“You look kinda cute with that on your face,” Jiro teased.

The frown immediately disappeared and Selina turned her face away.

“What is your problem?” Selina muttered.

“What was that?” asked Jiro moving closer causing Selina to move back a little. “I bet Danson would get angry if he saw this.”

“Why are you always talking about him?” Selina questioned.

Jiro shrugged.

“Because he has things you don’t?” Selina asked.

Suddenly Selina felt her shoulders being gripped by Jiro’s hands. He kept loosening and tightening his grip. Selina became uncertain about whether he'd hurt her.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Joanne aplogized before quickly retreating.

Once the woman disappeared, Jiro whispered to Selina angrily, “Get out of my house…now.”

Jiro pushed Selina away and quickly went upstairs without noticing that Selina had been pushed against the wall. Selina stared up the stairs after him and slipped on her wet shoes and made her way home while carrying her socks.

“Miss,” the chauffeur called after her as she walked passed him.

“I’ll walk today!” Selina shouted back and walked through the open gates.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

“What I do is my problem, ok? Why do you have to act like you’re older?” Danson questioned.

Fei had started an argument once they had gotten inside their home.

“You know clearly that Xiao Mei has feelings for you,” Fei reminded. “You said you’d try to like her.”

“I can try, but I know I don’t,” Danson tried to point out, “would you rather have her hurt by some made up feelings? Do you not want your brother to be true to himself?”

“Who knows, maybe after you get to know Xiao Mei you’ll like her so much you’ll want to throw Selina out,” Fei stubbornly insisted.

Danson took a breath, “Please, Fei! I’ve known Xiao Mei all my life! If I wanted to like her I would have done something already, but I don’t.”

Fei rolled her eyes, “Anyone, anyone, but Selina, ok? I just don’t like her. She just looks…she just looks so fake!”

Danson frowned at his sister, “She’s your cousin, Fei! I’ve known her before you were born so you shouldn’t be criticizing her.”

“I don’t care if she’s older,” Fei stomped her foot. “She just wants to hurt Xiao Mei and she just wants to act all innocent so you’ll protect her.”

“You’re so childish you’ll never understand,” Danson retorted. “Go do your homework or something.”

Fei glared at Danson and started toward the stairs, but turned back.

“Knowing her, she should be two timing you with Jiro, right?” asked Fei. “I don’t see what Jiro would see in her. I mean either way I’m going to make Jiro mine anyway. And why is Jiro acting like that toward her?”

Danson didn’t respond so with a last look at her brother Fei went upstairs to her room. Once Danson heard the door close he rubbed his forehead and dropped onto the couch.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Selina sighed and took her hand off the doorknob. So maybe she would never find her other start in Taipei. Even Danson and Fei were arguing over her. Though Selina didn’t realize it then, the pressure had already began building up on her shoulders.

She sighed willing herself to smile and opened the door. Danson jumped up from where he was and looked at her wet clothes.

“What happened?” questioned Danson. “Why are you all wet?”

Selina looked around as if she would find her answer somewhere then it came to her. No wonder her hands had felt so empty.

“My bag,” Selina looked down at her hands.

“Your bag?” Danson repeated. “You left your school bag at that jerk’s house? I’ll go back and get it from that idiot.”

As Danson began to brush pass Selina quickly turned and grabbed onto his arm.

“Wait no, forget it. It’s ok,” Selina said.

“Did you do your homework though?” Danson questioned.

Selina shook her head no and Danson let out a moan.

“Whatever that moron did, I’ll make sure he pays tomorrow,” Danson bit his bottom lip. “You should go change into something dry.”

Selina glanced into Danson’s face uncertainly then turned away. After changing into something dry Selina returned downstairs to find that Danson had made some warm porridge for her.

“Come sit,” he invited.

Selina walked over and took a seat.

“There’s no telling when a person will get sick. Warm yourself up with this,” Danson told.

Selina stared into the steaming bowl, “Thanks.”

“Do you remember living in Taipei when you were younger?” Danson asked.

Selina swallowed her spoonful of porridge and looked at Danson.

“I only remember vividly,” Selina replied. “But there was this boy, I can’t remember him too well.”

Danson’s eyes brightened up a little, “Then, do you remember anything you had with that little boy?”

Selina moved her eyes up to the ceiling, “Um…we were close.” Selina smiled feeling a little embarrassed. “I liked him a lot back then.”

“What about now?” Danson felt his heart beat faster.

“I don’t know where he is,” Selina told.

“What if you meet him again?” asked Danson.

Selina put her spoon down, “I’m not sure. Why are you asking me this?”

Danson laughed, “I was just wondering. Don’t sleep too late.”

Selina nodded and watched Danson go up the stairs. That night Selina lay in bed staring out the window. Still no matter where she was, she felt like a burden.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Jiro slammed his hand onto his desk. He felt angry at Selina and at himself. He knew that what she had said was true. Danson had so many things that he lacked. However, Jiro could not bring himself to admit that he envied Danson because that would ruin his pride. His thoughts shattered when the door opened and Joanne poked her head in.

“What is it?” questioned Jiro.

“Did Selina leave already?” Joanned asked stumbling over her words a little.

Jiro nodded.

“She forgot her bag,” Joanne said holding up Selina’s backpack.

“Leave it on the table,” Jiro instructed.

The next morning when Selina entered the front doors someone ed their arm out stopping her. Jiro stepped out from behind the wall and stood in front of Selina with a replenished smile.

“Good morning,” he greeted.

Selina stared back at him making no move to reply.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

“Aww…come on I didn’t mean to scare you last night,” Jiro said teasingly as he looked down at Selina.

“Hey, Fei isn’t that Jiro over there with your cousin?” questioned Lin.

Fei and Lin just happened to walk through the front doors and stopped shortly in the hallway.

Fei made a face.

“Is she trying to get all the guys in this school?” asked Lin.

Fei stared angrily and walked off quickly.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

“There you go,” Jiro said slinging Selina’s bag off his shoulders and held it in front of her.

Selina made a move to grab her bag, but Jiro moved it before she could get a hold of it.

“Ok, I was just playing,” Jiro smiled then handed it to her.

Selina grabbed her bag and quickly walked off with Jiro tailing behind her closely.

“Just say something, why do you have to be so silent? Answer me. Hello? Is anyone home? Are you awake?” Jiro called behind her noisily. “If you’re angry because of what I did to you at my house then just say it!”

Selina paused in front of the door to the classroom to find everyone staring at her. Everything seemed unmoved for a few minutes until the teacher cleared his throat loudly. Selina quickly walked in and took her seat next to Danson who glanced at Jiro quickly then turned to Selina.

Every once in a while Jiro would turn over towards Danson and Selina wondering if Selina had told him about what had happened. Jiro decided no since Selina didn’t seem like a big mouth after all. Quickly after class ended Jiro jumped up from his seat and went over to Selina holding out his hand to her.

“Come on, lets go.” 

Jiro could feel Danson’s eyes give him a hard stare. Selina didn’t respond, but zipped up her bag and got up. Jiro grabbed Selina’s wrist and half dragged her out.

“See ya, Danson!” Jiro yelled as he left the room with Selina.

Danson got up and followed.

Selina halted herself in the hallway and looked at Jiro who moved his face closer raising his eyebrows. Selina could feel herself heat up unexplainably and quickly turned away fast.

“What’s the matter?” Jiro questioned with a teasing tone moving his head over her shoulder to whisper into her ear.

“Hey!” Danson called rushing over and put his hand on Jiro’s hand that had a hold of Selina’s wrist.

“What is it?” Jiro asked turning to Danson. “You just ruined the moment.”

Danson frowned angrily and turned to look at Selina who quickly looked back nervously.

“She doesn’t need to be your tutor,” Danson declared, “whatever happened, yesterday forget it.”

Jiro laughed mockingly, “Yesterday? Oh please, it was just a small thing. Wasn’t it, Sel?”

“Stop doing that,” Danson snapped.

“Doing what?” Jiro challenged.

“You’re just mocking her,” Danson pointed out, “why does she have to be your tutor when you could choose 100 other students.”

Jiro crossed his arms and raised one of his eyebrows as if thinking, “Well, you said before she has the best smile.”

Danson gritted his teeth, “That doesn’t mean she’s your tutor.”

“Then what do you want her to be? My personal maid?” questioned Jiro.

Selina’s eyes grew wider in shock at his words and Danson forcefully threw Jiro’s grip off of Selina.

“Say that again,” Danson threatened.

Jiro opened his mouth and Danson shoved him.

“Don’t just say anything about her,” Danson advocated.

Jiro made a face and threw himself toward Danson, but before he could do so Selina ran in front of Danson. Jiro stopped and stared at Selina who was cowering and had her arms up to cover herself from what would have been his hit.

“What’s going on?” a voice questioned.

The three of them turned to see Fei, Lin, and Xiao Mei standing not too far away.

“Come here,” Fei pulled Danson away from Selina.

“Are you making them fight or something?” Lin questioned, hands on hips.

Selina defended herself, “Don’t judge by the looks of it.”

“Shut up,” Fei snapped, “if you dare get a scratch on either Danson or Jiro, you’re so dead freeloader.”

Selina opened to retort but thought better of it. Freeloader? Why not? She was staying in their house without doing anything in return anyway. Selina turned her eyes to the ground to avoid Fei’s oncoming glare.

“Why are you always clinging onto Danson? Why can’t you find some other guy or something? He’s not coming to your rescue every time. I don’t know what you did to Jiro, but you don’t deserve either of them. What do you see in her anyway, Jiro?” questioned Fei.

All ideas in Jiro’s head faded away as Fei turned to look at him. He quickly glanced at Selina and lost his train of thought. It was confusing him.

“Be quiet, Fei! This is none of your business and none of yours,” Danson said to Fei then turned to both of Fei’s friends.

“You’re my brother so of course…” Fei began, but got cut off.

“You don’t even know Selina,” Danson pointed out.

“Exactly, so I don’t like her,” Fei echoed.

Danson frowned, “I knew her before you were born. You’ve never spoken with her even when you were a child.”

“The past is different from the present,” Lin mumbled picking at her nails.

Xiao Mei looked around too scared of doing anything. Jiro glanced back from Fei to Danson lost. He had not expected this kind of argument to sprout from his plays.

“You! It’s all your fault!” Fei pointed to Selina. “If you’ve never appeared. If you’ve never come! You act all pitiful and make my parents pay attention to only you! Danson and I have been neglected!”

Selina finally turned to look up at Fei, remaining silent.

“Fei!” Danson scolded loudly making the other students stare at the commotion.

“Why are you making me argue with Danson?” questioned Fei.

Selina pressed her lips together, “Right, then tell your parents to not worry about me.”

She ran her eyes over them all before walking away. Her mind was about to explode. 

“Selina!” Danson shouted after her.

Jiro when he grabbed her wrist once more when she stepped by and led her in the opposite direction. Selina was shoved into that same black car and later found herself staring at the wooden table in that same study room just minutes later.

Jiro entered the room a few minutes later.

He sat silently unsure of what to do and what kind of action he should take. Comfort her? But that didn’t sound right either. He had to admit that he felt a little guilty. He'd gotten her hurt. He had actually just wanted to play around a little and get Danson mad, but had ended up getting Selina hurt. It hadn't been his intention. Jiro stared at her a long time unsure about what she was feeling. With that stone face of hers, he couldn’t read anything on her expression.

“What are you thinking?” Jiro quietly asked.

“You think a girl would’ve cried by now,” Selina's soft voice said.

Her statement surprised Jiro to no end.

“Yea? I don’t care go, ahead and cry,” Jiro carelessly encouraged.

Selina stared at him and reached into her backpack to take out her homework. Jiro watched half shocked. She was actually going to finish her worksheets at such a time.

“Weren’t…weren’t you going to cry?” stuttered Jiro.