Two Boys, Two Men

Chapter 1: The Beginning

It all started in the busy city of Shanghai. Streets and sidewalks were crowded. Tall buildings everywhere. Two boys named Kevin and Rei were walking the usual path towards school, joking around with each other along the way. They were well known among the children at their school and it was completely normal when others said hello and walked alongside them, exchanging smiles and jokes. It was like any average day, and Kevin and Rei smiled to themselves as they reached the school.

The topic of the class was the usual: Their teacher was presenting a lecture on Algebra while everybody twiddled their thumbs and pretended to listen. Kevin and Rei blended in with the rest until the end of school. They dashed out the building and almost flew through the streets, their feet pounding on the pavement. Towering buildings and passersby slid through their vision as they increased their pace. Rei pulled ahead of Kevin; a subtle challenge for a race that Kevin being Kevin, accepted.

The two little athletes pulled up to Rei's house with chests heaving and legs sore. Entering the house, they greeted Rei's parents and headed to Rei's room while arguing over who won. Out came the English books and the two became occupied with learning English words and grammar.

Kevin and Rei had big dreams. Dreams of someday going to Canada and beginning their careers. But in order to achieve that dream, they had to learn to speak English and understand the English language first.