Like a withered flower that once bloomed so bright the week before, Lisa feels the same way. For a week, she has been slowly weakening, not just physically but also emotionally and mentally as her mind is completely occupied of the circumstance that her father got into. She can’t even remember the last time she genuinely stretched out her lips to smile, that smile which gives everyone a brighter day ahead. That smile, she feels and she knows it for herself that she’s losing it.

Lisa arrived at the university at her usual time but not with the usual situation wherein most students wouldn’t care about her so much. This time and for the past few days, she would hear students on the corridor gossiping about her and would sometimes shout into her ears to insult her. The news of her father being unemployed spread like a wildfire and now everyone’s making it a big deal. Unknown to her on why and how everyone knew about it, Lisa as much as possible wants the news to just simply come in to her right ear then let it out to the left ear.

“Hey dirty girl, when will you be out of our university? The likes of you don’t fit in here.” Someone said from a side and laughed with his friends while Lisa’s walking passed by them with her head lowered down.

“Poor little thing. Just get out of here. Just go to your poor father and cry with him. You’re both useless!” Another one said and everyone laughed in unison.

Lisa heard her father’s name involved with the insults. Thus, she didn’t hesitate but to stop midway and look up to locate where that insult came from. None dared to step forward though, but they just glared at Lisa who feels like she’s being surrounded by evils giggling at her. She can’t help it, she can’t help herself but to let a tear drop from her left eye.

“Yah! You can insult me all you want but don’t dare you involve my father! You don’t know anything about him! That's the problem with you people! Not because you're rich and everything that doesn't mean you can insult my father and us poor people!” Lisa shouted to everyone with her voice cracking as she did.

“Lisa!” Her best friend Bam came running towards her and shooed away all the students giving her so much pressure. “Don’t mind them. Just ignore it, okay? C’mon, let’s go.” He then said and held Lisa’s shaking hands as they walked away.

Bam took her farther away from the crowd, away enough for Lisa to breathe some fresh air which she needs the most. There were no complains heard from his best friend, not even a single groan while he roughly pulled her away from the bullies. Being her best friend, he knew very well that this Lisa he’s facing right now is definitely out of herself.

“I almost asked you if you’re fine but obviously you’re not.” Bam said as he faced the university’s soccer field in front of them.

“Sorry. It seems like I got you involved a while ago. I couldn't help it. They're talking bad of dad so I wasn't able to control my emotions.” Lisa softly said but remained on her stand, not joining Bam on his seat by the bleachers.

“It’s nothing.” Bam smiled up at her in hopes that he can restore Lisa's smile a bit but it unfortunately didn’t. With this, he cleared his throat to inform, “The administrator said he wants to talk to you. He actually asked me to tell it to you that’s why I went on my way to find you a while ago but I ended up seeing you on that situation.”

“I see.” Lisa only nodded.

“They didn’t hurt you, right? Those bullies…” Bam asked and again Lisa can only nod at him.

“I’ll get going then.” Lisa in the end avoided her own best friend as she feels so embarrassed being around with anyone at the moment. I want to be alone… that’s what she’s thinking and so she always find herself pushing everyone away, including her parents that she rarely talk with for the past days.

On the other hand, at the other side of Lisa’s struggling world are the people showered with wealth. As if they are untouchables, Jisoo together with Rosé walk around the campus. With all those eyes following them in admiration and with all these greetings they receive nonstop from those guys who are hoping to get a chance, some are being ignored. Although they are aware of their power and popularity, sometimes they don’t actually care and would just walk around like any other students that are rich like them but not on the same level.

Stopping by their usual spot at the rooftop of the annex building, there the two sat on the bench as Rosé inhaled the fresh air brushing against her bare face, “Whew, finally~ some peace of mind.”

Bursting out a can of soda beside her, Jisoo followed up, “Yeah right. At last no one’s eyeing on us. It’s so stressful being watched all day you know.”

“But for some reason, we’re not being talked about as much as the past few days. I wonder what’s up with the other students.” Rosé stated as she wondered.

Jisoo tossed her phone to Rosé to have her look at the business news which she reads for her, “It’s about Jennie’s father buying a firm in Thailand. And that firm is where Lalisa Manoban’s father was working before. He got unemployed because of this and now her scholarship is at risk. She might get expelled and might be sent back to Thailand. Well, students search like FBIs when it comes to news like this one, especially when it’s about that poor student Lalisa.”

“And everyone’s talking about this?” Rosé questioned in disbelief and Jisoo bobbed her head. “I bet some are bullying her because of this. Can’t we do something about this unnie?”

Jisoo almost choked on her drinks as she heard Rosé suggesting out of nowhere. Laughing at her, she assumed, “Hey, why should we do something about it? It’s a family problem and I think you’re smart enough to tell it. This isn’t the university’s problem so it’s out of my scope as a student council member too. Besides, we don’t even know the girl very well, we’re not close and particularly we’re not friends with her. Jendeukie seems to hate her too by the way. I don’t know why.”

“But how about Jennie-unnie? She might be able to do something for her, right? Maybe she can ask her father to re-hire or reinstating Lalisa’s father?” Rosé once more recommended with a force.

Jisoo closely stared at her and teased with a smirk, “Do you like that Manoban girl? Why do you insist on helping her?”

“Oh c’mon, why should I?” Rosé snorted in return as she nudged away from Jisoo’s mocking face that’s getting closer. “Moreover, I only feel sorry for her. You know me unnie, I easily feel pity for someone.”

“If you say so…” Jisoo giggled. “But Rosé, if you want to help her then you can. No one’s going to stop you.” She then said with a wink but ended up getting ignored.

“Speaking of Jennie-unnie, where is she? Why isn’t she with us today?” The full of curiosity Rosé again asked, also to dodge more of Jisoo’s interrogation with regards to Lisa.

Jisoo heaves a sigh, “She was called at the admin office. She’s drastically failing some of her subjects this past month and it was reported that she hasn’t gone back home for a week now so I guess they’re going to give her some corrective actions. The worse is that her father agreed that the university should give her punishment so it’s quite impossible for her to escape.”

Rosé then laughed in reaction, “I can imagine her freaking out now. I wonder what kind of punishment they’ll give her. I hope they won’t be so hard on her.”

Lisa meanwhile arrived at the administrator’s office in no time all by herself. She already has this feeling on what the administrator will tell her and so she prepared herself for defense and how to answer them. However, her expectations failed her as upon opening the door to the administrator’s office, her once dying eyes gone muddled at the sight of Jennie deeply glaring at her. At first she thought she entered the wrong room so she checked again. Then she returned her eyes ahead of her only to have another exchange of looks with Jennie who’s standing across the university’s administrator’s office table.

“Eh? What’s going on? Why is this woman in here?” Lisa thought at the back of her mind yet she still stepped inside the office as she locked the door behind her. With her little hesitant steps, she stood beside Jennie who’s still ogling at her to her side and she can only eye forward to the calm administrator in his seat.

“Thank you for coming Miss Lalisa Manoban despite of the short notice that I passed to your best friend.” The administrator formally said.

“No worries about it sir but… why was I called? This isn’t about my father’s situation isn’t it?” Lisa nervously asked with her tensed and forced out smile.

“We already talked about that last week but since you asked, how is it going? Were your father able to find a new job yet?”

“Not yet sir but he’s doing his best to find one before the month ends. Please give us some more time. I assure you that he can do it. I’m also looking for other ways for him to get employed too.” Lisa replied determined as she looked straight to the eye of the concerned administrator.

“I hope so because if he can’t, then we have no choice but to expel you and send you back to Thailand.” The administrator ended then moving on as he sits up straight, “Setting that aside, I called you today for a different matter. This senior of yours right here might need your help for a week. I think you already know her, she’s Jennie Kim, a business management student and their family is this university’s top donators when it comes to financial aspects.”

“Excuse me?” The puzzled Lisa tended closer. “What do you mean? I m-mean yeah, I do know her but I’m kind of confused right now sir. Why would she need a help of someone like me?” She then further questioned but not looking at the woman standing still beside her.

“To put it simply, she’ll be serving some corrective actions. We already talked earlier today with Jennie and we decided for her penalty. She’ll be working at the university’s cafeteria for a week, just like a working student. And since you’re appointed in there, I was thinking if you can guide her and help her work correctly and accurately for the entire week.” The administrator explained and handed over a piece of paper to Lisa.

Softly, Lisa read some of the paper’s content, “Failed grades… violations of university rules… skipping of classes… clubbing… drunk driving…”

“It’s not necessary for you to read it.” Jennie murmured coldly at the side but looking into a space through the windows.

The administrator faked his cough to continue and break the ice between the two students, “That being said, can you please watch over Jennie for a week? I hope this wouldn’t so much of a burden for you Lisa.”

“Hey, why do you talk as if I’m a huge problem?” Jennie informally grilled the administrator using her sharp eagle eyes.

“Because you are, Jennie.” The administrator returned with such stillness in his voice. “While it’s true that your family if investing such huge amount in this university, we cannot pretend blind of your wrong actions lately. You’re a student, okay? And not because you’re rich that doesn’t mean you can get away from the law. Please be advised that your family entrusted your education with us and we have to go with accordance with the rules as well.”

Jennie puffed loudly before she stepped out of the office with her heavy footsteps, apparently upset as she couldn’t fight back anymore. Lisa was just overwhelmed and shocked of how the older woman acted, not expecting it at all. All she did is to listen