Growing Up - DISCONTINUED

Chapter 2

Kai

"Kai, dear, are you ready?"

Kai shook his head, gripping his father's hand in his left and his mother's in his right tightly. "No, Mommy.

They continued down the sidewalk, New Beijing Elementary coming into view. "Why do you think so?" Rikan asked his son. Being a politician, he always asks his son why, hoping to help develop his speech.

"I'm scared, Daddy. I might see Jacin, but we're not very close."

"Is Jacin the one you see at the park?"

"Yeah." Kai wrinkled his nose. "He doesn't talk much."

"What about that girl? With the red hair?"

"Scarlet is okay." Kai sighed adorably. "I guess it won't be that awful."

Karen Crown laughed. "Oh, Kai, of course it won't! Daddy and I went through it too, and here we are."

Kai smiled. "Alright, Mommy."

They got to the school quicker than expected. The school was a brick red building with the doors thrown wide open. Students were already flooding through the gates.

Navigating through the halls, they soon found themselves in a colorfully decorated classroom with ROOM 23 written next to the door right outside the classroom and in bold on the whiteboard. Upon entering, a beautiful young woman greeted them. Some students who were already in the classroom smiled warmly at Kai.

"Hello there! I am Mrs. Kay. Welcome to New Beijing Elementary, room 23!" The woman had a name tag with her name in fancy purple letters.

"Do you know how to write your own name?" This was directed at Kai, who nodded proudly. "Okay, here's a name tag for you. You can pick a marker and write your name on it, okay?"

Once Kai started concentrating on writing his full name neatly, Mrs. Kay turned to Rikan and Karen. "How much can-" she looked over to Kai's name tag "-he do?"

Karen looked thoughtful. "Well, he can write his name for one."

Mrs. Kay laughed. "And he's doing it well, too. What else?"

"He can read to himself." This time it was Rikan who spoke. "He's read through every picture book we have at home."

"Wow, impressive." Mrs. Kay glanced over to see Kai had finished writing "Kaito Crown" on the name tag. "You can go find a seat, Kai." She turned back to his parents. "What about math?"

Karen shrugged. "He can count to a hundred. Really, though, he's more interested in books most of the time or playing."

Mrs. Kay nodded. "What do you do, Mr. Crown?"

"I'm a politician, so I can stay in my office at home most of the time to be with my family."

"No wonder Kai already loves words," Mrs. Kay remarked with a smile. "And you, Mrs. Crown?

"I was a nurse. I took a break when Kai came along, but now that he's in school, I'm thinking about working during the day."

At that moment, another student walked in with her parents. "Well, Mr. and Mrs. Crown, I'm sorry to cut this short, but hopefully I'll get to talk to you guys soon?"

Rikan nodded. "Of course. We'll just say goodbye to Kai and be on our way."

Mrs. Kay nodded a "thanks", then started to greet the next student with as much enthusiasm as before.

Karen crouched down next to Kai's chair and kissed his forehead. "You'll be a good boy for Mrs. Kay?"

Kai nodded, lips trembling a little. "Of course, Mommy."