Chapter 372 - New Routine
Things settled into a new routine after that.
Previously, they'd head to the school cafeteria and have breakfast with Sarah, Beatrice, and Betty before going to class. Sam would meet up with them after breakfast to walk Betty to class whilst the rest walked Sarah to class.
Now, everyone was staring at the former Elite Five breakfast table.
Despite the fact that Kyle, Kay and Xing Han had moved out and would not be having breakfast at the cafeteria anymore, their regular table still stood there in all its lonesome. Like a shrine. It lay empty.
People were hoping that they would come back. If they did, wouldn't it be a shame that they didn't have a table to sit at? There was even a flower in a vase on the table, as if it would somehow bring them back?
A tribute?
Whatever it was, there seemed to be a silent agreement by all to leave the table alone.
No one knew - or even questioned - why the table was so revered to the point of it being worshiped. Sarah, who was eating at another table nearby, was content.
It had been quite easy to guide the PoK to have the idea of leaving the table empty. After all, they harboured the hope that Kyle would come back. At least, to eat. They simply spread it and reinforced the idea.
They didn't know that Kyle had far better food at his 'Mother's place.
Kyle and Xing Han would have breakfast each morning at Master Shifu's house. Kay wasn't much of a morning person - and though Xing Han had trouble waking up early as well, the motivation not to have Kyle 'brave the lion's den' all alone was not in the cards.
Kyle felt it was only right that he would have breakfast and dinner at his second home. Xing Han joined them all the time, of course, while Kay only went for dinner.
After that, they'd walk to the bus stop to get to school.
Xing Han would prefer to take the cab, though. Still, Kyle somehow prefered to take the bus even though he could well afford to take a cab. Xing Han sighed. Ah well. The bus that they took was also the one that Sam took, so they timed it so that the bus they took would be the exact same one.
Thus, halfway through the journey, Sam would get on and they'd arrive in school together. Sam would head to the cafeteria to meet up with his bunny while Kyle, Kay and Xing Han would head to class.
Sometimes, Kyle would disappear suddenly. The first time it happened, Xing Han had been completely shocked while Kay giggled by his side.
? Mini Flashback ?
"What is your fascination with taking a bus anyway, Kyle?" asked Xing Han as he stretched a bit. Seriously, the seats on the bus weren't exactly soft and sometimes, he'd had to endure body odour as people walked by.
Kyle smiled and shrugged, "Don't you think it's such a wonderful experience? The way you can sit there and watch the scene pass you by."
"You can do that in a car," Xing Han pointed out.
"A car moves too fast," Kyle replied, "And anyway ..."
Xing Han waited but there was nothing. He turned to face Kyle, wanting to ask what it was when he realised. There was no one there.
He blinked.
He looked left and right - and even up and down but nothing. Wait. He was just there.
Xing Han turned to Kay who was beside him, on the other side but before he could ask, he heard a familiar voice calling out to them.
"Kay!"
Xing Han looked and saw that it was Sarah.
"Eh? Kyle isn't with you guys?" Sarah asked as she reached them.
Xing Han frowned a bit. Wasn't it obvious that Kyle wasn't with them? Couldn't she have seen that even before coming over? And why was that the first question she asked instead of greeting Kay?
Xing Han wasn't stupid. He was just innocent in most cases but when it came to the Elite Five, his senses were quite sharp about the atmosphere. Seeing Sarah, Xing Han knew that Kyle had done his disappearing act to avoid her.
What he was impressed with though, was that he did it so effortlessly and quickly. It wasn't like there was a lot of places to hide. One minute he was here, the next, POOF!
Xing Han looked at Sarah. He was a bit annoyed.
Kay, on the other hand, didn't look like anything was wrong. She just smiled gently and nodded, answering the obvious. Xing Han wanted to rush off as well but he couldn't leave Kay alone. He had to protect her!
Unlike someone that could just go POOF!