Monday has come, Shiro came to school earlier than Lynx because he became busier from his upcoming basketball games. She used to ride a bus all alone since 1st year of college for she knows Lynx cannot be able to wake up as early as she is. When she finally arrived at school, she started to amble her feet with a sudden hesitation within her as she realized she was walking towards their V.I.P. room. She stops at the front of it.
"So what do you think?... tell us something," Shiro is startled as she heard Yangyang start to talk that's why she immediately runs away from the room and goes to another building and she went to the library and overthinks about what Yangyang has been talking about.
An hour has passed, Austin surprised his friends in their private room when he entered along with the bouquet in his hand. They have also noticed him being different and looking very delighted as he keeps on looking at his phone. Yangyang got intrigued, as well as Asher and, started to halt their council meeting just to ask about what happened last Saturday.
"So how is it?" Asher delightfully asked him.
"None of your business," he said and smile annoyingly and peek on his phone once again, "Did Shiro already here?" he asked them.
"Answer my question first properly! So how is it? Like did you do well? Did you make her happy or angry? Or did you kiss her?" Asher steadfastly asked Austin that's why all of his friends simultaneously look at him and he stops browsing his phone and gulps forcefully.
"What's with you all? Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked them and started to rapidly move his eyes away from them.
"So you kissed her?" Asher asked him with her eyes wide open.
"Well I bet that's forced, like... do you think Shiro will approve that?" Yangyang sarcastically said with his serious expression.
"Hey take it easy! Why... Why are you... we did, I mean we just..."
"You're stuttering... so you forced her!" Asher said.
"NO! AHHH! I'M NOT LIKE THAT!" he yelled at them and stood up holding the bouquet carefully.
"Stop asking me like that! And stop judging me! You asked her how nice I was last Saturday! Tss..." he appealed and sat down on the navy blue barrel accent chair and crossed his arms not looking at them.
"Then let's wait for her," Yangyang asserted to them but Austin just rolled his eyes and did not respond to him even though he wanted to say something but he was too focused on waiting for Shiro as he wanted to give those flowers immediately to her.
Unfortunately after his long anticipation, Shiro never showed up in their private room until the first class that's why they all just go together on their perspective classes. Asher instantly sees Shiro and clings on her shoulders.
"Good morning Shiro!" she greeted her but Shiro just nodded and smiled awkwardly. Lynx immediately goes beside Shiro and Professor Younghyun comes early, as usual, that's why Asher never had a chance to talk about what happened last Saturday.
Even they started to group themselves as Professor Younghyun instructed them to do so; Asher still never had a chance of talking with Shiro about what happened. Seemingly, she is serious about their research or maybe she is just awkward to talk about it.
Austin and Yangyang go already in their class, unfortunately, their first class was vacant once again. Surely, Austin will become more impatient as he has no chance to let the time fly while waiting for Shiro. Yangyang started to amble his feet going towards his chair, but before he opened the book for the next subject, he only realized that Austin was not beside him anymore.
Some of his classmates are already inside of the class and at first, they were at their own business but this time as Austin is in front of their class, specifically, at the teacher's table as he sat down on it while looking at his phone endlessly while impatiently waiting for the right time. Yangyang rolled his eyes as their classmates started to gossip at each other.
"So... It's from another college or what?" some of their classmates loudly whispered at his seatmate.
"The bouquet looks expensive..." she replied.
"What a lucky girl," somebody said again.
Yangyang started to deep sigh and those conversations lurked in his ears as he tried his best to read his book but then he couldn't help it.
"Do you think that tall girl from BSOA?" Yangyang hastily looked upwards and started to coldly stare at some of his classmates who had said it. She instantly noticed him and awkwardly moved her eyes away from him. Yangyang turns upon his gaze once again to Austin and he eventually gets his phone in his pocket then instantly goes to his messenger.
"Bro seriously, you don't have to be there in front,"
He chatted with him and dropped his phone on his table that's why Austin looks back at him, takes a deep sigh while rolling his eyes, and smirks at him before he leaves their classroom.
After an hour, Shiro's class was already dismissed by Professor Younghyun but they are still inside of the class. As Shiro is still focusing on her laptop, suddenly a deafening silence from her classmates caught her attention and she directly stopped typing.
"Sir Younghyun, is Shiro still here?"
Shiro hastily turned her head up as she heard her name coming from Austin's voice. She gulped as she turned her glance towards Professor Younghyun who is also halted from browsing at his laptop, as he raised his eyebrows with his serious face and when he surveyed his eyes to Austin he immediately comprehends what is happening.
"There she is..." Shiro felt something from her chest as she saw Sir Younghyun pointing his fingers towards her and the class started to uproar like there was an exciting scenario from a stage play inside the class. Some of the students stop from walking outside the class as they want to see what will happen next between them.
"What?" Shiro asked him with her intimidating voice as she tried not to startle herself from what Austin had been doing. She closed her laptop and put it inside the case and prepared her backpack before staring at Lynx who was eventually confused and also Asher that is widening her eyes beside Shiro.
Austin started to smirk and put his one hand inside his pocket, "Hey, you don't even show up and now you are asking me like that? Tss..." he asserted then started to walk towards her. As he slowly went upwards from the wide classroom he felt like they were the only person inside of the class, to the fact that he forgets Sir Younghyun is still there watching them. This time Shiro started to feel her heartbeat against her chest and it keeps on beating aggressively then when she finally notices what's on Austin's back, she steadfastly stands up that screeches her chair so loud and she immediately gets her laptop on their long wide desk.
"Here, you forgot it last..." Shiro in panic interrupted Austin by closing his mouth with her hand that's why Austin arc his eyebrows and still mumbled.
"Shut up!" She confided and aggressively gets the bouquet from Austin and takes Lynx with her and walks out of their class. She heard her classmates mostly the guys and some other girls uproar their cheer on them that's why Lynx cannot help to chuckle at Shiro and she noticed his teasing on her then punched his shoulders.
"Stop laughing!" she pointed out and gazed at him almost with a threat on her face.
"So you are dating?" He reassured.
"No, and no way..." she coldly said and that makes Lynx laugh at her once again more loudly that gives rise to hear his echoing chuckled on the corridor.
"I'll kill you Lynx I'm telling you," she threatens him.
"What's wrong with that guy? Who told him to make a scene like that?" she finally solicited her frustrations and embarrassment at the same time. Lynx just exhibits his eye smile as he observes her tremendously breathing while clasping the bouquet on her hands and some of its petals are falling on the ground.
"Take care of those flowers, it's loosing!" He asserts and walks after her whereas he is chuckling and Shiro finally realizes that she carelessly holding the bouquet and her other classmates are already around her. Obviously, they are chatting and gawking at her about what happened that's why she felt her cheeks are warming and she walked towards Lynx while she was thinning her lips and trying not to say something anymore.
"We're vacant... shall we go to a private room? Austin will probably not be in there," Lynx convinced her as she is probably more awkward to them this time.
"Uhm..." she shyly uttered her response.
Admittedly, Shiro is not feeling okay, she suddenly becomes more uncomfortable as she swallows aggressively from her nervousness that maybe Austin is in there and his friends will probably confront her, or worse they will confront her alone for they will eventually overthink what is happening between them. As Lynx sluggishly opened the door, she was kind of relieved to see nothing but Nana and Mark inside their room.
"Oh, Hey, Shiro and Lynx! What's up?" Mark gleefully greeted them.
Lynx just smiled back and Shiro quietly went towards the 1920's modern tuxedo, a cream-colored sofa that glamorously shines because it is brand new. Shiro put down her things on the table including the flowers that Austin gave to her and suddenly Mark noticed it and he nervously smiled at her.
"That's a nice bouquet, right Shiro?" he politely asked her but then she just nodded her response and opened her book to review for the next class. As she grabs her second book on the table, she does not notice the bouquet beside it and she's in a panic to catch it when it's almost fallen. As she mumbled to herself from relief that the flowers are safe, she unintentionally turned her head up and she was surprised to see Nana oddly looking at her.
When she places them on the table, she just thinned her lips and went back to read once again but somehow in her peripheral view, she knows Nana is still looking at her that is why she started to get shy because she knows that Nana wanted to ask something about Austin and her.
"That idiot! His friends are probably worrying about him! He really likes to misunderstand!" She internally screams and tries her best to browse her book.
As time goes by Shiro steadfastly takes off with Lynx and she unintentionally never gives a proper goodbye to Nana and Mark. Her classes are getting busier and some other professors are giving them a lot of tasks simultaneously that is why her mind and her classmates as well who had noticed their show earlier were filled.
Lunch break has come but Shiro never showed up again in their V.I.P. room and reasoned out her duties that Professor Younghyun gave her earlier. Asher keeps on calling them as Shiro is not answering her phone but she said to Lynx that she is busy, that's why she cannot answer Asher's calls on her. Since she is not answering, Asher keeps on calling Lynx.
"Hey! Answer her!"
"No! Answer her!" she whispered to Lynx as they are inside the office of Professor Younghyun for she agreed to have lunch with him along with Lynx.
"Just tell her, oh no no... I mean tell her we are in the faculty, JUST FACULTY! No professor name included!" she stubbornly asserted.
"Tsk... Shiro you don't have to get awkward with them! Calm..."
"Just say it!" she loudly whispers this time and that makes Professor Younghyun raise both of his eyebrows and try not to interrupt or laugh at them. Shiro noticed him and she began to embarrass then look at the records once again.
Shiro and her stubborn self never showed up until their last classes since the evening is approaching and the lights on the outside are starting to open, she walked towards her locker whereas she waves goodbye to Lynx who will practice his game for the Nationals. As she finally got her things, she was suddenly thunderstruck when she realized something.
"My Steno book!" she mumbled by herself and put her palm on her forehead. She realizes that she forgot her book in their private room because she is in a hurry earlier just to stay away from her friends. She looks at her sports watch and it is quarter to 6 p.m. that's why she just took a deep sigh and had no choice walking towards the room.
Nana and Mark were the last who entered the room, Mark is happily announcing his readiness to go to Austin's mansion while they are waiting for Austin and Yangyang but a creaking sound makes all of them stop chatting with each other. Asher widens her eyes as she sees Shiro peaking at the door.
"SHIRO!" she shouted that's why Shiro closed her eyes and thinned her lips quickly before smiling forcibly, "Hey... hahaha," she laughed forcibly too and clasped the bouquet once again at her back.
"I forgot my book I'm going to get it..."
"HEY!" Shiro gets struck and startled this time hearing Austin at the back of her.
"Why are you holding the flowers like that you are an aggressive woman!"
"You gave it, so this is mine and I can do whatever I want!"
After Shiro said those words she ambles her feet away from him going inside the room and all of them are looking at her but she just ignores it and grabs her book before planning to take off herself.
"Shiro are you going home alone?" Asher asked her sweetly with her puppy eyes on her. Shiro nodded at her and slowly got rid of her awkwardness from them.
"Uhm... Lynx is busy but I'm fine, I'm used to it," she said whereas she placed her book inside her bag. Austin heard what Shiro has said and steadfastly goes beside her, "I'm going home now too!" he suddenly loudened his voice to Shiro and they all wondered what Austin was saying. As Mark was to say something, Austin looks at him and seems to threaten him not to talk. Shiro frowned upon him and did not say anything then turned herself towards the room that's why Austin hurriedly followed her.
"I-I forgot to say I'm going to commute... I never used my car this morning" he asserted.
"Then call your driver" she coldly responds.
"Shut up! Just... let's go together!" Austin exclaimed to her and grabbed her wrist and forcibly snatched her away from them.
"Shiro!" the two of them surprisingly stop from bickering and turn their heads from the one who called Shiro's name.
"What's the matter, Nana?" Austin asked him as they saw them standing up while looking at them. Shiro takes a deep sigh and removes her hands from Austin's grip.
"Are you Shiro?" she beckoned and turned her sight to Nana.
"What is it?" she asked him. Nana has his moment of silence before he grabs something in his pocket.
"Your pen... you drop this earlier," he coldly asserted and threw it in Austin's direction and he caught it easily before teasing tapping it at Shiro's forehead.
"You clumsy pale girl!" he mocked her before putting it on her bag and walking after. Shiro just awkwardly waves goodbye at them and she immediately walks towards Austin. As they finally reach the outside of the building, Shiro sighted the bridge they were about to cross and the air started to get colder as the night approached. They quietly walk across the bridge and Austin suddenly looks up as he notices the post lamp flickering.
"What the? Did my uncle ever notice this? This makes our University ugly!" he addressed while looking at the flickering light. Shiro started to chuckle at what Austin has said.
"You are exaggerating, that one can replace anytime when the school staff will see it"
"Hey! It is a big deal for me... lights are for students' safety! What if it gets darker here and someone suddenly grabs you!" he said while frowning like a kid and this time Shiro noticed that he is serious about what he's talking about. She started to giggle whereas she is clapping her hands gently and the flowers are touching her cheeks.
"That's too much!" she pointed out that's why Austin smiled a little bit and he doesn't want to show that on her that's why she bumped her with his shoulder and Shiro immediately fought back. The other students noticed them but it seemed like the two of them had their own world while laughing and teasing each other. And when they finally reach the bus stop of their University, they instantly go inside the bus that's only provided for Chao Yang students.
"Hey, why are you joining the same place with me?" Shiro asked him after she beeped her card on the scanner.
"I'll take you home first!" he said Shiro gets dumbfounded as they walk towards their seats.
"Hey I'm telling you, I can go home alone!"
"Shut up okay? What if a bad guy trips on you?"
"I've been doing this for years"
"But you are still a girl!"
"Do you think I'm weak? How about you rich kiddo? The perpetrator will probably be more interested in you than me!" Shiro is known to him and clutches Austin's collar before throwing him away even though they are sitting near each other.
"I kind of forget that you are an aggressive penguin that is ready to fight with a polar bear!" he teased her and Shiro looked at him.
"What kind of analogy was that? Stupid." She pointed out and grabbed something on her bag, which is her headphones that were given by Asher and she instantly placed it on her ears. She started to play a piece of music and she's kind of wondering why Austin has no guts of talking back at her or forcing her to stop listening to others than him.
As the music keeps on playing loudly and she cannot hear anything inside the bus, she leaned herself on the bus chair and felt her sleepiness while looking unknown. When her eyes were about to shut, she felt something on her cheeks and it was getting warm. She opens her eyes widely and senses a powdery aldehydic scent that almost smells like a baby powder but a strong scent.
"Is this Moonrise?" She surprisingly hears Austin's voice near her and she realizes that Austin is listening too on her headphones while he presses his ears against her ears and their cheeks are getting nearer this time as Austin keeps on moving towards her. Her heartbeat starts to pound against her chest and it makes her sight fuzzier like she cannot see her surroundings anymore, when she feels that Austin's hands are getting closer to her hands she takes off her headphones and awkwardly distances herself from him.
"What are you doing?" she said without looking at him and put her phone and headphones on her bag then she looked at the outside.
When Shiro is finally at her destination, she wonders why Austin is still following her instead of going home, "Go home, our village is safe!" she said as they are already inside the village.
"I'll take you home I said that means literally your home! Are you dumb?"
"Who told you to take me home?" she asked him but Austin just took a deep sigh before he started talking again.
"Is your mom at home already?" he asked her as if he never heard her question.
"Uhm..." she murmured while they were still walking down the streets. Austin just keeps on talking and Shiro is half listening to him as she realizes she unconsciously lets him be with her for this long; she knows to herself that there are a lot of tricycle drivers who can take her home when she is tired and every time that Lynx is not with her. As they continue ambling their feet, Shiro never realizes that they are already at the front of her house.
Behind the fences, Aunty Quennie is in front of their window and she is almost near to the gate that's why she hastily opens it and immediately sees Austin and Shiro.
Shiro rapidly move her eyes when she sighted her mom and she is already raising her eyebrows, "Oh, Austin..." she denoted with her intimidated tone but Austin looks like he was not get intimidated at all as he smile at her gleefully and greeted her like he never comprehends or literally he never understood what is happening inside her head.
"Bouquet? What's with that?" Aunty Quennie affirmed with more emphasis on her female deep voice.
"I forgot it last Saturday... This was given from Asher's building because I was the first guest, right Austin?" she explained and asked while at Austin who eventually frowned at her while looking back and forth with them.
"Yeah..." he forcefully said and rolled his eyes.
"Aunty, I'm going," Austin politely said while thinning his lips. Aunty Quennie just bowed her head and smiled at him and bid her goodbye.
When Austin finally takes off, Shiro and her mom exchange glances at each other.
"Seems like he is disappointed about your alibi... get rest a bit and ready yourself for dinner Shiro," she said and Shiro never had a chance to respond because her mom immediately goes inside their home that's why she just scratches the back of her head before following her.