"Here," Jiro handed Emily a can of fizzy drink from the vending machine and the two were now sitting outside. 

Emily accepted the drink quietly and stared at the can as Jiro sat down beside her. She then turned to him, "I'm sorry," she blurted out quite loudly compared to Jiro's softer and lower tone. 
Jiro didn't look at her, "Why?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were working after school," she replied, "I also shouldn't have been suspicious of you and followed you - it was wrong on my part."

A sigh escaped Jiro's lips as he looked up at he darkening sky, "It doesn't matter now..." he said. Emily didn't expect him to react like this - she expected him to scold or yell at her, calling her 'King Kong Jie Jie' but he seemed much calmer and more sensitive. 
"Are you... are you allowed to be out here?" she then asked slowly and Jiro nodded.
"It's my break time," he responded and then Emily nodded in understanding with a small 'Oh'. After that, silence hung between them whilst Emily fumbled with the tab of the can. 

"So... I guess you know everything now..." Jiro muttered before smiling sourly, "You must have enjoyed watching me act like a servant and cleaning toilets," he chuckled emptily, causing Emily to frown.
"Is that how you see me, Jiro? Someone who enjoys other people's misfortune and suffering?" she questioned.
"Certainly mine," Jiro replied.
Emily turned to face him, "Only because you annoyed me first," she retorted, "But how can I laugh while watching you do such a thing?"
"Wow, Emily Cai can actually be a nice person," Jiro commented teasingly only to be hit on his shoulder.
"I am a nice person," she countered, "Just maybe not to you always," she added with a small smile.
 
Jiro smiled at her, a smile that brightened up his face, a smile so bright that it could have rivalled Calvin's. It certainly made her heart skip a beat.
"King Kong Jie Jie," he teased to annoy her but she immediately fired back.
"Stupid Golden Monkey!" she shot but this time she had a smile on her lips. And then it went back and forth between them like children. 

When Emily realised that their playful bickering was meaningless and pointless, she abruptly stopped and posed a question. "Can you tell me your story?" she asked.
The question spread puzzlement across Jiro's face. "what, why?" he inquired.
"I want to be able to help you," Emily answered, wanting to follow her cousin's lead, "As your teacher," she added.
Jiro stood up and stuffed his hands into his pockets, staring ahead, "I don't need your pity," he said, "And certainly not from a teacher," he added for emphasis.
"It's not pity," she denied, "I truly want to help you, Jiro. You need that diploma for Cyndi, don't you?" she questioned. 
"If I needed help you aren't the first person I'd go to - I have friends," he replied, "And I don't like teachers."
"Am I just a teacher to you?" Emily questioned, "We clearly don't have the usual teacher-student relationship because of your age and our bickering. I don't feel superior to you at all."
"Who cares?" Jiro asked, "It doesn't matter what type of relationship we have, my personal business is none of a teacher's."

Emily stood up and walked over to him. She stood beside him and also stared into the distance. "Someone close to me taught me to take the chance to understand those outcasted by the school community," she began, "She taught me to try and understand their story and help them. She was a great teacher, and still is. But then she wasn't able to help the person she wanted to help the most and they slipped right through her fingers. Jiro, I don't want to be regretful like her - I want to be a great teacher like her and help everyone that I can. It's true that we started off on the wrong boat, but I'm willing to change that if you let me help you," she explained in a softer tone.

Jiro looked down at Emily, seeing Miss Melody's image flicker before his eyes and forming guilt in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know who Emily was talking about but his favourite Melody Jie who became his favourite Miss Melody continued to surface in his mind, bringing back the harsh words he had said to her.

"What about me?... I became a teacher for you... if you leave then what's the point in staying here too?"

"Then leave if you want to - that's not my problem." 

He didn't really expect Miss Melody to leave Guava High - he had just said those words in the heat of the moment. He really didn't want to hurt her. He sighed, closing his eyes.

"You can talk to me as though I'm your sister or a friend - trust me, I want to help."

"Why... why are you helping me?" 

"Because I believe you're a good person... no, I know you're a good person. My father doesn't know your side of the story and is unwilling to take the chance to understand you, so I will do that instead."

He missed Miss Melody. She truly had meant alot to him and now the fact that he had made his favourite teacher and jie leave the job she loved, guilt tripped him into giving in to Emily. 

The moment Jiro opened his mouth again, he told her about what he was doing: getting his high school diploma to get the job at the company to earn a decent amount of money that would support him, Cyndi, their baby and look after his mother in the care home she was staying at. He told her about the burning down of the ice cream parlour. He told her why he left school - because he was too poor to afford the fees and his mother was too sick at that time so he had to constantly stay by her side.

Emily had to admit that she was touched by Jiro's sacrifice, his hard work and his dedication to help his loved ones around him - she had really misunderstood him. 'I guess this is why Melody Jie wanted me to get to know him...' she thought. 

"Do you regret quitting school the first time?" she inquired.
Jiro nodded with a sigh, "The moment I left school, I was left behind by everyone and I hated it. All my friends went onto university and got jobs. It wasn't a nice feeling even though my friends stayed with me and made me feel better," he explained, "But I had no choice to hurt some people in order to look after my mother."

Emily looked up at him and showed him a smile, "I'll definitely help you get that diploma," she said confidently.
"And how will you do that, King Kong Jie Jie?" Jiro asked.
"I'll tutor you myself," she said, "Every day before school and during lunch, I'll give you intensive study sessions and you'll pass the exams with flying colours," she told him with a warm smile.

Jiro felt his heart feel fuzzy and warm; the last time someone had been so determined to help him was when Miss Melody became a teacher for him. He showed her a warm smile in acceptance of her offer, making her return his smile.

After Jiro's break had ended, Jiro returned back to work while Emily accompanied and watched him, sharing some words to keep him awake. As soon as his shift was over, Jiro left the company with Emily.

As the two walked to the car park, Jiro looked at the time on his watch, "Say... King Kong Jie Jie, want to get some dinner? It'll be my treat," he suggested, seeing how it was almost midnight and neither of them had eaten anything since lunch time at school. 
A scoff escaped Emily's lips, "Forget it, golden monkey, I'll treat you," she said.
"How can a guy let the girl treat?" he questioned, getting out his helmet as they arrived at his bike.
Emily rolled her eyes, "It's not a date okay," she reminded him. "So save your money for your date with Cyndi tomorrow. Let my treat be an apology to you."

Jiro grinned and put his helmet over her head, "Okay," he replied enthusiastically.
"Why are you giving me your helmet?" she inquired.
"I don't suppose you brought your car with you so we'll ride my bike," he told her, "I only have one helmet so it's better for you to wear it," he told her.
"Stupid monkey," she replied, pulling it off and putting it over his head, "You're the driver, not me," said, "you need it more than I do!"
"I don't need it, I'm a safe driver anyway!" Jiro retorted.
"Then if you're a safe driver then I should be safe as a passenger then, golden monkey!" she exclaimed.
Jiro then secured the helmet on his head, "Then don't blame me if the wind makes your hair all puffy and frizzy, King Kong Jie Jie!" he huffed, climbing on his bike.
"Oh I'll blame you for anything," she joked, climbing onto the bike after him.

Jiro grabbed her hands and put them around his waist, "Hold on tight, okay?" he said and Emily nodded with a blush, although he couldn't see. Suddenly, he sped off without warning, making her grip on him tighten and she pressed her head against his back, clinging on for dear life. 

Jiro laughed as he felt her fingers almost dig into his skin.