SHIRO P.O.V.
As I walk passing through the back door of our household my mom insists I give one of my graduation pictures to my dad. She left us by pardoning herself that she had got to cook dinner. As I continue to walk in our backyard I sight my dad doing something on our broken air conditioner. I took a deep sigh holding the pocket-size picture that I'm about to give to him and I suddenly felt like I was trembling but I didn't know why.
"Dad," I shyly mumbled to him before he turns his head up, and there was a sudden luminous glaze upon him that makes me feel like I'm floating in. It's already 5 o'clock in the afternoon and the evening seems approaching but his smile will always be the brightest and sweetest smile I have ever seen.
I am constantly asking myself these questions: How come a person used to be so optimistic and gentle? And how come a person like him is my father?
"Congrats my dearest daughter" He gleefully tells me in a calm manner. He removes his working gloves and pats my head very gently. I smiled back at him then I took a deep sigh and finally lent my picture.
"Wow! You are so pretty! Just like your mom" He exclaimed with exaggerated movement while looking at my picture.
"Thanks, Dad but I'm really sorry I didn't make it... I mean to be a part of the flying colors--sorry to disappoint you and mom." I said after I murmured my last word.
"It's fine who told you that we were disappointed? We cannot explain how happy we are because of you. The fact you are finally graduating from Elementary School is a great success and pride to us." He smiled once again and I nodded.
"Those medallions are just bonuses. They were actually useless in real life!" He jokingly said with his awkward laugh.
"Hey you two, come inside and help me. Dinners coming" Mom said with her raised voice.
"Yes, we're coming!" Dad responds to her.
We are about to walk on our way home but dad stops, "Oh anyway!" He delightedly said and ran towards his toolbox on the working table. He grabs a fancy package and comes again to where I'm standing.
"Here." He calmly said with a smile on his face.
I am thrilled to open it, I giggled as he gave it to me, and as I opened the present; I saw pastel blue-green hue headphones.
"Wow! I was looking for this headset yesterday at the mall! How come you knew about it, dad?" I excitedly told him.
"Hmm... Just guts!" Dad told me while he gleams and looks at me happily. With the excitement I exhibited to him earlier, I abruptly become awkward for I am not usually that sweet even to my parents. I heard him chuckle and he finally talked.
"Shall we try it on your phone dear?"
"Uhm," I responded. I grab my phone and he assists me to operate it. He places the headset on my ears. I look at him again and see as he shines and it makes it hard for me to glimpse him. I gradually close my eyes and the music starts to play.
As I opened my eyes hastily, I was shocked by my surroundings becoming gray and dreary. I quickly turn my eyes and look where I am. A sudden realization twitched my consciousness as I heard my alarm clock—I am just inside my room and I am dreaming vividly that dream again almost a thousand times. Did I consider it a dream? It is more like a memory. And through all the good and bad memories I had, that memory seems to be a notable one as that simple conversation always appears in my dreams almost every day.
"Hey, Shiro breakfast is ready. Get to turn yourself up and be prepared for school." Mom said with her forceful voice.
"Uhm, I'm getting up" I mumbled while pulling out my blanket and mending it before I stood up. After I took my breakfast and prepared myself to leave, I reached out again to my room and organized my stuff. I put on a bit of makeup and glanced in the mirror. A girl that has a pinkish pale face with a pouty dead rose-colored lip, almond-shaped dark eyes with a mole under it near on cheekbones, and short black hair with sided bangs shows on my reflection.
I crack a little smile and try not to fake it. But in the aftermath, I think It was just too shallow to do it behind these four sides of my room. Because, in the innermost depth of my heart, I know that sadness and frustration are still lurking and seem to make my soul darker and darker. However, I know to myself that—this feeling will never set me my precedence to stop me from doing things I wanted to.
[Beep] My dazed stopped as I heard my phone buzzing several times. I quickly fetch it and catch a glimpse of Lynx calling me. I stand up but never answer his call because I know he's already outside of my home.
"Mom I'm going!" I shouted as loud as possible so my mom would hear me from the kitchen. I never waited for her response and instantly opened the door, running towards the gate to open it, as I also settled my bag pack at the same time.
"Still not answering my calls ha?" Suddenly my best friend Lynx speaks up with his arrogant voice as I'm busy latching the gate to lock it again properly.
"You have known me for almost 5 years and you still didn't know I-HATE-CALLS?"
I finally turn myself into a tall, with fair skin, straight undercut jet-black hair guy as I annoyingly emphasize the last words I let out.
"You have known me for almost 5 years blah blah blah!" he said as he tried hard to mimic what I have said.
"Shut up ugly!" I told him before I shove his bike he is riding using my feet and that makes him almost fall over.
"Stubborn!" He said it while snapping a smile on his face. Some girls are very delighted by their so-called, refreshing eye smile he always perpetrates when he deceives girls. What a pain—he just looks like a sleeping guy while smiling for me. Girls are sometimes hard to comprehend when it comes to a guy they like.
"Let's go!" He happily said with his manly raspy voice while I'm at the back of his bike and he drives it faster than he could. As we went down and placed his bike we decided to enter our University. I lift my ID so my bar code will get detected and I get surprised when Lynx is getting his ID on his bag.
"Whoa, I thought that was lost?" I rashly told him.
[Beep] "I went here yesterday and used my charm to Student Affairs. Eventually, I got it that smoothly without any effort." He boastfully explained whereas he nudged my shoulders at the same.
"Charm? Eww," I rolled my eyes while I mumbled those words. We continue to amble our feet as we have our first subject which is the Steno and our professor will be our Dean Gabuat and she's also referring to it as Ma'am G.
"Arghh Second-year seems so Harsh, we got Steno this morning with Ma'am G. and Research before lunch" Lynx complained while sulking in disbelief about the subjects we are going to take this sem.
"You are good at Steno the last sem you know. Unfortunately, not as much as I am."I boastfully told him and tap his bag aggressively because of what I did, some first years mostly female peeps are looking at us but this idiot seems no idea about being popular in our University.
"I envy you for having an Office Administrator graduate mom. He said while we continue walking inside the room. I never had a chance to respond to him as Dean Gabuat came even though the first class is not yet starting.
"I have to apologize to class 2-1 for some errors about your schedule." She calmly tells the class.
"My schedule for your class will be before lunch. On the other hand, your Research will be right now."
After Ma'am G said it, the class suddenly uproar a bit. Some of them are happy and some of them are not. Well, I think that's me and I don't know why I don't have a nice feeling about these switched subjects.
"Professor Kim Younghyun will be your Research this semester, and I hope you'll also welcome him for he is new to Cháo Yáng University." She snaps a smile as she continues to speak.
"Anyway, BSOA and BSBA 2-3 are merging for this subject. That's why I'm warning you to act professionally towards Mr. Kim for he is a Business Administration graduate, maybe he looks younger than you expect..." she continued.
"Yeah, that's why his name is Younghyun for he is obviously YOUNG right now maybe Oldhyun next year or so," Lynx whispered his non-sense jokes to me to the fact that Ma'am G is still talking.
"Ha-ha-ha shut up ugly," I said without looking at him and he chuckles a bit and finally focuses on our professor.
After the discussion, we had a chance to meet Mr. Younghyun who is unexpectedly that young to be a professor. His aspect might scout him as an actor if there's a chance or so. He gave that actor vibe with tall, fair skin, intimidating narrow or fox eyes as well as broad shoulders, and neat straight black hair. Obviously, at the moment, some female students are annoyingly chuckling around.
"Ohhh, our professor gives me goosebumps like the first day I met you!" Lynx murmured.
"What the hell do you mean?" I told him with a sinister gleam.
"Nothing, nothing," He said after he widens his eyes forcefully.
"Oh gosh is that Asher Ning? She's our classmate!" A sudden commotion suddenly comes up after my fella classmate exclaimed.
"Sorry Professor Younghyun I'm late," the girl said with a kinda captivating expression to make all the boys except Lynx giggle like insane squealers.
"It's fine we're not yet starting. Hope you'll never do that anymore in my class." Mr. Younghyun coldly asserted without looking at her while turning up his specs whereas he only focused on his laptop connecting to the projector.
"Thanks, Sir." She insisted while she gently flipped her red bright hair as she stepped towards her chair. The class won't stop gossiping about our merged classmate who undeniably stands out for her fancy eye makeup making her Asian almond eye a bit bolder, her pouty red ombré lips with a glossy texture that makes her lips glower as well as her dazzling fair skin.
"How come she will never stand out with that hair? Looks stupid." Lynx said before he sneered as he said something to her.
"I feel like I'm in the wrong building because of BSBA. Almost all of them look like they are from the Model department." I told him while twirling my pen to my fingers.
To make this time quick, Mr. Younghyun talks over certainly everything about the subject we are going to put up with. We have groupings for this Research and we are going to propose our title tomorrow. The group I have has two from Office Administration and three from Business Administration. Luckily, Lynx and I are in the same group.
"Hi everyone!" The prominent girl named Asher cheered at us with her two girl classmates behind her. As we place our chairs circular, I get surprised for the reason Asher is seated beside me with her strangely intriguing smile for me.
"Hi, Shiro! Your name is so cute just like you!" She confessed to me and giggled like a kid at the same time.
"Thanks." I coldly respond in shock and glared at Lynx with his lonesome expression.
"So now who's the Leader and Secretary?" Lynx suddenly interrupted Asher's odd behavior.
"We are appointing Ash as Secretary," Our two groupmates declared while pointing to Asher.
"Oh hey why me?" She said in her high-pitched voice.
"You are the Secretary of Student Affairs so we are confident you will do your job that easily." They rationalized to her while looking at her like they forcibly convinced her to say yes.
"Oh... Yeah sure." She spoke up while stuttering.
Lynx frowned as he is inquisitive towards her and said why he never saw her at council yesterday, for he was there to get his ID. Asher just strangely answers him that she had her magazine shot for understandably, her hair is color red right now.
"Ahh... okay," Lynx coldly said to her.
"So who's the Leader? Shiro?" Asher tells us with enthusiasm.
"Okay." I said to her, "...but make sure to do your responsibilities right." I said with an authoritarian tone.
"Y-Yes I will!" she nervously told me.
From there on, we brainstorm everything for the Research titles we are going to propose tomorrow. Like Mr. Younghyun said, the research title must be persuading, encouraging, and related to a charity that also talks about Business. After we decided on the title we will present, we chose three titles among our suggestions.
First, A correlation study between the profitable dog breeding industry and animal welfare; Research on organic food produce and sustainable market consumption, and lastly, An evaluation of the effects of the underground market on LGU revenue.
"I wrote each explanation about our topic. Now Asher it is all to you for the presentation and makes sure to keep the written report I made. Don't lose it, I don't have my laptop since It was broken, I hope we can keep in touch with you." I formally announced.
"Yes, I will! No worries Shiro!" She gleefully told us.
As time passed by I finally, get home safely. My foot almost got numb strolling Chào Yang University just for different classes but even though I am extremely exhausted, I sort everything about our Research using my phone. I really hate being useless, for my laptop is unsteady and I don't have enough money to purchase it. Being a scholar in an elite university sucks most of the time.
Meanwhile, I accumulate my agendas and told my groupmates to come as early as one hour or so before the class as soon as possible tomorrow. After that, I cannot help myself but sleep.
As the moment I shut my eyes, I heard the door creaking and it was sound so creepy along with its sinister smile I've seen from unknown until he's about to open his mouth and shouted:
"HEY IDIOT WAKE UP!"
[Beep] I quickly open my eyes as I heard the alarm starting to rattle my heart like crazy. I never realized that it was morning already. I was not able to remember my dream or maybe a nightmare for the only aspect I recall is some bratty voice dude called me an idiot. If ever that came about in the future I'll make sure to tear his face instantly. CYU has a lot of brat problematic kids but no one lures me at least once. Coward brats.
"Hey you look grumpy as hell to start a day, don't be a jinx!" My best friend told me in a sarcastic voice.
"I bet Jinx and Lynx are alike," I irritably told while we were walking down the aisle of the Main Zhong Building.
"Are you worried about the presentation?" He spoke up.
"Not really but I don't have any motivation to cheer up or so today. Dunno why," He raised his eyebrows and looked away again.
"That is not the Shiro I knew every time we have this kind of stuff. Common man what's wrong with—"
"I-I'm sorry, I think it's lost!" Suddenly a girl freakishly cried to make Lynx and I stop talking. And as we go through we sight our members frowning at Asher while she is looking for something in her bag.
"Hey what happened? Seriously, It's 7 in the morning for you to cry out like that." Lynx told Asher and she nervously faced us with tears.
"I-I'm really sorry, Shiro, Lynx, Kate, and Lean. I really don't know why It's not on the laptop, It was unexpectedly formatted and I never save it on the flash drive, I-I even lost the written report that Shiro made for us yesterday. I'm sorry!" Asher confessed to us and cried like a fool.
Because of the headache, I feel since yesterday, I decided not to respond to her and sit down on my seat covering my forehead with my palm and biting my tongue just to control myself to say something bad to her. Lynx is frustratingly seated beside me and trying not to make a commotion for some of our classmates are already here too.
"Seriously, how come you are the secretary of the council? Huh, sounds like you were just elected because you are popular!" Lean said with her annoying tone.
"You are right Lean! What a famous for nothing! So what should we do now ha?" Kate said while Asher is still trying her best to find the documents in her bag.
"Contact your bodyguard or maids right now common make it fast!" Lean exclaimed which makes the class gossip about Asher.
"Okay, okay, I will... Sorry..." She mumbled as she is trembling to hold her phone.
[BLAG] I don't even care what I'm doing right that's why I fiercely whack my desk with my fist because these two nuisances keep on barking like frenzied ugly canines. I stand up and look at them as they nervously stutter saying their reason for being furious with Asher.
"Hey Lean and Kate before you complain, make sure you contribute a lot yesterday. I don't even feel your existence more than Asher. She participated a lot compare to the two of you. So please, just stop." I can't help to keep quiet anymore not because I am the leader but also because I despise what they are doing to her. I instantly glared at Asher while her eyes were still swollen while looking at me like a kid.
"And you stop taking responsibility that you can't even handle," I told her and fetches the notebook she was clasping.
After this uprising scene, I decided to gather everything again about what I remembered. Thankfully, I take down what part I'm going to present, or else this day will be chaos. Lynx also do something beneficial to our group as well as Asher for they also remember their parts.
Moreover, the presentation is not satisfying but still, the three of us made it at the end of the class. We are gratified for at least Mr. Younghyun approved our Title that fasts even though It's so obvious that Mr. Younghyun notices some inadequacy in our report.
"Damn it that was intense, I've never been so stressed like this!" I told Lynx as I am still annoyed about what happened. I even stamped my feet when Mr. Younghyun left the room as well as the BSBA students. I've seen Asher apprehensively looking at me but I can't avoid being furious.
"Shiro..." I didn't know if I'm hallucinating or what for I just heard Asher murmuring my name then I stand up and see her still looking at me while biting her lips but I just ignored her for I still needed to leave for my next class plus I am not mad at her.
It is just I hate myself trusted her like that so easy. I never been like that to anyone before.