Gymnastics for Growth
I looked at Rain. For once, our eyes met at the exact same level. Unlike when I looked at Amy, or when I talked to anyone else here, I didn't have to crane my neck upward.
"Hi," Shine was the first to greet her. She scurried over to Rain, her eyes scanning her from head to toe.
Watching Shine's scrutiny, Rain suddenly hopped over and approached me. "Ah!" Rain reached out and grabbed my hand. Startled, I let out a short shriek and recoiled, prompting her to let go.
"I thought you were still undergoing control training? Isn't your training completely finished? You look perfectly fine," Rain said, looking back at Amy, who was standing behind us.
"It's almost done, though there's still a little bit left."
"Hmm..." Rain began to pace slowly, inspecting Shine and me from different angles. "I'll say it again, don't push the kids too hard. They're way too young."
"I know."
Shine and I mirrored Rain's movements, engaging in a silent battle of observation. When Rain stopped, we stopped; when she moved, we moved. After circling around a small area, Rain suddenly plonked down onto the floor. Shine and I exchanged glances before sitting down on the floor just like her.
At that, Rain's cheeks flushed red. She turned back to Amy and spoke. "Amy? What is with these kids? What are they doing? Seriously, we shouldn't let them join our team."
"You haven't forgotten our promise, have you?"
"Fine, fine, I get it~"
Shine and I held each other's hands tightly, never taking our eyes off Rain. A natural wariness of a stranger, yet an intense curiosity toward someone of a similar height—both emotions swirled together inside us.
"I heard you guys were curious about me?" At Rain's question, I nodded. "What do you want to know? Stories about Amy when she was little? Or something else?"
"About Amy?" My eyes sparkled as I stared at Rain. It felt like I was about to hear something completely unexpected. Amy rarely talked about herself, so it was only natural that my curiosity about her had grown over time.
"Quiet." *Thud!* Just then, Amy, who had been preparing snacks behind us, delivered a sharp flick to the back of Rain's head. Her bright yellow hair flew upward, and the smug grin on her face instantly crumbled.
"Ow!" Tears welled up in the corners of Rain's eyes. Rubbing her head, she offered an awkward laugh, casting a wary glance at Amy.
"I want to hear it!"
"We want to hear it, please!" Shine and I pleaded, looking up at Amy. Perhaps finding our combined gaze too intense, Amy averted her eyes and spoke.
"No."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"No means no. Jeff, Shine, when someone doesn't want to answer, there are times you shouldn't ask."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"Because that's how it is," Amy replied firmly. Under her stern gaze, Shine and I nodded blankly. She really didn't seem to want to talk about it.
As I looked up at Amy with a slightly disappointed expression, she placed a large plate piled high with snacks in front of us.
"Whoa!" Rain, who had been rubbing her sore head, let her eyes light up at the sight of the snacks. Her mouth hung open so wide she looked about to drool. She quickly snatched a handful and stuffed them into her mouth. She truly seemed to adore snacks. Shine and I also reached out and began munching on them.
"Rain."
"Yeah?"
"I heard you do the same work as Amy."
"Yeah." I kept an eye on Amy as I spoke. She was currently taking drinks out of the refrigerator in the kitchen. At this distance, she definitely wouldn't be able to hear my quiet voice.
"How can we do that kind of work too?"
"What do you mean, how?"
"Amy says we're too young and can't do it."
"Hmm..." Rain closed her eyes, seemingly lost in thought at my question. The snack crumbs stuck around her mouth drifted down to the floor. "How old are you two?"
At Rain's question, I turned to Shine. Sensing my gaze, Shine looked back at me. Our eyes met in midair.
"Ten," Shine answered.
I nodded. Ten. Right, we were ten. I counted on my fingers and nodded once more. Yes, definitely ten.
"Ten...?" Rain stared at us in disbelief. "You're way too young!"
Just how old did Rain think we were? I tilted my head. Come to think of it, Amy was right. The work Amy did was extremely dangerous, and ten was indeed too young. But once you turned ten, wasn't it about time to start going out to the streets to earn money? I tilted my head again, puzzled by the thoughts swirling in my mind.
"Jeff. Eat more." Just then, Shine stuffed a snack into my mouth. *Mph, mph—* I managed a strained smile with my mouth completely full. Shine beamed happily at the sight.
"Here." Amy walked over and set down cups of juice. Shine, Rain, and I naturally reached out to take them.
"But why are you all sitting on the floor?" Amy asked curiously.
"If I sit on a chair, my feet don't touch the ground," Rain replied as if stating the obvious.
"Well... that's because you're short..."
"It makes me anxious when my feet dangle."
"Is that so?" Amy said, looking at us. Her gaze seemed to ask, Are you two like that too? Shine and I shook our heads. We didn't feel anxious even if our feet didn't touch the ground.
"A beanpole like you wouldn't understand," Rain grumbled, glaring at Amy's long legs.
"Do you want to grow taller, Rain?" Shine asked. At the question, Rain nodded weakly. "Yeah..."
"Then drink milk."
"Milk...?"
"Yeah."
"But... drinking milk doesn't make you grow."
"And you have to do gymnastics."
"Gymnastics?" Under Rain's puzzled gaze, Shine stood up.
"You get up too, Jeff." Shine reached out and tugged on my arm. At her urging, I stood up awkwardly.
"Do we really have to?"
"She said she wants to grow taller."
Shine began the stretching routine. One, two, one, two. She perfectly executed the movements we had learned earlier, keeping her eyes locked on me. I had no choice but to move my body along with her. I hadn't realized it before, but performing this routine in front of others felt incredibly embarrassing. My cheeks burned. Rain stared up at us blankly, while Amy watched with a subtle, amused smile. Avoiding both of their gazes, I hung my head.
"Whoa..." Rain's mouth fell open as she pulled out her phone.
"You get up too, Rain," Shine said, looking at her.
"Me?"
"Yes." At Shine's firm reply, Rain stood up awkwardly, her phone still clutched in her hand.
"Now, follow me. Like this. One, two. One, two." Stretch your arms and legs. Reach high toward the sky with a burning desire to grow taller. "You said you wanted to grow taller quickly." Shine's voice echoed in my ears. Rain nodded blankly and began to copy our movements. With every motion, her bright yellow hair swayed in all directions.
Just then, Amy's shoulders began to shake violently. Covering her mouth, her face turned bright red. She sank to the floor, desperately trying to hold back her laughter. It was a silent, convulsive laugh. Regardless of her reaction, the routine marched toward its grand finale. Spin around once, then stretch your arms and legs again. Since we stretched the left leg earlier, this time we stretched the right leg. And with that, the routine was over.
"Done!" Shine declared, looking at Rain with a proud expression.
"Is this... gymnastics...?"
"Yes."
"Doing this makes you grow taller?"
"Yes."
"But I'm an adult...?"
"Do adults not grow?"
"Well... they do, but..." Rain looked at Shine, utterly bewildered.
"You didn't do this when you were little, did you?"
"I... guess not?"
"That's why you didn't grow." Rain nodded, looking thoroughly convinced yet confused.
"Phew... phew..." Amy, who had been crouching on the floor, took a deep breath to compose herself. She stood up and walked toward the entryway. Reaching into the pocket of her coat hanging on the rack, she pulled out a bright yellow paper envelope.
"What's that?"
"This?" Amy waved the envelope at my question. The paper rustled softly in her hand.
"Ta-da!" Amy opened the envelope to reveal its contents. A long neck. Spotted patterns. A giraffe? Amy waved the paper giraffe back and forth. The printed giraffe seemed to wiggle and dance. Along its long neck, lines marking centimeters were drawn.
"A giraffe?" Amy carried the giraffe over to a bare wall. The long neck of the giraffe stretched down as she stuck it to the wall. Tapping the chart, Amy called Shine and me over.
"Come here." Shine and I scurried over. Next to the giraffe's neck, small magnetic stickers were attached.
"We're going to measure your height with this." Amy lined Shine and me up against the wall and placed her hand on top of our heads. Her hand pointed to a spot just past 125 centimeters. "Is it 126?" Amy placed a magnetic sticker on that spot.
"Is that our height?" Shine asked Amy. Amy nodded and patted her head. "Yes."
"Are Jeff and I the same?"
"Yes." Shine nodded, looking highly satisfied with Amy's answer. I had no idea what she was so pleased about. I glared at the magnetic sticker on the giraffe's neck. Shouldn't it be a bit higher? I looked up at the giraffe's head. The giraffe was smiling with a smug expression. "Hmph." I snapped my head away.
"Don't you need to measure your height too, Rain?" Amy asked with a mischievous smile.
"Me? Why me?" Rain replied, flustered. Amy nodded. "Yeah. Or are you scared you might be shorter than the kids?" At Amy's teasing provocation, Rain's face instantly flushed. She stomped over to us.
"I'm taller!" she declared, stepping in front of the giraffe. To me, her height didn't look any different from ours. Standing in front of the giraffe, Rain squeezed her eyes shut and awaited the verdict.
"Let's see... 12... 5?" The second magnetic sticker was placed exactly one notch below ours. "125 centimeters," Amy announced. Rain turned to look at the giraffe, her eyes trembling violently.
"Rain, you're short," I murmured blankly.
At that moment, Rain burst into tears and bolted toward the entryway. "Waaaaah!" *Pitter-patter—* the sound of tiny footsteps echoed through the room. Running like that, Rain flung the front door open and fled. "Hughhh!" I wondered who this 'Hugh' she was crying out for could be.
"Ahahaha!" Amy burst into roaring laughter as she watched Rain run away. Finally letting out the laughter she had been holding back, she showed no signs of stopping. Glancing warily at Amy, I stealthily slid my magnetic sticker up. 127 centimeters.