"Have you heard it?" the whispers across the Yeon Lain University were heard. The gossip travelled like an intense veld fire.

"Ahhh I wish I had taken up English Lit as my major," most girls were heard saying, with utter disappointment evident in their voices.

I escaped to the backyard which was a slight distance from the main block. After unpacking my laggage in the dorm room, I wanted some time alone. Maila, my best friend said that she would come the following day when lessons start because she would be taking the later flight back here. Her holiday was probably the best, if that's the closest word I can use.

Everywhere I had passed through, it was the talk about a new professor. They made him sound popular, especially amongst the senior girls because he would be teaching English Literature majors in our graduate stream. For some reason. Whatever that is.

Placing my headsets on and clicking play on my playlist, I took out my notepad and started jotting down random scenarios for books I had no plan to publish. That was my hobby. Writing poems and unfinished books.

Some would say that it is weird since, for the the most part; I majored in a Business Management course.

The warm afternoon sun was so consoling it made the cold in my skin crawl and give way to a comfortable heat. Under the shade of sparkling green leaves and healthy brown trees, I felt my eyes give in to slumber. My right hand rested on my eyes and my mind fully consentrated on the song - fingerprints by keenan tae, which played on repeat.

I felt a strange gaze on me from afar, but chose to ignore it. Eventually, I spent the whole evening sleeping under the shade.

Woken up by the bright moonlight, I realised evening had struck. Instead of staying to admire the stars, I immediately retreated to my chambers.

......................

RING~ RING~

The large corridors were packed with students like ants attracted to abandoned food on the floor.

The juniors - first years, filled with dedication and vigor to learn; had crowded the hallways with their presence. Those who still cared about University joined in. Leaving us, the quiet and secluded soon-to-be graduates to move around like undetectable shadows. I had a presentation due so I had to get to class early. My modules had to be re-scanned and some final touchups needed to be done.

That was when I saw him.

His shoulder length moongrey-silver hair tied into a half ponytail. His glowing hazel brown eyes matching with his north asian male facial features. The soft pink undertone complimented his old fashioned brown overcoat and old-school professor dressing.

He looked as if he was around his early twenties, but then again; we shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

Every step he took, he seemed to be in slow motion. His tall and masculine figure would qualify him as the top model in the whole Glorin city - the most famous city in all twelve continents of planet Wenpole.

Like a broken record, I stood there. Watching him as he closed the distance. A small curve on his lips forming when the distance betwen us grew smaller.

He stood before me and I froze. I was caught staring and now he was here. 'Does he want to confront me or something?' I thought.

"Hie," he simply said and I felt my heart beat out of my chest. WHAT THE FUCK!

His deep voice made it impossoble for me to believe it was coming from him because it contradicted with his gentle appearance.

"Uhm... Are you a new student? You don't look like a freshman though," I said with a low stummer.

He chuckled. I found myself smiling.

"Forgive my manners. Zaloth Maoley. But you can call me Professor Maoley. I'm the new English Lit Professor."

Eh...eh...ehhhhhhhhh!? He's the new professor that everyone was talking about.

"Ahh, my apologies," I said trying to hide the embarassment on my face, "I'm Ertha Siege. You can just call me Ertha. Business Management final year student."

"Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

"Alright then," he smiled again, "I guess you're the owner of this book huh," he replied opening his mini briefcase.

My attention is instantly diverted to what he was about to take out. That was when I saw him take out my journal.

"What tha-" I was shocked and immediately grabbed it. Hiding it in my blue sports jacket, I averted his gaze. "Di...did you...perhaps open it?" I reluctantly asked.

He chuckled again.

THE FUCK!

"Only to see who the owner was," he innocently responded.

'Maybe I forgot about it last night when I went to sleep,' I thought, 'But it's very rare for me to forget my journal anywhere.'

"Thank you. I hope you didn't peek," giving him a side eye. Although I doubt it was effective because my 5'2 height was just too small to match his 6'7 height.

"Don't worry, it seemed too personal for me to even look inside."

"You were tempted though."

"A little," he gestured with his long fingers.

"Haa~~ I knew it."

"Hehe," simply said, and the bell rang.

The corridor we were in was not packed compared to the other ones. I prefered quiet places even if it meant taking a detour just to get to my lecture. Maybe we were similar in that aspect.

"Well, duty calls. See you around, miss Ertha," he said and went on his way. Leaving me frozen and spacing out.

One reason why it bothered me the most about whether he had opened my Novel&Poems journal was because ... It contained all my dark and perverted secrets. I know it's weird to keep hard copies in the modern days of technology, but such was easy to dispose of if need be. Unlike technology where it would one way or the other, track me down some years later.

...----------------...

"Ertha huh," Zaloth smirked, "I'll see you around...mi querida."

"Guess who?" Maila whispered in my ear and I jolted out of my seat.

She managed to arrive during lunch time which was beneficial for her since she only had an afternoon lecture. Her major in Special Weapons and Artifacts allowed her more flexibility as most of the courses were more practical.

"Heyy!" I complained with my hand to my ear, "Could've got me deaf by now, you know."

"Cry baby as always," she teased me and cupped my cheeks in her palms, "What's our ancient dwarf been up to?" she asked.

"Fuck off you're only 3 inches taller," I say with my eyes rolling to the side.

"Tell me you also saw him?" she asked out of the blue. Of-cause I knew who it was she was referring to.

"He had my journal..."

"What!?" she asked with a loud voice and immediately adjusted the high pitch by putting her hands on her mouth, "Did he?..."

My head slowly nodded. "I think he lied when he said he didn't read it though," I continued.

Maila let out an awkwardly pleased laugh. "Something tells me there's drama brewing," she said and took my can, then gulped down the remainder of my fizzi juice contents in it.

"And something tells me your mind is running wild again," I packed the empty

food plates and got off the bench.

"You never let me see it though," she whined.

"It was just a coincidence that he presumably found it," I said in my defense.

We finished cleaning up, and as I turned around my peaceful corridor with Maila tailing me from behind; I saw him again.

Took me a moment to realise how shaken Maila had become. My gaze immediately switched to and fro between Maila and Zaloth. The way they behaved suggested that they had unpleasant encoumters before, and this coincidence was the worst that could happen to them in a lifetime.

The way her eyes shook and Zaloth froze, a distance from us; made me question the very roots of this reaction that came from both of them.

"It's you!?" Maila managed to say after a few moments of silence. An atmosphere which in that space of time, saffocated me who was innocent.

"Pleasure to meet you again," Zaloth said with a twitch at the corner of his lips which formed a smirk I was not familiar with but still gave me goosebumps. I could taste the bloodthirst in his words from that very response and it got me slightly worried.

"How was your lunch, Ertha?" he turned to me and asked as he closed the distance between.

"What's it to you?" Maila asked with a cold tone.

Playing victim, Zaloth raised his hands in his defense and simply said, "Is it wrong to care about the students?"

"Either way, stay far from her. She's off limits," Maila retorted.

"Maila~" I tried to lighten the mood, but she queezed my hand. I was so confused I felt as though my very presence in that moment was stoping a brutal war from unveiling.

Zaloth sighed. "Oh well, duty calls," he said amd tucked a small strand of my midnight blqck hair, behind my ear. I slowly turned and watched as his shadow faded into the background.

"Be careful Ertha, there's ... More to this than anticipated," Maila warned.

I could not come up with a suitable opportunity to brighten things up, but what i could do, was watch.