Separate Ways

This is Oliver's point of view. 

"Olive....?" I heard Futaba ask me in a small voice as Jage and I stood together. 

For a moment, I looked at her with a guilty expression before fleeing with Jage. Orenji follows from behind. 

We passed cabin after cabin, too quickly to be stopped. Especially with Jage and Orenji, who are tall, big, and strong, our group looks like a stampede of panicked wild rhinos that you don't want to disturb. 

"Just a little more, and we will reach the end of economy class," Orenji reports unnecessarily. 

Jage tilts his head slightly at Orenji while still running. "Okay, then let’s fight them!" Jage said.

I turned to see Orenji's face, and I almost laughed because of his pale expression. Orenji always has opposing thoughts to Jage, and for some reason, I find that funny because they are close friends. "We can't fight, okay? We are not cornered by wild animals. There’s no nothing-to-lose club here. You know their punishment will be harsher on us if we injure an officer!" Orenji said. 

"Yeah, then we should just give up so they can catch us and throw us into Sanguinara? More efficient and effective," Jage responds sarcastically. 

"Oh, man. You two shut up," I said. 

We find the restroom and then quickly separate to hide. Outside, the pilot’s voice is heard, announcing that passengers shouldn’t panic even though police officers have just entered the plane, searching for 'intruders.' 

I held my breath, nervous. Meanwhile, Orenji’s breathing sounds anxious and rapid. 

"Relax, okay?" Jage calms him from the next stall, under the door gap. 

"We are definitely getting caught. They will find us. Just let Jii panic," I murmured. 

Jage was silent for a moment. After several tense minutes, he says, "They will only catch you and me. They won’t catch Orenji. The mega-tutor doesn’t know he is with us." 

Oh, right. The mega-tutor only reported Jage and me. 

"Then Jii won’t be caught," I murmured. "I know this idea of mine is reckless, but you will help us escape, right, Jii? Go to the parking lot, get in our car, and pick us up before the police take us to the station. You will do that, right?" I asked hopefully. 

"Of course—" Orenji is just about to answer, but suddenly Jage interrupts. 

"No. We have worked so hard to get on this plane. Now you can go to Chicago, Jii. So forget about us. Oliver and I can take care of ourselves. We will catch up with you in Chicago, okay?" 

At that moment, I knew Orenji was about to curse because he was annoyed. "Sorry, but did you go insane after pretending to be a mega-tutor?" 

Jage immediately took offense at his words. "Oh yeah, but I think you are more insane if you choose to run from the police and risk getting shot rather than staying on the plane and going to Chicago," Jage said. 

"More insane, huh? I prefer the first option when it comes to my friend’s safety," Orenji replied coldly. 

"Oh come on, don’t worry about us. Worry about yourself. I can fight while protecting my brother. But it will be harder if I have to fight while protecting you too!" Jage shouts. 

"Okay, your voice is too loud," I said. "Guys, can you be quiet?" 

Then, Orenji’s voice rises as he replies. "You should stop thinking I can’t do anything, Jage! I can fight just like you, damn it." 

"Oh, yeah, you can fight," Jage scoffs. 

"Jage, I’m not a coward—" Orenji was about to say.

"For God’s sake, Jii, who says you—" 

Suddenly, the door to the restroom stalls opens, and the three of us fall silent. 

"Excuse us, we are police! We are looking for two Caucasian teenagers, around 20 years old and 16 years old!" They said while opening the stall door next to my left. My heart beats fast. Sweat flows from my temples and lands on my eyelashes, and I know our history is about to end. 

So what I do is speed it up. 

"I’m here." 

I immediately stepped out of the stall with my hands raised, and the two police officers stared at me, only looking a little surprised before one of them pulled out handcuffs. The other speaks on his walkie-talkie. Then he asks me, "Where is your brother, kid?" 

Then Jage steps out from his hiding stall, with a sour but still bright smile like usual. 

"Sorry to make you tired," he says without looking guilty. 

"Ah, no problem. We’re used to it. There are over a hundred teenagers like you," the officer replied curtly. I can’t tell if he is serious or being sarcastic. 

"So what do you do with them, Officer?" I asked as the other officer cuffed my wrists behind my back. 

"Usually? We just arrest them and call their guardians," says the first officer. "But what you guys did is different." Then he laughs mockingly. 

The second officer says, "Man, your punishment is going to be severe for pretending to be a mega-tutor. Last week, there were three like you in New Mexico. They made about fifty thousand dollars pretending to give others superpowers. As soon as they got caught, they were thrown into the tropics without a trial." 

My face pales, while Jage laughs nervously. Strangely, my brother still tries to look calm in this situation. 

"Well, but we didn’t gain anything," he says. "No one gets harmed except the airlines, right, bro?" 

"Yeah. And the airlines only lose two plane tickets," I say. "We have money," 

But the problem with disasters is that sometimes money doesn’t matter. I know their answer before they reply. 

"Let’s see."

****

After we just got off the plane, I felt the cold and humid Duluth wind, and it made me gloomy. Although I quickly try not to feel gloomy and start to worry about Orenji. 

What will he do now? Will he get off the plane and help us? Or will he go to Chicago, after feeling hurt towards Jage? 

I hope he isn’t hurt by Jage's words. I know Jage can be a bit stubborn, especially now that he has gotten superpowers faster than all of us. But Orenji has always been very accommodating and big-hearted. However... patience has its limits. 

I look at Jage, who appears relaxed as he walks with his back straight toward the police car. He looks unafraid of anything. 

Even so, because I am his younger brother, I know that he isn’t as brave as he seems. He is just deceiving himself. And it seems that the forced courage will lead us to something bigger than we can actually bear.