"I can't believe winter break went by that fast. It felt like we were just here yesterday." A sigh left your lips as you fiddled with the red mechanical pencil between your fingers.
"You've said that for the millionth time already." Mona raised her right hand as she tilted her head.
You narrowed your eyes at your best friend. "And I will say it for as long as I live. That's what you get for ditching me."
"It was to help you out." She shrugged her shoulders, her gaze moving away from yours momentarily.
"Doesn't matter. It's my form of payback."
"Petty karma."
"Says the one who is supposed to see what awaits someone's future."
"That's a sharp tongue you have. Did you learn that from a certain someone?"
You scoffed while trying to suppress the corners of your lips. "Yeah, I did. The someone is about your height and is intelligent during the early hours of the morning."
The corner of Mona's lips twitched in response to your answer. You could barely hear her tiny sigh, the stillness of the study hall almost drowning it out. The answer you gave wasn't the one she wanted to hear, but you weren't going to give the astrology girl what she wanted.
After all, it's the petty karma coming back to her.
"Fine, fine. You win."
"Next time you ditch me, you're the one buying groceries without mine or Layla's help."
"Please don't say that. It's already scary enough having to manage my funds."
"Then get better at managing. I can help you, but I'll charge you for my time invested."
"Aren't friends supposed to help each other?"
"Correct, that is what I am doing. Offering my help that would have been free if someone didn't–"
Mona threw her hands up to stop you from going any further. "Fine, fine! I'll buy the groceries for the next week. Just don't charge me."
"And you have to do the cooking."
Inaudible words spilled out of Mona's mouth as her gaze returned to the scattered pieces of paper on the table. You glanced over your phone on the table, the screen remaining dark. Knowing him, he's probably engrossed in his studies. He probably won't text until he's at his dorm or done with his last class, just like before.
Today was the first day back for the students of Teyvat University after the three week winter break. To top it all off, it was also the same day the school decided to post the exam results. Apparently, due to the incident the university became infamously known for, the school officials were wrapped up in the investigation case for a week. The university gave the professors the same week off, meaning the only time for the professors to do anything related to the university was last week.
Your ears picked up on a nearby conversation in the study hall. "I can't believe they decided to post the results today. Why today of all days? Couldn't they have waited until tomorrow? Now my whole day is ruined."
"Well, maybe you should have studied more. Did you see the scores some of the other students had? I mean, I passed, but damn. They must devote a lot of their time to studying."
If you're accepted into a school with high expectations, shouldn't you at least try to meet their standards? The thought roamed in your head as you suppressed the aggravated sigh. This conversation wasn't the first one you heard today. It was a reoccurring dialogue in almost all of your classes, people trying to label today as some sort of secret doomsday.
Maybe they should hire–
"Maybe they should look for a tutor if they're that desperate." Your heart nearly jumped out of your chest as someone else said your thought. Mona failed to keep her snickers suppressed at your surprised state.
"This is Teyvat's top university. Maybe they shouldn't be here if they can't keep up with their standards." The familiar voice felt like it was playing a trick with your ears, your head turning to its right to confirm the voice belonged to him.
While you were deep in thought, a certain grey-haired male occupied the empty seat beside you. His face had its familiar stoic expression, his eyes glistening with curiosity directed toward you. "The words were splattered across your forehead."
"How long have you been sitting there?"
"Approximately three minutes and forty-seven seconds."
"Talk about someone who pays attention to the time," Mona glanced up at Alhaitham, burrowing a hole into his forehead.
"There's a lot of things that I pay attention to. But I don't give my time to those who want to waste it." His attention stayed focused on you, Mona's comment going straight through him.
"You didn't pay attention to the punch Childe threw at you."
"Maybe you should've used your handy future sightseeing to tell me that. I don't have eyes in the back of my head." He fixed the hood on his green hoodie and pulled the strings to even lengths on both sides.
If only she knew that their fight was a staged one. The only reason they did that was just to throw Diluc into a frenzy. You shook your head, deciding it would be best to stay quiet.
The sound of Mona's chair sliding back made you look over in her direction, seeing the girl gather up her belongings before leaving the table. Your eyes moved back to Alhaitham, his stoic expression not giving you any hints.
But the real question was, how did he know you were here?
And then it dawned on you.
You told him you spent your free time in the study hall near your business management classes on campus. And for someone as smart as him, finding out which hall you were talking about would be a cakewalk.
"Didn't you say if I tried figuring out your major you would put a restraining order on me?"
"You mentioned the hall you spent your free time in. Is it not okay for me to come visit you?"
"No, but–"
"I can leave if you want."
You raised your right arm, your hand forming into a fist. "You make me frustrated."
"The feeling is mutual."
"Are you really not going to give me any hint about your major?"
"It's plural."
"What's plural?"
"I don't know, you tell me."
"That's why I'm asking you."
Alhaitham placed his hand over your fist that was inches away from the side of his face. "The word in the question you asked is plural. That's your first hint. If you still can't understand what I mean, then there is really no hope for you."
You blinked once, then twice before your mouth parted slightly. Your reaction caused the corners of Alhaitham's lips to raise slightly. "Majors?"
"Correct."
"Majors. As in, you are studying more than one?"
"That is correct."
"Are you okay?"
"If you were to have asked me this question a month ago or the day I accidentally texted you, I would have said no."
"I'm asking right now."
"Such a caring girlfriend you are."
A groan left your lips, ripping your fist from his grip. The grey-haired male suppressed a chuckle at your annoyed expression. "I'm kidding. Did you pass your exams?"
You nodded your head, straightening the papers in front of you. "I did. It seems everyone else in our group chat passed as well."
"I would hope so. Otherwise, attending this university would be a waste of their time and the school's."
"My exact thoughts. In my English class, that's all the back of the room kept complaining about. But they didn't show up half of the time."
Alhaitham hummed, leaning back in the chair. "I don't think the ones who complained in my first two classes appreciated my blunt answers. They also had this look of 'Who are you? Do I know you?' written all over their face."
"Then the teacher tried to volunteer me as a tutor for the students who weren't passing. Of course, I turned down that offer. Trying to teach anyone who isn't interested is like talking to a brick wall. It won't communicate back because it lacks brain cells."
You pressed your hand against your lips, holding back a snicker at his insult. He turned to face you once again, his eyebrow raised. "Did I say something funny?"
"You did."
"I was only speaking the truth."
"You didn't tell them they lacked brain cells, did you?"
"No, I told them they lacked a learning bone. Something that they never had to begin with."
That's just as bad. But seeing as Alhaitham is still on campus, the professor probably ignored his comment. "I take it you passed all your exams?"
"I did. Straight marks on all of them."
"We should go out to celebrate our accomplishments."
"If you wanted to hang out after classes, you could have just said so."
You rocked your head back and forth as you put away the papers in your backpack. "Yeah, but it's a good excuse to do so."
"Didn't you say on Friday that we don't need an excuse to hang out?"
"Just let me say silly things and pretend you don't hear any of it."
"Sometimes, the silly things you say are intriguing. It makes me wonder why those thoughts like to prance around in your head."
You turned back to look at him with a puzzled expression. "It keeps me sane from all the pressuring stress of this major."
He shrugged his shoulders in response. "Whatever you say."
Biting your tongue from saying a smart comment that could draw the attention of others, you lifted your backpack onto the table. "I have one more class left, but I have work tonight. So our celebration is going to have to be postponed."
"That's fine with me. I have to work tonight as well."
"Are you closing?"
"No, I leave an hour before closing. What about you?"
"Since it's a convenience store, I'll be there until the overnight person arrives at nine."
"Would you like me to wait for you?"
"I think I'll be fine."
The look in his eyes hardened at the stubborn comment you gave. "Right. So, it's the convenience store down the road from your apartment, correct?"
It would be pointless to bicker with him. You knew this all too well. Once Alhaitham made his mind up, he wouldn't back down. This was from watching him and Kaveh bicker, as well as experiencing it yourself during the trip. "Yes, it is."
He stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. His eyes glanced over to your backpack, but you put it on your back and stood up before he could take it himself. "Alright, then I'll see you at nine tonight then. I'll be right outside, so don't go walking off like you don't know me. Otherwise, my heart would really be in shambles."
"That would be such a shame if that were to happen."
"It would be such a shame. I wouldn't know how to operate if my girlfriend acted like she didn't know me."
"You're so hilarious for bringing up the robot subject." You started to walk away from the table, your boyfriend falling in sync beside you. "You should become a comedian."
"Those jobs don't tend to pay well. It depends on the audience you gain and how well your jokes appeal to them. I don't think my jokes would be the star of the show. I would be the one they would throw the tomatoes at because I would end up lecturing someone over something."
A sweat drop rolled down the side of your face, your hand grabbing his before he could continue with his small rant. "Alright, that's enough now. I don't need two lectures back to back."
"Reason number ten I wouldn't be a good tutor." His fingers intertwined with yours as he took the lead in the growing crowd on campus.
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"Louis, Ms. Hefner just wanted me to let you know that the truck is scheduled to arrive at five in the morning. Felix will be here to unload it." Your eyes focused on the older brown-haired male who threw away his cigar in the trash.
"Seems about right for Tuesdays. Has it been a busy night?"
"Just a bit. But nothing out of the ordinary, just the usual rush."
"Since the university is back in session, I'm guessing midnight hours will be busy."
You nodded, collecting your small bag under the counter. "Yeah, that's how some university students are. Some run out to get energy drinks or snacks to keep them going for their assignments."
"Alright (Y/N). I won't hold you back any longer. There seems to be a gentleman staring me down from the doors, so I'll go deal with him before you leave."
You snapped your head toward the sliding doors and spotted the grey-haired male turning his attention the other way. You pinched the bridge of your nose and suppressed a sigh. It's not even nine yet!
"He's not a problematic person. I know him, and I'll tell him that you're not some weird person."
Louis raised his eyebrow as a small smile played on his lips. "That must be your boyfriend, then."
A warm feeling spread across the top of your cheeks as a small spread across your lips. "He sure is."
"Hefner and I were thinking you wouldn't get a boyfriend until after university. Ah, it was that trip you went on, wasn't it?" He held a finger in the air as if he was pointing out his thought bubble.
"Bye Louis!" You dashed out from behind the counter, waving to the older gentleman as you jogged to the sliding glass doors. Low rumbles of laughter filled the empty convenience store as you walked outside.
Work is work, and your personal life is your personal life. Unless you wanted to make an effort to befriend people at work, all they needed to know were the basics. And that's exactly how you were going to keep it.
"He seems like a lively individual," Alhaitham commented as he pushed himself off the brick wall and walked toward you. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his black pants, and his green hoodie kept his upper body warm from the chilly air.
You shrugged your shoulders, taking your jacket out of your bag. "I guess. I don't know. I only know his work personality. I don't care to make friends with the older adults here. The only other person around my age is Felix but he only unloads the trucks in the mornings. I've never met him, but he goes to the smaller college in Sumeru."
"At least you don't have pointless complaints in your ears. Or effortless people who do the bare minimum."
"Just from the customers. I'm just ready to go back home and sleep." Your eyes glanced over the night sky hanging above you, the clouds covering the moon and the stars. The only light illuminating the area around the two of you was the streetlamps hanging high above the sidewalks. The other small shops around you remained dark as they closed their doors an hour ago.
"I have to finish an assignment before I go to bed. So it'll probably be another hour before I go down for the night."
"If you didn't wait for me, you could have finished it by now."
"I'll stop waiting for you when pigs can fly."
"See! That's why you should be a comedian. It would suit you perfectly."
Alhaitham took his hand out of his pocket and extended it to you. "No, that would be Cyno if anything."
You placed your hand in his, and the two of you started to walk back to your apartment. "Do you remember that guy who kept muttering under his breath when Cyno would make a joke at Childe's party?"
"You mean Scaramouche?"
"How am I supposed to remember his name when I just met him?"
"Says the one who was begging to know mine."
"You're different! Anyways, I thought that guy was going to end up throwing something at Cyno."
"That's just how that kid is. Don't worry about him. He's just full of attitude and runs on a short fuse."
"I could tell. He kicked Childe's knees out because Childe used him as an armrest."
"That's common between those two since the ginger never learns."
You lazily looked over at him, unable to hold back the smart comment any longer. "Just like how you and Childe pretended to fight to get Diluc in a frenzy?"
"It was payback."
"What if he kidnaps you?"
"He wouldn't. He owes me a favor now."
Not that again. "How did this favor thing even start up anyways?"
Alhaitham looked over at you with a serious expression. "Because I got him and Jean together."
The words in your throat clashed with the air in your throat, your response being a series of coughs. Alhaitham's serious expression changed quickly as he stopped in his tracks to make sure you were alright. You raised your free hand to show you were good and just needed a minute to catch your breath. He waited until you calmed down before continuing the rest of your walk back home.
"There's no way you, someone who had no interest in romance, got them together."
"It was obvious the two had feelings for each other. It was just a matter of getting them alone for the two to realize it."
"Uh-huh. Sure."
"We can call Diluc right now to ask him if you don't believe me."
You shook your hand that was intertwined with his. "No, no. That won't be necessary."
"I'm sure the mother wouldn't mind if I called him right now."
"The what?"
"Alright, we're here (Y/N). You made it home safely, so that means I'll be on my way home now. I'll call you when I settle down."
"Hey! What do you mean, mother? Are you referring to Diluc?"
"I think you're hearing things. Maybe the stress is that bad. Getting a good night's rest with a calm mindset is a good way to combat stress. I would say striking it head-on would solve it, but you say it comes from your classes. So that stress won't go away until you graduate."
You pressed your lips into a straight line at how quickly the grey-haired male changed the subject once again. I'm not going to get an answer out of him for this for a while, am I? "You better call me when you get home."
"I will, don't worry. I'll see you tomorrow (Y/N)." A warm smile spread across his face, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
"Bye Alhaitham. Get home safe."
"I have to. I can't have your heart in shambles if I'm not safe." His lips brushed the top of your forehead. He gave you no time to answer or say anything as he turned around quickly to go back to his apartment. A goofy smile spread across your face as your mind went blank.
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am super excited for what's coming next for this book 😺