That Spring We Knew

Episode 00

Illawarra International High School is the only home I knew. Even though I have been here almost two thirds of my seventeen years of life, I am yet to know the relevantly large middle and senior institution. At least I knew the tragic history of the prohibited central courtyard where people were not allow to stray from the footpath and trespass the nicely kept garden bed without permit. But that's something I will tell another time.

Illawarra is an international school for children of employees of foreign business organisations and such. The school was separated in several sections and buildings that enclosed the central courtyard like a box. Due to the isolation of the school's location, the female and male dormitories are strictly separated on both ends of the west Waratah Building. The whole three levels of the Waratah Building was dedicated for the stay on-campus students. Although the building may sound large, it is quite small but enough to comfortably house the three hundred fifty residing students. Between the boys and girls dormitories, the building is equipped with a shared common room, dinning hall and other recreation centres like the gym, however these extra facilities must be purchased and registered on our cards at each term.

"Hu Zhenmei," a modulated voice made me flinched and paint out of line.

Concierge Hu stood at door and looked at me with disproval.

"Yes Uncle Sam?" I said meekly and tucked my painting behind me.

"Do you understand what time it is?" Uncle Sam tapped on his silver watch that didn't match his janitor clothes.

Despite being my uncle, he was a fashionable man in his late thirties and his dream was to enter the entertainment business in Asia rather than being stuck being a head caretaker of a rowdy international school. I always thought I was the main reason why he stayed at Illawarra until I accidentally saw him one evening looking at a portrait on the wall of fame in the seniors building few years ago. He was in love with a woman who was a captain of the performing arts and I was told by Principal Cobbs that they were madly in love until she collapsed during a school play.

"Zhenmei, do you understand how late it is now? You even missed dinner. Have you been eating well?"

My full name is actually Julia Zhenmei Hu, but uncle prefers to call me Zhenmei because it was a name that he and his sister came up with with the absence of my father. It was more of a wish that my mother asked for Uncle Sam to keep reminding me that no matter what happens, life is still really beautiful. Although she died young as a single mother, she made a mark in everybody's heart. What I know is that she was beautiful and dream like. She was a short- lived jewellery designer who designed the most magical accessories and whoever wore them were able to find true happiness. It was her death that completely sealed Uncle Sam's heart. He loved his high school sweetheart and always tried following his beloved elder sister who was six years apart, but death came and took two of his most precious people away.

"Uncle, I'm fine. I had food earlier. I've asked Satoru-sensei if she could give me my portion a bit earlier so I could come here and paint." I told him.

"I know, I've spoke to Satoru before at the kitchen. But do you know entering the institution buildings after five without supervision and let alone without another student to accompany you is against the rules?" Uncle Sam lectured.

"Yes of course." I said as I quickly put my things away. "I will try not to do it again."

"You've been doing this ever since you've stayed with me in Illawarra." He said as we exited the room together. "At least try stop pushing people away and make friends. Then both of you can stay"