< Nina >
“This is 12 Quartz Square Bound C Express train. The next stop is Dawn City. Stand clear of the closing door, please.”
Just one more stop.
I have been moving from one train to another and it’s the very first time I’ve been in many places. The last two trains I’ve ridden are packed with people like sardines in a tin. For the entire trip on this last train, I’ve been standing and holding the pole, while my other hand is carrying my travel bag. My hand is getting numb thanks to its weight.
Mom and I didn’t go around a lot since she’s busy working a lot of jobs and I don’t go out often. It’s a new experience for me.
It was no joke when Gene told me an eight-hour trip tires anyone out. I feel really tired but my mom told me not to sleep in the train alone or else I’ll definitely miss my stop.
And it’s just a few minutes till I’ve reached Dawn City.
All throughout the trip, I keep wondering if Gene is going to be fine. It keeps me awake, thinking about his safety.
As soon as I reach Dawn City, I… I have to find a phone booth if they are still around. Or a pay phone in any establishments there, who knows?
“We have now reached Dawn City. Please remain seated until we reach its destined platform. Passengers outside, please stand behind the yellow line and let passengers leave the train first.”
I’m finally in Dawn City. My eyes shut tight as I squeeze my travel bag tightly. My heart is beating faster as the anxiety returns to remind me of the past.
I’m going to meet him again.
While doing so, the once crowded train is slowly diminishing as they go out and it’s best to leave before…I might stay for another station.
I heave a sigh and then walk briskly, two hands grasping my bag.
The station is more crowded than what I expected. Freedomville doesn’t have that many people around even during the holiday peak season.
I look around, looking for anyone who looks remotely Italian.
Or Spanish.
I don’t know what he looks like at all! It hasn’t been a day and I’m already stressed out!
“Nina Caulfield?”
“Eek!” I gave a small shriek when I heard a voice behind me.
I turn around to see a man in a black suit who looks as surprised as I am.
He is definitely what girls would say tall, dark, and handsome.
But I’m sure that he doesn’t look French or Spanish...or Caucasian. He looks more Asian to me.
“A-are you…” I hesitate for a moment, unsure what to address him. “Are you my stepbrother?”
Maybe my memories of the past have been playing tricks on me. Luca de Milano might be Asian for all I know.
My “step brother” stares at me for a moment before he smiles. I can see the dimples on both sides of his cheeks. “You almost guessed it, kid.” His onyx eyes flicker with amusement.
He hands over his business card to me like those in my mom’s soap operas. “My name is Kim Yu-Jun, right-hand man of the CEO of Milano Inc. It’s my pleasure to meet you.”
“P-Pleasure is m-mine,” I stutter. I’m not sure if I’m actually in some prank show or something. But I need to confirm first.
“Excuse me, Mr. Yujun—”
“Yu will do without the formalities. Everyone calls me that. You don’t mind me calling you Nina, right?”
“Right. So, Y-Yu,” I pause, my cheeks redden from embarrassment. “How did you know what I look like?”
Should I really address him in that familiar way?
“Your mom, Marina, told me the description: a teenager with long dark hair in a pony-tail with an eye pad.. Then, I saw you looking around for a while. And that helped me put two and two together to know you’re Nina Caulfield.”
“I see.” I glance around to see women eyeing him like some sort of a celebrity.
“Well, I am the one to pick you up instead of your—err, stepbrother,” he pauses for a bit. Even he isn’t sure how to address our relationship. Then he coughs, “So, have you eaten dinner yet?’
“Not yet.”
“Good, I can recommend you a great restaurant when I first came here,” he grins. “Oh and let me carry that for you.”
He takes my luggage.
“This is all you’ve got?”
“Well, I’m only here for a year, so…”
“Make sense,” he says as we both head to the escalator. “Your uniform set is already in Luca’s place.”
“Wait, I have a uniform?”
“Well, duh,” he smirks. We turn to the right side once we get out of the station. I quickly follow suit. “Dawn Peak Academy is a private school. They are required to wear one to show prestige.”
I...never wore a uniform before.
As we head to what looks like a parking lot, Yu takes out a small remote control car key and clicks it. Then the beeping sound comes from the red car from a short distance.
And my jaw drops.
Before me is a two-seater McLaren570s. It’s even the orange one which I saw on TV!
“Well, don’t just stand there, hop in,” he says, who apparently has already situated himself on the driver’s seat while I was...gawking.
I can’t believe it. I’m going to ride this!
“You seem like a car enthusiast.”
“Ah, no,” I laugh nervously as I hurriedly get inside the passenger’s seat. “I just, uhm, happen to like them, nothing special.”
“Well, do you have a driver’s license?”
I shake my head. “Not yet.” Actually, I’m too scared to drive.
“Well, if you have some time, Luca and I can teach you the basics.”
I doubt that Luca will.
As Yu drives, I look around the city. It’s not too big or too small like Freedomville. I’ve heard that this city is like a district of the affluent, only the wealthy could live here.
But that means, I gulp, there won’t be any phone booths around, right?