As always, Angie always sat in a corner, playing with dummies, sometimes cursing people.

She's been like this ever since she started to speak, there's no way she can fix it. The times she got angry, Sunny had to take her beating, only when her parents weren't at home.

Like her brother, Angie did not feel the love of her parents. They disappeared somewhere, only when there was something important, she could see their faces.

Angie can easily start a conversation with others, but she always spits out harsh words, so people leave her. And she felt no guilt.

Everyone hates Angie. She thought so.

It's not my fault that they hate me, what do I have to hate about myself? My words....isn't it common sense? I'm talented, beautiful, too perfect, right?

Angie dropped her face on the table, breathing uneasily.

No....

My damn disease, it stops me from doing anything, I can't concentrate! Because God decided for me the unpleasant thing, in the existence of my brother, at the parents who gave birth to me! And Kiyo too, why is he holding on to Sunny, he... makes me lonely...

It's all your fault, I curse you! Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse Curse-

Suddenly, a hand was gently placed on her head. She involuntarily raised her face.

"Who's that?"

"Are you sick?"

It turned out to be Tomoyo, the class rep. Angie was quite mad:

"I'm not sick. I'm just upset about something."

"Is that so..." - Tomoyo looked away. "Aw, I don't have time either..."

Knowing how Angie is, Tomoyo intends to leave her. But Angie called back:

"Stop right there!"

"Wh-what?"

Damn, Angie is about to lash out at me again....

"It's nothing... I just want to see you play piano..." - Angie awkwardly said.

"You want to see?! But I'm afraid..."

Tomoyo was about to say that he was afraid of her classmates' opinions, but Angie interrupted:

"Afraid of what? I just wanted to see how you play. Do you hate me so you refuse?"

"It's not that-"

"You're the class rep, you can't hate on a class member right?"

"Um, that's right..."

"Then why are you afraid to play for me? Well, stop talking nowhere, take me to the music room!" - Angie stood up.

Tomoyo reluctantly took her to Music class. She sat down and took out a piece of music, it was fine whenever she played for others, but Angie was alone here, she felt so nervous....

Angie still didn't say anything, waiting to see if Tomoyo would play.

"I can't keep my patience for long."

Okay, Tomoyo, calm down, you used to play in front of the crowd, there's only one person here, what's to be afraid of? Come on, hurry up or Angie will scream again....

Tomoyo took a deep breath, placed her hand on the keyboard, and began to play, with a skill that surprised Angie, as it was the first time she had listened to it alone.

The melody is a bit slow, a bit sad. Sad music isn't Angie's type, but she also has to shut Angie up in front of Tomoyo's talent.

Her burden seemed to ease, although her illness was still there. Angie held her head and sat down.

People, who are better than me... are they real? Am I not the best? Why can't I feel it? Was I wrong in the first place?

When Tomoyo played almost all the cards, Angie spoke up:

"Stop it, Tomoyo."

She did stop, looking at Angie in surprise.

"You played.. decent. To the point where I can't say anything."

Angie ran out of the room

"Angie, wait!"

Angry, she ran faster and accidentally bumped into Nam.

"What kind of walking are you doing?!" - She pushed Nam away, then ducked under the stairs.

Recently, she often used this place as a hiding place, if someone chased her, she would hide there. There are a few more spools of thread under there.

"Angie!" - Tomoyo looked in.

"Wow! How did you..."

"This place can be seen by everyone. Come on, get out."

Angie had to get out:

"You can sit like this when wearing that skirt?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... it's revealed."

Tomoyo stood up, straight to the point:

"Why are you running all of a sudden?"

"I don't know."

"That's not a valid answer."

Angie was silent for a long moment, then said:

"Now that I realize, I'm not the best. In fact, more people than me."

"Now you finally realized?.." - Tomoyo was a bit stunned.

"I should have realized sooner, but my terrible illness prevented me from doing it."

"Illness..?"

"Yeah, illness. I have had it since my parents gave birth to me. Maybe it was not long since my brain was formed in my mother's womb! Well, I don't understand why God assigned me that thing, in exchange for giving me beauty and talent."

"Does Sunny know about this...?" - Tomoyo said surprised.

"Obviously. An idiot and a crybaby."

Tomoyo still didn't like Angie's attitude, but she didn't hold any grudges. On the contrary, she felt a little sorry for Angie.

"You're the class president, so you have to understand people too."

Finished, Angie quietly returned to class.

But after school, Angie still goes with Junko, sometimes with Tomoyo.

How can Junko stand with Angie?

I suddenly feel that Junko is more qualified to be class president than I am.....

***

Finally, a few days ago, Kiyo had the opportunity to job learning under the name of Mechanical Engineering Internship Student (self-proclaimed).

He is well-trained in motorcycle and car repair techniques... and technical assembly. Admittedly, it is better to have greasy hands than to have other people's blood.

Having won the opportunity, so many days he came home late.

But today Kiyo can't be late anymore.

It's starting to get colder, the wind is getting colder and stronger, and everyone has to wear warm enough clothes to keep the cold, this December would be snow already.

Unfortunately, the wind today is poisonous wind, many people have also been hit by it.

Kiyo's class size is 5/10. The absent include Kanryo, Nam, Mattia, Kiyo, and Sunny.

But Kiyo wasn't sick. The reason he stayed at home was to take care of Sunny; At first, he was going to go to school but Sunny still had a fever so he had to take a break.

"38 degrees..." - Kiyo looked at the thermometer he just measured for Sunny.

On the bed, under the blanket, he groaned with his red face and ruffled hair:

"Kiyo.. I'm sorry to bother you like this... I should have been more careful..."

"It's not your fault, this time a lot of people are sick. Stay still, I'll go cook soup for you."

He took one and a half pieces of rice, washed it thoroughly, and put it in a pot, covered with water. Heat on the gas stove.

Kiyo suddenly heard Sunny trying to sit up in the room:

"What are you doing up?"

"How do you have such good ears? I don't want to lie down..."

When the porridge was boiling, Kiyo scooped up the bowl, took the spoon, and brought them into the room.

Sunny's face was still red, but his eyes were shining.

"Can you eat it yourself?"

Sunny took both the bowl and the spoon, but kept looking at Kiyo, like he wanted something more from him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing! I'll eat it now!"

"It's ho-"

But Sunny accidentally put his spoon in his mouth and screamed out to heaven and earth.

Kiyo sighed, took the bowl, scooped a piece, and blew it.

"Geez... you weren't paying attention. Hey, eat up." - He held the spoon in front of Sunny's mouth.

"How do you know I want you to feed me..?"

"I can tell by looking at your face. Come on, eat it, or it will get cold."

Keep doing this until the bowl is empty.

"Wow, I feel warm now."

"That's good." - Kiyo lay down on the bed.

Sunny smiled and touched Kiyo's hand, it seemed less cold than before.

"There's one thing I want to ask you, Sunny..."

"What is it?"

"You're programming, right? But about what?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you..."

Sunny "ehem" a bit:

"Have you noticed how many new video games have popped up on the internet lately? From a certain group."

"I don't play much either... But it's true."

"Actually... I'm working in that group. Remember when I showed you a bookcase in seventh grade? It was a demo game. But I won't go into the game industry anymore, instead, I will work in cybersecurity or software development..."

Sunny, you've had your own direction since middle school, despite the harshness in your family..

The future is already open and clear for you and it will certainly be a bright and potential future.

As for me... I would rather be a mechanic than kill people.

"So... do you have any plans, Kiyo?"

Plans... it was a difficult thing to share with others for Kiyo. But of course, he still had plans. He will take job learning, then graduate to work with machines, if the two are still together, they will create a programmed product... Interesting.

"It's hard to say..."

"Eh, that's not fair!" - Sunny got up.

"Okay, talk about that later. Here, ginger tea." - Kiyo handed him a cup of tea.

Taking a sip, Sunny sat still for a while, then looked outside to see if Ryota was back.

"He isn't back yet?" - Kiyo said.

Then Sunny lay down, close to Kiyo's face, smiling.

Kiyo had little idea what he was going to do, so he kissed his forehead.

"Not that place..." - Sunny said dazedly.

"On the cheek?"

"No."

Now understand. Kiyo pulled his chin and gently kissed him on the lips, in contrast to his "cold" appearance.

"Don't leave me until I die." - Sunny giggled, playing with Kiyo's hair.

"Even if you're dead, I can't forget you." - Kiyo said half joking, half real.

"Really-"

Sunny suddenly startled, holding his head.

"A- it hurts.."

"Damn it! Again?" - Kiyo stood up.

"It's okay, it's normal to have a headache with a fever."

But Sunny's face looked quite painful. He was still holding his head.

"Don't hold your head, relax-"

"Bring the towel over here..."

"Huh?"

"Give me a towel."

"Okay, but take your medicine."

Kiyo gave Sunny a fever reducer, then ran to soak a towel in the bathroom.

When he returned, Sunny was lying still on the bed, his face seemed more relaxed but still a little tired.

Kiyo folded the towel horizontally and placed it on the forehead of the boy lying on the bed.

Sunny felt better, then fell asleep.

Kiyo covered him with the blanket and went outside.

He took care of Sunny for a few more days, until he could go back to school.

"I'm fine now! Even better than before! Kiyo, thank you."

But he caught Sunny's cold. Kiyo was originally stronger, so he didn't have a fever.

***

Junko is preparing to publish another book.

It is a story related to the legend of Princess Remi, she was reincarnated into another world, found by someone in a bush in a park, and became her mother, named her Remi.

Fifteen years later, Remi had an accident and was put in a coma for three months. There, Remi dreamed of a princess, she was very similar to Remi, with the same rolling hairstyle, but longer. So the two became friends.

One day, when they were together for a while, Remi suddenly found her friend hanging from a tree, but still alive. Remi runs to it, trying to untie the rope, but the princess starts to disappear, while dying, she reveals that she is in her previous life.

At this point, Remi just woke up from her coma, realizing she was in the hospital and she was on a ventilator.

Knowing that Remi was awake, her family brought her home, but she was still haunted by the dream, and she didn't say a word for a whole month.

Remi begins to have thoughts of leaving this world, as she decides to return to her friend, not believing the princess to be her previous life. As she was about to jump down from the second floor, her mother noticed her and asked to figure it out. At this point, Remi just started talking and recounted the incident she saw in her dream. Both of them cried and her mother vowed to protect and take better care of her child.

The story has only ten chapters, but the book cannot be said to be thin. Junko decided on her birthday, October 20, to release it nationwide.

She designed the characters herself and Nam will decorate the cover of the book. Fortunately, they both share a hobby of drawing.

"That's great, as expected from a graphic designer! Remi is drawn to suit her personality and storyline too! You didn't draw Princess Remi.."

"I don't want readers to know about the princess right from the cover..." - Nam said.

"Hmm, that's fine. When do you send it?"

"Tomorrow. You'll have to submit your manuscript when you're done, just four more days until your birthday."

"Okay! Everything will go according to my plan!"

Junko happily walked out, checking the list to see if there was anything else to do. Every day, she always makes plans for today, tomorrow, the next month, next year and more.

"Should I tell Tomoyo or let Nam tell her?"

Junko thought for a moment. Fast as lightning, she made a decision: Let Nam do that. It's not good if I tell Tomoyo first!

So she turned around and told Nam to follow her decision. Only then did she leave.

Passing through the flower garden, Junko met Genjitsu. He was saying something to the beetle, it seems to be his pet.

"Genjitsu?"

He looked up, slightly disappointed.

"What are you disappointed in?"

"Why are you here?" - Genjitsu retorted, implying that seeing Junko was troublesome.

"Ah, well, I always pass by here."

Genjitsu said nothing more, turning back to speak in an incomprehensible language to the beetle.

Maybe he's close with that bug....

"I just realized something..." - Genjitsu said.

"What thing?"

"You can read other people's emotions, right? It takes you two seconds to see how I feel when I meet you."

Junko also has to admit that she has that strange ability, but not sure when she have that..

"But why do you have to be like this when you meet me? Do you hate me?"

"No, it's just... I don't quite get human emotions at all."

"You're a human too-" - Junko was surprised.

Genjitsu interrupted:

"I don't know why, ever since I was a kid, I've had no interest in socializing with people, everyone thinks I'm a weirdo, they don't even care about me, except my aunt and my nephew. To ease the boredom, I started to get acquainted with insects. Looking at these little creatures, I can understand them better than humans..."

Does he like insects more than people? Um, that's okay, but isn't Genjitsu too socially isolated? Besides, where are his parents?

"Is that so... May I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Sorry but...Aren't you with your parents?"

Genjitsu turned away, frowning, clicking his tongue as if he hated to talk about them.

Damn, I accidentally asked something bad..

"They never took good care of me. They both worked as meteorologists and geophysicists, in the highlands, almost never coming home. They just sent me to my aunt's house, even though we haven't seen each other for years. Luckily my aunt's family is still good..."

Junko was silent, not saying anything.

"Actually.. I want to be able to empathize and share with others, but I don't know where to start..." - Genjitsu held his knees, face down.

"Don't you still have an aunt and nephew?"

"No, the same age. He's four years younger than me."

Junko was silent again, thinking for a moment, then said:

"Then I can help you! Start with Kanryo or Tomoyo, they're both good."

"Kanryo is a bit overzealous, but that's okay. At least I can help with his flower garden."

"I'm the kind of having multiple friends. Okay, I'm going home, do you want to come with me?"

"Where's your house?" - Genjitsu picked up his bag.

"Ikusaba Dormitory. Just around here."

"Nice, I'm there too." - Genjitsu was a bit surprised.

Junko clapped her hands triumphantly. Only now did the young entomologist realize that this writer girl was a few centimeters taller than him, namely two.

"Then go with me!" - Junko pulled Genjitsu away.

..........

It finally arrived on October 20th, which is also the day Junko's stories were published.

Although it hasn't appeared in the bookstore yet, at least she can hold in her hand a book with a cover and a proper page. And this is her sixth successful publication.

Recall when she brought the manuscript of her first work, she was rejected four times; the second work was rejected twice. Now her work is paying off.

Junko walked briskly towards the classroom. When she first opened the door, she was greeted by the sound of confetti.

"Happy birthday!" - Everyone in unison.

There were two large mats in the classroom, filled with candies and cookies, even balloons and colored paper triangles!

Kanryo daringly placed a bunch of periwinkle flowers, then said:

"Today I would like to present this special flower, it symbolizes friendship and luck."

The whole class clapped, Junko smiled and looked around, wondering:

"This idea is..."

"Nam informed Tomoyo about your birthday in advance, so she decided to have a party, she received a little candy decoration and music." - Charlotte said.

Tomoyo shyly poured orange juice into Junko's cup.

"The decoration for the class was done by Kiyo and Nam. I brought this video game console, let's all play together later." - Sunny spoke up.

"I brought a camera..." - Genjitsu's voice sounded less cold.

"Me, Kanryo, Mattia, and the teacher helped with the arranging part..." - Kaori held the nurse's hat.

"All these stupid plans were discussed by Tomoyo first. I made you this cloth doll, take care of it." - Angie blushed slightly and handed it to Junko.

Junko was surprised because it had been a long time since Angie had done anything other than sewing a new bow for her. So she drank the whole glass of orange juice, then hugged Angie:

"Whoa, thank you so much!!"

"Idiot, don't you know you're in class?!" - Angie tried to pull away.

Everyone laughed loudly. Tomoyo also had to speak up:

"Okay guys, come in and eat."

They had a nice meal, then took a picture, laughing together about the photo, like Kiyo was too serious, holding the cap of his hat, or Kaori looked a little tired. Or Genjitsu and Mattia showed no emotion.

After eating, they play games again.

The game first has to control a yellow mobile ball that "eats" all the lighter yellow dots, before being "killed" by other colored balls, in a maze-like map. Players include Kanryo, Nam, Genjitsu, Junko, and Mattia.

"I can't lose here! I ate half-" - Kanryo was excited.

But then he also lost one life, then two lives, and the game ended on Kanryo's side.

"Aw.."

"I won, I lost a life." - Genjitsu stopped.

"I haven't lost a single life." - Nam also won.

"What?" - Genjitsu was startled.

"I hate you guys!" - Kanryo is bitter, but still joking.

"Damn, I lost." - Junko stopped.

"I won, I haven't lost a life yet." - Mattia put the console down.

"Why are you so talented?!" - Kanryo was still bitter.

The next game is seahorse chess. On each turn, roll the dice to move their pieces. About the horse team, Kiyo is blue, Sunny is red, Kaori is green and teacher Charlotte is yellow.

This game required a TV screen, so they brought a square-screen TV into the classroom.

"Who tosses first? Oh, it's Kiyo."

"Okay, let's see." - Kiyo smiled faintly.

He got four turns. When it was Kaori's turn to throw, she got six turns.

"How are you so lucky?" - Sunny was surprised.

"Eeek, I'm sorry for leaving you behind.." - Kaori mumbled.

"It's okay. Oh, it's Miss Charlotte's turn." - Sunny looked at the dice.

"Only two turns? I must be so unlucky.."

Sunny followed last and he got three turns.

Later, when Kiyo's horses got ahead of Kaori (because he had a chance to kick one of Kaori's horses), Sunny was right behind her.

"I'm a bit slow, aren't I?" - Charlotte  laughed.

The first to finish was Kiyo. Then Sunny, next Kaori, and of course, Charlotte at the end.

The last game is the Music Battle game, which makes Tomoyo hugely profitable.

"Just wait, I'll defeat you." - Angie giggled.

Four people split up, two people fight each other. Angie vs Tomoyo, Genjitsu vs Kanryo.

"You again? Let's see how fast you are." - The florist enthusiastically said.

"Don't worry, I don't know who is better than anyone." - The entomologist is ready.

After repeatedly abusing the four arrow keys on the console, in the end, Kanryo and Tomoyo won.

The knitter looked devastated, and the entomologist seemed expressionless.

The flower specialist and the musician high-fived each other, triumphant.

"Congrats, you two."- Genjitsu stood up.

"So, are you going to fight me again?" - Kanryo hugged his waist.

"Never. Wait, let me go!" - Genjitsu tried to yank Kanryo's hand away.

Everyone laughed again until the teacher said to get ready to clean up and go to school.

When it was time to leave, the whole class invited each other home at the same time. Unexpectedly, they were all in the same dormitory and told each other that when Junko's stories were available at the bookstore, they would go out and buy them and read them together.

Since then, the whole class bonded together more closely...