He's a wallflower. You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand. 

 
Isn't it strange how strangers pass each other on the streets, bump into each other, share a seat on the bus. Without knowing if they will ever meet in the future. If they might be part of that person's life in the future. Not many people would probably think about that every single day. Except for Yi En. No matter where he is, passing the steets, at school, or in the bus. He'd observe people unnoticaebly as their heads were bent down, absorbed into their smartphone screen. He'd notice small details about someone, wondering about their lifes, where they're heading too, or why the old man across him had such a heavy-hearted look in his old eyes. Yi En looked into the man's eyes with the gentle facial expression he always wore. As they made eye contact for the slightest moment, he could feel a sudden rush of strong emotions wash over him as if it were his own. It was a sad feeling. The kind of sad mixed with regret and sorrow. The bus came to a halt and they broke eye contact as people walked passed him and the old man to get off the bus. He gulped and quickly got up, overwhelmed by the sudden emotions. For a brief moment they made eye contact again and the old man smiled weakly, a warm and sad smile that matched the look in his eyes. Yi En made a small bow towards the elder and returned the smile faintly, feeling sad that it was the only thing he could offer. As usual he was the last one to get off and could hear the low rumbling sound  from the engine as the bus drove off. He turned his head and caught a glimpse of the old man's face, returned to the heavy-hearted expression. '' The eyes are the windows to the soul. '' he whispered to himself as he took a deep breath and walked towards the familiar school gates. Also known as the gates of Hell as he liked to to call it. And this wasn't because he didn't have any friends or because he got bullied or anything. He's kind hearted but also shy and withdrawn, struggling to be around crowded places. For some reason he can't help but absorbs everyone's and everything's emotions and energy like a sponge. Positive and negative. He struggles to remain present as the chaos of emotions around him pushes and pulls on his own thoughts, feeling and emotions. He has never told anyone about this because he doesn't want people to judge him as overreacting, or might misunderstand him. Except for his old homeroom teacher, who understand him very well and still offers him help whenever he needs it. 

Jia Er stood in front of his new school. He always hated the feeling of walking through the school gates. Not because it's simply '' school '' and it's suppose to be boring, dull and what not. But because he doesn't like people, or humans in general. So when he has his gloomy days like today it means he has to change his personality and hide his real thoughts to blend in and act along. He never had trouble to make friends. Mostly because he didn't see them as real friends but just classmates. His personality is easy going and somehow he attracts people automatically without having to do much. But wearing a mask to hide his real face weighs down on his shoulders. He knows from past experiences that people can change their atittude, the way they look at you, or speak to you, or about you within minutes. So that's why he puts a mask on, to protect himself. Jia Er's way of thinking is that no one can be trusted by their appereance or words, but by their true actions. '' Don't judge a book by It's cover. ''  He cleared his mind and gloomy thoughts and walked through the school gates. One hand on his mountain bike's handlebar. The bus was too crowded for him, afraid he might run into old classmates he knew as that happened quite often. He'd have to force himelf to be glad to see them, starting a conversation about things they both don't care about but still continue to be polite. He never really understood why people did thing like that. Forcing themselves to start a conversation, asking questions like '' how are you? '' when they don't actually care. Even if it was to be polite, it was fake and pretentious. And if he hated one thing, it was that. And yet, he was completly fake himself when he entered the school gates. And he knew that. He locked his bike and made sure to keep his headphones on, playing his music as loud as he could so he could avoid people just for a little bit longer. Because he knew this was going to be just another dreadful and meaningless day.


Mid-Autumn, Year 1, Full Moon. ●

It was one of those chilly autumn night. The ones with a cold but fresh breeze that left your nose running and hands freezing, but felt wonderful once the cold touched your cheeks. When the night sky was darker than usual and the stars brighter than ever. But there were rarely any people that could appreciate or notice these kind of pleasantness moments on these chilly nights. The streets in the small neighborhood were deserted except for a small supermarket on the corner of a street that was open until midnight.

The leafs had fallen from the trees and were crumpled underneath the wheels of two boys riding their bikes. Both from the same neighborhood, sharing the same nationality and reason for riding their bikes at midnight. But complete strangers to one another. Jia Er was riding his bike through the narrow alleys towards the larger streets, exhaling quick cold breaths. He could still hear his father's furious voice replay in the back of his mind. Today he has gotten himself in a fight at school, and it was only the first month since he transfered there. Not that he hasn't gotten himself into a fight before, even his father knew that. Even if he was only defending the weaker ones, his father didn't want him to get into fights because of weak people and ruining his own sports reputation. But today was different. It wasn't about defending anyone weak, but about defending himself. People made fun of him and his family for being a foreigners. So when he came home today, his knuckles covered with blood, flesh scratched badly, his lip swollen and bleeding, a bruised eye and clothes dirty. He wouldn't expect anything else than his mother bursting into tears and his father yelling at him, expecting to get slapped across the face. But he didn't slap him. And Jia Er knew his father would never do such a thing even though he wished he would this time. Because he couldn't help but throw his frustration back into his parents face, yelling at them. He saw the hurt in their eyes before he stormed out of the front door back to his bike to drive off again.

The cashier in the supermarket counter couldn't help but stare at him ever since he came in. What else could he expect looking like some delinquent teenager. He quickly grabbed some snacks and paid for them, returning to his bike. Riding in the cold weather made his hair and jacket slightly damp but he didn't care. The bright lights from the supermarket that illuminated the street dissapeared behind him as he rode further away from it. He tilted his head upwards, looking at the bright full moon as he rode his favorite path through the park. He missed his hometown back in China, his old neighborhood, the autumn festival. So at times like this, whenever he felt lonely, angry, misunderstood he would ride his bike in the park at night, staring at the moon. Because it was the only thing that hadn't changed in his life which reminded him of home. 

It was on the other side of the neighborhood, a few streets away where another boy stepped on his old shaby but trustworthy bike. He was the kind of person that saw beauty or use in all kinds of things, even this bike. His mother stood by the door with their dog Coco, barking happily from the walk he just had with Yi En. She unleashed Coco's collar, telling her son to be careful and to be back soon. Roaming around on his bike at nights like this was one the moments when he was most at peace. Releasing all the negative and positive emotions and energies he absorbed all day long. He no longer felt tired when the cold breeze brushed against his cheeks. His parents were very aware that he was different in his way of thinking, feeling and experiencing and he was thankful to them for understanding him so well. It was one thing he didn't have to worry about. School today was just like every other day, tiresome. People often use him as their own dumping ground to offload their emotional baggage, or troubles. Not that he minds, since he has a great amount of compassion he often makes up excuses in his head why people behave like they do. He doesn't blame them for doing so. Not even for using him, or when he says yes to things without thinking of his own needs. He often wonders what it would be like to have real friends, not just classmates. If he would ever be able to tell his troubles to someone. But he never really met anyone which he connected with on a deep, intimate level. He exhaled deeply, a cold breeze running through his hair as he stared at the moon, his mind drifting off to past memories.

It all happened within a blink of an eye. Two boys staring at the night sky, gasping as they see a falling star shooting across the sky. Followed by the loud crash of two bikes colliding with each other. A fated meeting written in the stars.

It was the first time for both of them to witness a falling star. Their eyes still gleaming with excitement fixated on the night sky, a smile across their faces. Yi En was the first one to avert his gaze from the sky and towards the person across him who had fallen off his bike as well. His eyes widened with shock as he noticed the person looked terribly beat up, his bag with snacks spread out across the pavement. He got up quickly, trying to find his voice wanting to ask if he was alright. But the other boy across him spoke first.

'' Did you just see that?! '' 

A big smile on his face as he spoke in excitement, pointing towards the sky. Yi En stood still, continueing to stare at the boy in astonishment. For once, he wasn't the only person that witnessed something amazing and appreciated it for what it was. A gift from nature. Yi En blinked his eyes a few times as if being woken up from a daydream. The boy asked him again with the same excitement in his voice.

'' You did, didn't you? ''

Finally Jia Er looked away from the sky, his lively eyes looking at the boy who offered him a hand. He heard the boy speak quietly, a timid smile that almost looked nervous. Almost as if he wasn't being used to smile.

'' I did '' 

Jia Er took the boy's hand. A familiar cold feeling just like his own hands. The wounds on his knuckles that had stopped bleeding a while ago were bleeding again. He didn't even feel the pain anymore, just numbness due the cold weather. The other boy noticed the bleeding, careful not to hold his hand to tight. As he released his hand he bowed towards him, still speaking quietly but a little louder and more nervous than before, apologizing for crashing into him. His last sentence cut off by Jia Er.

'' It's alright, I already had these wounds before we crashed into each other. I'm sure the bleeding will stop soon. ''

Yi En felt a little more relieved he was okay, although he still looked like he was in a terrible state. He straigtened his posture, smiling faintly. The other boy asked if he was alright, looking at him from head to toe if there was any injury. Although he hurt his elbow and wrist, he ignored this and nodded.

'' I'm fine, don't worry about me. Let me help you with your snacks. ''

They both picked up the snacks that had fallen out of the bag which had torn apart. They inspected their bikes, that were still in the same condition despite the crash. Yi En would have thought his old shabby bike would be totally shattered after the crash with a strong mountain bike that looked quite new. Jia Er gave a few snacks to the other boy as an apology and drove off in the direction he came from. Yi En was about to hop onto his bike to ride home but noticed the boy's cap was laying on the ground. Thinking it must have happened when they both fell. It was a completly black snapback with small white letters embroidered that said '' wang '' on the front. He took it from the ground, dusting off the dirt as he looked around in the distance. But the boy was nowhere to be seen anymore. 

Yi En returned to the same place for the past two weeks in the park every evening. Turning his head whenever he thought he saw a familiar sight of a boy on his bike. But no one came in those two weeks so he gave up eventually. What he didn't know was the Jia Er was grounded for those two weeks. When those two weeks had passed, Jia Er rode the same familiar path towards the park to find his snapback he lost. He noticed he lost it on the day of the crash when he rode his way back home. When he turned his bike to return to the park, it wasn't anywhere to be found. 


Late-Summer, Year 3, Sunset

Two years have passed since Jia Er and Yi En met on that night and they haven't met each other since. They were strangers once again but with thin invisible lines attached to each other.

Yi en was riding his bike. The sun illuminating everything with an orange glow. He wanted to enjoy the last bits of nature in the late-summer, the warm breeze and sunsets. After the summer vacation ends, Yi En could proudly present himself as a third year student. A new uniform, a new homeroom teacher, and a new class which he had to spend the last two years with. Everything had a brand new start. And so did Yi En.

He hadn't completly forgotten the accident which happened two years ago. It had left him a scar on his right hand and a black snapback with the word wang embroidered on it. The first few weeks when he took it home he left it on his desk, untouched. After a few months had passed and he had forgotten about most of the accident he started wearing it. It was now his cap and he used it well, almost wearing it everyday.


Two years ago, when Jia Er got home that night, he apologized to his parents, got grounded and eventually fell asleep. The next day when he got home from school he asked his parents if he could transfer to a different school again. His parents didn't agree. They said he should atleast try to get passed the second year in this school. His parents knew he had a tough time but explained to him he shouldn't give up. His whole life he had transfered to different schools. His school was informed by the fight and his parents knew that If he would transfer right after getting in a fight, he wouldn't be accepted anywhere else. So when he had passed his second year and summer vacation had started he asked his parents again. At first they disagreed again, until Jia Er told the reason why. He wanted to make a brand new start. But he didn't tell  his parents his brand new start would be more like cheating his way in. For the first time in all of his school years he was going to be the one to be the faker and put on a mask. Just so he would pass his last two years peacefully. 

Jia Er stretched his arms and sprawled out on the grass that tickled his bare arms. Taking of his snapback and running a hand through his hair while he closed his eyes. He was panting and sweating from jogging a little too excessively. Maybe it was because of the nerves that left a funny feeling in his stomach. Today was the last day of summer vacation and he had everything planned out in his mind how things would go. He luckily already had his new school uniform, not wanting to stand out by wearing his own clothes. 


When Yi En thought about his brand new start he had not imagined he'd actually dare to change anything about his appearace. And he had definitely not expected his hair to turn blond instead of dark brown when he decided to dye it. So he screamed. His sister rushing up the stairs, pulling on the bathroom's door knob. When Yi En openend the door, looking at her face that had the same wide eyed expression. She couldn't help but laugh. His sister promised to buy hair dye the next day to fix his mistake as she rinsed out the rest of his hair. 

The next day when his mother kissed his cheek, telling him that it didn't look bad on him at all. He shrugged off his mother's compliment and grabbed his snapback before leaving on his bike. He didn't care if it looked good because the school didn't care about that. He was definitely going to be in trouble for having this kind of hair color let alone stand out in the crowd. Which he hated the most. He'd just have to try to keep his snapback on all day without catching anyone's attention. 

Luckily for him only two people from his old class were in his new class, and they didn't even seem to notice him. He was one of the first ones to get in class and seated himself in the back of the class next to the window. More people walked into the classroom, some of them greeting each other's familiar face, others sitting down queitly. He looked out of the window but noticed in the corner of his eye that someone took place on the seat in front of him. The person's back was turned to face him. The boy was also wearing a snapback backwards. that had jackson embroidered on it.