When Harmony smiled back at Kenneth, she felt her phone vibrate.
'Where are you? Weren't you supposed to be here by lunch? How long will you be taking that exam? You've already been delayed by a day. Do you think it's easy to get you all prepared just because you've been doing it for years? If not for that stubbornness of yours, then maybe it is. Get back here now, or this… whatever you are doing is over.'
Harmony pursed her lips. She knew if this wasn't a message, it would have been longer.
She looked up at the group who were cheering happily. Her eyes glazed over, and somehow, the whole surrounding turned black and white.
She felt suffocated.
She bit the inside of her lips before shaking her head. Everything returned to normal.
After taking a deep breath, she quietly left while sending Beatrice a message.
Then, without delay, she hailed a taxi and left for the train station.
As she boarded, she received Beatrice's reply.
She then deleted it before keeping her phone.
'I really shouldn't have gotten close to anyone. Then this heavy feeling wouldn't be here right now,' she thought, frustrated.
But at the same time, she felt lost.
…
After deciding which coffee shop to go to, they discussed informing Kenneth.
"My battery's dead," Luca laughed.
"Oh, I'll do it—huh?"
Justin kept pressing on his phone, but the screen remained black.
"I guess mine as well," he scratched the back of his head.
They turned to Gabriel.
"I didn't bring mine. I didn't feel like bringing it to such crowded places."
Luca and Justin were well aware of how much Gabriel disregarded his phone. He'd rather forget it than forget his books, whether a novel or a study one.
"You go ahead and message him, Beatrice," Justin suggested.
"I don't have his number," Beatrice replied, pulling out her phone.
"It's 1800XXXXXXX," Gabriel easily provided.
Beatrice then sent the location and saved his number.
"Shall we order first before he arrives?" Justin asked excitedly.
"I will no longer be shocked if you become a pig," Kathrine couldn't help but comment.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I have a good metabolism. How about you?" Justin argued as they entered the shop.
Kathrine did not back down and kept arguing with him following him inside, causing Gabriel to pinch the space between his brows.
"Did he reply?" Luca asked Beatrice when he noticed her looking at her phone.
Beatrice nodded before keeping her phone.
"He said he got it and that he'll be here in a bit."
"Then shall we go in as well?" Luca opened the door for her.
"Thanks."
Their small party was an enjoyable one; it started as soon as Kenneth arrived.
"Anyway, what are your plans for college?" Kathrine asked curiously after a while.
"I will continue studying here. The university here has one of the best departments for the course I'll be taking," Luca answered first.
"What course is it?" Beatrice asked.
"Medicine," Luca smiled.
The two of them nodded.
"How about you two?" he asked back.
"I'm planning on becoming a lawyer. This city also has a good university for law," Kathrine answered without hesitation.
City S has more prestigious universities but they felt suffocated facing those entitled second and third gen
"Oscar…" Gabriel trailed off.
Oscar was a common family name, but for Kathrine's choice, it rang a bell.
"I guess most of the students studying in our school follow after their family's work or business," Kathrine shrugged.
"I wonder if the trial won't end with bloodshed with you being there," Justin teased, munching on his third cake.
"What did you say?" Kathrine instantly glared at him.
"That look answers your question," Justin shrugged.
Kathrine was about to reach out to him when Beatrice pulled her back and fed her a cookie.
"As for me, I'll keep following the path I've been walking on. I will become an actress," she said, stopping their silly arguments.
"Are you going to study at a university around here?" Kenneth asked, curious.
Beatrice smiled while shaking her head, "I've been going to some workshops since middle school. So, I plan on going far for more training."
Kathrine's playful act stopped at the mention of it; there was even something in her eyes when she glanced at Beatrice.
"Far?" Justin also became curious.
"Juilliard," Beatrice replied.
Silence fell.
They had not been together for long, but they all treated the two ladies as good friends. Knowing they would be separated by such a distance still brought some loneliness.
"Well, after that, I'll return here. So, I look forward to seeing how you guys are doing as well," she grinned to disperse the sudden heaviness in the atmosphere.
"Well, I won't be staying in this city either. I'll be studying under a virtuoso violinist in City S. I got the chance to speak with them a week after my last competition," Justin decided to continue their topic.
"I'm going to take a double major in this city as well—Medical and PharmD, before pursuing another path," Gabriel replied nonchalantly, as if it were nothing.
"You… what?" Kenneth choked on his coffee.
Gabriel looked at him as if asking why he was surprised when he had explained it so plainly.
"You… do love studying, don't you?" Luca was also unable to comprehend just how far his friend wished to go in his studies.
"I want to develop drugs," Gabriel shrugged.
"You're not following your family business," Kathrine commented.
Gabriel's family focused on publishing different kinds of reading materials. His desire was completely different.
"It's not like they need me. My brothers are around; they can take care of the company."
Kenneth chuckled, "You really are something."
"How about you then?" Justin asked him.
Funny enough, the four of them had not discussed this matter for the past three years they were together. If Beatrice had not opened it, they might only find out about each other's plans during graduation.
Kenneth grinned, "I'm entering a university with Performing Arts, and the best one is in City S."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"What's with that reaction?" he complained, seeing their blank looks.
"No… It's just that we didn't picture that. You never showed any interest," Justin replied, snapping out of his shock.
"Luca didn't show any signs of it either—that he would be taking medicine," Kenneth argued.
"He's a jack of all trades. No matter what he says he'll take, surely he'll achieve it. Plus, his background already explains everything," Justin replied.
"How about Gabriel?" Kenneth pointed.
"Have you not noticed what he's been reading for a while now? Most of them are medical books. What's shocking is that he wishes to study longer than any of us—not what he's studying," Justin answered.
"Well, can't I just take it because I wanted to?" Kenneth said.
"Are you serious? I mean, you were still undecided when we started our third year," Luca asked seriously as well.
Even Gabriel was looking at him seriously.
Kenneth chuckled and sighed, "I was captured by the way you, Beatrice, and Miss Thomas acted. The way you all pulled everyone in with your performance. It was different. I just had the feeling of wanting that too—to pull everyone into my performance."
The three looked at one another before they nodded their heads.
"In short, he just wants the attention," Justin rubbed his chin.
"Indeed," Luca agreed.
"You—!!!"
Kenneth started complaining while the two continued teasing him.
Gabriel had a slight smile on his lips while watching them.
"Who would have thought that he would also pursue acting?" Kathrine said on the side.
"A shock indeed," Beatrice nodded while looking at Kenneth.