CHAPTER 00: SIDE STORY — PUFF GUO XUE FU 

A Trajectory of Her Everlasting Impressions part II

“TIA! SHE’S AT THE DOOR! PINEAPPLE HEAD IS HERE!” Puff Guo smacks Tia’s brother on the back of the head and glares at him. “MY NAME IS XUE FU!” 

Tia Li popped her head out and smiles at Puff, signalling her best friend to come into her room. Puff sticks out her tongue at him and he did the same, she was so childish, it was so fun to ―he thought. Mrs. Li shakes her head and laughs at the youngsters fooling around with each other. They were so young, life was full of adventure and excitement. Seeing how her son and was teasing Xue Fu, it was like she got another daughter. 

“Hi Auntie! My mom told me to bring some fruits over to you~ She said that the market was sooo busy because everyone came down to pick some fresh fruit!” 

“Oh thank you sweetie, I’ll give your mom a call to thank her~”

“It’s no problem Auntie! I’ll be staying over tonight so―” Puff got cut off by Tia who tapped her on the shoulder and smiles at her mom. “―So don’t bother us~” Then Tia turns to her brother standing by his mother, munching on some chips. “―Especially you, do not bother us!”

Tia’s little brother scoffed at them, he wasn’t interested in whatever girl talk they were so immersed in. He could probably think of a million things to do that beats whatever it is that his sister and pineapple head were going to do. 

Tia and Puff laughs as they walked into Tia’s room. Puff took out all the sweets she could stuff in her bag out, putting it on the floor while Tia got the celebratory drinks out―orange juice. You were expecting alcohol right? Well nope, not with these two. Tia and Puff preferred to drink orange juice because they were still minors so the best thing for them was orange juice.

“Take it out, let’s see what you have!” Tia pulled out her schedule and smiles. “I start at 9:00 a.m… and I have a class with professor Tian and it’s a lecture course! I am soooo excited to start tomorrow~ I wonder what kind of class it would be! How about you Puff?”

Puff took her schedule out and scans the classes briefly. “I start at 9:00 a.m. too and I have my introductions to business with Professor Lee!” Puff looks over to Tia and smiles. “I wonder what the future has in stored for us. High school was so much fun but now that we graduated, it feels weird.” 

Tia nods, pouring the orange juice into two glasses. Every summer since they were young, they have been dreaming of graduating high school and going off to university/college. Their parents told them that going to a big school like universities or a college means more students, more dreams and more possibilities. They watch dramas and read stories about what post-secondary was like―boys, boys and boys slash drama. So they were a little anxious to be starting their college life, needless to say, who wasn’t anxious? 

Although they grew up close to each other, their future path wasn’t the same. Tia dreamt of becoming an astronaut but she threw that childhood dream away when she found out her passion lies in nursing. At the age of 10, Tia’s parents brought her a first aid kit. The teachers at school told them that Tia was beginning to explore the medial field so what better way to support your daughter than to buy her very own first aid kit? Excited, Tia was happy to bring it everywhere she went. And if she didn’t carry that kit around, she had her set of bandages in her backpack. 

“I can’t wait to start my life!” Tia fantasized as she zips her backpack up. “If you see any male students in your class, get their number!” 

Puff sticks her tongue out, acting like she was about to puke. “Puh-lease, you will have male nurses in your program!”

“But nothing says hot like business men!”

“I think Nurses are hot too―well some could be!” Tia looks at Puff who burst out laughing. “Okay-la, I’ll see if there is any!”

“Thank you friend!” Tia hugs Puff happily. “Anything for you~”

And together, the two girls laugh at each other as they continue to talk on and on about school, boys, life, love, drama and―you know! Just plain girl talk. 

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The Next Morning.

“OH MY GOSH! WAKE UP TIA, WAKKKEEEE UPPPPP!!” Tia groaned as she slowly got up, rubbing her eyes to see Puff running around in her room. “WE ARE LATTEEE FOR OUR CLASS!” Tia shot up and screamed as she rushes to get ready for their first day of school. Was all students like this? 

Tia quickly handed Puff all her things and ran out of the house. After greeting Mrs. Li a good morning, they were running to the bus stop. 

Mrs. Li laughs as her son sat in the kitchen, acting like nothing has happened since he knew the two goofballs would be like this. “Oh well, more for me then!” He smirks as he reached over to help himself to another serving but Mrs. Li tapped the spatula on his head. “You have school too!”

“I know that’s why I should eat till my stomach burst!”

“No, go to school now son!”

“Are you denying your son his nutrients? Mom, don’t you know that I am still growing?!”

Mrs. Li shook her head disapprovingly and he knew he wouldn’t be able to win against his mom. She was too good at this game―considering how much experience she had dealing with his sister and him, it was no wonder why his father didn’t win any battles. Mrs. Li smiles victoriously as she watches her son get ready for school.

When the girls went their separate ways when they reached the school’s gate, they were going to meet up later so they quickly said their bye’s and ran into their own building. 

Aaron and the guys each headed their separate ways as well. It was the boy’s sophomore year at NTU so they knew what was in stored for them for the year. Wu Chun headed to the Law and Justice Faculty while Calvin and Aaron made their way to the business and commerce building. Jiro decided to take his education overseas, to the New York where he is going to take up Culinary classes.

Last year, Aaron has exhausted all of his efforts to searching for Gui but with no luck, he couldn’t find her. With no luck, he returned empty-handed and before they all knew it, school was just around the corner. As everyone anxiously waited for the day to come, the boys couldn’t bear to let their summer fly past them but what could they do about it? It’s not like they can stop time and rewind the days back. Now coming back for their second year, everything was different―but somehow; there have been a few changes that flew through them. 

“Are you ready to head to class?” Calvin asks Aaron just kept his eyes forward. To say that he hadn’t changed would be wrong; Aaron had changed over the past days. Since he returned from his trip, he returned to his playboy self and continued to party. He drowned himself in the drinks, bright lights, pumped music and the ladies were lining up just to sit with him. The guys knew they couldn’t do much about it other than to sit back and enjoy their time. While keeping a watchful eye out for their youngest friend, they let him have his way. 

“We are in room EB1023.”

“I thought we were in room 1059?”

“The professor just emailed this message saying that today’s lecture would be in 1023.”

When the boys reached their newly assigned room, Aaron looked at the door and noticed that there was a message about a r