School ended smoothly. This time I stayed behind for a while until Micheal went home.

While waiting for his mother, we were chatting with each other as we're playing with the toy car I recently received.

"Just now, everyone was shocked that you score perfectly in math! Did you actually start studying!"

"Um yeah! I felt that I need to stop messing around."

"I see... that explained how you could answer Miss Fitri."

Vroom. Vroom.

Micheal added the sound effect, he was really enjoying it.

Seeing him having fun with a toy car is nice. This proves that he's still a kid.

"Micheal I have something to say."

"Let's stop bullying. You should also stop."

Because I said it out of nowhere, Micheal stopped his vrooming.

"Also, no more internet cafe and you should attend your tuition as well."

Not understanding my intention, Micheal returned with a question.

"Why?"

Micheal replied to me in a robotic manner. He looked very unhappy. Did I make a mistake?

"Nevermind. I'll just listen to you."

"I'll stop bullying and attend my tuition."

Anyway, I manage said it, this should stop him from running away from his tuition just to accompany me to play computer games at an internet cafe.

Again, it's my fault that he became like this, I need to be responsible for my actions.

"Andy... Are we not friends anymore?"

He looked at me with teary eyes and it surprised me. The everyday-cheerful Micheal was about to cry.

"I feel like you are avoiding me."

Only after hearing what Micheal was trying to say, I finally understood why he became sad.

Ah... these few days, for him I've changed a lot.

"O-of course, we're still friends. Obviously not in this lifetime will I avoid you. You're my best friend!"

I quickly tried to clear up this weird situation by reassuring him that we're still best friends.

"It's just that, I don't want you to worry your family as I did. So, instead of bullying others together, we will be studying together from now on!"

"If you want, I could also teach you! I'm pretty smart if I try hard. I even score perfectly in the math test."

"Later on, not just the math test, in the upcoming final exams of the end of the semester. I will also score everything perfectly."

I boasted how brilliant I am to Micheal. With this, if his mother allows me to teach Micheal, then I'll teach him with my best effort, not only about school but also proper ethics.

That is if... his mother agrees which I doubt will happen.

"Un! I will tell my mother!"

Micheal nodded his head fervently, with a big smile on his face, I finally feel assured.

A few minutes later, his mother arrived, she came to fetch him home.

While doing so she gave a look of contempt as though she was saying 'Disgusting'.

That is new... I never notice that before.

Well, I didn't care too much about it.

Maybe, she loathed me because I'm the one who influenced Micheal to have bad behavior.

"Bye!"

"See you tomorrow!"

Now that I'm the only one left in the school, I should head back home.

-----

"I'm back."

For some reason, I uttered those words.

Yesterday I did it too when I got home.

I did it without noticing.

It seems like, despite the fact that I'm over seventy, there's a part of me that remains the same.

The previous Andy felt lonely.

Is this what it's like to have a multi-personality disorder?

Hm...

Maybe that's why I remember many things even though I should've forgotten them.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and get in."

Hearing the familiar voice, I was petrified for a second.

Huh? Why is Mervin home at this time?

Shouldn't he be working at this moment?

I walked in only to see there's another person other than Mervin.

Not only Mervin was home, Father was home too.

Did both of them take a day off?

"Uh, yeah."

I quickly took off my shoes and drop my bag on the sofa where my father was sitting.

It was another habit of previous Andy.

Well, after realizing I need the bag, I ran back to fetch it and went back to my room.

Why did I get flustered?

This definitely is not me because it's not like me at all to be flustered.

Seeing them being home, there's some sort of warmth.

Argh, let's stop dawdling and do my homework.

After that, I'll continue what I left yesterday. I still haven't noted everything.

The next few hours were spent on doing homework, studying, and filling up my notebook.

My homework was done.

As for my notes, they're almost done too.

I can now take it slow.

"The dinner's is ready!"

Ah, It's 5 P.M already.

Mervin has finally finished cooking tonight's dinner.

I then quickly put down my pencil and headed outside.

It's been a while I smell the fragrant aroma.

I don't know what's the occasion but today it's a feast.

On the table, I can see fried chicken, vegetables, and eggs being served.

It's a feast! Was today dad's or brother's birthday?

I don't think so...

Hm, their birthday suddenly popped out in my mind but somehow I can't remember my own birthday.

Truthfully, It's not exactly Mervin's idea to cook these, it was Lee's idea.

To Lee, today was a special occasion, His son, Andy finally becomes a little bit sensible and obedient. More importantly, he's diligently studying. Of course, he wanted to celebrate it.

Closing the television and stopped watching his favorite channel.

Rarely, Lee sat at the table and eat together with his family.

Usually, he would bring his food to the sofa and eat it there while watching television but since everyone gathered today he didn't want to ruin this special occasion.

Three of us ate quietly but happily.

Our family barely talked with each other, but that doesn't mean that we're not that close. (That's an excuse...)

It just that we didn't use mouth to communicate especially while we're eating.

Eating while talking is rude, which is why we don't usually talk while eating. We give each other food, fetching a chicken a drop it at their plate. That is how we show our warmth.

After dinner, I took a bath and then sat down on the sofa with my father for a little while. I accompanied him watching TV, even Mervin joined.

After it's 8 P.M, I was told to go to sleep as there will be school tomorrow.

Without arguing, I went to and take a bath, change into my pajamas and slept.

Today was a great day...

I wonder how tomorrow will turn out.

-----

The next morning arrived, I was dragged by Mervin to the table again.

I guess being dragged every morning wasn't that bad.

I didn't need to walk and I will magically arrive at the table.

As usual, after breakfast, my brother left to work and I go to school by myself.

The school day starts again.

Arriving at school, without hesitation, I approached Kervin even though he's being surrounded by the girls.

I have made up my mind! I won't hesitate anymore!

"I deeply apologized for everything that I've done to you."

I bowed deeply at Kervin and apologized.

Afterward, I returned to my seat as though nothing happened.

This was something I should've done earlier but for some reason...

There's a part of me that told myself, 'Why did I apologize?'

It seems that the young me wasn't willing to forgive Kervin yet.

But why?

I didn't think too much about it as the class was about to start soon.

The girls started gossiping with each other about my sudden weird action.

"What made Andy apologize?"

"Creepy."

Ding-Dong*

The class started.

It was Mr.Ridwan's class, as expected of him, his class wasn't that boring.

Despite knowing everything already, he always has something new to tell the students.

The lecture he gave not entirely based on textbooks which are impressive.

I start to like him a lot, as a student.

The next class was the most boring of all, it's English, taught by a peculiar looking teacher named, Mr.Robin.

I called him peculiar because his face looked very similar to western people, especially toward Mr.Bean. Despite that, he's born and raised in Indonesia.

Looking back, if it was for the previous Andy. The most interesting class would be the English Class as learning English allows me to communicate with other people in the games that I played.

At that time, the English subject easily became the only subject that I'm interested in and best at.

Now, I'm learning it again, it became the most boring class.

I mean, right now we're talking about toys, fruits, and vegetable names in English.

Sigh*

"Andy, you look bored. How about answering question number five for me?"

Mr.Robin speaks with English slowly and carefully hoping that I could understand him. He even used hand gestures to help me.

Question number five...

[Fill in the blank with is/are/am]

[Carl ____ reading storybooks.]

See this kind of question... What's the fun?!

While I was complaining of how easy the subject was, Mr.Robin was expecting me to answer him.

'...As if he could understand what I'm saying. What am I thinking?'

As Mr.Robin wanted to speak again but this time in Bahasa Indonesia, before he could, I already answered his question.

"Carl is reading storybooks."

'Eh? He understood what I said?'

"Can you explain why did you answer 'is' instead of 'are' or 'am'?"

I'll just explain it in the simplest term to not create any suspicion.

"Carl is a boy, which means that the 'subject' in this sentence is a 'He', so the proper 'To Be', that needs to be used in this sentence is obviously an 'is'."

'What?!!?'

'He answered my question again! This time in his own sentence and everything was in English!'

Mr.Robin, he didn't know that I'm the worst child in the class. He never paid attention to those anyway.

Which made him not suspecting anything I've said. He simply gave me a compliment and moved on to his class.

"Excellent Job!"

"You're quite fluent, but there's a weird accent to it. You should fix that if you wanted to sound more British-like."

It's a Singaporean accent.

...

...

Only at this moment, I realized I screwed up.

I just spoke a full English sentence without thinking.

I bet that even the smartest kid, Kervin, didn't understand fully what I'm saying. Only Mr.Robin could understand.

'What's with him!?'

'Why did he suddenly became this good in English?'

'I should be able to understand him but he spoke too fast.'

'Is this why he apologized just now?'

'Was it to declare that he would take the number one spot from me?'

Kervin misunderstood Andy's good intentions and create a bigger hatred between him and Kervin.

Out of all possible directions, he misunderstood it that way.

Right now, Kervin wished that he could also meddle into their conversation.

But he can't. He admits his loss for this time only.

The class soon ended, it was finally break-time.

When the class ended many approached Andy in excitement.

The reason was that they were very impressed by Andy's proficiency in English.

They have been wanting to approach but were afraid due to Andy's previous image as a bully.

Now, the kids can't hold back anymore.

He always correctly answer the teacher's questions and today he could even answer Mr.Robin's question!

"Andy! Where did you study English, I want to study under your teacher. Maybe my English could be as good as yours."

"Yeah, tell us! Also, your maths tuition, Who's teaching you? I need to meet the teacher, to be able to turn you into this good, he should be able to teach me too."

"What do you mean by that? Andy was very smart. It just that he didn't want to show it to others."

Uh... This is awkward...

What should I reply to them?

There's no teacher and I don't go to tuition because I would rather use that money to buy food than wasting it.

They looked very excited and I can't satisfy them with simply 'I study them myself.' can I?

Oh! I know! That should work!

"My big brother! He taught me everything."

"You have a brother?! Can you teach ask him to teach us too?"

"Yeah, We'll pay for the tuition fees."

Now that they said that, I can reply to this.

"My brother is busy so it'll be hard to teach you guys. The only time he's available was at night."

Kids can't stay up late, so they won't be able to attend his night tuition. Well, that is if it exists in the first place. Anyway, this final answer will settle everything for me.

"Aw... What a shame..."

"How lucky to have a smart brother."

"Yeah, it's so nice. I don't have a brother or sister, I'm the oldest one."

"Um, we should go and eat. The time is quite short."

Each of them was disappointed to hear what I said, the group dispersed and they finally went to the canteen to eat.

With this, I'm finally freed from them and was able to see a smirk on Micheal's face.

"Woah, you became popular!"

"Stop joking. They're just curious about why I could speak English."

"Hahaha, Andy is shy!"