(TOKYO)

Fei laid on the bed, sweating furiously. The curtains flapped alongside the night wind, cold breeze drilling through the window gap and into the room, but yet he still felt burning hot. His heart thumped like a train spiraling off track, his body felt limp, numb, painless. He couldn't control himself, each of his basic commands were rejected by his body himself. Fells like he is staying in a dead empty shell, cocooning within it.

Fei tried to open my eyes, but failed.

Fei tried to speak a word, but failed.

Fei tried to move, even for an inch, but yet again, failed.

Fei could feel pressure on my chest, it felt hard to breathe.

"W-what happened?"

Fei screamed eternally within him, at the verge of losing himself. Yet no one, nothing replied his question.

Beads of sweat rained down his face, damping the pillow beneath his head, he could felt something moving beneath his bed, something or maybe, someone… It was crawling out of it, as the frame of his bed creaks like a rusty iron gate swaying alongside the wind. It walked around the room, walking on top the wooden floor as it shuffles quietly, yet so loud in Fei's ears. The shuffling continues before stopping on top of him. Then there was a weird sensation, of being watched. Fei's senses told him the presence of a second being in this room, just right beside him. He screamed with everything he got, but all he let out is a soft grunt. He could feel it crystal clear, those two eyes staring right at his soul. This feeling of being preyed, and yet unable to do anything, it was haunting, a devastating, desperate feel.

He should've knew it.

All these actions were too good to be true.

"Problematic you, getting such a big shot high school at Tokyo." A middle age women, plump, wearing a heavy makeup grumbled as she and Fei sat side by side on the seats of the maglev train. "I am not paying anything more other than the fee of this ride; I don't owe you anything." She continued, Fei stared at the view outside, flashing in front of his eyes, his mind went blank, ignoring her nagging. "You heard me? You parasite?" She reached her hand out secretly and pinched Fei's thigh, trying to rip a chunk of meat out of it. Her long, sharp, beautifully trimmed fingernails dug deep into his flesh, yet he didn't scream or even flinch despite the growing pain. Just get used to it, he knew that the better than anyone. The more he acted out, the happier and more satisfied they will become. Which in turn would only attract more problems and actions. Acting painless, emotionless like a piece of roadside stone is the best tactic.

"Destination arrived: Tokyo Terminal. Passengers heading of this destination please exit the vehicle, the door will be closed within a minute…" The maglev train came to a halt, the railway beneath it squeaks as the announcer spoke mechanically. The doors opened automatically with a "ding", hearing this, the passengers started to stand up and exit the vehicle down towards the platform beside. "Move." She shoved his shoulder hard before walking out without even waiting, leaving him with a stash full of luggage. Fei grunted, using every energy of his skinny body could offer, he carried up two gigantic backpack, one at the front and one at the back, alongside two luggage in his hand, dragging them on the ground beneath him as he hopped down onto the station.

"Now, I won't be helping with your business anymore." She snatched one of the luggage away from Fei's hand. He remained silent, looking down at the floor beneath his feet, staring at his worn-out sport shoes. "I have some appointment with my friends at the saloon. You mind your own damn business, and don't ask for any money from us, we didn't care about it." With that she entered the cab waiting beside her and drove out of the terminal. Fei stared at the taillight of the vehicle disappearing in his sight before letting out a deep breath. "I am finally free, I guess." Years of hard work, reading from dusk till dawn and back again, submerging in books, stuffing his mind till the brink with information. All of these earned him a chance to get the crap out of that town in the middle of nowhere and start a new life here. Looks like knowledge really does pay. Fei lifted my head up and stared at the sky, but was invited by a droplet of rainwater, splatting onto the lens of his shabby glasses. "Huh?" He wiped the water off with his finger, but then more and more started to trickle down, soon, it was a complete downpour.

Nice start

"O-one night."

Fei reached his hand out and placed a crumpled piece of note onto the counter. "Huh?" The middled age man working as the cashier of the internet café stared at him, pushing the black frame of his glasses up his nose. "Only?" There were hints of sarcasm in his tone, Fei nodded, slowly. "You wet the floor; did you know how hard it is to clean those mess up?" The man grumbled while handing him a room key with a tag attached to it. "Get yourself cleaned and dry, kid." He waved his hand, signaling Fei to get out of his sight before continuing to read the newspaper in his hand.

Inside the two-by-two-by-two-meter cubic box, Fei changed himself a set of dry clothes, they were hand down ones from his cousins, but nevertheless, are still in a pretty good condition. With one hand he rubbed his hair thoroughly with a piece of towel to dry it while with other he clicked the mouse in his palm, opening the chrome search engine on the computer in front of him. He typed a few words on the keyboard, pressing the search button and entering a QNA website before logging into his account. The academy had already provided him a place to stay, and the educational fees were free due to his scholarship, but other than that, he needed to pull it out from his own pocket. His electrical, water, internet bill, money for his food, his books… and a lot more.

"Part time jobs…" He mumbled beneath his breath, he needed to find one, fast, the money he saved up would only last for a month at a big metro city like Tokyo. He pulled down the comment sections, scrolling the replies by strangers all across the internet from his last post, asking for a job available for a nerdy high schooler like him. He got over a thousands of replies, but most of them are either jokes or pranks he didn't need.

"Prostitute…"

"Drug trafficking…."

"Just sell your kidney, lol…"

Fei mumbled beneath his breath, he didn't found those "jokes" funny. His eyes scanning through one after another, trying to find one that seems legit. It was not long before he stopped in front one of it that sounds quite licit. "Work as a part time staff at a coffee shop…" The comment was written by an internet user with a pseudonym of "AngelicA16". She claims to be a worker, too, of a local café: Cake N Coffee. The user claims that the café is having scarcity of manpower, and is willing to hire anyone of all age. The comment is also tagged along a link of the cafe's address, which is coincidentally, is near to Fei's future high school: SKY Academy. Without any hesitation, he contacted the user and settled down on an interview tomorrow, Sunday evening, right after the big assembly of his high school ended.

"Done." He let out a deep stretch, yawning drowsily. He stared at the clock located at the edge of the monitor screen; it is already twelve. He shut the computer down before taking out a thin sheet of blanket from his backpack. He covered it simply on his body as he sat on the chair, adjusting the angle to a comfortable position. It wasn't the best, but at least it is comfy. He flicked the switch beside him, turning the lights off before drifting to sleep. He could still hear the thunderstorm raging outside, it was somehow soothing for him. He took out the earphone case out from his pocket before placing the ear buds on. He searched his playlist for a while before pressing on the song of his choice. He closed his eyes, enjoying the music of Vancouver Sleep Clinic's "Someone to stay", while slowly drifting to sleep, little did he know, this would be the last time he would ever slept well.

"Hear the fallen and lonely, cry out

Will you fix me up? Will you show me hope?

At the end of the day you were helpless

Can you keep me close? Can you love me most…"