Chapter 10
The college campus was bustling as everything settled into its schedules and routines. The fields, corridors, and classrooms were buzzing with fresh faces of eager newcomers.
Classrooms, courses, and professors were all gearing up for the first quarter’s assignments. Art clubs and extracurricular groups had been formed, each hyped up to be the best. Nam and Kade were in charge of overseeing and ensuring the growth of all clubs and activities, keeping the campus's lively atmosphere intact.
"Sports club—done. Dance club—done. Art & craft—done. Drama—done. Singing club—done," Nam murmured to herself, loud enough for Kade to hear. They were seated in the President’s room, while Saro worked on her laptop as usual.
"Who is this Rebecca girl? All my guy friends are simping over her," Kade chimed in. Saro's ears perked up like a dog that had just heard something suspicious. Though she continued working, it was clear her attention had shifted to Nam and Kade's conversation.
"Oh, who wouldn’t simp over her? She’s in the singing club. Isn’t she the cutest? Even I can’t keep my eyes off her. She’s such a sweet little nong," Nam said enthusiastically, showing Kade Becky’s picture from her form.
"Hey! I’m supposed to be the queen of attention on this campus, and you’re telling me this little cutie is my competition?" Kade joked.
"Don’t be so full of yourself, Kade. She’s adorable, I know, but we have to be extra careful considering the kind of boys we have around," Nam said in a serious tone.
Before she could finish her sentence or Kade could respond, Saro walked over to them. "What do you mean by ‘the kind of boys we have around’? This is the safest university, with proper etiquette and moral values. Why do we need to be extra careful?" Saro’s voice carried an edge of concern—though it sounded more like an angry beast ready to strike.
"Yes, we have a safe environment, but innocent girls can still get tricked into honey traps. People with bad intentions can manipulate others, not just cruelly but sometimes sweetly," Nam replied.
"I don’t care," Saro snapped, picking up Becky’s form from the table. She stared at Becky’s picture for a moment before saying, "She’s also my roommate. You two better look after her because I need no drama in my room. If anyone breaks her heart or even makes her heart race, I don’t want any trace of it in my space."
Nam took the form back and grinned. "Okay, boss. But she’s cute—I’ll personally, but privately, look after her."
Saro walked out of the room while Kade and Nam exchanged suspicious glances. "First, she canceled the entire singing audition and expelled all the judges. We had to redo everything from scratch, and now she wants us to look after her princess? I’m telling you, Nam, something is definitely up between her and this princess," Kade said teasingly, eyeing Becky’s picture.
"Oh, I’d love to believe that, babe. But let’s not get involved if we want to keep our heads attached to our bodies. If Freen finds out that we know, it’s game over for us," Nam whispered, both of them giggling.
Meanwhile, Becky was in class with Irin, Nop, and Mew, her usual companions. The four of them had formed a tight-knit group and were immersed in singing practice, preparing for the upcoming freshman event. As new members of the university’s singing club, this would be their first performance—a moment that felt both exciting and nerve-wracking.
Among the club members, a mix of freshmen and seniors bustled with energy, each preparing their own performance. The atmosphere was lively, almost like a scene straight out of High School Musical. Naturally, Becky, with her effortless charm and radiant energy, found herself at the center of attention.
One particular senior, Mike—a second-year student—seemed especially drawn to her. He lingered around just a little too long, his interest apparent to anyone paying close enough attention. Becky, however, remained blissfully unaware, her sweet and carefree nature shielding her from the underlying tension.
Irin, on the other hand, noticed it immediately. She observed Mike’s subtle attempts to stay close to Becky, but for now, she kept her thoughts to herself, unwilling to jump to conclusions just yet.
Over in the canteen, excitement buzzed around Nam and Kade as they cheered for someone’s arrival—a tall, toned guy with a bright, carefree smile that lit up the entire space.
"So, you finally decided to show up, huh?" Freen remarked, approaching with her usual cool demeanor.
"There she is—our boss babe!" Krik grinned, pulling Saro into a tight hug. His excitement was undeniable—after all, he was finally reunited with his group after returning from Paris.
Saro scoffed, pushing him away with playful coldness. "Back off. You still reek of Paris. No need to smother me with all this lovey-dovey nonsense."
Kade and Nam immediately jumped in, teasing, "Yes! And where are our souvenirs?"
Laughter filled the air as the four of them fell into easy conversation, their bond resembling that of a close-knit little family.
But on the farthest end of the canteen, someone was feeling anything but joy. Becky sat with Irin and the rest of the group, barely touching her meal. Her gaze was locked on Freen, watching as she was conversing effortlessly with her friends and the way she was seated next to this new boy. The sight made something twist uncomfortably in her chest.
Noticing Becky’s stare, Irin smirked knowingly. "Rumor has it, Bec, they’re the most charming couple on campus."
"Who even is he?" Becky asked, irritation seeping into her tone.
"That’s Krik," Irin said casually. "He’s part of the President’s Club, but he only shows up for special occasions. Who knows—maybe today is their anniversary?" she added mischievously.
Becky barely had time to process the words before choking on her food.
"Hey, slow down! Eat properly!" Irin scolded, patting Becky’s back while trying to hold back her laughter.
Back in her room, Becky's mind was not helping her at all. She was stuck replaying the scene she had witnessed in the canteen. Something felt unsettling. She didn't know what it was—whether it was the effortless way Saro conversed with everyone or the fact that Saro had someone special in her life. Frustration was evident on Becky's face, and she couldn't shake it off.
She was not in the mood to talk, especially not to her special someone, who was about to enter the room.
On the other side, making her way to the room, Freen’s mind was looping through the same conversation over and over again—what Nam said, what Kade said. It was all unsettling. The thought of sharing even a glimpse of her princess with other people was too much.
“WHY DO I CARE? WHY DO I CARE? WHY DO I CARE?” Her inner voice screamed at her as she stomped toward room 805.
Becky was tuning her guitar when the door opened. Freen entered, closing it behind her without looking up as she took off her heels and placed them in the cupboard near the entrance. Becky knew exactly who had just walked in; the entire room was suddenly filled with that majestic musk scent that could mesmerize the entire universe. She tried her best not to get lured by it and decided to be the first to speak, though she had no idea why she felt so off.
Freen, meanwhile, lingered at the entrance longer than necessary, just hoping to hear her name from a certain someone. But when nothing happened, she finally walked further inside. As she approached the bedside, Becky finally looked up, and Freen locked eyes with her hazel-brown gaze. Her aura was cold yet softly calm, as if it existed solely for her little princess.
“You never get tired of playing and practicing that thing, do you?” Freen asked, the question one Becky had expected. Then, without waiting for a response, she walked toward her closet, ears tuned in for Becky's reply.
“Never. And with the fresher’s event coming up, we have a performance,” Becky answered. Her voice was weak, laced with sadness. Her usual cheerful tone was missing.
Freen noticed it before Becky even finished her sentence. She turned to face her. “Are you sick? You seem a little off. Is everything alright?” Her voice was laced with concern, and she was very aware of how it sounded. She tried to stop herself from caring too much, but her subconscious mind betrayed her every time.
“No, I'm good. Just a little tired,” Becky replied, forcing the sentence out.
“The fresher’s event is still far off. You don’t have to push yourself too much. Learn to take a break,” Freen said, her concern coming off as mild scolding.
“Yeah, I guess I’ll sleep early,” Becky mumbled, setting her guitar aside and picking up her phone. Freen watched her, knowing something was off, but instead of pushing further, she just hummed in response and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
“YOU ARE INTERACTING WITH HER WAY TOO MUCH FOR MY LIKING,” Freen’s inner voice scolded her as she stood under the shower.
“I know, alright! But I have an idea to keep it to just a little chit-chat. That will be all,” she muttered to herself.
It was true—just a few nights ago, Freen had an awkward and equally terrifying idea. A reason she could give to justify her interactions with Becky. So that the universe wouldn’t cook up anything against her.
“AND YOU THINK YOU CAN FOOL THE UNIVERSE?” her inner voice sneered.
“I’m not fooling anyone, okay? It’s going to be a fact. I will interact with her. I will only see her. I will only look after her as my “LITTLE SISTER”, Got that?” she spat back at herself.
“HA HA HA! WHAT A JOKE, FREEN. COME ON. AND I THOUGHT YOU WERE A GENIUS.”
“I’m not a genius, okay? I’m a loser, hapless, unfortunate, jinxed—the one whom even God hates. My whole existence is a joke, so I will do whatever it takes to protect her,” Freen replied in frustration, tears rolling down her face despite the running water. This time, her sobs were a little too loud.
KNOCK KNOCK.
“P’Freen, are you alright?”
Freen froze, holding her breath as if Becky would hear it, which would be too embarrassing.
“What is wrong with you? Now I can’t even shower in peace,” she finally responded.
“No, no, you can! I just heard something weird. Must’ve come from somewhere else. Sorry, P’Freen.” With that, Becky went back to her chores, unaware of how her simple concern had completely melted Freen’s heart. Torn between wanting to hold her, hug her, take care of her, and the cruel reality of having to stay away, Freen sighed heavily.
As the night deepened, the room settled into silence. Freen was working on her laptop while Becky lay in bed, trying her best to sleep. Freen noticed her tossing and turning.
“You don’t have to force yourself to sleep,” she said casually.
Becky sat up with an irritated pout, her hair a messy halo around her head, making her look like a funny meme. “I hate it. I can’t sleep, but I’m so tired,” she whined.
Freen hesitated before speaking. “Do you... wanna watch a movie or something?” She hoped Becky didn’t hear the suggestion, but it was too late.
Stars lit up in Becky’s eyes, bright enough to illuminate the entire night. Tapping her forehead as if in deep thought, she teased, “What was rule number one again? Something about personal—”
“Oh god, I shouldn’t have even thought about being nice for a second. No one deserves it,” Freen groaned, rolling her eyes. She shut her laptop and walked toward the kitchen.
Becky immediately jumped off the bed and followed her. “Sorry, sorry, I was teasing, P’Freen! Can we please watch a movie? Any one you like?” she pleaded in the most childish, baby-like tone that made Freen’s heart melt. Not that she showed it on her face.
“Okay. But it can’t be a romantic movie. No excessive violence. And definitely not a cheesy drama,” Freen declared while brewing her coffee.
“Huh? What’s left then?” Becky wondered aloud, leaning back on the kitchen counter.
“HORROR!” she suddenly screamed, making Freen flinch slightly.
Freen shook her head in disbelief. “Go find one before I change my mind. I’ll order your milk tea.”
Becky ran off, thinking, This must be a dream. But even if it is, I’ll do my best to keep my heart happy, no matter what reality has already laid out for me.
That was Becky’s mantra—to enjoy the moment with Freen. If it’s a dream, at least in a dream, I can have things my way.
And just like that, their first night of crossing boundaries, of breaking the rules, had begun.
Want to know what the night holds for them next? Well, Becky is clearly the mastermind, and Freen? She’s doing her best to stick to “HER LITTLE SISTER ;)” Oh god, this is going to be fun.