My Professor’s Obsession のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

The room was too quiet. I stood in the middle of the soft rug, looking at the bookshelf that looked exactly like the one my dad built for me when I was six. It even had the same little nick in the wood on the bottom shelf."Do you like it?" Caspian asked. He was leaning against the doorframe, watching me like I was a science experiment."How is this here?" I asked. I touched the wood. It felt real. "This isn't just a room, Caspian. This is my house. The house that got taken away.""I told you, I have an eye for detail," he said. He walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. The bed had the same blue quilt I used to sleep under. "When I bought your family’s debt, I bought the records of the estate. The floor plans, the interior photos from the bank appraisal. It wasn't hard to recreate.""But why would you do that? It’s... it’s a lot of work for a guest room.""You aren't a guest anymore, Sera," he said. "You're a Fellow. And a Fellow needs to feel at home so she can work. If

The morning sun was too bright. I sat at the glass table in the kitchen, staring at my phone. I hadn’t slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Caspian standing in my old house three years ago, picking up my things.Caspian was at the counter, making coffee. He looked perfectly fine, which made me want to scream."You’re staring, Sera," he said. "If you have something to say, say it.""I don't have words for you today," I said.Before he could answer, a loud thump hit the front door. We both jumped. I ran to the window and saw a yellow envelope lying on the gravel. No mail truck. Just a black car speeding away."Stay back," Caspian said. He walked to the door and picked it up. He opened it right there. Inside was a single piece of paper and a small USB drive."What is it?" I asked. I walked over and looked at the paper. It was a printed photo of a building I didn't recognize. It was old, burnt, and falling down.Caspian’s face went white. Not just pale—he looked like a ghost. "It’s n

The next morning, the sun was hitting the glass walls, but I felt like I was made of ice. I didn't get dressed in the fancy clothes he bought. I put on my old, oversized college hoodie and leggings. I walked down to the studio at exactly seven o'clock.Caspian was already there. He had his charcoal ready. He looked at me, waiting for me to say something about the fire or the papers I found.I just walked to the platform and stood there."Good morning, Sera," Caspian said. He picked up his pencil. "Are we ready to begin?"I didn't say a word. I just looked at the wall behind his head."Sera? I asked you a question."I stayed still. I didn't even blink."Fine," he said, his voice tightening. "If you want to be difficult, we can do that. Turn your head to the left. Chin up."I moved my head. I didn't argue. I didn't sigh. I just did exactly what he said, like a robot.He started to draw. Usually, the sound of the charcoal was like a conversation. Today, it sounded like a saw. Five minute

The house felt like it was holding its breath after Huxley left. I stayed in my room, but I could hear things breaking downstairs. It sounded like wood snapping and glass sliding across the floor. I didn't want to go down, but I had to know if the architect had finally fallen apart.I walked into the studio. It was a mess. Sketches were ripped in half, and the stool he sat on was upside down. Caspian was sitting on the floor in the middle of the wreckage, staring at a pencil in his hand. He had snapped it right in the middle."You broke it," I said. My voice sounded loud because I hadn't used it in so long.Caspian didn't look up. "It was a bad pencil. It didn't do what I wanted it to do. Just like everything else in this house.""You can't just break things when you're angry," I said, walking closer. "That's what children do.""Huxley touched you," Caspian whispered. He finally looked at me, and his eyes were red and watery. "He touched you, and I had to stand there and smile because

The house didn't feel like a home anymore. It felt like a giant safe. After the picture appeared on the counter, Caspian went into a panic. He didn't yell. He just got very quiet and started pushing buttons. All the glass walls now had heavy metal covers over them. We couldn't see the trees or the sun."You can't do this, Caspian," I said, my voice echoing in the hollow space. "It’s been twelve hours. I feel like I'm underwater. I can’t tell if it’s day or night.""It’s for your safety, Sera," Caspian said, not looking up. His face was pale, his eyes bloodshot from staring at the code. "The person who took that photo is still out there. Or worse, they are in here, hidden in the server. Until I find the breach, the shutters stay down.""I'm hungry," I said, walking toward him. "The fridge is empty because the delivery people couldn't get through the gate. You're starving us because of a Polaroid.""I have emergency rations in the pantry," he said, finally turning to look at me. "Dry fo