Mika Bulmer

Another school year starts in Salem University here. I was honestly thinking that this year would be the same as the year before when I was a freshman. Boring. Routinary. Everything will be predictable. I was wrong.

Last year, I joined the taekwondo team of the school just for kicks (pardon the pun). I’m the kind of person who just tried out and got in. Don’t get me wrong I have been studying this martial art ever since I was a kid but I’m not necessarily a joiner of clubs and varsity and stuff. I’m just there for the discipline. But joined I did and not to brag or anything I’m one of the best in our team. This year, we’re taking in new members. I’m one of those people who are assigned to get people to join the team. Though I definitely wonder why. You see, I’m not a very social person. I like to help out in the team as best I can but I know that I’m the last person who you should get to convince people that this is the best place to be. I usually keep to myself. My trusty pocketbook always with me wherever I go. So when Carl told me that I was going to be guarding the booth of the taekwondo team, I honestly didn’t know what to do. I did help out in setting up the booth but when it was time to get people to sign up, well let’s just say that because of me, there aren’t that much students who were interested in the Korean Martial arts nowadays.

So that morning, during the sign-up, I was at the booth reading a book. I wasn’t really minding people if they would sign-up or not. In my personal opinion, you shouldn’t really convince people to join the group. They should be willing to be approach you and sign-up themselves. In taekwondo, you really need discipline. People say that it’s the most useless form of martial arts. I say that they should try to get one of us in battle before you tell me otherwise. But unfortunately, Carl had a different opinion.

“You know that we won’t be getting any members if you keep on reading that book,” he said as he approached the booth.

“What are you expecting me to do here anyway?” I asked as I put my book down and faced him. He was already half-dressed in his taekwondo uniform. He wore a plain white shirt for his top and the lower garment with the black belt tied around his waist.

He looked at me with a questioning look before he answered, “well, for starters, you can at least smile.”

I gave him a smile that meant to be sarcastic. He raised one eyebrow at me and just sighed in dismay. ‘why do I even bother’ he said to himself.

“It’s a good thing you’re here though,” I suddenly said as I stood up and gather my things. “I have to go find the others so we can actually do some exhibition kicks and other stuff that might get people to sign.”

“That’s using your head,” he replied and sat on the chair that I had once occupied. “I think the girls are in their locker room dressing up while the guys are out checking the cheerleading booth.”

“So like them to do that,” I muttered under my breath hoping that Carl didn’t hear. Unfortunately, he did but he just chuckled at my statement.

“Just come back with everyone,” he remarked and stared to coax people to sign and the group.

I hurried to the girls’ locker room when all of a sudden I felt something strange. I stopped at my tracks and looked around to find out where that strange feeling is coming from. I just noticed a girl wearing all black hurrying as she was passing through the crowd. She was pretty much ordinary looking, as ordinary as any Goth girl could be. But the strange thing about her is that she kept on walking without bumping into anybody as she passed by. She just kept on walking, people unconsciously stopping or getting out of the way or she would go sideway for a split second and proceeded to walk on the path that she made for herself. She passed me without even looking. There was something definitely something strange about her. But at the moment, my mind is pretty occupied to think of anything else except the exhibition that we were planning to show the student body to coax them to join the team.
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The exhibition went well. We didn’t humiliate ourselves not like what had happened to them last year when I was signing up. Funny thing was, they were horrible last year in their exhibition, but still I signed up in the team. I guess I made the right choice.

I was coming out of the locker room after a shower and proceeded for my first class. Asian literature, my favorite subject. I guess it’s because it’s a side of me that I need to find out about. I am what people would call a half-breed. My mom’s Japanese and my dad’s English. But I practically grew up knowing my European heritage than my oriental one. I’m very fascinated by it. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to know, there aren’t many places in London that I can learn about my mom’s culture. I only know about the basic stuff about my mom’s culture. So this subject might help me out. When we moved to Boston, I was really looking forward to learn so much about the Japanese culture. I know that it won’t be as great as going to Japan itself but it has a vast library of the subject and I’m happy about it.

As I sat down on my usual place near the back row, I was looking around the room to see who are the new comers. There was one guy in particular that got my attention. Like me, he was keeping to himself. But there is something else about him that’s so different than the rest of the students.

When our professor arrived to start the class, everyone got to their seats and started to pay attention. I tried to concentrate on the lesson at hand but my eyes keep drifting back to my mysterious classmate who was studiously taking down notes. It’s amazing how he can write and listen at the same time without even trying to look at the notes that he was writing. His gray eyes intently focused on the professor, not even looking at anyone else in the room.

This really got me curious. Not even our last year’s top student was that intent of listening to the teacher. So I’ve decided to learn more about my mysterious classmate. I focused on the energy that surrounds me. I took a pen and a piece of scratch paper and started to doodle.

What are you thinking about? I wrote.

The lesson.I wrote back.

I looked at what I wrote and was troubled by what I wrote. ‘That’s not normal,’ I thought to myself. So I tried again, focusing more energy as I concentrate.

No, really. What are you thinking about? I wrote again.

I told you I’m paying attention to the lesson. I wrote back.

This time I know that I’m going nowhere if I continued on like that. I know that I wouldn’t get the answer that I needed if I keep using my magic. So I need a different approach. Something that I haven’t done at all.

After class, when the professor dismissed us already. I cautiously approached him. He was just collecting his things and putting it in his backpack when I finally got to him. I gave him one of my rare smiles and said hi. To my surprise, he also gave a smile and said hello.

Funny thing is, I’ve fought men twice my size in the arena and my nerve never failed me. And now, my knees are shaking just trying to talk to a guy who I know I can beat in a heartbeat. I guess he was waiting for me to say something because of the way he was looking at me so I muster all my courage that was surprisingly leaving me one at a time. I took a deep breath and said, “um, do you mind if I borrow your notes in today’s lesson? I couldn’t understand the last part of his lesson.”

“Sure.” He answered, opening his bag to take his notes and gave it to me. I smiled again as I took his notebook and opened some pages. To my surprise it was really neat and very organized. I was completely shocked by it and at the same time embarrassed with my own notes.

“Wow!” I exclaimed. “You have a nice hand-writing.”

“Thanks,” he replied. “By the way, my name is Adam.”

“Mika,” I answered holding my hand out to him. “This would really help me a lot. Thanks.”

“What’s your interest in Asian Literature?” He asked as we were heading out of the classroom. I can feel that all eyes were on Adam and me as we walked down the school hall. I guess they were kind of shock that I was actually talking to someone who wasn’t my teammate in taekwondo. I just ignored them and answered Adam’s question.

“It’s mostly because of my mother,” I answered. “I want to know more about my mom’s heritage. I’m half-Japanese. I’ve read our history and know a lot of what had happened but I’m very fascinated about their literature. It’s very different from the English literature that I was so used to.”

“That’s great,” he said with interest. “Any plans of going to Japan?”

“Maybe one day.” I answered. “I guess when I graduate.”

We kept on talking until we’ve reach the door going towards the university’s front lawn where all the different clubs and organization were to set-up to get members.

“By the way,” I asked. “Are you interested in joining any clubs this school year?”

“I want to but I don’t know which group to join,” Adam replied looking around the busy lawn.

“Do you want to join the Taekwondo team?” I said. “I’m one of the members there who helps out in the recruiting. It’s alright if you don’t know the sport that well. We’ll be able to teach you so that you can join the competitions and other stuff.”

“That’s great!” He exclaimed with a smile. “Where do I sign up?”

I led him to the booth where people were starting to gather and signing up. I guess when I left for class, Carl started to recruit like crazy. There were a lot of students falling in line. Among them were students who were just curious, asking questions but don’t sign at all. There is one particular group of students who were there. It was Jose Lopez and his gang. I guess they’re starting to go around and try to bully the incoming freshmen again. I had the misfortune of being one of those freshmen last year. But fortunately, they didn’t get to harass me much when I found out what they were really thinking that I should be doing for their gang. They ended not going to class the next day. Poor Raul. He seemed like a nice guy. He’s just got into bad company.

“Don’t forget that we have try-outs later, Mika,” Carl told me when I arrived. “We need to know who is varsity material and who is here just to learn.”

“No problem,” I answered. “I’ll be there.”

I saw that Adam is already finished signing up. When he was close to me, I told him what Carl told me a while ago. He nodded and said that he would actually try if he is one of those varsity material that Carl was looking for.

“Where do you live anyway?” He asked as we were heading out of school.

“I live in the dorm,” I answered pointing towards the building where I presently was staying.

“Really? Me too!” Adam said as we crossed the street towards our building. “What room are you?”

“Ten.”

“That means were on the same floor. I’m at fifteen, the last room in the dorm. Shall I meet you later when we get back for the try-outs?”

I wanted to say no but something told me that I need to stick to this guy. He might be acting normal on the outside but there was something about him that’s different from the rest. Like, he’s a mage like me. But I don’t have that much power to focus whether or not he has magic or not. I just have to make do with my hunches.

“Sure.”

“Great,” he said as we stopped at my room. “I’ll pick you up later, say 6:30?”

“That’s fine,” I answered as I opened my door. “See you later.”

I heard him walking towards his room when I closed my door and leaned on it. He’s one mysterious person. Mysterious, but fascinating nonetheless. I quickly hit the showers to get ready for the tryouts.
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The gym was packed with the different organizations that were scheduled for try-outs that evening. The place was separated into equal proportions depending on how much room you need to have for the demonstration and exhibition.

Carl was there with the rest of the group listing down the different members and whom they will test in the try-outs. He was calling the new members by name and partnering them with the members of the team that was about the same build and height as them and started to spar.

Adam and I arrived while they were just making the preparations. I was separated from him when I was up to spar the female potentials. It was all going well until this girl was tagging along a guy who would most likely fit in the wrestling team than the taekwondo team.
“Please,” the girl said. “For me? I want us to take this together.”

“I don’t need this, Lisa,” the guy answered. “This is a girl’s sport. I don’t know why you even listed me here in the first place.”

“Because I want us to take this together,” Lisa repeated. “Would you at least give it a try?”

The guy shrugged but finally conceded to - who I think – his girlfriend. He started to walk towards the mat waiting for his challenger.

“I’ll take this one, Carl,” I told him as I made a few warm up exercises before proceeding to the mat. I started to assess the situation. I guess he really was a wrestler judging from the bulging muscles that he has and the way he was waiting for me to approach the mat. His stance was also indicating that he has more of the upper body strength than anything else. I know that he’s a hard opponent to beat. But I have to at least try. I didn’t like the way he said that taekwondo was a girl’s sport. I have to teach him a lesson one-way or the other.

I focused on my power as I was doing my warm up exercise. I started to harness my strength, speed and flexibility. I know that to beat this guy I have to move faster and more agile that he is so that I would actually get the upper hand of things. As I was doing my warm ups I started to focus on storing my chi. When I know that I was ready, I approach him.

“A girl?” He said in disbelief. “A little girl is going to challenge me? Is that the best you can do?”

“Enough talk,” I remarked. “Let’s see what you got.”

I readied my stance as he readied his. I started to concentrate on releasing my energy. Hoping against hope that nobody would notice what I was doing.

I studied him for a while. I was right, he was a wrestler. One thing that I don’t like in the martial arts that I chose is that when in real close combat, I won’t be able to fight well. For a wrestler, all he has to do is try to grab me and pin me down then that would be game over for me. I have to think of a way that I can use my kicks and knock him out without him getting very close to me pin me down. This is one battle that I know would be very difficult for me.

We started to spar, he was getting the upper hand of things. I couldn’t even get near him to launch my attack. He was charging and trying to get a hold of me. He got to hit me in the stomach but did little damage for me to give up so easy. I gave him multiple kicks that were fast beyond any normal human capacity with each kick trying to hit different part of his body. One made contact but it wasn’t strong enough to cause heavy damage to him. We kept this dance until I tried to kick him in the face but he had a chance to catch my legs just mere inches away from his nose.

“I got the point,” he said as he let go of my leg. “Fine, I’ll try this sport for a few months. Let’s see what it would do to me afterwards.”

There were people clapping at the performance that had just been done. But I wasn’t satisfied with the result. I wanted that student to be beaten badly and not just convince him by a draw. Well, at least my point was reached one way or another. Maybe next time, I’ll do better.

As I walked back to the bleachers I saw Adam looking at me intently. And as if being free from a trance, he suddenly smiled and gave me two thumbs up sign.