Chapter 98 - 99. A Black And White Television
On the bus, I threw my eyes out of the window. Nothing I could see but the darkness and the shades of the trees. All these views made me sleepy until suddenly a flash of bright red attracted my attention. I turned my head and sharpened my eyes, and I saw a pair of red eyes smouldering like flames.
I was almost asleep due to drowsiness until I heard Mrs Lim serve me a cup of hot coffee and put it in front of me to bring me on again. "Take it!" She sipped the same coffee and sat on her chair. "You didn't sleep last night?" she asked as she kept her eyes on the computer screen on her table.
"You should change your bad habits. You need to get married, don't you?" this time she looked at me and knocked my arm. Instantly this invited other teachers to look at us. "Dress up beautifully like a mature woman." That's enough! I got tired of listening to the same words. 'Why am I not acknowledged as a woman so far?' I was irritated with that provoking statement.
A short message beeped on my cell phone. It was from Winnter. She asked me to pick her up and Mirai in front of the portal. I clicked a yes. No other chats between us.
My mind flew to the flock of people coming to the meeting at that time. The Manjis said that Aras was hunting one of them. I could not stop thinking about who was being targeted and what kind of problems he had made so that that creature hunted him.
I tidied up my books and my bag when teaching season started. I needed to focus on my job and not worry about other things outside of teaching. "I have a class now." I said to Mrs Lim, then hurriedly going up to the fourth floor where my class was.
The boisterous and chaotic situation was the first impression I got when entering the classroom. Some students were still in their sports uniforms. "Go and change your uniforms now." I pointed to one of them who was still in their sports uniforms. It was their habit not to change their uniforms right after they finished with their Physical Education class.
"You too. Hurry up!" I pointed to another student who was still in his sports uniform. "Just in ten minutes! So, hurry up and come back for the lesson!"
They did not say any words, just nodding and walking out of the classroom quickly. But I also saw some students with their school uniforms walking out to follow their friends. "Those with school uniforms remain in the class. I don't take excuses for accompanying them for the sake of solidarity. If you dare to skip the class, I'll give you an extra assignment," I scared them off while cleaning up the whiteboard that was dirty with some jot downs.
After a while, all the students were busy doing assignments I gave to them. I was just watching them in silence. "Make sure to do the sums carefully." I reminded them again. "Don't rush. You've got enough time to do it."
"Yes, teacher," they replied in unison.
I was still watching the students doing their assignment when a stone bird came out of the blue and perched on the window. It did not do anything bad but watch me silently. I took a look at it and felt familiar. I knew who that bird belonged to. Mickey was watching me.
I said nothing to that tubby cat that I met Azalea yesterday. I just told him I went to the city for some stuff I hadn't brought along with me. But sooner or later he would find out. See now? He is sending his stone bird to keep an eye on me.
At two in the afternoon my last class was over. I cleaned up my table and students sheets I had not finished checking yet and then headed to the teacher's room to continue my job.
"Come join us, will you Tha?" Mrs Lim pulled my hand before I even said yes or no. "There is a newly opened restaurant around here," She spoke enthusiastically, and finally I just followed her.
We went with the other teachers. That restaurant was just across the street from our school. It was a simple place that provided various kinds of dishes from chicken and fish. They ordered many different kinds of the menu in big portions and I didn't think that we would be able to eat out all the food we had ordered.
"Hm, what if we can't finish all of this food?" I saw the food come and I lost my appetite already. I felt full instantly. "It is really too bad if we have to discard this food," I said unenthusiastically. It was so contradictory with other teachers who were so eager to enjoy all the dishes on the table.
"We will be able to finish it, don't be pessimistic before we start it." Zero replied that the biology teacher was just three years older than me. He was small but very active. Perhaps his body metabolism was very good so that he could eat all portions he had ordered. I sighed with my low capabilities in eating much.
Ms Lim stated it off. She was the most enthusiastic I supposed and her portion was also the most among us. She ordered a big bowl of noodles with slices of meat and simmering gravy. I myself had a bowl of rice with vegetables and fried fish coated with flour, kind of garage I supposed.
"Have it more, Tha!" Mrs Lim encouraged me as she pushed a bowl of noodles like hers but in a smaller size.
"I have enough with rice and vegetables," I really could not eat more, feeling so full only by seeing how my friends enjoyed their dishes. I decided to have ice cream to accompany them to finish their meal.
A black and white television was set in the middle of the room. The news section made me interested.
"So sadistic," Zero commented.
I shifted closer to the television as I could not hear the broadcast. There was an empty chair near the television. I sat on that unoccupied chair. It seemed the owner of the restaurant understood and he turned up the television volume. It broadcasted the findings of two bodies floating on the river. And when the name of the river was mentioned, I was so shocked.
"The river is not far from my house," I said spontaneously. Automatically everyone looked at me, then they were back to the news again. I kept watching the news, too.
"Tha, why don't you just turn it off. It scares me off when I go home. You know," Kiky, the youngest among us, was a bit fainthearted.
I took the remote control and switched the channel. "So horrible!" Kiky complained in fear. "Hen, can you take me home, please?" She begged Henry.
After the owner nodded yes, we continued eating, although once in a while in between our eating we were curious about the news as we did not finish watching it.
After around one hour, I said goodbye to everyone. I had to go home because my house was the farthest, and if I stayed out for too long, there was a cat nagging at me.
I was right, Mickey was sitting on the table of the living room with eveready angry expression. When I entered the house, he ran towards me right away. "Why are you so late? Where have you been?" He bombarded me with questions.
"Is my Mickey hungry?" I said as I showed off a bag of sausages and wet cat food. "You can't scold me if you want this all." I tried to calm him down.
"My kindhearted Tha, my coolheaded Tha," He said gently while rubbing his head to my feet. 'Wait a second! Tha is coolheaded? Does he mean I never got angry at him?' I said in my heart.
"Tha, it's all for me, huh?" His sparkling eyes looked at me brilliantly, pleading, with his wagging tail. I knew he was trying to persuade me.
"Don't you see I lost weight, huh? You must feed me with nutritious and delicious food!" I could not believe this creature could say such words while a bunch of fat was clearly mounted in his belly.
I chuckled. "Alright, the tubby Mickey." I opened one pack of his food and put it in his bowl.
Mickey ran to his bowl and ate what it was served for him. It was quite easy to change his mood, I just needed to supply him with his favorite food to stop his anger.
…
Having finished bathing, I turned on my computer and started checking my students' assignments. The clock struck eleven at night when I finished my work.. Instead of feeling sleepy that night, I felt my stomach growling for food.