self-work, self-profit || c. divus

「5」

"Hm... I'm looking forward to organising it, but having to work with..."

"Ah yeah, working with Professor Rhodonite is gonna be tough."

"She's been a university prodigy and was scouted by RSA and now NRC. We, on the other hand, had to submit paperwork and sit through multiple interviews."

"I know she's been here for a while now and I haven't said anything about her, but don't you think the reason why she quit RSA was because of her own attitude?"

"That's what I've been thinking. C'mon, I know that professors like Vargas and Crewel are cocky, but they're fun to talk to. We share similar interests. For Rhodonite, however..."

"Mhm... it's as if she's some sort of robot."

Why am I just standing here? I've done nothing wrong. 

Move, hand. Move.

Twist that doorknob.

However, she could only manage to sigh. Hearing the word 'robot' led to her recalling a certain conversation she had with a certain someone at a certain cuisine. After a few weeks of her employment, Pandora had yet to feel remorse for her own breakup.

Since I haven't felt an ounce of sadness or regret for my ex, perhaps I really had no feelings for him at all. I've led him on for a whole seven years...

Even though they had first hit off as great friends, that was it.

Unable to lift her own hand to even twist the doorknob, her eyes widened when she felt the presence of someone looming behind her; a dark glove confidently pushing that very door open. 

Her eyes met a fur coat.

"If you all have time to look down upon a fellow professor, I suppose you will all contribute well to this meeting?" A deep voice shook her awake along with the professors in the room guilty of their gossiping. Following behind Divus was Professor Trein, returning to her a greeting from outside of the room. Studying the look of disappointment on his face, she began to finally collect her thoughts and step into the room after finding herself behind the latter's frame. 

She caught sight of the other professors flinching at her presence and did not forget to return to them a sharp and menacing glare.

"W-Well about that...we haven't actually been able to come up with any interesting ideas," one of them laughed it off as if nothing had happened. "We older professors don't have time for that, right Crewel? Professor Trein? This was meant to be something that the students themselves should organise. Why should we get involved...and hold a meeting no less? Shouldn't we take time to defrost?"

"Defrost?" Pandora repeated, giving the professor a look as if she had never heard something so idiotic in her entire life. "My, you humour us so. It seems you've woken up on the wrong side of the bed...or correct me if I'm wrong, but did your brain start to rot? The last time we underwent training as professors we were taught to contribute as much as we could for public events such as festivals. Our students and professors are representatives of honouring the academy. If you desire to let others take the initiative for you, then you're no less than dead weight."

Grunting in frustration and unable to afford to say anything else that could tarnish their reputation, they stayed silent as the three took their seats.