Chapter 10
942 Words
At noon, Lucian showed up at Adrian’s university.
Today, he was determined to get things straight with him, he couldn’t let Adrian keep misunderstanding him like this.
Outsiders weren’t normally allowed to come and go freely on campus, but for him, that wasn’t a problem. With a few connections, the gates would open easily enough.
In the time shortly after returning to the country, driven by an overwhelming desire to know everything about Adrian, he had people investigate quite extensively.
From his class schedule and daily habits to the smallest details of his everyday life, Lucian knew it all.
Lucian knew that on days when Adrian had classes both morning and afternoon, he wouldn’t go home. Instead, he would usually stop by Cafeteria No. 4 for lunch, then find a shaded spot on campus to sit and chat with his friends.
So this time, it took him almost no effort at all to find him in Cafeteria No. 4.
What Lucian hadn’t expected was to find Adrian sitting there with Luna. The sight was unbearably irritating.
At first, he had intended to keep the composure of a calm, reasonable older brother, to talk things through with him and clear up the misunderstanding step by step.
But now, a sudden surge of jealousy shot straight to his head, completely overwhelming his reason.
Calm? Gentle? In his dreams!
Lucian didn’t hesitate for even a second. He strode straight up to Adrian.
His gaze swept over Luna, carrying an undisguised warning, as if blatantly staking his claim in front of a third party.
Lucian’s sudden appearance made both Adrian and Luna startle at the same time.
Luna in particular couldn’t help but shiver under his cold gaze. The memory of yesterday’s awkward, humiliating date came rushing back at once.
She had already given up on the idea of getting to know Adrian any further.
But because her first impression of him had been so good, she still took the initiative to invite him to the cafeteria for lunch today. Partly to maintain a friendship, and partly to remind him to be more cautious around that stepbrother of his.
In Luna’s eyes, Lucian’s attitude toward Adrian was far too extreme. Even without knowing the full story, she instinctively felt that he wasn’t a good person.
After all, in elite circles, power struggles and brothers turning against each other were nothing unusual. And Lucian and Adrian weren’t even biological brothers, no wonder her thoughts ran in that direction.
Compared to Luna, Adrian felt even more uneasy, though he didn’t even know what he was uneasy about.
“Are you done eating?” When facing Adrian, Lucian’s gaze softened, and his voice turned gentler.
Adrian turned his face away, avoiding his gaze. “What are you doing here?”
“If you’re done eating, come outside with me. I have something to talk to you about.”
“I’ve got nothing to say to you.”
Lucian didn’t accept that answer. He stood rooted beside the table, not moving an inch, as if, if Adrian didn’t go, he wouldn’t leave either.
Around them, attention began to shift in their direction.
Adrian was already something of a heartthrob in his department, and Lucian, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, polished leather shoes, an imposing presence, a tall frame, and strikingly handsome features, was impossible to ignore. The two of them together quickly became the center of attention.
Curious glances and hushed whispers spread throughout the cafeteria.
Adrian wasn’t a celebrity, nor was he prepared to handle that kind of attention. He bit his lip lightly, then finally turned to Luna to say goodbye before getting up and walking straight out.
Lucian said nothing more and simply followed behind him.
In a quiet corner of the courtyard, where the trees cast shade over most of the midday sun, Adrian stopped and turned to face Lucian.
Though Adrian didn’t want to admit it, standing in front of his brother, his presence was completely overshadowed. The feeling made him extremely uncomfortable.
To regain some control, he hardened his tone, deliberately sounding harsh as he asked,
“What is it? Say it.”
As for yesterday’s kiss, he had no intention of bringing it up at all. As if, by not speaking of it, it had never existed.
Because the moment he thought of it, his whole body would grow tense and unnatural, there was even a trace of panic he couldn’t quite put into words.
Lucian looked at him for a moment, his gaze darkening slightly, before speaking slowly,
“Ari, can you stop being mad at me? Five years ago, when I left… I had my reasons.”
At just that one sentence, Adrian’s expression turned cold at once. He hated having the past brought up, especially anything connected to that period involving this person.
Because every time he thought back on it, all he felt was that he had been foolish beyond saving, so much so that even his present self didn’t want to acknowledge it.
He lifted his head, his gaze cold, his voice laced with unmistakable rejection,
“That’s all in the past. I don’t want to know. Where you went, what you did, what does any of that have to do with me? I don’t give a damn.”
But Lucian had no intention of letting it go.
Between them, misunderstandings had piled up for far too long. Today, he was determined to clear things up.
“No.” His voice dropped, firm and leaving no room for refusal. “You do want to know. There’s a misunderstanding between us. You need to hear me out.”
- Writer
