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If there was anything Tom was sure of when it came to the island, it’s that it would never become a place of isolation. It would never become like the city.
Yes, the island had ordinances, and an economy, and so on and so forth, but the Resident Services building wasn’t some government office. He and Isabelle and the Resident Representative were on just as equal standing as the rest of the inhabitants of the island. They were here to help each other.
Yet, much to his dismay, no matter how much he reiterated that to the Resident Rep, the boy didn’t seem to believe him.
When Phoebe found him taking a knife to his arms, the whole island jumped to help, Tom included. No matter how hard the Rep tried to push them all away, nobody backed down. Not even when the Rep tried to quit, saying that he was no good as a Representative, as a leader. Tom shut him down quickly. He’d considered saying that his role was more of a formality at this point, considering the boy’s humor, but decided against it; he was already in such a fragile state as-is. “That doesn’t mean you should be left to deal with things by yourself,” he said instead. “Let us help. The villagers care about you so much. They don’t want to help you because you’re the Resident Representative, they want to help you because they consider you a friend. Because they care.”
The boy was silent for a very long time, before he finally said, “But why are you helping me?”
…It took a lot — thinking about his experiences in the city wasn’t easy on him, no matter how long it’s been — but he told the boy everything he could. Every similarity he saw in him, he relayed back.
“Because when I look at you, I recognize myself,” Tom told him. “And I know how it feels.”
The boy — whose deep, brown eyes widened at his words — didn’t seem to know how to feel.
When Sly finally arrived to bring him back home (the villagers were afraid of leaving him alone, and the boy didn’t seem to mind the newfound company; so with his consent, they all agreed to take turns sleeping at his place), Tom bid him goodbye with a pat on the shoulder and a light squeeze.
“Take care, kid,” he said solemnly.
The boy nodded meekly.
K.K.’s visits to the island were usually an uneventful affair, the novelty dying out given how frequently he came by. This Saturday, though, was something special. There was nothing too different about the plaza, really, aside from the new lanterns that just came with the island’s constant redecoration. The seats were there, as normal. No, what was different was the larger crowd, taking up most of the seats as if the whole island had come to attend. Some villagers were loitering in and out of the plaza, but there was a consistent group through the hours, from what Tom could see through the window.
Annalisa, Sly, Boris, and the Resident Representative have been there for a while, talking animatedly with K.K. through the late afternoon and listening intently as he played. Tom couldn’t really hear what he was playing from inside, but the four seemed at peace — the Resident Rep especially.
“He’s doing better now, right?” Isabelle said, peering out the window with him. It’s been over a year since Phoebe found him; what Tom considered to be a turning point for the island.
Tom nodded, looking back at the villagers. “Right now, he seems happy.”
“I asked K.K. to play him his favorite songs, if he stopped by to listen,” Isabelle chirped happily, a sparkle in her eyes as she beamed at Tom. The elder raised a brow.
“What brought that on?”
Isabelle shrugged. “Oh, he just seemed really down for a while, again. As always, he wouldn’t talk, but I noticed he seemed to get better after listening to music. So I thought, hey, K.K.’s coming again this Saturday! I thought, y’know, why not?”
Tom looked back out the window, straining to hear. He could faintly make out the sound of Drivin’ — a favorite of the Rep’s, he knew.
He chuckled fondly, drawing the curtains a nudge. “That’s sweet, Isabelle.”
She beamed. “Do you think?”
“Yeah. He seems content.”
Later, when he and Isabelle come out for a break, it’s the Resident Representative who enthusiastically waved them over to join, K.K. Slider just as happy to keep playing. In all their hands, K.K.’s included, Tom recognized take-out cups from the Roost — and as if on cue, Boris piped up, jostling the giggling Resident Rep, “The kid treated us to the bean juice!” Then Annalisa chimed in as well, encouraging the two of them to join. “Phoebe called— she’s baking cookies and wants to bring them over. She says she’ll be done soon.”
“Ooh, I can text Axel and we can make a fiesta out of it!” Sly cheered. Then he paused, and leaned in to the Rep, “That’s not the word, is it? What’s the word from your language again?”
The boy seemed flabbergasted, though the smile never left his face. “Salu-salo? ”
“That one!” Sly waved them over, “Come on!! It’s not like you guys have anything better to do.”
Tom automatically looked to the Resident Rep. Upon meeting his gaze, the boy smiled sheepishly, giving a little shrug.
That was enough for Tom to relax, smiling softly as Isabelle dragged him along to join the group.