SHIN POV
With a final glance, I looked out of the airplane window and said goodbye to my hometown.
"Mom, Dad, I will come back someday strong enough to give you the justice you deserve. Until then, please guide me from up there. I will be missing you. Goodbye.
*
*
Six years later,
"Shin, are you coming home with us this year?" Asked Marius.
"No, as I told you many times, I want to finish my studies as soon as possible. I won't take any breaks until we graduate and I have the certificate in my hands. "I don't have anything to do back there anyway," I replied nonchalantly, without sparing him a single glance.
"Shin, it's been six years already. Don't you miss our home? Our hometown, our country? Everyone there misses you a lot. " Marius asked with obvious persuasion in his tone.
I closed the book I was reading, put down the pen I used to jot down some important details regarding my studies, and looked at Marius.
"Yes, our country! How can I not miss our beautiful country? the country that is run by corrupt government officials and oligarchs? the country where justice is rotten to the core and justice is served only for those who have power and money? Yes, I miss our homeland a lot. " I said, shrugging my shoulders off.
Marius just heaved a sigh and raised his hand, admitting defeat. He's always been like this, even though he already knew my answer and I was going to turn him down anyway.
"Okay, fine, I won't force you, but sister Lulu said she's missing you so much. That's why I asked you, and you will be left here alone. You know Dylan, Riley, and Luke will also be going back home this coming semester break. How did you even manage to stay here alone?" Marius has always had another way of getting on my nerves.
"Ugh, I don't want to talk about this again. Let's grab dinner for now. Where are the other three idiots?" I said to change the topic.
"Oh yeah, speaking of the devil, here they are." Marius then mouthed Dylan, Luke, and Riley, who just got home from whichever place they had been.
"Hey, hey, we're not idiots, duh! Luke rolled his eyes.
"That's because you all are lazy; that's why you are idiots," I said, just jesting with them.
"Fine, fine, fine, Mr. Genius!" Marius with his signature rolling eyes
"Hey, I'm just joking, you know, right? I love you guys. I said this and smiled at them with puppy eyes. And just like that, they hugged me and stopped sulking. "Geez, no one can resist my charm, ehehe." I laughed at my naughty thoughts.
Yes, we're friends, but we sometimes have fights and get on each other's nerves, but we're all good at the end of the day and have stayed good friends up until now.
After dinner, everyone went to their bedrooms, and I quickly finished all my thesis that needed to be submitted before the semester break.
"Ahh, I wish Dylan wouldn't see me again sneaking out like this, just like last time. I hailed a cab and went to the same place that I'd been visiting every other night.
And again, I was welcomed by a very fierce-looking lady in her black leather skinny pants and shirt with a red leather jacket paired with black leather boots. Her hair is always tied up in a high ponytail. Her always-vermilion-colored lipstick with smoky eye shadow was emitting a death aura that could bring shivers down your spine if you didn't know her well.
"Good evening, Miss Lucy, I'm sorry for being late again," I said, greeting her with a shy smile.
"Haishh!!! You!" She hissed and flicked my forehead.
"Ouch!" I groaned, rubbing my forehead.
"You're always late; what's new with that? Go change your clothes now and go to the basement. Master Chow and Madam Yeoh, along with the others, are in there now," she said, and I hurriedly sprinted out to the locker room.
"Ouchh!!! ahhh!!! Please be gentle. It hurts! I yelled in pain.
"Hey, are you a kid? Who told you to overdo yourself? I told you eight rounds was enough, but you insisted on another round." said Master Chow, pressing the back of my shoulder even more.
"I just want to learn fast, master," I answered, and Master Chow gently massaged my shoulder blade one more time.
"Look here, Shin, I know why you are doing this. Anyhow, don't be reckless and do something stupid. I know you're not stupid, but sometimes emotions overwhelm us and lead us to do things we regret later on. so always think rationally." Master Chow stated:
"Yes, Master, I understand," I replied in agreement. It's not that I am reckless; I merely wanted to learn everything and train my body to handle all sorts of pain and how to fight without losing to the opponents.
"Okay, now inhale and exhale three times and put this cloth in your mouth. 3, 2,1!"
"Arghhhhhhhhhh!" I screamed in pain. Master Chow pulled my arm without even warning me and before he even finished counting. He could be so mean sometimes.
"Oh wait, it doesn't hurt now, master. I can move my arms and shoulders again. You're the best master Chow." I gave him a thumbs-up.
"It's just a dislocated bone, and it's not like this is your first time. Don't exaggerate, boy, but be careful next time, okay? Here, take this medicine before going to sleep. It helps to relax your muscles and lessen the pain in your body." Master Chow handed me a bottle of medicine. It's a traditional Chinese medicine based on the label of a bottle.
"Thank you, Master; I'm going home now," I said, then bid good night to everyone.
"Shit!!" I was shocked when I saw Dylan glaring at me the moment I stepped out of the gate. "Dylan? Why are you here? Gosh! You scared the hell out of me."
"I should be the one asking you, Shin. "What are you doing inside that building?" Dylan asked while crossing his arms over his chest.
"I, aah, eeh, umm—"
"Shin Wei!" I didn't finish talking when Dylan emphasized my name. I know he's serious and is not going to be lenient with me this time.
"You're stuttering, Shin; don't think of lying to me. I'm asking you. I followed you earlier, and you're sneaking like a mouse again. The last time you came home very late with bruises and a limp, you said you fell on the stairs. You always have lame excuses every time I catch you sneaking back home at dawn; what's your reason this time?" He sternly asked with brows furrowed.
"Umh... that... I—"
"If you're going to lie, then forget about our friendship."
"Fine, you win, but don't tell anyone, okay?"
"That depends; we're all friends; think about them as well."
Dylan could be so persistent and stubborn sometimes. But he has a point as well, so I have no choice but to be honest this time.
"The thing is, I'm doing some sort of martial arts and kickboxing."
"What the hell!" Dylan blurted it out in shock. "Since when? And why didn't you tell us about this? Didn't you know I was so worried to death about you since I saw you enter that building? How can we face Auntie and Uncle if something has ever happened to you? Since when did you start hiding secrets from us?" Dylan's litany, bombarding me with queries, makes me feel like my eardrum is about to explode.
"I'm sorry, Dylan. I just don't want everyone to worry about me. That's why I didn't tell you. Sorry." I said meekly
"Shin, Oh Shin, we are your friends, your best friends. Did you forget that? And what if something bad happens to you during that time of training? What should we tell Uncle and Aunty? We promise them to take care of you." Dylan said it sounded so mad, yet worries were written all over his face and the tone of his voice.
"I'm sorry, okay, please forgive me now, okay? please…" I tried using my cute charm, but it seems like it didn't work this time. Dylan sight
"Okay, fine, but—" he paused.
"But what?" I asked with curiosity about his possible condition for keeping my secret.
"If you bring me with you the next time, I want to know exactly what you are doing inside that building. Who are the people with whom you were interacting, whether they were trustworthy or not?"
I can't help but chuckle at Dylan's litany. He sure sounds like a mother to me, nagging his rebellious son.
"What's so funny?" He scrunched his cute brows.
"Nothing, but okay, I'll ask the master. Now let's go home. My body is sore all over, arg!" I groaned, and Dylan punched me lightly in the back instead of comforting me. meanie
"Ahem!"
We were sneaking inside on the balcony to get in when the butler caught us, which scared the shit out of us.
"The door is open, boys." Butler Charles caught us when we were about to jump onto the balcony. "It's alright to have boys' night outs secretly, but do not use the balcony, please; we don't want you injured." Butler Charles looks up to the balcony on the 2nd floor. "Oh, the others are all sleeping now, so you may enter through the front door." He added and made a zipped mouth gesture, meaning that he wouldn't tell Chairman and Madam Xiao.
Dylan and I scratched the backs of our heads sheepishly out of embarrassment. Butler Charles is such a nice person. He was the one in charge during our stay here.
Dylan and I continued the hard training almost every night when Master Chow agreed to his joining the organization.
Time really does fly so fast.
"Just a few days from now, we are going to graduate. Ahh, I'm so excited to go home," said Riley.
"Me too," added Dylan.
"Hey, Shin, what's that face for?" asked Marius. He nudged my shoulder. We were having some beer and fried chicken in the living room while watching a Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker movie called "Rush Hour." They were so fun and hilarious.
"Nothing; I was just thinking about something." I respond in a monotone voice, uninterestedly, and focus on the movie instead. Though I am glad we finally got our degrees, for some reason I'm still hesitant to go back to our homeland. I saw them exchange glances and shrug their shoulders in my peripheral vision, but they didn't say anything, knowing I wasn't in the mood for an argument.
"Alright, let's get wasted for tonight, guys!" Riley opens another can of beer while Luke gets more fried chicken wings and fries in the kitchen, which Aunty Melie cooked beforehand.
We've received our certificate and done everything that needed to be done, and finally, we are going home now. Yes, we finish our studies faster and advance more than others.
I am a multiple-degree holder. Why not? I studied like a maniac book nerd and never took a break, even on holidays and breaks. I never stopped and advanced my studies instead.
I finished my studies from bachelor's to master's degrees and PhDs, including Master of Research (MRes), Master of Arts (MA), and Master of Business Administration (MBA), and I've also got my doctorate degree in Business Administration (DBA), Juris Doctor, and (PhD) doctor of philosophy, within less than seven years after those inhumane and monstrous research, thesis, and dissertation I made in order to empty my mind from those nightmares.
We were standing in front of the university for a final glance before we bid goodbye.
"GOODBYE HARVARD!!!" We all said it in unison and bowed our heads in respect.
***
While we're on the plane, I can't stop thinking about Mom and Dad again. If dad and mom are still alive, I'm sure they will be so proud of me, pick me up at the airport, and probably nag at me for studying without resting. I just covered my eyes with a sleeping mask. I really, really miss mom and dad and can't help but grieve in silence knowing there will be no mom and dad waiting for me in the airport to hug me, praise me, and congratulate me. I don't want anyone else to see me like this, still miserable.
After a few more hours, the airplane finally touched down at Beijing International Airport. Marius, Luke, Riley, and Dylan's families were all there, happily congratulating them. I just stood there from the side. I am happy for them, of course, but I also felt jealous.
"Shin," much to my surprise, Chairman Xiao and Madam Zoe called my name. I don't understand, but I feel so happy seeing them.
"Welcome back, Shin." Madam Xiao embraces me. I gladly returned the embrace, and for some reason, I felt like crying, which I already did without realizing it; my tears were already dribbling down my cheeks.
"I'm sorry," was all I managed to utter after pulling away. I dirtied Madam Zoe's dress with my tears. but after pouring out my tears, I feel something that has been weighing me down all these years disappear.
"Oh, it's alright," she said with a sweet smile while brushing my tears away. I suddenly felt embarrassed.
"Men do cry, you know?" said Chairman Xiao, and he patted my back. He reminds me of my dad. They were so nice to me.
We all went our separate ways at the airport. While everyone went with their families, I chose to stay at the apartment Madam Xiao and Chairman Xiao provided for me. The company gave us a month of leisure before we started working.
But I don't want to just laze around; I began investigating my parents' case. I did manage to get some information, but not much.
"Shit, I overslept!" I swear upon looking at the clock on my bedside table. It's my first day at the company as a strategic director, and here I am in a hurry so I won't be late. I took a shower within five minutes and slipped into my already prepared black corporate suit and trousers. wristwatch and shoes, and styled my hair.
I was about to leave when I remembered the necklace Mom gave me. I take it out of the box and wear it under my suit.
Since my apartment is not that far from the Xiao Empire Group of companies, I decided to just walk and think of grabbing coffee on the way since I didn't have time for breakfast. However, the cafe has a bit of a long queue. I got my coffee, however, but I have only 8 minutes before I get late.
But really? Does God hate me that much? I saw my coffee fly away and heard some screaming. I think a few of my ribs were broken; I also felt the back of my head was damp. I also saw some familiar faces before nothingness took me over.