My tummy hurt much less than before. I still wouldn't do things like sit-ups, but I could walk around without feeling pain every single step.
Getting stabbed just a week before Christmas meant that I missed both Christmas and new year. Not that I had anyone to hang out with anyways. Shu was here now, but if not for the incident at the shop we might have never met again, let alone live together.
Now it was February and the last month of the school year. Incredibly, but somehow expectedly, Shu has been leading the test scores for the entire year and looked like he was ready to continue well for the second year. We have been on better terms lately and sometimes when I see him off to school I felt like a mom seeing her kids off to school, and when he comes back with good test scores that made me feel good too.
But at the same time, I didn't know how long this was going to last, and whether it was any good to continue this. We didn't know what happened with the now-disabled Jacko and his crazy henchman. From what Detective Haas could tell me the Jacko's family was actually considerably rich, and his father is suspected to have connections with one of the local gangs. So that was probably how he managed to link up with proper hard men that were not afraid to kill even cops. As dangerous as they were though and the real threats they posed to our lives, we simply couldn't live our lives forever hiding and worrying. There really was no solution though unless the police managed to catch them and lock them away for good.
Also, there was an issue of… well, what are we even doing? I would get back to work as soon as I can, which won't be long from now, and start earning money again. For now, Shu was still getting a bit of money from his aunt every month. Although she never came to see Shu she was at least keeping that part of the bargain. I was burning the stack of money my parents left me with, but by my calculation that was going to be all spent within three months or so. Shu still has two years to go to school. If I didn't work, we will soon come to a point where we will live solely relying on the money Shu gets from his aunt. But what the hell? Am I gonna work to sponsor him to study? We've been through some stuff and maybe that built some kind of comradery, but we each need to go our ways soon or later.
It was when I was thinking about these things and started to look for job openings that Detective Haas has come to visit our place.
"So how's everything, Boh?
"I feel much better. I feel like I can start working maybe from next month"
"That's good to hear. And Shu?"
"He should be coming back from school pretty soon"
"I see"
Then Detective Haas took a sip of coffee he brought. He was kind enough to bring me one too.
"But detective, how long do we have to live like this?"
":Sigh:.. I'll be honest with you Boh. I think you know this already, but until we put those guys away the risk will always be there"
"I thought about that too, but if they are really related to the local gangs, wouldn't the other gang members come for revenge even if they get locked up?"
"That is a possibility"
"And there's the thing with Shu – look, sorry but I'm not his mom or dad, or even brother. Surely, you are not expecting me to work to support his life, right?"
"That would be very unfair to you"
"So what now?"
"What do you think about going back to school?"
"Hell no"
"Give it some thought. You still have about 2 weeks before the next school year starts"
"Last time I went back it was pretty clear school's not a place for me. Also, there's the small fact that I need to work for money. Even without Shu, I have to work to make money for myself"
"I know you would not be up for going to school. But think about your future"
"My future is already over detective. Even school doesn't want me, what kind of companies would want me? I just gotta get fit soon and do part-time work"
"That's precisely why you have to go back to school. To prepare for a better future for yourself"
"What, and the money will just drop from the sky?"
"Actually, yes"
"What the hell?"
"This might sound weird to you, but you would be getting more money going to school than getting a part-time job"
"That does sound unbelievable, yes"
"But there is government funding for young people in… difficult situations"
"Hey, that sounds great. But what's it got to do with school?"
"You get more money if you are going to school. It goes like this – if you are working and earning money yourself, you won't get the sponsorship. If you don't work and don't go to school, you would get some money monthly until you find a job. If you actually do go to school, you will get the most money, to help with your living cost and studies, until you graduate."
"That's crazy. The less I work the more I get?"
"That's pretty much it"
"Well, now I really do need to think about it then…"
"I'm back~", after beep sounds of keying in the passcode, Shu came through the door.
"Oh hi, detective"
"Hi Shu, you alright?"
"Yeah, thanks. Friday's the last day of school so I'll have a week's break before the new school year"
"Any plans?"
"Not really. Probably just stay home and-"
"And clean the house", I interjected
"Hey, it's my vacation-"
"Uh-uh, you better keep the promise or you are out"
"See detective! He's always like this. He always threatens he will kick me out"
"Hey, go easy on the boy Boh"
"You have not seen the state of our house before… if you were here before you probably would have thought you were raiding a junky's den or something"
"That bad?"
"YES"
"Haha"
"Not funny"
"Shu, please come sit over here together. We were talking about something important", Detective then motioned Shu to come to sit next to me, which he duly obliged.
"Let's get back to what we were talking about before", Detective continued.
"Hang on – what's it got to do with Shu?"
"Shu, we were talking about Boh potentially returning to school"
"Oh that's cool"
"Go back to your room Shu, this doesn't have to do with you. I'm gonna think over it myself", I waved Shu away as if he were a bug.
"IF Boh starts to go to school again, he will be a student", Detective continued.
"Duh, of course"
"If you both go to school, then you are a student, and Boh is also a student. You are both students. You are both equal"
Hm, that is true.
"Boh will be just another student like you. He's not a working parent paying for your living"
Good going detective!
"You cannot, and should not rely on Boh. You guys may continue to live together, but don't think Boh has to look after you"
"Did Boh tell you that?", Shu asked the detective but his eyes were on me.
"No. It's just common sense"
That's right boss!
"How about money? We need to cover our living costs"
"SEE -. There you go. You were already thinking that Boh will work and earn money while YOU go to school"
"That's not –"
"This is exactly what I'm telling you. Let Boh decide what he wants to do. If he wants to go to school, he does. If he doesn't, I can't force him. But either way, you have to take care of yourself and not rely on Boh"
"You are lecturing me"
The detective said nothing and just took a sip of coffee.
"So what do you say, Boh? You are going to school?"
"I don't know yet. But after what I heard today I think that would be the easy way out actually"
Detective then gave a quick rundown of the government sponsorship again.
":Chuckle: I see now. That's whack. To be honest, I REALLY don't want to go to school. But if I have to compare working somewhere for 8 hours vs. staying in school for 8 hours for the same or even better money, it's a no brainer"
"I guess. Well, I'll be happy if we can go to school with you Boh", Shu chimed in.
"One thing though"
"What is it detective?" – yeah I was thinking it was too good to be true. There must be a catch.
"You can't get kicked out of school. So absolutely no monkey business that could get you kicked out"
"Now, that will be hard for Boh", Shu teased.
"Aw shut up. I never mean to cause trouble, but trouble finds me. And you are one of them"
"Glad to see that you guys are getting along well"
We then both rolled our eyes.
"Oh, but hang on-", Shu suddenly realized something.
"What?", Shu found another catch?
"Can Boh go straight to the second year?"
Oh no.
"We will have to ask the school about that, but most likely not. You missed almost the entire year of school Boh. It won't be a surprise if they make you repeat the first year"
"lol. I get to be Boh's senior?"
"Ok, I'm NOT going to school"
"Don't worry Boh, I will be nice to my junior :giggle:"
"You have one week before the new year starts. Make your decision quickly and inform the school. Here's the form. You gotta fill it in, sign it and bring it to the school office. It's up to you, but you know what's good for you"
:Sigh:
"Alright, alright, I will do it"
"Good luck kids"