15 A Small Talk

Jingliu and Yasushi strolled into the cafeteria, their steps as synchronized as two hands ticking on a clock. Heads turned, eyes flickering with silent questions as the pair approached Xinyi's table.

"Are you here to be my guides?" Xinyi's question hung in the air, the uncertainty in her voice mirrored by the curious glances of her classmates.

A murmur of confusion bubbled up from the table. "What's going on, Xinyi?" one girl ventured, her tone tinged with unease.

Xinyi's laughter rang out, a melody of nerves and amusement. "Ms. Senbarisu mentioned this morning that these two," she gestured towards Jingliu and Yasushi, "would show me around. Apparently, because Jingliu is also Chinese. Though I'm not sure why Yasushi is here," she added, her words trailing off in uncertainty.

"Enough dawdling, Xinyi. Let's move," Jingliu's words cut through the air, sharp and impatient.

Xinyi's smile held a hint of melancholy as she nodded in acquiescence. She rose from her seat, exchanging farewells with her classmates before joining the duo. Yasushi took the lead, his steps confident and purposeful, while the two girls followed in his wake.

"Do you have any particular places in mind, or shall I take the lead?" Yasushi's question carried a note of curiosity as he glanced sideways at Xinyi.

Xinyi paused, tapping her chin in thought. "Well, I've heard there's a swimming pool here. Could we include that in our tour? If we don't finish during lunch, we can continue later," she suggested, her voice carrying a tinge of anticipation.

"Sounds like a plan. I have a few spots in mind, and I'll give you a peek into some of the other classrooms we'll be frequenting," Yasushi responded, leading both girls on a tour of various rooms scattered across the school.

The trio ventured into the music room, where the notes hung in the air like whispers of forgotten melodies. They explored the home economics classroom, the scent of ingredients lingering like memories of shared meals. Each science lab they visited held the promise of discoveries yet to be made.

These rooms were exceptions to their usual classroom routine, each holding the tools and knowledge essential for their studies.

As the brief tour came to a close, they returned to their floor as lunchtime waned.

"We can pick up where we left off later. I'll take you to the other buildings since they're mostly deserted during lunch, including the swimming pool," Yasushi explained, his words carrying the anticipation of hidden wonders waiting to be unveiled.

"Xinyi, what brings you here?" Jingliu's question hung in the air, her demeanor marked by a quiet contemplation that had characterized most of their tour.

With a sad smile, Xinyi turned to face Jingliu. "I know we didn't always see eye to eye in the past, but I've changed, Jingliu. There are reasons for that. And to answer your question, it's because of your father, actually."

"My father?" Jingliu's confusion creased her brow, seeking understanding in the unexpected revelation.

Xinyi nodded, her expression earnest as she explained, "Yes, your father reached out to mine for assistance with some projects he's handling in Japan. They've been collaborating for a while now, with the approval of both companies. So, I decided to move with my father, and here I am."

"What about your mother? I remember she wasn't keen on frequent moves, especially across countries," Jingliu inquired, but Xinyi's expression darkened, a shadow of sadness veiling her features.

"She passed away two months after you left," Xinyi revealed, her voice tinged with a somber tone. "It hit me hard. I fell into a deep depression and started reassessing many aspects of my life, including how I treated you before. I realized how terribly I behaved, and I decided to change. That led to losing many of my old friends. So when the opportunity to move arose, I accepted it."

"I understand that we may not become friends right away, or perhaps not at all," Xinyi continued, determination glinting in her eyes. "But I'll do my best to make amends, I promise you that."

Jingliu's surprise was palpable, her eyes widening slowly at the unexpected revelation. Without a word, she turned and left, leaving Xinyi and Yasushi behind in the quiet hallway.

Xinyi turned towards Yasushi, a sigh escaping her lips like a gentle breeze through the leaves. "I apologize for pulling you into this, Yasushi... or would you prefer if I called you Futakao?" she inquired, tilting her head slightly.

"Yasushi is fine," he replied, his gaze narrowing as he scrutinized her. "Is everything as straightforward as you say? What she told me doesn't quite match up."

Another sigh escaped Xinyi's lips as she retrieved her phone, fingers dancing over the screen before presenting it to Yasushi. A certain image, a certificate, caught his attention. As he studied it, Xinyi began to unravel the story behind it.

"It's my mother's death certificate," she revealed, her voice tinged with sadness. "We were close, and I wouldn't fabricate something like this just to play games with Jingliu. I know I wasn't a good person in the past, neither of us were, but that's in the past. What matters now is that I've changed, and I want to make amends."

Xinyi's gaze remained fixed on her phone, a somber expression etched on her face as she spoke, her words carrying the weight of regret.

"Actions speak louder than words. I've only recently become friends with her, so I'm taking what both of you say with a grain of salt. Don't push her, and let things unfold naturally. Whether or not she reciprocates will be up to her, alright?" Yasushi advised Xinyi, who nodded in agreement before turning to walk away.

As they moved, three unfamiliar students brushed past them, colliding with Xinyi. She let out a slight yelp and quickly apologized, but the trio paid no heed, instead turning to confront her.

"Who's this broad? I don't recognize her," remarked one of them, eyeing Xinyi with a critical gaze. Her frown deepened at the derogatory term.

"Watch your step, you cunt," one spat with venom, the words dripping with malice.

"Senior privileges, juniors should know their place," another chimed in, his gaze fixated on Xinyi. Towering above the rest, he sneered, "She's one of the new transfers, Chinese ones. Bet they don't even get enough to eat there."

Xinyi clenched her fists at the overt racism but remained silent. The boy who had earlier referred to her as a "broad" reached out to grab her, but she swiftly slapped his hand away. "Don't lay a hand on me," she snapped, her eyes flashing with defiance.

Sensing a confrontation, the others moved to encircle her, but Xinyi wasn't about to back down. With swift precision, she turned to the smallest of them, the one who had used a derogatory term, and delivered a swift kick to his groin. He crumpled to the ground, silenced by the sudden pain.

With a swift turn of her heel, Xinyi executed a palm strike towards the one boasting about senior privileges, targeting his throat. Following through, she delivered an elbow to his stomach, sending him crashing to the ground. Before she could fully recover, the boy she had rebuffed earlier launched a punch towards her, causing her to flinch.

In that moment, Yasushi emerged like a guardian, intercepting the punch and gripping the senior's wrist firmly. His glare carried a weight that made even death shudder. "You're a senior, aren't you? It would be wise not to stir up trouble in your final year..." Yasushi's voice was calm but carried an underlying threat.

He tightened his grip on the senior's wrist, applying slow pressure that forced him to kneel in discomfort. "I'm sorry, we were just messing around! This is going too far!" the senior pleaded, his voice strained with pain.

Relenting, Yasushi released his grip, causing the senior to cry out as he clutched his injured wrist. With tails between their legs, the trio hastily retreated, leaving Xinyi and Yasushi in the aftermath of the confrontation.

He cast a concerned glance at Xinyi, his voice laced with a hint of disbelief. "Are you alright? That was quite the scene, although I have to admit I didn't expect you to respond so... assertively."

Xinyi let out a sigh, her hand resting lightly on her chest. "I'm fine. They were being blatantly racist and tried to lay hands on me. I think slapping their hand away was the least I could do. And when they tried to surround me, I knew something was off," she explained, her frown deepening.

"Well, they could spin the narrative in their favor if they report this incident," Yasushi remarked, his gaze drifting to the side. "Fortunately, this part of the school isn't heavily monitored by cameras, so they won't have video evidence. Although..."

His words trailed off, a hint of concern creeping into his expression as he observed something nearby.

"It's okay, I can handle it, but if things escalate and I need support, can I count on your testimony?" Xinyi inquired, her head tilting slightly.

"That's fine. I've done it for Jingliu recently," Yasushi replied with a smirk. "You two seem to attract trouble easily. Maybe you're more alike than you realize."

Xinyi chuckled at his observation. "Well, as I said, we've had our fair share of scuffles in the past, so we know how to handle ourselves. But Jingliu's definitely the stronger one. I've lost count of how many fights I've lost to her, but I never backed down," she explained with a hint of pride. "Anyway, I should get going. Thanks again," she added before leaving Yasushi behind.