Xiao Shan watched tiredly as her mother fussed over her incessantly. It was always proper meals, warm clothing, more fresh air, and the more recent one, visit to the doctor. As the driver pulled up in front of a modest clinic near their neighborhood, she was forced to put on more layers of clothes even though it was barely into autumn yet.

“Mom, I’m fine,” she told her mom for the tenth time when her mom wrapped a scarf over her neck and nearly suffocating her in the process. “And I don’t need to see a doctor. It’s just minor flu. I can take some medicine and rest at home.”

“You are not just caring for yourself now, Xiao Shan. You’re caring for your baby too,” Mrs. Lee retorted in annoyance. It wasn’t that she wanted to mother or nag at her daughter but caring for two was very much different than caring for just yourself.

Xiao Shan is going to be a mother soon and she’s a novice. She could hardly take care of herself. Mrs. Lee helped her down the car, noticing for the first time since they arrived in Canada exactly how thin she has gotten. Her arms felt like sticks compared to the time when everyone else thought she was too chubby for her age. And now that she was not eating and resting well, added to the cold she’s caught, Mrs. Lee was even more worried.

“Who is this doctor?” Xiao Shan asked as a way of changing the conversation. She sensed that her mother was getting way ahead of herself from the furrows on her forehead.

Mrs. Lee beamed at that mention. Leading her up a couple of steps to the main entrance, she answered, “I’ve asked around. This Dr. Wu is the best obstetrician around. I’ve already made an appointment with him.”

“You don’t have to do everything for me, mom. I can…” Before Xiao Shan could finish her sentence, the large glass door opened and a young man rushed out.

Mrs. Lee pulled her daughter aside hastily before they collide. They looked up at the person who just so rudely exited the building but an angry voice from inside the clinic tore their attentions away immediately.

“Kris, we are not done talking!”

The young man, presumably called Kris turned and snapped back to the voice. His voice was even louder and more furious. “I’m done talking to you, old man! That’s what you ever wanted to do, talk!”

“You are not quitting medical school to join a band!” the elder man yelled more. The two women watched as the elder man, wearing a white coat and graying in the hair, stood inside the clinic while shouting at the guy outside the clinic.

“The hell I can! You’re not the boss of me!” Kris hollered back.

By now, it had become a shouting match in front of all the patients and staffs. The unwilling audience watched in awe and disbelief as their usually calm and friendly doctor yelled at his son. He ran a hand through his thinning hairs and continued.

“If you leave medical school, you are not my son!”

“Fine, I don’t need this name ‘Wu’ anyway!” Kris shouted with finality and turned away after glaring angrily at his father. His eyes landed on the two ladies who were openly staring at him with dismay. Scowling, he growled, “You’ve got a problem?”

Mrs. Lee shook her head quickly and looked away, panic raised inside her just by standing in such near proximity with the rebellious child. But it was Xiao Shan who spoke up, much to both Kris and Mrs. Lee’s surprise.

“The superior man, while his parents are alive, reverently nourishes them; and when they are dead, reverently sacrifices to them. His thought to the end of his life is how to not disgrace them.”

Kris stared down at the petite girl in front of him. She was pale and skinny, almost as if she has been starving herself. But the look in her eyes was unlike anything he has seen before. It wasn’t contempt like the one his dad has shown him, or fears like the one the older woman was displaying. It was as if she understood his situation but was disappointed that he couldn’t rise above it.

“And what the hell do you know?!” he retorted huffily.

She nodded in agreement. “Maybe I don’t.” She turned to leave but not before taking a closer look at him.

He was tall, beyond average. And judging from the shouting match he just had, he was planning to quit medical school so he must have been in his early twenties. Still, nothing about him says medical school. He was clearly of Asian descent but chose to dye his hair in golden blonde. And set against his pale skin was black overalls; graffiti shirt and rugged jeans.

Kris rolled his eyes at the stranger and stormed across the street. She watched him cross the street; his long strides took him almost no effort at all. Right across, a group of people cheered for his return and each took turns to hug him. They were all dressed similarly, blonde hair, graffiti shirt and rugged jeans. Some of them had tattoos as well, him included. Xiao Shan had distinctively caught a shape on his left forearm before he left. She shook her head.

“I’m so sorry that you have to see that embarrassing spectacle,” Dr. Wu apologized as he attempted to straighten his already well-ironed coat to cover his awkwardness. Gesturing both of them to take seats in front of his desk, he added, “My son has a bit of a trouble-making streak in him.”

“Oh, it’s alright,” Mrs. Lee interjected quickly. “He seemed to be quite hard-headed, your son.”

Dr. Wu sighed. “Yes. You see, my wife passed away when he was a child and I was always busy with the clinic to educate the boy. So he does whatever he wants and gets away with it. I just hope he will stop and listen to me for once. He’s always getting into trouble.”

“He’ll come back,” Xiao Shan put in coolly. The other two turned to her in surprise. “Because his name is Kris; He will find his way eventually.”

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To readers all... I officially present you~ KRIS!!!!! XD I hope it's up to everyone's expectations. I actually love Kris's character. He's not exactly Prince Charming but he's no commoner either. I'm sure some readers are speculating his roles and the story plot, I'll make sure to surprise all of you. Hehe.. ^^

Please leave lots of love for this story by commenting, subcribing & upvoting~  >.<