A Shocking Truth

The morning sun warmed Arvin's face as he settled into his meditation. He allowed his chi to flow freely through the channels he had built up over the years. With each breath, he drew in energy from the world around him, feeling it collect in his core and spread out to his limbs.

This garden was different from yesterday's park. More life here to connect with than back in the playground. It was like finally getting water after being thirsty for days.

As Arvin's awareness expanded, he sensed the life around him. Insects in the grass, birds on nearby branches, even shifts in the air currents. No matter how many times, he had done it, his master's words still rang inside his head. "True meditation isn't about escaping the world, but experiencing it more fully." The old man had been right about that.

A butterfly landed on his knee, then flew away. Arvin smiled. He could feel it there even with his eyes closed. These moments had happened a lot during training in the mountains, but here they felt special.

He focused on breathing deep, filling his lungs, then letting it out slowly. Each breath made him more aware of everything around him. Then time... seemed to slip away the deeper he went.

_____________________

Arvin?" Fang Chou called, setting the box on the kitchen counter. No response came from within the house.

Cynthia glanced around the living room. "Maybe he went out?"

Jeremy looked at his sister like she'd suggested something ridiculous. "Come on, think about it. Where would he go? The guy doesn't speak English, and he has no idea where anything is around here."

Christina set down the groceries and looked worried. "I'll check the guest room."

The room was empty, the bed neatly made.

"He's not in his room."

Fang Chou thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers. "Wait, I showed him the backyard earlier. He mentioned wanting to train there."

The family moved toward the back door. Through the frosted glass, they saw a figure sitting motionless on the lawn.

"There he is," Fang Chou said, relieved.

They found Arvin outside, sitting perfectly still with his legs crossed. The evening breeze moved his hair but he didn't react at all.

"Has he been like this all day?" Cynthia whispered. She brushed hair from her face and stared at him. For once, she looked genuinely curious of their guest.

Jeremy studied Arvin with newfound respect. "That's some serious focus," Jeremy said with a low whistle. "I can barely sit still for ten minutes during math class."

Christina touched her husband's arm. "We should let him be. He'll come in when he's ready."

Fang Chou nodded. "Let's prepare dinner. We can call him when it's ready."

The family went inside quietly. The twins set the table while Christina unpacked groceries and Fang Chou arranged the takeout containers.

Thirty minutes later, Fang Chou went back outside as Arvin still not coming in. The sun was lower now, throwing long shadows across the grass. Arvin hadn't moved an inch.

Fang Chou approached carefully. (Chinese) "Arvin?" he called softly.

Without opening his eyes, Arvin smiled slightly. (Chinese) "Mr. Fang. Welcome home."

Fang Chou blinked in surprise. (Chinese)"You knew we were back?"

(Chinese) "Yes," Arvin answered, finally opening his eyes. "I sensed your presence earlier."

Fang Chou's eyebrows rose slightly (What does he mean by that?), but he decided not to press for details. (Chinese) "We brought dinner. Want to join us? We got food from a local place. Nothing fancy, but it's good

Arvin stood up in one smooth motion without using his hands for support. The movement was fluid and pretty impressive for someone who'd been sitting there for hours.

(Chinese) "Thank you. I would be honored to join your family for dinner."

Before following Fang Chou inside, Arvin took a moment to check himself. The afternoon meditation had helped some. Maybe a 10% boost to his chi reserves. Not much, but he was getting there. His chi was about halfway back to normal now. His inner energy on the other hand had decreased slightly, considering he'd spent some during the exercise earlier.

Inside, Jeremy and Cynthia were already at the table. Jeremy waved. Cynthia gave him a small nod.

"Hey, you've got to teach me how to have focus like that," Jeremy said with admiration in his voice.

But Arvin only blinked.

Cynthia reminded her brother. "He doesn't speak English, remember?"

"Right." Jeremy looked slightly embarrassed.

The aroma of spices filled the air. Paprika, cayenne, and other spices he couldn't name. Christina was at the counter, putting tonight's meal on plates.

Fang Chou gestured toward the seat Arvin had used since arriving. (Chinese) "Please, sit."

A few minutes later,Christina brought over the main dish. Rice mixed with chicken, shrimp, and sausage slices. The steam still rising from the plate and made his mouth water.

(Chinese) "This is jambalaya," Fang Chou explained when he saw Arvin staring. "It's a dish from the south part of America."

Arvin looked at the food with interest. He could identify most of what was in it, but the way it was cooked was new to him. When he spotted the sausage, he looked a little worried.

(Chinese) "Don't worry about that. Although jambalaya usually used pork sausage, but Christina told the restaurant to use beef instead. She remembered you can't eat pork."

That surprised Arvin. These people barely knew him, but they'd gone out of their way to make sure he could eat the food. It made him feel warm inside.

(Chinese) "Thank you," Arvin said sincerely, bowing his head slightly to Christina and Fang Chou. "This is very kind of you."

Christina smiled warmly after Fang Chou translated. After he praying like usual, Arvin began to eat, savoring this new flavor he didn't know.

First thing he noticed was the spice. Not too spicy for him, just a nice kick. He could pick out most of the seasonings, except for that one herb from last night. The grassy, fragrant one he was curious about.

(Chinese) "I'm sorry Mr. Fang. What is this herb?" he asked Fang Chou, pointing to a small green fleck in the rice.

Fang Chou leaned closer to see. (Chinese) "Ah, that's oregano. Pretty common herb around here."

Arvin nodded, saving the name to his memory.

Like yesterday, the Fangs had second servings, while the rest went into Arvin's stomach. His appetite had always been big, a side effect of his inner energy, but it seemed even greater now as his body worked to restore itself.

(Chinese) "You sure can eat," Jeremy remarked with a grin, watching as Arvin polished off his third helping.

Arvin looked slightly embarrassed.

(Chinese) "My apologies. My training requires significant energy."

"No need to apologize," Christina said warmly after hearing the translation. "It's good to see a young man with a healthy appetite."

After dinner, Arvin helped Christina with the dishes. The routine felt good. Warm water, simple motions, almost like a different kind of meditation. Plus it was the least he could do to help out.

When the dishes were done, Fang Chou asked him to sit. Said he wanted to talk about something. The twins had gone off to do homework, so it was just the three now.

The kitchen was quiet except for the low hum of the refrigerator.

Evening light created long shadows across the dining table. Fang Chou's expression had turned serious. Christina reached for her husband's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

(Chinese) "Arvin, Christina and I have been talking about your situation."

Arvin straightened up, hands flat on the table. He kept his face calm, but his eyes showed he was worried. He'd been waiting for this talk. They couldn't keep a stranger around forever, after all.

(Chinese) "We know you're in a tough spot. No ID, no passport, stuck in a country where you don't speak the language. That's got to be hard for you."

Christina nodded, watching Arvin with her blue eyes. She couldn't understand the words, but she knew what this conversation was for.

(Chinese) "Last night, after you went to bed, we discussed what might be done to help you. Your situation reminds us of..." He paused, glancing at his wife. "Well, it reminds us of something from our past."

(Chinese) "About your situation, I have a friend who deals with immigration. I contacted him this afternoon, and he can meet with me this Saturday. I'll try to see if he has any information that might help you."

Arvin's shoulders relaxed a bit. Someone who work in the immigration bureau might have real answers of what to do with his situation. Maybe he could even find a way to contact his family or get home pretty soon.

He was relieved until a question hit him. Something basic that he should have asked way before this.

(Chinese) "Thank you for your help, Mr. Fang. Also, I realize that this house doesn't have any calendar in sight. Could I know what today's date is?"

The question hung in the air.

Fang Chou and Christina exchanged a glance. It was a simple question that revealed how disoriented the boy truly was.

(Chinese) "It is Wednesday, May 11th, 2005."

Arvin's eyes went wide and all the color left his face. His hands gripped the table edge.

(Chinese) "May 11th?" he repeated.

Fang Chou nodded, getting worried by how Arvin looked. (Chinese) "Yes, that's right. Something wrong?"

Arvin's mind was racing. The flight he'd taken, the one that hit that mysterious storm, had left on May 5th, 2005. That was almost a week ago. But he'd only been awake for two days since the alley. One night in that playground thing, last night here with the Fangs.

His throat felt dry, making it difficult to speak. 

(Chinese) "That can't be right. I got on that flight May 5th. That's... that's almost a week ago." His thoughts were spinning. Where had those days gone? What happened to him?

Something flickered in his memory. Darkness, then nothing. Gone as fast as it came, leaving just a pang of headache.

He grabbed his water glass and took a sip, hands shaking a little. Set it down careful, focusing on how cold it felt, how solid the table was. Trying to stay in the here and now.

Christina leaned toward her husband, whispering a question. As Fang Chou translated Arvin's response, her eyes widened with the same concern now visible on her husband's face.

(Chinese) "Five days?" Fang Chou asked carefully. "You don't remember anything from those days? Nothing at all?"

Arvin shook his head slowly, struggling to maintain his composure. (Chinese) "Nothing," he admitted. "The last thing I remember clearly is the flight I took to get to my country. Then... Um..., waking up in the alley like I told you last night." He was careful not to mention the plane crash, the storm, anything that would sound crazy.

The revelation hit him hard. Arvin had somehow lost five whole days. Days that just weren't there anymore. The mystery of how he'd ended up in this strange city just got a lot deeper.

After a minute, Arvin pulled himself together. Put on a calm mask he'd learned from years of training with his master. Even when everything inside was chaos, he should look steady on the outside. He sat up straight and looked at both of them.

(Chinese) "Thank you both for your kindness. But could I ask some favor from both of you?"

(Chinese) "Sure. What is it?"

(Chinese) "Since I have nowhere else to go, would it be possible for me to stay here for the time being? At least until we know more about my situation?"

Fang Chou translated for Christina, who could tell by Arvin's expression that he expected to be turned away.

"Of course you can stay," Christina said, her accent thickening. "For as long as you need."

Fang Chou nodded in agreement. (Chinese) "Consider our home your home. We have the space, and frankly, the twins seem to enjoy having you around."

Arvin let out a long breath, stood up, and gave a small bow. (Chinese) "If it's okay, I'd like to go back to the guest room. I need to think about all this."

The couple watched him leave the kitchen. When they heard the guest room door close, Christina grabbed her husband's hand tightly.

"He reminds me so much of..." she started, but couldn't finish.

Fang Chou understood. He covered her hand with his other hand, rubbing it gently with his thumb. "I know. But don't worry too much. That boy is strong. Stronger than most adults I've met. You can see it in his eyes."

"But to lose five days, and to be so far from home…"

"He'll recover quickly," Fang Chou said, though not without his own concerns. "We'll help him however we can."

_____________________

In the guest room, Arvin sat on the floor, legs crossed, back straight, hands on his knees.

Five days. Six if he counted today. Almost a week just gone. The same questions he had at the moment he wake up in the alley kept spinning in his head. How did he survive a plane crash? How did he get from a flight to his country all the way to some alley in New York? Now, added with new one, why couldn't he remember anything after that?

He closed his eyes, trying to pull up anything from those lost days. Nothing. Just empty memories along with a pang of headache.

Arvin took a deep breath and centered himself. What did he know for sure? He was in New York, Manhattan to be exact. He'd lost five days. His body was okay, but both of his energy reserves were still low. It was a dangerous situation, but he was lucky to find this family willing to help.

Still, he knew the whole truth would sound insane. Even to him, the story was way too much.

A plane vanishing into darkness, then waking up on the other side of the world five days later? That's why he'd kept the details from the Fangs. They'd think he'd lost his mind.

For now, he could only focus on what he could control. He need to recover his strength. His chi was getting better but still wasn't back to normal. Once he was at full strength, he'd be ready for whatever came next.

He'd wait for Fang Chou's meeting with his friend. Maybe there would be some answers. Until then, he'd be patient and recover.

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Hey guys!

I wanted to give you a quick update about the fanfic. Now it was all the chapter that I've been writing. Honestly it was fun but right now I kind of stuck again (remember that two weeks back then?) and not able to think what should I write next. Coupled with some real life issues that quite concerning happened recently which might affect my time for writing. (Sorry if I'm rant off.)

But anyway, I'm not taking break like that again. Although it help, it also make me to quite laid back, or well, lazy to the point of I only manage to write one chapter in two weeks. So, this time, I want try to keep writing even if it only a hundreds words at a time, instead.

It just I want to apologize first because I don't know if I were able to write it to the next deadline which was next Saturday or the Monday of following week per my set schedule.

Alright, that the message I want to convey for now. 

Hope you'll enjoy reading this one as much as I enjoyed writing it!

As always, thanks for sticking with me on this journey. Let's keep enjoying the story together!