Even through his sweater I thought I could feel heat emitting from his body. I almost tensed up being close to him.

“This time you’re touching me not the other way around, so I don’t want to hear you yapping at me,” he said.

I gave a small smile as we walked through the dark. I didn’t like him or anything, but with his stinky humor I felt safe.

“Are you cold?” I asked.

“You’re wearing my jacket, of course I’m cold,” he answered.

“I have an idea,” I said.

Minutes later we ended up at Boss Lady Han’s restaurant.

“Selina! I haven’t seen you for a while. How are you? Healing up?” questioned Boss Lady Han.

“I’m alright. Could I get two bowls of soup,” I asked.

“I’ll make them special,” Boss Lady Han replied.

I smiled and turned to Jiro who was looking around. I motioned for him to go sit at a table with me. As we sat down he let his eyes wander around again. The restaurant wasn't an eye appealing place. It was sturdy plain with wooden boards on the inside with some chinese decorations hanging down from the ceiling.

“Thanks for helping me,” I thanked, “and sorry that you were blamed for kidnapping. I would clear up the matter…”

“I don’t care about it,” Jiro quickly interrupted, “I don’t want your apology.”

Well this guy is still being tough ain’t he? Well I said what I wanted to say it doesn’t matter now.

“Fine then, after this we don’t owe each other anymore,” I declared.

“Sure,” he  replied.

“Two bowls of hot soup,” Boss Lady Han said setting down the bowls.

“Thank you,” I thanked.

“It’s alright. This is on the house,” Boss Lady Han told then whispered in my ear, “your boyfriend is pretty cute. Introduce me sometime.”

I turned to look at her wide eyed. My boss actually likes this guy. I gave a small laugh amused. After eating we headed outside.

“I guess that’s it then. Bye.” Jiro said as he walked away.

I watched his figure walk away from me. I stood there silently uncomfortable with the idea of having to walk home alone. Maybe I was acting like too much of a baby but after what that guy did I lost my confidence in going out alone. While I was thinking and staring in the distance Jiro turned back to look at me. Seeing that I hadn’t gone home yet he walked over and took the two bags from my hand.

“I’ll walk you home,” he said with no feeling in his voice.

I looked up at him in silence feeling a need to argue back.

“You’re such a big baby,” he mumbled as he placed my hand on his arm.

Maybe I liked this. When I could lean on someone without fearing otherwise. Two years ago I used to depend on ‘Him’. Until everything I did failed I lost to fate miserably.

“Where’s your house?” he asked.

“That way,” I answered and we went that way.

I stopped shortly when we came across a house with lighted windows. Mom and Xi must be wondering where I was.

“My house is that one,” I told him, “thank you for taking me back.”

“See ya,” he said.

As I opened the door to the house I could see that he was watching me go inside the house then he began to walk away when the door closed.

“Selina!” Xi came up behind me.

I quickly locked the door and turned around.

“What?” I asked quickly.

“Where were you? You went shopping for some food and it took you two hours?” Xi asked. “There’s something wrong with the picture.”

“Well, I told you I might take a while,” I lied. Had I even said that?

“A while meant two hours so, you were going through the two hundred bags of celery to see which one was the best?” Xi asked sarcastically.

I shrugged, “Could be.”

Xi rolled her eyes and walked away then I could hear her talking to mom in the kitchen. I looked at myself making sure that I looked ok and walked into the kitchen. I set the bags down on the table and walked over to mom.

“You tired mom? You can go sleep,” I told.

“With you disappearing off and on like this I can’t sleep,” my mom said.

“You don’t have to worry. I just ran into an old friend that’s all,” I said.

“An old friend? Who is it?” mom asked turning around suddenly interested.

“Yea, an old friend. A girl that used to go to grade school with me, that’s all,” I replied. “It’s not like I’m going to get kidnapped anyway.”

“Don’t you bring that back up. I swear if it happens again I’ll beat your kidnapper to death!” mom raised her voice and walked off.

I laughed grabbing a cup of water. I couldn’t help but laugh at how silly mom was sometimes. Her humor can really bring you up.

************************************

Jiro shut the door to his room and lied down on the bed. He flopped over and turned endlessly. At last he finally sat up in frustration rubbing his head .

“What is wrong with me?!” he questioned. “I keep thinking of her all the time!”

With a last grumble he dropped himself down onto the bed.

The sun was clearly up early in the morning which caused Jiro to wake up a little earlier than usual. He got up and shut the curtains then stretched and went into the bathroom to get ready for school.

She was already sitting in her desk when Jiro arrived. He walked over to his desk coolly and sat down. Throughout the whole class period he glanced at the board and eyed her from the back. Before he knew it the professor had already dismissed them from class. He grabbed his bag absentmindedly and left the room. For the rest of the day Jiro was pretty bored to death, but after his last class he rushed outside to see her pass him. Just taking a glance at her made his heart beat fast. She stopped after a few steps and turned to look at Jiro as if she'd felt his eyes on her and strangely he felt a bit nervous.

“What?” she asked.

Jiro quickly shook his head and answered, “No.”

She sort of frowned and walked away. As he stared at her back he remembered staring at his mother’s back when he was young then something dawned upon him. In a few days time would be his mom’s death anniversary. He felt pain growing from the bottom of his heart.

That night when he arrived home his father had a bunch of papers spread out in front of him. As Jiro walked passed his father he looked up.

“Why are you home so late?” asked Mr. Wang.

Jiro stopped silently for a while then turned to his father with a hand in his pocket and his other hand around the strap of his backpack.

“Why? Whatever I do wherever I go I have to report to you first?” Jiro asked with an attitude.

Mr. Wang got up and walked towards his son, “Stay home this Sunday. We’re going out for dinner.”

Jiro glared at his father, “Sunday? I have something on I don’t think I can change my plans.”

“What important plan would that be? Planning to leave home again?” challenged Mr. Wang.

“I didn’t have that in mind but thanks for suggesting that old man,” Jiro said with a smirk.

“You do that again and you’ll stay in jail,” Mr. Wang threatened.

“Better than here, anyway I wish you success on your negotiation,” Jiro said walking away.

“Jiro! Jiro!” his father shouted. Jiro stopped and walked back.

“You’re so into business that you can forget the most important things in your life,” Jiro said.

“What are you talking about?” questioned his father.

Jiro looked away and glanced back at his father, “Mother.”

“Your mom?” his father asked making it sound as if it was the most pathetic word in the world. “She’s already gone and you’re always bringing up this subject.”

As his father said that fire burned up in Jiro but he pushed it down keeping calm, “Sunday….is mom’s death anniversary. I don’t wish to see you near her grave if I even see your happy face that day I swear I’ll never return for you to use me.” Jiro finished his sentence and walked away leaving his father to furiously stare at his back.

When Jiro entered his room he tossed his backpack onto the ground and laid down on his bed. He gave a deep sigh trying to think of what to get his mother. Then it came back shortly. In the world his mother loved flowers most.

Sunday came quickly and Jiro arose early and happily that day. He left the house quickly so that he would not meet up with his father and found that stores were just beginning to open so he hung out and bought breakfast to eat. After doing so Jiro strolled around in the neighborhood and stopped. There a few yards in front of him was her house. He took a breath and walked towards the house knocking on the door. When the door opened a shocked surprised face stood staring at him.

Deciding to break the stare Jiro gave a happy smirk and said, “Hello classmate.”