The Ludicruos League

Questions

Meanwhile, back in another part of the medieval like prison . . .

"Anjir! Stop pacing, bro. You're making me dizzy. Besides, it will make you dizzy too."

Jino paused on his step, but only for a moment. He pulled his hair subconsciously. "I c-can't h-help it. M-my Ma will be a-all alone. S-she has o-only me now. W-what if s-s-she called for me a-and I wasn't there? S-s-she would b-be w-worried. A-another a-attack could go t-terribly wrong. H-how can I n-not worry?"

Closing his eyes, he thought of his beloved Ma.

They lived on the outskirts of the city. Others described him as shy and nerdy. Ever since his dad and sister went missing at sea five years ago, life had gone downhill for him and his Ma. They used to live in another part of town. They only moved there because the apartment rent was cheaper and she found a job at a recycling warehouse. Regrettably, she succumbed to a mysterious illness and had not been able to go back to work.

Now, it was up to him to make ends meet. In between taking care of her, he took all kinds of after-school jobs. He delivered groceries from the local supermarket to ten floor flats with a broken lift. He walked elderly widows' dogs for a chump change. Oftentimes, he ended up keeping them company, listening to their tales of weal and woe. He worked on his and his classmates' essays late into the night. On weekends, he helped Zhanshi at his parents' stall at the farmers market, bringing vegetables trimmings and bruised fruits home.

In spite of his busy schedule, Jino never neglected his studies. He found time to go to the public library and borrowed volumes of academic books. He knew that his passion for learning and exploring the unknown may not come to anything. Many considered him a cannon fodder, but he found solace in his own world of knowledge.

One Saturday morning, he noticed that they ran out of food. After reassuring his Ma that he would be careful, he went to a nearby lake he found by accident a few weeks prior. He knew where to find edible roots and plants.

Much to his surprise, someone was skinny dipping in the lake. He had never seen her before. Her hair, lush and tied into a high ponytail, reflected the bright sunlight. Flawless, golden skin that seemed to glow. A young body with curves on the right places.

At first, he thought of leaving, to give the girl her privacy. But he knew there were wild animals around the area. And what if some other guys come near the lake? For some reasons unknown to himself, he felt obliged to protect that unknown girl. Hence, he decided to stay and be on the lookout. From time to time, he couldn't help but sneak a look.

The next Saturday, he chanced it to visit that area again, in case she showed up. And she didn't disappoint. She came back. He admitted that he was a bit disappointed when he saw her in her one piece swimwear. From then on, he had been secretly coming to that area to stand guard against any intruders, resisting the temptation to feast his eyes upon her mesmerising beauty.

She was like the moonlight, only to be seen but not to be touched. To be admired from afar. He knew that she was way out of his league. She might even be in a relationship. Just seeing her on her weekly routine to the lake was more than what he could ever hope for. He lost count of the many mornings he woke up feeling guilty at the evidence of the consequence of dreaming about her.

He never told anyone about those visits, not even to his best friend Li Zhànshì.

Jino was running out of ideas to make excuses not to spend his weekend with Zhanshi. He was also concerned that his best friend was beginning to suspect something. How much longer could he keep pretending to be oblivious to his bestie's subtle advances?