DISCLAIMER: THIS BOOK IS INTENDED FOR AN ADOLESCENT AUDIENCE. THIS STORY IS NOT BASED ON ANY TRUE EVENTS .
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History of the Story Origin
Over the course of three years, Austin x Maki has been filtered over and over again. However, some character names have been kept constant. Austin Campbell...Maki Toudou...Maddison.... Asha Edwards.... Nicholas.... Adele.... Lincoln...Mark.... Olivia.... Harold.... April.... Vivian.... Finny... Henry a.k.a Henrietta
The bitch fest was actually called 'them' and consisted of 'c' names not 'b'. It was only in the 2025 version when the names took a change to 'b' There were also more 'b's in the earlier 2025 version but it has only been condensed to four. Becca, Bianca, Beatrice and of course Blair
Newer characters such as Vincent, Elijah, Song, Jenna all appeared in the 2025 version. Kali and Aubree also made a recent appearance in this version of the story. In older versions, Maki had a friend group of five which would've included Lisa, Rebecca, Addy, Josephina, Maddison. Then in the 2022 version, Maki would've just had these two friends, Niya and Maddison. Austin, meanwhile in 2025, had Asha, Nicholas, Micah, and Pete. In recent years, Micah wasn't apart of this group, instead it was Colson and Andrew. Before then, Micah was included, along with a bunch of guys including Ricardo, Cole, etc. However, like I've said Austin x Maki has always had Asha, Nicholas, from the beginning.
Nicholas though in this version, is slightly better developed, and made to be the more judgmental side.
Yet Asha still remains far more emotional than he ever was. Adele is more savage. Mark is more persistent.
Vivian and Harold remain more aggressive.
Henry's still hostile towards Maki
Finny is still an active dater
April is still Austin's younger sister who handles things differently and Aiden in this version is more brotherly and yet confused.
But most importantly, Austin has greater impact in this version than the rest.
Within the novel there are some trivial facts but, on this page, we'll provide you with some trivial facts.
The only last names that have remained constant are Maki's and Austin's.
This is also not the first (A) arc story, but it is the first written one...
Austin x Maki
Chapter One
"Maki Toudou, daughter of Lee Xing Toudou, the court has decided you will reside in South Carolina, USA, with your aunt, Finny Abagail Harrison. She will be your legal guardian until you turn eighteen. As for your father, the offender, he has been sentenced to seven years for his role in the murder of Shi Lung, former CEO of Jhing Enterprises."
A heavy silence fell over the courtroom, thick and suffocating. Judge Megumi paused, her stern expression making it clear this was no ordinary case.
Maki sat rigid, every muscle tense. She couldn't bring herself to look at her father—not once. To her, he was already gone. An insolent drunk, an addict who wasted his days on the couch while she was at school. Once, he had been a respectable man running a small stationery store chain. But after her mother died, everything changed. He sank into drugs and alcohol, losing his business and, finally, his grip on reality.
Now, he was a convicted criminal, responsible for murder and attempted robbery.
And Maki? She was being sent away—to live with an aunt she had never met. The thought of uprooting her entire life terrified her. China had always been home. Her friends—Caihong, Ehuang, Chyou—were all she had. She would never see them again. Part of her wished she could disappear, but she couldn't. Not yet. Not like this.
Judge Megumi's voice cut through the stillness as she finished her statement. Her cold gaze locked onto Maki, sharp as a hawk's.
"This case is dismissed."
The sound of the gavel echoed in Maki's mind long after the courtroom emptied, a relentless reminder of everything she was losing.
-
"All passengers disembarking for South Carolina may now exit the plane."
The pilot's voice echoed dully through the cabin. Boring. Robotic. Annoying.
Maki stood up with a slight groan, reaching for the handle of her suitcase. The three-day flight hadn't been terrible—but it hadn't been good either. The worst part wasn't the turbulence or the cramped leg space. It was being trapped alone with her thoughts. Again and again, she replayed that night in her head: Shi Lung, lying in the street, a puddle of dark blood spreading beneath him like ink.
She remembered the way her father stood nearby—still, gun in hand. Beside him, Guo, the ex-convict. Frozen. Silent.
Maki hadn't screamed. She couldn't. She'd just stood there, watching, completely numb.
As she stepped off the plane, a blast of unfamiliar air hit her. The terminal buzzed with chatter, rolling suitcases, and jetlagged grumbling. She scanned the sea of strangers. Somewhere among them was a woman she was now expected to call family.
What did Finny Harrison even look like?
Then, through the crowd: "Maki! Maki! Over here, darling!"
A woman was waving wildly, her smile almost too bright for the setting. She had chestnut-brown hair, a perfectly smooth complexion, and wore a cozy, checkered knit sweater that looked like it belonged in some lifestyle magazine. Maki blinked, unsure whether to wave back or bolt.
Instead, she rolled her suitcase toward her and forced a polite smile. Finny didn't wait—she pulled Maki into a warm hug.
When she finally let go, she beamed. "Hi, Maki! How are you?"
"I'm okay, Aunt Finny."
"Just Finny's fine, really," she said, already going in for a second hug. Then she pulled back slightly, her tone softening. "It's so nice to finally meet you after all this time."
Maki gave a tight nod.
"So, has Lee ever mentioned me?" Finny asked, her voice still bright.
Maki looked away. "No... he didn't, actually." She tried to keep her tone neutral.
Finny's smile faltered for a second, but she recovered. "Well. We've got a bit of catching up to do, then."
She reached for Maki's suitcase handle. "Come on—let's get you to your new home."
New home, Maki repeated in her head, the words sounding foreign.
She glanced at the terminal's glass exit doors and muttered under her breath,
"I guess that's one way to put it."
-
Finny had several distinctive features. Her chestnut-brown hair fell effortlessly over her shoulders in soft waves, catching the late afternoon light like polished mahogany. But it was her eyes—sharp, jade-green and startling against her pale skin—that truly stood out. They held something unreadable, somewhere between warmth and knowing, as if she'd lived a thousand quiet lives and seen more than she ever let on.
Maki found herself staring. Not out of rudeness—more out of disbelief.
There was no way this woman was her father's sister.
Finny noticed. "Maki, you alright?"
Snapped from her thoughts, Maki blinked. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just... you don't really look anything like my father's sister."
Finny smiled, like she had expected that. "Half-sister," she clarified. "I actually grew up here in the States. Your dad's mom, Zoe, was my mom too, but we had different fathers. Unfortunately, I guess I inherited my dad's genes." She gave a short, dry laugh, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Apparently, I look nothing like the rest of the family."
Maki nodded slowly, eyes drifting back to the road. She felt awkward. Not because Finny was unkind—but because everything about her was so... unfamiliar. Too American. The way she smiled without caution. The way her voice carried, unafraid of space.
Outside the window, South Carolina unfurled like a postcard—open roads, trimmed lawns, and wide, bright houses with wrap-around porches and picket fences. The late sunlight was golden and soft, casting shadows across the dashboard.
It was nothing like home.
Back in China, the streets were tighter, louder. Everything felt faster, heavier. The silence now almost felt offensive. As if the world had the nerve to go on spinning while her life had been ripped out from under her.
"Do you like it here?" Finny asked, glancing over.
Maki hesitated. "It's... different."
"That's fair," Finny said, her smile dimming just a little. "You'll adjust. It won't happen overnight, but you will."
The car fell into a quiet lull. Maki tightened her grip on her backpack strap. Part of her wanted to believe that. That this wasn't permanent. That this was just some long, extended nightmare she'd wake up from. That she could go back to her apartment. Her friends. Her school. Her old life.
Instead, she was being driven by a woman she had never met, to a house she had never seen, in a country she had never stepped foot in before yesterday.
Maki looked away again, pretending to watch the scenery. In truth, she was watching her reflection in the glass.
She didn't know if she believed that.
But she nodded anyway.
As the white sedan cruised down the quiet, sun-washed streets, Maki couldn't help but notice the towering houses that lined either side of the road. Pristine lawns stretched out like green carpets, some dotted with plastic flamingos or wind chimes dancing in the breeze. Children ran through sprinklers or chased each other in dizzy loops, their shrieks and laughter echoing across the neighborhood.
But to Maki, it all felt strangely distant—like watching a film with the sound turned low. The joy in their voices didn't quite reach her, and the bright, suburban peace outside the window only deepened the ache pressing against her chest. These streets felt too clean. Too untouched. As if pain had never set foot here.
She rested her head lightly against the window, watching the world blur past—perfect driveways, flower boxes, porches with white railings.
-
Just then, the car slowed in front of a house that almost looked like it had stepped out of a postcard. It wasn't grand, but it radiated warmth—a kind of lived-in charm. Vines of peony-pink flowers curled lovingly along the white picket fence, as if nature itself had taken the time to make it feel like home. Sunlight filtered through the trees in long, golden streaks, setting the daisies ablaze and throwing a soft glow over a patch of neatly arranged anthuriums. Everything about it whispered comfort, a sharp contrast to the chaos Maki had just left behind.
Finny popped the trunk and started wrangling with Maki's oversized suitcase. "What do you have in here, bricks? Or a hidden weapons cache?" she joked, breathless but smiling as she gave it another tug.
Maki offered a half-smile, one corner of her mouth twitching upward. The joke wasn't really funny, but Finny laughed like it was. Maybe that was her way—talk first, think later. Maki didn't mind it, not really. It was just strange. Finny was the kind of person who could make anything seem lighter without realizing how heavy some things really were.
The suitcase hit the pavement with a dull thud. "There we go," Finny declared, wiping her hands on her jeans. "Welcome home Maki. And hopefully in time it really feels like home."
_
Inside, the bungalow felt warmer, more inviting. The painted white walls reminded Maki of her friend Chyou's house—a soft haven amidst. But that calm was shattered by a sudden blast of heavy metal pounding from upstairs.
Maki's eyes drifted to a crooked family portrait hanging on the wall. Finny, a man, and a young girl stood there, frozen in smiles that felt familiar yet distant.
"Henry!" Finny called out. "Your cousin's here."
The music spiked louder, it was definitely Metallica.
Finny glanced at Maki, shaking her head with a smirk. "Sorry about that. I've got a bit of a troublemaker upstairs."
Then she yelled, "Get your ass down here! No phone for a month if you don't."
After a moment, the music stopped, replaced by the sharp click of footsteps descending.
Maki braced herself for a boy—but instead, a lean figure appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Henry moved with a cold, sharp energy, her eyes pierced the room with cold precision
Her eyes were pale grey, almost lifeless, hiding behind dark contact lenses that gave nothing away. Her hair was a tangled mass of black, like a raven's nest caught in a storm.
She shot Finny a look of pure disdain. "What now?"
Her voice was low, clipped, laced with irritation—no warmth, no patience.
Maki's heart skipped, surprised she'd expected a boy.
Finny smiled, a little too quickly, breaking the silence. "So... this is Henry. She'll be at your school Brookfall High, starting Monday. You two will... uh, probably see a lot of each other."
The thought of starting at an American school filled Maki with dread. She wished she could just disappear—sink into the ground and never come back. Leaving her friends behind in China had already ripped a hole in her heart. But facing a whole new school, a whole new world? That was a nightmare she wasn't ready for.
Henry's voice cut through the silence like a knife. She spat, "There's no goddamn way I'm going to my school with some Asian freak."
Maki froze.
Finny's face tightened with anger. "For God's sake, Henry, she's your cousin! What the hell is wrong with you?"
Henry just scoffed, her cold glare locking onto Maki's for a brief second before she stormed back upstairs, slamming the door behind her.
The house fell silent again—only this time, the weight of Henry's words lingered like a dark cloud.
_
Finny tried calling Henry again, but the door slammed shut before she could get a response. She sighed, shaking her head. "That girl... she's just like her dad."
Maki wanted to push Henry out of her mind, but it wasn't that easy. For a "welcome," it had been brutal.
Instead, her thoughts circled back to school—the endless questions spinning in her head like a broken record. How would the other kids treat her? Would they be like Henry? Cold. Hostile. Cruel?
Would she be bullied just for being Asian? Ignored? Or maybe, just maybe, someone would be kind enough to befriend her.
She didn't want to find out.
It was one o'clock on Saturday when she finally looked up at the ceiling of her new room. The space was stunning—bright, clean, and surprisingly big. She liked the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall and the cute penguin lamp resting on the nightstand.
But none of it made her smile.
She couldn't.
_
Around three in the afternoon, Finny decided to take Maki shopping at some of the most fabulous boutiques in town. For Maki, everything felt new and overwhelming. Azure-blue dresses, stylish tops, and brand-name sneakers flooded the store windows. The air here was cleaner—crisper. Life seemed to stretch out somewhere far away, almost unreal.
Finny held up a gorgeous blouse, her eyes sparkling. "This is super pretty," she said, then glanced over at Maki. But Maki stared blankly ahead, dazed and distant.
Breaking the silence, Finny's voice softened. "Maki, I know this whole situation... with your dad, it's a lot. I'm really sorry."
Maki swallowed hard, trying to hold back the flood of emotions. "It's... it's hard," she said quietly. "I keep thinking about what he did, what it means for me. I don't know how to feel."
Finny nodded, understanding. "I can't even imagine what you've been through. But you're not alone, okay? You've got me now."
Maki looked up, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes.
Finny took a deep breath and picked up a soft plaid shirt, running her fingers over the fabric. "And about Henry... she's got her own demons. She wasn't always like this."
Maki's brow furrowed. "What happened?"
Finny hesitated, then continued, her voice trembling slightly. "When Michael—her dad—left, Henry blamed me. Thought it was my fault he walked out. But he was no good. A vindictive man, dealing with things none of us fully understood."
She looked at Maki, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Sometimes I think Henry's pain is so deep she doesn't know how to show it."
Without thinking, Maki reached out and hugged Finny tightly, feeling the rawness of her pain. "It's okay," she whispered. "You're aren't to blame. None of this is even your fault."
Finny's shoulders shook, and she clung to Maki, grateful for the unexpected comfort.
_
His eyes held a tired, red edge, and pain simmered beneath the surface. He lay on his bed, face buried in his hands. School was about start tomorrow, and it felt heavier than ever.