Zane and Aubrey were siblings. Zane, being the older brother, had always loved his younger sister and doted on her.
Aubrey had long, glossy black hair, bangs that covered her forehead, and hair that reached her lower back.
She had straight, beautiful eyebrows with narrow green eyes, and with her small but cute face, she had attracted attention since childhood.
Not only that, but she also had a very beautiful voice, like a lovely melody. Zane could listen to her forever and never get bored.
In comparison, Zane was rather ordinary.
His build was neither fat nor thin, and his appearance was unremarkable.
He had an average face, black hair, and black eyes, with nothing that stood out about him.
With such an imbalance between the siblings, it's easy to guess what happened next.
In kindergarten and elementary school, they were inseparable, but by junior high, things changed. As their minds matured and rumors swirled, he and his sister gradually drifted apart.
At home, things were still somewhat manageable, but at school, Zane couldn't find the right moment to talk to her.
If it had stayed like that, he might have been able to accept it.
The turning point came in eighth grade.
By then, Aubrey had started to blossom.
It was one morning when Zane was eating breakfast, and his younger sister, Aubrey, came out after getting ready in her school uniform.
She entered the room with a quiet elegance, her long black hair styled neatly, the glossy strands falling in soft waves around her shoulders. The bangs, which often framed her face so perfectly, were now slightly longer, grazing her brow in a way that highlighted the delicate features of her face. Her narrow green eyes were as sharp as ever.
The school uniform she wore seemed to fit her more beautifully than ever before. The black blazer hugged her slender frame, accentuating her graceful posture. Beneath it, the white shirt underneath was crisp and immaculately tucked, the collar sitting perfectly, giving her an almost regal appearance.
The skirt, which fell just below her knees, swished gently with each step, drawing attention to her shapely legs. Her white socks, pulled up just over her knees, completely hid her feet, giving her an air of effortless refinement.
But it wasn't just the uniform that drew attention. Aubrey had changed. Her chest had begun to swell, a subtle but undeniable transformation that made her silhouette more womanly.
Her once-cute, youthful face had evolved into something truly beautiful—her features more defined, her skin smooth and flawless, with a soft glow that made her look even more captivating. Her lips, once small and innocent, now had a fuller, more inviting shape.
Her hands, slender and graceful, moved as she adjusted her uniform, the soft skin of her fingers catching the light.
She had began blossom, and Zane couldn't help but notice the subtle shift happening from the girl he had known to the beautiful young woman she was becoming.
As she was growing, he knew that boys were going to chase her. Something, he doesn't know why feel uncomfortable.
---
Aubrey sat in her classroom, chatting with her friends as usual during lunch break.
"Look at Kajin... he's staring at you again," her pink-haired friend whispered with a giggle.
Glancing over, Aubrey caught the boy in question quickly looking away, pretending he hadn't been watching her.
"What's new about that? Our beautiful Aubby always catches the boys' attention," another friend chimed in, laughing.
"Yeah, but none of them ever have the guts to actually talk to her. The boys in our class are seriously pathetic," a third added with a sigh.
"Haha, that's why you went and got yourself a boyfriend from the upper grades, isn't it?" someone teased.
"Of course! They're way more handsome and mature than the boys here. Honestly, you should think about changing your boyfriend too."
"Yeah, Jin's getting really annoying lately. I'm thinking about breaking up with him."
Aubrey listened quietly, offering only small smiles here and there. When the conversation turned to boyfriends and romance, she usually stayed silent. It just wasn't a world she was part of.
She had seen plenty of romance dramas and even knew about love and sex—thanks to her friends dragging her into watching pornographic movies, but when it came to real-life boys, she was inexperienced. The only males she'd ever really spoken to were her father and brother. And even with them, she found herself talking less and less lately.
"Aubby, when are you going to get a boyfriend?" her pink-haired friend asked suddenly. "Do you like anyone? If not, I could introduce you to my brother."
"Hm... I don't have anyone I like," Aubrey answered softly.
"Want to meet him? He's super handsome," the girl insisted.
"Yeah, Aubby! He's graduating high school this year too. He's mature and hot!"
Aubrey stayed silent, lowering her gaze and pretending to focus on her lunch. She always reacted this way when the topic turned to love and relationships.
It wasn't that she didn't understand why her friends liked older boys. She got it, in a way. Sometimes she even fantasized about having an older boyfriend herself—but only someone a year or two older, not a huge age gap like her friends seemed to prefer.
As they chatted and laughed, Aubrey suddenly noticed a boy approaching their table.
He wasn't from their class—she could tell right away. Blond hair, a confident smile, and a well-built physique that stood out even in his school uniform. He stopped right in front of her, looking straight into her eyes.
"Hey... do you want to go out with me?" he asked with a bright, easy smile.
The room seemed to freeze.
Everyone who had noticed the unfamiliar boy walking over now erupted into whispers and gasps.
After all, it was the first time anyone had dared to approach their class's untouchable goddess, and actually confess.
Aubrey froze, her mind blank.
It was the first time a boy had ever approached her like this—smiling so confidently, asking her out in front of everyone. She had no idea how to respond. Her heart raced in her chest, and for a moment, she could only stare up at him, wide-eyed.
I should reject him...
The thought flickered through her mind. It wasn't that she disliked him; she simply wasn't ready. She had no experience, no idea what to say or how to act.
Before she could gather the courage to refuse, she heard her friends' excited whispers around her.
"Say yes, Aubby!"
"He's super handsome! You can't miss this!"
"You're lucky! He's totally your type!"
Their words piled onto her, overwhelming her hesitation. She glanced at them, their faces practically glowing with excitement and encouragement.
Feeling trapped under their hopeful gazes, Aubrey's mouth moved before her mind caught up.
"...Okay," she whispered shyly, her voice barely audible.
The boy's smile widened. His confidence was dazzling.
"Great," he said, slipping his hands into his pockets casually. "Wait for me after school, okay?"
Aubrey gave a tiny, almost imperceptible nod.
With a grin, the boy turned and strolled away, leaving a trail of murmurs and curious stares behind him.
The moment he was out of earshot, her friends exploded into cheers, grabbing her arms and shaking her lightly.
"You did it!"
"Your first boyfriend, Aubby!"
"He's so cool! I'm jealous!"
But Aubrey barely heard them. Her heart was still pounding painfully against her ribs, and her face felt like it was on fire.
What have I gotten myself into...?
She wasn't ready for any of this, but as she sat there, she realized that having a boyfriend might finally allow her to join in on the conversations about romance with her friends. She decided it might be worth giving it a shot.
After all, she'd seen how most of the girls in her class already had boyfriends, while she was still single.
She had been thinking about dating for a while now, but she always hesitated, unsure of how to approach it or what to do. But now, with this opportunity right in front of her, maybe it was time to step out of her comfort zone and explore it for herself.
(End of Chapter)