Hey Everyone! Man, it's been a long time since I uploaded. I was planning to get back into writing earlier last year but decided to take time off and focus on school and workshop some story ideas I've had for a long time! and also, I felt a bit burnt out with my old stories. So that's why, I plan to focus on this summer is working on my new stories! but don't worry I'll try and add more chapters to my current stories. I hadn't forgotten about them! so enjoy my new Turning Red Fanfic!

Chapter 1: Twin Daily Life

(In a photo, with the date 1994 on it, it shows two five-year-old twins. One a boy and the other a girl, kneeling in front of their parents. Their mother sat on a bench while the father stood beside her. The girl held a tray holding a pot of tea while the boy held a tray of cookies.)

Mei Mei: "The number one rule in our family? Honor your parents."

(Then several photos showed the girl twin doing various activities with her mother like karaoke and badminton. As well as the boy twin doing various activities with his father like soccer and cooking. And they showed some photos of the twin siblings doing stuff together.)

Shu: "They're the supreme beings who gave you life, who sweated and sacrificed so much to put a roof over your head, food on your plate, an epic amount of food. The least you can do in return is… every single thing they ask."

Mei Mei: "'Course some people are like, 'Be careful. Honoring your parents sounds great, but if you take it too far, well, you might forget to honor yourself,'"

(A final photo shows the twins in the same position, now older in the present year of 2002.)

Both: "Luckily, we don't have that problem!"

With upbeat music as her backdrop, Meilin introduced herself to the world. "I'm Meilin Lee, and the boy next to me is my twin brother, Shu Lee!"

"Sup!" Shu also greeted. He had frosty blue eyes and short messy black hair with bangs. He was dressed in a white hoodie adorned with a black skull design over an ivory black T-shirt, and navy blue jeans paired with black and white sneakers. He also wore two black rubber wristbands on his right arm that had the yin-yang symbol on them.

And ever since we turned 13, we've been doing our own thing. Making our own moves, 24/7, 365," she proclaimed a hint of defiance in her voice. "Shu does his own things like meditating, soccer, and video games. As for me, I wear what I want, say what I want, and I will not hesitate to do a spontaneous cartwheel if I feel so moved." She grunted as she attempted a cartwheel, only to stumble and cause her stuff to fall out of her backpack. Shu couldn't help but chuckle at his sister's clumsiness.

"Oh, crap!" she exclaimed, her frustration palpable.

But Shu, being the good brother, helped his sister back on her feet and helped pick up her stuff and put it in her pack. "Thanks, Shu."

Yet, Meilin's resilience shone through, undeterred by setbacks. The twins quickly collected themselves and boarded the bus as they showed their bus passes to the driver and quickly sat in the back waiting to get to school.

Later at Lester B. Pearson Middle School…

In the bustling hallways of her school, Meilin's presence commanded attention. "Coming through! Move, please!" she called out, her voice cutting through the chatter.

"See you later at lunch, Mei," Shu said as he and his sister parted ways upon entering the hall, Shu walking ahead.

"Ok, Shu," Mei waved to her brother, "Besties, assemble!" She exclaimed; her enthusiasm infectious.

Before strolling down the corridor, Shu glimpsed his twin conversing with her friends.

First was Miriam, the group's tomboy skater, who stood out among them. Though all were close, Miriam seemed to share a special bond with his sister.

Abby, on the other hand, was short, slightly chubby, and occasionally intense, qualities that intimidated Shu, particularly when she yelled angrily in Korean, as she did just moments earlier to a bunch of kids who littered in the hallway. Despite this, she appeared to be a loyal friend to his sister, so he endeavored to get along with her.

Lastly, there was Priya, the most laid-back of the group, her calm stoic-like demeanor contrasting with occasional bursts of excitement. Shu thought that was a little bit attractive about her. He always thought that there was a magnetic quality about Priya that drew his attention, her calm presence soothing amidst the chaos of teenage drama. He admired her ability to remain composed yet still display moments of genuine enthusiasm. Something was intriguing about her, a depth he couldn't quite pinpoint but felt drawn to explore further.

But those were Mei's friends. Shu had a few friends of his own!

One was a girl named Stacy. She is a preppy and good-spirited girl. She's a bit of a fashionista and loves cute things. She's been friends with Shu since 5th grade and she always has his back. She has golden-blonde hair and captivating blue eyes. Adorning her hair were multiple butterfly hair clips, securing it into a neat ponytail. Draped in a sleeveless azure dress, she paired it with sleek black leggings and cozy brown Ugg boots adorned with fluffy white trim. She also had an insulin patch on her upper arm, around her shoulder to be exact.

"Hi Stacy," Shu greeted her.

"Hello Shu," She greeted back to him as she left her locker and walked up beside him.

Another friend of his was a boy named Carter. He is a somewhat of a moody emo kid who likes to hang out with the other goths at school, but he's a chill and mellow person. He and Shu got along due to their bond and love of video games, music, and kung-fu movies. He has brown eyes, with purple-grey contour eyeshadows underneath them. Choppy black hair with fringe over his left eye. He wore a grey long-sleeve shirt with dark grey rings around the arm sleeves under a short-sleeved T-shirt. Gray torn jeans and black sneakers.

"Hey Carter," Shu greeted and called him over.

"Sup, Shu," Carter said as he walked over, and they each shared a fist bump.

"Come on guys, ready to take on the science test we have today," Stacy said with a little bit of enthusiasm. But her friends just groaned in annoyance.

"Guys! Come on I know science isn't your favorite subject in the world, but we prepared and studied for this the whole weekend!"

"Yeah, I know Stacy, and thank you again for helping us study!" Shu said to her.

"My brain still hurts from last night," Carter complained while rubbing his temples.

"Come on Carter, pull it together," Stacy said, trying to give him some encouragement. "Now come on guys we're gonna be late for first period. The sooner we get to class the sooner this day can be over with."

The boys agreed, and they followed her to their first class.

Later at science class…

As they walked towards their science class, Stacy couldn't help but notice the somber expressions on Shu and Carter's faces. She nudged Shu gently and said, "Hey, cheer up, guys! We got this. Remember all the hard work we put in?"

Shu managed a weak smile and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right, Stacy. Thanks for helping us study."

Carter sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair. "I guess you're right. Let's just get this over with."

Stacy's enthusiasm seemed to uplift them slightly as they entered the classroom and took their seats. As they waited for the test to begin, Shu leaned over to Carter and whispered, "Thanks for studying with us, man. I know science isn't really your thing."

Carter shrugged, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Hey, anything to avoid failing, right?"

Before continuing their conversation, the teacher entered the room and distributed the test papers. Shu glanced over at Stacy and gave her a reassuring smile before turning his attention to the exam in front of him.

Throughout the test, they worked diligently, occasionally exchanging glances of encouragement. Shu felt a sense of relief wash over him as they finished their tests and handed them in.

After School…

As the school bell rang Shu and his friends exited the school and walked together reflecting on their day.

"Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," he remarked to his friends.

Stacy beamed at him. "See? I told you we could do it!"

Carter nodded in agreement, a hint of pride in his eyes. "Yeah, thanks for pushing us, Stacy."

With the test behind them, they left the school grounds together, feeling a sense of accomplishment. As they walked down the street, Shu couldn't help but feel grateful for his friends' support. With Stacy's positivity and Carter's laid-back demeanor, he knew they could tackle anything that came their way. But Shu had this sense of wariness in him. True he has gotten better during the school year! Staying out of trouble, doing better with his grades and stuff, but he felt like even with this… it wouldn't be enough. At least in his mother's eyes.

He knew that no matter how hard he tried, it might never be enough to meet his mother's expectations. At least to where his sister is at. Mei Mei was always closer to their mother than he was, ever since they were little. It's not that he didn't love his mom or that his mom didn't love him. They just had different… interests, but Mei Mei craved their mother's approval, so they did almost everything together.

Stacy noticed the change in Shu's demeanor and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you okay, Shu?"

Shu forced a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine, Stacy. Just thinking about stuff, you know?"

Carter glanced at Shu, sensing his friend's unease. "You sure you're alright, man?"

Shu nodded, though doubts still lingered in his mind. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Let's just drop it okay."

"Hey guys, want to hang out at my place and watch some classic Kung-fu movies!" Stacy invited them.

"Can't, promised my other friends we would hang after school," Carter explained as he waved goodbye to his friends and headed off to hang with his fellow goths. "See you guys tomorrow."

"So… I guess it'll be just us hanging out then!" Stacy said while trying to hide her giddy smile.

"Sorry Stacy, I can't" Shu began to explain. "I'm helping my dad make dinner tonight again and I can't miss out on that."

"Ugh, Shu this is the 3rd time this month you blew off hanging out with me!" Stacy groaned "Shu, you're always helping your family! Your father is a great cook, he doesn't always need your help and it wouldn't kill you to miss out on one family dinner to hang with your friends!" Said Stacy, sounding a bit upset.

"Yeah, I know I've been busy with some stuff but, …. I-I like helping my dad and helping him cook and my mom likes it when I help him. Plus there's no way my mother will let me hang out late on a school night." Shu said, his voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and resignation.

Stacy sighed, her disappointment evident but was tempered by her understanding. "I get it, Shu. I just miss hanging out with you like we used to."

Shu felt a pang of guilt at Stacy's words. He knew she was right; he had been neglecting his friends in his quest to meet his family's expectations. "I know, Stacy. I promise I'll make it up to you. Maybe this weekend?"

Stacy's face brightened a little. "Okay, this weekend then. And you better not bail on me!" She gave him a playful punch on the arm.

Shu chuckled, the tension between them easing slightly. "I won't, I promise."

As they approached Stacy's house, she gave him a quick hug. "See you tomorrow, Shu. Don't work too hard, okay?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow," Shu replied, watching her go inside before continuing his walk home.