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“Alright, what do you need?” Milo asked reluctantly.

“You need to pick up a delivery for me. I’ll send you the address and the details. Everything’s already prepared. It’s as simple as that.”

“But I don’t want that stuff sitting in my trunk all day.”

“You can drop it off at my place on your way to Santa Monica. No problem. It’s right on the way.”

“Okay. Send me the details.”

“You’re the best!” Diego exclaimed and hung up.

“Guys,” Milo said, crestfallen. “Change of plans. We’re making a quick detour …” He peered at the screen as a message popped up. “To Koreatown.”

“Sure,” Tristan replied with a casual shrug.

Perhaps it might have been better to object. Leaf knew the area well and already had a hunch where Diego would send Milo; he only used one place in Koreatown as a drop-off point. While there were many crackheads in the neighborhood, Diego was keen on keeping the house clean. His sister, Ariana, even lived on the top floor while deals were made on the ground floor.

Leaf had a bad feeling, but seeing Milo handling the situation with Diego, he chose to remain silent. Despite his doubts, Milo had successfully concealed his financial issues from Tristan and resolved matters through hard work. Leaf, having settled his own affairs with Diego, felt it wasn’t his place to intervene in any way.

Shortly after, Milo stopped at the designated address. All the parking spots in front of the house were taken, so he parked a little further down the street. Leaf was okay with that. The farther away, the better; he didn’t want to run into Ariana.

“Wait here for a sec,” Milo said as they all exited the car. “I’ll be right back.”

Tristan took a few steps and glanced around, his expression tinged with suspicion. The sight of the neighborhood was unsettling enough to make him uncomfortable. He rubbed his arms, as if sensing a chill despite the sweltering humidity of the day. A warm breeze rustled through the palm fronds overhead.

“Do you think the weather will hold up?” Tristan asked worriedly.

Leaf laughed as he crossed his arms and leaned against the car. “Don’t worry. The pier is covered. You’ll get your funnel cake.”

“I definitely will,” Tristan said, stepping closer to Leaf but keeping a careful distance. A sheen of sweat glistened his face, and his black curls appeared noticeably frizzier than usual, likely due to the oppressive humidity. His dark eyes sparkled with that affectionate expression that always left Leaf weak in the knees. Ever since they became a couple on the last tour, Leaf yearned to constantly touch Tristan. Any distance between them felt unbearable.

But Tristan wasn’t ready to make their relationship public yet, and Leaf respected that. Though it was tough for him, Leaf prioritized Tristan’s comfort above all else—that was the most important thing.

“Where are we, anyway?” Tristan asked, glancing around. “What’s Milo doing here?”

“He’s picking up something.”

“Hmm … Lately, he’s had a lot more secrets than usual.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“It’s probably because we’ve been away from home for so long, and the time we’ve spent here hasn’t been particularly long either.”

“You missed him,” Leaf said sympathetically. “So it’s normal for you to feel like there’s a gap in your knowledge regarding Milo now.”

“Yeah, maybe. I wish he could come on tour with us.”

“Did you ask him if he wants to come?”

“Of course.” Tristan threw his hands up in frustration. “He said his place is here. But I don’t get it. We have enough earnings, and room and board would be free. Why is he still working so hard with these jobs? It seems completely unnecessary.”

Leaf nodded, a cold knot in his stomach. Why had Milo ever told him about those debts he’d been trying to pay off for months? Although Tristan didn’t voice his concerns aloud, Leaf could tell he suspected something. After all, Tristan knew his brother well enough to sense when something was amiss. The way Tristan looked around and nervously rubbed his arms suggested he intended to confront Milo after the quick stop. He would ask his brother if there was cause for concern and if he still didn’t want to join them on tour. While Milo may be the older of the two and had taken it upon himself to look after Tristan, Tristan did everything for Milo when he needed help too.

The wind picked up, and it looked like a storm was brewing. Dark clouds were gathering from the south and towering high into the sky.

“Urgh … Where is he?” Tristan asked impatiently.

Leaf shook his head in amusement and lit another cigarette. Waiting was never Tristan’s strong suit. He had learned to deal with it better on the last tour but still hated it. Leaf was different. He enjoyed the dead time when nothing was demanded of him.