"Oh? Did they change the layout to the administrative building?"
"Hmmm? Ah yes, they renovated the place during the pandemic. The professors have been complaining about it for the longest time, and it seemed like the right time."
"I see..."
Walking hand-in-hand down the familiar pavement I used when I was a student, Althea and I marvelled at the new sights that surrounded us. Now, you may ask why I was walking around with my girlfriend in her university, even though I wasn't an attending student. The answer was quite simple, actually.
"Here for Class 87 reunion dinner?"
"That's right," I handed over my ticket to the admin clerk, who was protected with a mask and a face shield. "And she's my plus one."
The middle-aged woman glanced over my shoulder with a bored look before stamping our approval slips. She pulled out two stickers and handed them over to us, saying: "Wear these with you at all times. If you're seen walking around without the sticker, you will be asked to leave the campus."
"Noted," I smiled as I placed one sticker over my lapel and the other on Althea's flowery dress. With the administrative work done, Althea and I headed out of the building and into the open campus that was seemingly void of people.
Classes were still primarily conducted online. Even though the campus was open to all students, very few actually came back here to study. With that being said, that didn't mean the university had become a ghost town.
To ensure that some of their food vendors still made money, the Alumnus office began planning reunion dinners for alumni from the previous classes.
We had to be socially distanced, and we couldn't really drink or bicker, but it was still a novel concept nonetheless. As most of us had been restrained in our apartments for the longest time, it was refreshing to have an interpersonal experience such as this reunion dinner.
"Excited to meet your old classmates?"
"Not that much, actually..." I replied honestly. "Most of them are good people, but back then, I wasn't the type to make deep connections."
"Ah, I see..."
Althea knew what my past was, and she didn't want to delve too deep into it. Instead, she brightened up her face and tightly gripped my hand.
"We still have some time before the dinner. Shall we tour around?"
"Of course, my lady."
That was the main reason why I accepted to come here in the first place. When Len and Sienna first brought this reunion dinner to my attention, I wasn't all that thrilled. However, as I ran that idea through Althea, the girl quickly changed my mind.
Not because I wanted to meet the classmates that I barely kept in touch with, but because Althea and I could have an on-campus date. Something that I'd never had in my entire life.
While many of the facilities were closed, we could still walk through the entire campus with little to no security. Being our country's premier university, Kofuku was a grounds littered with a rich history.
There were places were famous Presidents of the past toured around. Romantic locations that couples would frequent. And an array more that I couldn't bother to count.
And since we still had about three hours before the event began…
Althea and I started our long-awaited university date!
"First, let's go to the business faculty!" My excited lover pulled on my arm and dragged me all the way to the place she frequented the most.
A towering collection of freshly built buildings stood in front of us; each one was more staggering than the last. Unlike the boring layout of the IT faculty, business was designed in a manner that far exceeded the word extravagant. They had carpeted floors, marble pillars, and even huge photos of former alumni who had become millionaires and billionaires.
Throughout my entire life as a university student, I probably came to this place a dozen times. And rightfully so. What could an IT student ever hope to achieve in the business faculty?
Still, I was just a tourist at this destination. Compared to the frolicking little girl who was basically a fish in water.
"This is the Jesse Martins Auditorium! It's the lecture hall that I use the most!"
"Wow, it looks huge."
"Hehe, over there is where I used to sit! Funny story, Grace used to sneak in snacks during lectures for the rest of us to eat."
"Isn't that banned?"
"Yeap, so one could imagine the trouble we were put through after she spilt a packet of chocolates onto the floor!"
"Jesus!"
Bit by bit, Althea reflected every story that she had on this campus. While I did have my own questions about the place, I kept them to myself as I saw Althea's face light up with pure joy. She seemed like a child who wanted to show off her toys, and I simply stood there and enjoyed every second of it.
Given her history, I'd always thought that school might have been a traumatising experience for the young lass. But I was glad to be proven wrong. Every place that she brought me to, Althea shared a funny story of her past.
Most of them were with her group of friends that we went with to the hot springs, but there were some with others. And while I was jealous of the male friends that she had in the past, I immensely enjoyed the expressive face of my girlfriend.
"Althea? Althea, is that you?"
As we entered the business library, a young woman's voice grasped our attention. Looking to the source of the voice, I saw a group of students eyeing us down. Three boys and two girls were seated on a table with their laptops open and books to the side.
Ah, how nostalgic. I remember the days when I had to burn the midnight oil for my studies.
"Alice! It's been a while!"
Althea waved at the young woman who approached us with a friendly smile. Her other hand, however, was still firmly wrapped around mine. It was as if she was protecting me from this young woman who seemed harmless.
Jesus, woman… Are you really that protective?
"Yeah! It's been a while! Probably since our orientation week?"
"I think we met once or twice since then?"
"Is it? I probably forgot..."
The young woman looked at Althea before turning back to her friends, namely the three boys, who were looking at us with apprehensive gazes. As if she'd made up her mind, the girl returned her gaze to us before asking:
"So, Althea… Is that your..."
"Yeap! That's right! He's MY boyfriend!"
Althea emphasised our relationship and tucked her chin deeper into my elbows. At that moment, I could hear groans echoing throughout the entire library. I looked around, and it wasn't just the three boys; a few other students deeply sighed.
"H-Haha… I guessed so… How long have you been dating?"
"Hehe, a few months, actually! Also..."
Althea continued to brag with a triumphant look. In her mind, Althea probably thought that the young woman wanted to steal me away from her, but that was far from the truth. Alice was perhaps asking on behalf of the boys in the library, who was curious about whether their campus belle had been stolen from right under their noses.
The conversation continued for a good few minutes, where Althea bragged about how we met and how good I was. With each passing second, the groans in the library grew louder. They were probably upset after seeing Althea's lovesick expressions.
Don't worry, boys! I'll put you out of your misery!
"Althea, we should get going soon..."
"Oh, right! Sorry, Alice! Let's catch up sometime later."
"S-Sure..."
I wasn't aware of it, but a wildfire had started within the compounds of the Kofuku business faculty. Apparently, the Princess of their department had eloped with a bodybuilder and had broken the hearts of all the thirsty boys who wanted to try their luck with her.
Hey… I'm not a bodybuilder, okay? I'm a bona fide IT specialist!