****
"Miyuki! Miyuki!" - Maria was poking me and calling for my name.
"W-what!? What!?"
"How long are you gonna stay there? The meeting is over, let's get back to the lab."
"Oh, right… Just give me a sec, I need to catch my things but I'll meet you guys over there..."
As I was gathering my material, to my surprise, Lisa, the committee president council, approached me before I could leave.
"Hey, hi… Are you okay now? You seemed very exhausted and nervous back then."
"O-oh, I am now! I noticed you tried to help me back there, thank you! I was so tired and anxious that my mind went blank for a few moments. You are a lifesaver!"
"By the way, you are the foreign student from Japan, right? You are becoming kind of famous already, did you know?"
Famous...?
"Y-yes, I am from Japan, and this is my third month in Brazil and I -"
"Are you interested in journalism?" - Lisa interrupted me before I could finish what I was speaking, changing the subject.
???
"Uh... I don't think so?"- I raised my eyebrows with doubt over her question.
"Hmmmm…. I was certain you'd be"
What sort of random assessment is this?
"Are you…." - Lisa started looking sideways - "Friends with…. Carlos?"
"W-what? W-why are you asking that?"
"N-no, it's just that. I thought it was curious how excited he was during your presentation" - Avoiding eye contact with me, she now started playing with her fingers with both of her hands, as she slightly blushed. The confident and beautiful president, now changed her mature aura to a more cute, frail, and girly form...
"Do you know Carlos?" - I inquired.
"Yes… We were actually neighbors and childhood friends, so I have known him for quite some time. And well…. He is a person that usually doesn't show too much emotion. Except for his photos. I've never seen someone so focused and dedicated to a passion as he is. But it is rare to see him so…. Excited about framing a single person into so many shots."
"W-what do you mean by it?"
"I don't know, that's why I am asking if he is an acquaintance of yours..." - Lisa turned her head again sideways, speaking more spaced as she began playing with her hair.
Apart from Lisa's cute figure, to be fair, that was a question that I myself wasn't sure how to answer, and it was bugging me for the last few weeks. Was he a savior as Maria told me he was? Perhaps, he indeed saved my life, but to what extent that expanded to other areas of my life? Was he a friend? I don't think so, but we sure ran into each other more than a few times. A stranger? Well, you could say that, after all, it's not like we talked with each other out of these random events.
"Uh… I think that he is -"
"Well, it doesn't matter. I think I'm poking in my nose where I'm not supposed to, I'm sorry. Well, I need to attend some other business. So, I'll see you around."
As quickly as she came, she went by, leaving me in a room almost empty, as the other students and professors mostly left the room
I think I'm heading home…. I'll send a message later to Prof. Fukuda and Maria that I'm taking the day off. Geez, I don't know how they are still going to the lab after having worked non-stop. Just take a shower at least guys....