The Monday morning came. Two days, yes, two days of peace and the University was back to being busy. Everybody was curious, curious about the Mid-semester results. The announcement of the results was already out since the examination committee was really very efficient and quick in corrections. The University was bustling with different emotions everywhere. Some were happy over their marks achieved while some were grieving over their failure. Some thanked their hard works and professors while some cursed themselves for slacking off and the professors of the subjects they flunked at.

                 Among all these hustle and bustle, Asma was thanking God for helping her out and paying her back with perfect grades for her 2 months of hard work and 4 weeks of sleepless nights.

     She was never really the brilliant one at studies. Not until the last year of her high school, that is. She was a very typical student who loved being a lazy bum weeks before the exams and just worked her butts off a few nights before them. That nature of hers always resulted in her being able to just pass and finally enter the profession she was opting for.

But that changed. It all changed when she saw the stress in her dad’s eyes. It all changed when she got into the pharmacy college she wanted to; when she came to know about the financial difficulties her father was facing but never bothered to tell his family about since he didn’t want to worry them over anything. That’s when she started realizing, “A scholarship for my expensive studies should really lighten the burden of my daddy’s shoulders.” She had thought after the 1^st week of her first year; the week the truth was revealed in front of her in the form of a verbal fight among her parents. And that’s when she decided, “I’m going to work harder than my potential and help daddy.”

She always knew she had the potential to be a topper because all her teachers, despite being always disappointed by her grades every year, still told that all she needed to do was stop slacking off and she would prove to be a gem. And that’s what she finally did.

Two years of hard work and perfect grades and GPAs did the job and she finally got what she was determined to get. Well, she didn’t completely stop slacking off though. After all, K-pop came in her life in the first year of her college life. But shshsh… she’ll start sulking.

And after achieving the scholarship in SNU, all the hard work had to be maintained to keep her scholarship safe. She knew she couldn’t slack off anymore.

        Her happiness was doubled up after knowing MiNa’s grades too. Apparently, the group study had helped them both and both were able to score the prefect grades. Now all that they needed to do to get the perfect GPA at the end of the semester was to keep the hard work going on. The two best friends were like the perfect pair; helping each other out at the subjects the other was lacking at. Hence, the achievement of one was the achievement of the other too.

“I’m so glad we got the perfect grades for the mids or it would have been problematic for the finals.” MiNa said to Asma while heading to the Campus garden to get some fresh air. Asma just nodded in response.

The former noticed the latter’s dry mood despite the good news and understood that something was worrying her bestfriend.

“Hey~” she slowly elbowed Asma. “What’s wrong?” she asked with concern in her soft voice. All she got back in return as a response was silence and a girl filled with thoughts.

“Should I start lecturing you again on how you shouldn’t be keeping things and worries from your bestfriend?” she added while cutely placing her hands on her waist and puffing her cheeks faking her anger.

Asma went and sat away from their usual place which had used to be the bushes where many beautiful roses were grown and bloomed and taken care of. This behavior made MiNa suspicious.

After silently sitting next to Asma, she finally broke the silence.

“It happened again, didn’t it?” she said while plucking off a few grasses from the ground they were sitting on. Asma just looked at her with sad eyes and nodded.

Sighing a heavy breath of frustration, MiNa gestured her to go on.

“It happened today in the morning. I found another stalk of rose in front of my doorstep along with another note.”

“Do you have the note with you right now?” Asma nodded and handed it over to her after rummaging through her bag for a while.

“All the best for the results. Return back with that beautiful smile of yours.

P.S.: A rose for the beautiful you. Don’t worry, you’ll be getting one every day from now on. And it won’t hurt you anymore since I’ve specially cut off the thorns.

From yours and only yours,

To mine…..and ONLY mine”

“er. Ruined the whole mood.” was all that MiNa managed to say after reading the note. “And I don’t like the way the ends his creepy notes.” She added.

“All thanks to this creep, I’m hating the flower I once used to love dearly.” Asma sadly admitted.

“What are you going to do now?” MiNa asked while stuffing the note in her own purse. Well, she’s been collecting the notes and cards from the stalker as a precaution ever since she learnt about him.

Asma just shrugged in response. “He had mentioned earlier that he’s make his presence obvious little by little. I guess this is a part of that ‘little’ appearance.” she said.

“There’s a notice! A notice about the Student Union Elections!” a student came running with a megaphone from the Arts department and interrupted the little conversation.

“Hmm, seems like this is a hint from God to concentrate on other things for a while I guess.” MiNa said while blowing off a strand of her bangs from her eye. “Want to give it a try?” she asked.

“But, won’t it affect my grades in a bad way?” Asma questioned worriedly.

“Yes, it will affect your grades. But no, not in a bad way. 20 marks are honored to the Student Union President and Vice President from each department for the contributions to the student body of their respective departments.” MiNa explained.

“Really? But which subject will they be added for?” Asma curiously inquired; forgetting all about the note instantly.

“It all depends on the subjects you happen to be week at or the marks you happen to miss due to any reason. It really depends upon the Chairman and the Vice Chairman based on the Deans’ and the professors’ feedbacks.” MiNa replied while shrugging as she continued to pluck off the poor grass strands.

“For real?” beamed Asma.

“Yup chungu, for real.” MiNa chimed.

“What are we waiting for then?! Let’s go and get the forms!” Asma cheered excitedly and pulled MiNa along with her; not even letting the latter rub off the dirt off her jeans.

“And here I thought you were sulking over a rose.” smirked MiNa. Kyuhyun’s company is really dangerous and influential after all.

“Who cares about a note and a rose when I can grab 20 marks! Anything to keep my scholarship safe!” chirped Asma while the other just laughed at her.

Yes, she really was like this. Looking at the optimistic side of a situation which was bad, she always tried to ignore the pessimism when given the chance to. And that’s what she was doing now as well.

But was that really enough? On the other side, the mysterious one had no thoughts of backing off though. He was just waiting in the lobby of his new apartment building; waiting to see his obsession arrive while a congratulatory teddy bear plushie or soft toy as most of us know; was waiting in front of her apartment doorstep to be taken. A teddy bear… and another note.

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A/N 

I COULDN'T stop myself from updating because I wanted to celebrate my very 1sy anniversary as a writer (and the 1st anniversary of this fic) on AFF. Long time~~~ I didn't realize how the 1 year went by so quick! 

Jk. The year was HELL and HECTIC but I still survived it. But It wasn't that bad either though :)

FEEDBACKS, FEEDBACKS, FEEDBACKS! I'm still waiting for the votes for the poll I created in Chpter 23. COMMON GUYS! I'm waiting! Well... I actually decided on the mysterious one but I still need to c how many really think like me in this matter.

Now I'm OFF for real. But who knows, an update might arrive some time sooner again? :P

Special mentions to Ryukai and my cute lil stalker Shnerdy for their AWESOME comments. Trust me girls, it REALLLLY helps a LOT! ^_* (Wink, wink <--since Ryu HATES emoticons :P )