Girl Of Heart And Iron | ✔

2 | kill your comforts

Professor Hart walked into the room, smoothing her hands down her trousers. She looked at Ri, her grey eyes alight with curiosity, and walked over to stand in front of Ri. She leant back against the edge of the desk, clasping her hands together in front of her.

"How can I help you, Miss Cavanagh?" Professor Hart asked.

One proper look at her eyes told Ri that the teacher probably already had a feeling, but she spoke up anyway, "it's about the LuNa internship exam."

Professor Hart motioned for her to carry on.

"I didn't realize that the level would be so...advanced."

"Hm, well, I guess they don't want just anyone walking in. Are you planning to apply?" Professor Hart tilted her head.

Ri worried her lip between her teeth, "maybe? I don't know if I can cram two years worth of assignments into two months."

"Well, it wouldn't be two whole years." Professor Hart shrugged, "there's a lot that won't be in the exam. Half the specification is first year stuff. You could probably get it all covered in time if you buckled down to study."

Ri blinked. She felt a bit silly for jumping straight to the worst case scenario without looking through the guidelines properly.

"Oh," she said. "I just saw the fourth year stuff and panicked."

"They put that right at the beginning to scare people off," Professor Hart chuckled, straightening up with a sigh. "I think the younger years should team up with others who're also planning to apply, that way you'd both be able to pass easily."

Ri flushed and clutched the specification paper tighter, uncomfortable with the compliment but also a little pleased. "Thank you for your time, Professor."

"Anytime. I'll see you in class, don't forget next week's deadline."

"I won't."

Ri walked out of Professor Hart's office feeling a little more grounded and determined. She had a little over thirty days and that was enough time to learn most of what she needed to know. If she organized her time well, then it wouldn't be so overwhelming.

She was lying to herself again, obviously. She knew that the odds were tough but Ri was going to give it her best try anyway. From here on out, free time was going to be almost non existent and she wanted to enjoy a few moments of calm before she threw herself at her books. With that, she made her way to the gardens.

Pulling on her shoes and a warm coat, Ri walked out into the almost empty campus. The soft orange lamps illuminated the pathways. The sun was starting to set and Ri felt immensely cozy. She hugged herself and watched the trees rustle.

Everything suddenly felt like a lot. The leaves brushing together, the whistle of the wind and the quiet murmur of people talking and moving and living. It all echoed in Ri's ears in a cacophony of sound. She hunched her shoulders up and grabbed her ear defenders from her bag.

The noise dulled as she slid them on and Ri let out a long sigh. Then she started walking.

Harrows' gardener, Mister Aster, had a flair for the dramatic. He'd recreated a part of the campus back to the way it'd been back over a century ago, with towering rose bushes and marble fountains. The students referred to it as the secret garden and it was a famous spot for romantic...trysts. Ri thought it was a good, quiet place to go and relax.

Which was her plan right now.

The rose bushes came into view as Ri walked. They weren't in full bloom anymore since they were barely out of winter. She looked around and, when she didn't see anyone around her, strayed off the gravel to walk through the grass. She blew the 'Do Not Step On The Grass' sign a kiss as she passed, feeling only slightly guilty. 

Then Ri saw a guy and she stopped abruptly. She frowned. Someone had gotten here before her. He was sitting on one of the benches and looked like he'd zoned out, his hands clenched into fists so tight that his knuckles were white.

It was Minhyuk. And he was crying.