At the moment she shut the door, all of them hold their breathe and tried to sink in what was happening. A neighbor arched his eyebrows and a sudden crack up came from him before he goes inside his home.
In the meantime, Yangyang rolled his eyes beneath his sunglasses but took his deep sigh after he brushed up his hair again.
"HAHAHAHA," Yangyang give a sudden awkward laugh that makes all of them look at him.
"She doesn't want us here," Asher said with her shaky voice for she's about to cry again.
"Common' she's just shy like you know who will never get wondered this morning seeing beautiful faces, let's us just knock again," Yangyang boastfully said to them as he trying to reach the doorbell again but suddenly Austin stops it while clenching his fist.
"That girl!" He said with his threatening eyes and recklessly sway Yangyang's arms and push the doorbell aggressively this time.
"Hey! You stupid girl open this gate!" He said while slamming the gate that makes the neighbors peek at him. Mark, Nana, and Yangyang as well as Asher instantly stop him and he still exclaims Shiro's name.
"Tsk calm down peasant!" Yangyang said while gripping his right arms along with Nana and Mark on the left side while Asher shuts his mouth using her hands.
"Who is that?" Shiro's mom asks her. She awkwardly smiles for she is ready to tell lies to her mom and clench her fist from Austin and his company shows up in her home.
"J-just those stupid Survey, ma... hehe," She said that makes her mom suspicious of her.
"SHIRO!" Austin shouts her name again that brings to Shiro's mom drops her kitchen knife down on the table, "I'll check it!" Shiro hastily says to her mom and internally screams.
"No, I'll check it," Her mom widens her eyes and screeches her chair as she takes off from it and steps towards the door.
"Who's that?" A woman with a deep voice makes them stop and it gives them more goosebumps this time.
"That wasn't her," Nana said to his mind.
The gate fiercely opened and they were all startled for they saw a tall woman, with a fair melanin complexion, along with her beautiful but intimidating expression on her face as she glaring at them just like how is Shiro looking at them annoyingly.
"How can I help you?" She politely asks them.
"Is Shiro still in there?" Asher asked Shiro's mom in a calm manner. She wanders her eyes looking at these strangers in front of her along with their fancy cars and themselves to make her wonder how in the world would Shiro will friends with them or rich people like them.
"Shiro," Her mom called her with an authoritative voice that makes all of them nervous especially Shiro herself. Shiro annoyingly walks towards her while scratching her head.
"Is this the survey you were talking about?" Her mom asked her with her fiercely looking gaze. Shiro rolls her eyes and thins her lips tightly controlling herself from the anger she felt.
"No, I mistook them," She said without looking at them even her mom.
"What do you want from her anyway?" Her mom straightforwardly asked them.
"W-we are here to visit! Our friend Shi—"
"SCHOOLMATE!"
Mark gasped from Shiro's hostile welcome to them as she stubbornly corrected him. Austin shows his annoyed face to Shiro that makes their eyes meet once again like anytime they will showcase a fight in front of other people.
"Hey we do our best to get on in here and you welcome us like that you idiot woman!" Austin uncontrollably let out his words again without thinking. Yangyang nudges him on his back murmuring something to him for he is already embarrassed from the beginning and the fact that the neighbors are still gawking at them.
"You are dumber you stubborn rich rid! Now it's my obligation you all go in here ha?!" Shiro told to him while she's clenching her fist, but suddenly a swaying motion stops Shiro from almost taking her feet outside the gate.
"Shiro!" Her mom looks at her that makes her tame a little but still stubbornly murmurs her annoyance for them.
"Shiro, we're sorry we just want to see you," Asher charmingly told her while pouting her lips that making Shiro feel a little guilty again.
"Shiro help me to open up the gates at least," Her mom instructed her then she gasped a little but do it anyway afterward while looking at them annoyingly as Austin grinned his lips again teasingly staring at Shiro.
"Tss..." Shiro exhibited her bitterness and assisted them to enter their cars.
"You should notify Shiro you will all go in here, I'm not yet done preparing breakfast," Her mom formally said once again.
"Auntie, uhhm what's your name?" Mark politely asked her.
"It's Quennie, go on now inside and wait for I'm going to prepare." She authoritatively tells them while looking at them one by one.
"We actually bring some goods, Auntie," Yangyang said as he shows some foods they bring.
"Let's have that for lunch later, can you able to stay until that time?" As Aunty Quennie said it Asher cannot help to twinkle her eyes from excitement.
"E-even until dinner!" Austin suddenly exclaimed that omits Asher's enthusiasm a little bit. Surprisingly Aunty Quennie chuckles a bit that gives rise to Shiro looking at her and she suddenly feels a lighted sensation in her heart.
"Okay, feel at home dear," Aunty said to them and finally amble her feet towards the front door. Austin gives an excited smile as he bounces his feet but Shiro looks at him badly and also takes off her feet and Austin eventually follows her that makes his other friend follow him. Austin nudges Shiro's shoulder against his shoulder to tease Shiro.
"What!" She irritably asked him.
"Why? Aren't you thankful to see a handsome guy like me this morning?" Austin teasingly asked her.
"Stay away!" and she instantly kicks him on his feet and Austin chuckles again and she goes ahead on her own business at the Living room where she's sketching something while watching Anime that has been paused.
"Yu Yu Hakusho," Nana rarely speaks up again looking at the flat-screen Android television. Shiro sits down on the sofa as her art materials are on the table such as colorful twin markers, pencils, and crosswise vellum board.
Austin immediately joins her while she's sketching something again and perhaps she has no intention of talking with them. While she's starting again to sketch one of the characters of Yu Yu Hakusho (Ghost Fighter) who is Kurama, Austin immediately peeps at it but Shiro gives a threatening glance at him to make him stop and gets one of the finished drawings that she did an hour ahead before they came.
"Wow, you are really good at this like Yangyang," he said as he compliments one of her drawings. Shiro instantly snatches it from his hands.
"Stop touching my stuff," and goes back again to her drawing and glimpsing on the TV at the same time.
"Nerdy penguin!" Austin teasingly told her and jokingly tapped her drawings on the table.
"Hey, do you wish for death?" Shiro asked him and Asher swiftly run towards them and sit down on the right side of the sofa that makes Shiro in between them.
"I-I like this one!" Asher grabs one of her drawings who is Killua Zoldyck of Hunter x Hunter, "Tsk," Shiro attempts to snatch it from her but she suddenly realizes she doesn't want to do harshly with her anymore because of Asher's cute gesture while looking at her drawing.
"Then take it if you want to," She coldly said to Asher.
"Really?" She exclaimed and chancing her to hug Shiro from excitement but she instantly moves to prevent it.
"Hey! How about me? Where's mine?" Austin stubbornly asked her.
"Do you even know that?" Yangyang suddenly interrupted them and sits on a solo sofa to join them while Nana and Mark still standing at the back while looking at Shiro's divider that has a lot of her family and childhood pictures.
As Nana wanders his eyes he eventually sees Shiro's dad's solo picture along with two unlighted used candles in between. "Shiro come here and help me to give them the plates," Shiro instantly run like a kid going to her mom and Nana glances at her observingly staring in front of him.
"She has a different atmosphere in her home," Nana said to his mind as he still observing her getting the plates in the kitchen.
Asher instantly ambles her feet leaving Yangyang and Austin watching anime and helps Shiro to disperse the saucers on the table. Asher charmingly smiles as she is happy that Shiro and her closely getting together. Shiro is gentler unlike the first time they met but still being awkward with her.
"Shiro you are so cute with your sleepwear, I love it!" She said while giggling.
"I'm annoyed you all see me like this I don't like facing a visitor looking not presentable," She coldly responds. Asher was startled by what she let out and almost drop the teaspoon she's holding.
"I'm sorry," She instantly told her which makes Shiro head up and look at her, "It's fine," Shiro humbly responds that making Asher flustered and cannot help to smile again.
They all set on themselves in the dining area and Aunty Quennie put a large bowl of Honey Tteokbokki a Korean rice cake that is seared with butter that gives a crispy texture outside and chewy texture on the inside and it drizzles with honey along with sesame seeds.
"Shiro likes sweets in the morning that's why I usually prepared her that," Aunty politely asserted to them. Nana, Mark, and Yangyang were assisted by Aunty Quennie to place the rice cakes on their plates.
Shiro and Asher grab their own while Austin oddly looks at it as Shiro notices that Austin's plate is empty she instantly gets the serving spoon and puts the rice cakes on the saucer. As Shiro placed it Austin suddenly felt nervousness and rapidly moved his eyes.
"I-I can do it!" he awkwardly exclaimed and grabs the serving spoon from Shiro. Shiro is unaware of her gestures and even Austin's behavior that's why she just responds "Okay," and starts munching her food.
[Door Bell] "Ahh! It's him!" Shiro surprisingly exclaimed as she heard the doorbell and hastily stands up going towards the front door.
"Shiro! You forgot the money, why are you always being in a hurry?" Aunty Quennie told her and grabbed the money in her pocket and Shiro immediately get it and run again towards the door.
All of them inside glance at each other and Asher takes a smile as she is more captivated by Shiro's action. They even heard her gleefully greeting the old man she's been waiting this morning and even hearing her talking happily. Austin also cannot help himself to smile as he wants to tease Shiro but still he felt being awkward and shy to do it at the moment. It is an odd feeling to Austin to feel like that but he is delighted to watch her differently happy from the day she saw her at CYU.
They almost took Shiro's Saturday for they effortlessly feel at home. Aunty Quennie knows them one by one and Austin seems remarkable for her. Austin even helps her to cook lunch and Shiro was surprised about it. As almost them feel the sleepiness in their head in the afternoon Mark, Nana, and Yangyang get asleep as they binge-watch anime and also join to draw with Shiro. While they are all resting Shiro goes to her room and changes some clothes after she takes a bath.
As Shiro is not yet going down Asher helps Aunty to put the food they lend on the fridge as well as wash the plates. Austin who is still very energetic since morning looks around on the aisle near the stairs to Shiro's room. He looks at the picture on the wall seeing Shiro's childhood and baby photos make him giggle.
"Even she was a kid she already looks extremely disobedient!" He whispered to himself while looking at 5-year-old Shiro wearing a pink jacket along with her white skirt as well as her two-sided ponytail while she and her dad held hands with each other and smile happily together. He took a deep breath as he still looked at the picture hoping to see Shiro smile as she used to when her dad was still her for she is clearly and genuinely cheerful.
Shiro decided to go down after she fixes herself and she instantly gets startled to see Austin all alone on the aisle looking at her intensely.
"What are you doing here?" Shiro asked her annoyingly and he suddenly sits down on the wooden chair near the vintage drawers.
"Hey, Shiro," He called her name without looking at her.
"You look like a Baozi on that picture," He teasingly said to Shiro while grinning at her.
"Tss... did you go in here just to insult me?!" Shiro responds to him while patting her long sleeve because of the baby powder that she used. Austin immediately stands up and slowly comes to her.
"Hey," Shiro wondering about what Austin is doing and he just smiles turning his head down facing Shiro.
"Hey about what happened last time, I'm sorry," After he said it he touches Shiro's nose and turns himself leaning on the wall.
"Seriously, you apologized to people like that?" Shiro told him and also lean herself on the wall beside Austin.
"Of course I'm not!" He said to her while chuckling, "Hey do you have any intentions talking with Asher?" His sneering suddenly changes into a serious tone that makes Shiro look at him.
"Do I have to do it?" She mumbles shyly and stays away from her glances at him.
"Hey, you idiot! Are you a girl or pretending to be a girl that you have no idea what girls talk is all about?" Austin preaching her and look at her once again while he leans his fist on the wall.
"How dare you call me an idiot? Besides that, we are not even close, so why the hell I'm supposed to bring in the first move?" She stubbornly said without looking at him for Austin makes her awkward from his intense look on her.
"Asher is doing her best just for you, she is not good at words but I'm telling you, you have to understand her she indeed likes you," His tone makes more convincing as he suddenly became gentler than before even Shiro cannot able to explain why she surprisingly feels her heart lightens to the fact that the guy he is talking to is the guy that causes her to have detention.
"Shiro!" The two of them get interrupted when her mom called her.
"I think mom is done packing your Honey Tteokbokki you all requested," She said to him and nudges him away as he still smiles near at her that making her flustered.
When she goes again into the kitchen and the three gentlemen are finally wake up her mom lets them eat some meriendas before they go home. As Austin joined with his friends and Shiro's mom is assisting and chatting with them in the living room, finally Asher and Shiro are alone near the kitchen.
When Asher placed the rice cakes on the recyclable bag Shiro instantly came to her, "Asher..." She called her shyly and that makes Asher gasp, "S-Shiro?" she said while stuttering and getting surprised when Shiro is offering her a bottled iced tea.
"Thank you for visiting me," Shiro expresses to her as she rapidly moved her eyes from shyness. Asher smiles charmingly as she gets the bottle, "Shiro... For what I have done since the first class I'm sorry." She said while pouting her lips.
"I told you to have nothing to apologize about it," She immediately responded and Asher gazes at her as she is about to cry, "Your headphones I'm—"
"It's fine," Asher gets interrupted when Shiro said that to her.
"It's already old, that's why it's already fragile," She said to her as she smiling a bit while tapping her fingers on the dining table.
"But your dad gave it to you," Asher said and starts to cry which makes Shiro panic and recklessly give the kitchen tissue to her.
"I-I told you it's fine," Shiro said while she attempts not to laugh but cannot help herself to do it as she is patting Asher's back. Asher instantly looks at her as she is amazed that Shiro smiles genuinely sweet and light.
"A-are we friends now?" She impulsively asked Shiro that makes her stop and wonder.
"Why are you so persistent about that?" Shiro asked her in a thoughtful tone.
"Because I want to be friends with you since the first year! But I always never had a chance!" She looks at her in a more wondering manner.
"Are you a stalker or what?" She weirdly asked her while giggling.
"Of course I'm not! I'm seeing you every time you are in Council you are hardworking and some Professors and your classmates are depending on you. You really inspired me, Shiro, I can't help to be amazed at you for I cannot do my duty as Secretary properly that is why I owe you and want you to be my friend so bad!" She eventually said to her like she almost stops breathing saying her confession to Shiro.
Shiro felt immediate happiness prickle her heart as she got dumbfounded by Asher's words for her. She instantly remembers last night when she's talking alone with Lynx at the park near their home.
"You have to think about Asher more than once, I think she's genuinely interested to be your friend," Those words from Lynx lingering in her head and steadfastly checks Asher's foot and sees those band-aid on her heel as she is wearing flip-flops that make her blisters visible.
Shiro looks at her and gives her a gratifying smile, "See you on Monday then," She said to her, and Asher immediately comprehended that she already accepted her as a friend.
"Wait, Shiro!" She delightfully runs towards her channel classic bag and grabs some fancy box inside.
"Here," she lends something again and when Shiro opens it she glimpses headphone that has the same color from her dad's gift but has a different shape and size that looks contemporary. Shiro exhibited her thin smile and nodded.
"Thanks," she mumbled and Asher surprisingly cuddled her from the happiness she felt. Instead, Shiro was not startled but happiness seems dancing in her heart.
As they stride their feet towards the living room Asher never hesitate to ask her again, "Hey, Is Lynx is your boyfriend?" Shiro immediately gave an inquisitive expression on her but switched her expression instantly and smile sweetly.
"He's a special person to me that's why we are close but—" She stops from talking when Austin was suddenly in front of them and looks like he is withering that presumably, he is mad or something.
"Are you done talking now? Asher, we have to go home!" He said stubbornly and turn his back hastily.
"What the hell is wrong with him? Tss..." Asher whispered to herself.
"Anyway Shiro we're going! See you on Monday! I can't wait!" Shiro shows her smile once again, "Uhm, see you," she awkwardly let out without looking at Asher who is delightfully staring and flapping happily her hands against her hands.
At 6 p.m. they decided to take off themselves and give thanks to Aunty and Shiro for their warm welcome and even though the morning starts with a chaotic scenario, seems to end that well. When all of them waved goodbye whereas Aunty Quennie slowly closed that main gate. Shiro displays a smile on her face and moves her head expressing goodbye to them. Shiro's mom latches the gate when they are finally gone and instantly looks at Shiro that still smiling while looking at the gift Asher lends to her.
"Hey it's getting dark let's go," Her mom calmly said to her a breaks a little smile, and pats her head.
"Uhm," She responded. As she looks at the new headphones that Asher gave to her. The heaviness she felt last time has enlightened a bit, seems like there are times that we had to say goodbye to something to make ourselves move forward and take a step. Little by little.