A quick glance out the window revealed some other kids randomly wandering around.
That confirmed that if I WANTED, I could probably head out far too.
But there were a few problems with that.
One, my mom would DEFINITELY panic if she learned I left.
She hid it well, but she was pretty wracked with guilt and fear when she left. She might very well have a full blown panic attack if I disappeared from the house.
Two, I didn't have a bike and I wasn't fit enough to run. We lived in the suburbs, albeit BARELY the suburbs. You know, the part juuust outside the sketchy part of town but also not part of it.
If I got into trouble... Well. I could handle it. But my parents would NEVER let me anywhere again.
Gotta save that card for when I really need it.
And three... I didn't need to go anywhere.
I mean, what was I going to do? The internet BARELY existed right now. The library was on the other side of town. And I was too young AND lacking in money to be wandering around the local mall.
Nope. I was going to take advantage of the tutorial level, thank you very much.
So, since that was settled, I took my trusty stick again and continued my training montage.
Funnily enough, I was making a lot more progress than I thought I'd be making.
It was probably due to my training philosophy though.
Unlike the common social norm of pushing your limits, I was cementing my floor.
To explain it clearer... What I did was find my 'baseline' where moving didn't tire me out at all. Then I just simply kept doing that.
For my sword swinging, for example, I swung my sword at the tree over and over again. But it was at a relaxed pace that felt like work, but didn't hurt or exhaust me. Then I just did it for hours on end.
Some would call it boring.
But to a man like me who once reached level 99 in every stat on Runescape, this was ridiculously interesting.
For one, I could actively feel my body adapting. Since I was training in a relaxed state, I could sense when tension came in. And by training just under that tension, I was slowly refining my techniques in that relaxed state, making them sharper.
...Hm. I lowkey wondered if this was some sort of regression bonus or if it was actually some hidden talent I never properly trained.
I mean, I DID start training later in life and make quick progress. Maybe I was always built this way?
Well, either way, I was leveraging it to the extreme.
Yesterday, my sword- I mean, 'stick' swinging was awkward and haphazard. But today, although I still wasn't swinging 'properly' at all in any style or technique, each individual slash was crisp and whipped through the air.
It actually led to me breaking a few sticks in half since they couldn't handle it. Of course, I just switched to knife techniques instead.
...The neighbors gave me funny looks. But since they were white folks and I was Asian, they probably thought it was some kungfu nonsense.
The 90s were a different time, man. The early 2000s too.
Still, useful stuff-
Ah, crap.
Now that I think about it, wasn't this around when bullying was running rampant? Like, movie style bullying and all that jazz?
Hm. Wouldn't be a problem for me.
I welcomed a good fight.
Especially since there weren't cameras yet. At least, not to the level where proper evidence could come in.
Guns weren't that widespread yet either...
"Wait. Isn't this amazing then?"
After a year, I was absolutely going to be clearing against anyone my age in physical endeavors. My raw physical stats were just undoubtedly going to be that high.
A fight? Laughable. I didn't know proper martial arts, but my 'basic attacks' would be at a level where it didn't matter. Not to mention that my swordplay was ridiculously sharp too. I just needed something 'swordlike' in hand. And in the 90s, plenty of that stuff was around.
Pointing sticks in classrooms, rulers, exacto knives...
Easy.
"...High school is going to be a blast."
I could already see the trajectory up ahead.
Now I just had to live it.
I chuckled and then went back to my training. This time, I started attacking the tree with my barehands. Light punches, chops, and slaps. Not hard enough to wound me, but just enough to feel the impact.
Soon. Soooon.
===
The last days before school started up again passed by with relative normality.
But despite that, Mei couldn't help but feel that something was off about her sweet little boy.
Wang insisted that it wasn't a problem. And he was actually supportive of Alex being more active, attributing it to their son just being obssessed with the kungfu movies that Wang watched after he came home from work.
Mei wanted to believe that. Especially since Alex stared so intently at the movies and seemed to be imitating the moves.
But it was the little things that made her feel strange.
First, Alex was still eating a lot. But WHAT he ate was different.
He had stopped being picky for one, and he was properly eating greens now. But he ate less rice and swapped it with more meat instead.
It wasn't a problem since Wang liked eating rice and used to complain about there not being enough.
Now, dinner always ended without any leftovers when it used to have leftover meat and greens.
It was odd, but Mei didn't mind it too much. Children went through picky phases after all.
But the second point was what made Mei a bit concerned.
Alex was still her sweet little boy. He clearly loved cuddling with her, spending time with her, and acted like a bubbly young child.
...But that was the problem.
Mei looked at Alex, who was in the middle of doing his usual sketches at the dining table. "Sweetie..."
Alex paused and looked up, smiling. "Yes, Mommy?"
Mei hesitated. Then she said, "...Are you... okay?"
Alex blinked and tilted his head. "Why wouldn't I be okay, Mommy?"
'Because your parents are barely home.'
Mei wanted to say that. But Alex looked like he didn't understand the question at all.
...Was he really okay?
Was he fine with this amount of love from them?
He SEEMED okay. And he FELT like he was okay.
But...
Mei could still recall how Alex had cried all through kindergarten when Wang left for work and how Alex had to cuddle one of Wang's shirts before he could sleep. She remembered how Alex had looked so sad when she said she had to go for work.
But now he was fine. In fact, he looked happier than she had ever seen him.
So Mei was worried.
Then again...
"...School starts tomorrow, right, Sweetie?" Mei put on a smile and said, "Are you excited?"
A small test. A self-reassurance for a reasonable explanation.
Alex's eyes lit up and he beamed. "Oh, I'm SUPER excited. I can't wait to show off to everyone."
Hearing those words, Mei let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
'Right. That explains it.'
Her sweet little boy was growing up. And he probably had friends he was going to meet again now that summer was over.
...It was a bit sad that she and Wang couldn't take him to hang out with the friends he made before. And she had been worried he didn't have any friends at school.
But it seemed like it'd be fine.
Alex WAS Wang's son, after all.
And Mei knew first hand how stubborn and competent that man could be.
So it was fine.
...Though Mei made a mental note to tell her sister Yue to check up on Alex after she picked him up from school every day.