My life, not to lie, has changed quite a bit since the longest scolding I've ever received from my Dad on 2nd January, 2022. Yes, the day next to the exact day I said goodbyes to all VISIONs and Johan exclusively.
My father cut short his business trip to preach to me how insanely dangerous it was to go to the outskirts of the city all by myself with a friend, who they believed was incompetent to protect me (I believe the same).
A bunch of constraints and limited movement for a few months is what they merited for me due to committing a reckless ruckus like that.
Looking back, I have few regrets. I wish I had talked to him more before he left, and asked for his address or contact numbers. However, I don't regret accompanying him and then leaving him alone (with Pilo).
My school life hasn't changed that much—except for the fact that I've made two new (not delusional) friends who have similar interests to mine. Now, that I think of it, I just needed to open up to my classmates a bit more to make new friends. However, it did take a lot of effort to get closer to them.
Nevertheless, Pilo still remains the closest friend of them all. It might be one of the few things that might never change about me.
In a turn of events, a month ago, Grey had offered me to join her company once I graduated high school.
They'd apparently found a way to control the Sun's magnetic field and generate infinite energy from it without the need for VISIONs. I don't know the details but that's actually a great achievement and I appreciate it despite their villainous attitude towards me for the last seventeen years (yes, I'm seventeen now). I bet they are going to change the world in the upcoming days.
I've abstained from saying anything up until now as I'd rather decide what to do after graduating high school than before I did it.
The offer was quite delicious though, being an editor and a researcher for Sixty-One, I couldn't ask for more. I believe they gave me this chance because they saw my academic wonders, and not out of any remorse for tormenting me behind the scenes for all these years. Also, my unwavering attitude towards predicaments might've added to their consideration.
Well, I can think about that in a year. Now I just have to maintain my consistency in sports and marks, that'll be more than enough.
"Pilo, what was really in that duffel bag? It reeked of money..." I questioned her as we walked back home from school through the golden footpaths rustling by the crispy leaves.
"Well, you've got a great nose. You're right, it is money, and that too a ton of it."
"I'd doubted that. If you want to live, give half of it to me. I know it's Sixty-One (Grey's organization) that gave it to you."
"I've not spent a single dollar out of it, you know? Just so when I tell you, both of us would be equally guilty of possessing black money."
"Don't worry. We can reinvest that money back into Sixty-One to ensure no other entity interferes. Plus, it has partial government backing, just so you know. We could withdraw that money later." I cleared up her doubts and concerns, keeping a straight face the whole time.
"What...? Isn't that tax fraud?"
"No, we're just returning the unlawful money we got from them."
"Don't twist your words, it makes something very illegal sound legal." She gave me a shoulder bump as she said.
"Nah, now that they can supply unlimited clean energy to all over the world the government is now supporting them. I guess money would lose its value if they really were able to do that." I bumped her back in retaliation.
She staggered a bit and then asked. "Wait, so all that money is useless?"
"Pretty much." Governments would assuredly fall, humans would change fundamentally, future would look better than ever.
Everyone, including Johan and all other VISIONs I'd ever encountered, or if I put it in their terms, saved would aspire to become truly equal in this rapidly changing world.
"I guess I'll give you that money this weekend so you can 'reinvest' it in Sixty-One... anyway, bye Rei, see you tomorrow in school!" Pilo said as we reached my home.
She launched into the streets without looking back. As energetic as ever, huh? I am still in the school's basketball team despite being in my senior year but I just simply can't match her dynamic attitude.
Next, I headed inside, unlocking the door with my biometric scanner, and casually kicked off my shoes.
I also found my Mom's footwear lying around, which was certainly unusual for a weekday. She's so busy these days that the only time I see her is during dinner.
"Mom... you're home?" My question was addressed to the dining room which was adjacent to the kitchen. It was just a hunch but I felt that she'd be there.
"Yep, got a day off today." She replied right away, my hunch turned out to be right.
I entered the dining to see her before I went up to my room and also to drink water (my bottle ran out of water after the match so I was desperately thirsty).
Mom was sitting at the table, eating something that looked preposterously expensive.
"Wait, is that the ice cream we bought the other day?" I inquired while pouring water from the filter into a glass.
"Yeah, I just got bored so I thought of eating some ice cream. Without work, everything seems fairly boring!" She said.
"I probably heard an adult say something like that about their work for the first time."
"I guess the adults you've seen up until now (except me) all do boring jobs. Balancing international relations of our country is fairly progressive now, especially after that organization, you know, Sixty-One was able to generate infinite energy. Work's been never more interesting than now."
I didn't know the impact of Grey's organization could be so profound that it's affecting my home! But I suppose that was very much expected.
"I heard the organization is led by a seventeen-year-old, huh? Guess the world is absurdly changing." I said as if I'd never talked to their leader.
"Oh, yeah. She's interesting, you know? I've talked to her many times representing the government... she once even said how after meeting a certain someone (who'd apparently abducted her by mistake) she felt that she needed to change the world!
Wait, Grey was talking about me with my mother? How ridiculous!
"Oh, yeah? That sounds like Stockholm syndrome, I must say." I dismissed my mother's fondness for her.
"Hmm mm, I thought the same. Anyway, we got a letter for you, today. It's from someone named, let's see, yeah the name's Johan. Quite the old-fashioned friend you've got. I thought teenagers these days only used messaging apps." She said something groundbreaking.
No, the ground wasn't waiting, my mental health was.
Johan sent me a letter? After so many months? First of all, how did he even remember my address—
Oh yeah, that day he was looking at the address plate, just before we left. Intently. Forcefully. But not frivolously. He remembered it that day.
How stupid, he could've just asked me my number.
"Hey, Mom! Where's it?" I jumped at her, with ecstasy and uncontrollable excitement. It was like a lost parcel that I'd received after so many days, I was burning with zeal.
"Why are you getting so worked up? It's right there." She pointed the letter out which was in the other corner of the table. "It came yesterday but no one checked them till today. You guys should get more responsible, you know?"
It was quite comical that he'd send me a letter after all these days...
My heart was perhaps waiting for something like this.
Something that'd continue his existence.
Something that'd help me to not forget him.
I'm not sure if I will be able to complete the letter though.
I'm not sure if this would be the last thing I'll receive from him.
I grabbed and then ripped the envelope gently, my hands trembling with anticipation and curiosity. Unfolded the handwritten pages, which were accompanied by Johan's thoughts.
It went exactly like this:
Avant City
15 July 2022
Dear Rei Sturluson,
Before everything, happy birthday Rei. I'm writing this letter in advance so it'll arrive on time! It has been a hell of a time since I've returned to my body and also since I last talked to you. I mean you can't blame me, I had no reason to write until yesterday when I remembered your birthday was on the 16th of this month.
Whatever, aside from birthday wishes I also wanted to talk to you for no particular reason, but then I didn't have your number with me so I couldn't do that, so I hope you reply to this letter with your phone number...
How are you, is not what I want to ask—so I'll tell you about myself. After that day, I've very much changed. I talk to both uninteresting and interesting people now. I break rules more often but I still am one of the best minds in our class. Plus, I've got a different outlook on why to live and some of it is about you.
You taught me why to live so I'll teach others how to do too. That's my aim, to help others who have lost themselves and forgotten their own value—just like you did for the last 17 years.
That's it about me. So, what have you changed about yourself Rei? Are you any different or are you still embarrassing and clumsy? I hope you have made new friends. Also, say hello to Pilo from me, not that I've seen her anyway.
I'll swing by your longer-than-life house again someday, but by then, I'll have evolved even more. This time, I won't be able to read your mind, but I'll certainly be able to decipher your thoughts from your expressions! Hahaha.
Also about that promise about us crossing paths ever again, you know, that one I made just before I left... I'll not go back in that one, seriously.
That's it I suppose, I'm not much of a letter guy so I can't do a huge-ass monologue as you do but if we ever meet again I bet I'll talk to you a bunch.
Yours faithfully
Johan
Too heavy of a letter for me to carry—I almost dropped it.
The tears I didn't let out six months ago, dripped only a little bit on my face. It wasn't out of sadness or out of happiness, it was the feeling of finding something that I thought I'd lost forever—it overwhelmed me.
A new giant wave of radical thoughts flushed me.
I thought to myself, "Yes, I do remember that promise." Or "You're more than welcome to come visit here, again." Or "I'm still a bit clumsy, but I've become much better at rising up after falling."
Moreover, finally, I feel now that my journey on that bus I rode with Johan and Pilo has finally ended today.
That seat doesn't seem empty anymore.
It's now time to get off of it.
It's now time to board onto a new different bus.