I chose to illustrate an instance in which Jin and Suzy become friends outside the school despite rumors about their arranged marriage. One day, Suzy stops by 490 Bakery Cafe, the bakery where Jin and Wei-Chen reunites at the end of the story, since she was hungry after school. As Jin is a regular customer at the cafe, he offers a recommendation. From then on, they became close and the cafe was their usual place to hangout together after school. In the second panel, however, Suzy is paranoid by the constant rumors in class and thus, decides to stop seeing each other. Finally, in the last panel, they’re both seen during lunch time at school. Although they want to hang out together like old times, they sadly continue avoiding each other.

I decided to make the last panel the largest among the rest to bring the main focus to how these two children suffer as a consequence of others being stereotypical about their race. I kept the background blend in contrast with some objects such as the tree, grass, school, and so on sketched or colored in order to convey that while they are surrounded by such a bright and happy environment, it feels empty for them inside. It was the same feeling portrayed when they didn’t know each other yet in the first panel. The second panel, however, is filled with a dark blue and black background to indicate the sadness and gloomy dark day had arrived.

The reason why I decided to add this scene is because I was really interested in how their friendship would be like if they were to unexpectedly meet elsewhere. As an elementary child, they are both confused as to whether they should ignore or try to fit in with the rest. In the end, they decide to part since they are unable to stand up for themselves among the majority.