It's just the 3rd day of their class already but an equivalent of two months of stress for Shiro. Mood swings make her more grumpy to the point she is not interested in talking to anyone in the class except Lynx.
"Cheer up Master!" Lynx sarcastically teased him and attempt to prickle her waist. Shiro hastily knocks his belly without hesitation which makes Lynx act like he's not that in pain, which part he has hurt anyway.
"Damn you, Shiro! Thank God to my gorgeous six-pack abs or else I will be dead right now." He said while bragging and pointing at his tummy hiding behind his black v neck shirt along with an open denim jacket.
"Why the hell does a narcissistic man as you exist in this world?" After Shiro said those words Lynx makes the sudden motion of brushing his black hair up, "I'm not narcissistic Shiro, I am just telling the truth!"
She never responded to his remarks as she puts her headphones on that were given by his dad. Every time her mind is troubled, she used to bring her headphones and try to unwind herself a bit. It can't be easy for this semester, since she met Asher she must admit that she is uneasy. She bothers her because the fact she hates popular classmates ever since. Now that she feels like being involved with someone like them, It somehow feels draining up her energy. On the other hand, she never wanted to judge her like that.
Lynx and Shiro came to the university ahead of their first class. Approximately, ten of their classmates are already inside of their classroom. Shiro looked at her black sports watch and it's already half an hour before seven a.m. She puts her hand on the left corner of her face as she writes something on a piece of paper.
"Give me just one more time to see you." Those words suddenly glitch on Shiro's mind.
"Hey" suddenly a tremendous nudged from Lynx to Shiro.
"Tsk." She mumbled annoyingly while removing her headphones and she suddenly sees Asher in front of her wearing classic channel earrings along with her Givenchy dress. Shiro just looks at her with her expressionless but annoyed face for Asher that makes her startled a little bit while holding something behind her.
"Good morning Shiro!" she said with her forceful enthusiasm greeting.
"Uhm" Shiro responds to her. "Ahhm..." Asher stutters with her high-pitched voice as she is trying her best to say something.
"It's a good day today, isn't it? Hahaha!" A surprising forceful laugh she exhibits makes Lynx cringe like hell.
"What is it?" Shiro speaks up finally without looking at her. Asher widens her eyes because of the tension she perceives.
"I-I have something for you, Shiro." She smiles nervously and Shiro heads up and asked her what's her business and assure to make it quick before Mr. Younghyun arrives.
"Here!" She recklessly gave a brand new Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch to Shiro.
"For me?" Shiro asserted whereas she's frowning at the same time. Lynx got surprised and instantly glance at Shiro. The other students are starting to watch as if there's a show inside the classroom.
Shiro takes a deep sigh as well as closes her eyes, "It's fine I don't need it." She rejected without uncertainty.
"But yours was broken, right?" She said while her eyes are twinkling because of her excitement yet a scary moment for her. Shiro exhibited her deepest breath while looking at her paper annoyingly. "What the hell is this girl doing?" Her mind let out as she is trying her best not to say something rude again.
The crowd started to buzz their viewpoint. "She has that politician style pursuing people isn't she?" A girl said behind them.
"Yeah, like her grandfather." Another annoying gossiper said in a sarcastic way. Meanwhile, Asher can hear everything that people keep on barking a lot about her yet she persists to stay calm as she is focused to persuade Shiro that much.
"I-I'm telling you, I-I promise this is not fake! I chose what's the best in stores I went to, they said this has really had good specs! Please Shiro accept it." Lynx and Shiro got surprised by Asher's odd behavior, they even glance at each other like they have the superpower of talking their minds.
"Hey answer her!" Lynx internally screamed to his mind while widening his eyes looking at Shiro. "No! Alibi something! Common!" Shiro also exclaimed on her mind while giving a death glare to Lynx and hitting his chair using her feet.
"She doesn't want it, Asher, thanks for the concern." Lynx explanation to her and shows off his lovely eye smile again. Unfortunately, that thing wasn't effective to Asher.
"But Shiro..." She suddenly holds Shiro's hand persistently. "I promise to you this is fine! Not like mine formats on its own. I'm kinda reckless when it comes to my gadget but I assure you—"
Shiro gets off her hand aggressively as she hates skin ship to anyone even close to her.
"Then take it, I can purchase my own. I don't need any donation from you." She spoke up and put on her headphones again. Asher tries to speak but she doesn't want to make Shiro mad once again. She finally set her own off in front of Shiro. The bell finally rings for their class with Mr. Younghyun. He discusses Chapter One that they are going to accomplish and he instructed to divide every duty by members.
Shiro's group gather once again and she appointed them their work. Asher is trying her best to comprise but her mind is drifting. "Hey, are you listening?" Lean suddenly nudge Asher.
"What the hell are you daydreaming for?" Kate mumbles as if she is not heard.
"Here," Lynx gently lends a piece of paper to Asher. "Shiro said earlier, yours is the Background of the Study. In case you didn't hear." Lynx said with an awkward smile.
"Ah... okay I got it." She said softly and nodded while flicking her nails. Shiro looks at her but denied what's inside her mind. She's actually worried about her or sympathizes with her for Asher is being rejected.
As the bell rings, Shiro and Lynx instantly leave the room, "I hate it that I'm bothered" Shiro coldly said to Lynx.
"Let's go to the café, our stupid Prof. Junio will have his seminar so we don't have a class for 2 hours." He insists while nudging Shiro's shoulder and gleefully positioning his arms on her shoulder, "Let's go!" He said while dragging his no energy best friend.
"Have some Iced Matcha Latté, Master!" Lynx teasingly told Shiro and place their order on the table. They are already inside the café that is two times larger than the other coffee shop outside the university. The café is cozy, wherein they are sitting on a comfortable sofa while they may rent to read novels or manga. The ambiance also feels like you are home for the reason of its Tagaytay style coffee shop that is near a misty spot. As Shiro twists the stirrer whereas she's also reading Hunter x Hunter on her left hand, Lynx never hesitates to open up about Asher. Shiro eventually stops as she heard her name.
"She's still sketchy for me." She said without looking at him. Lynx rasp his head and continue to talk to her even though he is not sure that Shiro's going to listen to him. "There is some part of me that you know, she's maybe genuine and you are just overthinking again." Shiro looks at him and he speaks out his mind again, "But then, most of the time your impulse are always right so I am being convinced to jump to conclusions somehow." Lynx told him as he also raised his eyebrows.
Shiro starts to get curious about Asher and grabs her phone and search for her on the internet. As she is browsing the net she is enlightened by what she sees. "Oh, his grandfather is Lucio Cojuangco Ning, that Filipino-Chinese run as Senator and won in a hocus-pocus way last year," She boastfully said to him. Lynx immediately sneaks on her phone looking so interested more about Asher.
"She is sketchy because she is also from a sketchy politician," Lynx said to Shiro.
Shiro dropped her phone on the table and starts to read the manga again. Her I don't care vibe eventually lures again or maybe she doesn't want to say something about her badly. Maybe or maybe not. She will follow her intuition that that girl is not a trustworthy individual, to begin with.
"She may be doing that because she embarrassed herself on the Research subject and she's baiting me for her privilege or maybe her grandfather and that girl got into an argument for she is an airheaded secretary. What she has done might have made her and their family's reputations tarnished. If she wants to bait someone, I hope she stops using me for I am not interested," Shiro said to her mind before she turns back focusing on what she is reading.
Shiro and Lynx take a two-hour break to release their tensions Meanwhile, on the other side, that is approximately 3 meters away from the two best friends, Asher is stirring her coffee while drifting away again and again from what just happened an hour ago.
"Hey, Asher seriously? You've been stirring your coffee for an hour. What is wrong with you?" A guy with a strong slang accent raises a question to Asher. She looked at that guy who is in front of her, she takes a deep sigh and tried her best to speak out.
"Yangyang, don't worry I'm okay." She said and show her unconvincing smile.
Yangyang is Asher's one of her childhood best friends a guy that has a hooded lid on his intimidating eyes, fair colored complexion along his slim manly face. His look has a feature of a European trait for he is a German, but his Taiwanese details mostly outshine it. His rose-colored pouty wide lips make his gummy smile the best among the girls that fascinated by him.
Yangyang brushes up his medium-length, straight light brown silky hair that instantly falls on his forehead.
"Ash, I think you have to stop being a people pleaser." He said without looking at her.
"Yangyang is right. You have to out yourself being timid or else you are going to regret that in the end." Nathaniel asserted with his deep and lazy-like tone voice. He looks at Asher with his monolid innocent eyes, along with his expressionless gaze. He takes a deep sigh, then bites his pink soft lips and swallowed greedily with his heart-shaped Adam's apple.
"This is hopeless," Nathaniel let out on his mind while emotionlessly looking at her and taking a sip of his Black Americano Iced coffee.
"Hey, guys please take it slow! Don't be so harsh to Ash!" Mark spoke his mind to them.
"Wow, coming from the King of Submissiveness." Yangyang exhibited again the slang articulation that makes Mark annoyed more with him.
"S-seriously?" Mark said stuttering with his innocent expression like a child on his small-hearted shape face.
"Hahaha that face says it all," Yangyang teasingly told him while fixing his long sleeves under his white shirt.
"Hey, have you noticed Asher these days? Last time she went to us crying for help for she wanted to apologize and now she's like that!" Mark angrily cries out to Yangyang.
"That girl seems stubborn just imagine Austin is around. Prolly, Cháo Yáng will be get destroyed as a missile bomb came from the sky." Yangyang sarcastically told them.
"Xiao Yang!" [An endearment but an insult for Yangyang that means Little Sheep.] "...I'm telling you, Shiro is not like what you think of her!" Asher suddenly cries out to Yangyang.
"First of all stop calling me Xiao Yang! Secondly, we are concerned about you. We had warned you last time that your presentation was intentionally deleted by some parasite from your group. Nana [Nathaniel's Nickname] checked on it and we do not doubt his computer skills. So I'm telling you again to be careful about people you are talking to naive woman." Yangyang said with his intimidating voice.
"I'm telling you that thing did not happen. You are just clearly overreacting again." Asher said as she also charmingly pout her lips like a kid.
"I-I just want to be friends with her but all I did is give her a bad impression and now she hates me." She said while her childhood friends anticipated her crying out but luckily she tries to prevent herself from it.
"Austin is also concerned about you Ash even he's in Shanghai right now, he keeps on asking for you because you are obviously not okay." Mark insisted in a calm manner.
"I told you, I'm okay! I'm gonna handle this alone! Don't interfere especially that Austin!" She stubbornly said while stamping her feet and making the other customers at the coffee shop looking at her.
"Seesh, seriously Ash what the hell—"
"Shiro!" Yangyang was get interrupted when Asher exclaimed someone's name.
They see Shiro with her black loose T-shirt tucked in white jeans. Her glare is obviously irritable as Asher shouts her name in public.
"She looks annoying," Yangyang whispered to Nana. Nana scarcely gives an expressionless face to Shiro and Lynx. Mark exhibited an awkward smile for he doesn't want to dishearten Asher who is twinkling her eyes as she saw Shiro that is almost walking towards the exit.
"Uhm," Shiro said whereas she also raised her eyebrows and instantly left the coffee shop without saying anything anymore.
"T-that's her?" Mark asked her while he is stuttering.
"Her phone is not in good condition as well," Asher mumbled.
"What the hell are you trying to do again Ash?" Yangyang asked with his threatening glared.
"Nothing, I'm taking off!" She hastily said and run away hastily from them. Yangyang, Nana, and Mark only take a deep sigh while sulking in disbelief at how Asher is becoming more relentless after she met Shiro.
The next day, Lynx and Shiro did not have their research subject. Their first subject is already finished and they decided to go to their locker. As Shiro fixed her headphones on her nape, while coding her password to open her locker, suddenly there is a box of iPhone 12 pro along with her books inside. She hastily grabs it and sees Asher's violet butterfly sticky note on it.
"I saw your phone yesterday and it seems shattered and that thing may be burdensome. I hope you like it. Please accept it! Love, Asher."
Shiro rolls her eyes to disbelief and contentiously shuts down her locker which makes another student peek at her. "That girl, she even forcibly asks Ma'am G to open my locker just for this silly thing!" She madly said and takes off quickly while holding the phone.
"Hey Shiro calm down we still have our class with Ma'am G!" Lynx trying to convince her best friend, but she is already steadfast.
She sights Asher along with her friends in a private glass room and she promptly enters the room without uncertainty. She aggressively puts the phone on their table that makes Asher and Mark shock.
"What is this again?" She asks Asher.
"Shiro that's for you and I'm genuinely giving that to you I promise!" She urges and stands up taking back the phone to Shiro.
"I told you already, I don't need any donations from you. Just end this stupid thing." Shiro constantly demands Asher. A sudden creak sound from a chair as Yangyang aggressively stands up.
"She just wanted to apologize and you act being an exceptional shit!" Yangyang said to her while he is clenching his fist.
A death glare from Shiro looks at Yangyang and she sneers before she speaks out again, "If this is how to apologize then this is not how it is for I am not from a bunch of brats like you." She looks at them again and again, "Besides that there is nothing to apologize for." Then she finally leaves their room as Lynx is standing and patiently waiting for her.
Asher can't help her tears to fall from her eyes, "Wait... wait, Shiro!" She exclaims and runs as fast as she can while wearing her red three inches stilettos.
"Ash!" Her friends shouted and immediately follow her.
"Next time you have to stop meddling with girls talk Xiao Yang!" Mark said as they run towards Asher.
"Hey! That freak said something terrible to Ash and she even said we are brats! She is reckoning us so I have to say something." Yangyang explained himself.
"Yangyang is mirroring that's why it makes him aggravate," Nana told him with his lazy-like voice again.
"What did you say Omen kid? Do you want to die?" Yangyang threatens Nana with his fist pointing at Nana's face.
"Shiro!" They heard Asher screaming Shiro's name and they hastily move on to that place.
"SHIRO PLEASE BE MY FRIEND!" Asher screams more loudly that makes the three gentleman standstills. Shiro still walking away from Asher that is why Asher aggressively grabs her arm and makes Shiro startle and wipe out her arms that makes Asher almost stumbles her feet.
.
.
.
"HEY!" A sudden slow-motion phase makes them stop when some bratty voice from a guy uproars the crowd that almost heard on their university grounds. As they slowly phasing their glimpse on a guy who is wearing a Pala D'Oro long sleeves polo printed with orange and gray abstract along with his denim blue jeans and Optical white Converse Chuck Taylor. He aggressively removes his Aviator Mirror Ray-ban shades as well his left Air pods while the breeze is ruffling his black wavy symmetrical hair.
Asher and his friends are in a tremor for the embarrassment they feel for the misunderstanding that might cause by him.
"A-Austin? AUSTIN!" Mark exclaimed as Yangyang and Nana glanced at each other and talk eye to eye with their minds to make a justification about what happened between the two girls.
"Hey, Austin I've taught your flight will be—"
"HEY, I'M TALKING TO YOU! YOU PALE ROUND FACE GIRL!" Austin screeches his mind as he recklessly interrupts Yangyang. Yangyang takes a deep sigh as he realizes that everything seems too late, "AHHHH THIS IDIOT AUSTIN WILL NEVER LISTEN ANYMORE!" those words play on his mind repeatedly.
"What the hell did you—" Lynx is about to pick a fight with Austin but Shiro stops him immediately, "Don't mind these brats. Let's go we are going to be late!" She said while grabbing Lynx's bag making him move beside her again.
"AUSTIN NO!" Asher cries out as Austin hastily runs towards Shiro and grabs her aggressively at the back of her shirt. And because of the strong force he causes to Shiro, she helplessly staggered and almost fell on the ground. Fortunately, she controls herself not to fall therefore, unfortunately, her headphones glide away from her and fall to the ground.
The sound of shattered headphones makes all of them silent. Lynx looks at her with fear and concern written over his face, they see Shiro slowly bending her knees going towards the ground, and attempting to assemble her broken headphones. Because of it, Lynx finally cannot help himself to grab Austin's collar aggressively.
"LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" Lynx yells angrily while gripping his hands forcefully and it makes his veins almost visible.
Austin smirked at him and make his monolid eyes more intense.
"She deserves that for hurting my friend! And hey, why the hell you came to look pathetic because of that terrible headphones!" He said sarcastically while bragging about his jawline make Lynx frighten him.
"Say more words or I will whack your face! You bullshit spoiled brat—"
"LYNX!" Lynx gets interrupted by Shiro and he eventually stops gripping his hands to Austin. Shiro stands up and gave a death glare to Austin that makes all of them feel a chilling sensation down to their spines.
"Asher..." She calls Asher in a calm expression.
"If you awe an apology then you have it now." She let out and take her deep sigh.
"I hope this is over now aren't we?" Shiro turns her back and puts the broken headphones on her backpack and walks away with Lynx.
Austin feels his heart beating rapidly and he does not know why he felt terrified about everything that Shiro said to them. He glances at Asher, whereas she's helplessly sobbing which makes her eyes more swollen.
"Why are you here? Did you see what you have done?" Asher said and sit down near the pavement hugging her knees and crying helplessly.
"If Dillan is here, he probably makes things alright!" Asher said that gives rise to Austin's senses.
"Hey, I've taught that bitch... I mean that woman is bullying you that's why I interfere!" Austin explained while clenching his fist.
"That damn Dillan again!" He mumbles and also turns his back away from them.
"Why does she make me feel guilty? What the hell is wrong with me!" Austin said and aggressively kick the trash can beside him.
Half an hour before evening, Shiro is still quiet since their class with Ma'am G. Lynx is trying not to bring about what happened and they went home without talking, "Shiro you will have your Orientation tomorrow right?" Her mom asked her.
"Uhm," She responds to agree. She quickly goes to her room. She throws her bag on her bed and sits down in front of the mirror. She looks at her reflection in the dim light room she's in. She gets her bag again and grabs the broken headphones and puts it on the table.
[knock] As she heard her mom knocking at the door she immediately hides it and fixes her bushy hair she's grasping for a while ago. "Dear I already prepared your white Long sleeve polo, I'm just gonna put it here." She said it and place it on the top of her drawer.
"Thanks, ma." She said with her weak voice.
Her mom closes the door quickly and she clenches her fist while her heart is rapidly beating. She suddenly gasps as her mom opens the door again and she is holding some meriendas she prepared for her.
"Have some tacos I made that this afternoon." And she taps Shiro's head. Her mom walks toward the door to leave her again but before she closes it she said something to her, "I hope that you are okay." Then she calmly smiles at her.
As her mom closes the door, her tears quickly run from her eyes as she opens the drawer again. Her tears keep on falling and falling and falling and falling all over again.
"I miss you. Dad..." She mumbles while clenching her fist on the table as she feels weak from the heaviness inside her chest she's carrying for so long.