Chapter 49: THE FESTIVAL ENDS (Part 4)

Inside Kai’s apartment, the night atmosphere felt warm and calm. The light in the living room was dim, creating a yellowish glow that made everything look softer. In the small kitchen, which only had a two-burner stove and an old refrigerator, Kai was busy preparing dinner. His skilled hands moved quickly, taking an old silver kettle that had become slightly dull with age. From inside the kettle, hot steam billowed into the air, carrying the simple scent of boiling water.

HAAAH... Kai sighed softly as he poured hot water into two cups of instant noodles he’d prepared on the kitchen table. Swoosh... The sound of hot water flowing into the noodle cups was satisfying. He poured carefully, making sure the water didn’t spill onto the table. After both noodle cups were full, he covered them with paper lids and let them sit for a while so the noodles could cook perfectly.

With both noodle cups in his hands, Kai walked toward the living room. Tap... tap... tap... His footsteps were soft on the creaky wooden floor. In the living room, on the old sofa that had been part of his apartment for the past two years, an old man was sitting casually. Leonhard. The man was wearing the same suit as usual—a brown and white jacket with a checkered pattern reminiscent of detective styles in classic films, and a round hat he always wore even indoors. In his hand, he held an old, worn-out book, which he read with a calm expression.

Kai placed one noodle cup in front of Leonhard. CLACK! The sound of the noodle cup being placed on the wooden table. "Eat first. I made this for you."

Leonhard lifted his head from the book, then looked at the noodle cup in front of him with a slightly surprised expression. "You still remember my old habits?" he asked, his voice deep and full of meaning.

Kai sat in the chair across from him, opening the lid of his own noodle cup. "You always said instant noodles are the best food for nights like this. So I thought you’d still like them."

Leonhard laughed softly, his deep voice echoing in the small room. "You haven’t changed, Kai. Still remembers small things like that."

They both started eating their respective noodle cups. Slurp... Slurp... The sound of slurping noodles was heard in the quiet room. Hot steam billowed between them, creating a warm and familiar atmosphere.

"So," Leonhard said between bites, "how have you been lately?"

Kai looked at Leonhard, then smiled slightly. "I’m good. My students managed to win the sports festival. They were amazing."

Leonhard nodded, his eyes showing admiration. "I heard. Congratulations, Kai. I know you must be proud of them."

Kai smiled, his eyes sparkling. "I’m very proud. They trained hard. They never gave up. Even when they lost, they kept fighting. They were truly amazing."

Leonhard looked at Kai with a deep gaze. "How does it feel to be a teacher at that school? What have you been feeling all this time?"

Kai was silent for a moment, his eyes looking at the noodle cup in his hands. "At first... I didn’t know what I was doing. I’d never been a teacher before. I could only rely on my instincts. But as time went on, I started feeling... comfortable. They made me feel like I had a purpose. Like I was doing something meaningful."

Leonhard listened carefully, his hands stopping their eating. "Did you ever think about giving up?"

Kai shook his head. "Sometimes. But every time I saw them, every time I saw their smiles, I knew I couldn’t give up. They needed me. And I... I needed them."

Leonhard smiled, a smile rarely seen on his firm face. "You’ve changed, Kai. Before, you only thought about how to die. Now you think about how to live."

Kai looked at Leonhard, his eyes full of gratitude. "I’m grateful that I accepted your offer back then. I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t taken that chance. Thank you, Leonhard. For everything you’ve done for me."

Leonhard put his noodle cup down on the table, his eyes looking at Kai seriously. "You’re still too quick to thank me, Kai."

Kai blinked, slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

Leonhard let out a long sigh, his voice becoming heavier. "There’s something that worries me. The government’s movements seem rushed lately. They’re doing something behind the scenes. I don’t know what they’re planning, but I’m sure it’s not good."

Kai, who was in the middle of eating his noodles, immediately stopped his movements. His eyes looked at Leonhard seriously. "What did you just say?"

Leonhard saw Kai’s expression suddenly change, and he could only let out a long sigh. HAAAH... "Seems like giving you a warning is useless. Or rather, pointless."

Kai blinked, slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

"You’re too focused on your students, Kai," Leonhard said, his voice firm. "That’s not a bad thing. But you also need to be aware of what’s happening around you."

Leonhard wanted to continue his conversation, but suddenly—

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

The sound of knocking at the front door broke the silence. Kai and Leonhard exchanged glances. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! The knocking came again, louder than before.

Kai hurried to the door. Tap... tap... tap... His footsteps were quick on the wooden floor. He peeked through the small peephole in the center of the door. His eyes narrowed, trying to see who was outside.

Outside, stood Ella with the gold medal still hanging around her neck. Her long black hair was neatly tied, and her smile was clearly visible under the streetlight. But behind Ella, there were others—Rin, Mira, Iris, Luna, Nora, Aria, Eve, and Fay. All of them were there.

CREAK! Kai opened the door quickly, his eyes widening in surprise. "Ella? All of you? What’s going on?"

"Good evening, Mr. Kai!" they exclaimed almost in unison. Their voices echoed in the narrow apartment hallway.

Ella stepped forward, her eyes looking at Kai with a wide smile. "Sir, we want to take you to see the shooting stars. They say tonight there will be a very beautiful meteor shower."

Kai blinked, slightly confused. "Shooting stars? Now?"

"Yes, Sir!" Mira called from behind, her eyes sparkling. "Mira has never seen a shooting star! Come on, Sir!"

But Kai was still confused. "Wait... how did you know I live here?"

Ella smiled, then turned toward Iris. "I knew from Iris. She said she knows your address."

Kai immediately looked at Iris. The wavy brown-haired girl just smiled mysteriously, then made a teasing movement with her fingers. Small wave of her fingers seemed to say "I know everything."

Kai sighed, but couldn’t help smiling. "Alright. Wait a moment. I need to tell someone."

Kai turned and went back inside the apartment. Leonhard was still sitting on the sofa, looking at Kai with a knowing expression.

"I heard someone’s taking you to see shooting stars," Leonhard said, his voice casual.

Kai nodded. "Yes. I have to go now. We’ll continue this conversation another time."

Leonhard laughed softly. "Of course. Go ahead. I can take care of myself."

Kai nodded, then walked back to the door. CREAK! The door closed behind him.

Outside, his students were already waiting with enthusiasm. They all smiled seeing Kai come out in a simple t-shirt and training pants. Iris immediately grabbed Kai’s right arm, while Mira, seeing that, became jealous and immediately grabbed Kai’s left arm.

"Sir, let’s go quickly!" Mira exclaimed, pulling Kai’s arm toward her. "Mira can’t wait!"

Iris just smiled mysteriously, not letting go of Kai’s arm. "Calm down, Mira. The stars aren’t going anywhere."

Kai could only resign himself to his students’ behavior. HAAAH... He sighed softly. "You know, I already said you don’t need to—"

"We’ve already decided, Sir!" Ella cut in, smiling. "We’re going together."

Kai shook his head, but his smile couldn’t disappear. "Alright, you win."

They started walking out of the apartment area. Ella, walking beside Kai, asked, "Sir, we don’t have a proper place to watch shooting stars yet. Any suggestions?"

Rin, walking behind, immediately suggested, "How about the hill near the school? I’ve heard it’s a good place for stargazing."

Mira shook her head. "But there’s tall grass there! We might get bitten by snakes!"

"How about the gymnasium roof?" Sera suggested.

"Can’t, it’s forbidden," Katrin said.

In the middle of the debate, Eve, walking quietly behind, spoke up. "How about that place where we practiced chess before? It’s open enough and no one will disturb us."

Everyone suddenly fell silent. They exchanged glances with hesitant expressions.

"That place... is behind the school, right?" Rin asked, her voice soft.

"And it’s a forbidden area," Ella added, her eyes looking at Kai.

But Kai smiled. "I agree with Eve’s suggestion. We’ll go there."

HAAAH! All the students were surprised.

"But, Sir—" Ella tried to protest.

"I’ll take responsibility for everything," Kai cut in, his voice firm. "Don’t worry."

Mira immediately jumped for joy. "Mira agrees! Let’s go there!"

Rin also smiled, her eyes sparkling. "If you’re taking responsibility, I agree."

Iris just smiled mysteriously. "I don’t mind."

All the students finally agreed, and they started walking toward the school.

Before heading to the location, Kai stopped them in front of a convenience store that was still open. "Wait a moment. We need to buy some supplies."

Ella blinked. "What supplies, Sir?"

Kai smiled. "Drinks, food, snacks, and most importantly—mosquito repellent. That place must have lots of mosquitoes."

Mira, hearing that, immediately got excited. "Mira wants to help choose snacks!"

"I want to choose drinks!" Rin exclaimed.

They all entered the store, choosing various foods and drinks enthusiastically. Kai paid for everything with a smile on his face.

Upon arriving at the school gate, Kai led them carefully. "We need to be careful of the school guard. Follow me."

Mira whispered enthusiastically, "This is like a secret mission, Sir!"

Rin laughed softly. "You’re too excited, Mira."

Kai led them through the dark back path. WUUSSS... The night wind blew among the trees. CRICKET... CRICKET... The sound of crickets could be heard from various directions. Firefly lights flickered around them, illuminating the path with soft greenish light.

"Wow..." Aria murmured, her eyes widening seeing the fireflies. "Beautiful..."

"Yes," Luna said softly. "Very beautiful."

They walked in comfortable silence, only accompanied by the sounds of nature.

"Iris," Kai suddenly said, "how did you know my address?"

Iris smiled mysteriously, her hand still holding Kai’s arm. "I have my own ways, Sir."

Mira, hearing that, immediately held Kai’s arm tighter. "Mira also knows your address! Mira knows from Diana!"

Kai blinked. "Diana? You know Diana?"

Mira nodded. "Yes! She often comes to Mira’s house! Mira’s mom and Diana are friends!"

Kai sighed. "The world is so small."

They kept walking, occasionally chatting lightly. Rin told the story of how she almost fell asleep in class, and Mira laughed out loud. Ella reminded them to stay quiet so the school guard wouldn’t notice them.

Finally, after walking for about fifteen minutes, they arrived at the old chess practice place. It was still the same as Kai remembered—the big banyan tree with leaves starting to turn yellow, the small wooden hut under it, and the tall bamboo trees surrounding it. The atmosphere there felt calm and peaceful, far from the city’s noise.

"Wow..." Mira murmured, her eyes widening. "This place... is beautiful..."

Rin, who was usually stubborn, fell silent this time. "I never knew there was a place like this at school."

Eve, who had opened her eyes wide, observed the surroundings. "Very suitable for stargazing. No light pollution."

They started preparing the place. Kai took out a thin mat he’d brought from the store, then laid it on the grass. His students helped open the food and drinks. CRACK! The sound of drink cans being opened. CRUNCH! The sound of snack packages being torn open.

Kai took out the mosquito repellent and handed it to them. "Apply this. So you won’t be bothered by mosquitoes."

Mira took the repellent enthusiastically, applying it all over her body. "Mira is ready!"

Rin applied it lazily. "I’m not afraid of mosquitoes."

But Kai insisted. "Apply it, Rin. You’ll regret it later."

Rin pouted her lips, but finally applied it as well.

After all the supplies were ready, they sat in a circle on the mat. All eyes were on Kai.

Kai, confused seeing them all staring at him, asked, "What’s wrong?"

They exchanged glances, then in unison, they said thank you.

"Thank you, Mr. Kai," Ella said, her voice firm. "For believing in us."

"Thank you for teaching us," Rin added, her usually loud voice now soft.

"Thank you for making us believe in ourselves," Mira said, her eyes sparkling.

"Thank you for being a good teacher," Iris said, smiling sincerely.

"Thank you for always being there for us," Luna said softly.

"Thank you for protecting us," Nora said.

"Thank you for making us feel valuable," Aria said, her eyes glistening.

"Thank you for teaching us so many things," Eve said.

"Thank you," Fay said, smiling to herself.

Kai heard all those words of gratitude, and for the first time in a long time, he felt something warm in his chest. PLUK! He almost let tears fall down his cheeks. But he held them back with all his strength.

HAAAH... "You... really are strange students," he said, his voice a little hoarse. "But... thank you."

They all smiled.

Not long after, the meteor shower began. WUUSSS... Glowing streaks of light crossed the night sky, creating an incredibly beautiful sight.

"Wow..." all the students murmured, their eyes not blinking.

Mira was the first to speak, "They say if you make a wish when a shooting star falls, your wish will come true!"

Rin blinked. "Really?"

"I’ve heard that too," Iris said.

"Then let’s all make a wish!" Mira exclaimed.

They all agreed. One by one, they closed their eyes and started making wishes.

Ella prayed that her family would always be happy and that her father would rest in peace. Rin asked that her mother would always be healthy and that she could become a better person. Mira asked that all her friends would always be together and never be separated. Iris asked that her mother would always be happy and that she could become a better child. Luna asked that her mother would smile more often. Nora asked that her family would always be safe. Aria asked that she would no longer feel afraid. Eve asked that she could continue learning and growing. Fay asked that everyone would smile.

Kai, seeing his students making wishes, finally closed his eyes as well. In his heart, he prayed sincerely.

"I hope that everything I’ve done so far hasn’t been wrong. If it has, I hope I’m given a chance to fix it. And I promise I will use that chance as best I can."

HAAAH... Kai opened his eyes, feeling a peace he’d never felt before.

They started cleaning up the place they’d used. CRACK! Empty cans were collected. CRUNCH! Food wrappers were collected. All trash was put into plastic bags that had been prepared.

Kai led them back to the gate. Tap... tap... tap... Their footsteps echoed in the quiet night.

When they reached the gate, they were about to say goodbye. But Kai saw that the sky had become very dark.

"I’ll walk you all home," Kai said firmly. "One by one. No one walks alone at night."

They couldn’t refuse.

Kai started walking them home one by one. First Aria, whose house was the closest. Then Eve, who lived not far from there. Then Nora, Luna, and Fay, who lived close to each other.

When walking Rin home, it turned out Iris was staying over at Rin’s house.

"You’re coming too?" Kai asked Iris.

Iris smiled. "We already planned it, Sir."

Rin nodded. "Yes, Sir. Iris will stay over at my place."

Kai nodded. "Alright. Be careful getting home."

Kai and Ella walked along the quiet sidewalk. Tap... tap... tap... The sound of their footsteps was the only sound that night. The two of them didn’t start a conversation at all. Only comfortable silence between them.

Finally, they arrived in front of Ella’s house. A simple house with slightly faded white paint, an old wooden fence, and a small garden in front.

Kai stopped in front of the gate. "You’re home."

Ella walked toward the front door. But before she entered, she turned around and shouted, "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, MR. KAI!"

Kai, hearing that, turned around. He waved at Ella without saying a single word.

Ella smiled widely, then went inside the house.

Kai walked home with mixed feelings. In his heart, he felt satisfied. He felt closer to his students. But on the other hand, he wondered.

"Is this the right way to atone for my sins?"

HAAAH... Kai let out a long sigh, staring at the starry night sky. And for the first time, he wasn’t searching for answers. He just felt their presence.