Part 1

The transition from highschool to college was always known to be quite the tough step in any person’s life. For some, it’s a sign of freedom. No more parents to nag you to clean after yourself, or to tidy your room even if no one else but you gets in there. No more curfew if you want to stay outside late to party with your friends, or to just wander the quiet streets of your city alone. 

But in Aeri’s case, going from being a highschool student to eventually enrolling in college had been anything but freeing. Sure, at first, she was overjoyed when she came home late, and nobody would scold her. She could party until dawn, play around with anyone who crossed her path, and drink as much alcohol as she wanted. 

But this freedom came with a cost. Aeri learnt the hard way that everything comes with a cost. In this case, it took the shape of mountains of dirty dishes piling up inside her small one room apartment’s sink, and of endless chores, like having to take care of her own laundry, or having to actually cook, which she absolutely couldn’t do. At that point, she had resolved to live on instant ramens until the end of her life, accepting her terrible and pitiful fate. 

But at some point, when she entered her second year of college, Aeri decided to change. She started to go out less, and completely stopped sleeping around with everybody who fit her taste to the minimum. 

Instead, Aeri began to take better care of herself. Long gone were the piles of dirty dishes, instead replaced by a clean and shining bright sink. She also went as far as taking cooking classes during her free time, and now can actually feed herself without having to rely on junk food like an unhealthy lifeline. 

And the most impressive aspect of Aeri’s new life resolutions was that she actually started to properly focus on school. The year before, she had messed around way too much, and she ended up having to retake some first year student’s classes for her current semester. But despite those mishaps, she actually managed to pass her first year, to her teachers surprise, but also to her own! And she was fiercely determined to successfully ace all of her upcoming classes as a second year student. 

Wanting to wipe off her less than glorious past in the mind of the people around her, she also took the drastic decision to physically change. After years, she decided to finally bid farewell to her bright pink hair, and finally dyed it back to a soft dark chocolate brown. She also started to properly wear her glasses, and chose more discreet-looking clothes. In the end, she fully adopted the lifestyle of a sane and healthy adult, and even looks like one now!

Long story short, Aeri is now a professional at managing her life decently. And she intends to keep this up for as long as she can. 

Alas, the past always comes biting your back when you least expect it. And sometimes, this popular saying takes the shape of a person, who’s so strongly linked to your past that they literally become the embodiment of it. 

It was supposed to be a regular morning for Aeri. Keeping up with her great resolutions, she arrived early in class, not wanting to catch herself running late the very first week of classes. Her first period for the day was Arts, a class that she unfortunately had to repeat, due to her painfully low grades. And it’s a bit of a problem, because Arts is actually very important, especially if you want to become a Fashion Designer in the future. You need to be able to know how to draw clothes if you want to be given the possibility to create some after all! 

And also, Aeri intends on redeeming herself, and on showing her professor that she can actually be his best student of the semester! And a good impression starts with good manners, like showing your involvement by arriving early and properly greeting your teacher. 

Which is what Aeri did, before things started to go downhill in her mind. She pushed the door open, and immediately went to talk with her teacher, Mr Son, a man of a certain age. She politely greeted him, apologizing for her phantom behavior of the past year, and assuring him that she intends on being extremely diligent this semester. Her professor seemed delighted to hear this, and a few pleasantries were exchanged before she took her seat, waiting for the lecture to properly start. 

She waited a couple minutes and at that point, almost all of the seats in the small classroom were taken, except for the one right next to her. And deep down, she hoped nobody would take a seat next to her. She wants to be as focused as she can be, and doesn’t need any external distractions.

But alas, her pleas definitely weren’t heard. The class had already started for around ten minutes, when the door suddenly flung open, revealing a petite girl who frantically looked around the room, seemingly heavily panting.

“I’m sorry mister, I couldn’t find the classroom!” 

The teacher merely laughed, telling the girl that it was just a common occurrence for first year students to get lost. And then, to Aeri’s utmost horror, he instructed the late student to go sit on one of the only vacant seats. And he specifically pointed to the seat right next to Aeri’s. 

The brunette groaned under her breath, and forced her gaze to stay focused on the board, not wanting to engage on the distractions this potential troublemaker could possibly be. She felt the girl sitting down next to her, and frustratingly started to tap the desk with her pencil at the sound of the intruder loudly ruffling through her bag. 

Aeri likes to qualify herself as a chill and relaxed person. She doesn’t often get pissed off by people. But there’s one thing that she absolutely hates in this world, aside from insects. It’s people who can’t see to keep quiet, and cause ruckuses wherever they go. 

Now full on boiling with anger, she violently whipped her head towards the troublemaker next to her, and was about to spill out all of her venom right in her face. However, probably sensing Aeri’s sudden movement, the other girl turned her head in an almost perfect synchronization with Aeri, and their gazes met. 

Abnormally wide cat eyes, a small button nose, long dark hair and… a small mole under her left eye. This girl… Aeri knows her. And sometimes, she wishes she never did.

The troublemaker who almost caused Aeri to snap in the middle of her Arts class was none other than Ning Yizhuo. Her ex summer fling slash first love. Great. Just great. 

Baffled at the sight, Aeri vividly turned her head back towards the chalkboard, her eyes wide open like a deer caught in headlights. However, it was way too late. Yizhuo, who had always been more straightforward than Aeri, relentlessly poked Aeri’s arm with her pencil.

Aeri frowned in annoyance, but tried to keep her act up, and hopelessly attempted to not notice the obvious and now almost aggressive pokes on her arm. But if this Yizhuo is the same one that she met around three years ago now, then she will definitely soon-

“Aeriiiii. Hey, that’s you, right? Don’t ignore me or I’m gonna shout!”

Aeri let out a deep and pained sigh, before reluctantly turning her head towards Yizhuo, whose face was plastered with a huge and dumb grin at the sight.