Chapter 4
Bright morning light streams into the room. Brightening gradually in the once-dark room, till the beam reaches an inkling who is still wrapped in a blanket, sleeping quietly.
"Frye! Frye! Wake up!" Shiver, an Octoling who grew up in a conservative society, exclaims from the kitchen. She has a tendency of getting out of bed before her friends. Waking up too early for inkling standards. She scrambles eggs for her and makes sunny sides separate for Frye, while Mantaro prepares to boil the eggs since he enjoys feeling the texture when he eats them.
"Frye! Frye! Wake up!" She does this every morning, although Frye does sometimes wake up on time for breakfast. Today, however, is not that day. She pulls the eggs from the pan and lays them on a white plate before putting the frying pan into the sink with cold water sprayed on it to chill it off for the time being. Tired and irritated, as if this was her daily ritual. She ran into Frye's room and slammed open the door like an irate mother. Shiver started shaking her buddy, who was still in the dream world, to get her to wake up.
"Get up! Get up! You lazy yellow ink!" She shakes her fiercely and lifts her shoulder to shake her even more. Frye opens her eyes slowly, feeling she woke up at 5 in the morning. Her golden yellow eyes are half-opened as she glances at her friend.
"Wha… What time is it?" saying to her in a sleepy tone.
"It's already half past 8. So PLEASE get up and eat your breakfast. And PLEAASE would you kindly wake up by yourself." Shiver said.
"Oky doky, oky doky," Frye says as Shiver steps out of her room, extending her arms and torso. She arranges some of her unique junk from the outer Splatslands desert. She hopes that it would have great value and may be used as emergency funds to keep a roof over their heads.
She prays to the little statue of the Onaga clan that stands on top of the drawer next to her bed. The statue features an eel-masked lady that resembles Frye, standing in the traditional Hindu dancing style with gold and orange coloured eels encircled behind her back in a large feather tail-like peafowl.
After cleaning her face, she joins her roommates for breakfast. Different egg styles for each of their tastes. Served with a green salad that has been freshly washed and topped with sliced tomatoes and avocados. On the white tray, there are three cooked salmon fillets.
"Shubpramo(good morning)" She greets them and sits on the chair and picks up her chopsticks. while wearing a simple yellow shirt with white cargo pants. Shiver is dressed for class in her usual yellow cardigan with a white shirt inside and black skinny jeans. Being a manta ray, Mantaro does not need to wear anything due to his large and broad stature.
"Ay Ay (Morning Frye)," Mantaro greets her, enjoying his boiled eggs as he delicately slices them with his fork and knife. Salt and pepper were added to enhance the flavour.
Shiver is busy eating while holding an electronic smart shellpad. To keep her diet on track, she eats scrambled eggs with chives and onions and her own flavourless vegetable soup. Her eyes were moving as she read the text on the shellpad searching for suitable references for her assignments.
Fully awakened while munching her sunny side eggs, Frye asks Shiver.
"Shiv, your busy today?."
"Well duh, isn't it obvious that we've been taking electives?" Shiver eats a small amount of salad after she replies to her. Shiver enrolls in the film class, while Frye enrolls in the jewelry class. Although they are in different classes, they both begin and end at the same time.
"Yeah, but you're kind of really, really very busy these days." Frye emphasizes. She is aware that the elective film class is the most popular for earning easy credits. Simply watch some movies, and you're done. Shiver, on the other hand, constantly heads to the Learning Commons after class, stating she has to do other work and also skipping side jobs regularly. She's been doing it for over a month.
"Well, of course, I'm busy with these piles of writing assignments I have to do. Plus, I am also aware that I'm behind schedule with our band practice." Shiver explains while eating a warm vegetable soup while holding the shellpad.
"I know, I know, Shiv, I guess you got unlucky." Frye gives a look to Mantaro, giving him an unseen sign that Shiver is making excuses to see Marko. Frye saw her sitting at the Learning Commons with Marko, even though he was taking a class in a different building. He always comes after an hour or less and seems to be helping her with assignments.
Frye has known Shiver as a sibling sister since they found her in the Splatsland's outer desert and accepted her as a family five years ago. She may seem snobbish, and cold, and can be hot-tempered as a rampaging shark, yet she is a clumsy and delicate girl at heart. Frye recalls how Shiver struggled to settle down on the surface, as well as how the language barrier of different dialects between Inklish and Octarian left her lonely and isolated.
But right now, as Frye looks at her, like an older sister looking after her little sibling, she has grown up and accustomed to the Inkling society, and she has found someone who she is genuinely interested in, though too shy for her to accept it.
"Gotta go." Shiver says as she quickly puts her plates into the sink. "Sorry, Mantaro, could you do the dishes? I'll do the dinner ones, okay?" She is packing up her stuff and hastily putting on her shoes while asking him.
"Ay! (No prob, Shiv.)" Mantaro positively replies, even though he does not like it.
"Thanks, and Frye you don't have to wait for me after class." She stands up and opens the door and is about to leave.
"Kay" Frye waves her left purple fingertipped hand at her.
She leaves, and only Frye and Mantaro are left, still not finished with their breakfast meal.
" Ay (she is very busy.)" Mantaro says.
"Yeah, I wonder when I can find a soulmate or something, Big Man" Frye says to him, getting a piece of salmon fillet onto her plate.
"Ay Ay? (That's how much natural they are getting into, huh?)" He slices another boiled egg with an orange-yellow-coloured yolk to his delight.
"Yep, And she is the one who is keeping the drama going. Hahahahaha. You know what's funny, big guy? She was actually trying to avoid him, like sitting far away, but in the end, she still sees him after the classes are over. I mean, she really thinks that I won't know about it, or anyone else, but it is so obviously in your face. Out of all places she goes to is the big wide open area where everyone comes and goes to. I saw him helping her with assignments, everytime when I see him with her. I mean, what a dedication the guy has for her." She makes small chuckles as she takes a piece of salmon meat into her mouth. "For being a snobby ice queen, she is such a clumsy girl."
"Hahahahaha Ay Ay (I hope she doesn't ask him too much)" Matanro gazes behind him at the clock hanging on the wall beside the entrance. " Ay? (Frye, you don't have any classes today? It's already passed 9.)"
"Yep, today's my day off, but gotta pay the bills, especially the hydro ones. We have to head outside and sell more stuff after this." She is the one who rents the apartment and is in charge of handling the bills as well as the band's budget and other things. Her clan taught her to control her finances responsibly since money does not respond to one's emotions. She hated it, but because of their teachings, it kept her where she is now.
"Ay Ay (Let's get ready then, before the others snatch the goods ones.)" He gets up and arranges the dishes to be washed. And Frye assists him briefly before returning to her room to arrange the tools and equipment, since there are certain areas that are placed in difficult to access regions that have many potential riches as well as dangers lying about. She glances at her little Onaga statue, hoping that her prayers for their health and riches were heard. As she and Mantaro prepare to leave Splatsville for the barren wilderness.
Meanwhile, Marko is taking a writing class, and as Sasha mentioned before, his grammar needs adjusting. After the class, he went to the cafeteria to have lunch by himself. While eating his usual Asian fried rice meal, he stumbled upon a news report from Inkopolis indicating that there are multiple missing Octolings all around Inkadia. Eight in Inkopolis, three in the Square and four in Splatsville. 'Fifteen Octolings are missing, and most of them have military career backgrounds.'
The Inkopolis police are searching and investigating, but just inside the city and surrounding the Square. They are mostly financed and owned by the Cuttlegear, which is owned by the Cuttlefish family. The family who led the Inkadia Inklings to victory in the Great Turf War against the Octolings. Splatsville, on the other hand, has a minor presence of Inkopolis police, but the city depends on its own autonomous police force to ensure peace. But the truth is that they are also privately supported by the relocated corporations in Splatsville, hoping to spread their influence just as the Cuttlefish family did before.
Marko has little faith in the Splatsville or Inkopolis police officers performing their duties. For over a month, he barely saw any police presence in this city. It is as if the citizens here have to solve the issues by themselves. And the city is too busy doing a secret turf war against the major corporations. 'The city of Anarchy, becoming the hotbed for gaining political power from the would be doers. They should be focusing on stabilizing the economy here. The prices here are damn too expensive compare to Zougualia.'
His phone received a chat notification, and it was Sasha. 'Another homework to help with, huh?"
Sashafuka: I'm going to the Learning Commons. If you're not busy, come and help me.
Marko: You're homework again?
Sashafuka: If you don't want to, then don't.
Marko: Okay, I'll come. You mean now, right?
Sashafuka: Yes.
Marko finishes his meal and goes to the Learning Commons. He has no idea how many times he has gone there to assist her. No, he's not assisting; he's essentially doing it for her while she does something else. He does enjoy spending time with her, and casual conversation with her sometimes lets him forget how quickly time passes. 'I guess I'm in love; I never get tired of looking at her gorgeous face with her red eyes, and I'm simply letting her order me to do her schoolwork, which I'm pleased to do like a stupid quid.'
He spots her already seated and working on her computer, as well as a handful of papers that seem to be the major ones that need to be completed.
"I guess these are the ones that you need me to do, right?" He stands beside her, pointing at the papers. By the looks of it, it is the assignments that have been delayed in the 'Advanced Foundation Class'. He thought she had already finished it, but no, most of the papers are incomplete.
"Yeah, umm, if you could fill in some words or maybe a…. couple of paragraphs, if you don't mind." She asks him gently and gingerly, knowing she was asking too much of him. She has to study, and practice vocal singing with her band. She is already overwhelmed, but only Marko is unfeignedly helping her. Whenever she calls, he always comes to her and gets things done; in fact, he often undertakes additional work for her, unknowingly allowing her more time to practice her singing. Since Marko is the only one apart from her friends who cares for her. She felt guilty, but she also enjoys being with him, feeling warm comfort and pleasantness when he is with her.
"As usual, let me get these out of your way and also let me check on what you are currently doing after I'm done with these." He said.
"Thank you.."She said trying to refocus on her movie appreciation report.
After an hour, as he types the essays on the computer. The essays are not that difficult to complete, that she could have done it by herself. 'I guess she's too shy or maybe sensitive that we are into each other. Even her bestie, Muri knows it.' Marko actually wanted to get serious with Sasha. He does not want to prolong this cat and mouse, maybe yes or not game she is doing. 'Never imagined in my life that I'm going to get serious relationship with a girl. But I should be nervous or awkward. There's none of that I feel.' They will be separated within a couple of months to pursue their selected majors. And he decides to gradually push it through, arguing that it is better to do it now rather than later and regret it.
He slowly turns toward Sasha, who is just in time, chilling and playing with her phone.
"Hey, I wanna ask you something." He says to her.
"Ask what?" she said still holding her phone, playing a veetuli video she was watching.
"Why do you keep calling me to come here after the class?"
"What? What do you mean?"
"It's been a month since you kept asking me for help after the whole class is over."
"Because I need your help with the essays and other writing stuff." She cocked her head slightly while nodding, giving him a clear reason.
"But you never say anything to me during class. You could've just told me before not every time sending me the chat after it." Marko crosses his arms, wanting to know her behaviour. "Plus, why me I ask?" He points his fingers at himself.
"Why you? Because you're the only one who is helping me?" she replies
"And the others don't? Not even your bestie Muri?" He asks again to further clarify the reason for her action.
She nibbles her bottom lip and moves her gaze from left to right, pondering how to respond to his question. In reality, she has no idea why she constantly asking him to assist her, despite the knowledge that she could ask others for aid or do it alone.
"No," she says, lightly shaking her head. "You're the only one who replies to me." She did not even look at him. Instead, she puts away her phone and is about to start her writing, which is a completely blank page.
Marko inhales and then exhales a little breath through his nose. While preparing mentally and emotionally to confess to her.
"Sasha, I.. I want to.. Um.. I want to be serious with you." He gestures with his left open palm hand pointing at her trying to give her a clear message.
There was a moment of silence for few seconds between them. She stopped typing was in motionless state. And her crimson infinity symbol eyes were widening. She is in thought process what he means.
"You, you mean, why am I bothering you with my homework?" She stuttered a bit while saying it.
"No..That's not what I meant. What I am trying to say to you is…" He inhales and exhales again. "I want to get into a serious relationship with you, Sasha Fuka." He said it in a slow and clear, precise tone to make sure she fully understood what he was saying to her.
Her heart was racing, and she slowly turned her head to him, shaking slightly. Complex emotions were overflowing in her heart and mind that she does not know what to say.
"Um….. I.. I.." Opening her mouth trying to come up with a word or anything to say something. "I'm sorry…." She slightly lowers her head, licking her lips and nibbling her lower mouth, and touching her red fingers. "I'm not ready for any relationship... and I'm not interested in it."
"Do you need time to think about it?" He asks.
"No, no, no, I just don't want to be in a relationship. I'm sorry, I'm not ready and never will be." She says, trying to make her tone cold to him so that he gets the message.
"Well, you and I became fast friends as a bantering couple, and we have been secretly seeing each other after class, helping your homework as an excuse for over a month now. To tell you the truth, I want to get serious with you and have a proper relationship with you." He wasn't really nervous, sad, or anything else negative. He felt nothing, just natural, as if he were chatting to someone he had known for a long time. He is wondering if this is some different form of confidence he feels.
"I'm sorry, but I really don't want to, and you don't have to come and help me anymore. I won't bother you and I won't call you anymore from now on." She hastily gets up and started to pack her things.
"Look, I'm sorry, I think I made you uncomfortable by saying this to you." Marko apologizes to her.
"No, you don't have to. To be honest with you, this is not the first time I got this from someone. So, don't get your hopes up, and thanks for your help. We, we can still be friends, maybe." Trying to maintain her cold demeanour in front of him She waves her hand to him goodbye and quickly walked out of the Learning Commons. Leaving Marko alone in his thoughts.
'She said this is not the first time, but her ears and cheeks becoming pinkish says otherwise. First time ain't the charm. I shouldn't have said that so bluntly to her. I hope this won't turn into an awkward friendship or something. Should have just shut my beak, you stupid quid.' Marko sighs in regret and gets up and heads to his dorm to rest. But he has a feeling that this will not be the last time she sees him.
Shiver arrives home earlier than usual. The clock was pointing at 3 afternoon. There are dirts and sands on the floor. Frye and Mantaro just came back from the side gig. They brought what looked like valuable junks from the desert. They were just unpacking their gears and cleaning off the sand dusts from their bodies.
"Oh, Shi-" As Fry was about to greet her, Shiver immediately took off her shoes and hastily walked past them and the junk lying around. Heading to her room and shuts the door behind her.
"Verrr~?" Her golden brow furrowed. She stares at Mantaro, puzzled, as if there was something awry with her.
Mantaro unties his enormous and broad sand duster jacket, which is simply ripped out from the beach tents, while Frye removes her heavy duty gloves and several tools from her belt. Climbing rope, mini sledgehammer, multi-tool knife, first aid kit, and a backup phone in case of an emergency. They tidy and arrange the minor junk in her room. They discovered a lot more junk, but it would be too difficult to get it all the way to the city. They kept the majority of their loot in a storage hut stationed among the desert rocks.
They clean the floor covered in dirt and sand using a vacuum cleaner, then mop the floor, and put their dirty clothes in the laundry for an hour.
"Big Man, you prepare the dinner, I'm gonna have a girl chat with her about what she's up with." It is almost 5 in the evening, and she wants to know and solve it before Mantaro finishes cooking dinner.
"Ay! (Let me serve you two traditional dishes then)" As he wiggles his flappy fins and starts to gather the ingredients from the refrigerator.
Frye knocks on the door. "Shiv? Is it okay if I come in? "
"Yeah…." Shiver said from the other side in a soft tone.
She enters the door and notices that the bright blue drapes are closed but still emitting a gentle orange light into the room. Shiver is laying sideways on her bed, her clothes unchanged, hugging her beloved shark plush toy close to her chest. A desk next to her bed, a white shark mask lays there. Beside the window a drawer on the top a white fan on the holding stand with her deep blue family crest on it, and her silver ornament charm hanging next to the fan holding stand with two red tassels strung through its holes resemble the eyes of an octopus, little on one side and large on the other. Her family's charm, which has been handed down for centuries, is now in her hands to take care of.
Fry sits down gently on her bed, wondering what happened today that she is in such distress.
"Shiv, did something happen today?" Fry asks her. Shiver turns around, still holding her shark doll, looking at her friend expressionless.
"No…." Frye looks at her directly, expecting her to spit it out. Shiver sighed and started to tell her everything. "Yes… um" She licks her lip to take a moment to recollect how it did happen. "Marko…. He confessed to me…" she said softly to her.
Frye's eyes got wide, expected outcome but surprised. She did not expect Marko to do it so soon. Wanting to bring some snacks to hear the drama, seeing her friend being emotionally conflicted, it would be rude for her to do so.
"So he confessed to you and obviously you refused, correct?" Shiver nods, laying her head on the pillow with her eyes looking down.
"I know you don't want to experience that past again, when you were trying to get used to the surface life. I know how that feels like, Shiver. I know." She tries to think how to say to her that Marko is entirely different. "Shiver, I think this time, Marko is different. Not because he is a foreigner, but he is mature and seems like a person who takes responsibility seriously."
"I don't know, who knows, maybe that's not what he is, or maybe he knows who I am, the Shiver of Deep Cut band, being one of the candidates for the Splatfest." Shiver says.
"Shiver, I don't think he's that type of guy. As I said, he is mature, like he knows a lot and explains it in a simple manner for us to understand. I mean, I don't know if all the Zouglings are acting like him. And plus, you didn't mention any of the arguments or him trying to hold you forcibly or something after you refused him."
"He said, he's sorry for making me uncomfortable. And he kind of regrets it, I think."
"You should know, Shiv, that a real person who deeply cares for someone does not want to bring or influence bad things to that person. And I think Marko really does care for you."
"..." Shiver stayed silent, still conflicted in her heart.
"He always came for you when you needed him." Frye points out. Shiver's eyes got wide, shocked that her friend knew about her activity that she did not tell her.
"How'd you know that?" She asks.
"You dummy, I sometimes go by the Learning Commons. And everytime I go there, I see you two sitting together doing assignments." Frye says.
"Well he did help a lot….." Shiver murmured this while attempting to hide the redness on her cheeks with her shark toy. When she said 'a lot,' Frye felt a tingling sensation. And she has a feeling there's more to that term.
"A lot..like how much a lot you mean?" She questions her.
"Umm a lot… many a lot of help…" She carefully replies to her. Frye gets closer to her and giving her an unseen signal that she wants to know in detail.
"Shiv, be straight with me, did you order him to do all of the schoolwork for you?..." She said hoping she is wrong.
"...Yes….."
"..."
"..."
Frye was motionless, as if her heart had stopped beating and her brain had ceased working. She couldn't believe it when she heard what she had just heard from her. Marko had been working double or treble the amount of work for her for over a month. And she believes she did not repay his thanks. But, still wanting to clarify, she asks her in a calm and deliberate tone. "Did you return the GRATITUDE to him for helping you ALL THE ASSIGNMENTS?..."
"...No….."
"..."
"..."
"YOU DUMB CLUMSY IDIOT!" She shouts at her.
"What is it, Wha, what's wrong!?" Shiver got up at her yelling, startled, wondering what she said wrong that made her like this.
"YOU JUST EXPLOITED HIM YOU DUMB HELP SUCKER!." Frye strongly pointed out.
"What do you mean exploited? Help sucker? What is that? I don't know what you are talking about?" Shiver was perplexed as to what she was saying to her. She had no intention of using Marko as a tool for her own personal advantage. Never, since she is not that devious Octoling, and no one in her family has ever done something like that.
Frye puts both hands on her head, feeling remorseful for what Marko has done for her. Shiver is behaving like a naïve younger sibling, and Frye is at a loss for solutions, praying that Marko does not misjudge Shiver as an exploitive help sucker.
Mantaro opens the door, checking what the commotion is. "Ay? (What's going on, girls? Everything alright?)"
Frye goes to Mantaro and tells him what Shiver was doing and what Marko had done for her in the last month. As he listened, his cheerful face began to sour, and he frowned with an unsettling look. "AY, Zasss (This is not right Shiver, definitely not it is.)"
Shiver drops her doll on the bed and covers her lips in horror. Mantaro's use of the term 'Zasss' indicates that he is experiencing negative emotions, such as disappointment. He seldom says this, and the Manta clan is mainly made up of happy individuals.
"Shiver, even Big Man agrees, you definitely must return the favour to him." She remarks.
"You want me to hang out with him because he did all the homework for me? But I refused him. I mean, I kind of strongly refused him." Shiver said.
"Ay Ay Ay (It is not that, Shiver, your friend Marko did so much for you over a month, which is not a short period. You should definitely return the favor to him. If not, then this is such a rude way to treat him. That is not the way you should go to.)"
"But what should I do? What do you want me to do that satisfies the favor for him?" She asks them.
"I don't know, Shiver, you're the one who spent the most time with him. Try something that he would like, like buying lunch or dinner for him, or maybe a small present or something, or bring him here and TA DA! introduce ourselves, that we are an indie band that has yet to be recognized and let him see our 'Anarchy Rainbow' practice we've been working on."
"Lunch... lunchbox! Bento!" Shiver exclaims after hearing her friend's suggestions. She finally got the idea. "I've decided, I'm gonna make a bento for him."
They both nodded in agreement. "Ay! (Good choice, make sure you make a good one for him.)
"You text him today or tomorrow, and after that, Bento favor, please do not ever do that again to him or someone okay Shiver? And never do that help sucker thing again, okay?" Frye tells her.
She nods, but she was wondering what that meant. "What is 'help sucker'?"
"It means someone who constantly asks for help but never improves nor tries to do it personally." She explains.
"Oh….." She realized she'd been doing it to him. And he never showed her any complaints.
"Ay (Let me finish preparing the dinner, and Shiver, you promised you'd do the dishes.)" He goes back to the kitchen, turning on the fire to fry the pan and boil the soup pot.
"You think of what to make for him tomorrow. And also, if I were you, I would wear something elegant for him, since he is liking you, so why not." She exits the room and closes the door after she finishes speaking.
Shiver is back on the bed, clutching her shark toy to her heart. Deep in thinking about what to prepare, what to dress, where to meet, and what to say to him. She just denied him, and now she has to dress up, meet him, and eat a bento lunch the next day. She had never done anything like this before in her life.