THE ME BEFORE

chapter 6 - classroom encounter

_Classroom Encounter_

I walked into the classroom, still reeling from the overwhelming events of the day. College was already proving to be a whirlwind experience. As I scanned the room for an empty seat, my eyes landed on the professor's desk. A familiar nameplate read "Haruto-sensei."

My heart skipped a beat. Haruto-sensei was our professor?

I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself, finding a seat near the back. As the room filled with chatter, Haruto-sensei stood up, surveying the class with an icy gaze.

"Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to our literature class. I'm your professor, Ichigo Haruto , and I'll be guiding you through this journey of discovery."

His voice was cold, detached, and sent shivers down my spine.

Akira, who was sitting next to me, nudged me with her elbow. "Hey, Nat, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I forced a smile, trying to brush off the unease. "Just a little surprised, that's all."' come to think of it did this girl change my nickname again so fickle, the thought of this took my mind away for a while'

As Haruto-sensei began calling out names for roll call, his tone was unyielding. When he reached my name he paused for a second and said, "Haru Yukimitsu," his gaze locked onto mine, and I felt a sting.

But I refused to let it get to me. After saying present I turned to Akira and whispered, "Let's get out of here as soon as possible."

Akira nodded in agreement. "Definitely. I need coffee after this."

As the class ended, we packed up our things and stepped out into the hallway. The boys from our class, Taro and Kaito, caught up with us.

"Hey, Akira, Nathalie! What's up?" Taro asked, flashing a charming smile.

Kaito, on the other hand, looked at us with a mixture of curiosity and admiration. "You two are quite the pair, aren't you? Complete opposites, yet you seem to click."

Akira grinned mischievously. "We're the yin to each other's yang, Kaito-chan."

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. "Akira, stop teasing."

As we chatted, a few more students joined our group, introducing themselves as Lila and Kenji. We decided to form a study group, meeting up regularly to discuss our classes and share notes.

The conversation flowed easily, and before I knew it, we were walking home together, the earlier tension forgotten.

As we strolled through the quiet streets, Akira nudged me again. "Hey, Nat, you okay? You seemed a bit off earlier."

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But with Akira, I knew I could trust her. "It's just... Haruto-sensei. He's... complicated."

Akira's expression turned sympathetic. "I'm here for you, Nat. Whatever it is, we'll face it together."

I smiled, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. With friends like Akira, I knew I could handle anything college threw my way.

The group continued to chat and laugh, and I joined in, letting the warmth of their friendship envelop me. For now, I pushed aside the memories of Haruto-sensei's icy gaze even though his indifference dealt a blow to my heart something I hadn't felt for a long time,focusing on the new beginnings and friendships unfolding before me I decided not to dwell on it.

As the study group discussion wrapped up, Nathalie felt a sense of relief wash over her. For the first time that day, she'd forgotten about Haruto-sensei's piercing gaze.

But her reprieve was short-lived.

"Hey, Nathalie, have you seen the assignment for Haruto-sensei's class?" Akira asked, rummaging through her backpack.

Nathalie's heart sank. "No, I haven't checked yet."

Akira's expression turned serious. "We have a group project due next week. And guess who's in our group?"

Nathalie's eyes widened as Akira showed her the assignment sheet.

"Yuki Senpai is leading the project, and we're assigned to his group," Akira explained. "Apparently, Haruto-sensei wants to pair seniors with freshmen to facilitate mentorship."

Nathalie's stomach twisted into knots. Working with Yuki Senpai, a senior on Haruto-sensei's project, would be intimidating enough. What if Yuki Senpai didn't take her seriously?

Here's a revised continuation:

_Easy Connection_

Nathalie's heart skipped a beat as she approached the library, knowing Yuki Senpai would be waiting for their group project meeting. She had mixed feelings about working with him, but as she saw his warm smile, her nerves dissipated.

"Hey, Haru! Thanks for coming," Yuki Senpai said, waving her over.

Nathalie smiled back, feeling at ease. "No problem, Yuki Senpai. I'm excited to get started."

Their conversation flowed effortlessly, with Yuki Senpai sharing his ideas and listening attentively to Nathalie's thoughts. His approachable nature put her at ease, and she found herself laughing and sharing her own experiences.

As they discussed their project, Nathalie was struck by Yuki Senpai's kindness and genuine interest in her opinions. He asked thoughtful questions, and his enthusiasm was infectious.

"Yuki Senpai, you're really passionate about this topic, aren't you?" Nathalie asked, intrigued.

Yuki Senpai grinned. "Yeah, I love exploring the human side of literature. It's amazing how stories can connect us, don't you think?"

Nathalie nodded, feeling a spark of connection. "Absolutely. I never thought about it that way, but it makes sense."

Their conversation continued, with Nathalie finding herself feeling more and more comfortable around Yuki Senpai. His warm demeanor and genuine interest in her thoughts created a sense of mutual understanding.

As they packed up to leave, Yuki Senpai turned to Nathalie. "Hey, Haru, want to grab a coffee and discuss our project with the others further? I'd love to hear more about your ideas."

Nathalie smiled, feeling a sense of excitement. "That sounds great, Yuki Senpai. I'd love to let's go Akira stop playing games with taro the library will close soon "

As Nathalie and Yuki Senpai packed up to leave, the rest of their group, including Taro, Kaito, Lila, Kenji, and Akira, joined them, chatting and laughing.

"Hey, guys, what's the plan for our project?" Taro asked, dropping his backpack onto the floor.

"We were just discussing our approach," Yuki Senpai replied, smiling. "Nathalie had some great ideas."

Lila nodded enthusiastically. "I love where this is going. Can we meet up again tomorrow to finalize our plan?"

Kenji, who had been quietly observing the conversation, spoke up. "I can work on the presentation slides if you'd like."

Kaito grinned. "And I'll start researching our topic. We can divide the workload and make it more manageable."

Akira bounced into the library, her bright smile infectious. "Hey, guys! Sorry I'm late! What'd I miss?"

Yuki Senpai chuckled. "Just discussing our project, Akira. But we'd love to hear your thoughts."

Akira's eyes widened. "Ooh, can I share my ideas?"

Lila nodded. "We'd love to hear them, Akira."

As Akira began sharing her thoughts, Haruto-sensei walked into the library, his eyes scanning the room. His gaze landed on the group, and he raised an eyebrow.

Yuki Senpai noticed Haruto-sensei and nodded in respect. "Haruto-sensei."

The rest of the group followed Yuki Senpai's lead, bowing their heads slightly.

Haruto-sensei's expression remained neutral, but his eyes lingered on Nathalie. "I see you're working on the project, Yukimitsu. Good."

Yuki Senpai smiled. "Yes, Haruto-sensei. We're making good progress."

Akira, ever the optimist, chimed in. "We're going to ace this project, Haruto-sensei! Don't worry."

Taro, always the jokester, added. "Yeah, and we'll make sure Nathalie doesn't get too stressed."

Kaito playfully rolled his eyes. "Taro, you're not helping."

Lila smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, Nathalie. We'll support you."

Kenji nodded in agreement. "We're a team."

As the group continued to discuss their project, Haruto-sensei's gaze shifted between them, his expression unreadable.