Chapter 20: Goodbye.
"Hey, Haru. I know this is probably strange for you since we haven't met yet, but I'm your mom's younger brother. You don't have to call me uncle if you don't want to. I would actually feel strange since I haven't even spoken to you until now, so just call me Zen." A voice came from the phone as Haru placed it to his ear.
"Zen? Ok that works for me." Haru said awkwardly.
It felt like he was trying to have a deep conversation with an old lady on the bus. They didn't have anything in common and it wasn't all that of an interesting talk anyway.
"Yeah. Um… Sorry, I don't know what else I should say. I feel like the worst uncle in the world. But it was kind of a mutual decision. After your grandmother died, your mother, our older brother Andrew and I didn't really get on that much. We were at each other's throats about the inheritance so your mother and our older brother Bo, decided to pass it onto me and then we would live our own lives without any more contact with each other. Oh, that reminds me. Your mother told me you had a little run-in with a certain old bastard, how did that go?"
"The guy who claimed to be my grandfather? Well, he busted into the room whilst I was having a conversation and then started to criticize my mother's parenting skills and then went on to disrespecting my dad so I threw him out. It wasn't much, really." Haru explained to Zen as Krista and Luke both gave each other a concerned look.
"Pft, that guy will never learn his lesson. I swear he still comes to me begging me for money. I wouldn't blame you if you just put the old guy out of his misery. Honestly, I have thought about getting rid of him myself. But I don't want to get my hands dirty for someone as pathetic as him." Zen spoke with quite some anger before changing the subject suddenly.
"Hey, I was wondering if you had decided if you were coming to stay with me? If you don't want to, I can give you an apartment in the city, If you will feel more comfortable with that." He sounded a little sad as he asked.
Haru thought about it for a second. He thought Zen sounded like he was pretty easy to get along with, and he would need someone to rely on if he accidentally got himself into trouble. Haru wasn't a Chinese citizen, so he could be targeted by people if they really wanted to. He needed to know at least one person right?
But what the deciding factor came down to was privacy. If he decided to stay in an apartment alone his mom would worry too much and be calling him every second of the day to make sure he had eaten. If he decided to live with Zen at least his parents would let him have a little bit of freedom.
"Um… Well, I don't know anyone here and I heard that China can be quite a dangerous place. So would it be okay if I stayed with you."
"It's okay I understand I was asking a lot… Wait, you said you wanted to stay with me? Great!" Zen realised what Haru had said whilst trying to explain himself before cheering.
Haru laughed as he heard the excitement in Zen's voice from the other side of the phone. Haru thought about his situation. Zen hasn't had contact with his family for fifteen years at least. It must be kind of lonely.
"Hey Haru pass the phone to your mom. I still need to talk to her and give her the security code to the building. Hey, would you like to go to a normal school? I will talk to your mom about it! Hurry, hand her the phone." Haru found Zen's enthusiasm refreshing.
He seemed excited to meet him. And Haru was just as excited. He wanted to know more about his family situation. He didn't know much right now but it still left a bad taste in his mouth when he thought about it. And how did his grandfather go missing? Haru was lost in thought before he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm still not sure where you managed to learn magic as powerful as what you taught us. But I wanted to say thank you. You have given me hope that I can save my mother." Haru turned around to see Mia standing in front of him. She had a tear forming in her eye.
"Why are you being so sappy? This isn't goodbye." Haru put his hand against her cheek and wiped the tear as it ran down her face. "If you ever need anything at all just reach out to me. I will always be here for you if you need me. Haru wasn't good with crying women so he decided to just tell her the truth of the situation.
"But it feels like we won't see each other ever again. You will be living your life here whilst I am training to be a soldier." Mia complained as Haru fiddled with his wrist for a moment.
"You have my word. I will always be there for you. All you have to do is ask for me and I will be in contact with you some way. Even if it is just a phone call. Here this is to represent me. If you ever miss me just look at it." Haru laughed as he handed her his lux. He didn't have much use for it as he couldn't use magic anymore.
"You will find a gift inside there if you open the storage compartment." Haru smiled again before Mia hugged him as hard as she could. He wasn't expecting that but as he stood there he felt her body shake a few times and she whimpered quietly. He knew her for only a short time but they had become pretty good friends. Haru put his arms around Mia's shoulders as she cried for a while.
Luke watched the whole thing happen before nudging Krista with his elbow as Haru and Mia hugged each other.
"Hey, look at our boy." He laughed as Krista stood shocked. She wasn't ready for this yet. In her eyes, Haru was still her baby. She wasn't ready to see him in the arms of a girl just quite yet.
"Why aren't you stopping them?" Krista whispered angrily to Luke who was smiling.
"For the same reason, you aren't. I am enjoying watching our son grow up right in front of us." They both smiled and watched on as their son was in the warm embrace of a woman.
Mia took her arms away from Haru slowly after letting all of her tears run out. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that."
Her face went bright red before she ran away into the distance. Haru tried to call out to her but he was again attacked with a hug but it was light and he felt little arms around his waist. Haru looked down to see Remi staring back up at him.
"Big brother needs to give me a hug too." She complained but smiled the whole time.
"Fine Remi gets a big hug too." Haru bent down before putting his arms around her and then lifting her up into the air.
"Is this a big enough hug for you?" He asked Remi who started to giggle.
"Yes! Big brother gives the best hugs!!!" She shouted as Haru slowly spun around in a circle before placing her gently on the floor. Remi giggled again before running off to go and hug Krista and Luke.
Jake was the next to walk over toward Haru. "Before you start I'm not letting you cry on my shoulder. There is no way in hell." Haru told Jake as he walked over whilst looking all sad.
"Is this really goodbye?" Jake asked.
"No way. You are always welcome to come and visit." Haru threw his arms around him.
"Fine just this once you can cry." He laughed. But to his surprise that is exactly what happened. Jake began to weep as they hugged each other. "You know you are the first friend I have ever had." Just said through his tears. Haru laughed lightly.
"Honestly. You are the same." He had lived two lives but the first fifteen years of his second life were far by much more fulfilling than anything that happened in his last life. There is no joy on the battlefield, only anguish and despair. Haru had finally experienced love in more ways than one in just this short amount of time.
Haru wrapped up his goodbye with the rest of his class. A few shed tears and the rest were just sorry to see him leaving them so soon.
"You! You had better stay safe." Miss Fujima hugged Haru which shocked everyone around. The usually angry and heartless Miss Fujima was hugging a student? She couldn't explain it herself. She just felt that he was destined to find trouble wherever he ended up so she wanted to wish him all the best for the tough life he would definitely have ahead of him.
And with that. The last of the goodbyes were over with. Haru began to walk behind his parents to the gates of the sect before turning around to look back at his classmates and friends. He waved to them before he was stopped in his tracks by a flash of blue.
"Haru! This is for you. Please remember me every time you see it." Mia had used magic to catch up to him and was now holding a string necklace with a silver pendant attached to it. It was in the shape of a snowflake.
"I will wear it every day so I can always keep you nearby," Haru said before getting into a black car. Mia blushed and found it hard to say anything as the car drove off into the distance. She felt regret as Haru vanished over the horizon.