Chapter 2: A New Day

Samuel, weary from the day's tumult, pushed open the gate and sighed, "Ahh, finally home." He whistled for Fiona, his usually responsive cat, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Pshhhh... Fiona, where are you? I'm home," he called, wandering the yard. Finding no trace of her, Samuel stepped inside and flicked on the lights, only to freeze in surprise.

"AHH! A ghost!" he yelped, then quickly recognized the figure. "Oh, Aunt Lin! It's just you. I thought you were coming later... Wait, I'll just clean the house," he stammered, scrambling to tidy up.

Aunt Lin watched him with an amused smile, her gaze following his every move. She then stood up, approaching him with an exaggerated dramatic flair. "Oh, my precious favorite nephew, look at you! Have you grown taller? And such a handsome face," she said, playfully touching his jawline.

Samuel blushed, trying to deflect. "Aunt Lin, please..."

"But tell me, do you have a girlfriend now?" she prodded with a teasing glint in her eye.

"No?" Samuel replied, puzzled by her sudden interest.

"So sad if you grow up to be a eunuch," she laughed.

Changing the subject, Samuel asked, "Aunt Lin, have you seen Fiona? She's not in the yard."

Aunt Lin waved a hand dismissively. "Ah, she's upstairs in my room. Don't worry, I fed her."

As if on cue, Fiona appeared, descending the stairs gracefully. "Oh Fiona, there you are! I thought I lost you. What does my precious princess want?" Samuel cooed, giving her treats.

Luz entered just then, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Lin. "Oh, Sister, you're here! How was your trip? How long have you been here?"

Lin beamed, "I got here around noon. Brought souvenirs and chocolates!" She handed over a box brimming with goodies.

"Thank you, this is too much... How long will you stay?" Luz asked, her tone a mix of surprise and delight.

"Maybe three months. My boss told me to take a long rest. Work in Korea is just too stressful," Lin explained with a laugh.

"Let's eat! I cooked some adobo," Lin announced, her eyes sparkling.

"Oh, what a relief! I'm starved after the church meeting. And I've missed your cooking. But where's Samuel?" Luz looked around.

Lin thought, her tone light and lighthearted, "He's right here, playing with Fiona; I wonder where he went off now."

As Samuel walked through the dimly lit alley, his steps slowed, and his thoughts weighed heavily on his mind. The events of the day continued to replay in his head, leaving him feeling overwhelmed.

"AH too much happened now, what a stressful day," he muttered to himself, his frustration evident in his voice.

Samuel came to a sudden halt as he passed by a small bookstore. There, in the display window, was the book he had been longing for: "Twisted Link."

"Oh, Twisted Link, I will buy you soon. Just stay there, alright?" Samuel whispered to the book, his craving for it evident. He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for not having it in his possession already.

His anger flared as he thought back to the girl he had encountered in the alley. "Ah, if it's not for that gorilla, I'd own this book now, and my allowance for the whole week has now vanished. If I see that girl once more, she's sure to pay me..." Samuel's tone was laced with frustration as he kicked a stone in anger.

Shaking his head, he decided to leave the bookstore behind and continue on his way. "Ah, alright, it's better to go back home now. I'm sure Mom is there, and I'm quite hungry too," he reasoned, pushing the thoughts of the book aside for the moment.

Upon arriving home, he found his mother and Aunt Lin engrossed in conversation in the kitchen. Samuel greeted them warmly, hugging his mom.

"Oh, Luz, Samuel's here now. Where did you go?" Aunt Lin inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"Just took a walk on the street, Aunt Lin. Hello, Mom," Samuel replied, his tone filled with affection.

Aunt Lin couldn't help but remark, "What a sweet boy you have, Luz."

Luz chuckled in response, "Haha, he sure is, Lin. He sure is... Oh, son, why would you eat right now? Your aunt cooked that."

The mouthwatering aroma of adobo filled the air, making Samuel's stomach growl in anticipation. "Wow, adobo, my favorite," he exclaimed, unable to resist the temptation.

Without further ado, he grabbed a plate and began to eat. Between bites, Luz asked, "Oh, son, did you buy the book you wanted?"

Samuel paused, realizing that he had made a decision earlier in the day. "Ah, Mom, I decided that I wouldn't buy it right now because, you know, I'll save my money for my upcoming thesis defense." He couldn't bring himself to admit that his money had been stolen by the girl in the alley.

As he finished his meal, Samuel retreated to his room, exhaustion finally catching up with him. He lay on his bed, reflecting on the events of the day.

"Ah, finally, after a long, messy day... I can rest my head now," he muttered to himself, trying to push aside the lingering frustration from his encounter with the girl. "That girl, she just doesn't want to get out of my mind. She really knows how to make my nerves..."

He reached out and grabbed Fiona, who had come to him for comfort. "Come here, Fiona. You sure make all my stress disappear," he said, his voice soft as he continued to pet her, finding solace in her presence.

Fiona purred contentedly, providing a sense of calm in the midst of Samuel's swirling thoughts. However, the memory of the mysterious girl continued to linger, refusing to be forgotten.

"I remember her face... but where have I seen her before?" Samuel mused, his mind still racing with the puzzle of her identity. Despite his best efforts to recall, the answer remained just out of reach.

With a sigh, Samuel knew he needed to put his thoughts aside and focus on preparing for the upcoming midterm exams.

"I need to focus on my studies and do well in these midterms," he reminded himself, determined to regain control of his priorities.

Samuel gently placed Fiona on the bed and stretched. "Alright, Fiona, I'll get some rest for tomorrow. Goodnight, my precious princess."

The morning sun had risen, casting a warm glow as Samuel hurried to school, fully aware that the start of the midtems was upon him. He couldn't afford to be late on such an important day.

Upon entering the classroom, he was greeted by his friend Brian, who wasted no time in teasing him. "Oh, our Brainiac is here now," Brian said with a mischievous grin, playfully grabbing Samuel by the neck.

"Stop it, Brian... I can't breathe," Samuel managed to say, struggling against his friend's playful grip.

Brian quickly released him, offering an apologetic smile. "Ah, sorry, sorry. I just missed you, bud."

Samuel chuckled, shaking his head. "Haha, don't overreact. It's just one week, man. Our vacation was only one week, and it's good to be back in school again."

Brian leaned in and asked, "So what did you do during that one-week vacation?"

Samuel replied, "Just the typical routine, Brian..." He paused for a moment, then added, "Oh, and by the way, Kaleb is back."

Brian's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That bastard came back? Where did you meet him?"

"Just on my way home," Samuel explained. "Kaleb has changed so much; I didn't even recognize him at first. But you know his personality, same old Kaleb. He even invited me to hang out at his house again, just like the old times at Tiki Cove."

"Ahh, right, Tiki Cove," Brian reminisced.

Their conversation was interrupted as the professor entered the classroom. Professor Daryl introduced himself and then made an announcement.

"So, class, I want to introduce someone. She is an exchange student from Korea. Please welcome her warmly." The professor gestured for the girl to introduce herself.

The girl entered the classroom, drawing the attention of the male students with her striking beauty. Whispers of admiration rippled through the room.

One student leaned over to his friend and whispered, "Wow, what a beauty..."

Another chimed in, "Is she a foreigner? She looks like an idol."

A third student nodded, "No, she looks like a goddess."

"I'm Eunice Kim from Seoul National University. I'll be continuing my studies here. I hope we can have a pleasant journey," Eunice introduced herself with poise.

The male students couldn't help but comment on her remarkable combination of beauty and intelligence.

"I've never seen anyone like her before," one student marveled.

"Those eyes and that smile... She's like a model," another added.

While Samuel was sitting to the side, he found himself constantly looking at Eunice, as if he had seen her somewhere before, but he couldn't place it. His gaze remained fixated on her as she took a seat next to him, breaking his trance.

"Hey, snap out of it. You're making me creep," Eunice said with a smirk.

Samuel snapped back to reality. "Ah, sorry. There's something on my mind. But if you want, I can find my own seat."

Eunice, however, seemed unfazed. "No, stay here. I want to know you, creepy one."

Samuel couldn't help but think to himself, "What kind of arrogant person is this? Is my day going to be messed up again?"

As the class continued, the lesson came to an end, and the professor dismissed the students. Samuel headed towards the exit, but to his surprise, Eunice rushed past him as if she had an urgent matter to attend to.

"Get out of there, creep. Let me pass. I have something important to do, and I'll be late. Don't get in my way," she said bluntly, leaving Samuel with a puzzled expression.

"What?!" Samuel shouted, perplexed by the event.