Chapter 187
+15 BONUS
Professor Ash, in his dapper outfit, walked toward the lectern in broad strides. My classmates cheered. They gossiped about their idol in hushed voices.
Professor Ash seemed to be very familiar with this kind of reception. He waited patiently until the class calmed down. Then, he said, “Hi, everyone. I’m Ash King. I’m honored to be part of Jesselton College.
“In the foreseeable future we share together, I’ll do my best to impart what I know to you. I hope you can stay sharp and keep up with my pace. Those who don’t pay attention or finish their assignments on time will have their marks deducted. This is non–negotiable.”
A commotion broke out again. This time, it was a collective groan.
Watching my classmates complain about the harsh lecturer, I chuckled.
Professor Ash was a renowned artist. In his eyes, attitude was more important than talent. My perseverance and thirst for knowledge were the reason why he specially tutored me.
That said, this didn’t mean that talent wasn’t important. After all, no one could teach a fish
to draw.
“Sir, have you met Luna before?” a guy sitting at the back raised his hand and asked.
Professor Ash glanced at me and straightened his back as if he was presenting something he was proud of. “I was a guest lecturer at Lincoln University. Luna is the most promising student I’ve met in my career. She has a lot of potential. Of that, I’m sure.”
A round of applause erupted. My deskmate even nudged and winked at me. I felt so
embarrassed.
Professor Ash was a respected figure in the arts scene. Everyone adored and idolized him. One could even say that they worshiped him.
The lecture opened to a warm reception. Everyone took several pages of notes and learned. so many things. They also said that this was the most interesting lecture they had had. Many
continued to discuss the lecture even after it ended.
After the class, Professor Ash summoned me to his office. He gave me some feedback about my draft while I explained my thought process behind the drawing.
Before I left, he uttered a cryptic sentence, “Your moment is about to arrive.”
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+15 BONUS
When I asked him what he meant by that, his lips pressed into a hard line. He refused to elaborate further.
I talked to Professor Ash for a while, and we also went to grab lunch at the cafeteria. It was around one o’clock when I returned to my apartment.
The drizzle made me feel extra chilly.
I huddled under my umbrella to prevent any cold breeze from invading my body. Then, I quickly jogged toward the entrance of my apartment building.
There wasn’t anyone at the gate. When I closed my umbrella, a shadow entered my line of sight.
I lifted my face and was shocked by what I saw.
After four days, Matthew looked so different!
His skin was gray, his eyes were soulless, and his cheeks were haggard. The suit looked too big on him. He had lost so much weight, and I couldn’t see the light in his eyes.
My heart constricted in pain. I wanted to hug him and make him feel better. But I know I shouldn’t.
I regretted my decision so much.
If I could turn back time, I would have told him that we could never be together from the start. I would’ve stopped him from loving me. That way, he wouldn’t have to suffer so much
now.
I gave him hope. And I was the one who crushed it.
But truthfully, the fault lay in neither of us.
“Matthew, what are you doing here?” I initiated the conversation. His devastated state made my eyes well up with tears.
Inside my heart, I had said a thousand “I’m sorry” to him.
“I have some business to take care of here. I thought I could drop by to see you. Lulu, how have you been?”
Matthew croaked. His voice sounded like rubbing two pieces of rusty metal together. He used to regard me with such lively eyes. But now, they were dim.