Diana got to class and she took the seat beside Hendery’s.

“Hey, Di.” He greeted her, Diana nodded back and set her bag down.

“Apparently we’re being grouped today.” He started as students piled in, his eyes went to the doors as Lucas strode in the room. He noticed how Diana paused briefly when she saw him, but the girl looked away, unbothered.

“Really? For what?”

Lucas walked past them and went to his seat, Hendery leaned back and faced the girl.

“We have to do this semester-long research, we can choose any topic as long as it correlates with the subject.”

“So, you’re stuck with the same group for the rest of the semester?”

“Exactly.” He said, the professor walked in and they all stood up.

“Well, I hope we’re in the same group then.” She said with a small grin, Hendery nodded back and smirked to himself.

“If only we have control over that, Di. I would love to work with you again.”

“Let’s not mention about how we botched our term paper during junior year, Guanheng.” She whispered, Hendery chuckled to himself and nodded. He glanced behind him, Lucas was staring ahead.

“Good morning, you may all take your seats.” The professor announced, but not before taking a short glance at the boy seated beside Diana.

“This is new. You’re really okay with leaving her on her own?” Haerin asked as she walked in Kris’s office, the male looked up from his desk and nodded.

“I don’t know if it’s the new environment, but she’s gotten livelier, right? You noticed it last night.”

Haerin paused, she shrugged before sitting down.

“She seems better; Korea must be treating her well.” She agreed, Kris nodded and shut his laptop close.

“And I have to thank for that. It was your idea to bring her here.”

Haerin blinked, but she threw him a small smile.

“I just suggested that she’d..benefit from the change of scenery. I didn’t know…that she’d like it here. She likes it here, right?”

Kris chuckled and stood up, he walked towards her and plopped beside his wife.

“She probably does. I haven’t heard her complain, except for the spicy food.” Kris continued, Haerin’s brows rose but she didn’t speak.

“Jaehyun did say that she doesn’t like eating at the cafeteria.” Haerin added, Kris smiled.

“Diana’s one of the worst picky eaters, I know, Haerin.”

“Really? I didn’t notice.” Haerin spoke, Kris leaned back and pulled the girl with him.

“She doesn’t eat pineapples, not even when its mixed with pastries, she can smell them out. No milk on her coffee, but she’s okay with boba tea. Doesn’t eat greasy and anything too starchy. And, fish, she has a love and hate relationship with them.”

“Whoa, she is difficult.” Haerin scratched the back of her head, Kris nodded and laced her fingers with his.

“Yeah, not a lot can put up with that.”

Haerin smiled to herself and nodded, she knew another person who could.

“Here,” Yang Yang slid the piece of paper onto Lucas’s desk. He picked up the paper and looked around, their professor had handed out his list for the groupings.

“Oh, we’re in the same group.” Xiaojun spoke but then he halted, his eyes went to Yang Yang in worry. Lucas looked at the paper on his hand and froze.

“Diana, we’re in the same group.” A girl walked towards Diana, Lucas looked at her.

Diana didn’t react first, but she nodded back and then she turned her head as Xiaojun called for her.

“Di, Lucy,” He spoke, Lucas exhaled and winced to himself. Yang Yang chuckled, he left his seat to join his group mates.

“Xiaojun, hey.” Lucy walked towards them, Diana picked up her bag and made her way to their group.

“Di,” Xiaojun grinned at the girl.

“Hi.” Diana spoke, as soon as she was in his proximity, Lucas could smell her familiar scent again. Her perfume was still the same.

“Have a seat.” Xiaojun spoke, Lucy took the seat beside Lucas and she smiled at them, Diana chewed on her lower lip.

“Di, come on.” Xiaojun nudged her, Lucas looked at the girl, trying to meet her gaze.

“Do we start with introductions?” Lucy asked cheerfully.

“We already know each other; you can just tell us your name.” Lucas finally opened his mouth, Lucy blinked at him, a little taken aback by his words, Xiaojun sighed.

“What he meant was, the three of us were schoolmates before, so we don’t need the whole introduction thing.” He offered, Diana looked at Lucy.

“Let’s just decide about our topic.” Diana said, Lucas looked at her then at Xiaojun.

“Do you have something in mind, Di?” Lucy chirped in, Xiaojun and Lucas looked up, surprised. Diana looked at the girl, she blinked.

“Since this is a management class, how about we look into internal issues that’s common with big companies nowadays? And, Lucy, it’s Diana.” She said, correcting the girl.

“Oh, sorry, Diana.” Lucy smiled at her. Lucas looked away to hide his smile, Xiaojun shook his head.

Diana huffed as she left the classroom, she was about to climb up the steps when she felt someone tug on her bag.

“What~” She stopped, it was Lucas.

“Di,”

“I thought I was clear the other day, Lucas.”

“Diana, we’re in the same group, we have to work together. You can’t act like this in front of others.” Lucas told her, her forehead creased, her grip on her bag tightened.

“Look, I know you hate me. But we’re not in Hong Kong anymore, people here won’t understand.”

“What do you expect? Act as if we’re friends again? Because that’s never going to happen.” She shot back, Lucas paused, his jaw clenched and unclenched.

“Do you really think we can’t be that way again?” He replied, Diana exhaled and shook her head at him.

“Do I really need to spell it out for you, Wong? You hurt me. And I hate myself for letting that happen.”

“Do you think I wanted to do that, Diana? People were right, I was bad for you. I was that one big mistake you had in high school.”

Diana paused, her forehead crumpled.

“You can’t act like this forever, Diana. I will always be around you. We’re in the same classes.”

“Lucas…you’re too much. You were gone for two years, and now you want to act as if nothing happened?” 

“Leaving was the best thing for you. I was toxic for you, Diana. You almost died because of me.”

“Toxic?” Diana repeated, stunned, Lucas his lips before speaking again.

“I’m sorry for not saying goodbye, I deserve the treatment you’re giving me, but for the love of god, Diana, don’t avoid me.”

“I..I don’t know how to..be around you again, Wong. You left.”

Lucas shook his head at the girl, and then he let go of her bag.

“I want to make it up to you. I want to be your friend again.”

“Friends? You just said you were bad for me. Or do you have another meaning for toxic?” Her tone was harsh, but it didn’t bother him.

“Before all this, we were once good with each other. I’d like that again.”

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