Side Story 10: My name is Bob

My name is Bob.

I didn't have a last name. I never knew my parents and I grew up in the streets. I took a wrong turn in life and was lost for quite some time. I killed a man and had the cops chasing after me until I met Zhi.

He took me out of that dump. He gave me a new lease in life. And he treated me like a brother.

Whatever he ate, I ate too.

Whatever he wore, I wore too.

Life was fun and I swore to protect him even at the cost of my own life.

But I failed.

I watched as he begged me to take away that very life I swore to protect. I cried for the first time as I cocked the gun and pulled the trigger.

And he was gone.

What was left for me?

I lost my brother, the only family I ever had.

And so I pulled the trigger on myself too.

Before I knew it, I met him again. He was sitting there, drinking his ass off like he always used to.

I was happy again.

But things were different. His smile was no longer the same. It felt empty. And things had changed.

Until he made a new friend. A man named Jin.

I watched as he slowly opened up to him and how he became happy even without me.

I'm not gonna lie. It felt horrible. It tore me up inside to see my only family being taken away from me.

But I listened, and I saw – how Jin gave him back his smile, how he convinced Zhi to try again.

It was then that I realized that he didn't take him away from me… he gave Zhi back to me – the same Zhi who I swore to protect.

Now, in this new life that I've been given, I silently watch over them as they grow up.

I… still can't believe that we've become real brothers. Now I got two younger brothers… a mom… and a dad…

I'm still not used to it actually…

The first time I called Victoria mom, she was so happy that she broke down and cried. I tried so hard to make her stop but then Zhi came in crying too. Turns out the idiot had been eavesdropping on us.

Then we got my dad. I haven't even finished my studies yet but he's already busy planning my future… a future with them.

Shit. I still cry about it at night. This family is too fucking wholesome.

I tried to change for them. I wanted to grow my hair out and to get my tatts removed. But Zhichen stopped me. He said that my colorful personality made their dreary lives better.

You hear that? That shit's straight out of a drama!

I was so moved that, out of impulse, I got the Zheng family crest tattooed onto my entire back. Now I look like a fucking fanatic and I regret it.

And then we got Daiyu and her old man Tang. She doesn't remember me but she treats me just the same.

When she first saw me, I was afraid that my tatts would scare her. She was a chubby little innocent girl, after all. But then she said my 'body stickers' were so cool, that they looked like the ones on her Uncle Tang.

She asked me if she could color them in and I couldn't say no. I sat still for three hours, watching as she decorated my body with glittery paint. Old man Tang was there, casually drinking tea the entire time. Seems like she had painted over his tatts too.

And finally, we have Jin. He's still the same cool guy. He watches over Zhi for me. Now I have time to fix my own life without worries.

We don't talk much… but I guess it's just cause we don't need words between us. I'll forever be grateful for what he's done for me and Zhi… and I hope he can always be happy.