Claire glanced at the table where Alex had been sitting earlier, noticing a neatly wrapped burger package and then looking at Alex, who had just walked out of the library door."Isn't the trash bin right next to the entrance and exit? Why ask for my help?"***That night, Alex couldn't sleep peacefully and half-cursed his own foolishness. Unfortunately, his realization came too late, very, very late.The next day, Alex arrived early to meet the library guard, Captain's wife named Dyah. He wanted to know if Claire had taken it or thrown it away.Dyah looked at Alex's arrival and before the professor could ask, "She threw it away."Alex was surprised. "What?""She took it and immediately threw it away as you instructed."Alex felt disappointed and started to move to leave the library. However, he paused for a moment and turned back to look at Dyah, "How did you know?""That you wanted to feed her?" Dyah looked at Alex understandingly. "She's been getting thinner lately. I've been worrie

Alex glanced at each student in his classroom for the umpteenth time. With a heavy heart, he had to admit Claire was not among them. Alex resumed his explanation about chemistry to the students in front of him, no longer with the same enthusiasm.He couldn't understand why his feelings were so easily swayed. Hadn't he met Claire almost every day in the library? Why did the days when Claire attended his class once a week always hold a special meaning for him?That evening, Alex entered the library and didn't find Claire. He looked at Dyah, who nodded and gestured towards a corner between the bookshelves. A little confused, Alex wheeled his chair as quietly as possible past row after row of books. In a narrow corner between the bookshelves, he heard stifled sobs.Alex's heart pounded hard, and as his wheelchair arrived in front of the aisle, he saw Claire sitting on the floor, leaning against the bookshelf. She covered her face with both hands, crying quietly.Among her fingers and the

Keaton, a skinny man with round glasses who looked like a bookworm, was seen sitting in Alex's office explaining what happened to Claire with a serious expression.That night when Alex called him, Keaton immediately came to the university, and Alex provided him with information notes about Claire, complete with her home address taken from the university files."I want to know what happened to this girl and why she has a blue bruise on her face."Keaton just nodded, without asking much, the man quickly disappeared from Alex's sight to start his work. The next morning, he was already on Alex's front porch."The girl's mother sold her to Markus, the owner of Mark's Burger where she works," reported Keaton, then continued with Markus's actions towards Claire.Keaton was a former police officer who now worked as a private detective and had worked for Alex several times before.The man had been asked by Alex to investigate people in his company who planned to steal their chemical product fo

If anything could surprise Claire, it was when she saw Alex in front of the entrance to Mark’s Burger. The professor looked around hesitantly, then pushed his wheelchair inside, heading towards an empty table.Claire could sense Alex's awkwardness and felt compelled to help. After all, she was an employee at Mark’s Burger."Mr. Alex," Claire replied cheerfully, addressing her professor as she walked towards the table and pulled out a few chairs to make room for Alex's wheelchair. Lately, she had been cheerful, as many of her life's problems were being resolved at once.Her meals were regular, her salary was decent enough to pay off old debts without incurring new ones, and she even had a bit of extra money that made her very happy. Life was starting to look beautiful.Alex appeared surprised, then gazed at her deeply, remaining silent for a while as if trying to remember something."I'm Claire, one of the nursing students," Claire answered, trying to help, perhaps Alex didn't recogniz

"No." Claire stared out through the glass window of the restaurant, looking at her university and the students coming and going. Her eyes hinted at sadness. Unbeknownst to her, one semester was about to come to an end. All her happiness would soon come to an end, and she would soon leave the university. A smile appeared on her lips. At least I've been a student before."Isn't there something you want to share with a friend?" Claire was surprised to hear it and looked into Alex's eyes, which were looking at her very gently."Thank you," Claire whispered softly. Unconsciously, her eyes became moist; her heart truly felt pain at the thought of leaving everything behind. She had just begun to feel like she was truly starting something for herself. However, she realized she couldn't be too greedy. She had received a scholarship for one semester that she should be grateful for. Soon, she would leave everything behind and start working, for her stepmother and stepfather. Entering a more bori