Ken finally found the courage to confront the shadow that had been looming over his life. He walked up to Lucien, who was sitting in a secluded corner of the campus library, reading a book with his usual cold, impenetrable composure.
"Hey, Lucien. Can I talk to you for a moment, please?"
Lucien didn't look up immediately. He finished the sentence he was reading, then sighed softly and closed the book. "Alright. Speak."
"I want to know," Ken began, his voice steady despite the thump of his heart. "Why did you pay the hospital bill? How did you know I would need a ride that night? And most importantly... why did you buy Daffodils for my mom?"
"I don't know," Lucien replied casually, his dark eyes meeting Ken's. "I simply selected a random flower for her. As for the bills, I happened to be at the hospital during the emergency, and I offered to pay. The money is a trifle to me. I remembered you mentioning your mother was ill, and when the bill came through, the last name matched yours. Since the doctor couldn't reach you, I decided to find you. It's nothing more than a series of coincidences."
Ken looked perplexed, his brow furrowing. "Since when do you take it upon yourself to hunt down a stranger's child in an emergency? That doesn't sound like you at all."
"Well, I tend to finish what I start," Lucien said smoothly. "Since I had helped a stranger out of convenience, I figured I might as well finish the favor."
Ken paused. He knew, deep in his gut, that this wasn't the truth, but he had no proof—only the chilling sensation that he was being watched. "Anyway... I'll find a way to pay you back. And please, stop interfering in my life. I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, but I don't want to be part of it anymore."
"I never requested payment," Lucien said, his voice dropping to a low, melodic tone. "It was an act of kindness toward a dying lady, not you. Furthermore, I am not interfering. It is a series of coincidences that keeps bringing us together, Ken. As you can see, I have no control over fate."
Ken stood there, staring. It was painfully obvious he was being gaslighted, but the logic was so circular he couldn't counter it. Does he think I'm a fool? Ken thought. Or do I just look that naive?
"Fine," Ken muttered. "But I am in a relationship now, and I have boundaries. Please remember that the next time 'fate' pushes you toward me."
"I'm happy for you," Lucien replied, already reopening his book. "Is that all? I'd like to return to my novel."
Ken turned and walked away, his mind spinning. The mixed signals are insane. The strange things that happen around him have no explanation, and frankly, I don't want to find one. I just hope fate is finally finished with me.
Across campus, in the senior department, the world seemed to freeze.
As Emily and Mikael's eyes met, six years of silence collapsed into a single second. She hadn't changed much—the same golden hair, the same intelligent eyes—but Mikael was different. He had grown taller, his frame filled out with muscle, looking every bit the protagonist of a high-society drama.
She didn't recognize him fully at first, but the distinct, familiar pull in her chest told her she knew him.
"Take a seat, Miss Jacob," the professor said, breaking the trance.
Emily walked toward the only empty desk—right beside Mikael. The professor turned to Mikael, who sat as still as a statue. "Mikael, as class representative, you'll show her around and help her get settled. Since you are both outstanding students, I expect you to become good colleagues. I'm counting on you."
The professor stepped out. The room was silent. Emily turned to Mikael with a tentative smile. "Hi... I'm Emily Jacob. It's a pleasure to meet—"
Before she could finish, Mikael bolted. He stood up so abruptly his chair screeched against the floor and he vanished through the door without a word. He looked like he had seen a ghost.
Emily sat in stunned silence, wondering what she could have possibly done wrong on her first day.
Meanwhile, Mikael had made it to the privacy of the restroom. He leaned against the sink, his breath coming in jagged, panicked gasps. Why now? Why today? He had just fixed things with Ken. He had convinced himself she was gone forever. "Why now!" he choked out, clutching the porcelain until his knuckles turned white. He couldn't go back to class. Not yet.
Ken arrived at Mikael's department shortly after, looking for his boyfriend for their scheduled lunch date. When Mikael didn't appear, Ken began to worry. He spotted a blonde girl near the entrance and stepped forward.
"Excuse me, have you seen Mikael?" Ken asked.
Emily looked up, her expression tired. "Oh... sorry, I'm new here. I just started today. I don't know a Mikael."
"Oh, sorry," Ken said, turning to leave. "I was just hoping someone had seen him."
"Wait," Emily called out. The name 'Mikael' was a bell ringing in her head. She hadn't seen her old lover's face clearly yet, but the name... "What's he like? What's his last name?"
"He's tall, blonde, and his last name is Newman. He's the class representative," Ken replied with a small smile.
The words cut Emily like a dagger. It was him. The boy who had just run away from her was the boy she had spent six years trying to find. But why would he avoid her? Did he hate her for leaving?
"Excuse me... do you know him?" Ken asked, noticing her sudden paleness.
Why did he ignore me? We promised to be together forever, Emily thought, her mind racing. Ken snapped his fingers in front of her face, jolting her back.
"I asked if you knew him?"
"I... I don't think so. I'm not sure," she stammered, her heart racing.
"Alright. Later then," Ken said, starting to walk away.
Emily watched him go. He was younger, a junior, and clearly looking for Mikael with a sense of intimacy. What is their relationship? she wondered. They don't look like siblings.
"Hey, wait!" she called out again. Ken stopped and turned back, looking confused. Emily forced a gentle smile. "Hi, I'm Emily Jacob. Since I'm new and I don't know my way around, would you be free to show me the campus?"
Ken looked at his watch. "Oh... I'm sorry, I have plans right now and I can't reschedule. But I promise I'll show you around tomorrow during lunch. We can meet right here. Would that be okay?"
"Sure, no problem," Emily replied. "I'll wait here for you."
"Alright. See you then."
"Oh, one last thing," Emily added, her voice carefully casual. "My class representative was supposed to show me around, but he ghosted me. If you find him, could you tell him you're covering for him? And... I don't mean to pry, but why are you looking for him? Are you his brother or something?"
Ken looked at her for a long moment. He didn't see any harm in the truth; she was just a new student.
"No," Ken said softly, a spark of pride in his eyes. "He's my boyfriend."
The color drained completely from Emily's face. The world seemed to tilt beneath her feet.