Chapter 15 - What the future holds

Throughout the day, we were taking our time and enjoying the event. Since Francis and Kenneth were not well with the rides at the carnival, we had gone looking for other fun stuffs to do.

We toured the entire area, bought food for ourselves, watched some presentations and acts, and mostly participated in game booths all over the place.

While we were kidding and laughing all around, the time has passed by very quickly, causing the sun to start setting from high above the sky. Without further ado from noticing the scene of change, we decided to call it a day.

"Everything was great today!" The usual energetic guy expressed.

"Yeah, with so many baby girls in the place, who in the world would say it's bad." Romeo exclaimed with a grin on his face.

"Haha, there goes your pervert mode again Rom."

"You're one to talk Kevin-- Anyways, I guess everything is enough for the day and besides, there is a lot of school work ahead of us waiting. Well, let's go then? Take care guys."

"Let's go." The rest of us four simultaneously responded to Romeo.

"Okay. Me and Kevin would be going the same way. See you around guys!" said Francis.

"Let's go then Kenny." I said to my walk-home buddy for today.

We waved our goodbyes to each other. Romeo, who was on his own, has gone to his way while the rest of us had paired up and have gone into our respective routes.

I walked my way back together with Kenneth, yet along the way, we were just dead silent to each other. It somehow got things a little awkward between us because of it.

Is my habit for being always silent that influential? Or is it just that hard to initiate a conversation with a person like me? Anyways, it's not likely a big deal for me, so I'll just let it be.

"Cuz!"

With a lot of things going on my mind, I have nothing to say to my friend. Yet unexpectedly, Kenneth has stopped walking as he called out to me. Hearing him, I turned back.

"Hey. We know there is something bothering you this whole time. We noticed that long ago. We would want to help but it seems that if we do, we would just get in your way. You know it's just been months since we guys became friends, but we want to try and help as any way we can. By that, we your friends we'll be just here waiting for you to open up."

After that unexpected speech of his, Kenneth moved forward and has given me a light tap on my shoulder as he passed by, and the words of my pal have quickly sunk into my mind.

"I see, so today was all about that."

"I'm going to go this way. Well then, see you around!"

As we gave our goodbyes to part ways for the day, a number of shining and colourful lights have suddenly went roaring up high to the night sky.

Looking at it, I have gone silence as it caught my attention. The exploding lights have made my eyes to be hungry in watching more of it.

Meanwhile, the city has glown quickly as it passed by at 6, filled with such beautiful sceneries, especially the sea that is just beside it.

The moon for tonight is quite the size and is clearly visible high above the sky. Its light was also reflecting on the sea water which is making the area more elegant.

Moreover, the roads were filled with decorative lights, houses were surrounded by lanterns, children were running and playing around, and the masses of people are currently out of their homes to see the splendid event.

This is what it is like in this city. It is still a bit far from Christmas yet preparations have already been made and have treated the days previous and the ones to come as a part of it.

Aside from the carnival's presence in the day, there were also fireworks roaring and dazzling up high and are adding colours onto the dark sky. People were looking up above as they were enjoying watching every bit of it explode and spread.

I too was stunned, but despite being awed for a moment, I have never stopped thinking about the painful memories of the past.

"YOU STUPID LITTLE BRAT! That's not the correct solution to that problem! I have already said it a while ago so try to remember it! TSK! How long have I been teaching you!? You're such an idiot child."

"You've joined the art club? That is very lame. Try changing another like Math Clubs."

"NINE OVER TEN!? You're really such a stupid one aren't you?"

"Wow a perfect sco--- Wait. This is English. This should be easy. Bring me a Science or a Math score next time"

"Just an honour student? Tsk, you need to aim higher if you want to have a good life."

"Wow! Your son got 1st place in his class' rankings!? I wish my son could be like yours too."

"Your daughter is such a neatly person; however, mine is such a very lazy one and couldn't even get things properly done. I wish I could trade mine with yours hehe."

"You ask of why I'm always making you in a hurry? It's because it is irritating for me that the house is not being cleaned yet"

"I bet when you get married, you'll always be arguing with your wife because of that attitude of yours."

"Your incompetence would waste the money that I and your father have spent earning just for you to attend at school! If you'll fail, then you would end up like those beggars and those workers who are just earning small amounts of money. We have no responsibility towards you if that would happen because we already made our efforts from working. Do you understand!? "

Due to the pressure and expectations, I pushed myself through to meet it for recognition, but that started my isolation.

I went through a lot of up and downs, and with also a number of failures.

I managed to bounce back with a great amount of success in the process, but still I was down heartened in the end.

I was still hoping, so I decided to continue, but still the same result occurred at the end.

At some point without knowing, this isolation became a part of me. I got addicted by just being alone and had made and developed the change as my own lifestyle.

I don't mind the light of friends and companions being there for me, but the pleasant feeling of being in the dark has become priceless for me. Being alone with nothing but peace, it is very dangerously addicting.

Meanwhile, after an hour has gone by from my trip, I had already arrived back at the place doing my work together with Bob.

"Kid, we told you to just enjoy the day but right straight after coming back, you're already working?"

"It's better than being idle, besides I'll just continue my studies tomorrow since I'm not in the right mood now, I'll just catch my rhythm by then."

"Seriously just how strong minded are you? Well, that's youth for you, heh. I wish my youth remained constant."

"Hanzaki, just don't do overdo it okay?"

Rosalie has popped out from nowhere which got me a little bit startled of her appearance. I nodded and have followed Rosalie's words of advice.

--*--

COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!

I get out of bed, and directly have headed towards my bag to get my notebook, and when I opened it, it made me sigh as there is another problem up ahead as I was checking my notes.

Although nothing serious had happened in these days and with only 'normal days' going on, the time has come around for the 'super normal' days when it comes to academics.

Frankly speaking, for these incoming days, I will be spending the rest of my time preparing for this "hell week"; deadline of projects, homework, tests, examinations and presentations are expected to be finished and submitted during that span of time.

In the days going, the overnight studies have already booked my schedule when the night would strike on each day.

I stared a lot at my modules and notes, and have gone through a lot of restless and sleepless days the whole time.

At school, I did a lot of study group together with my friends. We then travelled again to the restaurant to meet Romeo's uncle to finish the job on our group's project.

And whenever I got to be alone, I did a self-review.

It was all study, study, and study.

It was all no sleep, no sleep, and no sleep.

And it was all just the usual routine for a typical busy student.

Jeez. I wish this would end quickly.

--*--

It is 3:00 pm, the 4th day of the 12th month, Friday, and finally the last day of extreme suffering.

"AT LAST!"

"I smell freedom. Mmmmmm. Yes I like it."

"But we still can't go yet. Sir Roxas said to wait for him for an announcement."

Having to patiently wait for something like this is making me restless. Silence strikes for me while my friends are having fun with their chitchat and laughter.

Pretty much the everyday studies could make anyone exhausted, but I can't believe these guys still have the energy to have fun for the day.

I kept being quiet by myself without having the power to stop this noise and rowdiness that has enveloped the entire room.

While bearing this kind of atmosphere at the edge of the classroom, I start overhearing a conversation from my classmates in a nearby distance.

"Hey, what course would you get when you go to college?"

"Of course a big time one! I'll get Accountancy"

"Eeeh? But isn't that really difficult?"

"Well, we're in this strand so it's not surprising, most of the people would go for it"

"We'll get big time money when we graduate from it"

"Hmmm… Maybe I'll go the same"

"Up to you but I'm going to do business"

"Why? That's so low man. Think of it when we become actual Accountants, we'll get high profile dude!"

Their conversations have bothered me, causing memories to start flashing back in the current moment.

"Why did you go for ABM when your junior high school is a top tier science school? You could've just picked the STEAM strand. *Sighs. No good. It is really a no good! Studying in that strand won't be motivating anymore. You've made a really big mistake in your life."

I was saddened due to his words. But rage got the best of me. I was fed up with all of the nonsense he spouted.

"Every time that I would try to do something that has peeked my interest, it was always a no good for you and you would always oppose me. Except for the money used for my expenses, you haven't fully supported me once in my life. All you did was just teaching us a lesson of your standards, expecting results that suites in contrast to it, and---"

"Eh?"

When I was starting to get a little emotional, my senses came back to reality.

"Well you see-- I'm not that confident of myself to take such a difficult one, I will just choose something that I can manage"

"Come on. We'll still go together when you pick the same"

"Yeah, and that would be reassuring because we got each other's back throughout the time"

"Yeah, you have a point."

"So did you change your mind now?"

"Well. I still want to think it thoroughly"

"Eeeeeeehh!?" And it ended with just that.

Yeah right. They are just living to the ideals of the society. They won't look at their own selves to know what their true capabilities are.

They are just living their lives without a structured plan basing on what they really want to do. If they plan to continue this way, surely they would slowly crumble at the process.

Well, if they do really love and want the course, then there's no problem. Let them take the risk.

And more importantly, people with those kinds of mind-set and thinking about the hierarchy of jobs are being disrespectful. Just because you would get to earn huge profit doesn't mean you get to act high.

'The youths are the hope of the country', huh? Yeah right, I doubt about it, and many are still following this kind of mentality.

We don't have any knowledge from the start when we were born to this world you know, so we need the elder people to guide and nourish us to be efficient in making such 'hope' a dream come true.

Moreover, not all of us are gifted and were made to be a genius---- oh wait… or rather, each of us has our genius capabilities in our own respective dominant intelligence/s. Mathematical Intelligence had just been valued too much.

It is not just the youth, but the adults are playing a big part of this 'hope' too.

But of course, it is true that the youths are the hope, in a way of them having more time to possibly strengthen and improve their capabilities as they grow older, and in which they would put it to use in contributing to the community.

Seriously. I can't stand of imagining the kind of thinking that the adults have.

If I could have the power to influence this world, then I would change this mistaken culture and mind-set. But the question now is, can I do it?

In the present, the world has already billions of people living in it. It is hard to imagine just me--- or rather one person would be leading them.

It's obvious that it needs a great number of people to manage and make it happen. Yet If only I had the power that would greatly influence and end the sorrow, especially wars.

If one person could just have that great of a power, then maybe it's possible to happen. And maybe no one would go through such sorrowful and agonizing experience.

But as of the moment, these ideals of mine are far from reality.

There are already some trying to change the world, yet as long as there is somewhat a defect in the culture or system, unfortunate results continue to occur.

Well, it is just really impossible to change everything in just a whim.

I then let out a sigh from my own complicated argument.

After a while, the door had opened, and my homeroom teacher has come inside the room.

"Okay class! Now pay attention for this announcement."

My brain was hurting and is likely to explode from all of these philosophies in life, about the possibilities, and the things needed to be done.

"Though I wonder~ What kind of future does the world holds for us?"