THE FORGOTTEN SPRING

CHAPTER 2

"THE FORGOTTEN SPRING"

by: Dark Flame Master

KAI'S POV

“Mom, tadaima,” (A/N: I'm home) I said as I opened the door to our small apartment. Before I could even step inside, I heard her hurried footsteps running toward the door.

As I walked in, she immediately wrapped her arms around me.

“Okaeri,” (A/N: Welcome Home) Mom said with a warm smile, pulling back to look at me. “Gutom ka na? I just finished cooking dinner. Gusto mo na kumain?” (A/N: Are you hungry? I just finished cooking dinner. Do you wanna eat?)

“Ah, thanks, Mom,” I replied, setting my bag down and heading toward the kitchen.

Mom quickly started setting the table while I sat down. She always made sure everything was perfect, like she enjoyed taking care of me. After placing the last dish on the table, she sat across from me.

“Is Dad coming home early?” I asked, watching her pour soup into my bowl.

She shook her head. “He called earlier. Ma la-late daw siya.” (A/N: He called earlier. He said he's going to be late)

I nodded. “Itadakimasu,” we both said in unison before digging into the food.

“So, how was school today?” Mom asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

“Nothing unusual,” I replied simply, not wanting to go into detail.

Mom is Filipino but she speaks to me in English most of the time, but my dad’s Japanese, so I have to switch to Japanese when talking to him. It wasn’t hard growing up in a mixed-culture household. They say kids adapt easily, and I guess that’s true.

As we continued eating, Mom suddenly gave me a curious look.

“By the way, I saw Hana yesterday,” she said. “She asked me if I’d let you go to Cyrus’s birthday party. I told her she should ask you directly. So, pupunta ka?” (A/N: the last part means: So, are you going?)

“No,” I said without hesitation, focusing on my food.

“Kai,” Mom started, her voice gentle but firm, “don’t you think it’s time to—”

“Mom, let’s stop there,” I interrupted, cutting her off. I knew what she was about to say. I’d heard it countless times before, and I wasn’t in the mood to hear it again. “Let’s just finish eating.”

She looked at me with that worried expression she always had whenever that topic came up. I hated making her worry, but what could I do? I couldn’t change how I felt.

Even I hated myself for being this way—scared of people, avoiding getting too close, and constantly worrying that friendships wouldn’t last. No matter how much I tried to convince myself that people like Hana, Kerk, and Cyrus were good, I couldn’t see them as real friends.

I always feel guilty for thinking like this. I know they’re good people, and they treat me as a friend, but I can’t bring myself to truly call them my friends. In the back of my mind, they’re just classmates I talk to—a temporary part of my life. Once we graduate, we’ll go our separate ways and eventually become strangers. I hate myself for thinking this way, but I can’t stop.

After dinner, I headed to the bathroom to take a shower. The cold water hit my skin, and I felt my body relax. For me, the bathroom was my safe space. Taking a bath every day after school was like washing away all the dirt and stress I picked up outside. It was the one thing that made me feel clean, not just physically but emotionally.

When I finished, I dried my hair and went straight to my room. Tomorrow was PE day, and I hated it. Not because I wasn’t athletic—though that was part of it. The main reason is that I couldn’t wear my mask. I’d feel exposed, like everyone could see right through me.

I collapsed onto my bed with a heavy sigh. “Today was exhausting,” I mumbled to myself.

Then, as always, my thoughts drifted to Eli. “She looked so cute today,” I whispered into the darkness, a small smile forming on my face.

I still couldn’t believe the first time we met. It felt like a dream—like she was an angel who saved me from the suffocating darkness I was drowning in.

(Flashback)

“Mom, Dad, ittekimasu” (A/N: Mom, Dad, I'm going now) I shouted as I grabbed my bag and rushed to the door.

“Itterashai, Kai!” (A/N: Take care or Have a good day) Dad called out from the kitchen.

“Hai!” I replied, not sure if he heard me.

It was a bad morning. No, scratch that—it was a disaster. In all my years of going to school, I’d never woken up late. But today? Of course, today had to be the first.

I barely made it to the train station, only to find the train packed with people. It was so crowded I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My head started spinning, and my chest tightened.

“...yabai,” (A/N: for this context it means similar to oh, s**t!) I mumbled to myself. “I’m gonna pass out…”

“Ne, daijoubu?” (A/N: Hey, are you okay?) a soft voice asked, cutting through the chaos.

I looked up to see a girl sitting in front of me. She reached out and gently held my hand.

“D-don’t touch me…” I managed to say, but my legs gave out before I could move away.

“koko, suwatte,” (A/N: Sit here) she said, standing up and guiding me to her seat before I could protest.

I wanted to tell her I didn’t need her help, but my body wasn’t listening. My head was spinning too much to argue. The rest of the train ride was a blur. All I remember is feeling embarrassed and overwhelmed.

When we finally got off the train, she stayed with me. “Are you okay now?” she asked, her voice full of concern. That’s when I noticed her uniform. She went to the same school as me.

“Here, use this,” she said, handing me her handkerchief. “You’re sweating a lot.”

I took it, still too dazed to say anything.

(Present)

I don’t remember much else from that day, I didn't even have the time to be surprised when she suddenly spoke in English. I didn’t even get the chance to ask her name but I’ll never forget her kind smile.

When I walked into class later that morning, there she was, sitting with her friends. Her smile was the same as before—warm and inviting. It was like seeing an angel.

That’s when I found out her name was Eli. Even her name sounded beautiful. After that, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. It felt like fate that we ended up in the same class during my last year of high school.

Of course, Hana, Kerk, and Cyrus noticed right away. They teased me about it endlessly, calling her my “crush.” They weren’t wrong, but it still annoyed me.

“Kai! KAI!” Mom’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Your dad’s home!” she called from downstairs.

I groaned, too tired to move.

“Kai, nanika katte kita yo. Mada okiteru?” (A/N: Kai, I bought something. Are you still awake?) Dad’s voice came from outside my door, followed by a soft knock.

I didn’t answer. I just didn’t have the energy to deal with anyone right now.

“Honey, I think he’s already asleep,” I heard Mom say. “Just give it to him tomorrow.”

Thank you, Mom, I thought, grateful she understood.

A few minutes later, I drifted off to sleep, my mind still lingering on thoughts of Eli. For once, my dreams weren’t filled with fear or guilt. They were filled with her smile, her voice, and the fleeting hope that maybe, just maybe, I’d find the courage to talk to her one day.