CHAPTER 5: Self Doubt
Makoto kept her eyes on me for about 10 seconds. After that, she sighed, giving a disappointed look.
"Ryu. . . What. . . happened to you?" she asked. "You're no where near as strong as I remember you."
"Uh, Makoto. . . I can explain. It's just that. . . well. . . I gave up fighting to live a normal life."
I then saw Chun-Li's jaw drop. Throughout all her years knowing me, me quitting was probably the LAST thing she was thing she was thinking of. It was just as unbelievable as Bill Gates giving his Microsoft empire to Dan Hibiki. Makoto, on the other hand, didn't show much emotion.
"Really? Well tell me this: just how long do you think you'll last?"
Both Kan and I raised an eyebrow.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ken demanded in my defense. "You trying to say that Ryu isn't cut out to live a normal life?"
"I'm not saying that much," Makoto replied coolly. "I'm just saying that. . . well. . . there are some things people are cut out for and things they aren't. You might be fine now, Ryu. . . but if things in this new life start to point back to the past. . . then I guess you'll be back to fighting again."
"What do you know?" Ken shot back. "You're only 17 years old! How would you know about something like this??"
Makoto just shrugged her shoulders. "Just saying my thoughts. . ."
Chun-Li decided at this time to take a seat. "While we're here. . . why don't we join you in your dinner?'
---- ----
Looks like you're doing fine so far," Chun-Li said while digging into her raw fish. "I guess you deserve it after all you've been through."
"Yeah. . . I guess. . ." I said, not noticing that I was mumbling. Ken did, though.
"What's wrong?"
I just shook my head. I was too busy thinking about my life.
{Is Makoto right? Am I cut out for this? Am I only fooling myself to be something I'm not?}
"Hey! Earth to Ryu!" Ken yelled in my ear, startling me.
"Sorry. I'm just. . . thinking. . ."
"About what Makoto said?" Chun-Li added while looking at the younger fighter next to her. "Don't worry about it. I bet she's just trying to psyche you out."
Makoto just rolled her eyes while swallowing her food.
"You're doing fine," Ken assured. "Just follow what your heart says."
I nodded and got up.
"I'll see you later. I'd better relax some. Tomorrow's the start of the weekend and my time off"
---- ----
I eyed my alarm clock which lit up the dark room called my bedroom. It said 10:07 P.M. . . and I sighed. I couldn't get to sleep. Makoto's word's still stuck in my head.
{. . .if things in this new life start to point back to the past. . . then I guess you'll be back to fighting again.)
Maybe. . . maybe she's right. Ever since I started this new life things did point towards my old, wanderer life. What does it mean?
My doorbell rang right then and there. I was expecting Ken to be there so I just got up in my boxers and answered the door. Once I found out who was on the other side, though. . .
"Oh! Chu-Chun-Li!" I stuttered, embarrassed that she was the first woman to see me like this, "I didn't expect you."
"I. . . figured," she responded while blushing slightly. "Well, are you busy?"
"No. . . you want to come in?"
She nodded and stepped in. As I found some pants, Chun-Li spoke up while sitting in the dark on my couch.
"So, Ryu. . . do you really like how you're living?"
"Yes," I replied. "Of course."
"Well, I was thinking about your decision and I think it's a pretty smart move. You are settled down, earning honest money. . . not beating up anyone. . . Tell me. . . Are you. . . seeing. . . someone?"
Immediately, as soon as I sat down next to her, I raise an eyebrow. Why the heck would she ask me that? What does that even mean. . . Wait a minute. . .
{You have an excellent body AND a job. You'll be surprised how many women you can attract if you play your cards right. . .}
"Chun-Li," I said, "does this mean. . .?"
Chun-Li responded with a slow nod.
"Ryu. . . I have a confession to make. . . I. . . I'm in. . . love with you. . ."
End of Chapter 5
Makoto kept her eyes on me for about 10 seconds. After that, she sighed, giving a disappointed look.
"Ryu. . . What. . . happened to you?" she asked. "You're no where near as strong as I remember you."
"Uh, Makoto. . . I can explain. It's just that. . . well. . . I gave up fighting to live a normal life."
I then saw Chun-Li's jaw drop. Throughout all her years knowing me, me quitting was probably the LAST thing she was thing she was thinking of. It was just as unbelievable as Bill Gates giving his Microsoft empire to Dan Hibiki. Makoto, on the other hand, didn't show much emotion.
"Really? Well tell me this: just how long do you think you'll last?"
Both Kan and I raised an eyebrow.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ken demanded in my defense. "You trying to say that Ryu isn't cut out to live a normal life?"
"I'm not saying that much," Makoto replied coolly. "I'm just saying that. . . well. . . there are some things people are cut out for and things they aren't. You might be fine now, Ryu. . . but if things in this new life start to point back to the past. . . then I guess you'll be back to fighting again."
"What do you know?" Ken shot back. "You're only 17 years old! How would you know about something like this??"
Makoto just shrugged her shoulders. "Just saying my thoughts. . ."
Chun-Li decided at this time to take a seat. "While we're here. . . why don't we join you in your dinner?'
---- ----
Looks like you're doing fine so far," Chun-Li said while digging into her raw fish. "I guess you deserve it after all you've been through."
"Yeah. . . I guess. . ." I said, not noticing that I was mumbling. Ken did, though.
"What's wrong?"
I just shook my head. I was too busy thinking about my life.
{Is Makoto right? Am I cut out for this? Am I only fooling myself to be something I'm not?}
"Hey! Earth to Ryu!" Ken yelled in my ear, startling me.
"Sorry. I'm just. . . thinking. . ."
"About what Makoto said?" Chun-Li added while looking at the younger fighter next to her. "Don't worry about it. I bet she's just trying to psyche you out."
Makoto just rolled her eyes while swallowing her food.
"You're doing fine," Ken assured. "Just follow what your heart says."
I nodded and got up.
"I'll see you later. I'd better relax some. Tomorrow's the start of the weekend and my time off"
---- ----
I eyed my alarm clock which lit up the dark room called my bedroom. It said 10:07 P.M. . . and I sighed. I couldn't get to sleep. Makoto's word's still stuck in my head.
{. . .if things in this new life start to point back to the past. . . then I guess you'll be back to fighting again.)
Maybe. . . maybe she's right. Ever since I started this new life things did point towards my old, wanderer life. What does it mean?
My doorbell rang right then and there. I was expecting Ken to be there so I just got up in my boxers and answered the door. Once I found out who was on the other side, though. . .
"Oh! Chu-Chun-Li!" I stuttered, embarrassed that she was the first woman to see me like this, "I didn't expect you."
"I. . . figured," she responded while blushing slightly. "Well, are you busy?"
"No. . . you want to come in?"
She nodded and stepped in. As I found some pants, Chun-Li spoke up while sitting in the dark on my couch.
"So, Ryu. . . do you really like how you're living?"
"Yes," I replied. "Of course."
"Well, I was thinking about your decision and I think it's a pretty smart move. You are settled down, earning honest money. . . not beating up anyone. . . Tell me. . . Are you. . . seeing. . . someone?"
Immediately, as soon as I sat down next to her, I raise an eyebrow. Why the heck would she ask me that? What does that even mean. . . Wait a minute. . .
{You have an excellent body AND a job. You'll be surprised how many women you can attract if you play your cards right. . .}
"Chun-Li," I said, "does this mean. . .?"
Chun-Li responded with a slow nod.
"Ryu. . . I have a confession to make. . . I. . . I'm in. . . love with you. . ."
End of Chapter 5