That Girl Who Runs Out Tears

Untitled Part 2

Chapter 2

Navi is the older brother of Thisbe. He is a very responsible son who at his young age already experienced and realized that life is all about surviving.

He decided to join the taekwondo team and tried his best to be accepted as a varsity because he knew he will receive an allowance from the school and scholarship which will be of great help lessen their expenses. Because of his determination to help his mother, he trained so hard than any body on their team and eventually became a varsity who is feared.

Navi had already won several competitions and the entire money prize he received was directly given to her mother.

He left home early to avoid paying penalties. At their taekwondo club, late athletes will be paying penalties as way to discipline their players. Navi can't dare wasting money so he arrived at their taekwondo gym earlier and since no one else was there, he started cleaning their place.

Half an hour has passed but he's still alone.

Suddenly he heard the clicking of doorknobs, his head automatically turned towards it, expecting one of his teammates but what he saw was a middle- aged man in a neatly ironed suit and carefully brushed up hair.

Navi greeted him and asks what he can do for him. The strange man walked closer to him while examining the gym. As he stopped walking, he looked at Navi and snickered.

"I guess you still don't know me."

He's somewhat familiar, Navi thought but he can't recall where and when did they meet.

The man introduced himself as Mr. Lee.

"I heard you were the strongest player here..." the man smiled earnestly, "and I would like to offer you something." He continued.

After a series of conversation and negotiation, the man gave him a piece of paper which he senselessly took. A few minutes after the man had left, Navi just stood there blankly. He doesn't know what to do next. He snapped out of his trance once his teammates arrived making a gaudy entrance.

Navi instructed his teammates to start cleaning their gym meticulously before the junior students arrive then turned his back towards them heading to their locker room but someone stopped him.

"Navi.." one of his teammates called him with a hand stretch out towards Navi, "I saw this slip out of your hand"

Navi looked at his teammate's hand and saw a piece of paper. He grab the paper and didn't bother looking back to the person who gave it nor thanking him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We're having dinner in a little while. What's taking your brother so long?" their mother asks.

"Probably training hard.." Thisbe said, " Who knows what he's up to? He does whatever he wants." She mumbled.

Her mother doesn't like what she just said and that made Thisbe received an unexpected spat at the back of his head.

"You clueless brat." Her mom snapped. "You don't know how hard your brother works his ass off just to help me, do you? I heard some universities have been eyeing to scout him. So, you shouldn't be saying things like that or else I'll smash you harder."

Thisbe may not be showing it but she knew it. She saw countless times his brother at their school taekwondo gym training robustly alone while the rest of the team was resting. Not just that, there was a time where Thisbe and Ken went to a wet supermarket to run some errands and they were shocked to see Navi showered in sweat, wearing an old, dirty white sando paired with a jersey short while pushing a cart full of vegetables towards their direction.

When Navi realized it, he was caught off guard. He didn't know what to do.

"What're you doing here?! You said you have a training?!" Thisbe asked in surprise.

He just smiled at them despite the heat and exhaustion and asked them about their business at the supermarket to change the topic. Before the two youngsters leave, he asks them to keep this as a secret to their mother.

Thisbe snapped into her reverie when her mother placed a plate in front of her mockingly.

A week has already passed and Navi still keeps on going home late. He barely eats dinner with his family. That's why, one night after dinner, Thisbe waited for her brother. It's past 11 in the evening and little by little she can now feel drowsiness coming upon her. When the clock hits 12 she decided to give up and go to sleep. She was just about to get up from the couch when she suddenly heard the doorknob clicks so she retreated back from her seating position quietly. It was Navi as was expected.

But because the lights were turned off, Navi doesn't seem to notice her.

"What made you come home very late?" Thisbe asked that made made Navi almost stumble on the floor because of shock.

"Why do you care?"

"I don't..." she lied, "but mom does."

They both remained silent for a second and finally, Thisbe decided to break the ice.

"You don't have your training bag nor did you wore your after training clothes so don't tell me you came home late because of training. I know you." Thisbe meticulously muttered.

"Stop acting like a detective, I'm tired. Let's just talk some other time."

"Are you..." Thisbe wasn't able to finish what she's about to say because Navi cuts her off. Now he looked pissed.

" I SAID I'M TIRED. WHAT PART OF IT CAN'T YOU COMPREHEND?" He said trying to emphasize every single word in a muffled way since their mother is now sound asleep.

Thisbe emerged from being seated when she saw her brother started to walk away. "What's making you so anxious?"

Navi stopped and looked back towards her shooting a deadly gaze.

Thisbe knew what that gaze means. He's trying to ask what nonsense she is talking about.

"Every time you feel anxious you mindlessly drop something. And guess what..." Thisbe walked towards where Navi was standing a while ago and pick up something.

"this flash drive slipped out of your hand and you didn't even noticed it."

The deadly gaze turns into a straight face. Navi was caught off guard, her sister clearly knows him. He didn't bother saying another word and just grab the flash drive from Thisbe.