Prologue

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Nevertheless, beware of grammatical errors. Editing is still in the process of moving.

[—read at your own risk—]

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"Shoot, I'm going to be late!"

I dashed to turn off my alarm which had been making noise for hours. Phew, time to rush and do my morning rituals! Geez, where did I put my bathing robe? Ugh, let us just make it short!

"Morning!"

I shouted, hurrying down the stairs to see my lovely mom.

"Ah Xue, your breakfast is ready. Come and eat while it's hot!"

No need to eye the wall clock, I'm already aware of what time it is.

"I'm going to be late!"

"What?!"

Just then, I heard my mother's thunderous footsteps bellowing out of the kitchen, and I nervously smiled at my reflection in the mirror which was nearly my height.

"How many times have you skipped your morning breakfast?! I've always cooked, but you are always in a rush!"

What could I do but remain silent? Every day, I was weighed down by guilt, while our conversations always followed the same script. Yet here I am again. Sigh.

"I'm sorry, ma. I'll eat my breakfast tomorrow."

Mom huffed loudly, her cheeks becoming taut with displeasure.

Awiee, my mommy is such a cute bun when she's angry. "Young Lady, you've always told me that reason, but you won't do it. It makes me upset when you don't eat the food I serve for you. It's bad to skip morning meals, do you understand?!"

"Yes, ma. I'm sorry, I promise I won't do this again."

"You better not. Look at you, staying up late at night with your phone again, you better not be late! What time do you go to school again?"

I am already late, ma.

"Nine in the morning."

"It's just 7:48 in the morning."

I'm sorry, my first class starts at 8:00 AM.

"I still need to rush something. Tomorrow, I'll surely eat my breakfast."

"You aren't lying, are you?"

I am lying, but I dare not tell you. With every breath I take I ask for your forgiveness, hoping for a thousand pardons. It would be pointless for me to tell you, as it will only keep occurring again and again.

"Alright, I'll be going!!"

"Then come home early!"

"Yes, love you ma!"

I teased knowing my bootlicking would make her annoyed. It's better for her to be annoyed than to be angry.

"I said come home early!"

"Yes, I know love you too. Bye!"

"Jun Xue!"

I ran like a rabid dog was hot on my trail.

These ladies and gents are my daily occurrence. Always until well, maybe I graduate. It is even a miracle that the teachers did not drop me, fufu.

Huff. Huff.

Looking at my wristwatch, I am already twenty minutes late. Welp, isn't this the earliest I have arrived in my lateness this past week?

"Hah."

I leaned on the door, the handle cold against my palm as I tried to focus on the teacher's voice instead of my racing heart.

No quiz?

Hehe. Great. Then I will pass the time by waiting outside our next class. Also, it is only four classrooms away. Thirty minutes will fly by if I read my manga and novels while I await my classmates to come out.

***

"Jun Xue! Why were you absent again?! Geez."

Oh, that's fast. I closed my phone, beaming a smile at Keilsa who rolled her eyes at me. Tch. This chick is so devoted to her role as a Student Council.

I craned my neck to take a look at our other friend, who was as serene and lovely as a fairy-tale princess. I winked at Feiza, and she responded with a delicate laugh and a slight shake of her head.

"Jun Xue, you are at it again."

I grinned, "Good morning, beauties."

"Luh."

Keilsa and Narra pulled me up, rolling their eyes at my antics.

"You're a goner."

"And you are always as cool as ever, Narra."

"I always was."

"That is our spitfire Narra."

"Shut up."

"Anyway, Jun Xue our chapter quiz will be next week, so you better come early."

Nonetheless, it was Feizha who smiled at her. "Next Tuesday we will have a chapter quiz, come early."

"Aw, thanks. Feizhia, you're the only one who's nice to me."

I sweetly uttered before playfully glaring at Keilsa and Narra who snorted in return. Tsk.

"Whoa! Dawg, you're early for the next class."

One of our male classmates chirped as soon as he saw. Unbothered I replied, "Dawg, haven't you seen a legendary procrastinator?"

"You think it's Dio?"

"It's me, Jun Xue!"

"Ora! Ora! Oraaa!"

We all laughed at our own lame jokes. "That's a disrespect to Dio, he is not a procrastinator."

"It's a meme."

"No, it's a pun."

"Seriously?"

"Guys! You do know you have the same feathers, right?"

Keilsa grumbled as we just ignored it. This play never gets old.

"Darling, how can you understand the hearts of anime lovers?"

"Shut it, weeb."

"Awtsu."

"Cringe."

Keilsa scowled seeing my fake act of being 'hurt'. I really suck at acting, much more when I pretend.

"Come on, let's go to our next class."

Feizha dragged me to the next class as we sat like old times. Narra and Keilsa are on each of my sides. Hoh, when this kind of sitting arrangement is being used, I think I already what has our class going to be.

"Hey, next time be early. I can't copy any answers from Feizhia. "

Keilsa whispered, making my right eyebrow lift even if I don't have the sassiness to do so.

"Good thing you came early this subject we have a quiz."

As I thought.

"Me too. Even a little, she's very protective in terms of her answers."

Narra added.

Oh, come on, "Seriously guys, aren't you two just as good as her? You two are the second most diligent students, and then Feizha."

In our group, I was the laziest and does not even join any club as long as it was not mandated and it was not anything major. The type of girl to enjoy reading in her free time and would torture herself cramming before the day of the examination. The person who would do her project when the deadline is near. No, the person who would pass my activities late.

My life is aimless.

"Diligent and responsible."

Keilsa emphasized. "But that's that. We don't have brains such as yours. You could easily understand what the teachers mean, like everything."

What a joke. If I do, then I will take college like those geniuses at 11 and graduate early. "I suck at math and kinesthetic activities."

"Other than that you're good at everything you're just a lazy dog. So get your arse whopping and come to school early!"

Keilsa scolded as Narra nodded her head in agreement.

"True."

"Think about your mother, I know she is ignorant of your tardiness. Even your grades, it either to stay average or below average!"

You are not wrong. But what of it?

"As long as I don't have any failed grades and can graduate, then I'm satisfied. I'm not like you gu—dude, don't hit me."

"What were you saying again, Jun Xue?"

"I was wrong, I will support your hardship."

"Support my hardship? Screw you."

Yeah, yeah.

I nodded vehemently, "Yes, ma'am. I'll change. I'll come to school early."

"Don't worry guys, chapter test for the next meeting, right? I won't be late!"

I added, typing in on my phone and showing it to them. "See? I'll come on time."

"Yeah, on time for the second subject."

In which I just merely laughed.

Our teacher also entered, cutting our conversation off.

I sighed, slumping down on my desk secretly glancing at Feiza, Keilsa, and Narra—my friends. The only reason I come to school is because of my mother who wants her to graduate. Friends? It has been rather if I say so honestly. Smiling like a fox on the outside, stale on the inside.

It is rather tiring.

Connections, social norms, communication, and the need to establish a sense of existence.

Only objects, something fictitious would make feel a sense of attachment, this 'emotion' that humans can feel whenever they are among their peers, their loved ones, or someone they value. Except for Mom, it's hard to reciprocate such feelings and feel them from others. I know I have had this problem ever since I realized it.

Soon their day had ended, they bid each other their farewell and Jun Xue quickly went to her home.

***

"Bye, guys!"

"Bye!"

Narra.

"Don't be late even if there is no activity tomorrow!"

I laughed, "We both know that will not happen, but yes, captain!"

Binge reading! Binge-watching! Ohohoho!

"Mama, I have returned!"

Hmm, that does not sound heroic.

"Good job!"

Really…

I excitedly entered my room and change my pajama. Hmm, let's see. Let's search online.

Swipe~. Swipe~. Swipe~".

"Ouh~. What's this?"

'Beloved Wangfei Your Plan To Escape is Useless'

It seems like it reached the top of the chart and many readers love it.

"Since it is categories in the action genre, maybe it's good? But the title sounds much more romantic to me. Why did they not tag it on romance?"

Tapping the description and reading it, I already felt like I have an idea of its plot. A blood-dog swing and swish of transmigrators in historical times. It should be tagged as romance. Nevertheless, I am going to read it.

"Come out! It's dinner time."

"Oh."

It is already nighttime.

After coming back from eating and of course, washing dishes I read this online novel, skipped and skims the pages of the novel.

"Ugh."

I cannot anymore.

Let us tap the epilogue, no, second to the last epilogue.

Not my cup of tea. The sugar is just too much. False action genre advertisement. It's just all push and pull seducing here and there development to make the romance plot more reasonable.

I had enough of it.

"Goodness, I've saved up many books yet have read little of them."

I groaned seeing hundreds of books in my Favorites and Reading List.

"Jun Xue, massage my back. It hurts."

"Goodness!"

I was so engrossed in my reading that the sudden noise made me jump. I dumbly stared at my mother who came directly as she stayed in my room the moment I moved here.

"What? You're going to stay up late at night with your phone again? How many times do I have to tell you to sleep early?"

"Hehe."

If I was watching or reading some lightsabers *ahem* *ahem* that is not nice at all.

Um, what's with that disgusting look, Mom?

"What is it, Mom?"

"I should sleep with you from now on."

I immediately put down my phone and assisted my mother to lie in my bed like an obedient maid and began to massage my mother's shoulders.

"You see, I cannot sleep early, dear mother. There are too many activities going on that I must attend to."

Not.

"Hmm. Fine."

Phew. She believes my lie.

As always.

My mom would be suspicious in a jiffy, then she would believe me. Should I accept it as a harmless fib? With a feeling of remorse, I continued to rub my mom's aching body, which had taken such a toll on her daily toil and job. No amount of duty can erase the lies I have said, not even this kind of compensation. Though it is still better than not doing anything.

"Ah Xue, you should minimize your time watching those cartoons."

I snapped out of my thoughts laughing lightly, playfully scolding her.

"Ma, they're not cartoons. It's called anime."

"Then stop reading those comics."

"..."

Darling, that's manga, manhwa, and manhua.

"Hehe."

"Why are you even addicted to it? It's not like they can come back to life."

"Isn't that a valid reason? They can't come back to life that's why it fascinates me. Fictitious yet entertaining and relatable."

"It's dangerous. You are always locked in this dark room every day and every night."

It is my salvation.

"Rest assured, I'll try to control my habits."

At least, I am not smoking and stuff... So, yeah?

As if she knows what I am thinking, Mother flicked my forehead.

"Too much is bad."

"Alright, ma'am."

"You're taking it lightly again. If you were in my time, you'll know how to work your ass off."

I nodded in agreement. "If I were in your time, I'll be on the streets waiting for death now."

I cannot say, I would have probably died and rotted because Mom sees it as ominous and throwing my life so lightly. Then I will be berated for hours again.

That is not promising at all.

I heard her sigh deeply, "Ah Xue, just don't take everything for granted. I may be here, but that doesn't mean I'll forever exist to be always with you. Moreover, don't focus on just your hobby. You're too much to be called an indolent person."

"Then I'll help you more these following weekends."

Like a while ago she washed the dishes but at times, well, uh, more often I would go straight to my room and be on my merry path tapping my phone. A hikikomori but still trying to go to school.

Thinking about it, it's best to help the mother and give her lots of free time.

But dang it. When I encounter an awesome story, I become a jackass and I cannot put down my phone. This is another type of my addiction. It's rare seeing Mama and I together bonding, talking, and eating longer.

Yes, it is all her fault. In this house, it is she, the daughter who cannot give time to her mother.

I am the worst, and I do nothing to improve it.

I chatted for a long time with Mother until she fell asleep. It is almost turning midnight now. Look at those beautiful stars in the sky, so pretty. One day, when I graduate and can take care of my mama's medicine and then help her prolong her life I will take her outside, both of us on a date stargazing at the night sky.

I shook my head, staring at my mother's sleeping figure.

"Aged woman but still cute. I hope I could inherit that."

A woman that spoils and scolds her. Someone who won't ditch her. Someone who's always there for her daughter. But she can't give her mom more time. What you have that others do not you cannot appreciate. Too blind to see what is in front of you or lazy enough to do some effort.

"Goodnight, ma."

Sleep tight.

Yet alack such thoughts. Tomorrow will rise, unknowingly, it would not be beside my dear mother.