The next week and some other days, Austin was still doing the same thing and Shiro let him do it and wanted to ask him about what he was doing, but her mouth was still tongue-tied to ask about it.
On a Sunday night, Shiro immediately goes down going to the kitchen as she is going to grab some snacks on the fridge as she wanted to eat while doing her assignments. When she steps her foot at the little hallways of their home, she can hear a machine, the mixing machine to be exact being on and off through the kitchen and she instantly knows that her mom is doing it. She ambles her feet going to the kitchen and she sees her mom stressing about her equipment again as she is trying to make frosting on the red velvet cheese cupcakes.
"It's broken again?" she asked as she opened the fridge to get the blueberry yogurt drink along with a bag of chips from their small drawer. She opened to munch some of her chips and she peaks at her mom while she is tapping the mixer aggressively. Her mom deep sighs her frustration as she almost finished baking goods but it suddenly shut down.
"I just let this fixed from an electrician last time!" she mumbled.
"I'll call him!" she said and hurriedly grabbed her phone and marched aggregately on their leaving room. Shiro started to survey the table and look at her mom's smart android mini-tablet and immediately saw she was following a recipe on a website.
As her mom still talking on the phone, she instantly gets the tablet on the stand and she unintentionally touches the recent apps. She started to frown when she sees the online shopping app, she clicked it and happened to see a lot of baking equipment including the mixer currently on the cart instead of just saving it. Shiro deep sighs and exits the app then she opens the other recent app notepad. She instantly sees that her mom is note-taking all about the recipe and trying to save some money for her baking items. She put the tablet back and thinned her lips looking at her mom before she went upstairs again.
Shiro swiftly grabbed her phone and checked the prices once again and she calculated everything but unfortunately, it was not enough even though she compiled all of the money she has been keeping since her first year of college.
"I need a part-time job..." she mumbled and began to search on the job websites before she dive in again on her assignments.
Morning came, Shiro hurriedly gets the newspaper in the front of their gate before her mom will get it when she peeks at her phone she immediately sees Lynx's missed calls and she swiftly opens the get.
"Hey..." she said, specifically to them as Austin glared at Lynx so badly.
"Why this kid is here?" Lynx said sarcastically while gripping the bike handles. Austin started to thin his lips and try to be patient but he cannot stop himself from being stubborn where he stamped his feet while pointing his fingers.
"I've been doing this every morning, and stop calling me kid!" he loudens his voice which makes Lynx and Shiro get dumbfounded at the moment.
"Now I know why Asher asked me about what time Shiro took off her home!" Lynx asserted while widening his eyes looking at Austin who is also glaring back at him while exhibiting his clenching jaw at him. Shiro started to roll her eyes and deep sigh looking at them like she was fed up.
"I don't want to get late, let's go together!" she convince them with her authoritative voice.
"No! Ride on my bike Shishi and you may run towards us Austin if you like," he jokingly let out again and exhibits his eye smile on him. Austin just glared at him once again because Shiro just stands up in the middle while Lynx chuckled like a demon looking at them.
"Take a bus, alright," he said sarcastically and he goes down to his bike and walk with them together. When Lynx places his bike at his home they all walk together to the bus stop and Austin is still quietly crossing his arms not looking at them. Lynx started to chuckle at him once again and mumbled the sarcastic remarks that made Austin get triggered on him and they started to gaze at each other.
Shiro just rolled her eyes, "These idiots..." she whispered and went back to the newspaper once again to find something on the job section.
When the bus finally arrived Shiro immediately goes inside without talking with them and she instantly finds her seat while reading the newspaper. While she's reading and putting some red remarks on the job descriptions, she unintentionally turns her head up and sees Austin and Lynx bumping each other aggressively before Austin sits down beside her and sticking out his tongue at Lynx.
"Tss..." Lynx asserted before he sit down in front of them. Shiro took a deep sigh before she turn her glance to Austin, who is currently smirking because he defeated Lynx at the moment. She just scratches the back of her head and goes back again on the newspaper.
When they came to the university, Shiro step out on the bus minding her business, "Are you finding a job? Why?" Lynx asked Shiro while peaking at her newspaper. Shiro just nodded her head and continue to walk without talking at them. Lynx started to arc his eyebrows and look at Austin.
"Hey kid you may go, we will go immediately to our classroom," he said arrogantly while holding his sports bag like a cool varsity player.
"I'm not a kid you acting like an old man! See you later!"
He louden his voice and turn his back at him before Lynx started to laugh by himself once again before going to their classroom. By then, as Shiro has no intentions of talking even to Asher, she just discusses everything that they are going to do for their research and after that, she got a lot of phone calls she does not want to be heard by them that is why she rarely to come up at their private room today and she even had her lunch by her own. After all their classes she finally set her feet with them but still, her friends have a hard time talking with her casually, especially Asher and Austin who are already being impatient looking at her as she is still browsing something on her laptop.
"You are not yet going home?" he asked with a serious tone that's why Nana and Yangyang started to look at him.
"Lynx said I'll wait for him," she said without looking at him. Yangyang begins to arc his eyebrows and sarcastically whistle before he dives in again on his book; this time, Asher and Mark exchange their glances at each other and harshly gulp their throat as they see Austin clenching his fist at the table. At the moment when Austin is about to speak up, Lynx opens the door hastily and walks towards them to tap Shiro and signal her that they will go home.
"Your mom called me to have dinner with you..." he proudly announces to her while fixing his sports bag on his shoulders.
Shiro just turned both of her eyebrows up and put her things inside her bag, "Guys we're going," she said as she thinned her lips while mending her bag at her back.
"WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?"
Austin suddenly shouted which makes Shiro finally look at him and she was surprised to see him harshly taking a deep breath in and out while clenching his fist.
"What?" she asked him not to startle from him.
"Why are you asking me back? Huh? Since morning you are ignoring me and now you have your guts to say something like that? You even don't look back at me! I've waited this whole day and now you just say in front of my face that you are leaving! I can't believe this!" he steadfastly made known to her and he stamped his feet before standing up and walking out of her sight.
"H-hey Shiro... what--"
"Shiro, go home now and deal with him tomorrow... Okay?" Asher interrupted Mark's question to her while widening her eyes on Shiro; she got confused about why Asher has been looking at her like that, that's why she just nodded her head and they swiftly walk away from them. Shiro began to feel something inside her; her chest started to compress as she felt that she hurt Austin's feelings once again, but this time she is having a hard time comprehending what is happening.
"So what now Shiro?" Lynx suddenly interrupted Shiro's drifting as they were about to cross the University Bridge. Shiro gets dumbfounded as the lights start to turn on one by one and the cold air reminds her that there is something missing tonight.
"Austin..." she unintended to mumble his name as they keep on walking.
"Hey... if you miss him already then chat with him!" Lynx wakes her up once again.
"HUH!?" Shiro hastily shouted at him and she suddenly became awkward.
"That guy why he acts like that? And all of you why are you so intrigued with us? And you even lie that mom called you to have dinner with us... mom will never do that because you can go to our home any time you want!"
"I've thought you never caught up that! Of course, I have to say that..." he said while exhibiting his eyes smile, and giggling beside her.
"Shishi, do you understand now? We're different... if someone asks you for dinner with your mom, I will never act like that and if you ignored me because you were busy I will never demand like what Austin did... so did you get it? If not then don't be an idiot..." he beckoned whereas he looked up and put his hands in his pocket.
"I don't understand..." said she.
"The more you denied it the more it will lure inside you so be honest with yourself Shishi... tsk that's why I and your mom are worried, not because you will impulsively run away with him or fall in love with him head over heels; we are worried that you itself will interpret Austin's actions towards you in a wrong way... can't you see how idiot that guy is? That idiot will get hurt because of you so be careful, can you even see how impatient he is?"
"Hey, I am not--"
"Shhh, stop excusing yourself and talk to him tomorrow," he asserted before he step forward and walk faster that's why Shiro just follows him and took a deep sigh for she doesn't want to get annoyed at Lynx that preaching her once again like her mom. Even though she wanted to defend herself from their constant overthinking about what is happening between them, somehow within her she wanted to reconsider what Lynx just said to her.
On the other hand, when Austin finally arrived at his home while aggressively stamping his feet at the hallways, he suddenly heard someone talking happily in the living room so he instantly ran towards it.
"OH OUR DEAR AUSTIN MY BOY!" Zhong Edison shouted at Austin and he started to get more annoyed when he heard his annoying drunk-like voice at him while grasping some glass of whiskey on his right hand whereas he is wearing his black long coat with exaggerated gold accessories along with his brush up blonde hair.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Austin arrogantly asked him.
"Wow, you look so happy that I'm here huh?"
"I'm not happy! You annoying drunk man!"
"HEY, DON'T YOU DARE TO SHOUT AT UNCLE ED LIKE THAT, SILLY AUSTIN!"
Austin and Zhong Edison's bickering was halted when a squeaky voice beside Zhong Edison spoke up.
"What are you doing here ugly Aiden?" Austin asked his 5-year-old cousin.
"Err, whatever Butler Qian, let this kiddo fall asleep now, and anyway he will stay here for a long time...Your Aunty Yuri and Uncle Andrew will have business matters at L.A. so you have no choice my boy Austin..." he asserted before drinking his whiskey that he keeps on swaying back and forth.
"Tsk... Annoyance!" he mumbled before he stick his tongue out to Aiden carrying by Butler Qian.
"Anyway Austin I am also here to ask you if you can prefer a friend to tutor your favorite cousin," he necessitated without looking at Austin as the other maids are taking care of the snack he has been munching.
Austin suddenly remembered what Shiro has been doing earlier as he peaked on her phone when they are at the bus and also followed her when she is having a phone call from someone looking for an employee for a job but Shiro seems to have difficulty finding a part-time for some of the companies are keep on asking for a full-time job.
"TUTOR?" he reassured him and this time his face is looking so delighted.
"Yes tutor... not torture, a TUTOR! I'll give a million bucks if they want, just make sure it's a brilliant student that makes Aiden behave... cause you know, he is kind of like you---"
"HOW ABOUT SHIRO?" Austin interjects his uncle's talking; when Butler Qian walks towards them, Zhong Edison turns himself to look at Austin and immediately stands up happily pointing his glass at Austin.
"YEAH, YER RIGHT! THAT GIRL! MY FUTURE IN-LAW? RIGHT? HAHAHA!" he denoted and it gave rise to Austin to laugh with him too.
"I'll take her tomorrow!" he happily asserted that's why Zhong Edison came near at him and tapped his back several times.
"Let's see each other next week so we can talk about it smoothly, I'm busy tomorrow and on weekends that is why Monday will be great! Okay? See you my boy Austin!" he told him proudly before he stormed himself away from them.
Butler Qian knew Zhong Edison was busy with his conferences but he gave time to wait for Austin to ask him about his plans for Aiden.
By then, Austin started to convince himself that he had to wake up early again, he directly went to a bus stop going to Shiro's village and as he finally stepped towards her home, both of them were startled to see each other as Shiro is mending the lock of their gates.
"G-good morning," he greeted her but there was a moment of silence after that.
"Uhm..." she responded awkwardly and walked slowly towards him.
"Let's go!" Austin told her arrogantly but he is obviously nervous as he rapidly motions his eyes; Shiro looks upon her and starts to gush a bit and tries herself not to laugh.
"Hey!" Austin shouted and bumped her shoulders that's why Shiro just bumped him back and walk ahead of him and he immediately follow her lead while smiling secretly at her back.
As the day goes by, Shiro is still hesitant to ask him or to say something about what is really happening for she itself is not sure about what's within her and what her head keeps saying every time she heard Austin's name. Since Lynx have his practice again, Austin got his chance to be Shiro again, besides that, within her she wanted to be with Austin to talk with him or to make things cleared up. When they continue walking towards the bridge, the wind started to crisp on her ears once again, and also the lights opened one by one as they were about to cross it. Shiro started to look up when Austin took a deep sigh of relief as he saw the post lamp finally get fixed.
"I was wondering, why people seem like not going in here when we walk, they are probably scared of you!" Austin teased her. Shiro started to frown and aggressively tap his back.
"I've just seen someone pass by!" Shiro demanded at him and chuckled a bit from Austin's odd statement.
As they continued to walk and Austin sighted the first time they met, his heartbeat became aggressive and he started to look at her tamely.
"Hey, Shiro..." he called her and as she slowly glanced at him along with her short black hair waving a little bit, he got more dumbfounded and he halted himself from walking that's why Shiro also stops and looks at him.
"What is it?" she asked him calmly.
"Shiro...As of now... Am I still that Austin that you've seen exactly on that place we used to or somehow right now, am I different now for you?" he addressed as he looked at her more deeply this time and Shiro begin to hear her own heartbeat as Austin still looking at her while waiting for her to the response. Shiro started to smile when she nodded her head.
"I was wrong about judging you at first, it was my fault after all... I never knew Asher will be a great friend, all of you to be exact. But before that, I already sense that you are not a bad guy, but I am so denial about it... and now maybe you are such a stubborn but you are good at listening to people and I am honestly, comfortable with that..."
"Then from now on, let me listen to you more... can I?" Austin made known to her that's why she started to smile unintentionally and even her was surprised about what she said and what he offered to her.
"Okay if you say so... you too I will listen of course..." she shyly said to him and that makes Austin exhibit his smile that showed his upper cheek dimples and finally they walk together again through the night.
When Austin finally set himself at his mansion, he immediately called his friends to gather with him at his home; after a half-hour, they were already with him inside his living room.
"What is it Austin?" Yangyang asked him as all of them are already anticipating his announcement to them while he keeps on smiling from the moment they stepped inside his room.
"About what we talked about last time..." he said before he brushed up his black neat straight hair whereas Mark and Asher nervously looked at him smiling endlessly.
"I'm sure about her... I'm sure about Shiro..." he said happily without being noticed that his friends are anxiously looking at him.
As Shiro came near to her mom while she is preparing for their dinner; Shiro closes her eyes and takes a deep sigh before verbalizing what she wanted to say.
"Ma..." she called her and her mom instantly look upon her without asking anything and waited for her to continue what she is going to confess, "I know this is not yet clear for me, but can you give me some time to be with him a little bit longer... I want to know Austin more..."
She said while clenching her fist whereas she heard her heartbeat winning against her chest.