This Is Lee University

When the sun has finally set and the light rays started to wake everyone up from their sweet sleep, one girl opened her eyes halfheartedly. Her eyes might still look very sleepy but what choice does she have?

She left her bed slowly and went in front of a large mirror. Her long jet black hair is disheveled and so does her silky nightclothes.

Sure, she's quite a mess every morning but for her, a messy appearance right after you wake up is the result of having a good sleep.

But that is not what she feels now because the sun ruined it.

Before the story totally starts, her name is Cheska Park. She is the daughter of Arnie Park and Tyler Park. And she has one younger brother named Joshua.

Their family is somehow simple yet wonderful—that is how she describes and sees it. She won't ask for anything more. It's perfect. She's happy with it. She's contented with what she already has.

So, what caused her to wake up that early?

Today is her first day as a graduating student. Summer is finally over and she still has to study for her future.

Her mother says no, she completely disagrees with that idea. She's done with that idea because every time she goes to school, it won't always end well.

Her future is already planned and secured. There is a company waiting for her and her younger brother. And to be honest, he's already starting.

So why? Why still bother to go to a place that most of the teenagers at her age despise?

She refused her mother's idea and insisted to study. She has intelligence yet she still wants more.

She has this obsession with studying which she couldn't explain. Her heart tells her so. It's already part of her.

She loves the process of learning. She loves new pieces of knowledge.

And because her mom loves her so much that she's willing to give everything to her—every mother does—she finally agreed to it and asked her brother to look for a good university.

And he found Lee University.

Lee University is known as the only university in the whole world that can hold different students from different worlds. Meaning, normal students cannot be found there just like what the normal schools have.

The university is composed of privileged students from the Outside World, Underground World, and Mafia World. And by the word 'privileged' means students with unimaginable wealth and wide connections.

Despite being a 17-year-old girl, Cheska is still oblivious about the world she's living in. She has no knowledge of it like a newborn baby.

Her mother is strict—really strict about it. She's been protecting her innocence, but unfortunately, mothers cannot dictate their children forever. Eventually, they will look and ask for something more.

Gladly, Cheska has her brother on her side—another reason how their mother was left with no choice but to only agree to it.

On her brother's side, if you've graduated from Lee University you'll have the brightest future among the students from all over the world.

Technically, there's no single reason not to study and enroll at that university. The opportunity is something no one will ever see in other schools.

It only exists at Lee University.

She's a new student and not well informed about the things she needs to know. In other words, she's like a lost puppy entering a lion's den.

She doesn't know what is waiting for her. She doesn't know what she might found on the inside. She doesn't know what will happen to her But she wanted this, she insisted on this.

She wants to prove something to her mother.

Don't let her title as the 'older sister' deceive you. She might be older than her brother, she's still the baby of their family. They're so protective of her like she's a fragile vase and she truly understands why.

She got into an accident several years ago and that accident caused her to lose her memories. It's normal to feel that way, to feel worried about her safety.

If by any chance the same thing happens to her brother—pray that won't happen—she would surely feel the same.

But that incident occurred several years ago, that's her point and always is her point. It's such a long long time and a lot of things have changed.

She's old enough to take care of herself. She's not the same child who got into that accident. She needs them to trust her. She needs them to let her walk and live. She needs them to let her breathe.

And she won't be able to make them trust her if she won't do something about it. A baseless trust will never be possible.

For her, Lee University is a great opportunity to start it. She will make sure her year inside that university will turn out well.

Indeed, 'place of great opportunities' is a felicitous title for that university.

"You're finally awake. I was just about to wake you up."

She found her mom cooking their breakfast. The tasty aroma of it immediately reached her nose as she went inside the kitchen.

She licked her thin pinkish lips. That smells really good. She's starving. Really starving.

"Good morning, mom," she greeted and planted a kiss on her cheek.

Arnie greeted her back and went back to cooking. Cheska went to the table and silently watched her mother while her chin rests on her hands. Her mom loves to cook for them that's why even if she's always busy, she did not miss this opportunity to cook for her breakfast.

She couldn't help but think about how lucky her dad is—if he was still alive—to have a wife like Arnie. She's caring and she loves hard. Really hard. She felt it since she's still a kid and up until now when she's already a teenager.

Tyler died a long long time ago. She can't even remember anything about her father or even what their lives were before the accident. As said before, she lost all of her memories that her name is the only thing she knows.

Perhaps she loves her name that much that even amnesia is ineffective.

The rest is a mystery. Her mother doesn't want to talk about her father's death—it's a very sensitive topic for her. That's understandable. She can't imagine too the pain of losing the guy she really and truly loves.

It's like...she'll just get numb because of too much pain brought by it. She even tried to ask her younger brother but to no avail.

After eating, she immediately heard a long chastise from her mother regarding what she must and must not do. To be honest, she already heard all of it one week before.

But well, mothers are mothers. No one can't take it away from them. They're naturally like that. It's their nature to be so caring and to love hard.

"I might not be able to go home for how many days. I'm still not sure. I have to wait for Joshua first before leaving you alone here."

"Mom," she sighed. "you know I will be fine here. We have maids and guards."

She knows her job so she truly understands it with all of her heart. Honestly speaking, she loves the idea of being alone because not even once she felt it.

They're always around her. She is always surrounded.

Arnie a busy person because of their company. It just happens, gladly, that her brother Joshua is lending a helping hand and is now managing the company that's why she manages to be with her for a couple of weeks.

"I'm not just confident of leaving you here alone. Let's not fight about this again. Just go now or you'll be late. Tell me everything later, alright?" and she planted a kiss on her daughter's cheeks.

Even when she got inside the car, she saw how her mom talks to her driver. For sure she keeps telling him to drive safely, to make sure she's fine, or else he will be fired without second thoughts.

She just smiled at it. Just what would her life be without a mother like Arnie? She can't imagine.

Her trip is so much quiet—no traffics that she had to put her earphones on only to put sounds to her cold morning. And for the remaining minutes of her trip, she just sat there and watched the road from the inside.

When something went past her eyes, believing it's the gate of the university, her eyes flicked up, looking in front. It immediately widened as she saw a large building not so far from the entrance or the gate.

The building screams modernity, uniqueness, and expensiveness. It's the kind of building that she has never seen before.

She wasn't expecting that university to be that big. Well, it's really big.

Why wasn't she expecting it anyway? In the first place, Lee University is different, to begin with, she should have at least expect that everything about it is distinctive too so she wouldn't be surprised as she is now.

Now she understands why the tuition can give anyone a massive headache. No doubts.

When the car finally stops, she looked around, still inside. She can't see any students walking. All of them came from their cars which are being driven by their drivers and some are being driven by themselves.

Looks like the comment she saw on the internet about 'privileged' students can only study at Lee University isn't a joke.

"We are here, Ms. Park," the driver said.

And that's when she only came back to her senses. Thanks to her driver for that or else she might be still looking at the university in awe.

She's getting more excited. If the exterior is as luxurious as this, what more to the interior? She can't wait to see what's inside.

She went out of the car after she put her earphones back in her bag. And right after she stepped her foot outside, she shuddered when someone suddenly appeared before her eyes.

"Good morning!"

Still holding her chest, she smiled at her best friend. "Good morning, Brittany. How's Japan?"

They are friends for how many years perhaps since elementary days? They're together as well during high school days. Their friendship is that strong that when she transferred to Lee University, she did the same thing.

Now, they're still classmates.

"God! I met this hot guy! Anyway, I'll tell you everything later! Where are your bodyguards?"

And that's when she started to speak about her big agreement with her mother.

"Wow…that's good to hear. You're finally free. God, she's so strict!"

"She just loves me so much."

When they got inside, she felt her heart lifted and that's a weird feeling for her. She didn't know she's having a heavy heart before she went inside. Contrary to that, she feels normal.

When she got inside? She feels complete.

Students wearing the same uniforms are everywhere. Their uniform is likely the university's front building, screaming modernity, uniqueness, and expansiveness.

It matches the university's shade as well, grayish and a little bit whitish.

No matter where she looks, girls are enchanting and fashionable. Some are wearing makeup and some possess natural beauty. They're also wearing fine jewelry and on their arms are their designer bags.

Even the boys are jaw-dropping because of their model-like features. Luckily, she managed to control her amazement, or else she'll look like a thirsty girl.

When she went past a group of guys, she heard their laughs and voices and even those traits fit perfectly to their faces.

Girls to boys...they're are all on a different level. So far, nothing seems disappointing. So far.

"So this is Lee University huh…"

She couldn't help but think...will she be able to reach their level? But then, she quickly dismissed that useless thought. She's not studying there to reach their levels or to be their equal. She's there to prove that she can be independent too.

She wants to show that even her bodyguards aren't around, she will still be fine. That's where she needs to focus, only there. No more else.