บท 3: Smiling Dojo
Alex looked at his mom with some surprise. "Mom, you know the theory of cards?"
His mom smiled. "I know enough."
"What do I need to do then?" Alex asked.
"It will be hard work. Are you sure you are willing to do it?" His mom asked again, with a curious smile on her face.
Alex sighed, but with a determined look he nodded. "Yes."
His mom nodded back. "Good, pack your bags then. You will have to go stay at someone else's house.
I have something else to tell you. I have been hesitating about leaving you alone and go to where your dad is for to complete my own work. Now that you can stay at this person's place, I don't have any worries." She handed him a hologram card with an address on it.
Alex was stunned by the sudden news. "Where is dad at? Where are elder bro and sis?"
Mom looked at him with an innocent smile. "Dad is working overseas, I have some work there as well. As for my elder children, you'll find out later."
Alex was stunned. He realized that he knew almost nothing about his family in this world. "Indeed this is a world where people can generate cards, then could my family be a carded family? Why didn't I learn any secret formula then? What's with Mom's mysterious attitude?" He had questions upon questions, with no clear answers.
He looked at the hologram card he received from his mum. When Alex looked at it, he was even more confused. However, he had already promised that he would be willing to work hard towards forming a card.
He packed some of his belongings amd clothes as well as a holographic terminal for personal use. That evening he spent with his mom, helping her cook and then dinner.
"Mom, why are you being so mysterious?" Alex finally just asked her directly during dinner.
His mom laughed. "Somethings are not good to know early on. We've given you a sheltered life that your elder siblings didn't have the opportunity to enjoy. In time, you'll learn everything. Your mom amd dad will not try to harm you, we just want you to have the happy life we failed as parents to give your elder brother and sister." His mom had a bit of a serious look. However she shook her head.
"Forget about these things. Have you packed? Leave after dinner and settle down there, the place is closer to school as well. I will be taking a flight tomorrow morning." Saying so she hugged her son.⁰ Alex quietly accepted the hug.
An hour later, Alex had arrived at a peculiar looking building and got down the taxi. The building had a look of ancient japanese architecture and was made of wood, in stark contrast to its neighborhood. The building even showed slight signs of deterioration that stood out in the presence of well maintained and sleek buildings just beside it.
On top of the building was a huge gold painted signboard screaming the name 'Smiling Dojo'. Alex gulped, before grabbing his bag and walking towards the door. The door was slightly open. He knocked on it.
"Come in." An old and hoarse voice sounded out. Alex quietly dragged his bag inside and saw an old man sitting in a lotus position, smiling at him.
"Are you Kathy's son? Come in!" The hoarse voice spoke up with excitement.
Alex nodded and entered the area. "My mom sent me here. Sorry for intruding..."
"Don't be polite kid. Come, come. I didn't expect Kathy to suddenly send you to become a servant for the Dojo!" The old man laughed. "I have been looking for a servant since quite some time, but no one takes the job."
Alex was stunned. "Ser...Servant?"
The old man nodded. "Don't worry, I won't work you too hard. I'll help you train as well. You can call me Old Man Ren."
Old Man Ren then pointed to a small room in the corner. "You can use that room for your personal use. Go rest, you have school right?"
Alex was stunned, but he remembered his mother's warning questions before sending him here. He nodded and silently went to the room assigned to him.
The room was like a tiny cubicle, with barely any space for more than an extremely uncomfortable bed. Alex quietly unpacked his items and put them in the small wardrobe neatly before lying down on the bed.
Alex thoughts drifted through many emotions. He had come to a world where things had changed. An now, he had become a servant in a run down dojo run by an old japanese man. He shook his head and cleared his thoughts, slowly going to sleep.
Alex was in deep sleep, when he suddenly heard a loud bell and got up in shock. The old man was standing at the door to his room and ringing a brass bell. Alex looked at the time, it was still 4.30 am.
The old man laughed. "Get up lad, we are going for a run!"
Alex sighed. "Run?" He thought, but he didn't reject the old man. He quickly freshened up and rushed out to find the old man Ren already waiting for him. "Let's go!"
Alex joined the old man and began jogging. Initially he was still groggy, but soon he was running. His feet and chest were burning, he was almost out of breath and and he could see that the old man looked very relaxed. "You are too weak!" He commented with some disdain.
Alex's eyes burned, but he didn't respond and continued to run, struggling to maintain a stable form due to fatigue. There were many moments where he felt like he just couldn't continue anymore, but the the old man would mock him at just the right time to make Alex make one last attempt to continue each time.
Finally at the end of two hours, the two had returned to the gate of the Dojo. The old man then took out a bar.. "Isn't it time for your school? Eat this high nutrition bar before leaving."
Alex quickly went to take a bath and then munched the nutrition bar as he walked to school. During the run he had passed the school a few times, so he was aware of the path now. The nutrition bar was bland, but it did give him the feeling of being full and heavy.
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