Lecture Hall 37
I was getting groceries, when I suddenly had the masculine urge to write slash fiction.
So here you go. I wrote this in one sitting. You're welcome.
No notes at the end this time. I'll leave it to you to dissect. Enjoy!
Week 1
A new day, a new week, a new semester.
I can't believe I'm graduating soon. Time really flies, huh?
Is it bad that I still don't know what I wanna do once it's all over?
Meh, whatever. I'll be fine.
I'll figure it out. I always do.
I open the door and make my way inside.
Week 2
As usual, there's no one here.
Perfect. Somehow I'm already falling behind. I have some catching up to do.
I can't believe I only found this spot last semester.
Lecture Hall 37.
It's funny. This place is packed with lectures the rest of the week.
But not a single class on Tuesday.
Well, there used to be this one course.
I think it had something to do with automata theory?
Hmm, I'm kinda bummed I never got to take it. I'm sure I would've really liked it.
Oh well.
Week 3
I hear the door creak.
Shoot. Security's gonna kick me out.
I turn my head around and– oh, no, never mind. It's just another student.
Great. That's definitely what I needed today.
I sure hope he brought his whole group of friends here too.
…
On second thought, he actually looks kind of sad?
Hmm, no. More like, expressionless.
What's up with him? Should I ask?
No. It's none of your business. Just focus on your work.
…
Okay, but he is annoyingly handsome though–
Dude. No. Stop. Get it together, man. Focus.
Week 4
He's back again.
I know this lecture hall is big, but I'm pretty sure he's sitting as far as possible from me.
Wow, he must really hate me then. Hah.
He still has that look on his face.
Furiously typing away on his keyboard.
I wonder what he's writing.
Week 5
"Hey."
"Wh– ah!"
I nearly jump out of my seat.
He's standing in front of me.
"I wanna borrow your laptop charger."
"…Huh?"
My brain nearly short-circuits.
"I said, I wanna borrow your laptop charger."
He stares blankly at me.
This guy…
First he almost gives me a heart attack, and now he wants my–
"I don't have one, sorry."
"Liar."
"…I'm sorry?"
"You always bring one with you."
I feel a headache starting to form.
"How do you even know that?"
His expression shifts slightly.
"Uh."
"Uh what?"
"Lucky guess."
That's it. I can't deal with this anymore.
"I'm sorry, I have class soon. I have to go."
"Wait–"
I pack up my stuff and leave as quickly as I can.
What the hell is his problem?
Week 6
Man, should I even head inside today?
That guy's probably waiting for me. Like a freak.
I really don't wanna be killed by–
Oh, no. Never mind. He's standing next to me. All's good.
…
Wait, he's standing next to me?!
"Hey, I'm–"
"Haha whoops gotta get to class okay bye!"
I make a run for it before he can grab me.
I need to find a new spot.
Week 7
Everywhere else is crowded. Everyone's panicking over midterms.
This sucks.
I have a whole chunk of time before my evening class on Tuesday.
I don't wanna head home either. Takes too long to go and then come back.
Whose idea was it to have classes in the evening?
Ugh. Fine. I guess I have no choice.
I step inside.
He's there.
He's holding something. I can't tell what it is.
If that's a knife, I swear–
"Hey."
My voice goes one octave higher.
"Uh, hey, haha! Nice seeing you here, huh?"
"I wanted to apologize for the last two weeks."
Before I process what's going on, he places something in my hands.
A bouquet.
"Oh, uh, thanks. I–"
Rosemary flowers.
"…Hold on, how did you know I liked rosemary?"
He smiles slightly. It's the first time I've seen genuine emotion from him.
"Like I said, lucky guess."
In that moment, his eyes look a bit too dreamy.
Thankfully, I immediately snap out of it.
"Look, what is with you and your lucky guesses?"
His eyes widen.
"Uh, I–"
"Are you stalking me?"
"N-no! I just–"
My voice rises higher than it should.
"What is your problem? Knock it off, I'm not interested!"
His face deflates.
"Sorry."
"Let a guy study for his midterms, will you?"
"Okay."
He's back to looking stoic.
I feel slightly guilty.
Meh, no. He deserves it.
Now where was I…
Week 8
God, I'm such a mess.
I really need some sleep.
Like, I've been having the same, dream, nightmare, whatever, all week.
There'd always be a vague shadow running away from me.
But the moment I catch up to it, it just dissolves into nothing.
Whatever. I have one more test this week, and that's it.
He didn't disturb me today either. I guess he's also busy studying.
Good.
Week 9
"…Hey."
A light touch on my shoulder.
"Mmm… huh?"
It's him.
"Ah! You really gotta stop doing that."
"Sorry. You were asleep."
"I was, before you woke me up."
"You have class in 15 minutes."
I glance at my watch.
Shoot, he's right.
"Agh! Okay I'll see you later–"
"Hey, hey, calm down. I bought coffee for you."
"You did?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks, but you really didn't have to–"
Hazelnut coffee.
My favorite.
How does he keep doing this?
"You know, I wanna lash out at you, but I really don't have the energy to."
"No, I get it. Evening classes suck."
"Right?"
Before I know it, I've found myself in a conversation with him.
Honestly, I'm too tired to care at this point.
I don't like admitting it, but he's nice. A brickhead sometimes, but he's nice.
Week 10
I see him walking slowly towards me.
He's really trying not to scare me this time, huh?
It's kind of endearing. Frustratingly so.
Blegh. Stop thinking about him like that.
"Hey."
I take off my headphones.
"Hey man, what's up?"
"Can I sit next to you?"
"…Oh? Why?"
"No particular reason."
He's real bold, I'll give him that.
"Sure."
Week 11
He sits next to me now.
We actually have real conversations, you wouldn't believe.
He's a philosophy major. As far away from a computer science major as you can get.
And yet, we have a lot more in common than I expected.
He's also in his last year. Doesn't know what to do with his life.
We briefly considered being lecturers.
But honestly, I don't think that'll work out for either of us.
It'd be kind of funny though. Imagine if we both taught at the same university.
Agh. No. Stop daydreaming. He's not even that cute.
Okay, no. He is.
But still, he's kind of a creep who keeps stalking me. No way in hell I'm fixing him.
I gotta stop being single, man.
Week 12
Okay, I'm genuinely starting to warm up to him now.
This is not good.
Get it together. You don't even know his name.
Wait. I don't know his name.
"Sorry, I just realized something. I don't think I've ever asked for your name."
He freezes.
Huh.
"O-oh, uh, yeah, about that…"
"Hmm?"
"…It's a secret."
"What."
"It's a secret."
I feel like I just got hit with a bucket of ice water.
"What do you mean, it's a secret?"
"I mean exactly what I said. It's a secret."
I try to collect myself.
Don't freak out.
You've made so much progress.
…
That look.
He's hiding himself again. Damn it.
"I'm going now," he says, before I even get a chance to say anything.
"W-wait, I–"
"I have class."
"No you don't! You told me your next one isn't until–"
"I said I'm going."
"…Fine."
He quietly walks up the stairs and leaves.
Back to where I started.
All alone in this hall.
I really do ruin everything, huh?
Week 13
The dreams. They're back. Why are they back.
The shadow doesn't run away anymore.
It just stands there.
It kind of looks like a person? No idea.
Maybe I'm just stressed about exams. That's probably it.
He still sits next to me. He doesn't say a word.
I hate this.
Week 14
I decide to break the silence.
"Look, I'm really sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
Nothing. Not even a glance.
"All the stalker accusations, me lashing out, pushing boundaries. That wasn't okay."
Still nothing.
"I don't know how to put this nicely, but…"
I cringe at what I'm about to say.
"…I dunno, I'm trying to figure you out, you know?"
"I know," he says so quietly that I almost didn't catch him.
"Huh?"
"I know," he repeats, louder.
His eyes are closed.
It looks like he's thinking about something.
"Mind explaining yourself? Sorry, I'm just really confused–"
"I trust that you can figure it out."
He packs his stuff and starts walking up the stairs again.
"Wait, wait, I wanna know–"
"You'll figure it out. You always do."
And then he turns around and leaves.
Week 15
I've been waiting all afternoon.
He's not coming today.
God, my head hurts. It doesn't help that finals are next week.
Well, I guess I might as well make the most of it.
I take a stroll around the hall.
It's honestly kinda creepy, now that I think about it. With the dim lights and everything.
…
There's a crumpled-up piece of paper over there. I should pick it up.
Out of curiosity, I open it.
It's a photograph.
Of me.
And him.
Together.
And then it all makes sense.
Week 16
I'm standing right by the door.
He's definitely coming today.
I'm gonna ambush that brat.
…
I see the door open.
It's him.
"You."
"Who? Me?"
I immediately jump up to hug him.
Well, it's more of a tackle, really.
"Eek!" he squeals.
"You, are such a jerk!"
Now we're both giggling.
"Took you long enough, dude."
I have so many questions right now.
"How long? How long have you been waiting?"
"Too long, I'd say."
"Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
"Well, I wanted to be sure. Didn't want to harass a poor stranger."
"Mmph, you little–"
He shuts me up with a kiss.
God, I missed him so much.
…
Alas, we both still have exams.
"Okay, this was emotional and all, but I have a final in 30 minutes."
"See you at the usual spot, then?" he asks.
"What? This one?"
"No, idiot. The other one."
"Huh? Oh. Right. Yeah. That one. Sorry, it's been a long time."
"I know, I know. We have a lot to catch up on."
"I can't wait."
Many years ago
"…And with that, we conclude our course on automata theory. That's all, folks."
The students rush out of the lecture hall.
They must be tired.
I'm tired too.
No matter, though. I have a special someone I'm meeting tonight.
But right now, some eager students are coming up to ask questions.
Sigh.
He can wait a bit longer for me.
…
There he is. Under that tree.
"About time you got here! What took you so long?"
"Oh, well, you know how students are with all their questions."
"I'll let you know that my students never ask me anything."
"That's because you've already lost them from the start, you see."
"Bleh." He sticks his tongue out. Still childish as always.
I shift closer to him.
We found this tree when we were still in college.
I've lost count of how many dates we've spent here.
Amidst the chaos of the world, it was always there.
For us.
Which reminds me…
"Our 40th anniversary is coming up, you know."
"I am very much aware of the passage of time, yes."
He always knows how to push my buttons.
I wouldn't have asked for anything else.
I pour two glasses of wine for us.
…
"You know, since you're such a philosophy nut, I want to ask you something."
"Yes, love?"
"Do you think people can be reborn?"
He gives it genuine thought.
"Well, I don't personally believe in it. Seems ridiculous that you'd remember a past life."
"Hmm," I hum softly.
"But if I were proven wrong, and, well, I do always love being proven wrong…"
"Of course." I roll my eyes.
"…I hope we can find each other again."
My heart skips a beat.
"Awfully romantic tonight, huh?"
"I'm always romantic, thank you very much. Come on, the food's getting cold."