When Sae arrived back at the classroom after his consultation session, Emi was already there. The little girl chatted with the remaining girls from Sae’s class. She came over so much that at some point, the older kids stopped caring for the age gap, and were really friendly with her.
Spotting him, Emi waved at Sae entering through the back door. He went to his chair and selected some books to put in his bag, tidying up his desk.
Emi bid goodbye to those girls. She raised her voice to ask with half the room between them, "Where were you?"
Sae glanced at her. "Teachers' office."
The little girl skipped to his side. A big bag slung over her skinny shoulder. "Why? Why? Why?"
Sae smirked. "Haven't the girls already told you?"
"Tsk, you're no fun." Emi pulled out a lollipop from her pocket and put it in her mouth. She threw the overstuffed sports bag at Sae.
He caught it with ease, asking, "Where are you going?"
"To play with friends."
Sae looked her over. The girl was wearing high socks with rubber boots. They completely covered her knees and reached the edges of her uniform's skirt.
Emi dragged the toe of her boot on the hardwood floor.
The sports bag in Sae's hands was not light. It was the afternoon, and normally, Emi should go to training that started at four. If she did not take her bag it meant that she was skipping.
Sae put the bag down and packed the rest of his books. A few moments later, he zipped up his own bag and slung it over his chest. He said, "It will rain."
The girl smacked her lips then pointed to her feet, "I know, hehe. I'll pick up my bag in the evening."
"Don't come too late or my mum will have questions." Sae lifted the sports bag and pulled its strap over his head.
"I know,” Emi sighed. “Ah, stop nagging." She said that but reached out to help. Sae shrugged and adjusted the bags for some time so the coarse material would not chafe the skin of his neck. After it was done, the two straps crossed over his chest.
Emi stepped back and her lips quirked up. Since Sae took her bag, they didn't need to talk any more. Theirs was a relationship based on mutual understanding and shared history.
The little girl turned around and moved to the door, "I'm going now. Thanks!" She waved over her shoulder.
Sae watched her leave then turned to go as well. He usually took the bus or train home, but today he walked all the way. There were a few things he had to think over. With mild weather that carried the chance of rain, walking suited his mood better.
It took Sae forty minutes to get home.
He put the bags in his room so his mother would not see them. Of course, she was not yet home so early. Most of the time when Sae went home and Emi did not accompany him, he was alone at least until dinnertime.
Sae's mother worked in a middle profile restaurant near the city centre. It was not an overly fancy place; but an independent, respectable establishment. Sae’s mother tried to alter her shifts so she could spend as much time at home as possible. Even then, a manager had a lot of responsibilities.
Leading a team as well as being part of it, taking care of customers, overseeing supplies and stock, planning… Sometimes she only had time for her administration duties at home.
After getting home, Sae did his homework for a few hours. His good academics were not just some fluke. He worked hard for those results doing his assignments meticulously every day, followed by further readings. Sae was no genius who only had to look once at something to memorise it. Besides, being in humanities class kind of implied one's interest and enthusiasm in the written word.
At six, Sae went to the kitchen to find something to snack on. He got a text from his mum informing him that they'd eat together at dinner. He answered, Okay.
Sae changed clothes and lazed around. Girls danced on the television screen, but he did not pay much attention to them. The soft drone of the music program filled the entire room.
Sae's mother did not like it if the house was too quiet when her son was not studying. She did not want to tie down Sae's study time, nor take up much from his free time. She trusted Sae and let him have freedom of his own. There was no reason not to.
When the neighbouring ladies asked why she let him do as he wanted she replied, “Why not let him have some fun? It must be stifling already, studying all the time in silence.”
Sae played on his phone with his legs stretched on the sofa. The school forum and most of his group chats were filled with the same topic: the arrival of one particular transfer student.
It was all the same, guessing and silly observations. Sae looked at the comments for three minutes then shut it all down. It made his head hurt.
The only problem was that after seeing those messages the game no longer absorbed his attention. After a while, an image appeared in his mind. It was of Shum Deil and the way he looked at him earlier.
The kid had the audacity to ask Sae where the fuck he knew him from.
The nerve of him was kinda cute.
Earlier, at school, Sae walked away without a word. Now a memory from two weeks’ time involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
That time, his mum asked Sae to go and get Emi after her extra classes on Wednesday night. Usually, those classes would end by eight. That week, however, Emi had a supplementary class to make up for the one the academy previously cancelled because of the holidays. The little girl wrote that they would finish at 10 pm, so Sae set off at 9.20.
The English academy sat between two large building complexes at the edge of High Street. As a narrow but tall building, it stretched up to five storeys. On the first floor were the lobby and administration. Higher up were the different class- and conference rooms.
Sae felt lazy so he rode the train, but miscalculated a bit. Since he set off at a time needed to take the route on foot, he still had twenty minutes to spare. Thus, he got off at an earlier station across the main square. Otherwise, he could have ridden all the way to the academy but did not want to stand there waiting.
Sae strolled the remaining way on foot.
On the northern side of High Street stretched a web of densely populated alleys with cheaper businesses, pc rooms, and various bars. Bright lights, music, and the sound of machines flowed from the open doorways. They lit up the cold night air.
Next to the junction of the alleys, Sae had to take a pedestrian overpass on his way to High Street.
It was rather chilly; Sae burrowed deeper into his cotton-padded jacket. His mother worked the late night shift, and would not be back until two in the morning, maybe later. If she saw him going out wearing so little, he would have definitely gotten scolded.
Usually, if Sae had to go anywhere alone he listened to something, let it be music, audiobooks, or listening comprehension tests. It didn’t matter what, as long as there was something to occupy his mind. Unfortunately, his phone showed less than 8% of battery, so he passed on that.
He checked to see if there were any new messages from Emi. The two decided to have a snack before going home.
At almost ten at night, there were not a lot of people around on the overpass. The youth strolled with leisure but certain steps.
He drifted more to the edge of the bridge to make space for a big oncoming group across from him. The office workers were surely on their way from, or to a gathering. As they passed each other, Sae heard a dull tinkling sound. At first, he thought something hit the railing so he turned back. There was nothing on the ground. The group had already passed; it could not come from them either.
Then, another sound came, lower and heavier this time, more like a thud. Sae looked over the railing.
Under the curve of the stairs, several dark figures moved in and out of the gleam of street lamps, pushing each other. The light was not the best and the stairs cast long slabs of shadows below.
"Fucking imbecile! Your momma never taught you any manners?" The question was followed by more thuds and grunting. Some cursing mixed in, intermitted by the sound of fists colliding with flesh.
Sae did not care about a petty street fight. They were all the same anyway, nothing interesting. Losing interest, he leaned back, ready to pass.
Right at that moment, one of the parties engaging in the fight got pushed out into the radiance of the surrounding shop's light. It only took a moment, but Sae stopped. Something in his mind made him stay and watch.
The one who got pushed was young, as young as Sae himself, basically just a kid. He wore casual clothes without a jacket and a bruise had already formed near his cheekbone. The others surrounded him in a circle, most of them fairly young as well, but a few years older. None of them looked more than seventeen.
The lone kid radiated arrogance. He kicked out a few times, his feet colliding with various body parts from ribs to upper thighs. For some inexplicable reason, Sae stood rooted to the spot, watching the fight unfold before his eyes.
The kid below spat out a mouthful of blood and wiped his lips on his sleeve. "Fuck! And you said you were good?!" He laughed and his teeth were bloody. Honestly, he looked a little unhinged. "What–– what was that earlier? Making me apologise? Making me kneel?! Dude, don't you think you overestimate yourself?" He made an obnoxious snigger, egging on the remaining duo that were still standing. One of them could not contain himself anymore and charged at the kid.
The kid sidestepped him and grabbed his hoodie, slamming the attacker into the side of a thick pole. What he did not expect was that at that moment, the last youth standing would plough him down with arms locked around his torso.
As they fell over, the kid's gaze collided with Sae's as he looked down from the bridge. It was only for one second, but their eyes met and held.
Due to the heavy push, the kid fell back. He tried to kick out again. Before he could do so, a punch landed on his face. His head snapped to the side, then rolled back. His eyes found Sae's eyes again.
Sae moved to step back. Right then, the phone in his pocket rang.
Lying on the rough, cold street the kid got his chin locked in place by a strong hand. Three more punches landed on his face in quick succession. Not long after, he successfully kicked the other off of him, then lay on his back looking up.
In a daze, Sae turned to his phone screen. Before he could take it, the incoming call got disconnected. It was from Emi.
Sae could feel the other boy's eyes on him still. He raised his head, glancing down again. His hand still held the phone, raised halfway to his ear. The face that stared at him was expressionless, bleeding freely.
That kid was Shum Deil.
Of course, Sae did not know it at the time. He raised an eyebrow. Behind his glasses, his eyes were cold.
Sae turned away, calling Emi back. Taking a step, then another – he went on his way, without looking back.
It did not matter how much Sae thought about it now, he would not change what he did. Or more precisely, what he did not do.
In the first place, that fight seemed two-sided. There was no place for a third party to intervene. Besides, it did not look like anyone needed help.
Sae was fundamentally not a nosy or meddlesome person. There was no reason to do anything about this incident, even though he had personally witnessed it. Moreover, even though he had walked away, someone eventually called the police.
In all truthfulness, what he had seen that night did not leave a deep impression. It didn’t cross Sae's mind, not once, and after the passing of weeks he had almost forgotten all about it. Even when all the school could talk about was the fight that forced Shum Deil to transfer, in Sae's mind, the two never made a connection.
But today he saw the boy, and he got asked Where the fuck do I know you from?
That meant that – however involuntarily – their meeting took up some small, subconscious part of Shum Deil's mind. If Shum Deil did not give up trying to find out where they had met, not to mention further run-ins in school were inevitable, sooner or later the situation was bound to become troublesome for Sae.
Lazing on the sofa, Sae stared up at the grey ceiling, feeling the whispers of an oncoming headache. He remained in that position until, at ten past seven, his mum arrived, umbrella and a stuffed paper bag in hand. Drops of water slid towards the umbrella’s tip, drip-dropping on the floor.
"Look who I ran into outside the door," she said as a greeting. A young girl peeked from behind her. Sae’s mum continued, "I was just about to say we should invite Emi over for dinner, and then she was right in front of my eyes!"
They gathered inside the front door and Sae went to help with the bag. Delicious scents wafted from the styrofoam containers in it. His mother smiled at him, handing the bag over.
She usually only cooked once or twice every other week, while most of the food they ate came from the restaurant she worked at. Sae did not mind. The food at the restaurant was rather tasty.
Sae's mum and Emi went to the bathroom to unload their umbrellas and wash their hands.
In the kitchen, Sae put plates and the like on the table. At one end of it a microwave sat beside a jar of tea with glasses on a shiny tray. A woven basket box full of vitamins and supplements sat atop the microwave. Before Sae's hand touched any of the glasses, Emi ran over and snatched one to pour herself some tea. She treated the place as her own home.
Sae’s mum came in and put the envelopes filled with bills next to the woven basket. She heaved a sigh before sitting down.
"Sweetheart, slow down," she said to Emi, "Are you in a hurry?"
The girl gulped before replying, "No. I'm just really thirsty."
Sae's mum hummed. "Was club tiring?"
Club: as in the track club. The one that’s training Emi skipped today.
Hearing the question, Sae smirked at Emi with raised eyebrows.
The girl coughed a bit before saying, "It was... manageable." She put the now empty glass down, grabbed another one and filled it with water. She placed it before Sae's mum to divert the attention.
The woman gave a warm smile. "Thank you, sweetheart."
The little girl smirked back at Sae, and went to sit next to him.
His mum asked, "What time is your mother coming back this week?"
"Saturday morning. She'll stay three days this time." Emi beamed with delight, obviously excited. Sae's mother shared the girl’s joy, the corners of her mouth on the rise once again. She placed food on the children's plates, and the three of them started to eat.
They chatted intermittently, but none of his mum's inquiries were burdensome. Perhaps it came from her job, perhaps it was a personal skill, but the woman knew exactly when to probe and when to back off so the conversation's flow never ebbed, remaining easy and light at all times. She was naturally an attentive person and had a lot of experience dealing with people. The little girl had a harmonious meal with the two of them.
Ever since her mother started working in another region of the country, Emi had spent most of her weekdays at Hoh’s house. Of course, she went home to sleep and study and whatnot, but in the remaining times, she frequented Sae’s house as much as she did her own. Even prior to this arrangement, she had been around just as much.
Following dinner, Sae’s mum shooed the kids away while she prepared a plate of fruit in the kitchen. The little girl followed Sae into his room. He kicked the door closed with his foot, then collapsed on his bed.
Emi asked, "Where's my bag?"
"Next to the dresser." Sae's voice sounded muffled by the pillows. He turned his head to the side and watched Emi pull at the bag's strap.
"Thank you, thank you!"
"Didn't mum realise that you don't have the sports bag with you?"
Emi thought about it. "We could say that I stepped out for something from home and we met as I was coming back." She sat on Sae's desk chair and swivelled around to face the bed. The little girl crossed her legs and put them on Sae's lower back. In response, he swatted at her foot but missed.
Emi poked him. "Did you see the new guy? How does he look? The girls and I tried walking around the third floor to catch a glimpse without any success."
At school, different areas and buildings were designated for each year of classes. Since Emi belonged to a class two years below the seniors, most of her classes were on the first floor.
Hearing this topic of conversation, Sae let go of a heavy sigh. He thought back to his exchange with Shum Deil and felt the headache coming back.
Sae grumbled, "Honestly, could anyone talk about something else? No matter where I turn my head, all I hear is the new guy, Shum Deil, the transfer kid. I'm sick and tired of it."
Emi was slightly taken aback. It had been a while since she heard Sae voice his dissatisfaction this strong about... anything. "What is your problem now?"
"Nothing," Sae continued to sulk, which made Emi laugh. This type of behaviour was uncharacteristic.
"Okay,” she said, “I heard he's quite scary in person but really cool."
Sae snickered and plopped onto his back. "Even a puffed up chicken is cool now?"
"What was that?"
"Nothing." Sae mumbled, turning his head to the side.
The little girl stared at him but could not pinpoint exactly what was different about him. Thus, she pulled out her phone to fiddle with, giving up on the impossible.
Sae did not say anything more and a comfortable quiet blanketed the room. After all the food, he felt full and lazy, up until Emi's broach of the topic. But when the only noise in the room remained the tapping of the little girl's nails on her phone, his mood went back to that cosy state.
When his mum called for them to come out and eat, Sae was on the verge of falling asleep. He sent Emi out and remained motionless on his bed.
Half an hour later Sae heard Emi hollering bye from the front door.
Not long after, his mother visited his room. Sae was checking out M High’s courses. On the laptop screen, the school’s liberal arts program presented possibilities for further training in art. Sae snapped the laptop shut the moment he saw his mum.
“Still dozing off?” His mother looked at him and sat on the side of the bed. The mattress dipped under her weight, and she ran a hand over the duvet. "Your head teacher called me today."
Sae hummed in agreement. No surprise there.
In a low voice, his mother asked, "Do you really want to go to M High School?" She was a straightforward person who believed in propriety. When something unexpected happened, she first waited, thinking things through, then addressed the problem by asking questions. She said things as they were and she valued honesty above all else.
Sae stilled her mother's hand and sat up properly. "Mum, what the teacher said wasn't for me. He only wants to boost the school's fame by sending kids to prestigious high schools. He doesn't actually care."
His mother's face was mild. "After the call, I realised that I never sat down to ask you about what you want. It was such an obvious choice to stay in the district. M High is a decent school, has a nice environment and many of the neighbourhood kids will continue their studies there. Maybe I was wrong.” She sighed. “I never intended––"
Sae stopped her. "Mum. I don't want anything in particular. If I had other ideas, I would have told you already. At M High, even if I don't get a scholarship, the tuition won't be that harsh. What those other schools ask for... it's unreasonable. I wouldn't feel alright with it." His usually solemn eyes were very transparent, full of openness and honesty. "Besides, you know how lazy I am. I don't want to make a fuss with the entrance exams."
His mum looked at him with rap attention. She knew that her son wasn't truly lazy. A quick-witted boy ever since a young age, she knew he had a great deal of consideration towards her. Others often said his temperament was nothing good, but that was only the disposition inherent to growing up and living just the two of them.
Sae was actually a very good child with a sweet heart, very studious for her and his own sake.
As she looked on she wondered, just when did her little boy grow up so much.
Sae finished talking and she nodded with a smile. "Good. I started to doubt if your temper softened until you became timid. But that couldn't be right." Sae’s mum played the part of a grumbling parent, but in reality, Sae hardly ever gave her trouble.
A well-practised, almost theatrical sigh followed. "So it was laziness all along. There's nothing to worry about then." She touched his head and then stood up, moving to the door. "If you don't want any fruit, put it in the fridge and eat it later. I have to head back to check everything before closing."
Sae nodded, slumping back to the headboard.
His mum warned, "Don't stay up too late reading again."
Sae leaned back all the way and hummed in agreement.
That night he slept well, with hardly any thoughts circling his head before he fell asleep. He did not dream of anything in particular.
