RC Chapter 6 : Memories of the Future
Kay tosses and turns a few times in her bed. A slow purr emerges from her side. Kay opens her eyes. A pair of hand is entangling her waist. Her eyes are blurry from sleep but she recognizes the smell and the strength of the embrace. Even after a few while, Kay's eyes are still blurry from absence of glasses but their faces are so close to each other that she sees the calm face sleeping next to her clearly. It is Ben.

A sudden warmth creeps inside her. Kay moves closer into his chest and he pulls her in even tighter. She smiles into his shirt, smelling the faint body wash they share. His heartbeat is steady, beating rhythmically. Kay almost cries in joy.

"Bad dream?"

Kay looks up to see Ben's smiling face but instead she sees Roderick standing above her. Kay jolts up, throwing her body away from the desk. Her hands are frantically brushing her frenzied hair. She pushes her glasses up her nose bridge. Roderick is laughing his heart out.

She looks around. She is in her classroom, dimly lit by the evening sun. Roderick is still standing in front of her, hands now are propped on her desk.

Kay: What time is it?
Roderick: Half past 5.
Kay: What?! It's that late?

Kay springs to her feet, busy stuffing the pencil case into her bag. Roderick trails her motions with delight. The short girl is so amusing to watch. A new found endearment rises in his chest. Having followed the trio for the past few days on their library duty created a weird dynamic between the four of them. Roderick had always been close to Valerie both due to their families and their shared school duty. And Kazu was recently revealed to his childhood friend from years back. But Kay is a new face. He can't help but to be intrigued. Adding to it is Kazu's obsession over protecting the small girl from harm makes Roderick equally responsible for her safety.

Kay: Why are you still at school?

She swings the heavy bag onto her back. Roderick looks worried at the obviously overloaded bag but he says nothing about it.

Roderick: Ah.. I lost a bet to some boy prefects and had to stay back for the sweep and saw you here, peacefully sleeping.

Kay nods. She pushes the chair to her table and starts to walk out. Roderick follows close. "The Sweep" is when the prefect goes around the school to check that everyone has left before going off for their weekend. It's a precaution against rogue students who would stay behind after hours to do naught. Roderick has never seen any Junior stays behind for the weekends. Most kids would rather spend their time outside school than staying there.

Roderick: Why are you sleeping in the classroom? Others have left hours ago. Even Kazu and Valerie.

Kay couldn't say that Su Wei had fed her some weird drink earlier that afternoon and that she had been feeling sick ever since. She shakes her head. Su Wei always has a few tricks under her sleeves. She probably wanted Kay to get in trouble for staying behind.

Kay: Headache.. I didn't plan to sleep that long.
Roderick: Who's Ben?

Kay pauses. She turns to Roderick with a befuddled look. Roderick scratches the back of his neck awkwardly.

Roderick: It's just that you've been calling that name in your sleep. Who is he? Your boyfriend?

A naughty smirk is plastered on his face. Kay turns her reddening face away. Ben was to be her boyfriend in the future. This part confuses her still. She is convinced that she imagines her future but the details are too intricate to be fabricated. Ben was 3 years her senior in college. They were not that infatuated during college years but when they met at the firm, they grew closer. Ben was Kay's first real boyfriend. The only one she could remember that is. Kay has a terrible memory. She easily forgets faces and name. Most of her memories of the school and her entire life are in bits and pieces.

Roderick is still waiting for her answer but she just strides even faster away.

Roderick: Oh come on! I don't want to mess with someone's girlfriend.
Kay: He's not my boyfriend..

That's right. Kay remembers. They had a big fight and they broke up. Ben is no longer her boyfriend. She even tendered her resignation just so that she wouldn't have to see his face again. Kay hates to admit it but she misses him. It annoys her that even after his cheating scandals, imaginary or not, she still misses the time they spent together. His fingers grazing her face. His tender lips on hers. Those cold nights where he would hold Kay even tighter in his embrace. She hates that she still wants him.

Roderick: Does that mean I have a chance?

Roderick asks playfully. If it were the past Kay, she would have buckled under that teasing. But she knows better now. The thing she had for Roderick has long being diminished by Kazu's obvious crush over the boy prefect. What ever minuscule infatuation she has for Roderick is now turned into annoyance. She had met quite a few heart-breakers like Roderick. Ben is an even bigger heart-breaker than the boy prefect in front of her. No clever quip could faze Kay anymore.

Kay: You'll lose a few dear friends if you keep on being pompous like that, Berkinstock.

Kay is genuine, not a hint of sarcasm or condescending in her tone. She even looks forlorn for a short moment. Roderick coughs awkwardly and turns his face away. They remain quiet as they pass the school gate.

***

Kazu plops to the bench. A servant girl comes running with a tall glass of iced water in her tray. Kazu accepts it with a nod. The girl hands her a fresh towel and retreats into the tent. Kazu wipes the sweat running down her forehead.

"Your riding has gotten better. Seems like Prez is good for you"

A slim man around the age of thirty comes walking towards her. Kazu respectfully bow to him. .

Kazu: Master Harada.

He takes a seat next to Kazu, unbuttoning his gloves. Their eyes are following a pair of white mare in the stable. One has a slightly golden sheer to its coat. It gallops in joy. The other one is stiff, standing at a corner. It is slightly bigger built than the other one. Its silver mane falls lazily to its side, unmoving.

Harada: Silver is shy. She has a unique temperament. She doesn't like female rider and only knows one master so don't be too disappointed if she doesn't obey you.
Kazu: How frivolous. Why is it sent here then?
Harada: A sign of good faith, my dear. You have just returned to Prez after so many years. They just want to get on your good side.

Kazu smiles ever so slightly. She sips the cold water. Immediately the coldness spreads and Kazu let out a faint 'mnm'.

Kazu: Who send it over? I would like to return the favor.
Harada: Xu Sect of Wuwei.
Kazu: Wuwei? Not even from Prez?

Kazu ponders for a while. Xu Sect is a famous sect hailed from China. Their martial art skill is also very renown. Back in Japan, Kazu had a few classmates who belong to the Sect. They're mostly very skilled with kendo and horse riding. They are exceptionally good looking too.

Harada: News about you fighting one of their branch family member reach the main family. They sent over these two rare breed to apologize.

Kazu puts down her half empty glass, eyes frozen. A lump is formed in her throat.

Kazu: RadicalUG is part of the Xu Sect? I wouldn't have guessed. I didn't know they have a rotten foot here.

Kazu scoffs in disbelieve.

Kazu: They made the Main Family bow their heads for them? Why? They can't do that themselves?
Harada: You must excuse them. They are relatively new and separated from the Main Family. Xu Clan however, understand the way of our people. The fact that they send these to you is evident enough.
Kazu: What did father say about this?
Harada: Water under the bridge.

As simple as that? Kazu squeezes the glass in her hand until her knuckles turns white. Master Harada quickly takes the glass from her hand. He faces Kazu with softness. Kazu however still has that cold piercing eyes on her.

Harada: Forgive the young fool, Hime. She is ignorant. She doesn't know. We have always had a good relationship with the Xu regardless of which region we stepped in. This is but a small misunderstanding comparing to our decades of peace.
Kazu: They could send a few more of their horses and I would still won't extend my hand to them. She is insufferable.
Harada: Ah, don't say that, Hime. The Xu Clan send you their most prized mares. If the young Su Wei spares you no respect, the Xu clearly does. That silver one belongs to their Young Master. He loves the mare dearly but he sends it over regardless.

Kazu twitches at the mention of the young master. She knows one Young Master Xu. It couldn't have been him, could it? She doesn't recall him being fond of horseback riding. Her heart races with the flood of memories. She relents. A tired chuckle escapes from her. Master Harada smiles softly. He doesn't understand the change in the air but he figures it might be because of the respect the young heiress has for the clan that prompts her to calm down. He tries to divert the conversation.

Harada: Seems like I won't have much chance to see you on those horses.
Kazu: Are you leaving, Master?
Harada: I'm just here to get you settled down. I still need to go back to your Grandmother. Besides, Prez has their own renown horseman. You will find a better suited teacher.
Kazu: But, Master Harada, there's a lot more to learn from you.
Harada: What ever I taught you in Japan you seem to have mastered them all. I have no more to teach but a humble advice.

Kazu huffs dejectedly.

Harada: Keep your heart steady and you will never loose your lead.

He bows and Kazu returns a lower bow.


***

It is 10am in the morning, the sun is exceptionally bright and the air is a perfect balance of breezy and warm. Kay is lying in a hammock hanging in the shade. Little Karl is lying on her chest, peacefully sleeping. He rises and falls following Kay's own breathing. The weight on her chest feels just fine. Kay is smiling with content. She softly plays with the brown strands of hair that fall on the boy's face. When he moves, annoyed by her teasing, she rocks her body sideways, lulling the boy to sleep.

She too slowly succumbs to laze.

A soft lips graze her own. Kay opens her eyes and sees Ben smiling at her lovingly. They are lying on a mat under a maple tree, leaves bright orange. Around them are packed sandwich and books bookmarked by dried leaves. Ben moves a bottle of uncapped juice away from Kay in case she knocks it down. Kay chuckles. Her eyes are heavy.

Ben: Sleep a bit more. You've been spending way too much time at your desk lately.

He says that but he keeps stealing pecks from Kay's lips. Kay smiles weakly.

Kay: How am I gonna have any sleep with you slobbering me like this?
Ben: Me? Slobbering? The slander!

Ben fakes a gasp. He props his body up with Kay under him.

Ben: I'll show you how slobbery I can get.

He licks his lips menacingly as he moves his face closer to Kay. Kay shoves her hands to his chest, weakly pushing him away. But he keeps coming and Kay could only let him. He kisses her softly, clashing teeth, tangled tongues. It's not slobbery at all. Kay smiles into the kiss. She wishes it to be like this forever.

"Aien"

A small cry wakes her up. Kay looks down on her chest but Karl is no longer there. Panic, she looks around and sees Karl on the ground. She jumps on her feet, collecting her brother.

Kay: Oh no. Did you fall down? Are you hurt?

She asks, inspecting if there's any cut or bruises. Karl shakes his head and points her to the hammock. Kay turns around.

Karl: Aien. You.. hurt.

He says shakily. On the hammock is a palm sized bloody spot. Kay checks her skirts. Surely enough, she is bleeding through them.

Oh no.. You're a woman now.

***

Kay is a late bloomer. She used to look forward to the day she would have her first period, blaming her late puberty for her lack of allure. At the age of 14, she is a still a small girl, flat chested, round faced. She envied her classmates who had started to bloom into women while she was still trapped in a girl's body.

This time around, she despises the change.

She never has issues with pimples but the cramps and mood swings are things that she could live without. The mood swing this time around is especially tolling. She really doesn't want to remember about Ben and his romantic gestures. The emptiness left behind when wakes up makes it even harder to forget him.

On Monday, she shows up to the library much later than her new friends but has to excuse herself much earlier. The pain in her lower abdomen feels like there is a demon clawing out of there. Kazu brings her to the sickbay while Valerie passes her sick note to her class. They both stay with Kay at the sickbay.

Kay takes a nap peacefully after taking the pill. Kazu and Valerie are also asleep on an empty bed next to her. Their lanky bodies are tangled on the small bed. It is so ridiculous considering that there a few empty beds around them. But both Kazu and Valerie are pleased with the arrangement. They have grown close to one another having spent every waking moment at school together. Valerie had also taken it upon herself to sit next to Kazu in class despite her liking the back row and Kazu liking the front row.

With her eyes close shut, Kay is wandering through her memories again. This time she is walking towards Ben's office, two coffee in hand. She remembers this clearly. She wants to shout at herself to stop advancing but no voice comes out. She twists the knob on the door without knocking. She expects to see Ben snoozing in his chair. They are late into the night and Kay decides to bring him some coffee from the place not far from their apartment.

When she emerges from behind the door however, two figures are entwined by the desk. Their bodies are lined by the soft lighting from the street below. Smooching sounds and heavy breathing fill up the dim room. They don't even realize Kay standing there by the door. Kay is shaking, air forming lumps in her throat as she tries to suppress her cries. She flicks the light switch.

Ben is pushing a woman on his desk, her hands pinned above her head, blouse half way unbuttoned. Ben's mouth sticks on the side of her jaw, sucking the tender skin. When the room comes alight, Ben lifts his head to the door. The woman turns around to see. But instead of stopping, Ben continues to kiss her with vigor. Coffees drop from Kay's hand. She runs away as fast as she could, half wishing for Ben to chase her but he doesn't come. Kay runs straight home. She doesn't even remember how she got back. She screams into her pillow, nails desperately digging her arms, something she stops doing a long time ago.

"Kay! What are you doing?!"

Kazu shouts at her in whisper. Kay wakes up with Kazu next to her, restraining her hands to the bed. Valerie is still sleeping soundly in the next bed.

Kazu: What are you doing hurting yourself like that?

Kay's eyes land on her bloody arm. It seems like she scratches herself in sleep and her cuts reopen and bleed through her uniform. Her face is wet with tears.

Kay: It's my allergies... I.. I sometimes scratch myself in sleep.

She lies. Kazu looks at the bloodied uniform. She is not believing her excuse but she really doesn't know much about Kay's injuries. Kazu's expression softens. She doesn't want to dread too long on it. Knowing Kay, she wouldn't answer any question if she doesn't want to and poking her continuously would only annoy her.

Kazu: Give me your uniform. I'll clean it up.
Kay: No I can do it...

Kay tries to get up but ends up plopping down again. The muscle inside her starts to tightened again. Kazu helps Kay to take off her uniform replacing it with a sweater she borrows from Roderick just then. Kazu takes the white shirt with her to the washroom and Kay goes back to curling her body into a ball to curb the cramp.

When the pain subsided and both of her friends returned to their classroom, Kay was left behind on her own, still clad in Roderick's sweater. Kay doesn't remember when she got the red varsity jacket but she can't change into her own shirt before the sleeves dries out. She pulls the sleeve of the jacket up, exposing red lines on her forearm. The area is now red, slits are lined with dried blood clotting the wound. Kay sighs.

Every time she wanders into her jumbled up memories she would wake up with a pang in her chest. This time around it's a painful memory, enough to trigger her self-cutting urges. It can't be just imagination. Her future exists and she had lived through it. Which means she really did travel back in time. The question now is how and why? She tries to remember any unusual event that happen to prior to waking up in her childhood bed.

There were a few weird things that happened that day.

1) She passed out drinking - That doesn't happen often despite Kay's alcoholism. However, it doesn't strike her as something magical.
2) She woke up with a door knob missing but relatively unharmed - There was a mysterious note left behind but it didn't sound magical or dangerous at all. It was however, rather comforting to know that one of her neighbors actually had a decency to save her at their local bar.
3) A weird gust of wind swept her off her feet when she was planning to beat up the thugs who spiked her drink - BINGO! That's it. That's the only magical event that occurred that day.

Kay goes on to reliving the day that leads up to that moment but she couldn't find anything useful at all. Despite being annoyingly observant, Kay truly has a bad memory. If she didn't process the info right away when it happened, she couldn't store it for future reference. This vexes her greatly. In the end, she decides to think of it as a random magical occurrence. It was not her birthday and she didn't make any weird wishes. She just happen to be sucked into the past and that's it. As to why she is here, the motive remains unknown. For now, she is still undecided on what to do with this re-do.

As Kay contemplates on her “time-travel” problem, three sets of eyes are watching her from behind the curtain. One in particular has ember burning behind them as she registers the owner of the sweater on Kay’s back.


***

Roderick strides between Kazu and Valerie. Valerie links her arm to his. He tries to get Kazu to link hers as well but she slaps his hand away. The naughty boy knows no bound. Valerie reminds him not to speak nonsense when he gets there and Roderick playfully gives a vague pledge. They hurry to the sickbay with Kay's bag on Roderick's back and Roderick's bag in Kazu's hand. Kay's bag is heavy so Roderick takes it from Kazu. The shoulder straps are a bit tight on Roderick; the bag looks ridiculous on the boy. Valerie laughs at Roderick's antics.

When the get there however, the matron informs them that Kay has already left with her friends quite some time ago. Something doesn't sound right. Her head is tingly with suspicion. Immediately, Kazu sprints out of the sickbay. She thinks hard as she runs. Think! Think! Think! Where would Su Wei take her? A thought flashes through her mind. Kay once told her a long time ago that Su Wei likes to push her into a body of water. In result, Kay is always terrified being close to one. Roderick and Valerie catch up to Kazu only for her to start sprinting again.

Val: Where are you going?!
Kazu: The lake! Hurry!

Kazu glides through the compound, weightlessly jumping through the many bushes along the way. The paved compound is now replaced with fresh crispy grass. Across the school ground are a few small lakes that are connected to a big lake by Southern ground. It takes them quite a while to check each area. With the ground getting soggier with each steps, Kazu grows restless with every turn. Kay is nowhere to be found. It's getting late. Sun is slowly setting. Less and less students are left on the school ground. The three of them are still restlessly looking around the area.

Roderick stops when he hears a faint sobbing by the small deck arch bridge. He squints towards the sound thinking that it might be a small puppy stuck somewhere but also hoping that it's Kay. They have spent way too long to find her that they are expecting the worst. Surely enough, Kay is sitting in the water, under the bridge, her body is submerge under the shallow water. He now notices his red varsity jacket hanging from a tree nearby. One has to go into the open and climb the tree to get it down.

Roderick: Becker, I can see you down there. Come out. It's late.

Roderick walks closer to the bridge. Kay steps further back into the shadow cast by the bridge.

Kay: No! Stop! Stay where you are.

He stops immediately. Kay is frantic. Her sobbing grows louder the more she tries to muffle it down.

Roderick: Okay. Okay.. Tell me at least this. Are you hurt? Are you stuck there?
Kay: No.. *sobs* and yes..
Roderick: No you're not hurt and yes you're stuck?
Kay: Yes..
Roderick: I'm going to go in the water and help you, okay? Calm down.

Roderick starts kicking his shoes away. He takes of his blazer, shrieking at the sudden cold air kissing his skin. How much colder the water would be?

Kay: No! Don't! Stay where you are.
Roderick: I can't help you from here. Let me come to you and pull you out.

The shouting must have alerted Kazu. She and Valerie come running towards the bridge from the other side of the lake.

"Kay!! Are you alright?"

Kazu shouts, quickening her pace. As she gets closer to the bridge, she notices something odd with Kay. She is sitting in the lake only in her underwear. Kazu grits her teeth. It must have been Su Wei.

Roderick: Kazu!! I'm going into the water. It's getting dark and it's dangerous.
Kay: No! No! Please don't.

Kay begs earnestly, retreating even further into the lake. Understanding the situation, Kazu shouts.

Kazu: Erick! Close your eyes!

Roderick obeys without further inquiry. As he dips his feet into the freezing water, he trudges forward following Kay's whimpering. She keeps repeating "Please.. don't come". But Roderick keeps going. His hands are stretched forward, swaying around to find the girl.

Roderick: It's alright, Becker. I don't see anything, just come to me and we'll get to safety.

Kay is irrational. She moves back even further into the water. Kazu is now on the bridge, quickly removing her own blazer. She tells Valerie to get someone here with fresh clothes and blanket. Kazu throws her blazer into the water just before Kay sinks in.

Kazu: Erick, hurry! She can't swim.

Alarmed, Roderick lunges forward with his eyes wide open. He catches glimpse of Kay bobbing into the dark water, a blazer floating right next to her. He dives towards her, enveloping the small body with the blazer before carrying her up. Kay coughs out water and mud, hands clutching the blazer closer to her skin.

Roderick sets her down on the grass. Kazu comes right after, frantically rubbing Kay's shoulder for warmth. The air is cold and stabbing his wet skin. He looks at Kay with her blue lips and unstoppable shiver.

Kazu: How long have you been in the water? My goodness, Kay.. You're freezing.

Kazu hugs her tighter. Water is seeping into her as well and it feels like dagger. She turns to Valerie who understand what she needs. Valerie nods and Kazu understand her message "Help is on the way". Roderick is shaking like crazy as well.

Roderick: Why did you go further away?

He asks rhetorically but notices a scowl coming from Kazu. "Don't ask anything" her face says.

Kazu: It's okay.. You're okay. Everything will be alright.

Valerie stretches her hand to pat Kay's head but quickly retreats. Kazu nods at her as if giving her permission to touch Kay and Valerie does just that. Softly her hand smooths down Kay's wet hair to her freezing cheek. Valerie feels heavy. Kazu feels the same. At this moment they both come to a conclusion. Things cannot be allowed to continue this way.

Not long after, a few women clad in suit come running towards them with change of clothes. One of them takes Kay from Kazu and wraps her in a towel. After all of them change into dry clothes, Roderick is the first to get hauled into his own ride while the girls are taken into Valerie's. Valerie was very efficient with her staffs. Kazu's personal assistant and her driver had long being informed by Valerie that she would be coming with her for the evening.

When they drop Kay at her house, her mother is pacing by door, still in her suit. Worry ripples her forehead. Kay had begged them not to tell her mother the truth and for some reason her friends don't want to upset her by disagreeing. So when Kay's mother pressed them on why Kay was the way she was, they just told her that she fell in the lake at school and they just happen to be there to help.

***

Kazu gets on the phone with Valerie that night. Homework and tutoring be damn, she has one thing in her mind and she could only talk to Valerie about it. They have thought about pressuring Su Wei to stop pestering Kay but nothing seems to be a good enough threat to use against the bully. Kazu is beyond annoyed. She should know how to handle school drama by now, she's an adult after all but being shoved into this situation she realizes, school dramas might not be as trivial as she thinks.

Kazu tries to remember the details in her past and how to handle the issue. After quite some time pondering, she realizes that back then, Kay didn't really share a lot about Su Wei and the terrible things she did to her. They naturally drifted away from Su Wei during High School and the bullying just stopped. Maybe she was not that attentive to Kay's problem before. She was closer to Valerie after all. After tossing and turning a few times in her bed, Kazu springs up. She clicks on the intercom and after a few second a voice rings from the other line.

"Yes, Hime. How may I serve you?"

The voice is heavy. Kazu looks at the clock on her side desk and notices that it's already 12am. Although she feels guilty for waking up her personal assistant, she sticks to her plan anyway lest she wouldn't get any sleep tonight.

"Do you have the email address of the Xu family?" Kazu asks.
"Would you like me to draft you a letter instead, Hime?" she responds with a refreshed crisp to her voice.
"No it's okay. I just need the email address. I'll write them myself" Kazu moves to her studies and turns on her computer.
"Are you sure, Hime?"
"Mn" Kazu responds with a nod although the recipient would not be able to see her nodding.

Not a few minutes later, Kazu receives a ding from her mobile phone, a list of email address. She goes down the list and immediately her eyes are drawn to one. [JinjinGoldenjin_Xu@sina.cn]

Out of all the email address, one strikes out on a different level. She knows the owner of the address. The fact that it is a personal email address is another reason for Kazu to be warily surprised of her assistant. She must have been so sleepy to have included that one in the list. And probably out of naught or her own misjudgment, Kazu ends up writing to that exact address.





Labels: ,

Saturday, October 12, 2013