjoyed myself with my father's money and have been chilling ever since" stated Cole simply.
"Are you going to go to college" asked Adam.
"Nah, ever since I turned 18, I have been learning under my father to take over his businesses as an adult and they will be passed onto me when I turn 21" declared Cole gloatingly.
"Technically we are bros. So, we are sharing right" jested Adam.
"Yeah sure" affirmed Cole sarcastically.
They conversed on the balcony together for hours both reminiscing and laughing at old memories they shared together.
Until suddenly Adam heard a notification within his mind.
{It is nearly 10 pm and you will be transported to the dungeon in 30 seconds} announced the system.
"Shit" screamed Adam suddenly, completely forgetting about the time.