James woke up at what felt like noon. He groaned and sat up groggily, glancing around the room. Jacob's bed was empty.
Senpai probably went to class, James thought, reaching for his phone on the nightstand.
The time was 11:03 AM, and beneath it were three messages. Two from Jacob, and one from Debby:
"Hey, you free today? Come over if you can."
James read the messages and sighed.
Maybe after class.
He stood up, stretched, walked to the bathroom and took a quick shower. He dried off, threw on a clean t-shirt and jeans, and grabbed his backpack from the floor. Before leaving, he picked up his phone, slipped it into his pocket and headed out.
James stepped out of his dorm building and into the late-morning campus. The air was warm, the kind that made you wish you'd worn something lighter. Students were scattered across the lawn—some sitting on blankets, others walking in groups, a few smoking near the edge of the path.
He adjusted his backpack and started walking toward the lecture halls.
He turned a corner—and nearly collided with someone crouching beside a bench.
"Whoa—!" He stopped just in time, but his backpack slipped down his shoulder and hit the person's back.
"Ow!" The girl looked up, dropping the stack of books she'd been holding. Her glasses slipped off her face as she tried to steady herself, hitting the pavement with a sharp crack.
She tensed. "Oh…"
James crouched down beside her. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you—"
He picked up the glasses. The left lens was cracked and the frame was bent.
The girl's face dropped. "My glasses..."
James looked up at her. She was short—maybe 5'3"—with wide doe eyes and chestnut hair in a high ponytail. Her glasses were gone, leaving her squinting slightly.
"I'll pay for them." James offered, getting up and offering her a hand to help her up. "Do you know how much they cost? Or where you got them?"
She hesitated for a moment before reaching for his hand. "I don't know the cost. My mom got them years ago."
"Oh... I'm really sorry," James said. "I wasn't looking."
She let out a small, shaky laugh. "It's okay. I was crouching in the middle of the path… I'll manage."
Pulling her hand back, she gathered her books, hugging them to her chest. "I should get to class. I'm already late."
She turned and walked away, squinting hard at the path ahead.
James watched her go for a moment, then sighed. Looking down at the broken glasses in his hand, he hesitated before dropping them on the bench. He shoved his hands in his pockets and continued toward class.
The campus was getting busier, with students crossing the lawn, a group laughing near the food stall, someone jogging past with headphones on. He kept his head down, thinking about the girl and the broken glasses.
He reached the lecture building and climbed the stairs to Room 3B. When he pushed the door open, about ten students were already inside, chatting quietly. The lecturer hadn't arrived yet.
James walked in, looked around the room for an empty seat, and found one near the back. He dropped his backpack on the seat next to him and sat down. Then he pulled out his phone.
A notification from Debby popped up:
"Hey, can I come over to your place instead? Tasha says she wants to have the room fumigated today."
James glanced at the message, feeling a bit confused.
Fumigation? Are students even allowed to do that?
He then typed back: "I'm not around right now. I'll text you when I am."
James was still looking at his screen when the door opened. The lecturer walked in—a tall woman in a blazer, carrying a stack of papers under one arm. She set them down on the podium with a soft thud and turned to face the students.
"Settle down," she said clearly. "Class is starting."
James quickly shoved his phone into his pocket and sat up straighter.
A few students rushed in right after her, pushing through the door in a hurry. They were trying not to be late: some of them out of breath, others apologizing as they squeezed past people already seated.
Among them was her—the girl from the bench.
She was pushing her way through the rushing crowd, holding her books tightly as she looked around for a seat. She was squinting hard, clearly struggling to see where she was going without her glasses.
James's eyes widened before he could stop them. He couldn't hide the surprise on his face.
She walked down the aisle, still squinting, until she stopped beside his row. Her gaze landed on the empty seat right next to him—the one with his backpack resting on it.
"Is anyone sitting here?" she asked lightly.
That's when she made eye contact with him.