EYES SEE YOU
Chapter 2
"The Cleaners"
“What?!”
Red exclaimed in desperation upon hearing the news from his track and field coach.
Coach Lim delivered the blow that Red wouldn’t be allowed to participate in the upcoming intramurals unless he made up for his academics by taking elective activities.
Frustrated, Red stormed out of the gym and vented his anger by kicking the potted plant at the entrance.
The clay pot cracked and broke.
“Goodness me!”
Secretary Oswald was shocked as he happened to be walking with Principal Spears. They coincidentally witnessed the outburst as they were passing by.
Coach Lim’s face turned pale when he learned that his boss had witnessed a misbehaving student, especially since the student was their main representative for track and field.
However, Principal Spears is definitely not known for caring about sports. Heck, he might not even recognize a single star player from the school. But he’s still his boss.
Wanting to appease the principal with his authority, Coach Lim used his whistle even when he was not on the track.
Prrrrrt!!!
The shrill high-pitched whistle pierced the air, undoubtedly a sign of Coach Lim’s panic. As he hurried over to where Red was standing, the Principal also turned his attention towards them, drawn by the sound of the whistle.
The coach exclaimed furiously.
“Red! You must learn to do menial labor, just like the rest of us!”
Red was very confused. Normally, his coach only talked about focusing on running, so he couldn’t believe he was being asked to do something else.
“Eh?”
Red scoffed while Coach Lim was still looking at the Principal’s reaction. The coach coincidentally saw Mr. Clean cleaning the hall and got an idea to add another condition for Red. He must join an official school club related to cleaning as a form of penance.
“Coach? I thought you said running for life?!”
The coach looked unbothered.
Despite his anger, Red managed to contain his emotions and silently walked away.
“And don’t forget to bring an extra plant!!!” shouts Coach Lim, acting tough while Red was walking away. Seems like his acting worked on the principal too.
Desperation etched across his face, Red was far from pleased with the task ahead. While on his way outside, he noticed the botany club and decided it would be best to just get another plant pot from there.
BOTANY CLUB GREENHOUSE
As he entered the greenhouse, he spotted Juni, a junior. He was alone tending to the plants.
Setting the broken clay pot down where Juni could see it, Red requested a new pot and plant for his punishment. Well, more like a demand.
Juni, aware of Red’s seniority and reputation for being unapologetic, suggested simply replacing the pot and replanting the uprooted plant without asking about what had caused the damage.
Red then asked Juni sounding bossy.
“Hey, do you know anything about clubs?”
Juni replied while filling a new clay pot with soil.
“A club needs at least three members to be official.”
Red didn’t like the idea, but he knew he had to follow it. He thought about telling his friends from Rainbow Gang, but he was worried it would make him look weak. So, he decided to deal with it alone.
As soon as Juni finished transferring the plant, Red grabbed the new clay pot and went out faster than a bullet. Without thanking him, of course. Typical Red behavior.
As Red walked outside, he noticed students seemingly under some type of spell. It was a common sight on the school grounds whenever the janitor, ‘Mr. Clean’ made his rounds.
A girl student was chatting with her fellow student while glancing at her reflection in a pocket mirror.
“He’s quite the spectacle, isn’t he?”
Another girl sighed, brushing her hair wistfully.
“I wish he could come clean my house.”
“Guess what I found out–“
A third girl, breaking the spell between the other two.
“On his first day here, Principal Spears doubted Mr. Clean’s cleaning abilities.”
Both girls were taken aback by the revelation.
“Why?”
“Because one teacher asked him to clean a single window for an hour while she was in the room. He never finished it because the teacher kept calling him back to clean again!”
The two girls expressed their disappointment at Principal Spears’ disapproval. If he had rejected Mr. Clean, they couldn’t have continued basking in his radiant charm.
Upon hearing this, Red quickly realized he needed Mr. Clean’s help. If anyone could solve his housekeeping problems, it was Mr. Clean. Moreover, he knew Mr. Clean could attract students to join the club. With this in mind, he followed Mr. Clean to the maintenance room. As soon as he arrived, he spotted Mr. Clean atop a retractable ladder, busy fixing a lightbulb.
“Hey there, Mr. Clean.”
Red called out in a cold tone. He didn’t want to let on that he needed him, but he understood that the good-looking janitor wouldn’t be persuaded without some appeal to his passion for cleaning.
Red, his voice trembling slightly, tried to break the silence.
“You’re the cleanest janitor I’ve ever seen…”
His attempt to sound sincere seemed ineffective. Without glancing at Red, Mr. Clean continued to work on the light bulb.
Feeling awkward, Red added:
“I mean, not that janitors are usually dirty, but you seem exceptionally good at cleaning… things.”
Mr. Clean finally turned his attention to Red, his tone serious as he addressed him.
“Did you come here just to tell me that?”
Red felt uneasy, realizing it might be difficult to persuade Mr. Clean to help him, especially since the janitor didn’t seem very friendly. Trying a softer approach, Red attempted to speak again.
“I was just wondering if…”
Red’s voice trailed off, sounding more timid this time. Mr. Clean regarded him with a blank stare. It was rare for Red to feel perplexed, but in that moment, he certainly was.
Gathering his courage to continue, Red was surprised when Mr. Clean promptly pulled the light switch, casting a ghastly look at him. Red swallowed as he was a little frightened. But didn’t show it.
“I love cleaning!”
This came as an unexpected response from Mr. Clean, despite the less-than-friendly start. He screamed it with passion, appearing a little comical for Red. Red couldn’t deal with the sudden change in mood, like the light switch he was fixing. It felt as though he would rather talk to the intimidating version of Mr. Clean than this new side of him.
Red often spotted Mr. Clean around campus, particularly in the gym, but they had never exchanged words before. There was never a reason to. Now, Red found himself unsure of how to begin the conversation. It was essential to remember that, as a janitor, Mr. Clean does not have the authority to form a school club, but he’ll definitely make things easier.
“Cleaning isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. You’d be amazed at how low people’s standards are when it comes to cleanliness. But fret not, I am here to guide you all towards a tidier life, one spot at a time.”
Mr. Clean explained, still oblivious to Red’s unclean plan.
“How can I persuade him to take care of the cleaning for me when he’s this uptight?”
Red’s thoughts swirled with his desire to put an end to Mr. Clean’s relentless puns with every line he says.
“This man is a little off in the head for being so addicted to cleaning. And why are the girls attracted to crazy people these days.”
As Mr. Clean continued speaking, Red found himself drifting into deep thought until he caught wind of something unexpected.
“I like shiny things. That’s why I always shine my gun…”
Mr. Clean was casually talking, causing Red’s eyes to widen in alarm.
“A gun?”
Red muttered to himself, feeling a sudden surge of anxiety.
Mr. Clean noticed Red’s reaction and his smile faltered. He realized he must have misspoken.
“I said I love shiny floors, so I make sure it’s spick and span!”
Red breathed a sigh of relief, but he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that lingered. He had misheard Mr. Clean’s words, but the image of a janitor polishing a gun had already implanted itself in his mind. He couldn’t help but glance at the janitor’s cleaning supplies, half-expecting to see a firearm hidden among them. It certainly makes sense that he has an ‘odd job,’ considering he seems a bit overqualified for his current profession.
“Are you okay?”
Mr. Clean asked in a concerned tone while looking at Red’s pale face.
Red tightened his lips, eager to see if Mr. Clean would agree to work with him after school. After all, he’s the type to keep secrets since his instincts tell him that what he heard was accurate. That the ‘good janitor’ keeps contrabands.
“I need extra cash so I wanted to learn how to clean.”
Mr. Clean initially looked impressed, but suddenly, the blank stare returned, the same one that had appeared earlier that scared Red.
“Money huh.”
Mr. Clean uttered, his expression devoid of life.
Red couldn’t fully comprehend, but he sensed the seriousness of the situation, especially since the chilling look on Mr. Clean’s face had returned. He was sure he was onto something. So he agreed to meet Mr. Clean after school hours by the marketplace.
MARKETPLACE
Red and Mr. Clean met near a fish stall in the market, both waiting for something.
Red noticed Mr. Clean hiding something in his pocket, which sparked a sudden rush of adrenaline.
When Mr. Clean asked if he was ready, Red’s voice hinted at hesitation but still showed readiness for what was to come. Red himself had a ‘balisong’, or a butterfly knife hidden in his pocket.
“Are you sure about this?”
Red’s voice wavered slightly, but he remained prepared for the next steps.
“So, there’s this woman…”
Mr. Clean started explaining. But before Mr. Clean could finish his sentence, Red felt alarmed. He had only met with Mr. Clean to discuss a cleaning job, not realizing they were about to involve themselves in something much more serious – possibly a different cleanup involving a woman. His thoughts were fast but Mr. Clean was quicker in pulling out what was in his pocket. Red couldn’t hold back anymore and just screamed so loud to stop him.
“AHHHH!”
Mr. Clean stopped pulling the thing from his pocket and pointed at what Red had on his hand.
“Is that a real knife?”
Red quickly put his knife away.
“I thought we were only going to clean something up, and now you want me to harm a woman?”
“We’re not going to harm anyone! I just wanted you to give this to her because she buys fish here often!”
“A chocolate? Why would I want to do that?”
“Because you need extra cash! Also, why would you bring a knife to a cleaning job?”
“Um–I like blades and stuff. It’s none of your business!”
Juni happened to pass by. He seemed to be holding what he bought from the market to bring home. Mr. Clean noticed him.
“Hi Juni!”
Mr. Clean greeted, waving at him. Juni responded with a slight bow.
Red recognized him from the greenhouse.
“I know you. You fixed my plant.”
Juni nodded. Mr. Clean introduced the two.
“Juni, this is Alfred. He is a year ahead of you. He is the fastest runner in our school, so I brought him here to run something for me. Get it? Runner, run?” Anyway, he is my disciple. He wanted to learn how to clean!”
Red didn’t want to agree, but he remembered that he needed Mr. Clean so he just let it go.
“Alfred, this is Juni. He’s not much of a talker, and he could probably sneak up on a ninja without them noticing. But deep down, I know he’s as sweet as a kitten. He reminds me of someone in the past. Though I can’t remember… But I’m sure he’s just like him!”
Red couldn’t help but chuckle at Mr. Clean’s peculiar way of introducing people.
“Well, if he’s anything like you, Mr. Clean, he’s bound to be interesting.”
Juni, not saying much, simply stood there and listened as Red and Mr. Clean chatted away.
“Juni also does part-time in the greenhouse as a gardener. Tell him, Juni!”
Juni politely answered.
“Oh… I only do that for extra cash.”
Red smirked.
“Thanks to our resident wordsmith here, I found a new member of my club.”
Red said, gesturing to Juni with a playful grin. He didn’t even ask Juni if he was interested.
“I’m only free in the evenings.”
Juni responded, seemingly agreeing because it does not look like he had a choice.
Mr. Clean chuckled.
“Alfred, Juni, did you hear about the janitor who fell in love with his broom?”
Red and Juni shook their heads, intrigued.
“He swept her off her feet! But hey, if you two join our cleaning crew, maybe you’ll find love too – with a mop or a dustpan!”
Mr. Clean ended that joke with a wink. The two couldn’t keep up with Mr. Clean’s humor. But that’s how they all came together.
Juni gets extra money.
Red gets to join a school club.
Mr. Clean gets to clean as much as he wants.
It’s a great deal for everyone.
And just like that, they became ‘the cleaners’.
