After All This Time [Jin's Epilogue]

Class had just ended for him just like the usual school schedule dictated. The ruckus of young students was like a numb buzz to him at this point. Chalky hands met against each other to dust off the powdery whiteness. It was already time for him to go. He strolled through the hallways in the usual pattern of movement. Everything seemed almost dull to him. The same problem students causing trouble and the same dutiful students making less trouble. It was the same old, the usual time and the usual schedule.

He stopped to feel his cellphone vibrating through his pocket. The letters were not in Japanese, but of his native language.


There was also a list that followed below this message. He sighed and accepted the request in a curt reply before putting the device back into his pocket. A burning cigarette would find itself between his lips just as he left the school.


It had taken a while for him to get what was requested of him and to finally return home. There was a mundane, but considerable obstacle that delayed him from reaching his final destination for the day. Just as he was about to reach the knob, the door flung open.



The woman accused Jin with a pout with arms crossed over her chest. She poked him on his heart, almost as if prodding for an answer. But he knew she was being playful about it, as usual.

He sighed and replied in a grumble, "//Road construction. I had to take a detour, Wendy. I'm sure you knew already. Even your usual return route from the office was on the way through there.//"

Wendy laughed and started to take some of the groceries from his hands before allowing him inside. It was a small house with the necessities of human life. The only thing that stood out were the number of bookshelves filling up some of the space. They began to lay out the groceries and storing them away.


Jin had just jammed a packet of frozen fish inside the freezer. He scoffed at the question just as he closed it shut, //"Are you kidding? I enjoyed the look of despair on their faces when I announced tomorrow's the test. Little do they know I'm going to mention the Churchill and F.D.R. in the exam.//"

It was Wendy's turn to roll her eyes at him before finishing up the storage with the teacher. Today's dinner was a croquettes to his distaste. He wasn't the type to enjoy eating oily meals. But dinner came through regardless.



Life has been very kind to him. While there was pain to be had to leave his parents, there wasn't a bit of regret on his end. Jin had counted his blessings ever since that car accident years ago. He would have had no idea what he'd have become with her death. While there were scars, the fact that they came out without anything life-changing was a boon indeed.

He idly sat in his chair and sipped his coffee. It was going to be a long night coming up with tomorrow's test questions. He could hear Wendy starting to do the dishes tonight, last night was his turn; they alternated by the day. As he sat there, Jin felt like there was something more to this life. But he just couldn't put a finger on it. It kept being elusive, but he felt as if it didn't really matter for now.