II

DEAN FUJIOKA’S POV

I waved over to the maids, presenting my most handsome smile as I walk past them.

“OH MAN, HE IS SOO CHARRMING!”

“YES, HE IS VERY CHARMING. MISS. EVEN IS SO LUCKY~”

“Thank god there is someone who still considers Miss as a member of this household.”

“I wonder if Miss is alright... She must have been in quite a shock.”

They all nodded in agreement.

I opened the room to the library and saw her sitting by the window with her eyes closed. I chuckled, closing the door behind me as I walk over to her quietly.

I bent down and looked at her, she was the one person who could cheer him up. How could he just leave her here and watch her stepmother take over? Gui said that she didn’t want to any trouble so she decided to be the quiet, invisible child whenever she was around. If I were her, I would have packed my bags and left a long time ago. But now, things have changed and this little kid no longer sees the world as one big ball of endless amusement parks.

“You shouldn’t be sleeping here, Gui.”

Gui’s lips curve into a smile with her eyes still closed. “This is the safest, quietest and...” She opened her eyes slowly, still looking out blankly. “This room is my Zen, the one room that I could rest and be myself is right here.”

“Gui...”

Gui looked over to me and smiled. My eyes widen shocked to see her red eyes.

“WHAT HAPPENED? YOU CRIED DIDN’T YOU? WHAT HAPPENED?! DON’T TRY TO WIGGLE YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS! WHO MADE YOU CRY?!”

She ignored me. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to confess so I sighed, calming down so that she can be at ease. She had no strength to wipe the tears away so I grab my sleeve and wiped it off for her.

“Fine, don’t tell me. Just know that whatever it is, any trouble. ANY AT ALL, call me immediately. I will come running to you like the wind.”

When she smiled, she agreed to his simple request.

“What are you doing here? Are you still trying to persuade me to leave this house? If you are, you came for nothing. I will not leave this house. This place is my home, I grew up and love every spot in this house.”

“I know, but that’s not why I came.”

Gui looked up skeptically as I took the book away and exchanged it with an envelope. “Open it. This might be your ticket out of hell.” I watched her open it as I sat down beside her.

“You are invited to the annual charity masquerade ball hosted by the prime minster Mr. Qiu and his son, Mr. Qiu Sheng Yi. Please join us in this joyous celebration in hopes to earn funds to support our cancer research centres. We will be greatly appreciated if you can join hands with us to build a stable and strong community.”

Gui rolled her eyes, tossing the invitation back to me.

“No.”

“Why?! This sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime princess fairytale dream that girls YOUR age will kill to be apart off.”

“That’s the problem.”

“Huh?”

I looked over to her as she threw her arms over my shoulder. “I am not like those ‘girls’ who can dream aimlessly. I once did, but not anymore...”

“Gui...”

“Dean, thank you for being here... I don’t know what I would do if you didn’t show up...”

“Are you kidding? You would pass out if you didn’t see this gorgeous face for an hour! C’mon, is my charm starting to break down your walls? What can I say, I am a precious man of many talents.” He wrapped an arm around her, her head. “I’ll always be here for you Gui, I know you have trouble asking for my help but as long as I am here, talk to me. I am here to help you Gui, as a...” He paused before clearing his throat as he looked out the window. “...friend.”

AARON YAN’S PART

“HEY! WAIT UP! HEYY! YEAH YOU, WITH THE SPIKEY HAIR AND–”

The boy turned around, flinging his backpack on one shoulder to see one of his buddy walking over to him.

“What’s with that smug look on your face?”

“What smug look?”

“Your infamous look that gives girls the “Ohh~ HE IS SO HOOTT~ and giving your friends the goosebumps. YES! THAT LOOK! And I have made my point, period.”

Aaron rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms, while Jiro’s and Calvin smiled, causing the girls around them to faint.

“Let’s get to class.”

Wu Chun walked towards the entrance, followed by Jiro, Calvin and Aaron who causally walked in to hear a loud roar in the main foyer.

“What the–“

Sheng Yi was in the centre, wearing a prince get up, cape and crown. He winked, blew kisses and smiled over to the girls in the crowd.

“How annoying.” Jiro cursed under his breath as Calvin blew a kiss to a random girl standing beside him. “I can do so much better than him.”

“You guys are only going to drop to his level if you keep this up.” Calvin stopped and flashed an arrogant smile over to Wu Chun who grinned in response. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Aaron deeply sighed as he walked into their classroom, settling in to find a group of people crowding the hallway. Everyone was fully aware of who it was, the boys didn’t bother turning their heads to see who it was because it was obvious who was that making all the ruckus early in the morning.

When the doors opened, Qiu Sheng Yi nicknamed ‘Wang Zi’ greeted the class with a smile, the girls swooned while the athletic (jocks) rooted then the nerds duck their heads down.

Wang Zi walked into the room, we was planning on going to his desk but stopped when he crosses paths with Aaron.

“I hope you’re not thinking of coming tonight right? MY father said that to piss me off and seeing you there will be an disaster.”

“GO AND TAKE A SEAT RIGHT NOW MR. QIU!”

The teacher smacked his stick on the table repeatedly as a warning.

“Yo teach, I was just having a friendly chat with him, there’s no need to get all defensive. I don’t bite.”

“BUT I WILL BITE YOU IF YOU DON’T PUT YOUR ON YOUR CHAIR IN 5 SECONDS.”

Sheng Yi shrugged, walking over to his desk, putting his head on top of the desk which irritated the teacher more.

“Fine, whatever. He was a bore anyways.” Wang Zi sang out as the kids in the back hollered. Jiro was about to get up when Calvin and Wu Chun kicked him on the leg to calm down.

Aaron pushed everything aside and paid attention to the teacher who was busy preparing his lecture.

GUI GUI’S POV

I slowly bent over and went through the pile of items that was dumped on the floor, searching, scanning and finding things that was important and putting it into my bag.

When the items begin to overflow my bag, I shook my head. As crazy as I seem, I wanted to bring everything with me. I can’t stand it being tossed like it was nothing, everything my parents and their parents worked for, their hard work would break if I let them do this.

“N–No... N–N–Noo... N–NO... NO... NO...N—”

Dean quickly picked up my bag but I looked up at him, pleading for him to give it back to me.

“We need to get you out of here. As your friend, I am doing all I can to help you. You can start over and be the person you want to be. Don’t you want that? To relieve the pain and the sufferings that they have caused and to get your life back? I know it sounds crazy but believe me, it will all be worth it.”

He ignored my pleas by taking my hand and walked out of the house. I know I am selfish for reacting like this but I can’t stop my heartache. You guys don’t understand the pain I am going through, the memories, the warmth, and the love that has built this house. Now, it was replaced by pain, suffering, heartache as my heart clench tightly while I walk further and further away from the place I called ‘home.’

“Don’t look back, be strong and survive Gui.”

“Dean...”

“Trust me Gui.” He stopped and turned to look at me, caressing my cheeks to comfort me. “I can’t stand watching you live in hell. So listen and follow me, we will work together to get your family’s place back.”

He held my hand once again before walking away. As he did, my eyes continue to watch my home drift further and further away from me, replaced by a blur. And in response, I continue to cry as the bystanders saw me but they didn’t give a damn. They probably thought what might have caused this girl to cry like that... It was better not to get themselves into a mess. The less they know, the better it would be.

As if my mind didn’t want my suffering to end, my mind decided to reminisce. Bringing back the old forgotten memories that I stored deep in my memory.

And at that moment, I was hopelessly lost.

Lost, beyond control.

No matter how much pain my stepmother and stepsisters have caused me, it was more painful watching them destroy countless memories.

I did not have enough strength to fight back.

I prayed for everything to be a dream,

I hoped everything was a dream.

I believed it was a dream, but I could only go so far...

And just like that, everything around me slipped away.

In a blink of an eye, gone.

It was only a matter of time before the ones I care about start to slip away from me.

Till then, will I have the strength to carry on?

And in that moment, everything ended.

I don’t know how I found my confidence again but one thing was certain,

My life changed when I walked out,

My life changed drastically when I went through the terror of watching them burn everything I loved, I cherish, I yearned for, my life.

My life changed when I met him.

For him, I started to change.

And because of him, I began to believe again.