?
Owen Reynolds: "Grabbed lunch yet?"
"Not yet. You?"
"Same here."
Their eyes met, and an unspoken understanding, a certain kind of chemistry, began to spread between them.
Twenty minutester-
Owen Reynolds and Roseanne found themselves seated in a barbecue restaurant.
The sizzling sound of bacon, perfectly marbled, filled the air as Owen flipped it over until it was nicely crisped. He then wrapped it in a fresh lettuce leaf and offered it to Roseanne.
Roseanne, who had been busy replying to a message on her phone, looked up, slightly taken aback.
"Professor, I can do it..."
But Owen didn''t retract his hand, instead, he yfully urged, "Open up."
Roseanne was puzzled.
He chuckled, "Aren''t you still texting? Sure you want to use your hands?"
She quickly put down her phone and reached out, "Done. I got it."
Owen ced it on a te, "Clean your hands first."
Roseanne nced at her hands, freshly tainted with phone germs-Oops, busted.
From then on, her role was to eat, while Owen took charge of the grilling, cing the cooked pieces directly onto her te.
Roseanne protested, "Professor, you should eat too, not just serve me!"
"Alright."
Despite saying so, Roseanne''s te never seemed to empty.
As she took a bite of the steak,
Juicy to the point of bursting, she gasped from the heat, her tongue stinging.
Owen swiftly passed her a bottle of iced coconut water, "Slow down."
After taking a few sips, Roseanne felt better.
"How''s that, better?" Owen asked, seeing her clumsy moment.
She nodded, "Much better, though my tongue''s still a bit numb."
"Open up, let me see."
His tone was so casual, Roseanne instinctivelyplied, sticking out her tongue.
It took her a moment to realize what she was doing. Whether it was the room''s temperature or the heat from the grill, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
She quickly sat upright, her back stiff.
Owen withdrew his gaze, "High temperatures can damage the mucous membrane. It''s a bit red, but no blister. Drink something cold, and it should be fine."
"Th-thank you, Professor."
Roseanne gulped down more iced water, managing to cool the heat on her cheeks.
"What''s this mushroom?"
Owen replied, "Shimeji, also known as Brazilian mushrooms."
"They''re so tiny and cute..."
He ced a few more on her te, "Hmm."
Hmm what?
Owen nced at her, "Indeed, cute."
Roseanne was confused.
She was talking about the mushrooms, but why was her face heating up again?
By the time they finished their barbecue, it was 2 PM.
Owen had no pressing matters, and Roseanne wasn''t particrly busy either, so neither suggested leaving. They simply strolled through the streets, enjoying a rare sunny day in the midst of a cold winter.
The streets around Elite Business University were more intricate than those Rear Kingswell University, with
thsscrossing, aged, yet vibrant
charm.
Beyond the eateries and snack stalls, there were even stands selling handmade crafts.
Roseanne was fascinated, moving from one stall to the next, carefully examining interesting items before inquiring about their prices.
Owen leisurely followed behind.
Roseanne was looking at crafts, and he was looking at her.
Time seemed to be sprinkled with sugar, making every moment sweet.
Owen could clearly hear his
et
heartbeat, excited yet apprehensive, sweet with a hint of bitterness. It was a sensation he couldn''t quite describe, something he had never felt in his twenty-eight years of life.
UMS
Curiosity, thrill, resistance, and yet an inability to escape.
It was as if something was stirring in his heart, ready to burst forth at any moment.
"Professor,e look at this "
Roseanne suddenly waved him over.
Owen snapped back to reality, quicklyposed himself, and walked over.
Roseanne pointed to a y figurine, asking him, "What does this look like to you?"