Never say ‘it’s too late’ when you’re still alive. You may have done things that you regret, things that you wish you never did it and things in the past that you want to change. There are times that you also wished that you have and invented a time machine to make your mistakes right and times that you wished time stopped with your happiest day. However, it’s unfortunate that we cannot go back and rewind back time and we can do is to move forward and let these mistakes be an experience and life lessons. It’s never too late to start over again. We may not be able to go back in the past, but we can always make a detour and restart anew and be born again to change. We have unlimited chances in life. After all, a life full of hardships and challenges help you shape into a strong person. – Kat, Author.

“Welcome!” An eye smile greeted the customers that entered the restaurant full of energy. “For how many people should we prepare for your table?” She asked.

“Good for five people please.” The customer politely answered and so the woman with eye smile signaled her subordinates to prepare a table for five.

“This way please.”

“Our manager is really energetic, don’t you think?” A waiter on break commented as he witnessed how this active woman guided customers that enter the restaurant.

“Yeah. Other staffs can do the welcoming but there she goes, doing it all by herself. Won’t she get tired from doing all these things?” Another waiter said.

“Stop commenting and just admire her.” The cashier on standby hissed to the gossiping waiters. “We should be thankful that it was her who got promoted as our manager. You can’t find someone like her around this city anymore. Most managers these days slack off from work and just leave everything to us underdogs but she’s different.”

“Talking about me again?” The manager popped out behind them and everyone got undeniably startled from her sudden call. She laughed at their reactions and said, “Whatever. It doesn’t matter if you talk about me all day as long as you’re doing your jobs right.”

“They’re actually saying nice things about you unnie. Don’t worry. They’re not backstabbing you or anything.” A customer enjoying a goblet of wine by the bar area of the restaurant said to the manager.

The staffs only looked at each other for they didn’t expect that this customer personally knows their manager then they all went back to work full of awkwardness. The customer giggled silently on her seat and took another sip of her red wine while reading this magazine on top of her hand.

“Another day…” The manager now on her break occupied the vacant seat beside this customer as she temporarily removed her nameplate and her other black coat uniform. Sighing so deep due to her fatigue, she rubbed her palms against her freezing cheeks that caused by the cold weather.

“You easily get tired because you put a lot of effort everyday unnie. You should slow down from time to time too. Look at me.”

“You’re an easy-going now that it’s already graduation season. I was once a teacher too so I know how it feels like to be free every time an school year ends. So don't boast off just because you're free now because you'll get stressed again in just a month.” The manager said to her customer.

“I know unnie.” The customer winked. Looking at the time, she reminded, “Speaking of graduation, it's starting in an hour. Aren't you going to see her ceremony? She's going to make her speech you know, as the valedictorian.”

“I want to. But it can’t be help, I still have to work until tonight. Mom volunteered to be her guardian and my brother said he took a leave from work to take pictures of her for me. As much as I want to go and attend her graduation, I can’t. We already talked about it last night too. She looked fine but I know she must be somewhat disappointed.” The manager sighed.

“Well, she's old enough to understand you. Anyway, I have to go now. I have to attend her graduation too since I'm looking forward to her speech.” The customer said as she stood up from her seat, preparing to leave the restaurant after having the best quality of wine.

“Thank you, Yoona. After all that happened this past year, I still couldn’t believe you chose to become a teacher. I might have never told you this but I'm happy for you. I hope you'll keep your passion with that.”

The customer Yoona grinned. She picked up the manager’s nameplate and pinned it back to her chest pocket and said, “You too unnie. I'm happy for you. I'm glad that you're back up on your feet again. Have I ever told you that your name Tiffany Hwang matches so well with that title manager under it?”

The two laughed before they parted ways. Tiffany Hwang, a former educator now turned into a successful manager of a high-class restaurant after showing off extraordinary skills and talents during her first months at work as a mere waiter. Her fast yet reasonable promotion inspired her co-workers to do better and this regained everyone’s passion towards their jobs. Then as for Yoona who once served as a mere caretaker of school’s cafeteria is now an educator of her father’s school. After everything that they had gone through the past year, they keep their heads up and moved forward with their own life. Sometimes they would look back, but not to live in the past again. It is to keep themselves firm and stronger amidst of all the hardships in challenges.

Meanwhile, in a top-class university of the city, there’s this one Economics student who was once a rich and spoiled brat but now a working student with an outstanding performance and grades to sustain herself without asking the help of others. Her name has been mentioned in couple of newspapers for she has also displayed an excellent presentation at different business competitions for students. These achievements made everyone not to judge her past and her life that was once on top of all classes.

“As expected, Krystal. You're really amazing.” Her fellow working student functioning at the university’s library praised this excellent woman as he read the newspaper that was just delivered.

“I only placed second in that competition though.” The cold Krystal replied while fixing the pile of books ready to be placed on their own shelves.

“You're sister is graduating today, isn’t she? It was on the morning news a while ago. You know, it’s trending because she’s already twenty-seven and she still pursue her high school life. I guess that makes the two of you amazing.” He said, more like praise and compliment rather than a criticism.

Krystal sited his statement as a compliment so she responded with her unusual smile, “I didn’t expect she'll go back to high school after she was expelled last school year though. Even I was surprised when she announced it to us. For sure, you won’t believe it if you knew what her reason is, for returning back to school and studied so hard that she unexpectedly ended up a valedictorian.”

“Why, what’s her reason?”

“Secret.” Krystal winked. “Sorry, I have to finish this quick. I still have to attend her graduation after this.”

Krystal left the guy dumbfounded on his place to put the fixed books into the shelves. Walking in between the high bookshelves, she searched for the books' proper placements under her arms. As she finally found the right place, she saw this tall woman on the ladder steps, holding onto thick books while reaching for more on the highest row. Krystal eyed on her from afar and then using her athleticism, she dashed to this woman as she’s seen going off-balanced on the ladder. Krystal just let go of the arranged books on her hands as it scattered on the carpeted floor just to save this stranger falling off. Just in time, she caught the woman on her arms but she was unexpectedly heavy that they both stumbled on the ground with Krystal beneath this giant woman.

“Oh my God! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?” The giant woman asked in panic as Krystal groaned in pain on her back.

Krystal opened her once shut closed eyes and met the giant woman eye to eye. With her still on top, Krystal couldn’t help but to be mesmerized by this woman’s white and flawless skin, her puffy cheeks that seem to be so cute to pinch all day and her eyes that can pull of a perfect eye smile like Tiffany’s if she wants to. These features of the giant woman made Krystal speechless on her place and just let her lower lip drop like an idiot.

“E-excuse me b-but… can you get off me?” Krystal awkwardly uttered.

The giant woman blushed furiously and jolted up on her feet, fixing her crumpled laced dress. “I-I’m so sorry. But also, thank you for saving me.” She then shyly bowed down her head.

“It's nothing. Be careful next time, okay? It's dangerous for someone like you to be reaching out something that high on your own. Maybe you should ask for an assistance from us working students of this library to avoid accidents like this next time.” Krystal lectured her but didn’t bother exchanging eye contact as she bent down to pick up the scattered books on the floor.

“Then…” The giant woman also bent down and finally locked stares with Krystal who is just a meter away from her position. “Then, may I know your name? So that I'll ask help and assistance from you the next time I'll come by here.”

“Krystal Jung.” She answered in plain but with her ears reddening from their closeness.

“I'm Sulli. Nice to meet you.”

She also introduced herself with an eye smile that captured Krystal’s heart with a forced handshake initiated by this bubbly woman and left the scene in haste. Krystal smiled wide at the hand where she was touched before going back to her own work.

Meanwhile, on a school filled with proud parents and excited students, a graduation ceremony is about to happen. The venue hall was decorated with red curtains and various colors of flowers of different kinds. The seats for the graduates were covered in white while for the proud parents were covered with red. The ceremony will start in an hour and the attendees that came earlier used the opportunity to take memorable photos together with their families and friends. The school gate is filled with people coming in and some press media to cover this big event, only for this school because of this one graduating student that successfully gained the public’s attention.

“Here, wear your ribbon. The ceremony will start shortly.” The nervous guardian pinned the ribbon on her student’s uniform.

Standing by just outside the venue hall are the students with their parents and guardians to walk them inside. Everyone is greeting each other and talking to each other while waiting for the cue for them to enter but not for this nervous valedictorian that can't stop her sweat coming from her shiny forehead.

“I'm so nervous ma'am. I haven’t read and haven’t reviewed my speech well. I couldn’t sleep last night at all. What should I do? I've never tried making a speech in front of many people yet.” This student is more nervous than this bothered guardian of hers.

“Don't be sweetie. We’re here to support you. Just look at us when you get nervous on stage. You can read your speech if you can’t memorize it too well. Or, if you’re uncomfortable with that script they gave you for your speech, just speak from your heart. Say whatever your heart wants to convey to your schoolmates and to their parents.” Her guardian said and fixed her uniform’s collar once again then her straight long hair.

“But ma'am—“

“That’s enough Jessica. You'll do well, okay? And how many times do I have to tell you that call me mom and not ma’am. You don’t have to be so formal around me. I'm your lover’s mother so you have to start getting comfortable around me.” The mother twinkled.

The student Jessica blushed madly and replied shyly, “Y-yes… mom…”

“That sounds better.” The mother patted Jessica’s head. “I'm sorry if Fany can't come today. You understand her, right?”

“Yeah, definitely. She promised me she’ll come to my party tonight at Yoona’s residence so I'm totally fine if she won’t be here.” Jessica assured with her smile.

“Good.” She nodded. “Hey Leo! Come over here and take a photo of us. My precious daughter would love to see this moment.” She then called to the man standing far from them.

“Yah mom, you look more excited than Jessica herself. She’s the one who's going to graduate, not you.” Leo chuckled but still took a memorable photo of the two women nonetheless.

And so the ceremony started and the graduating students together with their proud parents or guardians entered the hall. Visitors and some media coverage all clapped and went on their stand as all entered and went to their respective assigned seats. Jessica was seated in front row as a privilege of being a top student, just right in front of the stage. Being in the front row makes her unknowledgeable of what's behind her and of what’s going on behind her back. So her curiosity hit her and slightly twisted her head back only to find out a massive number of people arranged by row all the way to the back near the hall’s entrance.

“Oh my God.” Jessica hissed and her heart started hammering loud at the thought of making a speech in front of this huge number of people.

“Are you alright?” Her seatmate asked as he noticed she's being so restless with her fidgeting fingers by her lap and Jessica nodded fast in response but still wordless with her eyes fixed on the floor.

“Seriously, Jessica seems to be so nervous. Look at her; she keeps on moving on her seat.” The frustrated mother said as she saw her from her position all the way to the front row. “W