Kiel POV
Kiel and his friends, Megi, Tristan, and Marlon, were on campus preparing for the new semester, full of excitement as they were graduating soon.
As they looked for their classrooms, Kiel noticed Yana sitting on a bench, lost in deep thought. He took a moment to observe her, noticing the weariness and sadness in her eyes. Her beauty, hidden behind thick glasses, captivated him. Her smooth complexion and natural rosy lips made her stand out even without makeup.
She was just a simple girl, but she possessed a hidden beauty. Kiel couldn't help but smile when he noticed her pouting lips.
He had seen her on campus multiple times but hesitated to approach her due to her introverted and distant demeanor. His interest grew when they shared a class the previous year. He knew Yana because she consistently ranked at the top of their class.
He frequently observed her beneath a tree on campus, engrossed in a book, accompanied by Tristan's cousin, Butch.
Rumors circulated that she was unfriendly and didn't engage with others, making most guys hesitant to approach her, except for her friend Tristan, who pursued her sincerely.
He often found himself discreetly watching her from a distance.
After some time, as he and his friends approached her bench, Kiel noticed that Yana remained deep in thought, seemingly unaware of their presence. Observing this, he made the decision to initiate a conversation.
"It seems like we have deep thoughts, huh," Kiel remarked.
Instead of responding, she grabbed her bag and hastily walked away from where they were.
His friends, stifled their laughter as Yana almost stumbled while hurriedly leaving the place.
"Isn't that Yana Moreno, our classmate in Design 6?" Marlon asked.
"Yeah, she used to be our classmate, the one who dresses conservatively but was top 1 in our subject," Meggie replied. "I remember Tristan even tried to court her," he added.
"Yeah, but man, she rejected me," Tristan said while he shook his head in disbelief.
His friends burst into laughter at Tristan's confession.
Meanwhile, Kiel remained silent, sitting beside them and just listening. Until now, Yana's gentle face, especially without her glasses, lingered in Kiel's mind.
"Well, Kiel, maybe you should try your luck with her too. It seems like Tristan's approach didn't work, but you never know."
Kiel just gave a nonchalant shrug and replied, "Maybe, maybe not. Let's focus on our graduation plans for now."
"Kiel wouldn't be attracted to that kind of woman; he prefers someone sexy with a fuller figure, not the conservative type" Meggie said.
They known for his taste for being drawn to outgoing and curvier women, making it clear that someone like Yana, who came across as conservative and introverted, wouldn't typically pique his interest. His friends, fully aware of his usual inclinations, couldn't resist finding humor in this scenario, given Yana's quite different demeanor.
Tristan chimed in with a teasing tone, "You're right, Kiel, she's not your usual type, is she?"
He just shook my head at them.
Perhaps even if he were to pursue her, she wouldn't respond because she seemed overly focused on her studies.
Marlon couldn't hide his curiosity about the girl, so he asked, "Does she have Facebook?"
"As far as I know, she doesn't, bro. I even asked Butch about it before, but my cousin said she doesn't have one," Tristan replied.
Meggie chimed in, "Come on, can't she have one? Even my grandma has Facebook," and they all laughed, continuing their playful banter in the middle of the campus field.
After they finished their business inside the school, they decided to hang out at Marlon's condo, conveniently located near the university. They had some drinks, and as usual, it was inevitable that they were joined by some attractive women.
Kiel grabbed the beer from the table and took a slow sip, filling Marlon's dorm with the sounds and laughter of his friends.
"Kiel, I don't want to go home just yet. Can I crash at your condo?" Joyce, one of their drinking companions for the night, said with a flirtatious tone.
Kiel shook his head in response to Joyce's request. He had never brought a woman to his condo, not even during his one-night stands. He never had a serious girlfriend; most of his companions came from his circle of friends and drinking buddies. Although most of the invites came from girls, he typically took them to motels because he didn't want commitment and was afraid they might return to his condo later on.
He wasn't in the mood for any intimate encounters right now, as Yana was occupying his thoughts, distracting him from such thoughts.
When he arrived at the condo, his mother called.
"Hello, Mom."
"Hello, Kiel. Don't forget, your sibling's birthday is on Sunday. Come home, okay?" his mother said.
"Oh, right, it's my youngest sibling's birthday on Sunday. I almost forgot," she thought to himself as she finished talking to her mother, then immediately called her only sibling.
Kiel felt a pang of longing after their conversation. It had been a month since he last visited the mansion. Since he started college, he had requested to live separately from his parents. At first, his mommy didn't agree, but he persisted, and eventually, she gave in.
Since then, Kiel had the freedom to drink, socialize with friends, and even interact with girls. He couldn't engage in these activities when he was in France because his aunt Zuela was keeping a close watch over him. During high school, he was strictly focused on his studies, and his life revolved around school. But even as his lifestyle changed in college, Kiel continued to prioritize his education.