"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on." - Robert Frost
"Don't let me ever see you slack, you lazy bums!" A police commander screamed on the field.
There were a bunch of police officers who are in the push-up position and staying there. The police commander walked around them. He has a name tag on his uniform shirt. It read "Liam Feng".
"If I see anyone one of you drop, we'll restart the timing!" He shouted, "You understand, bloody soldiers?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Down!"
"One, sir!"
"Down!"
"Two, sir!"
As Liam was about to shout more, his phone rang.
"Count on your own!" He shouted at them, "If I ever find out that any one of you skipped a number, we'll re-do it with double the punishment! Understand?"
"Yes, sir!"
Liam then answered the call on his phone.
"Hey, sweetie." Liam changed from a tough tone to a kind tone, "What did you call Daddy for?"
"Daddy, my guitar lesson fees are not paid yet, and my teacher's asking for it." It is a girl's voice.
"Oh shit." Liam muttered to himself. He sighed before talking to his daughter, "Tell your teacher I'll pay it by next week. Meanwhile, go for the lessons. Learn well so that you can play the guitar for Daddy, understand?"
"Mm!" She replied excitedly, "Okay, Daddy. I'm almost late for my lessons! I'll talk to you later!"
"See you, my little sweetie!" Liam then ended the call. As he was about to put his phone down, he heard one of the police officers saying something. He pretended to be on the phone while going to that guy's back.
"Since Sir is taking a call, he wouldn't realize we skip some numbers." The officer said
"No, Jon. Don't do it." The officer beside him said, "You know Sir Feng has sharp ears and eyes. He would definitely have seen and heard us."
"He's on the phone with 'Sweetie'." Jon replied, "He won't, Harry. Trust me. Just be like me. 7...9...11...13...15..."
Harry sighed, "You'd better be serious about it."
"17...20..." Jon continued.
"What's next? 27?" A voice behind him asked.
"Right!" Jon replied, "27...34...40...Wait...it wasn't you who told me 27, Harry?" He turned to the officer beside.
"No." Harry shook his head, "It sounded like it was from the back."
They both turned back and saw Liam crossing his arms.
"Hey, Sir!" Jon said, "I...I didn't know you were here!"
"Oh really?" Liam asked.
"Yeah, Sir!" Jon laughed, "It's like you suddenly appeared! Are you a part-time magician?"
Liam laughed along sarcastically, then stopped a few seconds later and screamed at Jon.
"You dare to skip numbers! You are really pulling the whole team down! Since you officers really like challenging me, I shall show you my double punishment."
Jon and Harry, with the rest of the officers, gulped in fear.
Liam made them carry their heavy police backpacks and told them to do push ups.
"You guys would be doing push-ups first, then jumping jacks, push-ups and running. All with your backpacks." Liam said, carrying a pail of water on one hand and a pail of water bombs on another. He placed both pails down on the floor.
"Down!" Liam shouted while splashing water at them.
"One, sir!"
"I can't hear you! Restart! Down!"
"One, sir!"
"Down!"
"Two, sir!"
"Continue by yourself!" Liam continued to splash water at them and threw cold water bombs at them.
"Three, sir! Four, sir! Five, sir!"
"It's really hot today, isn't it? Be glad I threw cold water at you! Now, get up and do jumping jacks!"
The officers got up and started doing jumping jacks with their heavy backpacks, sweating and shivering like crazy.
"This is all your fault, Jon." Harry huffed.
"I know!"
"Who said you can talk?" Liam roared "And where's my timing?"
After five minutes, Liam told them to get back on their push up position.
"Down!" He screamed at them.
"One, sir!"
The officers then did ten push-ups.
"Get up now and run five laps around the field!" Liam yelled, "Come back within nine minutes! If anyone of you is late by even one millisecond, we restart from push up again! Now go!"
The officers started jogging.
"Hey, did I tell you to jog?" Liam hollered. The officers quickly started running.
"Bloody fucking officers, I got the whole day to play with you!" He shouted at them, "Continue to give me this kind of shit attitude, and I'll make this place a living hell for you! You disobey me and think I'm dumb, then this is what you get!"
He then sat down on a chair and took out his phone. He played "Lovesick Blues" by Hank Williams and relaxed as he watched his officers running.
Aftermath
Episode 1
Masaru yawned as he stretched his arms.
"Finally!" He screamed. Today marks his release from jail. He then remembered how he ended up in jail.
He sighed as he walked out of the police station. As he stepped onto the road, he heard a roaring sound of a car.
He turned to his left and saw George getting out of his Lamborghini Aventador.
"How do you like my new ride, Kobayashi?" George asked.
"Quite awesome." Masaru nodded satisfyingly at the car, "You bought it?"
"Of course. I was given a five million deal for saving someone's rich kid from dying. I bought this car and still had savings left."
"A rich doctor you are." Masaru said.
"Well, hop in the car and I'll tell you everything that happened during the six months you're not around."
As George is driving in the highway to the cemetery, Masaru looked at the cars and everything around him.
"Some roads seemed to be new here." Masaru uttered.
"That's right." George explained, "The government decided to increase our accessibility to many other places. By the way, how's prison?"
"I kept thinking about Uncle Yang." Masaru sighed, "Constantly in my mind for six months. I could've saved him back then if I would to go to Leo and killed him straight instead of stealing money."
"I have to admit, that's even worse." George replied, "Killing someone can land you up to ten years in jail. Besides, it isn't your fault he died. He had rivalry with Leo. It couldn't be helped."
"How's you and Eriri?" Masaru changed the topic, "Did you succeed in chasing her?"
"Of course!" George said proudly, "She was touched by sincerity and love towards her! Now I'm her proud boyfriend."
"Arrogant chap." Masaru teased George. They both laughed.
"You didn't ask me how's Utaha Kasumigaoka?" George then asked. Masaru kept quiet.
"Why are you so quiet now?" George asked, "You are, after all, an ex-lover..."
"Let's not talk about it anymore, can we, Fuistuer?" Masaru turned to the window and stared at the cars and roads. George sighed.
When they reached the cemetery, the two went to Uncle Yang's tombstone. Masaru went on his two knees and placed his hands together to pray.
"Uncle Yang." He muttered, "I know I haven't been able to save you in time. I'm deeply sorry for that. If I had reacted in a smarter way and killed Leo instead, you wouldn't have died. Rest in peace, Uncle Yang."
Just then, he heard the sounds of heels. He turned to his right and saw a tall woman with scarlet eyes carrying a bouquet of flowers. She had mid black dark hair, with a white hairband, and is donning a business suit and skirt.
She is Utaha Kasumigaoka, also known as Masaru's recent ex-girlfriend. She is the scenario writer for Blessing Software.
Behind her is another woman with blonde twin-tails. She, like Utaha, is also wearing the same suit and skirt.
She is Eriri Spencer Sawamura, the illustrator for Blessing Software and Masaru's first ex.
"What are you two doing here?" Masaru asked, feeling offended just by seeing them.
"Utaha Kasumigaoka just wanted to pay respects to your uncle." Eriri growled, "Anything wrong with that? I just came here to accompany her and keep her safe, in case someone kidnaps her again."
"You..." Masaru clenched his fists.
"Hit me, you asshole." Eriri said, "I can shout molest any time I want."
"Sawamura-san." Utaha spoke up, "I'm here to pray, not here for you to have a fight with Masaru-san."
"Your roses are not accepted!" He snatched the bouquet away from Utaha, "You indirectly caused Uncle Yang's death! How dare you still pay respects to him when you caused him to die!"
"Hey, it's not her fault, you motherfucker." Eriri shouted at him, "She told us to call the police because you were doing things against the law. You should be grateful Utaha didn't call the police herself."
"It's all because of my arrest that Uncle Yang died! If you had trusted me, I could've saved him. I don't mind going to jail. But you girls just had to place me in jail and let Uncle Yang die! Who's to blame?"
"Of course you!" Eriri screamed, "That's it. I'm done talking to you."
"Me too." Masaru then turned to Utaha, "You'd better not show your face up at Uncle Yang's grave ever again. I'll make sure you'll regret it the next time I see you here."
He threw the bouquet on the floor and walked off. George went to Eriri as Utaha picked up the bouquet.
"I'm sorry I couldn't control him." George sighed.
"It's okay, George." Eriri replied, "It's his problem. How's my handsome doctor's day?"
"Fine. What about my cute, adorable baby?"
"Great day." Eriri said, "Until Masaru came in. And I thought he would be released in the evening, not the morning."
"Oh well, they decided to let him off early. I was kinda surprised too."
George gave a new bouquet of flowers to Utaha, "For you to pay respects to Uncle Yang. I hid it from Masaru."
"Thanks, Fuistuer-san." Utaha kneeled down and prayed while Eriri and George continued talking.
"I heard...this Uncle Yang is your father?" Eriri asked. George nodded.
"He wanted to abandon me, but my mother objected and raised me up alone."
"I understand how you feel, George." Eriri patted his shoulder.
"Okay, Eriri. I got to leave now. I got to bring Masaru home."
"Do you mind telling me his house address?"
"He wants to keep it a secret, so yes." George kissed her cheeks, "I'm sorry I can't tell you. I promised him."
"It's okay. You're a great brother to your friends and a great boyfriend to me." Eriri returned the favor by kissing his cheeks, "Get along with your things."
"I'll talk to you through Skype tonight." George said.
"Sure." She waved goodbye to George. He then ran to his car.
Eriri turned to Utaha, "Are you done with praying?"
She nodded and stood up.
"Look, Masaru Kobayashi is a piece of shit. It's best if you forget him."
"Sawamura-san, for the hundredth time," Utaha turned to him, "I love him, no matter who he is right now. This is not the real him."
Utaha then walked off.
"Dark-haired weirdo." Eriri muttered to herself before following Utaha.
In George's car, he looked at Masaru.
"Why did you talk rudely to Utaha just now?" George asked, "She was just being nice."
"You won't understand, George." Masaru sighed, "You won't. Just drive me to the hospital."
Masaru visited Michiru Hyodo in the hospital. He went into her ward and sat beside her.
"You must be Masaru Kobayashi." Michiru let out her hand and smiled, "Nice to meet you. My name is Michiru Hyodo, but just call me Michiru."
"I'm Masaru Kobayashi." He introduced himself before getting to his main point, "Look, Michiru-chan, I'm deeply sorry for making you go through a coma."
"Oh, it's okay. Is the Leo guy arrested?" She asked. Masaru shook his head.
"I'm sorry. All your efforts have went down the drain."
"Aw, Masaru-san, you're so kind." Michiru said, "I've heard about your stealing incident, and..."
"I know you think I'm a baddie."
"No. It's cool."
"COOL?" Masaru was taken aback, "Cool, you said?"
"Yeah. You were doing all these to protect Uncle Yang from getting injured, isn't it? Nobody understands your pain better than me."
"It's because he told you everything."
"Anyway, I don't judge you as a bad person."
"Thank you, Michiru-chan. You have no idea how much I appreciate your effort to help Uncle Yang while he's alive."
"You're welcome." Michiru smiled.
"And thanks once again for understanding my pain. You're one of the few who knew my worries."
"I thought I was the special one." Michiru joked. Both of them laughed.
"Oh right, I want to help a brother out." Masaru took a paper out and passed it to her, "Read it and see if you want to help. Although the salary is low."
Michiru looked at the paper, "You're giving me this job?"
"You don't want it? Then I'll..."
"Who said that? Of course I want it! It's a part-time job though. My full time is still being a musician in Blessing Software."
"So you accept the job?"
"Yes I will." Michiru replied, "Thanks for allowing me to show my professional guitar skills to someone."
"No problem."
In the Blessing Software's 10th anniversary dinner celebration, a party was held in the main hall of the office building. Many people arrived.
Megumi is in the female toilet, changing into her white summer dress. The dress that she had worn during the "fate summons" with Tomoya Aki, who is currently her boyfriend.
She then wore her white socks and pink heel shoes.
"I can't believe I still can fit into this." Megumi thought as she looked at the mirror and smiled at herself. As she got out of the washroom, she bumped into someone, and she felt her breasts being touched.
She screamed in fear. The person titled his head up a little. He was wearing a hat with a shirt and long pants. He has sunglasses on too. Tomoya rushed to her.
"What happened, Megumi?" Tomoya asked.
"This guy touched my breasts!" She pointed at the guy.
To be continued in Episode 2
