On the outskirts of the City, a boy around fourteen years old was silently sobbing as his father was mercilessly whipping his small frame. 

He was supposed to be taller like the normal kids around his age but poverty and malnutrition hinder him from growing physically. 

His bones were almost visible and his gunmetal gray eyes were almost popping out from their sockets.

"This is the only amount you can give me? Twenty bucks? What can this money buy? This isn't even enough to buy a liquor!"

Conan stared on the ground, biting his lips hard to avoid any audible cries from coming out. It will only anger his father if he heard a single noise from him.

Their neighbors didn't even bat an eye on what was happening as they were already used to these kind of scene almost everyday in the slums of the Highlands View.

He was working from dawn to midnight just to buy food for their family. It should be his father that was working but that responsibility had passed to him.

His father doesn't want to find a job yet always forcing him to work his bones out to sustain his vices.

Conan was out early every morning to find some useful items on the dump site that he could sell. 

He got lucky today because he somehow found a bracelet that cost at least a hundred dollars. He knew that it cost more but the merchants had their own ways. Conan doesn't argue anymore since he knew that they can be pretty cruel when provoke.

He kept the money to his savings which he was afraid that it will be spent soon as he noticed that his mother was starting to get sick. He needs money to buy some medicine in case of emergency.

But Conan's father didn't understand that nor anyone else around them. Everyone was set their eyes on how to crawl their way out of this shithole even in exchange of leaving their loved ones behind. 

Their life was like a daily competition. If you don't know how to work for your own then you will left behind. 

Survival of the fittest. Survive and live, or die in despair. That's the only choice that they have.

A whimper slipped on Conan's lips. It didn't took time when he felt his body slammed on the pile of woods behind him. 

His father, Garou Morata, grabbed his neck and squinted his eyes on him. His huge body towered Conan who was trembling in fear of his own father.

"You never learn, kid. Give me more money next time or else you're dead. I don't care how you do it. Steal if that's the only way of giving the amount that I need. What I'm asking is just a small sum compared to the expenses I've spent to raise you. Grave that in your stupid head."

Conan catches his breath as he stared at the leaving frame of his father. He gritted his teeth as anger and hatred started to rose inside his chest.

"Conan..."

Conan immediately wiped his tears, looking in the entrance of their house where his mother was standing weak. 

Her complexion was pale— almost lifeless. Empathy and sadness were visible in her eyes while looking at the poor state of her son. Her lips stretched in a smile as she opened her arms for him.

Conan's throat went dry as he hurriedly ran and indulge in the warmth embrace of his mother. This time, he cried his heart out.

He doesn't really mind the life that they have. He was more willing to work at a young age to help provide the family's needs. 

He doesn't mind carrying all the responsibilities but what makes him sad was his father. He always dealt with violence everyday. He always hurt them and that's what makes Conan's life more miserable. 

He was hoping that his father would change but he already knew that it won't happen after he saw some sachet of cocaine in one of his drawers yesterday.

He was a dealer and someone who lives outside the City won't undergo a proper trial as they were instantly sentence to life long imprisonment.

He wanted to threw it but Conan knew better. His father will kill him, literally.

Conan silently watched the setting sun. The wind blew along with the stench of garbage and pollution. He was used to it though as he grew up on smelling it every day.

His eyes shifted to the magnificent City. In Conan's eyes, it was the definition of pride and beauty that it was almost glowing in so much glamour. 

Everyone calls it the City of talents and dreams and Conan wants to be part of it someday. He wants to know what kind of food they eat, how their water taste and how comfortable they sleep.

"Brother! Let's go home! You'll be in trouble if father comes home before you!"

The little girl was Conan's younger sister, Emma. 

She was forced to do house chores at a young age by their father. She's always at home because she was forbidden to go out and play with kids at her age. Their father was strict to her and so as Conan. With the widespread crime in their area, they really need to be cautious.

Their dinner went in silent aside from the occasional coughing of their mother.

Conan washed the dishes as he listened the suppress cough from the other room. 

He decided to go out to buy some medicine for her mother when he heard a loud noises outside their house. This was supposed to be normal but when the uproar gets intensified, Conan started to panic.

He was about to lock the door when a loud banging from outside interrupted it.

"Garou Morata? Are you inside? We received a tip that you are selling cocaine. We have a clearance to enter and search your house."

Conan's eyes widened in shock and fear. 

Cops!

Before he could do anything, the door forcefully swung open, showing at least five officers, fully armed and were clad in black uniform.

"Do you know Garou Morata? Is he your father? Where is he?"

Conan's knees were trembling. He can't concentrate as his eyes were glued to the gun that they were holding. 

The ruckus made his mother and sister to wake up. Agnes, Conan's mother almost collapsed when she saw the armed men. Conan swiftly aide her, took his startled sister and shielded them using his small body.

The officers started searching their house. Conan already knew what they were looking for. 

"W-What's happening, Sir? We didn't violate anything and why are you trespassing our home?!" 

Despite Agnes trembling voice, she managed to stay strong to defend their property.

"We got an anonymous tip that Garou Morata is selling a cocaine. Is he your husband? Are you hiding him? Don't try to cooperate with him or else everyone of you will be thrown in jail."

"W-What?.. C-Cocaine?" 

The disbelief was visible in Agnes voice. Unable to digest the information, her body finally collapsed on the floor as blood started to flow out of her nose.

"Mom!" Emma and Conan cried in horror.

"Our father is not here! Please, leave already!"

"Chief, we've found around 3 grams of cocaine in one of their cabinets."

Conan saw the sachet that the officer was holding. It was a different one from what he saw yesterday.

The Chief checked it and gritted his teeth. "This is the reason why crime rate this year has increased! Damn dealers!"

"B-But.. It's not that much!" 

Conan defended his father. It's true that he was ruthless but he's still his father. And seeing his mother state, she will loose it if he'll get jailed.

The Chief's face darkened as he approached Conan. 

"Listen here, young man. This is not about volume and quantity. It's the fact that he sells drug. It's the fact that he's part of the organization who slowly kills people and the whole society. He's a dealer and I know for a fact that he's also a user. Be grateful that we've prevented it. We are just protecting you from harm."

Conan gulped as he don't know on how to counter that.

"Your father had committed a crime. We're going to find him and don't expect to see him ever again."