xo, minho | xo, kitty ff

t w e l v e :

soundtrack;
stay - blackpink
better place - victon

While she got ready for the new week of classes, Adelaide couldn't stop her thoughts from straying as she fiddled with her half-eaten breakfast of oats. Taking a swig of the hot coffee, the bitter liquid burned in her throat, leaving her with a strong aftertaste of roasted beans lingering on her tongue.

She cleared her itchy throat, accepting a call from her father trying to sound as normal as possible. "Hey mei mei, you still in your room ah?" She chuckled at the sight of her able-bodied father's forehead as he tried to adjust the angle of his video.

"Yeah, gonna head out in ten minutes. How are you all? How's mom?" Her father adjusted the spectacles, squinting at her as the stress lines appeared. "Good. She's gardening outside." Although his voice sounded strained, he waved the imaginary worries away dismissively. "What about you? Are you okay? I heard from your cousins about some interesting things." Dad had always been one of her closest confidantes, loving gossip as much as those aunties in the park. She had to make a mental note to give her cousins an earful for ratting her out.

"I'm good," She lied straight to her teeth causing her dad to send her a knowing look.

"I dunno. You know how bad I am at talking under pressure. My mouth seems to shut itself anytime I get close to expressing myself."

"What do they say- honesty is the best policy? Even though it's hard, you fight for the things that matter to you." In the background, her mother's shouting could be heard. "Dad! Can you go check? The water pressure is not on!" He shook his head and chuckled. "Well, that's my cue. Remember to read your bible mei mei!" And he promptly hung up, leaving a wave of homesickness with him. Glancing at the time on her phone, she had no time to mull over his words as she quickly finished her unappetising meal.

. . .

The open hallway floated with hushed whispers as she stepped into the area. Apparently, gossip prevailed even on a bright and early Monday morning (the most miserable of days). The intensifying glare of the fluorescent light bulb's overhead only seemed to add fuel to the fire of Adelaide's raging headache and sore vision. After two consecutive sleepless nights spent tossing and turning, her sensitivity was heightened to the point of irritation at the slightest bit of disturbance.

Thanks to the fact that her face had been strategically shielded from view in the photos of her 'secret rendezvous' with Minho on the beach, she had been branded as the 'mystery girl' who reportedly stole Minho's heart from the public.

Minho's figure leaned against Dae's bright blue locker, watching Adelaide round the corner and ultimately disappearing from view. Desperately, he wanted to run after her and stop her but all of that spotlight would just have people talking even more. Dae looked sideways, following Minho's gaze and sighed. "You're whipped bro."

Minho groaned and placed his head on the steel, blue surface. "Yeah, I am. Which is why the sooner my agency publishes this article, the better it is for the both of us."

. . .

Exiting her English class, Professor Lee's voice had promptly halted her gait. "I would like to have a word with you, Adelaide." Reluctantly, she approached his desk ready to bolt at a moment's notice. "Adelaide, your assignment is due in two weeks and I've yet to see any real progress from you. I mean, do you even have a draft out yet?" His commanding voice piercing through her weariness.

"I'm sorry Professor Lee... I'm just having trouble picking a book to discuss on." She confessed truthfully. His frown met her darting eyes, like an anxious criminal in interrogation. "This won't do. I expect a draft from you by the middle of this week. No protests." With resolute finality, he paused before attempting to soften his hard blow. "You're capable of doing this much, Adelaide. Stop doubting yourself."