The morning sun filtered through the branches above me, casting dappled patterns on the tiled bench where I sat. The warmth was just enough to make me feel comfortable, not too hot, not too cold, and the soft hum of the campus in the distance was a gentle soundtrack to the quiet moment. The campus had a life of its own, but at this early hour, everything felt slower, more peaceful. It was one of those rare moments when everything aligned—the light, the temperature, the breeze—and for once, I didn't mind being at college.
I was sitting with my friend, Lily. She was sprawled out beside me on the bench, her sunglasses perched on her head as she lazily flipped through a magazine. I could tell she was only half-paying attention to the pages, probably scanning the latest fashion trends or gossip that didn't really matter to either of us, but she enjoyed the distraction. Lily was the kind of person who thrived on noise and conversation. I, on the other hand, liked the stillness. I preferred the quiet, the moments of peace when I could let my mind wander without interruption.
"I'm telling you, this magazine is like a treasure trove of random facts," Lily said, breaking my thoughts. "Did you know that the average person spends 6 months of their life waiting for red lights?"
I didn't respond immediately. It wasn't that I wasn't listening to her. It was more that I was lost in my own thoughts. I let my gaze wander across the college courtyard, watching the students walking past. Most of them were in a hurry, their faces buried in their phones, probably checking messages or emails. But for some reason, I couldn't keep my focus on them. There was something else that caught my attention, something—or rather, someone—that seemed to stand out from the rest.
At first, I wasn't sure why I noticed him. He wasn't doing anything particularly special. He was just walking out of the main building, his hands shoved casually into the pockets of his hoodie. But there was something about his presence that made everything else fade away. It wasn't like I was staring at him on purpose, but my eyes kept following him, as if some magnetic force was pulling me in. He was tall, taller than most of the other students, and moved with an ease that suggested confidence without being showy. His black hoodie was simple, yet on him, it looked effortless. The sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, revealing his forearms, and a watch gleamed slightly on his wrist. It wasn't a fancy watch, just a sleek black band, but it was the kind of small detail that caught my attention. His hands were... beautiful, delicate in a way that seemed out of place for someone so casual in his appearance. There was something graceful about the way they moved.
For a moment, I couldn't look away. And it wasn't just because of how he looked. It was something in the way he carried himself. He didn't seem hurried, like most people around here, constantly rushing from one thing to the next. He moved like he had all the time in the world, like the world wasn't rushing around him. There was a stillness about him, a calmness that somehow made me feel both unsettled and comforted at the same time.
I didn't realize I was staring until Lily nudged me with her elbow.
"Emilia?" she asked, her voice teasing. "What are you looking at? Do you have a crush or something?"
I blinked, pulling myself out of the trance I had been in. "What? No." I tried to act casual, even though my heart was still beating a little too fast.
She raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because you've been staring at him for a while."
I wasn't sure what I had been expecting, but it wasn't for her to notice. I quickly turned my gaze away, but I couldn't stop myself from glancing back. He had stopped walking and was now standing near the edge of the courtyard, looking around. His gaze swept across the area, but I couldn't tell if he was searching for someone or just lost in his own thoughts.
"What's his name?" Lily asked suddenly, breaking my concentration.
"I don't know," I muttered, shaking my head. "I've never seen him before."
Lily glanced over at him again. "I haven't seen him around either. He must be a junior or something. He looks new."
I nodded, but I didn't really hear what she said. My mind was still stuck on him. I didn't know why. It wasn't like I had any reason to be so fixated on a stranger. But something in my chest told me it wasn't just a passing attraction. No, this felt different.
I didn't realize it at the time, but that moment—right there, in that little courtyard—was the beginning of everything. It was the start of something I couldn't explain, a feeling that lodged itself deep in my heart.
I turned back to Lily, trying to shake the feeling that had taken hold of me. "Do you know him? Have you seen him before?" I asked, my voice quieter than usual, more uncertain than I liked.
Lily, clearly distracted by something else, didn't take my question seriously. "Nope," she said, still looking at him. "Never seen him. But I don't know all the juniors. Maybe you should go talk to him."
I frowned. "No. I don't... I don't know him."
Lily smirked. "Well, if you're not going to do anything about it, then don't sit there all dreamy-eyed."
I opened my mouth to reply, but then, just as I was about to speak, something strange happened. Our eyes met. His. And mine.
I wasn't sure how it happened, but in that brief moment, it felt like everything else around me vanished. The sound of the campus, the students chatting, the breeze—it all disappeared. The world narrowed down to just the two of us. His gaze was steady, calm, intense. For a second, I couldn't breathe. I didn't know why, but I felt something—something deep, something that shook me to my core. It wasn't just a passing glance. It felt... different.
And just as suddenly as it started, he looked away. His attention shifted to the group of students near the entrance of the building, and he began walking again, disappearing into the crowd.
The world came rushing back, but I couldn't shake the feeling. My heart was still racing, my mind racing even faster. I could still feel the weight of his gaze on me, like an invisible thread that had connected us in that moment.
Lily turned to look at me, her expression confused. "What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breath. "I... I don't know. I just... I think it's him."
She stared at me, clearly not understanding. "Who?"
"It's him," I repeated, my voice firm now, as if I had discovered some great truth. "It's going to be him."
Lily shook her head, laughing softly. "You're weird, you know that?"
But I didn't care. I didn't need her to understand. I knew.
It wasn't just a random moment. It wasn't just a chance encounter. No, this was something more. Something I couldn't explain, but I knew it to be true.
I would see him again. And when I did, everything would change.