THIRTEEN. is this a cutscene?

✿•˖* ℘

꒱.. The fancy car speeds down the crowded road as the three are busily conversing.

"Shinju quiet down," her older brother grumbles.

"Leave her be," the other male barks at him turning the radio up once more as she bobs along to the tune.

It is time for her long-awaited school trip. Shinju can barely sit still as she is excited to have a nice time with the ones she regards as her friends.

Finally, the school building comes into view as her brother pulls up as someone is giving a speech. "Alright, Shinju. We'll see you soon," the blond male waves her goodbye as she gathers her things.

"Bye brother, bye..." her goodbye is interrupted as her brother leaves the school grounds without a second thought. "Meanie," she pouts as she turns on her heels to see if she can find anyone of her friends. Aha, Daniel.

"Danny," her squeaky voice doesn't reach as he tries catching up with someone else. And now she has lost him. Whelp.

She slowly realizes her bus number is nowhere to be found so in hopes to not be left behind she scurries into the nearest vehicle.

Well, what are the odds... it is full of architecture students.

Not being able to immediately spot the heroic man dubbed Vasco she settles herself into the nearest cushion to not be discovered by the rowdy men. Searching for her phone she pulls it out and starts texting Samuel, but immediately gets interrupted."Hey... uh you're in my seat," the guy tells the curled-up girl.

"Oh uh I'm sorry," she speaks up as she scrambles to grab her things to rise from his area. But lady luck isn't on Shinju's side at the moment as the bus begins to ride off to their destination and Shinju loses her footing.

"Shinju!"

Her ears perk up to a sudden and familiar voice. "Robin Hood?"

Bulky arms easily lift the clumsy girl and the boy takes her to the back of the bus where he once sat. But as there is no place for her to sit comfortably he squeezes the petite girl quite close to him.

Noticeably flustered of course."Shinju... what are you doing on our bus?" He curiously asks her.

As she smoothes down her knitted dress she answers the boy's question, "I uh didn't know where to go."

"You couldn't find your bus?"

"I tried following Daniel but before I knew it, I lost him!" She pouts as she settles her bags between her legs. "And then the guy told me I was in his seat and then I fell. And here we are cause you picked me up and asked me what happened," she rushes the order of events out before taking a deep breath.

"I see," Vasco's words trail off as he wonders what his response should be. "Well, I guess you're riding with us."

Shinju's plump lips lift slightly as she smiles at the peering males unsure of her presence.

Quickly the awkward atmosphere rolls through the bus. All the boys remain stagnant as Shinju is lost in her own little world.

Yet the Burn Knuckles leader has his gaze locked on the passing bus. Where the popular student, Eli, lay surrounded by young chatty girls eager to be his focus. Perhaps the harboring longing for romance or his underlying jealousy led him to shed a lone tear. But the cause didn't matter as Shinju's ears perked up at the sniffle.

"Uh oh, Vasco! What's wrong?" The boy whips his head toward the supposed cause of his brewing feelings. His delayed words cause the girl to brush the silly tears away from Vasco's skewed face. "It's okay, don't cry!"

Jace's ears perk up at the exclamation, hurrying to his boss's side, "Yeah, it'll be okay Let's have a dance party!"

"Nice Jace!"

"Oh yeah!"

"Yeah, me too!"