The night returns and progresses as the moon travels higher into the sky. Like twinkling specks of dust, the stars shine above the celestial bodies, along with the comets that streak across the neon galaxy. The temperature plummets, causing one's breath to freeze, and the wind howls as leaves take flight from the trees.
As the night continues, students inside the university gather inside the expansive cafeteria to dine. Every space bustles with boys and girls, leaving almost no vacant seats around. Conversations mingle with the clinking cutlery as the air hums with the ambient of the flickering candlelights.
Jean, Kevin, and Gabriel carry their trays containing their dinner as they cross the forest of students. As they reach a vacant spot, they place down their trays and settle into their seats. As Jean sinks into the cushion of the chair, he observes his steaming food.
As Jean stares at the bowl of pasta with green pesto sauce, its aromatic steam reaches his nose, heightening his senses. However, he refuses to dig in immediately. He glances around his tray, his hand unmoving, as the plate of fried fish fillet with potato chips and the bowl of green salad topped with scarlet tomato and shredded cheese await him. Although his meal may appear tempting, the profound thought in his mind blocks his ability to feast gleefully.
Sighing, Jean grabs a banana from his tray and peels it. With a huge bite, he gorges down the fruit and chews modestly. He then grabs a glass of water and takes a quick, light sip.
"Are you alright...?" Gabriel asked Jean, his concern palpable in his voice.
Jean paused from chewing, glancing at Gabriel. "...Well," he began, swallowing the banana. "Well... I... I just... I just, you know?"
"Yes?" Kevin prompted, eager to hear Jean's words.
Jean sighed. "I feel so sorry for bothering Professor Lenszcen. I just realized how selfish I was. I should've not talked to him about visions. It just made him mad. And now, I'm left with nothing..." he said.
"It's okay, Jean. You'll get the answer you're looking for soon," Kevin reassured him.
"To get the answer, I must use Professor Lenszcen's invention, though. But he said his invention was unavailable at that moment," said Jean.
"At 'that' moment. Maybe try asking him about his invention tomorrow. Perhaps, it will be usable by that time," Kevin pondered, chewing his food.
"Good idea," Jean nodded.
"And also..." Kevin continued, cupping his lips with his left hand. "Apologise to him, alright? So, things can work up well," he whispered.
"Yeah, I should," Jean said as his spine fell to the back of his seat.
"Why wait? How about later?" Gabriel inquired.
"No. I should give Professor Lenszcen some time to rest. He certainly got too overwhelmed because of me a while ago..." Jean countered.
"Oh, yeah, right..." Gabriel clenched his teeth as he scratched the back of his head.
"Hey, keep your smile, Gabriel. We'll need it," Jean playfully said, trying to inject some bliss into the conversation.
"Hm," Gabriel beamed with a nod.
The trio continued with their meals, delighting in the enticing taste of their food.
Soon, the sun reappears on the horizon, climbing higher and higher into the sky. The dark indigo hue of the atmosphere diminishes, replaced by a bright azure blue. Like a gentle lullaby, the breeze sings as it traverses the vast expanse of the school grounds. As the day continues, the daylight spreads, allowing the light to infiltrate throughout the land.
Inside the university's massive halls, Jean strides about. He squeezes through the current of students blocking his path as he sternly keeps his gaze forward. As he pushes through, he spots Professor Lenszcen marching right ahead. Hurriedly, Jean trails behind his back and walks beside him.
"Professor Lenszcen...?" Jean called out with a timid voice.
Professor Lenszcen acknowledged Jean with a steely glare. "Ugh..." he scoffed. "What do you want?"
"I want to apologise, sir..." Jean sighed, his heavy heart dragging him down to the floor as they walked forward.
"Huh? Apologise for what?" Professor Lenszcen glanced at Jean with a curious glint in his eye.
"About yesterday..." Jean ventured, their pace slowing.
"You do know what you've done is selfish. I want to remind you how selfish you were. You shouldn't only think about yourself. You should think about what others feel, too, Mr Selfish," Professor Lenszcen admonished him aggressively.