True Fiction

Chapter 10: Chi

"Does it usually happen to Kenneth," Ashen asked Ryan.

He sipped his coffee and looked away from Ashen, as antisocial as ever. Even in the almost empty cafe, Ashen could fill the tension from Ryan as he shifted uncomfortably around in his seat.

"Yes. No one knows why." Ryan finally answered.

Ashen felt a bit downcast. The episode with Kenneth had really scared him regarding his health and safety. Yet, Ryan didn't seem to bother to do anything about it. He sipped his own coffee which he thought tasted rather bitter. He wasn't about to complain though, as Ryan a happily paid for the expensive drinks.

"Is there anything we can do about it?" Ashen tried again.

Ryan's gaze became more confident as he steeled himself towards Ashen. His hesitant expression turned into more of a serious one.

"Like Wilfred, Kenneth has his own set of values and ideals. He doesn't want to be restrained by anything. I'm sure he told you that night." Ryan replied.

"The last thing he wants is for his life to revolve around taking care of his health and issues. As his friend, I respect that and so does Wilfred."

Ashen thought back to the night when Kenneth and he admired the beautiful sky. He really talked like that. Personally, Ashen felt it was stupidly reckless but he trusted Ryan's judgment.

"I think I know how you feel," Ryan said, another sip of coffee. "I want to help too. No matter how much I diagnose and recommend something is always off. It's not that I don't care about Kenneth, I just don't know what to do."

Ready to change the subject, Ashen decided it was a good time to find out more about Ryan. It was pretty hard to convince him to come to meet him alone but he agreed anyway in the name of friendship.

"So what about you? What are your ideas?" Ashen asked. This seems to have struck a chord with Ryan as Ashen could feel him tense up and watch as his face glared down into the coffee.

"I'm a pretty boring person myself." He spoke. "Just a rich Asian boy who tries to do his best at everything."

"Really? What do you do?"

Ryan had a devious gleam in his eyes as he began his list. "Well, I can speak five languages fluently, play four musical instruments, do three styles of dance and gymnastics. When it comes to sports, I can pick up them relatively easily."

Ashen looked pretty blown away at the immense number of abilities Ryan possessed.

"Straight As too?" Ashen inquired, already expecting the answer.

"It's in my blood," Ryan replied nonchalantly. "Not to be racist or anything."

"So I guess you don't really have much time to hang out with other people between all of these commitments."

"Yea."

Once again, the awkward silence filled the air as Ashen struggled to find the right words to say.

"You do any martial arts?"

Very visibly, the calm and serene Ryan Chi flinched.

"Nope."

"Why not?"

Ryan was looking more and more uncomfortable by the second as he continued to sip his coffee. Slowly he regained his composure and continued.

"My step-father doesn't let me."

Once again, Ashen was feeling that he had crossed a boundary he shouldn't have. He felt guilty about violating his friend's privacy after all the kindness they had shown him. Thankfully, Ryan continued the conversation for him."