NEW LIFE : A SECOND CHANCE

The bullet-train boy paused for a while as he took a deep breath when suddenly, there was a slight cough made by the man beside him.

"Oh! OH!" shouted the boy, putting a hand on his mouth, "Just where are my manners? I'm sorry! So so sorry! I was just so excited! So excited to meet you! I..."

Another discreet cough made the boy stop suddenly, bowing to everyone as he said, "Hello. I'm Tan Xing Han. "Nice to meet all of you; Auntie, Big Sister."

Kyle's lips twitched. This boy certainly was a bundle of energy.

"I'm Kyle, and this is my twin sister Kayla," responded Kyle, introducing themselves.

"Twin? Twin sister?! OH MY GOSH. THAT IS SO COOL!!" gushed Xing Han, looking at the both of them, peering intently at their faces.

"You don't really look the same though. Are you really twins?"

Kay giggled, "We're not identical twins, silly."

"But I thought you'd still look like each other ... just, you know? He would look like the male version of you, and you would look like the female version of him? And if you were to dress up like him, people would think you're him and if he dressed up like you, they'd think he was you?" said Xing Han, genuinely confused.

"What? You think this is like 'You're Beautiful'*?" Kyle asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Isn't it?" Xing Han asked, his eyes wide open.

Kay laughed at that, then shyly hid her face behind Kyle's arm. Xing Han thought that was so cute and was gawking at her actions while Kyle smiled at Kay. It was obvious that she was warming up to the innocent bullet train.

Kyle turned back his attention to Xing Han, and replied, "No, that's rarely the case. The likelihood of fraternal twins of different genders looking alike is slim. We're like normal siblings, only were born at the same time."

"Liar," muttered Kay, "You came out two minutes before me."

Kyle rolled his eyes, rubbing her head, "Fine, fine. I'm older by 2 minutes. Happy?"

Kay nodded then turned to Xing Han as she said, "You can call me Kay!! You're my first new friend here."

Xing Han's eyes went wide at that, with his lips in an "O" position before he took a bow to the amusement of the two again, "WOW WOW. I'm honoured to be your first friend! You're my first friend too. Isn't it amazing? This must be fate … Wait, no. You're not my first since I talked to Kyle first. So second and Kyle was first. Er .. wait. I just said you're my friend. Are you? You never said! You ARE my friend, right, Kyle?"

Kyle's mouth twitched at that as he watched the boy's many reactions in that short amount of time as he started talking with such speed.

First, it was excitement, then joy, then awe, then shock, fear, and then nervousness.

Xing Han was now looking at Kyle with wide eyes, then his eyes darted nervously to the right and left when Kyle didn't answer immediately.

He shifted his feet nervously, as he then mumbled, "Mum warned me about this. She said to slow down. She was right. I should slow down. I talk too fast. I shouldn't assume. I ..."

He stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He gulped and looked up, and locked eyes with Kyle's eyes.

Kyle's striking blue eyes were clear, with a tinge of amusement as his head nodded.

Kyle then smiled, gave Xing Han's shoulder a few pats while then taking his hand and gave it a firm grip and a shake.

"Yes, nice to meet you, first friend Xing Han," Kyle replied.

Xing Han's face broke into a huge smile, as he clasped Kyle's hand with both of his and started shaking it up and down in excitement.

"Yes! Yes! First friend Kyle!" and then he turned to the man beside him, still shaking Kyle's hand as he continued to say excitedly, "Look Sebastian! My first friend! Kyle!! I have a friend now, and his name is Kyle!!"

"Yes, Young Master Tan," replied the stone-faced man, "Perhaps he would like his hand back now, though, Young Master Tan?"

Xing Han gasped, and dropped Kyle's hand like a hot potato! "Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry! I was just so excited!"

Kyle waved his worries away, and Kay walked up to him as well, "Yes, nice to meet you too, Xing Han."

Xing Han was relieved. He was right about Kyle. No one ever treated him nicely like this. They would normally make fun of him or ignore him because he talked too much. Kyle was different. He actually treated him like a normal human being!

Xing Han decided there and then.

Kyle is THE one. His best friend for life. Best friends forever and ever and ever. BFFEAE?

Xing Han shook his head. Anyway, Kyle is the one who will be his best friend from now till the end of time!

They will go through thick and thin, and he will help Kyle protect Kay! That is what brothers do! Xing Han promised in his heart, looking at both of them with a huge smile on his face.

"So which class are you in?" Kay asked.

"OH!" Xing Han realised that was the first question he had asked, but things got slightly derailed. Looking hesitantly on his paper, he said, "Van Goh?"

"That's the same as Kyle!" said Kay unhappily,? "That's not fair! My first friend isn't in my class."

She pouted, and hung on to Kyle's arm.

"Be good," Kyle admonished her gently.

"Yes, yes! Don't worry!" comforted Xing Han, "See, our classes are not that far apart. Just shout and I'll come running right over if there is anything! Like Superman! Save the Day!"

Kyle grinned at that, looking at Xing Han as the latter was busy trying to comfort Kay. Xing Han was certainly ... unique. Harmless for now. He's going to have to do a background check on this boy before they get any deeper.

One can't be too careful.

***---***---

Delilah, Sophie and Sebastian watched the three children in shock.

Delilah couldn't believe that Kyle didn't look like he was going to kill this Xing Han even though he was gushing over Kay.

In fact, Kyle was even smiling at him! What was this? Kyle wasn't going to tear Kay away from the boy? This alone made Delilah happy that she relented to Patrick's urging on letting them attend school.

Sophie, who was quite used to the type of smiles that Kyle gave, realised that the smile that was on Kyle's face right now was different from any other type of smile that he had shown all this while.

It wasn't a polite smile that he gave to adults, or just that perfunctory smile just for the sake of smiling. It was a genuine, indulgent smile. Not like what he gave to Kay, of course, but still, it was new!

And it was devastating.

It made her realise how dangerous the young one is going to be when he grows up and mature. She took a mental note to change a few things in their daily teaching. He has to learn how to treat women and be a good gentleman.

Sebastian was the most shocked one of all because there had never been anyone of Xing Han's age that could tolerate Xing Han's rather boisterous and forceful behaviour.

Add that tendency of his to just keep on talking non-stop without taking a breath, many kids would steer clear away from him.

Madam had been trying to get Xing Han to slow down so that he could adapt better, but now it looked like not one – but two – people could actually keep up with him and accept him as he is.

All three adults looked at the three children, eyes misting over as they thought of the new adventure that they would get into.

No longer would their world be just their own, but include a new person.

Little did any of them realise, that that was the beginning of a friendship that would last the test of time.

The school bell rang at that moment, and an announcement was made, "All parents and unrelated personnel are invited to exit the premises. All parents are invited to exit the premises. School will begin in 10 minutes."

Delilah hugged and kissed Kay, but refrained from doing so with Kyle. She didn't want to embarrass him in front of the whole school.

Xing Han nodded and waved to Sebastian, who nodded in return and turned to leave.

Delilah would keep looking back a few times before finally leaving through the gates.

At that point, some prefects came and guided the new students to their respective lines in the hall where the first assembly of the year would begin.

Kay gave him a final hug before she followed the prefect that would lead her to a different line, while Kyle and Xing Han followed another to theirs.

Kyle sighed, as he stood up straight and listened to the first speech and announcement of the school year.

And so it begins.

Six years of dull, boring lessons.