Chapter 11: Scent

Jade loves everything in Korea. She love the food, the tourist spots, her family, her neighbors--everything. However, when her parents dropped the bomb that she should go to a school, her stomach filled with anxiety and dullness. Everything she loves turns bland. The only emotion she's feeling is nervousness.

Oh, Jade loves to be paranoid too. She already dreamed about what will happen to her on her first day. Her former school gave her nightmares as well as her future school. Maybe, she'll be ignored again. Maybe, they'll freak out when they saw her. Maybe, she'll have no friends again. Maybe, she'll stay in the library for god knows how long.

And before she went to the 'what if' questions, a pair of soft hands landed on each her shoulder. She jumped, her eyes widened and look at the intruder in the reflection of the mirror. Because of her advance senses, she can identify her parents by their scent without looking. Her mother smells like fresh brewed tea with almond cookies with a twist of citrus. Like... the afternoon tea. Jaemin smiled warmly and somewhat her eyes portrayed excitement. Jade smiled unsurely and focus her attention on her reflection.

She was wearing her new school uniform. Jaemin explain to her that there are types of uniform every season. She is wearing the spring uniform of her school, Elysian High. It is a white blouse with a single black stripe on the sleeve and a grey collar. It also has a pocket with the symbol of the school.

In her world, there's no actual school uniform. Just wear this kind of clothing or anything similar, you're already in school uniform. And yes, her school in this world will start tomorrow, but because of her anxiousness, she tried on the uniform just to be sure and not get embarrassed tomorrow if unfortunate events happen

"Why do you look constipated?" Jaemin joked and pat her head. Jade pout and straightened her skirt that was way too short for her liking. Jaemin manage to convince her because it's fashion

"Because I'll go to hell" Jaemin peeked her head to Jade's shoulder and slapped lightly "Language, lady" Jade whine and grumpily furrow her brows

"But eomma, I already told you about how the exopians treat me in school. What if the students here also do that? And I don't need education"

"Earth and your world are far too different. You may experience this and that to your world but in this world, your fate may differ. So stay hopeful, 'kay? Also you need schooling to impress your future mates, remember?" She brushed lovingly the younger's hair. Jade nodded and exhaled, feeling more relaxed now.

About the documents she was talking about a month ago, she stated that it was all taken care of. So far, no questions are being asked because she shoved money down to their throat to quiet them. Jade shudder every time she pictures her mother's kind smile while saying that.

A knocked came by the door and both Jaemin and Jade turn around. There stood her appa, grinning proudly. His scent smells like coffee bean and paper combined. Not the book paper but the usual paper which is understandable since he worked with paperworks. Jaemin pulls Jade and modeled her like a prize possesion "Our daughter is all grown up" she gushed and took out her phone to take pictures.

Jade's heart swelled at the sound of 'our daughter'. It sounds so musical in her ear and she wanted to hear it again, and again and over and over again. Her bubbles of thoughts popped when her appa's brows met and his eyes grew piercing. With lips in tight line, he said "Why is her skirt so short? And her blouse's too tight?" Jaemin laughed and jokingly slapped her husband's shoulder "Eyyy don't be too prude! This is fashion!"
When she received no reaction from him, her gaze hardened "I said, fashion."

Just like the weather nowadays, his mood changed abruptly. He puffed and widened his eyes in attempt of aegyo which seriously gross out Jade but didn't say anything. This thing that creep her out had a massive effect on Jaemin instead.

She cooed and pinched her husband's cheeks before opening her phone, already punching digits "Uhm 'kay, let's get her a bigger size of blouse but let's keep the skirt, uhm?" he nodded, still has the 'puppy' eyes. When she left, Hyunho turn into a nasty shade of green and looks like he's about to vomit the pancakes he ate earlier this morning "I'm never doing that again" Jade shook her head and chuckled at her father.

Hyunho perked up, "Ah" suddenly remembering something. He reached out from his back pocket and hand over a phone. Jade raised both her eyebrows with confusion dancing in her eyes.

"This," he grabbed her hands and put it on "is yours now"

"Wow...This is mine?"

"Yes, I thought you'll need it for your guidance. The world out there is scary even though it's pretty sometimes. You'll never know"

Footsteps were heard and Jaemin appeared with happy skips. She's humming a tune and with a smile on her face, she sing sang

"Jaaaddee~ I bought a phone for youuu~--- eh?" She stared on the phone in her hand and on Jade's hands and in her hand and Jade's hand. She kept doing this until she silently looked up and stared at her sweating husband. With a broken, sad tone she cried "w-why..?"

Jade panicked and grab the phone on her mother's hand and exclaiming "I'll take both, okay? Eomma don't be sad.." And just like that, she wiped her face and laughed like a mad man "Take that, Loser!" Hyunho could only just face palm at his wife and her silly actions Jade inspected the phone