11. Can We Go Back to Being Rivals?

"Can anyone explain the second-order reaction rate formula and how the concentration-versus-time graph is formed?"Professor Hardi threw out the question after finishing his lecture. Dozens of freshmen exchanged glances, looked down, or suddenly became buried in their notes.Elena Castillo’s hand shot high into the air.From the edge of his glasses, Professor Hardi stared at Elena’s sole raised hand in the front row. However, he didn't call her name right away.His gaze shifted, drifting all the way up to the top corner of the lecture hall bleachers, as if waiting for his other star student to challenge her answer.Elena turned around too, following the professor’s gaze. Her heart dropped instantly.At the very top corner of the room, Julian Vega was leaning back casually. Instead of paying attention to the lecture, Julian was busy with Valeria Montes sitting in his lap. Valeria’s arms were wrapped around Julian’s neck, and the two were caught up in a passionate kiss, completely unbot

Last Updated : 2026-08-05

12. Her Not-So-Secret Admirer

Two soft knocks at the door of Room 304 snapped Elena out of her daydream. When she pulled it open, the hallway was deserted. There was only a small cardboard box wrapped with a gray ribbon sitting right on her doormat. Elena picked it up, her face scrunched in curiosity.Stuck to the top of the box was a bright yellow post-it note featuring a sketched background of the Borobudur Temple. The handwriting was neat, cursive, and effortlessly artistic:'Songs of the night. Sent specially for you from Solverde.'Elena’s eyebrows knitted together even further as she read the message.She carried the box inside, her curiosity spiking uncontrollably. Inside lay a mini sound machine. The moment she pressed the play button, the recorded chirping of crickets and the soft rustle of a night breeze immediately filled the room.“Woah!” Elena gasped out loud, caught somewhere between utter shock, an overwhelming surge of familiarity, and pure joy at feeling like she was back home—her safest place in t

Last Updated : 2026-08-10

13. To Make His Gaze Shifted

Julian was still rooted at his spot after Arthur and Elena had walked away. The field facility permit form he’d requested a signature for was now crumpled in his fist without him even realizing it, his mind racing as he replayed Arthur’s attitude.So, all this time, the mystery guy sending Elena gifts was Arthur.Arthur.His own brother.“Jules?” Valeria nudged his arm, jolting him out of his head. “What are you glaring at them for?”“Nothing.”“Really? Because you look like you’re ready to murder Arthur.”Julian shot her an irritated look. “I’m just tired.”Valeria narrowed her eyes, completely unconvincing. “Tired enough to forget I’m standing right here?”Julian let out a short sigh. “Val, don’t start,” he snapped, turning on his heel.His cold tone shut Valeria up immediately. She cast one last glance back at Arthur and Elena before following after him.In the opposite direction, Elena shot a curious look over her shoulder, watching Julian’s retreating back. She shook her head, br

Last Updated : 2026-08-23

14. Heartbeats and Headaches

Elena staggered down the corridor, massaging her aching shoulders as a string of exhausted yawns escaped her.It was 11:00 PM.Dragging her feet toward her dorm, her eyelids felt pulled down by sheer gravity, forcing her to squint just to keep from tripping over her own steps. Reaching her door, she fumbled through her bag for her key, but her fingers found nothing."No, no, no," she muttered in a sudden wave of panic, her sleepiness evaporating at the worst possible realization.She groaned as her intuition proved right. Her mind replayed where the key actually was: resting on the lower shelf of the assistant desk back at the lab—along with her access card. Not only was she locked out of her room tonight, but she couldn't even go back inside the lab to retrieve it."Perfect, Elena. Absolutely brilliant," she chided herself for her carelessness.Where am I supposed to sleep now? Taking a deep breath, she glanced at the tiled floor of the hallway and shuddered. That’s going to be freez

Last Updated : 2026-08-24

15. The Brothers Quarrel

In one of the rooms at the L’umiere apartment near campus, Arthur heard the distinct chime of someone entering the passcode at the door, followed by a set of familiar footsteps.A quiet, subtle grin spread across his face.He was standing at the kitchen sink, sleeves of his grey linen shirt neatly rolled up to his elbows as he rinsed a ceramic mug. He turned off the faucet and used a dry dish towel to wipe down the counter. To the right of the sink lay a brown leather folder stamped with the Molecular Biology lab logo, resting neatly beside a laptop in sleep mode.The harsh scrape of a chair being pulled out and the heavy thud of a backpack tossed onto the table shattered the quiet of the kitchen.Arthur turned around, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise at Julian, who slouched into the chair, arms crossed, locking him in a sharp, intense stare.Arthur dried his hands with measured, unhurried movements."Have you eaten?" he asked casually, brushing off Julian’s rough entrance."I ate

Last Updated : 2026-08-26

16. I Thought I Could Read You

The clinking of glass tubes inside the lab could be heard early that morning. Elena Castillo stood before her workbench, organizing rows of test tubes and petri dishes that had been freshly sterilized, her focus unbroken.The soft push of the glass door made Elena turn out of reflex. But the moment her eyes caught the figure stepping inside, her grip on the test tube tongs weakened—almost causing her to drop them onto the cluster of fragile glassware."Arthur?" Elena whispered, her eyes widening.Arthur Vega, who had intended to slip in unnoticed and hide in his office all day, winced, caught red-handed."Good morning, Elena," Arthur greeted at last, trying to avert his face. "Go on with your work, I won't disturb you," he dodged, sidestepping toward his office."Wait!" Elena called out, halting him in his tracks.He winced again in defeat.Elena set the tongs down immediately and hurried over to him. Her hands hovered hesitantly in the air, unsure of which part of Arthur's face looke

Last Updated : 2026-08-29