*I have so many of these lol. Gotta get points though
*
Eavesdropping on Aiko and Mulan's mother had become her second hobby. The two women would go to the shrine to speak with one another. But Mulan knew that Aiko knew she was there. Aiko had some sort of sixth sense for stuff like that. But sometimes Aiko would speak about something serious, and she'd do it in Japanese instead of Mandarin. Mulan had no chance of being able to understand the language.
But this particular day, Aiko was off. And Mulan didn't know why.
"Li, I-" Aiko began. "I heard from an informant about your husband." Mulan's mother's eyes widen. "They plan on torturing him, maybe even kill him. They haven't decided. They've been considering coming for you or your daughter. But the debt will be paid, and I don't know what to expect." She stopped. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help to your family." Mulan could feel her mother's grief. "The government stopped sending his unemployment. And my disability benefits have been minimized, as well as the check. If this property had not been passed down throughout the family, we would be without a home. He's put Mulan and I into a hole. At this point, it would be easier for either of us if he just died." Mulan's mother sighed. Then gasps as Mulan suddenly appears in the entryway of the room.
Her eyes were low with hatred. Wisps of hair had escaped from her braid and fell into her face. "Mu-Mulan-!" "How could you." Mulan hissed. Mulan's mother stands quickly, reaching for her daughter. "How dare you say that about Father?" She continues. Aiko merely looked over her shoulder at her pupil, impassively low eyes. "When he comes back, we're leaving you in your own bitterness." Mulan whirls and exits. "Mulan wait!" Her mother chased after her, lifting her dress as she did so. But the girl was fast. By the time her mother had left the building, Mulan was gone; completely out of sight. Aiko slowly walks up to Mulan's mother. "I'll search the house!" Mulan's mother says urgently, gliding down the stairs. Aiko nearly glares after her. "You're wasting your time." She murmurs to herself, flipping her short hair with a toss of her neck. Aiko began down the stairs.
Mulan glared at them. She glared at Aiko who was taking her time descending the stairs. She then turned her head to see her mother racing into the house calling her name. When Mulan looked back to Aiko, she was gone. As if she'd disappeared into thin air. Mulan tightens her grip on the sleeves of her dress, more hair falling into her face. Her knees were up to her chest and her nose on her arms as she sat on top of the shrine. Mulan tended to run to high places where she could see everything.
"The teacher said, 'Student of the week' this time. Instead of academic. I guess it's because I haven't gotten in any fights the past month." Mulan stated acidly. Aiko was usually pretty good at sneaking up on Mulan. But when Mulan was inwardly angry like this, no one could do anything to her. Aiko was sitting parallel to Mulan, their backs facing each other. Aiko had one leg propped up and had her wrist on it. She just stared forward, remaining silent. A soft wind blew their hair. "How do you always manage to be silent like that," Mulan says. "It's almost unfair." She looked up at the blue sky. "You sneak up on me, and take over." A few more minutes pass. "Are you sure you're still talking about me? Or your emotions?" Aiko replies calmly. Mulan buries her mouth in her sleeves again and watches her mother call for both Aiko and Mulan. "Just when things are good, they go bad again." Mulan said. "It's always been like that." More silence. "That girl." Aiko began. "Kaila. Why do you keep beating her up?" Aiko asks. Mulan's eyes soften. "Every night at tumbling, she puts in a hundred and ten. She gets praised for everything. She's good at everything. She and the other girls talk about the boys at our school. About their grades, and make plans for the weekend. And every night, her dad comes to get her. She always runs into his arms and he picks her up and gives her a kiss on her forehead. She keeps resurfacing. Trying to talk to me. No matter how many times I hit her." Mulan's mouth twitches. "Makes me jealous." Inwardly shocked, Aiko looks back at Mulan whose braid just blew in the wind. "Truth is, I hate people because I'm jealous of them." Mulan's grip on her arms tightens even more. "Every last person on earth. Mom, Kaila, the kids at school. The bums that ask for money, the couples that kiss in public. The people that work at stores, the kids who play on the playground. The actors, the celebrities. I even envy you. Aiko." Mulan can feel tears building. "Not because you're better than me at fighting either." This causes Aiko to gasp. "You guys were like family weren't you? At that criminal organization?" Mulan requests, tears threatening to fall over. Aiko is silent for a long time. "Yes." Mulan smiles painfully as her tears fall. "I'm even more jealous." The two are silent for another moment. Aiko turns back around. "What's being in love like?" Mulan asks calmly. "It's terrible. You get paranoid and wonder what they're doing all the time. And when you're with , you never want it to end." Aiko answers. "Why are you still here. We can't pay you. You're wasting your time." Mulan closes her eyes. "I don't even like you." Aiko closes her eyes as well, "Truth is, I'm here because I love you Mulan." Mulan's eyes snap open. "Like my own daughter."
