The next day, Shiro wakes up with the tiredness that shows from her eyes. She immediately gets her ice pack and places it on her eyes because it's swollen like she cried the last night even though she didn't. After she prepared everything, she finally went outside and sees once again that Austin was not in there. Shiro bites her lip and continues to walk towards the bus stop; she wandered her eyes more this time and look around so many times before she glimpses her black sports watch.
"He's not coming..." she mumbled and finally take a step to ride on the bus with her depressing expression that she tried to conceal. As she reached the University she walked towards the gate and the security guard started to smile at her.
"Is Austin absent?" he suddenly speaks up that making Shiro hop a little and turn her a glance at him once again. Shiro forcibly draws a smile on her face.
"I-I don't know sir..." she responded and turn her look away before she lifts off her feet. Shiro immediately goes to the library and starts studying alone to consume her time before she started her classes since the midterm examination will presume sooner.
After the morning classes, Shiro, Lynx, and Asher go together towards their private room. When Asher instantly opens the door, she turns on the lights and steadfastly goes on the couch and picks up the remote control for Air Conditioner.
"Why it isn't open?" she said before clicking it. But as soon as Shiro and Lynx sit together they have notice Asher keeps on clicking the remote several times and nothing is happening.
"Oh no, what happened!" She exclaimed with a wide eye gaze on the Split Aircon upwardly from the right side of them.
"I'll check it," Lynx asserted with his serious tone of voice and stands up to check on it. "Do you have a ladder?" he said and Asher stands up too while Shiro still looking at the laptop.
"W-we have! On the storage room,"
"Okay," he said and exhibits his eye smile once again and walk towards the storage room. Asher swallowed her throat aggressively and she instantly follow Lynx as he is getting the multi-function ladder inside the room.
"We can ask for technicians' help!" she suggested and began to get shy when Lynx glance at her with a stillness on his face.
"Why? You don't trust me?" he said and removed his blue long sleeve polo over his white V-neck t-shirt that makes Asher widen her gaze and take her eyes off from him.
"Excuse me," Lynx said and started to hold the ladder while his polo long sleeve is on his right shoulder.
"Shiro..." she called out her name and throw the polo in her direction which she instantly catches and flanked on her side before looking again at her laptop. Asher smiles a bit and takes a look at his side projections.
"You are like siblings," she let out while giggling on his side then she heard Lynx laugh a bit, and he immediately places the ladder.
"I need screwdrivers," he said and Asher ambles her feet on the storage again to get the mini-tool box—Asher steadfastly gets it and that makes Lynx laugh at her after he checks the Aircon.
"You should not be in a hurry with that kind of heels," he spoke up and turn his focus on what he is fixing.
"I think the compressor is the problem, I'll check it outside," after Lynx said those words while he is going down the ladder—the door opened and they see Mark, Yangyang, and Nana together.
"Hey! Why it's like hell in here?"
Shiro stops typing on her laptop and even though she's not turning her gaze upon who is talking, she knows that an annoying voice that likes to demand all the time.
"Oh, I never noticed you in there Austin," Lynx said while mending the working gloves he is wearing.
"I'll go outside," said Lynx.
"I'll come with you!" Asher exclaimed that give rise to Lynx to lift his eyebrows.
"Okay," he said and gets the toolbox.
"The Aircon is not working so Lynx has to fix it, okay? Lunch is in there join that with Shishi! We're going!"
She hastily made known to them and they never had a chance to respond as they are in a hurry to leave the room. Yangyang just takes a deep sigh and sits on the accent chair in front of Shiro then he also brings out his laptop and that makes them look like they doing things together as a pair.
"Shiro..." Austin whispered to himself that gives rise at Mark and Nana a glance at him. He clenches his fist while looking at them and he ambles his feet angrily towards her before he sits down on the same couch with her.
"I'm tired today!" he calmly said with the hint of his arrogant voice and stretch his arms in an upright position and peeks on Shiro's laptop.
"Hey! I was...I was..." he came to be flabbergast while looking at Shiro and he widened his eyes when he noticed Shiro's eyes as she began to lean her back on the couch. He swallowed greedily and he immediately put his head on her shoulders.
"What are you doing?" Shiro got petrified from Austin and she started to push him away a little but Austin was persistently holding her arms. When she noticed his friends are looking at them, she sits upright and aggressively pushes him away.
"Hey! I know I wasn't with you in the early morning! But you don't need to be aggressive because you are mad at me!"
"WHAT? What are you saying? I'm not even waiting on you earlier!" Shiro louden her voice a bit which makes the three of Austin's friends cease from what they are doing.
Austin clench his jaw, "Then why did you suddenly push me away?" He asked her with his narrowing eyes.
"What are you talking about you creep?"
"Creep? We've been doing that when we are alone? What creep are you talking about!"
"Huh? Would you shut your mouth? What is wrong with you?" Shiro asserted and awkwardly goes back on her laptop. Austin widened his eyes more when Shiro just goes back on what she is doing, that's why he places his hands on his forearm.
"Let's ta—"
[BEEP] His phone started to rattle when he was about to talk to her and he immediately get off his hands from her, "Excuse me," he mumbled and stomped his feet loudly before he stands up and finally left the room. At exactly he shuts the door the Aircon instantly functions and Mark tries to redeem the ambiance with his awkward smile at Shiro.
"Finally, we may cool down a bit," he said while rubbing the back of his neck and getting the remote to change the temperature. Shiro just says nothing to them and takes a sigh of uneasiness within her.
Since their afternoon classes get affected by the school program, Shiro goes to her locker and puts her books inside. Austin texted her that she may go again to the mansion and Butler Qian will take her but she refused this time by texting Butler Qian directly.
Shiro immediately goes to the mansion and she was accompanied by the other maids because Butler Qian is in his office.
"WHY! I WANT A NEW ONE WHY YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ME!" Shiro was halted from walking when she heard Aiden shouting at someone near the garden of Zhong Mansion and she immediately run towards it.
[BLAG!] A huge sound of shattered glasses became audible; Shiro runs as fast as she could and instantly sees Aiden sitting on the floor while having tantrums.
"You're such a stubborn child! I said we have to go, do you understand Aiden?" a lady with her long wavy black hair, monolid intimidating eyes, as well as her red lipstick along with her black silky, long dressed. She forces Aiden to stand up as she is gripping his shoulders.
"It's my assignment! My classmates laughed at the others—with old pictures because—they said we are not babies anymore—I don't want—I don't want them to make fun of me!" Aiden demanded to his mom and cried more loudly than he did.
"We're busy Aiden, stop making my head hurt—"
"JUST A MINUTE! LET'S DO IT!"
"AIDEN!" She shouted at him this time and was about to beat him but Shiro unintendedly move and grabbed Aiden to carry him into her arms.
"Jiějiě!" Aiden let out while still crying and hugs her tightly.
"Who are you?" Aiden's mom asked while anxiously moving her eyes.
"I'm Aiden's tutor... I'm Shiro Mae Fajardo... Ma'am," she formally announced to her and Aiden's mom started to deep sigh while clasping her forehead. Butler Qian steadfastly goes to the garden and he stops as he sighted Shiro carrying Aiden.
"I just wanted some pictures—bad woman!" Aiden said that makes his mom widen her eyes and is about to talk back but Shiro takes a tremendous deep sigh.
"Stop saying that to your mom Aiden... she's still your mom and she said she is busy because she has to work for you. After all, your mom loves you that is why she works hard just to give you a good life... so don't say that again okay?"
Shiro gently said to him and he finally stops from sobbing and look at his mom.
"Okay..." he responded to Shiro and Aiden's mom got awkward while looking at Shiro.
"Now say sorry to her..." she calmly commands him.
"Sorry, mommy..." he settled which makes her mom get dumbfounded for a second and give a sigh of relief before she smiles gently.
"Sorry too dear..." she mumbled and pats his head.
"Madame, It's time..." her Secretary made known to her that's why Shiro let Aiden down and her mom hugs him and takes off afterward. Aiden is still sobbing a bit and he offers his open arms to carry him once again.
Shiro smiled at him, "Let's do your assignment later, have some sleep first," she said and carry him then Aiden just quietly hugs her.
"Jiějiě please don't leave..." he pleaded with her and Shiro just nodded her head as Butler Qian is guiding them going to his room. Shiro places him on the bed and he looks at her when she sits on the accent chair near his queen-size bed.
"Jiějiě, can you lay by my side until I sleep?" he requested, and Shiro raised her eyebrows, "Oh..." she beckoned while she slowly standing up and places her things on the chair. Aiden is waiting for her answer that's why Shiro thinned her lips before she smiles at him.
"Sure..." she made known to him.
There on, Shiro lay beside Aiden and pats his back to make him fall asleep; he slowly closed his eyes after he wandered it for a minute, "Jiějiě, we are family right?" he utterly let out to Shiro and she got confused about his question that's why she thinks about what she is going to respond, "Why did you asked?" she threw a question to his question.
"Because—teacher said that family loves one another and sometimes—it's fine even you are not blood-related—as long as you love each other—"
Aiden stops talking when he suddenly falls asleep. Shiro takes a deep sigh and gets amazed at how Aiden is very interested in the family concept and how he broadened his mind about it. "Did he think I'm his sister?" she whispered and tap his nose gently.
"I confirmed that you are a good boy than your stubborn cousin! Tss..." she whispered once again and crack up a little bit.
On the other hand, Austin halted his car when he finally reached the mansion. He runs excitedly inside and goes up but he sees nothing inside the study.
"Young master," Butler Qian pops out of nowhere that making Austin jumps as he is surprised by Butler Qian while he is grasping something behind him.
"Where are they?" he asked him.
"On Aiden's room Young Master..."
"Oh... they are done? It's too early,"
"Just a lot of good things happened earlier young master," Butler Qian said and he reported everything that happened between Aiden and his mom and how Shiro handled the circumstances.
Austin delightedly gives a smile, "Yeah, that's my Shiro," he loudly let out while cracking up and impulsively gives what he is holding to Butler Qian then runs as fast as he could going to them.
He excitedly opened the door without a warning; "Hey, Shi—" he stops calling her name when he sees them once again sleeping together. He giggled quietly and closed the door carefully. He walks towards them with a lovely smile on his face then properly plops the blanket on them before he goes to bed too which makes Aiden in the middle. Since Shiro is hugging Aiden; Austin smiled and looks at Shiro sleeping delicately and he cannot help himself to mend her hair at the back of her ears before he gently touches her face.
"Pale..." he leeringly said and finally lay his, hands to Shiro. He gets his phone and takes a look at them like what he did last time and giggled once more before he placed his phone near Aiden's lampshade. As Austin is about to turn his glance he got shocked when he saw Shiro wake up; she is also got dumbfounded and about to remove her hands but Austin hastily gets it.
"Shh... don't wake him up..." he whispered and teasingly laugh at her.
Shiro rolled her eyes, "Don't you dare to make stupid things, Austin-pabo!"
Austin scrunched his nose before he laughed, "Calm down Aiden is here...Sleep! I'm tired too..." he said before he closed his eyes and peek at his one eye that makes Shiro laughed at him.
"Pabo," she teased him before closing her eyes again.
"Pale!" he whispered as he also decided to sleep while they are hugging Aiden with their hands close to each other.
~ • ~
"Good mor—" Aiden stops to talk when he noticed that Shiro and Austin are with him. He wandered his eyes back and forth and giggled quietly with his hands covering his mouth. He gets off their hands and carefully crawls down out of his bed.
"Yes success!" he exclaimed and Austin began to move and he noticed that Aiden is missing that's why he panic a bit finding him and he catches the glimpse of him at his door. He frowned on him as he is just half-awakened but when Aiden gives a chef's kiss gesture while giggling behind the door, Austin widened his eyes and smirk at him but responded to him while motioning his hands with an okay sign and turning his side towards Shiro.
Shiro started to move that's why Austin closes his eyes as fast as he can do and Shiro realized that Aiden is missing and he is also not behind the door anymore.
"Hey, Austin where is—"
"Ahhm, I'm still sleepy stop disturbing me let's sleep more," he asserted and grabbed Shiro to hug her tightly which he successfully made because Shiro got struck out from what he did. Austin opened his eyes and started to crack up then Shiro turn her gaze at the door and caught up with Aiden behind his.
"How dare you, you creepy guy!" Shiro awakened herself as she realizes what Austin is up to and kicked him out of the bed with her full force which makes Austin fall on the ground.
"You aggressive woman!" Austin shouted.
"HAHAHAHAHA" Aiden suddenly shows up in front of him while holding his tummy laughing at Austin as he is holding his back.
"You demon! You did this on purpose, aren't you?—OUCH MY BACK!" he loudly demands and Shiro stands up trying to hold her laughter as she wants to intimidate him.
"You deserve it!" Shiro made known and get Aiden away from him.
When they finally, get down they see Butler Qian preparing some snacks for them near the garden, "Oh, Shiro and Aiden I'm about to wake you up," he said and pats his shoulders before he offered them a seat.
"Where's Austin?" at the moment he asked he immediately catches a glimpse of Austin walking towards them while he is holding his back. Butler Qian just giggled a bit and did not ask them what happened for he already comprehends what kind of situation he did that makes Shiro mad at him again.
"Tsk what?" he annoyingly asked Butler Qian.
"OH, ANYWAY!" Austin suddenly exclaimed and run inside their house. Shiro was confused as she sits down along with Aiden and after a few minutes they sighted Austin happily going in their direction and Shiro sighted a whitish thing he is carefully holding.
"Ahh! It's a puppy!" Aiden gasped and run towards him. Shiro immediately followed them and breaks a smile sees a Bichon Frise puppy.
"Cute!" Shiro delightfully let out which makes Austin smiled.
"She's Daegal," he announced the dog's name.
"Hi Daegal!" Shiro said and patted the dog's head gently.
"LET'S TAKE A PICTURE WITH HER!" Aiden happily requested and grabbed Shiro and Austin's hands then invited them to go inside the living room. Butler Qian immediately followed them and requested the other maids to get the DSLR camera.
"It's here!" Butler Qian asserted and Aiden carefully hold Daegal in his arms. Shiro and Austin go together on the other side to watch him.
"Jiějiě!" Aiden suddenly stopped smiling,
"Hmm?" she responded.
"Joined him... The two of you," Butler Qian told them and Shiro confusingly joined along with Austin.
"Take a look now on the camera! In 3...2...1... SMILE,"
As they are done taking a picture they immediately goes outside again and Butler Qian said that Shiro may go home afterward and he will take care of Aiden's assignment for tomorrow.
[BUZZ] Austin's phone was left at the table inside Aiden's room. When the maid noticed the phone is kept on turning on and off she instantly gets it and catches a glimpse of DILLAN calling on his phone.