A flashback to Emerald's first year of college painted a stark contrast to his current self. He was a silent kid back then, oblivious to the space and fun of others, living solely by his own rules. Weeks had passed since he joined, and his routine was cemented: arrive just before class, hang out with his high school friends, and leave before the lectures even ended. Academics were his sole focus; everything else was simply background noise.
One typical day, he was out for a meal with his friends. There were seven of them, and everyone quickly placed their orders. But there were only six seats available. True to his usual slow pace, Emerald found himself left out. He pulled up a chair at a nearby table, close enough to keep the food-fueled chatter flowing. While waiting for their orders, he mindlessly doom-scrolled on his phone, oblivious to the shift that was about to occur.
"Yo, sup?" a girl wearing glasses asked Emerald. He slowly turned his phone off and stared at her, his gaze intense, like a vulture eyeing its prey. After an uncomfortable silence, he simply stated, "Name's Emerald, from 'Rogue Alban,' 16," and promptly returned to his phone. She was clearly thrown off; never before had she been so utterly ignored by anyone outside her own family. She pulled up a chair and sat directly opposite him. Emerald looked up again, a creepy smile playing on his lips. As he did, he noticed his friends staring at him, their expressions a mix of amusement and bewilderment.
Emerald's gaze shifted back to her. She seemed nervous, a slight tremor in her hands. Her order arrived first, and she began to dig in. Emerald's social anxiety spiked. Not just any girl, but the notorious final-year student. What was she doing here, of all places? He continued his doom-scrolling, a desperate attempt to avoid eye contact. As his food arrived, he, too, began to eat.
Emerald found himself peeking glances at her as he ate, and she noticed. "Mr. Emerald, it's rude to stare," she stated, her voice calm but firm.
"I didn't mean to, I'm sorry Ms...." Emerald fumbled for her name, his voice trailing off.
"Oh, that's a surprise. It's Lenya. I thought you guys knew," she said, now more interested in her food. Emerald's friends shot him cold glares for forgetting her name.
"I know who you are, but I just didn't know your name, that's all, madam," Emerald apologized, feeling a flush creep up his neck.
"Madam? Are you for real, kid? You're making me feel old. Well, the meal's on me, just a little treat. Don't sweat it with any more arguing," she offered, extending a hand towards him.
"That's generous of you, but I can't accept that," he replied, shaking his head.
"Why not?" she questioned, a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"Currently, I'm treating my friends to lunch," he explained.
"Oh, well, count me in too then!" Lenya declared, immediately ordering more drinks and dishes, much to Emerald's dismay. He was already mentally tallying his bank balance against the looming bill.
"So you guys are all mechanical majors, huh? Do you usually hang out together?" Lenya asked his friends. Ananthu and Albi responded with courteous answers, while the others simply gestured. As they ate, Lenya engaged in a lively conversation with Emerald, who mostly offered warm smiles as his only response.
The meal progressed, and then a final-year student approached, taking a seat near Lenya. Before he could even order, Lenya cut him off. "Don't, Kevin. I've told you a thousand times, we're never going to work out. I don't see you as a love interest; stop this stalking, man."
"I need to know why," he pressed.
"You're just not my type, that's all. I like younger guys, cute and innocent ones, like this guy in front of me. And you're older than me, stronger than me, do you get it, Kevin?" Lenya said, pointing directly at Emerald. Kevin, defeated, left. Emerald, meanwhile, was completely lost in translation after hearing her words directed at Kevin.
As she was about to leave, she paused. "What's the occasion?" she asked.
"What?" Emerald replied, confused.
"The treat, dumb-ass."
"Oh, it's nothing special, just felt like it."
"You rich or something?".
"Nah, you don't need to be rich to treat someone to a nice meal. It's just a parental teaching I got from my parents," Emerald replied with a genuine smile.
"Well, I'll be expecting some more treats, kiddo," Lenya said, a warm smile gracing her face as she walked away.
From that day forward, Lenya made it a point to greet Emerald across the college campus. She'd frequently pull him out of classes just for tea and snacks, and if she ever spotted him in a shop, he was "doomed" to join her. The once innocent Emerald even started bunking classes under the persistent "pressure" from the mighty Lenya.
One afternoon, Lenya singled out Emerald for another "treat." She even offered to pay, declaring it a "secret special thing." Emerald, assuming it was just another of their usual daily outings, trailed behind her. As they walked towards the cafe, he asked about his friends. Lenya casually mentioned they'd be there, but little did he know, they were never going to show up.
Inside the cafe, Emerald ordered a Mexican grill and a sea blue drink, while Lenya opted for a spicy orange. They settled in, "putting facts on the table" and discussing a wide range of topics, from academics to various other things. Emerald felt a knot of nervousness in his stomach; his usual friends weren't there this time.
"What are your plans after this?" Lenya asked, breaking the flow of their conversation.
"I have a few lectures, and then I'm heading home," he replied.
"No, I mean plans after college," she clarified.
"I'm thinking about going abroad for a master's. What about you, Lenya?"
"Well, since I'm old, I think I'm going to look for a job."
"What kind of jobs?"
"Teaching has always been my favorite. What about you?"
"I like being at peace, so I'm thinking about marine-related jobs. By the way, you need a master's to be able to teach others," Emerald said with a slight laugh.
"Oh, you forget my dad runs a couple of colleges," she retorted playfully. "After that, any plans on settling down?"
"Never really thought about it. I'll probably just go along with whoever my mom finds," he mused.
"Oh, you old slacker! Don't you have any dreams, kid? At least a type?" she teased.
"I've never seen love as a strong point for me. It takes too much time and energy, so I avoided the foolish act of becoming a slave to it."
"You're more of a slave to the system then," she countered.
"We're all slaves to something. What about you?"
Lenya took a quick, large gulp of her spicy orange. The unexpected heat brought tears to her eyes, and the spice hit her head.
"Oh, slow down! It's spicy orange, madam," Emerald said, offering his sea blue drink. Lenya stood up, approached him, and took a sip from his drink. She then looked directly into Emerald's eyes.
"Well, I'm a slave to someone who is foolish enough to not understand what's going on." Before he could even react, Lenya kissed him. She then immediately returned to her seat, her head bowed low.
"Why...?" Emerald stammered, utterly stunned.
Lenya looked up and simply said, "Why not, Emerald?" She lowered her head again, her face beet red. Emerald, on the other hand, was pale, his expression one of shock and seriousness. "Really, Lenya? I think you're wrong. You don't know what I truly am. You don't understand what kind of foolish, pathetic worm I am. But you're a goddess, someone all those kids look up to. I thought you were someone close to me, a friend, nothing more... I thought you were better than this."
With those words, Emerald left the cafe. Lenya's eyes welled up, and slowly, like rose petals falling in the rain, tears began to stream down her face.
As Emerald rushed out, he saw Ananthu approaching the cafe. "Where are you going?" Ananthu inquired.
"Keep it a secret," Emerald mumbled, hurrying past.
Ananthu simply looked at Lenya, who sat alone in the cafe, her head bowed on the table. From that alone, he understood the gist of their conversation. It was the last time Lenya and Emerald ever spoke. Emerald was still a first-year student back then, and now he was nearing graduation.
(To be continued)