Chapter 4: Moons In The Ceiling

ACADIA'S POV

I felt embarrassed after he saw me crying so I averted my eyes from him. The nervousness I feel for him is still not removed from my chest because of the strange aura he has.

"Thank you but I can't accept that, Professor." I whispered and hurried out of the bathroom and did not accept the handkerchief he handed me.

I rubbed both my cheeks with my palm and went back to Staff Quarters.

"Lods? Are you okay?" Kerky asks when I get back.

"Yes, I'm okay." I answered and picked up my cleaning supplies to start work.

"H-Hey," Kerky but I just walk straight.

Maybe it would be nice if I just poured all my attention into working now, just in case I forget the sadness somehow because of tiredness.

I'm going to the new professor's office now. Based on my new schedule, I will clean his office every day. Seriously? What kind of cleaning does he want? Because I, as a janitress, I know what is clean and what is not, and his office is very clean. Where is the dirt here? Even dust I don’t see or even stick to my palm whenever I touch things here.

As I stared at the entire of his office, I was just amazed, I looked at its ceiling, and I saw there the moons of different colors and shape.

I suddenly remembered what I saw yesterday before I closed the door of his office. I saw him looking up from here at the ceiling.

I smiled sparingly. Somehow, I can say I feel relieved after seeing these moons.

I was in the middle of looking at the moons in the ceiling when I heard a series of loud knocks.

I quickly ran to the door to open it. Did I lock the door?! Oh shih tzu! Why did I lock the door?!

When I opened the door, the frowning and irritated face of the new professor appeared. "That was my tenth knock. Whose office is this?" He asked and went inside.

I was swallowed. When I turned around, he was now sitting in the swivel chair. "I-I'm sorry, p-professor." Me and bow. He never spoke again. "A-Ah, where in your office will I clean, Prof?" I asked in a whisper.

His office is really clean. Which of these will I clean, though? Or will I make a mess so that I can clean something up somehow? 

"Sit down." I quickly raised my head.

"W-What is it, Prof?"

"Shall I repeat it?" He asked and looked into my eyes so I was distracted. I really can’t stand the way he looks at me. I was terrified for no apparent reason.

"A-All right. I'm sorry, Prof." Me and go to his long sofa on the left side of his table. I no longer refused and it was embarrassing. I already refused his offer of a handkerchief to me earlier, is this again?

‘Don’t be too important, Acadia.’

"Do you see yourself in the mirror?" The professor suddenly asked after the sandwich had run out of his mouth.

"N-No. We don't have a mirror in the house." I answered and he seemed to choke. Is there something wrong with my answer? It is true. We don’t really have mirror in the house.

"Even though I only saw you yesterday, I can see that your body is thin. The whiteness of your skin is not normal, as is the hoarseness and pallor of your lips. Don't always stay awake." Professor so I looked away because of what he said.

"I can't help it, Prof." I just answered.

"Come near me." Professor.

"W-What are you saying, Prof?"

"Are you really deaf or do you just want me to repeat it even though you heard it?" he asked and I swallowed again.

I didn't answer and just approached him.

"Let's share my food." Professor and handed me the other half of the sandwich.

I take a step back. "Thank you, Prof. But I-I can't accept that." My answer.

"How can you not accept this offer of mine? Don't you have two hands to reach for half of my sandwich? As far as I can see, there is, and it is complete. So how can you not accept it?" the professor asked one question after another and I swallowed again.

I have done nothing yet and have accepted that. "T-Thank you." Me and go back to the sofa I was sitting on earlier.

"You refused the handkerchief I offered you earlier when you were crying and then you will reject me again now?" the professor and I just pretended to hear nothing.

--

"How old is our new professor?" I asked Kerky. We walk to the library.

"40 years old, Lods. Why?" Kerky replied and I nodded.

"Nothing. I'm scared of him."

"Eh?! But why?"

"I don't know. Just when he's in front of me, I'm nervous. He's too serious." My answer.

"Maybe until now professor is still single." Kerky so I turned to him.

"W-What?! You think so?" I suddenly asked nervously.

"Yes. That's how often it is when you are still single until old age. Rude and overly serious." He answered immediately and I seemed to be terrified.

No Acadia. What you think is unlikely to happen. Prof will think of making you his girlfriend? Aish! No! That's impossible! What kind of thing am I thinking?! He was just nice to you once because you were his student but he was still scary so brain, shut the hell up! 

"Oh why did you ask?" Kerky and laugh. "Looks like I know what you're thinking, ah?" He asked again so I slapped him on the arm.

"Crazy! Shut up!" Me and he laughed even more.

"If you ask me, Lods—"

"I have no intention of asking you." I cut to what he had to say.

"That's why I said, 'if you ask me.' IF—"

"That's why I'm saying that I have no intention of asking you so don't continue your question." I cut back on what he was saying and he raised an eyebrow at me.

"Why? Are you the law, Lods? Maybe it's my mouth? So I'll decide when to stop and not you." He so I just nodded.

"Yeah, Kerky. Yeah." I just said.

"Unless ..."

"Unless?" I asked while the look was still on the road.