The morning's classes had completely drained me. As soon as I got back to the dorm, I collapsed onto my bed and fell into a deep sleep.

"Wake up, stop sleeping, you're going to be late for class! Hurry up!" Mia called out, frantically packing her bag.

I jolted awake, the sleepiness instantly vanishing. In a blur, I grabbed my books, yanked her by the arm, and dashed toward the classroom.

Ding ding ding...

"That was close! We almost missed it!" I panted, my breath still ragged, looking like I'd just survived a near-death experience.

Sweat had dampened my bangs, which now clung to my forehead.

Before I could catch my breath, the professor entered the room, followed by someone else.

When I lifted my gaze and saw who it was, I froze. Not just me, but Mia too.

She shook my arm repeatedly, "Wait, wait, wait... Am I seeing things? Isn’t that the guy from the cafeteria who asked for your Facebook? What’s he doing here?"

What shocked me even more was what the professor said next.

"I’d like to introduce Ethan Chaw, an outstanding student from the UK. He’s here for an internship and will be assisting with this class. If anyone is interested in studying abroad, he’s the person to talk to." The professor proudly patted Ethan's shoulder, beaming with pride.

"Hello, everyone. I’m Ethan. If you're interested in studying abroad, feel free to come talk to me." Ethan smiled, his every gesture radiating humility.

The class erupted into whispers...

"Wow! He’s so handsome!"

"In three seconds, I want all his information."

...

Meanwhile, I sat there frozen, my gaze locked on the man I had once dreamed of. If my eyes were lasers, he would have been obliterated by now.

Mia leaned over and whispered, "Luna, do you think that assistant has been staring at you since he walked in?"

"Really?" I glanced at those dark, captivating eyes, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Yet, he seemed to deliberately ignore my death stare, smiling even brighter, secretly tapping away on his phone, his actions speaking louder than words.

My hand trembled around my phone, and my breath quickened. I was afraid that I might just lose control and march over to him to get some answers.

Standing straight and tall, Ethan walked towards the back of the classroom. As he passed by me, he casually stole a glance.

I pretended to be focused on the lesson, but with each step he took closer, my heart raced uncontrollably.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself by digging my nails into my palm, hoping the sharp pain would steady me.

I struggled to keep my mind on the lecture, but facing him head-on had already drained all my energy.

Noticing that something was off, Mia quietly held my hand. A warm sensation flowed from her palm to my fingertips.

When she grabbed my hand, I froze for a moment, and then, I felt my entire body relax. Her touch was like a lifeline, calming my frantic thoughts.

To avoid facing him again, as soon as the bell rang for class to end, without hesitation, I grabbed Mia and rushed toward the door. But just as my foot was about to step outside, I was caught.

"Hey, Luna, wait up. I need to talk to you," Ethan called out, his voice calm and steady.

I ignored him, pretending I didn’t hear, and continued running toward the stairs.

At that moment, we reached the stairwell, one foot already on the first step, when my bag was suddenly yanked from my shoulder. I spun around to see what was going on, and there, right in front of me, was his handsome face.

"Luna, I just called you. Why didn’t you answer?" Ethan looked at me with an innocent expression.

I froze in place, forcing a nervous smile. "Sorry, I didn’t hear you. Is there something you need, Assistant?" I deliberately emphasized the word “Assistant.”

Ethan caught the hint in my tone and released the grip on my bag. "Did you forget about the promise you made to me earlier?" He tilted his head, glancing at my phone.

"Oh, how unlucky! My phone died and turned off," I said with exaggerated nonchalance.

"Really?" He eyed me suspiciously, his voice laced with doubt and distrust.

I ignored his gaze. Just as I was trying to figure out an excuse to escape, Jay walked over.

I quickly grabbed his arm and subtly gave him a look. "Hey, class rep, Mia and I were just about to ask you about the British literature assignment. Since you're here, let's walk together."

I pulled them both toward the door of the classroom.

Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me. "British literature assignment? You can ask me, I'm Professor David's teaching assistant. I know all the details, just ask me."

"Ha... ha, no need to trouble you, Assistant. Jay can answer our questions," I said, cutting him off before he could say anything else. I ushered them both toward the cafeteria.

I leaned against the wall, out of breath, gasping for air. "Jay... thanks so much... I’ll... treat you to a meal."

Both of them were panting, faces flushed. After catching their breath, Jay waved his hand. "No problem, it’s nothing."

After we said our goodbyes, we headed to the cafeteria.

At that moment, I had no idea what kind of drama was about to unfold in my life...

At the table, Mia kept staring at me with a knowing look, making me feel uneasy.

"Okay, stop staring at me. Just ask whatever you want," I said, burying my face in my food, deliberately avoiding her burning gaze.

"So... what’s the deal with that guy? What's his name... Ethan... What’s your relationship with him?"

Seeing the smug look on her face, I sighed and decided to tell her the whole truth.

"He’s a high school classmate of mine. He disappeared without a word one day, and we lost contact. As for him being a teaching assistant, I just found out today." I tried to sound indifferent, afraid she'd see through my facade.

I had resented him for his sudden disappearance back then, but now that he's back, should I still hold a grudge?

As I calmed down, I suddenly realized I no longer had a reason to hate him. It was as if everything was resolved the moment he appeared in front of me.

I was startled by my own thoughts, sitting there dazed. When I finally lifted my head, I saw Ethan standing there. Our eyes met, and I knew right away that things were about to go south. I quickly grabbed my plate, ready to make another escape.

I knew running away was pathetic, but it worked!

But it was too late. He’d already seen me and was walking straight toward me.

I could only mentally repeat to myself: He didn’t see me, he didn’t see me, he didn’t see me...

"Can I sit here?" His voice broke through my thoughts, and I knew then I couldn’t escape.

Before I could even answer, Ethan took a seat next to me.

So, why bother asking if he was just going to do it anyway?

"This student," he started, his tone polite but with an undercurrent of something less friendly, "I need to talk to Luna privately. Would it be alright if I...?" His words were formal, yet there was a clear implication he wanted to get rid of anyone else nearby.