A sunny afternoon with a warm breeze touching Shiro's skin as she walked towards their back door. When she was about to open the door, her heartbeat started to prickle on her chest.
"Go give it to him... he's waiting" she gets startled as she hears her mom at the back while tapping her back gently.
"I have to cook dinner," she insisted and opened the door for Shiro. Without looking at her mom she continues to walk towards their backyard and still her heartbeat deafeningly surrounded her as she strode slowly. She sighted something from far away, and this time her heartbeat is getting wilder. She unintended to look down and see what she has been clasping since then, she saw herself with a white graduation attire and an awkward little smile of it, she gently touched it and realized something.
Shiro begins to run as fast as she could, "Dad..." she mumbles by herself, and as she stops her dad looking at her he starts to wonder what was happening as he sees Shiro tremendously inhaling and exhaling from running hurriedly to come at him.
"What is it Shiro?" said he before he started to smile and the sunshine came to shine so brightly, his luminous stare within his galaxy-like eyes made Shiro light her heart. She was about to cry but she doesn't know why and hastily walked towards him before hugging him.
"Dad... I miss you," she made known to him as she hugged him so tight. She heard him giggle and he pats Shiro's head, "Are you alright? Anyway... congrats my dearest daughter," he said and faced Shiro at him. He places both of his hands on her shoulders and Shiro starts to sob without realizing it.
"it's fine..." he said and thinned his lips. Shiro looked at him more and her dad started to offer his hand.
"Can I have it?" he asked calmly before he exhibited his sweet gentle smile at her. As Shiro is about to give her graduation picture and is about to verbalize her words to her father, Galen gets the picture immediately and stands up properly.
"Shiro... wake up," he said in a sweet manner as he still exhibited his smile at her.
"Dad?" she called out of him with her shaking voice while she felt her sight begin to fuzz as her tears started to fall.
"Dad, I'm sorry... don't leave," she said to him.
"It's fine..." he calmly said once again.
"Wake up Shiro..."
"HEY, SHIRO I SAID WAKE UP!" Suddenly, Shiro heard someone with a loud demanding voice wake her up as she hardly opened her eyes from the harsh sunlight that struck her sight. She hastily panicked looking at her surroundings.
"Dad..." she said once again that's why Austin deep sighs as he realizes Shiro was in a dream when she fell asleep. He began to open his arms around her and she started to look at him.
"If you are still sleepy then sleep, we still have an hour before going to Chao Yang the bus earlier just stopped for a while for maintenance when you were sleeping but don't worry we are not yet late!" he asserted and aggressively put her head on his shoulders.
Shiro gets dumbfounded and let herself lean on him as her teary eyes are still visible; She still looking at nowhere that is why Austin checked her secretly and he gets worried to see her in shock for he comprehends that Shiro dreamed about her dad and he was guilty of disturbing her.
"Hey, Shiro... as far as I know, we don't have the first class... and all of them are busy because of the council, l-let me treat you some breakfast... Don't you dare to say no!" he beckoned and looked away from her; Shiro started to wake herself up a little bit and turn her head up as Austin stared at the other side.
"Okay if you insist..." she said and still leaning on his shoulders. Austin tried to get himself together from the happiness he felt whereas he acted tough responding to her and taking a look at her while she was leaning at him. He cannot help himself anymore to smile as he sees her calmly and also cannot help himself to scent her baby cologne along with her citrus scent conditioner on her neat short black hair.
When they finally arrive at school, Shiro is still quiet while they are walking down going to the coffee shop of Chao Yang University. Austin looked at her and he thinned his lips and still worried about her; he swallowed harshly his throat but still, she never turns her sight at him while looking at the floor when they are walking. As they are finally at the front of the coffee shop's glass door, Austin touches her waist gently and it wakes her drifting when he assists her to open the door.
"Tsk, look where you've been walking," he calmly said to her and they continued inside the shop.
"I will go to the restroom," she said with her little bit swollen eyes.
"Give me your bag," he said and Shiro unintentionally gave it.
"Wait, I'll take my pouch bag" she asserted when Austin is about to turn his back and find some seats. The other students are gawking at them as he just does not respond and let Shiro get her things on her bag while he carefully holding it as Shiro ambles her feet at the restroom; Austin sighted her still deep sighing and he is sure that Shiro is not okay about dreaming his dad. He also remembered that her dad had just died a year ago, for sure she is still healing and processing her mind to be okay. Austin started to clasp both of his hands tightly, brush up his hair and take a deep breath while sitting down on a Hairpin Bentwood modern brown dining chair. He places Shiro's red velvet leather bag beside him since he sat on the table for four and he beams a smile when a penguin key chain swings back and forth in front of her bag.
As Shiro is done, she instantly sits down in front of him near the glass window; he can see on her face that she gets herself together and mend something on her face using a bit of makeup to cover her swollen eyes. Shiro thinned her lips before getting her bag from Austin.
"What should we eat?" he asked her and Shiro started to see the menu on the counter.
"I love Tuna clubhouse sandwich plus Iced Matcha Latte," she said delightfully while pointing to the menu like a kid. Austin takes a glance at her when she's talking like that and he starts to cool off and smile at her once again but this time Shiro noticed it.
"Why are you laughing at me?" she asked him intimidatingly. "I'll take that too," said he while brushing up his hair and peeking on his smartwatch before he turned his eyes on her. Shiro arched her eyebrows, then pouted her lips unintentionally, went back to the menu, and instantly got her wallet in her bag. Austin hastily dropped it while touching her hands before snatching her wallet away from her.
"I can even pay for this whole café so don't you dare to take this out again," he said whereas he is frowning at her while putting the wallet inside her bag. "Just say it's your treat! You brag," she asserted and aggressively took the bag back on her.
"Tss... finally you're okay... I hate to say this but every time you are fighting with me, or angry with me I comprehend that as you are okay or happy," he sarcastically made known to her and asked the working student for assistance by calling him snapping his fingers in the air that's why the other student take a look at them for they rarely see the owner's nephew in the café, aside from that the café is self-service and only him can do that.
"You are arrogant! Why are you calling them like that?" She asked and nodded a bit from the embarrassment.
"What?" he asked whereas he gazed at her before coolly crossing his arms.
"This is a self-service café! And what are you saying that I am not okay?" she asserted awkwardly with her lower voice and glanced angrily at the glass window while thinning her lips.
Austin started to bother once again and deep sigh looking at her, "Shiro..." he called her name, "I'm sorry... I'm really sorry," he said with a serious tone that's why Shiro gets surprised and hastily turns herself at him.
"Why are you saying that?" she asked Austin trying not startled from him.
"You dream about your dad aren't you? You are saying sorry because you think you destroy that important thing he gave you... but that was all my fault, if only I listened to them that time..."
"Austin, it's fine... don't think about that too much,"
"Well, I have to!" he interjected her talking while clenching his fist on the table.
"I was so selfish that I never talk about that again, I know how you get hurt because of it so stop saying that!" he added and gazed at her while the waiter awkwardly put all the orders on the table. Shiro takes a deep sigh and tightens her lips as she is surprised about Austin's behavior this morning.
"What should we do, it's broken already..."
"I know, I cannot take that back! But I hate to see you are hurting because of what I did..." he stubbornly asserted and it gives rise to Shiro to raise her eyebrows and chuckle in an odd way that makes Austin stamp his feet.
"Hey! Why are you laughing?!" he loudens his voice that making the other students look at them once again.
"You are crazy," she said while rapidly moving her eyes and grabbing a bite on her sandwich.
"Uhm! It's good!" she happily let out without looking at him as she tries to change the topic. "I'm seriously serious Shiro, stop calling me crazy! I owe something to you that's why I have to give it to make you feel okay, at least!" he persistently made known to her.
"Like what?" Shiro asked him with her cringing expression written on her face. Austin started to touch his chin with his fingers and think about something.
"Then how about a kiss? So many girls in the University are dreaming of that," he beckoned then look at her with the annoying expression that makes Shiro give a threatening look at him and aggressively toss the crumpled tissue on his face.
"You pervert! What kind of offer is that? Do you wish for death?"
"Hey! That's a great offer and you're lucky to have it for free!"
"Shut up! That's the most awful thing I could possibly have in my life!"
"What awful are you talking about? Have you ever tried it? Then you want me to prove that to you that it isn't awful?" Shiro is hastily baffled by what Austin has said as well as he aggressively stands up nearing himself while his hands are on the table. The other students at the café cannot help anymore to talk about them, and some are getting jealous or wimping at them.
"Sit down and shut your mouth stubborn kid!" Shiro commanded and clutched Austin's collar to make him sit down again. Austin makes a burst of deafening laughter that brings a fictitious echo inside the café whereas he is clapping his hand while throwing his head giggling endlessly.
"I love that expression of yours!" he exclaimed and then teasingly scrunched his nose preventing her to talk back as she is widening her eyes with her murderous look at him.
"Oh! Austin and Shiro!" someone with a raspy voice suddenly called them.
"What?" Austin asks Mark as he exhibits his disappointed expression while Mark, Yangyang, and Nana are going in their direction. Mark tap Austin's back several times and greeted Shiro politely. Yangyang along with his round silver specs; brushes up his black hair—is about to go at Shiro's vacant seat beside her, but an exaggerated motion from Austin bumped onto Nana who was in front of him, and took the vacant seat.
Austin quickly turns his eyes on Yangyang that takes a deep sigh—rolling his eyes, "I just want to sit for I am exhausted managing for the upcoming event later... stupid," he uttered his annoyance and aggressively pulled the chair in front of them before he finally seated down.
Nana quietly sits down beside Yangyang while Mark borrows some chairs from another table and joins them.
"The council is organizing the event for later that's why we are also here," Mark happily made known to Austin and Shiro.
Yangyang brings out his laptop, "Let's do this Mark," he asserted and started to open some documents. Shiro takes a look at them and glances at Austin.
"I'm going first," she said but Austin held her forearm to stop her from standing up.
"Hey, Shiro... I heard you are looking for some part-time job," Mark suddenly said to her.
"Actually, you can take your time to find it right now; we'll take care of your attendance because we don't have class today but students are required to attend the event," he added and gave a smile to her before he also brought out his laptop.
"Oh is that so... thanks," she said and was relieved by what he said. Shiro began to stand up and properly said goodbye to them.
"I'll go with her!" Austin asserted and aggressively stands up. Mark gave a smile at them and chuckled a bit before he agreed and waved goodbye at them. Shiro just thinned her lips and steadfastly walked towards the exit.
"You are lucky to be friends with a Council President!" Austin bragged at her as they swiftly walked at the university grounds.
"I and Lynx have been skipping watching events since the first year without Mark's help," she quickly halted his talking before she continued to walk faster but Austin instantly followed her and bumped his shoulders against her whereas he is teasingly sticking out his tongue like a kid.
"Austin pabo" [Korean word for an Idiot] she teased him that's why he arched his eyebrows and near again himself.
"I'm no idiot, Shiro pale penguin!" Austin responded to his mock on her that's why Shiro aggressively punches his arms and they laugh together as they swiftly walk towards the main gate of the campus.
When they were at the bus stop, Shiro remembered to call Lynx and she said that she already left the University to find a part-time job. Shiro immediately goes to her notepad for the checklist of the possible place she will go.
"Hey are you sure you're going with me?" she asked him without looking as she was still browsing on her phone. Austin just said utterly said yes to her and secretly smiled and tried not to laugh while raising both of his eyebrows and exhibited a smirk before putting his hands on his pocket. The bus halted in front of them and they shuffled themselves to get some seats because Shiro didn't want to stand up.
The first place they have is a clerical office that needs an assistant secretary but as soon as they arrived and asked the security, he informed them quickly that the vacancy was already taken. The next stop is at the fast-food chain but then the guard will quickly tell her that the vacancy was taken. Again.
As they continue to amble their feet, until the afternoon, Shiro seems unlucky to find or grab an opportunity. Austin invited her to have lunch at Asher's mall for a moment before they continued to find it again and she instantly conceded.
"My feet hurt," Austin demanded on her while touching his ankle as they sat down on a dining chair at Yangyang's restaurant.
"Oh Austin it's nice to see you," a woman suddenly greeted him with her sweet voice, a natural straight silky medium-length hair, along with her hooded-shape feline eyes as well as her exquisite posture on her black dress and beautiful features that makes Shiro dumbfounded looking at her.
"Aunty Rylee!" Austin delightfully greeted her and she instantly embraced him back.
"Are you skipping your classes to have a date with your girlfriend?" She teases him and Austin exhibits his upper cheek dimples while chuckling looking at Shiro.
"No! We don't have classes, Aunty," he replied before sitting down on his chair.
"Oh wait, is that Shiro?" She asks again whereas she points her fingers and Shiro gets surprised that the lady knows her name.
"Yangyang is talking about you dear," she added that's why Shiro comprehended that she is Yangyang's mom and instantly bowed her head to greet her politely. She smiles at her in a sweet calm manner and she immediately calls the waiter to give the menu to them. "It's my treat!" she said to them.
"Nice to meet you Shiro, and anyway is that a resume?" she asked her while looking at Shiro's clear folder along with her resume inside it; she grabbed the folder without her response and raised her eyebrows looking at it.
"Fajardo... and a BSOA student," she asserted. Shiro gives a smile to her and expects her to offer something for her so she can finally stop finding a job anymore.
"Our clerical position is vacant would you mind—"
"Ehem," Austin halted her from talking by harshly clearing his throat.
"If it's vacant I will take it!" Shiro happily responded.
"Oh..." she mumbled and hastily looked in Austin's direction that quietly gesturing to stop her offer for Shiro while exhibiting his hands saying no by crossing it back and forth.
She understood what Austin saying to her, "But as far as I know Shiro it will take a month before you will get it, that's why don't expect too much..." she lied at her and gives a threatening glance at Austin who is currently relived by her alibi.
"Oh, is that so... but thanks Aunty," she said with disappointment on her face. As Aunty Rylee pardoned herself when an employee called her, Austin instantly noticed Shiro that she was down and he felt guilty once again.
"After this comes with me and I'll offer you some better job that I know," Austin confessed while rapidly moving his eyes before eating his pasta. Shiro bit her lower lip, trying to calm herself with a dubious stare at him whereas she stands up straight.
"We've been strolling the entire morning and you will suddenly say that?"
"I JUST REMEMBER!" he loudens his voice as well as plopping the fork aggressively at the table while nervously moving his eyes.
"Then take me there right now!" she asserted with her impatient tone of voice but she quickly arched her eyebrows seeing Austin holding his laugh at her and she began to slap the table that makes Austin teasingly stare at her before he responded.
"You're so excited huh?" he teased him once again—instantly standing up while grabbing her wrist and swiftly running outside the restaurant to finally get out themselves at the mall.
"Where are we going?" she asked as they steadfastly went inside the bus. "Just trust me!" he winks at her before they sit down at the last vacant seat at the back. When they reached the unusual village for Shiro; she turned around her gaze as she observed where they were.
"Austin seriously where are we?!" she asked him intimidatingly and forcefully punched his shoulders.
"Tada!" he delightfully opens his arms while pointing at the lavish mansion in front of her right now. She anxiously turns her sight at Austin that looks so proud along with his chin-up gesture at her.
"Don't tell me—" she suddenly stops babbling as the two men in a black suit open the massive gates and assist them to go inside. Shiro was stupefied that's why Austin just forcibly took her against her will.
"H-hey! Why are—"
"Welcome back home, Young master," Shiro widened her eyes when some maidens approximately ten of them greeted and bowed at Austin. By then, she finally realizes that she is at Austin's home, and she hastily gets off his grip that's why Austin abruptly stops from walking.
"What?" he asked in his annoyed manner. "Why are you taking me here?" she asked trying to be calm as soon as possible.
"Welcome to Zhong household," he proudly announced while smirking at her and Shiro started to feel her head is going to break out by Austin's annoying manner since morning,
"I'm leaving!"
"NO! The great job is here!"
"What job? Are you tricking me? Then I don't want to play with you because I'm busy!" she angrily made known to him while tremendously blowing a sigh.
Austin turns himself at her and holds both of her shoulders tightly, "You're not leaving!" he beckoned whereas he is nearing himself at her once again.
Shiro started to widen her eyes as she has been trying to absorb since then that Austin is living in this kind of mansion that is ten times wider than her home and almost looks like a town.
"Is this guy kidnapping me?" she internally screams on her head while Austin is still looking at her along with his evil smile that's why she started to grip her fist as she is willing to punch his face anytime and run thereafter.
"Good afternoon, young master, and to you Young lady... welcome to Zhong Mansion," a man surprisingly declared openly with his polite and soothing tone of voice. At the moment when Shiro heard him, she steadfastly throws Austin away in an antagonistic way from her and stands up straight greeting him back by bowing her head slightly.
Butler Qian exhibits his calm but intimidating smile at her as he turns up his round black and gold specs whereas he is fixing his white long-sleeve polo under the black with silver line vest on it. Shiro takes a deep sigh and gets bewildered by the man in front of her. She can recognize that he is at a young age from his handsome features along with his new short and straight haircut that looks fine and neat. Aside from that, he is also clasping a long thick folder on his right hand, and Austin started to thin his lips as well as raise his eyebrows.
"It's Shiro, Butler Qian..." he lazily let out his words as he is frustrated that their moment was interjected by him.
"As expected—Young master," he formally confirmed with his calm voice.
"Miss Shiro," he surprisingly called out her name and she instantly stood up properly.
"Please do follow me," he disclosed and she immediately followed him along with Austin. They quietly walk along with the enormous hallways and turn internally as they keep on striding to the unknown.
"This is a huge household I've ever occurred to but how the hell is he all alone here?" she went on through her mind. At the moment when Shiro is observing the estate, Butler Qian suddenly stops and open the wooden vintage double door in front of them and Shiro has instantly glimpsed the wide living room that's why she started to gulp her throat and try not to get anxious for she didn't want to think of them that she is ignorant about this kind of thing.
By then, they sat down on the Chesterfield sofa while the other maids opened the wide Jacquard beige curtains that made the living room brighter aside from the modern atmospheric chandelier—aesthetically hanging through their ceilings.
"Here," Butler Qian reaches out his hands along with a white folder he was holding, and Shiro instantly gets it even though she was wondering what the folder is all about.
"It's a contract," he added which gives rise to Shiro to get bewildered and instantly access it by hastily unfolding it. She read the wordy and formal contract—she clasped it tightly as she saw Zhong Edison's name on it with his fancy signature. Aside from that, she has seen her information; seems like they hired a private investigator by knowing her, even her address, school number, achievements since Senior High school, and even her mom's occupation.
"Hey!" she infuriatingly loudens her voice a bit to Austin and hits the thick folder on him.
"I know this is your idea! You even stalked my information?" she pointed out but Austin is seemingly enjoying pissing her off so bad that he started to grin his lips and come closer to her, but Shiro whacked the folder on his face again but then she remembers Butler Qian is in front of them who is trying not to laugh at them while formally sitting down on the couch.
"So I'll be a tutor right Mr. Qian?" she asserted before looking at Austin with her threatening gaze at him.
Butler Qian nodded his head and agreed with her that's why Shiro furtherly read the information as well as her student.
"Zhong Aiden..." she let out her utterance as seen a picture of a 5-year-old boy that looks exactly like Austin—a little version of him.
"YOUNG MASTER AIDEN PLEASE STOP RUNNING SO FAST!"
At the moment she is reading her tutee's information—a loud commotion halted her from reading plus the lady that shouted Aiden's name.
"I DON'T WANT YOU ALL, I WANT BUTLER QIAN!"
A stubborn little voice echoed along the hallways and a rapid pace of somebody's feet aggressively entered the living room along with its hostile way of opening the door.
"Ahh! There you are, Butler Qian!" a kid named Aiden along with his neat straight black bowl hair, petite and in his three feet tall already.
"There you are Butler Qian! There you are!" he continued to say exposing his little tooth while jumping happily holding the handles of the door.
"He's here," Butler Qian made known to Shiro, and he pats his jet-black jeans before he stands up. He instantly gets Aiden through the door as he keeps on talking endlessly about what he has done at school.
"Am I seeing your twin?" Shiro whispered to Austin—he hastily turns himself at her with his threatening frown on her, "That ghastly kid isn't my twin!" he confined while clenching his jaw to her with his eyes wide open. Shiro started to giggle before turning herself to Butler Qian and Aiden.
"Then who's that ugly woman?" Aiden mocked her as they sat together on the sofa. When Aiden said those words, Butler Qian almost lost his formality as he panicked a bit from what he let out and he nervously smiled looking at Shiro.
"She's your Teacher, Aiden—her name is Teacher Shiro—"
"What an ugly name and you pale face vampire woman!" he interrupted Butler Qian and pointed his fingers at Shiro as well as sticking out his tongue before crossing his arms.
Shiro just started to look at Aiden and turn her glance to Austin, seems like she realized that she will encounter a guy like him but the worse it is is a kid version of him.