_ Sir? Said the synthetic voice of the butler.
_ Pune…?
_ Another nightmare?
_ No ... I ... I ... what the ... um ... what time is it?
Kumail sighs in frustration. What is this bullshit?
_ It is eight o'clock, sir.
"Ok… I… I slept through the night? What time did I get home last night?
_ I do not know sir. When I went to your room at seven o'clock to let you know about the supper ready, I found you asleep, so I left you alone. You haven't been out since.
Nineteen o'clock ... Kumail discovered the entrance to the other world at this precise hour. Great, he went nuts denigrating his own life. It looked so real though.
Since when did good things happen to him? How do we recognize his talent? Since when did normal people recognize knowing how to play well as a talent? Like something special? Was there really another world where he felt free and in his place?
The answer was obvious. He sighed.
_ Something wrong, sir?
_ Yes, don't worry, Pune. I'm just still in the fog. Breakfast is ready ?
_ It's in progress, it will be ready as soon as you get out of the bathroom.
_ Good.
Lost in thought, Kumail lets water run over him and desperately tries to figure out what is happening to him. He had always come to terms with the flat gray of his life. Of course he had dreamed of better, but that. He wasn't crazy, it was more than a dream! All his emotions get mixed up and he can't seem to regain control. He feels his breathing quicken, his heart starts beating faster… He doesn't understand, and his brain refuses the obvious. He breathes too fast in the hot steam from the shower, and begins to lose consciousness. He feels himself leaving …
_ Breakfast is ready, sir.
Pune suddenly brings him back to reality. He hangs up the wall and comes to his senses. It will be fine. It has to be.
...
The same path, the same school, the same people, the same… Problems. The memory of the cafeteria scene comes back to him. A lump in his stomach is felt when he thinks of Maare, Charle, Tetsu and Asaria… Asaria? A flash returns to him, he remembers the conversion between the three imbeciles, the day before.
Only, if he really heard this conversion and was present, he couldn't have been in bed at seven o'clock… right? Realizing this, Kumail sees Asaria in the distance. He walks over to her, wishing to confirm the party that Maare and the others had the day before. But he hears the ringtone, lessons begin.
Lunch time. He spent his time dreaming, wondering. So far his only thoughts have been on competitions, battles and their strategies. Today it is different, he is interested and preoccupied with his life, the one he tries at all costs to flee, that he despises: reality. His eyes follow a cloud, lying on the roof of the school with the sky as its only companion. Maybe it's not all so dark in the end, maybe he let this world down too quickly. It's just confusing. If such things really happened. It was not for lack of looking for physical changes all over his body this morning in the shower ... Finally, finished daydreaming, the break is over.
...
The lessons end, he walks towards the exit.
_ I didn't know you were the type to dry Ku, little bandit! Massa told him, giving him a friendly pat on the back.
Pain. Burn. Wrong. At the contact behind his back, Kumail suddenly collapsed to the ground, broken, as if the hand wasn't slapping his back but rather shoving something inside him.
He finds himself on the ground, in front of his confused comrades.
He catches his breath and his wits after a few seconds, realizes the pain is gone, and he's slumped to the ground in the midst of all ...
_ Hmm ... are you ok ? Massa asks worriedly.
Kumail hears the crowd around him, snickering, whispering about himself. He then regains control.
_ Yes, don't worry, I have nothing. Excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom.
He hastens to leave amid the mocking noises of the group that has formed. He rushes into a cabin, locks it and undresses. He may search again and again, but he finds nothing. He tries to reach the place where Massa touched him, but he can't. He then decides to go out shirtless and look at his back in the mirror above the sinks. Nothing.
Time goes by, and Kumail can't think of anything else. Why did he collapse? Where did this pain come from that disappeared so suddenly? He would have really gone nuts, in fact.
He needs to know so badly. He waited for Asaria to finally find out what happened the night before, if her friends really met at that bar she was supposed to go to, but she wasn't there. He had to make up his mind to go home, he took a bath, a meal and went to bed.
Neither the next day nor the day after, Asaria was there. He believed in it, however. But all that came with him in his thoughts was the look Asaria gave him before he was showered with trash. Her purple eyes that said… "I'm sorry." ".
People sucks.
He chose to move against his nature and to live without any connection. He only has Pune. It makes you wonder why he went to this date ...
Kumail goes to the cafeteria, despite what happened the last time he was there. It's the first time in a while that he's been there to really eat. Faced with all this choice he hesitates, each card has several menus, which include several dishes, which include several flavours. Obviously, it's always like that in such a prestigious establishment. The prices go with it. He then notices a poster of a limited edition burger. It's crushed, the price is indecent, but it's too late to turn back. He takes his meal, and goes to sit down.
Suddenly the hubbub that reigns in the cafeteria stops.
Kumail pretends nothing happened and keeps his head in his tray to enjoy real bread containing real meat. He wants absolutely nothing to do with others and intends to enjoy the meal which has cost him full rent. But after a while he feels uneasy, as if everyone is looking at him.
He finally looks up. Wow… a dream? An elf? Kumail has in front of him a girl he doesn't recognize but who is ... Dazzling ...
_ Can I sit here? … Hmm?
Kumail nods in response. She has a lovely nasal voice. He completely forgot to breathe ...
_ Thank you ! She blurted out, smiling.
Kumail tries to enjoy his meal again but… She stands in front of him, staring at him and having nothing to eat. After long seconds of embarrassed silence, he dares.
_ Hm ... do we know each other?
_ No.
"Ok… you… you wanna stop staring at me… please?"
_ Oh, am I making you uncomfortable? She asks sincerely.
_ N ... No not really. A little. A stranger who comes and sits in front of you to watch you eat without speaking to you is not really the most comfortable of situations. Um ... do you want some? Kumail told her, pushing her tray towards her. She only took two vanilla flavoured protein bars.
_ Oh ... are you sure?
Kumail stares at her without giving an answer, as if to say "I won't suggest it to you a second time. »
_ Thank you !
Most people wouldn't have taken a bite. There, she gobbled up Kumail's entire meal. Bye bye the limited edition burger ...
_ Delicious ! Thank you very much ! You are lucky to eat this every day!
_ Ah, yeah ... Too much luck ho man… it's madness how lucky we are ... Otherwise, I've never seen you here and seen how they looking at you, i'de say nobody ever saw you before.
_ Hm ... * chew * I am a nobody, just Alia, a friend.
_ A friend ? From whom?
_ A friend. The question is, who are you, Kumail?
_ Who am I ? You're pretty weird, I'm the guy who just got his awesome meal eaten by an anonymous…. Wait ... where do you know my n ...
_ Haha! Sorry I'll repay you that she cuts, winking at him. So ! Tell me about yourself ! Who are you…
Despite an intimidating presence and charm, she managed to put Kumail at ease. He doesn't insist when he sees that she is avoiding some questions. This is one of the few times he has a cool interaction with another real human being. They end up talking about everything and nothing, as if they already know each other, without touching on anything serious. Kumail finally chews on Alia's protein bars, when an unwelcome voice interrupts them.
_ Look who's here ! Aah… You are really stubborn huh… Tell me, the smell, still here ?
Kumail, his features suddenly strained, pretends not to listen and Alia watches the scene without intervening.
_ If you want we can do it over, they say it's good for the skin ...
Charles notices Alia's presence and raises an eyebrow, visibly interested.
_ Hey you ... Didn't you get the wrong table by any chance?
_ No thanks. I am exactly where I want to be. Could you go please? We are in the middle of something.
Alia didn't give him a single look. She is focused on Kumail, himself surprised by the scene unfolding before his eyes. Charles in all the splendor that characterizes him, necessarily insists. Predictable, Kumail thought, annoyed.
_ Hey. You seem to fart a lot higher than your ass. Just because you're a little cute doesn't mean ...
"I see the formalities are gone," Alia said with a sigh. Very well. I think you got it wrong, "hunk of my two 333s". We're on a private group and you're not invited, got it?
_ Haha ... So you ...
Charles's tone is threatening. Not good, Kumail thought to himself.
_ Hitting a woman, that's a real man, retorts the swarthy.
_ Shut the fuck up ! gets carried away Charles
_ I said ... Get out.
Alia's tone is final. She ignored Kumail's intervention. She who hadn't calculated Charles from the whole confrontation finally looked at him. With a look like ... Empty. Empty but at the same time, so clear… Kumail feels it, although he is not the intended one, he understands the message perfectly. If Charles continues, he risks his life. The situation is surreal, and the entire canteen is holding its breath.
The tension evaporates when Charles walks away, releasing a few insults as he walks away to play smart. And the cafeteria resumes its usual rhythm, at least on the surface.
_ But where do you come from? The young man asks almost in a whisper, scrutinizing Alia.
_ You reacted.
_ What? That's not ... that's not the subject! What was that ?!
"When he was going to hit me, you reacted," Alia said again, unperturbed.
Kumail sighs. Well.
_ So what ?
_ But not when he insulted you, why?
_ Seriously, is that what shocks you? Like that. I am used to it.
_ You want to fight for someone you don't know, but not for yourself ... Are you dumb or what?
_ I didn't ask your opinion, so shut up. I just want to avoid problems, that's all.
_ But not for a stranger ..."It doesn't matter whether you are a stranger or not," Kumail angers. You're a girl, we don't hit girls.
_ Oh so what if I had a penis ...?
_ What? No. I mean… Shit, okay? he blushed under the young girl's smirk.
_ Hmm ... And so, you will continue to suffer without acting? To avoid problems ? Alia asks again.
_ Yeah. So what ?
_ You know Kumail ... A long time ago there were people who thought like you: "if I don't react, if I don't fight, if I don't give them a reason, everything will be fine. I would make my life quietly in my corner. ". Is that how you think yes ? Do you know what happened to these people ?
_ Did they finally give in? supposes Kumail, tired of the two-circle life lessons.
_ No, they disappeared without explanation. Without leaving a trace. Evaporated ... And nobody cares. Even better, their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren are treated like crap. Maybe because we gave them a reason? No, just because it was okay to be able to do that, okay to give them that role. And to this day these morons still haven't learned their lesson. In the end, maybe they really deserve it. What do you think?
"So do you think when someone gets hit, it's their fault?" Well done the mentality …
_ That's not what I said. We don't live in a world of care bears. You might be wondering why garvets are so rare these days ... what's your plan? At this point it's no longer about being a pacifist. It's a suicide for which you hold your tormentors accountable because you don't have the balls to take responsibility.
The nerves which will however explode, Kumail does not answer.
Alia walks over and whispers in his ear ...
_ This is what happens to those who think like you.
She then takes him by the cheeks, sticks his forehead to hers and says...
_ You know, one day you will fall in love, you will get married and you will start a family. A big family ... The role of parents is to protect their children, and their future. Your children will end up like you, maybe worse. So move your ass, wear your pride and stop walking with your tail between your legs. Do you want to do that? She asks, her eyes teary as she stares at him.
Kumail looks at her, eyes wide, and remains silent for a few seconds. He nods slowly, his cheeks still held up by Alia's hands.
_ Great… Oh and by the way, it makes you look cute, but girls know how to defend themselves very well on their own, you know? Gender does not define strength, just as origin does not define fate ... never forget it ...
Alia smiles at him and leaves as she arrived. Strange is a weak word to define it. Who was that girl?
On the way home, Kumail still struggles to realize what happened to him in the cafeteria.
He had been sociable. With a stranger. A girl.
A girl he can't seem to get out of his head.
A girl…
Asaria!
He had completely forgotten about her. But what an asshole! Okay, it's too late for today. Tomorrow, promised, promised, tomorrow!
The next day, Asaria is still away. People in his class starts to look funny at Kumail. He decides to wait until the end of the lessons to get more concrete information. The day passes with almost unbearable slowness before he can go to the teacher's room, yet when he gets to the door he hesitates before knocking.
Three shots.
_ Yes ?
He opens the door to a teacher he knows well, blonde and still young, sparkling in her extraordinary green clothes.
_ Hello Mrs Suri ... I have come to ask you something ...
_ Kukichou !
A teacher rushes over and kisses him unrestrainedly. It's not just his clothes that are out of the ordinary.
_ It's been a long time since you visited me! Have you finally made up your mind? If this is too intimidating for you, we can start by leaving a change of clothes ... Or a toothbrush! It's a toothbrush that shows commitment, right?
Kumail finds it hard not to smile. She is filterless, and doesn't always realize what she says.
_ Mrs…
_ Sophia! For you this is Sophia how many times I have to tell you this!
_ Mad ... So… Sophia ... I came to hear about an absent student.
_ A student ? Who ? She asks, concerned, her cup of coffee in her hand.
_ Asaria Vassilia. Also in the first year ... But in section C.
_ Aah… Why? Are you going out with her?
_ What I ? No, that's not the question! She hasn't been in almost a week, Kumail said, blushing.
_ Hmm ... I see. Technically, if there was a reason, I'm not particularly allowed to say it, but there is none. His family has influence, so the school doesn't have a say, you know.
_ You have his address, could I have it?
_ You are adorable, but I have no right. I'm risking my job for that.
_ Sophia, if you give me the address, I promise to think about your proposal to move in ...
She looks at him, suspicious but amused. This kid had touched her heart, and he was leading her by the nose. She quickly searched her computer, wrote something down on a piece of paper and handed it to him, with a warning look.
_ It never came from me, okay?
If Kumail had a mother, he would have loved her to be like Sophia, he told himself as he left.
At the end of the day, maybe that's his kind of talking to girls. Since arriving here, Sophia is the only person he talks to and feels relaxed with. She has a weakness for "goldskins" as she calls them, and she's a bit strange and hyper-tactile around the edges, but… She's the first person, the only one, he feels like it's a good thing to be the way he is ...
...
Influential parents. Ah yes, indeed, said the young man to himself as he arrived. The thing must be double of the school residence. He has never been to this neighborhood.
He is about to ring when he feels dizzy. He sees blurry, feels nauseous. When he comes to his senses he notices that the sky has changed color and has become purple. Mauve ? What is this madness ?
_ Who are you ? A male voice is heard.
Kumail looks around and notices someone on the roof of a building a little further away. Nobody else. But if that's him, how can he even hear it?
_ Oh, I asked you who you are buffoon.
In an instant, the guy who was on the roof is behind Kumail. He desperately tries to find a rational explanation for everything that is happening but fails to do so.
_ Aah ... Another asshole '... It's not funny at all, seriously…
Panicked, his body stops responding, allowing only one thing, flight. But no sooner does he begin to move than his enemy thrusts his hand into his abdomen. His hand. In his abdomen. Kumail can only open his eyes in surprise. What…?
_ You have nothing to do here, says the stranger. Kumail, incredulous, sees his blood flowing freely from his open stomach and collapses to the ground. He will die. He is going to die, pierced by the hand of a stranger in the middle of the street. It's not a dream, it's a nightmare, a real nightmare. He will die.
He can't breathe already. Blood fills his mouth. He hears… shocks. Deaf. Powerful. A fight ? It doesn't matter. His life comes to an end. The pain took possession of his body, but soon he felt nothing but cold. He suffocates, he sees nothing more.
His conscience stays with him a few more seconds.
A face stands out in the darkness of his mind.
Asaria?