At exactly 3 p.m., when the afternoon started to feel its warm air makes Shiro a little sleepy as her see-through colored-peach curtain of her room swooshed back and forth through the wind. She yawned while stretching her arm as she also covered her hands over her mouth before she dives into her assignment. After she finished it, she immediately begin to accumulate Aiden's references, visual aids, and worksheets for he will start his tutor after the weekends. She sits upright as she tries herself not to get sleepy and lazy while preparing it, and a sudden knock on the door makes her awake and Aunty Quennie opens the door, holding carefully a cup of coffee along with sweet sugary biscuits she baked this afternoon.
"It's a bit stale, I only baked it in the oven toaster," she explained to her and places the tray carefully on the table.
"Thanks, ma," said Shiro and started to yawn once again.
"If you're sleepy then take a rest—stop rushing," her mom asserted before she gently pats her head and left her room. She flanked her things away and places the snacks in the middle of the table and pick one of the biscuits to munch it and then splash it together with coffee that tastefully sink on her mouth. A satisfying relief makes Shiro set herself back on her feet again a little and she happily goes back for the preparation for her job. She goes back to the folder that Butler Qian gave to her and reads Aiden's information again. She chuckled as she remembered what happened last Friday and also she started to laugh a little louder as she is making fun of how Aiden and Austin resembled each other like a copy and paste.
Aside from their faces, their personalities are so much alike which makes Shiro deep sigh while raising her eyebrows, "Austin is like a 5-year-old too, tss..." she heaved a sigh and closes the folder. When she turned her head up a sudden light from the afternoon sun reflected on the collage picture frame and she sees her family picture that was taken from a studio when she was in pre-school up to grade six.
She gently smiles as she sees the smile of his dad who looks very happy holding her as well as her mom. As she started to look up on the ceiling she finally feels she's not sleepy anymore and she started to busily type something on her laptop.
When Monday came, Shiro instantly goes outside and sees Austin was not in front of their house. She hastily locks their get and blows a deep sigh going toward the bus stop. As she is waiting and standing up in the waiting area, Shiro looks at her Instagram and takes a look at the posted pictures through it. While she's browsing she immediately sees Nakamoto Yuta's post on his brown lengthy hair along with his black robe with a golden dragon design on it.
"Hey, why it was never notified me!" she whispered to herself as she is disappointed that his post doesn't show up on her notifications. As she is still waiting for the first bus, she clicks her idol's profile and takes a look again at his previous post. She began to giggle a bit when she keeps on looking at it. His refreshing healing smile is way similar to a warm spring air. He is handsome and has a manly proportion that makes Shiro have a dreamy look all over her face.
"How dare you to look at some other guys without me?" someone unexpectedly said gently hugging her waist and placing his head to her shoulders. Shiro was got struck out and almost felt some tingling sensation on her spine that makes her panic a bit as she can smell his perfume or maybe a body wash that lingers in her senses.
"Austin?" she said calmly without looking at him as she recognized his usual scent and hastily turned her head up to see him. When finally their eyes came together while he is staring at her deeply and he tightened his grip on her waist—a moment of calmness makes Shiro a little bit dazed and confused that is why Austin began to blink his eyes slowly before he turned his eyes on her lips. Shiro comes to be awakened herself but it seems too late when Austin forcibly turns her around to him and moves forward again to come upon her as she can feel his breath against her lips.
"Hey, are you going inside or not?" Shiro got more awakened like she was hypnotized by him earlier. She steadfastly looks at the bus conductor and realizes what just happened and pushes Austin away aggressively which gives rise to him to stumble and almost fall on the ground before she runs inside the bus.
"Tsk! Hey Shiro!" Austin loudens his voice and he immediately goes inside the bus and he notices Shiro hiding her face from the bus driver and conductor that's chuckling because of them. Austin tightens his lips as he realizes what he has done, but he is quite delighted about it when he also noticed that some other students are blushing because of what they saw earlier. He instantly sits beside her.
"Hey," he gently called out her but Shiro gives him a dubious stare.
"I don't know you!" she asserted and turn her back at him.
Austin giggles from what she did and near himself at her ears saying: "We almost kiss AGAIN earlier," he whispered to her and it makes Shiro get creep out and she hurriedly turns herself and clutches his collar.
"You scared me earlier!" she angrily whispered before dropping him aggressively on his seat. Austin cannot help himself to laugh at her while clapping his hands.
"Why not just let into yourself that you miss me because you think I wasn't around today?" he jokingly bragged at her.
"You may not come next time you pervert stubborn kid!" said she.
"Hey! I told you to stop calling me kid!"
"I'm a year older and almost two years older! I'm 20 and you are still 18! So yeah—you are a kid—stubborn kid to be exact!"
"I'm going to be 19 this year in November so it is only 1 year! I'm not a kid okay? Stop saying that or I will kiss you in here!"
"Well, I will never give you a chance because I will throw you away from here!"
"Hmm as if, you'll just get stunned by my handsome face just like earlier and—uhhm!" Austin was halted from his talking when Shiro shuts his mouth using her hands to cover it belligerently.
Austin starts to widen his eyes while looking at her but she became persistent, "People are looking at us because of your uncontrolled mouth, don't embarrass me okay?" she commanded while waving his head back and forth and he arched his eyebrows but then gaze at her with his sinister stare and unexpectedly places his lips to her palms without hesitations that's why Shiro hastily stormed her hands out and pushes him off that makes him laugh out loud as well as those other people beside them who are fascinated by watching them since they get on.
"Gross!" Shiro asserted while spraying alcohol on her hands contentiously. Austin peek at her and nudges her shoulders that making her cheeks collide on her bag.
"I'll kill you!" she threatened him and spray the alcohol on him that made him panicked whereas he waves both of his hands in the midair just to prevent the alcohol to come on his face.
"Austin pabo!" She beckoned and crack up.
"Shiro pale penguin!" He said then stick out his tongue that makes Shiro laugh at him once again.
As the bus keeps on driving on its way to their university, the sun started to break the dawn, and it makes Shiro get dazzled by the sunlight and she immediately closes the bus curtain.
"Promise I will say everything, that my heart wants to say...to you," those words surprisingly came to her mind, and she hastily gets her notebook and Austin was startled from what she did as she is in a hurry jotting it down.
As they finally arrived at the University, Shiro acted strange once again, she keeps on deep sighing and looking at the ground. Austin started to swallow his throat while looking at her—he began to open his mouth but then Mark, Yangyang and, Nana halted him to talk to her and Shiro instantly greeted them back as Mark happily smiled at them. Austin rolled his eyes before he blow out a sigh, put his hands inside of his pocket, and stare at her once again.
"Shiro," Nana abruptly speaks up as Shiro is about to trip herself at the ridges of their school but Nana immediately catches her forearm and she finally put herself together by giving a little hollow laugh at them.
"Sorry," she weirdly asserted before she takes her arms away from Nana.
Austin became a little aggravated and then he neared himself more to her before he snatches her away to place her on the other side of him.
"Hey!" Shiro loudens her voice and jerks his hand away.
"Why the hell you are such a walking disaster these days!?" Austin trailed off while clenching his jaw peered at her badly that's why Shiro raised her eyebrows watching him turn his glance away from her and she began to snicker.
Austin hastily turn his eyes again on her, "Why? You are so odd today!" said he and hold her shoulders closed to him but Shiro stubbornly get away from him as they are already in front of the private room.
After they gathered up, they went on their perspective classes, and Professor Younghyun coolly raised both of his eyebrows, "Good morning," he sharply greeted his class before he turned up his round specs. When they finally seated down, Professor Younghyun immediately checks the chapter they finished per group; Shiro, Lynx, and Asher's work were already approved by him that's why they quickly go back to their seats and group themselves up again.
"Yey! So we can proceed no to the next chapter, aren't we?" She delightfully asked them and exhibits her excitement towards them.
"No, treat me some lunch first! You were late last time to pass and I helped you because for sure Shiro will get mad at you!" Lynx fiercely made known to her and she suddenly gets bewildered by what he has said.
"S-sure..." she nervously responded that's why Lynx turns up his head with his serious face, and it abruptly changes to a funny one as he exhibits his eye smile on her.
"Just kidding!" he jokingly asserted and pats her head. Asher was surprised by what he did and she feels her face is warming. She hastily turns her eyes on Shiro and glimpses her laughing at her while looking at their papers, that's why Asher starts to move her hands up and down that making her long red nails emphasize.
"It's hot today!" she let out while awkwardly smiling at them.
Thereon, their classes are finally over and they went together to their room and Shiro instantly sees Austin with his arched eyebrows, "Hey!" he called out to her, and Shiro immediately sits on the couch quietly. Lynx and Asher joined them then Yangyang turn his eyes on them.
"Asher... are you done with the memorandum for the upcoming event?" Yangyang asked her and she sits upright, looking at him with a surprised expression on her face, "Then you didn't?" he coldly affirmed.
"Shiro are you busy?" Yangyang asked her in a serious manner and Shiro instantly looks back at him.
"Not that much," she said and Austin began to feel something like his stomach is about to get compressed and the back of his neck started to heat up.
"Can you help me? I mean right now, Professor Younghyun said you are good at doing it, I badly need it," Yangyang said particularly before Mark and Nana came in, and since Mark is the Council President he immediately asked for the memos too.
"Sorry, Yangyang!" Asher asserted while rubbing her hands together but Yangyang just ignored her; rolled his eyes from the disappointment he felt and take a look at Shiro once again. This time, Austin gazes at her intensely, "What now? Turn him down! Right now! Turn him—"
"Okay, just give me the pattern..." Shiro said before grabbing her laptop.
"Sure... I'll guide you," Yangyang told her without facing her as he started up busily typing on his laptop again. Austin gave an arrogant laugh without being noticed by them, he keeps on looking back and forth to them but they are so determined about what they are doing and they even did not mind him gazing like that or maybe, cannot read the indications of his jealousy towards them.
Asher rapidly moved her eyes and look at Austin, "Hey, Austin!" Asher called him out but he is persistent for Shiro's attention but she was seemingly blind and deaf for that. Austin exhibits his tremendous breathing and Nana starts to peek at him.
"Shiro," Lynx suddenly says her name and that makes her head up finally.
"Why?" She asked him and turn her head again on the laptop.
"Professor Younghyun is asking for the list of records he assigned to us, you may send it quickly on my email," he commanded and Shiro just nodded her head and quickly access her documents and immediately sends it to him. Yangyang started to turn his head up and raised his eyebrows—specifically, he was amazed by her productiveness and wished that she is the Secretary of the Council than his friends that are relying too much on him. Austin widened his eyes when he saw Yangyang's expression and instantly nuzzle his hands to Shiro's shoulder and she quickly look at him—confused.
"What?" she asked, but before she goes back to typing on her laptop Austin finally speaks up: "Don't look on the other way!" he stubbornly commanded at her which makes Shiro frown on him and without saying anything she just shrugged off her shoulders and goes back to her laptop.
All of them inside the room initiated to peek at them, but Yangyang and Shiro are too busy and wholehearted to what they are working out. "Hey, I told you—"
[BUZZ] Austin was stopped when his phone contentiously vibrates from his bag. He annoyingly gets it while Shiro is looking at her a little. But, as soon as he got his phone, he surprisingly stands up with his eye wide gazed, "Excuse me," he rashly said and ambles his feet away from them. Shiro tries to get herself back from what she is doing as she followed her glance to Austin before he finally leaves the room.
After that busy afternoon, Shiro excused herself to Lynx and already notified him about her part-time job. Because Lynx is rushing for his practices he never had a chance to talk to her for a long time. Since they have an early dismissal, she wondered if she can go already to Austin's mansion for he is not yet showing up since he got a call from someone. As Shiro is continuing to walk towards the gate, a sudden buzz from the car surprised Shiro and she instantly sees Butler Qian inside of the black BMW.
"Shiro," he called out her name while waving his hand and smiling at her generously. The other students get dumbfounded when they see him getting off of the car and quickly open the door to assist Shiro. She already understood that Austin will never show up this time but she did not ask Butler Qian where he is or what is going on.
When they arrived at the mansion, Austin is also not in there as well—Shiro promptly followed Butler Qian quietly going upstairs as they strode in the gorgeous imperial staircase with white and bluish tiles on it along with a carved silver handrail.
"He's there at Young master's study room," Butler Qian made known while pointing the translucent glass door adjacent to their direction. As they continue to walk exactly they stop in front of the door, the door automatically opened and they see Aiden with his wide smile along with his gray beret, navy blue shorts with suspender over a white polo shirt.
"Jiějiě!" he happily exclaimed while jumping moving his arms upwardly.
"Shàoye! You should not address your teacher like that!" Butler Qian asserted with his raised voice, that makes Aiden get sad by changing his expression and beginning to look down on the floor.
"Sorry, Teacher Shiro," he mumbled in an inaudible way but Shiro just put on a smile and level herself downwardly to Aiden.
"It's fine, after this you may call me sister every time our study is done... so is that okay with you?" Shiro insisted which makes him delighted and excitingly responded to her. Butler Qian takes a deep sigh and started to pardoned himself with Aiden's personal maid and left them alone in the study room. But before Butler Qian left them, he instructed Shiro about the study room that used to be Austin's Study area which has two medium-size bookshelves on it and most of them are for elementary school books.
"You may use an elevator near the end of the floor going up to the 3rd floor which has the larger library if you wanted some more references in his lecture. And you may go in there for your own studies too Miss Shiro," Shiro remembered those words as she is sighting the elevator he was saying earlier. She felt some excitement when she heard about the library but at the same time, she felt a little doomed on how rich Austin is even though how many times she is going in his mansion like the routes of this household is limitless but seems normal for them.
As they started their lecture, Shiro makes sure that Aiden is ready for she knows how unruly this kid is if she will never get consistent. She explained the rules to him by showing animated house rules that for sure Aiden will get interested than explaining it verbally and too long. After that, she immediately asked Aiden by asking him first about his interest and letting him speak more about himself. Shiro also makes sure that their lecture will only take two to three hours or else a 5-year-old child like him will easily be bored.
"So what's your assignment?" Shiro asked gently and Aiden excitedly get his assignment notebook and Shiro takes a look at it immediately.
"Family picture," he said with a smile on his face.
"So do you have it?" Shiro asked him and he began to think very deeply, "I don't think so teacher..." he said before he takes a deep breath and continue to speak.
"I only have it when I was still sleeping on mommy's lap, I saw it in our one house!" he happily said and Shiro trying not to arc her eyebrows for she doesn't want to disappoint him for she comprehend that his last picture with his parents was when he was a newborn baby.
"Hey, your assignment said, you can pass it on Wednesday! How about asking your parents tomorrow and tell them you have to take a new picture!" she delightfully convinced him and he gave a surprised smile at her while flopping his feet.
"You're right! They said—they will come here using—a chopper!—yes they will fly to see me!"
Shiro began to flash a smile on her face and happily responded to Aiden and they finally finished their first day. Aiden stands up from excitement but Shiro reminded him about the house rules, that's why he hastily fix his things without Shiro's help and when he already places all his things in his bag, Shiro lends her hand that is why he immediately reaches it and they left the room to go outside and play soccer with her. Shiro never admitted that she cannot play that kind of sport, but since Saturday, she able to research how to play it.
When the time has passed, Aiden began to feel tired at exactly 5:30 pm that's why Shiro and he went inside the house as also the sky became dark and crimson.
"Let's seat on the couch," Shiro invited him as she is still holding his hand while he is scratching his eyes from sleepiness.
"Jiějiě, Please stay..." he mumbled with his little voice and Shiro started to smile sweetly and pats his head when they sit down. He started to lean on her lap as Shiro places the cream-colored cushion on her and Aiden slowly closed his eyes as he try so hard to fight it.
"Brother Austin said—wait on him—so don't go," he mumbled once again in an inaudible way that's why Shiro started to thin her lips.
"Sleep now, I will stay," she responded even though she never understands what he said just earlier. When Shiro started to look up as she is gazing at the chandelier dazzling against her eyes; she finally perceives her weariness and also slowly closed her eyes.
"Aus...tin," she uttered quietly before closing her eyes.
~ • ~
"Hey Butler Qian, is Shiro..."
"Shhh..." Butler instantly hushes him and points his fingers at Shiro and Aiden sleeping together. Austin look at his smartwatch and it's already quarter to six o'clock, he beams a smile and looks at Butler Qian once again.
"I'll wake her up and take her home, kindly notice Aunty Quennie," he said that's why Butler Qian bows his head and ambles his feet stepping away from them.
Austin raised his eyebrows and places both of his hands on his waist while looking at them, "Huh, these sleepy heads," he whispered and he chuckled before going on Shiro's side and he gently lean her head on his shoulders.
"Why do they look like—why do they—they are like waiting for a father that came from work," he whispered and touching his forehead before brushing his hair up and looking towards again on them.
"So... I'm the—I'm the dad?" he loudly whispered this time and laughs again himself and suddenly felt his cheeks are getting warmer that's why he checks himself on the camera. As he sees his cheeks are turning red, he took a deep sigh and hold his laughter but then he realized something again, then he opens the front camera one more time and gently smiles to see the three of them in the frame.
"Young Master I already contact her mom,"
Butler Qian suddenly speaks up while smiling near the living room door, and the way he looks at them makes Austin panic a little and nudges Shiro's shoulders aggressively.
"Hey, Shiro! How many times do I have to wake you up—WAIT OUCH!" Austin shouted when Shiro sit upright and step on his feet.
"If you wake me up like that, that means you have to think about your death wish!" Shiro threatens him with her dubious stare at him that makes Austin blink his eyes harshly, when he is about to respond, Aiden moved and open his eyes a little.
"Hmmm..." he let out that's why Shiro hastily places her hands on her head.
"Don't wake him up!" Shiro whispered while caressing his head gently.
Butler Qian immediately walk toward them, "I'll take him to his room, and you may go now Shiro... Thank you so much," he light-heartedly said to Shiro and carefully carried Aiden.
Shiro thinned her lips and pats her shoulders before carrying her backpack while she's standing up, "I'm going..." she said.
"No, let's go," Austin said before smiling at her and they finally take off from his home.