Chapter 4: Zen’s backstory

After a few weeks, finally Kai recovered and continued his job as a policeman. He started his shift by patrolling the city until the afternoon.

After the patrolling session finished, he searched something to eat for lunch before continuing his work in office. While searching for something to lunch, he saw Zen in a casual attire.

"Zen!" called Kai.

"Oh kid! You just finished patrolling?" asked Zen while walking toward Kai.

"Yes, now I am searching something to eat for lunch" said Kai.

"Oh, same as me. I don't feel like cooking today, so I guess I just buy for my lunch today. So, any idea what to eat? All on me" said Zen.

"That Turkish stall over there looks nice. I guess I want to try that" said Kai.

"Nice idea! Let's go!" said Zen.

After they bought their foods at the stall, they went to a park nearby and sit under a shady tree to enjoy their foods. Kai opens his beef gyro with rice and Zen opens his shawarma and enjoyed the meal together.

While eating, Kai started a conversation by asking "Zen, I just wondering, how are you so skilful in combat and making a nice plan in a really short time?".

Zen answered the question "Well, I am don't want to sound so proud of this, but I am actually has been classified as genius in school. In fact, I don't think it is a gift, but more like a curse".

Kai increased his question "why is that?".

Zen keep continue to answer "As they classified me as a genius, they put a lot of pressure on me, especially my parents. I need to maintain my score in education. Yes, it is easy for me, but it is not what I want to do, what I like, that are practice martial arts and learning history.

About how I am so good in martial arts, I don't think I am really that good, so much more to learn and practice. I started to learn martial arts when I was in middle school. You know, I used to be a fat nerd kid. As I am a genius, all I do is studying and getting bullied to do my classmates homework, so I don't have time to think about exercise and healthy lifestyle.

But one day, I saw my first crush, she is so beautiful. I think I going to give it a try by confessing at her, but when I looked in the mirror, I felt insecure. So, I started to exercise, jogging, star jump, skipping, burpees every evening, but it is not changing me so much.

One day, I saw a karate club in my school practicing in the hall, their sweat, were falling like a rain into the floor. I'm getting excited and joined the club.

And yeah, my body was changing in just three months of training. What make it more interesting, as I am a genius, all the forms and movements for my level, I can memorise and do it perfectly in just a week. But yeah, I need to wait some few months before grading and promoted into the upper belt. I felt so bored from waiting, I learned all the moves and forms until the 8th Dan blackbelt level, when I still a yellow belt.

My instructor doesn't believe it at first, so I show him all the moves and forms. He shocked. He then justified myself by asking one of the blackbelt senior to spar with me. Yes, I could win the fight, but to respect him as my senior, I just let him take me down at the last moment. But still the instructor shocked with my performance and movement. But I quit, I guess, I have nothing more to learn. So, I just practiced all by my own at my house.

Finally, I confessed to my crush after gaining some confident. Unfortunately, she rejected me. She said she don't want to have any relationship that time. Yeah, the excuse very cliché, why she just said she don't want an ugly nerd like me?!

I feel down for a while after that day. I keep studying alone in my class after school, to make myself feel better, I guess.

One day, I was studying alone in the class, I heard someone in the next class. I peeked and saw three people are ganging up to do something bad to my crush. They planned to put some sleep pills in her drink and use them to satisfy their desire. As they were talking bad about someone I love, I can't hold my anger, I charged into them and attack one of them. Unfortunately, my martial arts skill isn't enough that time, I just took down a person, and the other two beat me up until I can't stand.

In the next day, I went to school and rushing to her class, to warn her about the plan. But I got a negative feedback. She looked at me with a weird look, and everyone around her that time thing I am weird and making up story just to gain popularity and to call as a hero.

My sadness from the rejection wasn't vanished yet but the burden increased with the humiliation.

As I remembered that I got beat up, I keep searching for other martial arts to learn. In just a year, I finished learning about ten martial arts like Taekwondo, Silat, Kung Fu, Filipino Kali, boxing, Muay Thai, Systema, Eskrima, Kenpo and Kalaripayattu with perfect movements. Yes, I am not officially finished with them as I quit after I finished learning all by myself. So that is how I am good in martial arts".

Kai kept asking "so, how you involved with this police thing? Is it you really want to join the academy, or your parents asked you too? Because from the story before, it is impossible you join because there is no university take you in as you are a genius".

Zen laughed and answered the question "well, it is a funny story. My father wanted me to be an engineer, meanwhile my mother wanted to me to be a doctor.

At first, my father sends me to an engineering university, but in the final year, I just ran away, because I don't think I want to be an engineer.

After that, my father sends me to a medical university. This time, after I learn about body mechanics, I think that's all I like to learn in this biological stuff, so I ran away again".

Kai shocked and asked "Isn't those fees expensive?!".

Zen answered with smile "don't worry, my father is rich, he has its own business.

About the police thing, well I don't really enter the academy. After I ran away the second time, my father really upset. So, I worked at a coffee shop as a cleaner for a living. Even it is not a luxurious life like before, I love the new life more, more freedom.

One day, there was a robbery happened at the coffee shop. As remember there are three people try to rob the coffee shop that time. As I am holding a mop that time, I wipe them all in an instant.

I didn't realize there was a policeman there in a casual attire, enjoying coffee there. He said I move so fast, even him didn't had time to act. He invited me to join the police as he said he need a substitute because he wanted to quit because of some family problem. I guess it is the chance that I should grab because it is a place where I can use my martial arts skill to its fullest to protect people and using the police station library.

On the next day, early in the morning he brought me to Chief's office. I don't understand what happened between them but all I understand he said he found a suitable substitute and keep saying about my skills to encourage chief accept me as his substitute.

Finally, after a few hours of discussion between them, finally chief accepted his recommendation. He looked so happy. He went out from the office, he hugged me. He even treated me a lunch after that".

"Why the library? Isn't community library enough?" asked Kai.

Zen answered "There is some certain type of books banned to the public. So where do you think the banned books go? Yes, to the police or military library".

"So, you just be a policeman just like that? Without entering the academy?" asked Kai.

Zen answered "No, I still need to go to the academy, but only for a year, because I entered by recommendation and need to be a substitute as fast as I can. Even this is the Express Way, but if I failed the exam at the end of the year, I need to extend one more year. Thanks God, I passed with a flying colour.

When I started to be a police officer, I don't saw him anymore. Maybe he went back to his hometown and solve the problem he mentioned.".

"So, what is your starter rank after the placement test?" asked Kai.

Zen's phone suddenly ringing.

"Oh, my alarm has sounded" said Zen, while turn off the alarm on his phone.

Kai saw a girl's picture on Zen's phone and asked immediately "is that the girl in the story?".

Zen answered while standing and stretching "Yes she is. Sometimes, it is just hard to move on. Maybe one day, I can forget about her. But for now, she still my inspiration to push forward.

I guess, I am going to head home now. Clean my house and get ready for the night shift. Isn't you need to head back to the headquarter?"

Kai smiled and said "Yes I am. Thanks for the story, Zen. Sorry if I asked you a lot of question".

"No worries. Alright, see you next time, maybe I'll call you for the next mission" said Zen while moving away and waving his hand.

"It will never happen again!" said Kai while waving his hand. But deep in Kai's heart, he really wants to have a mission together again.

Later that night, it is Zen's turn to patrolling but it seems like Zen is following a woman with some groceries on her hands from far. When the woman entered her house, Zen just looking from so far away.

The woman put down the groceries on the table and saw her sliding door at the balcony was opened.

"Oh my, I forgot to close the sliding door" said the woman.

The woman felt like someone is following her, so she said "Is there anyone here? Is that you… Zen?".

"Hahaha it looks like you caught me!" said Zen while standing on the roof near the balcony.

"Thank you for keep me save, Zen, but shouldn't you patrolling and protect others in the city?" said the woman.

"You are also the civilian of the city, so I am protecting you right now. After all, you are my first love" said Zen.

"I know you are a kind person, but I am going to get married soon" said the woman.

"It's ok, after the time comes, I will leave you. You will have someone that can protect you then. I guess my job tonight is done. You already at home safely" said Zen. Zen then get down from the roof and moving away.

The woman gets out to the balcony and searched for Zen. When she saw Zen walking away, she shouted "Thank you for warning me about the boys that day! Because of you, I don't accept their invitation to hang out! If not, I will be the victim of the raping incident that happened to my friend who accept their invitation! Thank you so much!".

Zen smiled and said "no worries, I just protect someone I love".

To be continued...