How Things Changed Forever...

Ch 1: Contrasting Weekends

"Pass me the salt, young man." grunted his  Ryu Granger, shoving food into his mouth like Tyson normally would. Tyson did so grumpily.

It was the Saturday before the new school term stated. The dining table at the Granger's dojo felt gloomily quite after a very long time. Max had gone back to his father's place to pack up for tomorrow's flight. Ray had been staying with a maternal aunt of his girlfriend Mariah, who was also a distant relative of Ray, about whom Ray had no knowledge about until last week. Both of them were leaving to their respective countries tomorrow. That completely explained Tyson's moodiness.

But that didn't mean that it was the family alone at the dining table. Kai sat opposite to Tyson, quietly having his dinner. For a guy who was shot not twenty days ago, Kai was in a pretty good shape. He still had a thick bandage around his chest, but now he wore his usual clothes on top of them, hiding them from direct sight. He was thinner than usual, but he no longer looked like a ghost. His skin had returned to its usual shade of albino white, which never seemed to tan how much ever it was exposed to the sun. The only indication of his fragile health condition was his slightly sluggish and slower movements, but Tyson knew better that to point that out to his already ticked-off captain.

Mr Dickenson had asked Grandpa if Kai could stay at the dojo for a few more days, before he recovered to his full health, for which grandpa had agreed without a moment's hesitation. And despite several silent protests and death glares directed at Mr D, Kai had been forced to stay.

As though he had a choice to stay somewhere else, Tyson had voiced out aloud that day. He had only meant it in a way like 'he knew no one else in Japan' and not like 'your grandpa doesn't care for you' but all he was met with was disapproving glares. But that meaning also held true in this context. I mean, which grandpa, however busy he may be, would not even come to see his grandson, his only family, when he had almost died? But Tyson had smartly kept these thoughts to himself.

Kai hadn't given much heed to his words, as usual, but Tyson could swear that he had purposely refused to take Hero's or anyone else's room in the house except his, even though his room was in the first floor. And much his annoyance, both Ray and grandpa had agreed to his terms. Hence, Tyson had to temporarily shift to Hero's room. 

It was then that Tyson realized that he couldn't remember a single time Kai had had dinner with them all at the dojo. It was usual for Kenny and Hillary, who had their own families to be with. Even Max would leave for the weekends to be with his father. But Kai, he never stayed at the dojo longer than he was needed, and that was mostly during practice sessions.

This was the third night Kai had joined the two of them at dinner. Grandpa had tentatively tried to make polite conversation with Kai, as he had heard all about the reserve and condensing attitude of their captain through Tyson and Max's whining. And much to Tyson's surprise, Kai had responded with a neutral tone, coming up with complete-sentenced answers a good number of times.

 That was all the leniency his Grandpa had needed to get chatty. He asked Kai a variety of questions, ranging from his studies to discussing world news, like the recent Plane Crash in Russia. Mind you, most of his answers were still a 'hmm' or 'uhmm' or within two sentences. Most of the talking was still done by grandpa.

But Kai did tell a good deal about himself, though mostly bits and pieces, and that too without much hesitance evident in his voice. Sure, Tyson didn't know how much truth lay in his answers, as he had answered questions about his grandfather without missing a beat, but now he knew something at least. 

But mostly Kai listened. Kai was an excellent listener. He could sit through grandpa droning on and on about some silly topic for hours, showing what Tyson assumed to be only polite interest.