Ethan Wang—Zihan to his parents when they were feeling extra traditional, Ethan to basically everyone else because who wants to explain tones to hockey bros—groaned as his alarm blared at exactly 6:45 a.m. The thing sounded like a dying robot from one of those old anime shows his dad made him watch during "family cultural nights." He slapped it off, staring at the ceiling of his room in their cozy Markham house. First day of Grade 8 at Markham Secondary. School started at 8:20 sharp, per the York Region District School Board's eternal wisdom, which meant he had about an hour to transform from bed zombie to somewhat presentable teen. Not that he was thrilled. Summer had been epic—endless bubble tea runs, pickup basketball at the park, and bingeing K-dramas with his cousins over Zoom. Now it was back to lockers that smelled like old gym socks and math classes that felt longer than a CN Tower climb.
He dragged himself out of bed, shuffling to the bathroom. Mirror check: hair sticking up like he'd lost a fight with a wind tunnel, eyes puffy from staying up too late scrolling TikTok. *Great, looking like a pro gamer who forgot to log off.* He splashed water on his face, threw on a fresh hoodie (the one with the faded Toronto Raptors logo, because reps for the 6ix), jeans that weren't too wrinkled, and sneakers that had seen better days but still passed as "cool." Downstairs, the kitchen was already buzzing. Mom was stirring congee, the rice porridge bubbling like a witch's cauldron, while Dad flipped eggs that looked suspiciously overdone.
"Morning, sleepyhead," Mom said, her voice bright as always. She was the ultimate morning person, probably because she grew up helping her parents at their old dim sum spot in Hong Kong before they immigrated. "First day! Eat up—you need brain fuel."
Zihan plopped down at the table. "Brain fuel? More like survival rations. Why can't we have Tim Hortons for once?"
Dad chuckled, sliding a plate of eggs and toast his way. "Because Tim's doesn't have your mom's secret congee recipe. And hey, Xuanlin's already up and ready. You better learn from him!"
Zihan glanced over. Sure enough, Xuan was sitting there, probably after a whole morning run and meditation and Tai Chi and all, posture perfect as a statue, sipping tea like he was in some ancient tea ceremony. The guy had been living with them for what felt like ages now, and Zihan had gone from "who's this weird serious dude?" to "okay, he's kinda my bro." Xuan could destroy him at video games with scary precision, but he also listened without judging when Zihan ranted about school drama. Still, watching Xuan tackle a full Canadian school day? That was gonna be prime entertainment.
*Bet he'll bow to the teacher or something. Or calculate the exact trajectory of a dodgeball in gym.*
"Ready for the big day, Xuan?" Zihan asked, shoveling congee.
Xuan nodded solemnly. "I have reviewed the curriculum online. It appears... adequate."
Zihan snorted. "Adequate? Man, you're gonna crush it. Just don't go full ninja in the hallways."
Mom swooped in with her phone. "Pictures! By the front door, both of you. First day of school—it's tradition!"
Zihan rolled his eyes but stood up. "Mom, we're not kindergarteners anymore."
"Indulge your old mom," she said, snapping away as they posed awkwardly. Xuan stood ramrod straight, hands clasped behind him like he was facing an execution squad with dignity. Zihan slouched next to him, flashing a peace sign.
"Perfect! Now go learn something."
They grabbed their backpacks—Zihan's stuffed with notebooks, a half-eaten granola bar from last year, and his phone; Xuan's neat as a filing cabinet—and headed out. The walk to Markham Secondary was a solid ten minutes through the neighborhood, past rows of brick houses with manicured lawns and the occasional auntie power-walking in a tracksuit. Markham air smelled like fresh-cut grass and distant pho from the plaza nearby. Zihan loved it here—born and raised in this multicultural bubble north of Toronto. His knowledge of China was mostly from Lunar New Year dinners, those over-the-top TVB dramas his grandma watched, and that one family trip to Beijing when he was eight, where he'd mostly complained about the heat and begged for McDonald's. But hey, it made him feel connected enough to rep dim sum over burgers at lunch debates.
Near the school bike racks, his crew was already assembled: Ryan, the tall kid with a hockey stick always poking out of his bag, yelling about last night's Leafs game; Aisha, scrolling her phone and dropping memes faster than anyone; and Kevin, munching on a bag of chips like it was his job.
"Ethan! You made it!" Ryan fist-bumped him hard enough to rattle teeth. "And hey Man, Xuan - all right? You look like you're about to drop a kung fu demo on the quad."
Xuan gave a small bow—*oh man, he actually bowed*—and said, "Good morning. Nice to meet you again Ryan. And to others here to whom am a stranger - I am Ji Xuanlin, but you may call me Xuan. "
Kevin leaned in, whispering loudly, "Does he come with subtitles? Or is that extra?"
Zihan shoved him. "Shut up, Kev. Xuan's cooler than you. He beat me at Fortnite without even trying."
Aisha had looked up from her phone when Xuan had started speaking, caught by his deep voice - her eyes widened a fraction as she took in Xuan's sharp features and quiet confidence. "Okay, wow. Welcome to the chaos, Xuan. You're... kinda intense in a good way."
Wow, dude caught Aisha- she is never easily impressed! Xuan is one sneaky chap!
A couple of girls from the next group over glanced their way, whispering and giggling. One nudged her friend: "Who's the new tall guy? He looks like he walked out of a drama."
Zihan caught it and grinned internally. *Yeah, Should've seen this coming.*
The warning bell rang at 8:15, herding everyone inside. Markham Secondary was your typical Ontario public school: beige hallways, lockers that jammed half the time, and posters about mental health and recycling everywhere. Homeroom was a blur of attendance and "share one fun summer fact." Zihan said something about beating his high score in basketball; Xuan, dead serious, mentioned "achieving a new level in meditation." The class chuckled, but Zihan noticed Aisha and a few other girls exchanging looks—Xuan's calm intensity was clearly registering.
Math, English, science—same old syllabus slog. By recess at 10:45, Zihan was ready for a break. He stretched in the hallway, then remembered Mom's mission.
"Oh shoot. Mom packed snacks for the new girl down the street. Cat? Cate? I dunno, something cat-related."
Xuan tilted his head, ever the curious one. "The neighbor Auntie mentioned?"
"Yeah. Mom's turning into a one-woman welcome committee. Come with? I need backup so I don't look like a total delivery boy."
Xuan paused, then nodded. "If it assists."
They headed to the courtyard, where kids clustered on benches or kicked around a soccer ball. Zihan spotted her near the edge—a girl with dark wavy hair tied back messily, feeding breadcrumbs to a sparrow like she was in a Disney movie. She had that effortless pretty vibe: warm skin, freckles, eyes that sparkled like she knew a secret joke.
*Okay, play it cool,* Zihan told himself. His heart did a weird flip—*wait, is that a crush? Already? Nah, just nerves.* He cleared his throat, approaching with Xuan trailing behind.
"Hey... um... you're the new girl from down the street, right? Cat? Or... Cate? Wait, is it short for Catherine or something? Or like, actual cat? No, that sounds dumb. Hi, I'm Ethan. Zihan. Ethan-Zihan Wang. Just Ethan. This is my housemate, Xuan—Ji Xuanlin. I think we live like couple of blocks away from you? My mom sent us with these." He thrust the plastic bag forward like it was a peace offering. "Snacks. She said they're for, like, welcoming you or whatever. Healing snacks? I don't know, moms are weird."
Cat looked up, her hazel eyes amused. The sparrow fluttered away. "It's Cat. Short for Caterina, but yeah, Cat. Hi, Ethan-Zihan-Ethan. And hi, Xuan."
Zihan laughed, a little too loud, then scrambled for conversation. "So... you're from New York? That's cool. Like, the city or the suburbs? My cousins went once and wouldn't shut up about the pizza. You miss it?"
Cat gave a small shrug, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, suburbs—Westchester. The pizza was good. I miss my friends mostly. And the zoo trips. But it's... fine here."
Zihan nodded eagerly. "Totally get it. Moving sucks. Oh, and my family's from Markham forever—Mom's obsessed with welcoming everyone. She already knows your mom, apparently."
Cat's lips twitched into a real smile. "Yeah, I know, I remember . That congee was amazing. Tell her thanks again."
Up close, she was even prettier—those freckles looked like someone had sprinkled stardust on her nose, and her smile was the kind that made you want to say something funny just to see it again. Zihan's brain went into overdrive: *Don't stare. Say something normal.*
Xuan, had been eerily quiet - now that Ethan had nothing to say, he noticed this odd behavior. He was staring at Cat—not in a rude way, but like he was scanning her for hidden features. Zihan felt a twinge of... what? Annoyance? Protectiveness?
"Um... hi?" Cat said, glancing at Xuan, also noticing the silently staring boy.
Xuan blinked, as if snapping out of a trance. "Greetings. I am Ji Xuanlin. Ethan's temporary guardian companion."
Zihan facepalmed mentally. "Housemate, dude. Not guardian. You're making us sound like superheroes."
Cat's eyebrows shot up. "You're the guy from that night. The one walking the street with eyes closed like you're in a trance or something."
Zihan choked on a laugh. "Wait, what?"
Xuan didn't flinch. "That was because it was a full moon. Optimal for absorbing lunar essence."
Cat stared for a beat, then burst out laughing. "Lunar essence? You sound like my gran's old Celtic stories. Are you for real?"
Zihan jumped in. "He's... unique. From China. Sponsored student. He reads a lot of wuxia novels and is into some meditation thingy- popular over there, you know.."
Xuan tilted his head. "Wuxia is just dramatization of facts. But yes, the moon provides qi."
Cat's eyes danced with mischief. "Qi, huh? Well, thanks for the snacks, Qi Master and his sidekick. See you around."
She waved and headed off, leaving Zihan grinning like an idiot.
"That... could have gone worse," he said to Xuan.
Xuan was still watching her go, silent.
Zihan felt that twist again. *Oh great. Competition from the qi ninja?*
Back with the crew in the hallway, the teasing avalanche hit.
"Ooooh, Ethan's talking to the new girl!" Ryan crowed, slapping his back.
Aisha smirked, still glancing toward where Xuan stood quietly. "She's cute. You get her number?"
Kevin waggled his eyebrows. "Snacks? Bro, that's your move? Next you'll be offering her your last Timbit."
"Shut up, guys," Zihan muttered, face heating up. But he couldn't stop smiling. Cat was funny, smart, into animals—way cooler than he'd expected.
Aisha leaned into Ethan, "Hey, what's the deal with your guy? Is he for real? Is he like some idol from China or something? He is kinda like what you call a chick-magnet! I am not a chick much but I can feel the pull. Is he single?"
Xuan was drawing eyes—Aisha wasn't wrong. The guy looked like he belonged on a poster, and he hadn't even tried.
"No, he is single but keep it clean, friend - he is 3/4th a monk. Very low chances for anyone, even you"
Aisha pouted but didn't say anything. The rest of the day blurred: gym (where Xuan dodged balls like he had precog, earning impressed murmurs from the girls' side), lunch (cafeteria poutine that was 80% grease, 20% regret), and history (boring lecture on Canadian Confederation that had Zihan doodling Raptors logos). Walking home, Xuan was quieter than usual, lost in thought.
Dude has been silent after meeting Cat. Don't tell me...
"So... Cat," Zihan ventured, testing the waters. "You think she's cool?"
Xuan paused. "She is... intriguing. There is a trace I cannot place."
Zihan didn't understand but his stomach knotted. *Oh great. Competition from the qi ninja.*
"Like... you like her like her?"
Xuan frowned. "Like? Oh as in a romantic attachment? I have studied such phenomena in texts. They seem... distracting. But if destiny pulls two souls—"
Zihan cut him off. "Whoa, destiny? Slow down, Romeo. I mean, I kinda like her. Crush vibes, you know?"
Xuan nodded sagely. "Then pursue it. The dao favors action."
Zihan blinked. "You're... cool with that?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
Guilt hit Zihan like a bad pass. *Man, I misread him. He's not even in the game—he's on another level.*
That evening, as they did homework at the kitchen table, Mom's phone buzzed. She squealed—actually squealed.
"Nina—Cat's mom—texted! Thanks for the congee, and they're inviting us for dinner this weekend! At their place!"
Mom danced a little victory jig. "New friends! I knew the congee would work. I'm so excited—maybe I'll bring my famous spring rolls."
Zihan perked up. *Dinner with Cat? Score.* Different classes meant he only saw her in passing at school, but a whole evening? Time to not mess up.
Xuan looked thoughtful, nodded and said, "A visit to their residence... opportune."
Zihan eyed him. "Opportune why?"
"I sensed a trace energy from her window or her house, that night. Faint. Perhaps an artifact or lingering qi. I couldn't trace it later and today I felt a bit from her. This needs discreet investigation."
Zihan burst out laughing. "You're turning dinner into some kinda qi investigation?"
Xuan shrugged. "A Cultivator is always on the lookout for what is beyond mundane."
"You're the best, man. Weird, but the best."
Across the block, Cat brushed her teeth, replaying the day in her head. School wasn't terrible. She'd clicked with Ji-eun in science—a Korean Canadian girl whose family ran a kimbap shop in the plaza nearby. Ji-eun had moved from Vancouver two years ago, was obsessed with NewJeans and stray cats, and shared Cat's hatred for group projects.
"We'll team up," Ji-eun had said with a grin. "Us newbies gotta stick together. And hey, my house is literally two doors down from yours—wanna walk to school together tomorrow?"
It felt good—first real friend here, and a neighbor too. Plans were already forming: after-school kimbap runs and animal shelter visits.
Then there were the boys. Ethan—Zihan—was cute in an awkward way. Stumbling over his intro, handing snacks like it was a quest item, asking about New York like he genuinely wanted to know. She could tell he had a crush; the red ears gave it away. Harmless, though. Maybe fun to tease.
And Xuan.
She frowned at the ceiling. Same guy from the night walk, she was sure of it. Handsome? Yeah, like magazine-level: sharp features, those jade eyes that seemed to see through you. She'd overheard girls in the hall whispering about him—"the new transfer guy's unreal," "he looks like an idol"—and her friend had definitely noticed. But Cat? Not impressed in the swoony way. She grew up with Zuane and Cillian—her brothers were stupidly handsome too, always turning heads at family gatherings or when they visited Nonno in the UK. Handsome men were just... background noise.
Still. Xuan's looks hit different. Quiet intensity, perfect posture, those eyes that matched some secret preference she didn't even know she had. It unsettled her.
*Not my type,* she told herself firmly. *Zero romance vibes. Just... intriguing weird.*
She climbed into bed, deciding. *Friends. That's safe. Ethan for laughs, Xuan for... whatever mystery he's got going. And Ji-eun for actual girl talk.*
The streetlight filtered in, and she drifted off, Markham feeling a tiny bit less like a postcard and more like a story starting to unfold.