The moment I saw him, I froze.
There he was—seated near the back of the classroom, calm and composed like the moon on a quiet night. His posture was relaxed, his dark hair gently falling over his brows, eyes distant but sharp.
Something about him tugged at my memory like a thread waiting to unravel.
Was it really him?
Was he the one who kissed me that night?
"Mr. Zac Aaron."
I flinched at the sound of my name.
My head whipped around to the front where Professor Harley Davidson stood with her signature stern expression and arms folded across her chest. Dressed in a fitted gray blazer and black pencil skirt, her thick-rimmed glasses sat low on her nose as she looked straight at me.
"S-Sorry, ma'am?" I replied, clearing my throat awkwardly.
She raised a brow. "Can you repeat what I just said?"
My brain scrambled.
What did she say again?
"I… I'm not sure, ma'am."
Professor Harley sighed in disappointment. "Of course you're not. You were too busy staring at Mr. Januz, our new exchange student."
A few students snickered. I immediately averted my gaze, feeling my cheeks burn. When I glanced sideways, I saw Januz looking back at me, puzzled. I quickly turned my head to the front, my heartbeat racing.
"I'll repeat this for the benefit of Mr. Zac," she continued with a sigh. "Tomorrow, you will each present a report on Astrology and World Mythologies. I've already assigned your topics and partners."
She glanced down at her list.
"Mr. Zac will be paired with Mr. Januz. Your topic is Greek Mythology and its astrological connections."
Great.
Just great.
Out of all the people in this class… it had to be him?
"You will present first thing tomorrow morning," Professor Harley added. "So I suggest you make good use of the day. And remember—internships begin next month. Show me that you belong in the stars, not just wish upon them."
She moved on with the rest of the lecture, but my mind wasn't listening anymore.
It was still stuck on him.
On that night.
On that kiss.
And worse—on the strange familiarity I felt every time I looked at him.
---
✦ Later that Day – Austen University Library, 4th Floor
The quiet room was mostly empty, with only the sound of rustling pages and the occasional click of a pen breaking the silence.
I sat alone, flipping through a dusty astrology book, pretending to focus. But my heart wouldn't slow down.
That kiss.
That voice.
I couldn't shake it.
The door creaked open behind me.
I didn't need to look up—I already knew.
"Sorry I'm late," Januz said, walking in with a notebook tucked under his arm.
"You're not," I murmured. "I was early."
He sat beside me without another word, placing a tablet between us. His scent hit me—clean and fresh, like cool wind after the rain.
No hoodie today. Just a navy-blue blazer over a soft turtleneck, making him look like he stepped straight out of a European magazine.
He flipped through his notes. "So… Greek mythology and astrology?"
"Yeah," I said, doing my best to sound normal. "I already marked a few constellations we can use. Like Orion, Cassiopeia, and Pegasus."
"You really know your stars," he said quietly.
I nodded. "I always have. It's... kind of my thing."
A pause.
Then he asked, "Do you always watch them alone?"
I looked up.
His voice—so calm, so familiar.
Like the one I heard whispering into the night.
I blinked. "What?"
Januz tilted his head. "The stars. Do you always watch them… alone? On the beach?"
My blood turned cold.
That was too specific.
Too real.
Too accurate.
"I—I… yeah," I answered, my voice barely audible. "How did you…?"
His eyes met mine, dark and unreadable.
"I was there," he said softly. "That night."
My breath caught.
It was him.
"I knew it," I whispered. "You kissed me."
He didn't deny it.
"I didn't mean to," he said after a long pause. "You looked… lost. I thought you wouldn't remember."
"I tried to forget," I said honestly. "But… your voice stayed. I couldn't shake it."
The silence that followed felt different.
Not awkward.
Just heavy—with things unsaid.
Januz finally looked away. "Then maybe the stars wanted us to meet again."
I stared at him.
That voice…
That calm, steady tone, like it had been speaking to me from the stars all along.
For the first time, I realized something I couldn't explain.
I wasn't scared anymore.
I was curious.
Intrigued.
And maybe, just maybe… a little drawn to him.