Homeroom hasn't started yet, but Shuhua is already sat in the middle of the classroom, ready to start with her morning ahead and idling, until her peace is disrupted by the booming sound of her friend's voice, coming all the way outside the classroom until it stops in front of her. 

Suddenly, hands were slammed on top of her wooden desk, almost making the Taiwanese jump out of her seat in surprise, turning to look up, annoyed.

"I had no idea we had English first period today! Hurry, let me copy your notes!"

"Right," Shuhua deadpanned. "Good morning to you too, Miyeon."

The frantic girl pulls a chair nearby to sit herself down in front of Shuhua, bringing out her stuff and mindlessly caring to even use her friend's desk, in which Shuhua just rolled her eyes in response, completely used by now and without much thinking, handing her notes over Miyeon anyway.

"Fine, I guess there's no helping it—"

Miyeon didn't waste another second and snatched the notes, as well as pulling Shuhua in a tight hug while she showers the poor girl's cheek with kisses.

"Thank you! I'll pay you back soon!"

"Miyeon!!" Shuhua whined, dramatically wiping her face, before she lets out a big sigh. "Anyway, you need a pencil or anything?"

While Miyeon starts to jot down, Shuhua could only watch as she waited for her friend to finish, having her elbow on the desk with her chin propped up, drifting to her own thoughts.

Everyone has always been dependent on her. May it be schoolwork, responsibilities in and out of the classroom, an extra help in the student council, all of them knew the job could be easily done when they've gotten help from Yeh Shuhua, since she'd always make herself available—despite actually not being one, but no one knew that.

Shuhua decided she could just live up to that image until graduation, believing that living that way makes it easier to stay away from trouble—or perhaps, just a sure way of keeping a side of herself that she doesn't want other people to see. I mean, doesn't everyone?

"By the way," Miyeon spoke, snapping Shuhua out of her trance as the Korean stops scribbling on her notes. "One of my friends from a different school asked me for your number."

"Hmm?"

"Can I tell him?"

Shuhua scoffed. "Tell him if he doesn't come and ask me directly, he won't get it," she says, bringing down her arms and unaware of bumping into some of their stuff on the desk, causing it to fall.

Before Miyeon could retort something back to Shuhua's reply, another presence interrupts them, passing by their desk as the person bends down to reach something on the floor, walking closer to them after.

"Shuhua, you dropped your eraser."

Looking up to the owner of the timid voice, Shuhua sees the tall, raven-haired girl; and even with the glasses on, she's obviously shying away from meeting Shuhua's eyes while she hands the little rubber over.

"O-Oh, thanks," Shuhua reaches to get it, only receiving a nod from the other before she shuffles back to her own seat, the two watching the retreating figure before Miyeon decides to talk again.

"Soojin seems really dark, isn't she?"

"I don't really know her well to say anything..."

Shuhua kept her stare at the said girl, who have already immersed herself in a paperback, shutting down the world around her and it got Shuhua a little drawn—more so, amused to feel a kindred connection towards Soojin that she couldn't quite pinpoint well.

She doesn't seem all too dark, but she looks... cool.

"Though I guess, that's nothing new," Miyeon continues to blabber, catching Shuhua's attention once again. "Maybe she's an otaku or something. Right?"

"Like the ones who collect figures and stuff?"

"Yeah, that. Don't you think so too?"

Shuhua shrugs; and before she could even formulate some sort of answer to Miyeon's question, the other moves on to another topic instead.

"More importantly, I'm going to the karaoke with the gang tonight. Do you want to come?" Miyeon asked in excitement, not wanting to focus on one topic only, which is just a very Miyeon thing.

"Uhh, sorry," Shuhua scratches the back of her head. "I can't... today."

It's not the first time she's declined an invitation—in fact, she couldn't even count the times she had always missed a get-together or a simple hangout. 

"You never can!" Miyeon exclaims, pouting, yet giving up as soon as she invited the other. "Let's go some other time then."

It's not like she could really plead Shuhua to come. She had just always known her for so long that she's used to her friend, being the busiest among them. Maybe from a part-time job or something, but Miyeon understood her priorities and never questioned them.

"Okay? Promise me!!"

"O-Okay..."

***

Just like any other day, it went by pretty smoothly and before Shuhua knows it, she's already done with classes and already at home, kicking off her shoes before properly putting them at the rack.

Her body begins to auto-pilot into doing her usual routine, getting into her favorite green shirt and a pair of shorts, tying her hair in a messy bun before she decides to do some chores.

"I need to go pick up Kuanlin soon..." she says absentmindedly, noticing the time and rushing to finish dusting the floor, which has never been visible anymore since she's been doing work around the house regularly.

Ever since Shuhua was little, both her parents have been busy with work, taking the responsibility in the house and taking care of her little brother. That simply explains why she didn't have the time to do anything with her friends after school and she never hated her parents for that. None of the things she does now doesn't really affect her to an extent to hold anything against them. 

After Shuhua has gotten out of the house, it took only a few of minutes of walking before she reaches her little brother's school.

"Shuhua noona!" the little boy greeted as soon as he sees Shuhua by the entrance, looking out for him and catching her attention in an instant when he ran to hug her by the waist, only matching half his sister's height, which made Shuhua giggle.

"Have you been waiting, Lin?" Shuhua asked. When he responds by shaking his head, she smiles and ruffles the boy's hair. "Let's go home then."

Another reason why she couldn't really complain was because she truly loved looking after her little brother, who had just started primary school recently and is still at the age of exploring around.

"Woah! Look at that cool thing, Shu!"

Holding Kuanlin's hand as they walked side by side, Shuhua can only smile fondly towards her brother, who has been pointing everywhere whenever they pass by a couple of stores and anything that really moves, quick to grab the boy's attention. Kuanlin is just too precious, she just had to be there for him.

"Yeah, they're cool—"

Shuhua's attention drifted to a bunch of girls that walked by in their direction, having their own conversation about sightseeing and some other stuff they discovered in magazines, seemingly planning to hang out together as friends.

She never meant to be nosy, but Shuhua heard how they were talking excitedly and her eyes lingered on them, before deciding to look forward their path again, unaware of the frown forming her lips.

I-I have greater responsibilities... that's all.

That was the downside of it all, missing out a lot on stuff that people her age should be doing, yet instead, she had became the second mother at home—definitely not just at home—and it was one thing Shuhua wishes none of her friends would see her doing.

Gripping Kuanlin's hand tighter, she ushers him to speed up a little.

"How's hamburgers for dinner, Linlin?"

"Hamburgers? Let's go for it, Shu!!"

That's just her daily life that she'd like to do without other people's judgment.

***

When they had gotten home after Shuhua had picked up her brother and went together to buy ingredients at the grocery, she figured she could let him go out and play for a while before dinner.

Cooking's never her forte, but she at least could manage, satisfied with her hamburgers that she had finally set on the table.

Kuanlin should be home by now, knowing how her brother is keen on obeying her rules, so she washes for a bit, taking her apron off and hanging it right by the kitchen.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang and Shuhua ran to the front door, ready to welcome her brother.

"Welcome back, K—" Shuhua hadn't finished her sentence just as she sees her brother's state, quickly kneeling down to match his height and cupping the boy's face in her hands, alarmed. "What in the world happened to you?!"

There was a trail of blood from Kuanlin's nose but despite that, he continues to smile towards her sister, totally unbothered.

"I fell down."

Shuhua took out a handkerchief from her pocket, always been ready for anything especially in situations such as that, dabbing the blood off his face like a worried parent. "You could've at least wiped them off—"

"Uhm, excuse me..?"

Shuhua stops to look up, completely shocked over finding out there was another person with them for a while now; even holding her brother's hand as the person stood tall beside him, just watching her and Kuanlin's interaction with a relaxed expression.

Crap! I completely ignored her! Shuhua felt ashamed, standing up to only greet the person now, bowing repeatedly in front of the unknown woman.

"I-I'm sorry, uhm," Shuhua genuinely smiles. "Thank you for bringing my brother home."

The woman nods before shrugging. "It seems like he's fine now, so I guess I'll head out."

"Thank you so much for your help," Shuhua repeated, a little flustered.

"Don't worry about it. See you."

Before the person could walk away, Kuanlin grabs the hem of the woman's shirt, stopping her on her tracks, surprising both girls at his action.

"Noona, stay here..."

The person looks at Shuhua, thinking of an answer, before looking back at the little boy.

"But—"

"I-If it's fine for you, please come in," Shuhua invites her next, adding up to the other girl's surprise. "I'd actually like to thank you for taking him home, too."

The woman blinked a few times, not really thinking twice into finally accepting the invitation, although a little shy when she agreed.

"A-Alright..."

After Shuhua helped her brother clean up for a bit, the three of them sat at the dining table, taking each corners as Shuhua sat across their guest while Kuanlin sat beside them, happily munching on his own meal, so they took the opportunity to talk.

"I'm really sorry about this," Shuhua smiled apologetically, while the other girl offers her the same gesture.

"No, it's fine," the woman assured her. "I think he got scared by a dog and tripped. That's how I ran into him."

"Ah... that explains the nosebleed."

Shuhua had a clearer sight of the woman's face this time just as she smiled, eyes unconsciously moving to look at the stranger's ears as Shuhua noticed something sparkled a little from the light. This girl has a lot of piercings...

"He seems to be quite a level-headed boy too," the other continues to talk, staring fondly towards the boy. "He had no problem telling me his name and address."

"O-Oh, he's just really kind of an airhead..."

The woman hummed, looking back at her. "And it's pretty impressive that you're able to run this whole house by yourself," she says, casually letting the words slip next. "I'm surprised, Shuhua."

"Ah, not really—" 

Wait, what?

Shuhua got alarmed, standing up abruptly as her face morphed into horror. 

H-How could she—

"What's the matter?" the woman tilts her head in question. "You're Shuhua from Class 1, right?"

"Wha—yes, that's me, but... h-how? Do you go to my school??"

"Eh? What are you talking about? I'm in the same class as you."

Shuhua only grew more confused and seeing the look on her face, the other decided to introduce herself once and for all.

"I'm Soojin."

"Wait," Shuhua froze, before exploding right there, pointing towards the other girl. "W-What?!"

Shuhua couldn't believe her ears over what she had just heard, remembering significantly that the Soojin she knew was the girl that sat beside the window at her class, wearing glasses and not piercings, and more of the nerdy type instead of the cool girl that she's seeing right now since she's always seen her reading a book during her free time.

Soojin wore an all-black outfit, b