Emily grinned and shot a look at Claire. "Your advisor's pretty and young. Ours? She's almost forty and has the worst temper."
Evan raised an eyebrow. "She's got a bad temper?"
Emily nodded. "Yeah, she's always impatient, never says anything nicely. Someone even dug up that her marriage isn't going well—or, actually, she's not even married. No boyfriend either."
"Almost forty and still single? No wonder she's cranky," Evan said, like it suddenly made sense.
Honestly, in his mind, whether a woman got married still mattered. Guys could help balance hormones, right? He'd seen a comment on insta—some guy said his cousin was moody and always breaking out before she got married. After the wedding? Just a month later, she spoke softer, her temper calmed down, and her skin cleared up.
"Anyway, everyone in our class has stuff to say about her," Emily added, then let it drop. She and Evan wandered to the edge of the playground and started stretching their ankles.
A few boys nearby glanced over at Emily and their eyes basically lit up.
"Ready to run?" Evan asked after a minute.
"Sure," Emily replied, flashing a bright smile.
He stole another look at her, then looked away—just as Claire finished her lap and jogged up to them.
"Counselor," Evan called out in greeting.
As he said that, his gaze drifted—couldn't help it—to her's neck. Her skin was fair, a little sheen of sweat from the run. She kept her back straight, arms swinging, breathing easy. The whole picture just looked… effortless.
He found himself comparing the two girls. Emily was all sunshine and energy, but she had this quiet, bookish vibe.
So much to say, but before he could even start, reality snapped back in.
Claire heard someone call her and turned. She spotted Evan and blinked, puzzled.
Wait—who is this guy? Is he even in my class? I don't remember him at all.
That was her first thought. Truth was, Evan had changed a lot. New hairstyle, new clothes—he looked like a totally different person. Not just some regular student anymore; he actually looked sharp.
No wonder she didn't recognize him at first.
But a moment later, it clicked. The face hadn't changed.
"You're… Evan?" claire stopped, surprise all over her face.
"Teacher, we literally saw each other yesterday! How'd you forget me already?" Evan tried to sound casual, but he got it. Even his own parents might not have recognized him like this.
"I really didn't! You look so different—new haircut, way more handsome. The clothes look great, too. Tsk, tsk." Claire shook her head in disbelief, about to ask where he got his hair cut. Then she noticed Evan standing next to him.
Her eyebrows lifted a touch.
She'd always been confident in her looks. Apart from her best friends, she never really met another girl who could match her. But this one? She might actually have to give it to her. Pretty, great figure, and just this open, sunny vibe. Even in pants, her legs looked long and straight.
Who's this girl? And why does she seem so close to Evan?
Claire glanced at Emily, then just came out with it. "Who's this?"
Evan answered, "That's my girlfriend, Emily
She's a freshman too—economics and trade major."
Claire looked genuinely surprised. she never imagined Emily was actually Evan's girlfriend. She figured maybe just a friend.
"Hello, teacher," Emily stepped forward and greeted her politely.
"Yeah, you too."
Claire snapped out of it, nodded to Emily, then looked back at Evan.
"Already dating someone, and you just started college? Not worried I'll tell your parents?"
She grinned as she said it. It was a joke—everyone knows once you're in college, the school doesn't care if you're dating. She just couldn't help teasing him.
Evan didn't seem fazed. He grinned back. "Don't worry, teacher. If you tell my family, my mom will probably be thrilled. She just called the other day and told me to make sure I date any nice girls I meet."
"You little brat."
Claire laughed and waved. "Alright, I'm off. Gotta keep running. You two should get moving too."
"Okay."
Evan nodded.
Emily waved next to him.
That was that. Claire picked up her pace and kept running, but before she took off, she gave them both a nod.
"Let's go," Evan said. "But let's take it easy. I only started running in the mornings yesterday, so this is just my second day."
Once Claire had run a ways off, he turned to Emily.
"Alright," Emily said, nodding. They fell into step together, not really talking, just running side by side.
Yesterday, Claire had given Evan a few tips. So today, right from the start, he paid attention to his breathing and slowed his pace—faster than a walk, but not too fast. It made things a lot easier.
Emily actually had better stamina than him. Her long legs made her look almost effortless as she ran.
When Claire finished her run, she glanced back at the two of them. They both looked serious, focused on running. She didn't bother saying goodbye, just left the track.
As she walked away, a little regret crept in.
First, she'd been struck by how much Evan's hairstyle and clothes had changed him. Then she saw his girlfriend, who was honestly stunning.
That surprised her.
Claire shook her head, pushed the thoughts aside, and decided to head back to the dorm for a shower before grabbing dinner at the cafeteria.
After graduation, she'd stayed on as a counselor at the university. The school gave her a dorm room—shared, two people to a room.
Luckily, her roommate had a boyfriend outside the university and barely stayed on campus.
That made life a lot easier.
-------
Playground
Evan slowed down after half an hour of running, but the system's voice chimed in his head before he even thought about stopping.
"Ding, host has completed today's running check-in. Current progress: (2/7)."
Alright, that's today's run done.
He kept going, though. His legs still had some juice left, so why not push a little further? Honestly, the only reason he even started running in the mornings was for the system's promise—grow three centimeters taller, just like that. Still, running did make him feel better, and the wind on his face was actually kind of refreshing.
So he kept at it for another ten minutes, then finally called it.
Not far behind, Emily stopped too, trying to catch her breath. Evan walked over, and they started strolling around the track together, letting their heart rates settle.
"You're in pretty good shape," Evan told her. He glanced over and saw Emily still breathing heavily, with sweat shining on her face and neck, but she didn't look worn out.
"I guess so. I do workouts in my dorm sometimes—just follow along with some fitness bloggers ," Emily said, smiling. She liked exercising, mostly to stay fit and keep her figure.
Evan nodded and fell quiet for a bit, focusing on slowing his breathing. A few minutes later, his heartbeat was back to normal.
"Let's head back, shower up, then grab something to eat," he said.
"Sounds good." Emily agreed, pulling some tissues from her pocket. She offered one to Evan. "Wipe your face first."
"You brought tissues?" He looked at her, surprised.
"Of course," she laughed. She brought them just for wiping off sweat.
"Then wipe it for me," Evan said, grinning.
Emily's cheeks turned a little pink, but she didn't hesitate. She gently dabbed at the sweat on his face. He could smell a light fragrance from her—probably her shampoo and body wash. It was nice, honestly.
And with her so close, he noticed just how delicate her features were. Beautiful eyes and eyebrows.
"All done," Emily said, putting away the tissues.
Evan nodded and slipped his hand into hers. But when they left the track, he didn't head toward the dorm.
Emily caught on right away and glanced at him, a little confused. "Where are we going?"
She barely got the words out before Evan guided her over to a corner of the playground.
Emily's eyes went wide. She let out a quick, playful gasp when Evan pulled her into the corner, away from everyone else.
The air between them felt electric. "Oh, I know exactly what you're up to," she mumbled, cheeks turning an even deeper shade of pink, but she couldn't quite hide the little smile tugging at her mouth.
Evan grinned, all mischief. He leaned in, voice low and teasing, and honestly, it sent a chill racing down her spine. "Last time, you were a little too fast for me, weren't you?" He locked eyes with her, daring her, and there was no missing the heat in his gaze. "Didn't even let me get a word in. I think I deserve a fair shot."
She barely had time to think of a comeback before he closed the gap. His hand—still a bit damp from their run—brushed her cheek, thumb moving softly against her skin. She caught the mix of their sweat and her flowery shampoo, and for a second, it was all she could breathe in. Emily's heart pounded so hard it almost hurt.
Then his lips met hers. At first, it was soft, more invitation than demand, almost like he was asking. Emily didn't think twice. Her hands, still a little shaky, slid up to his arms, then around his neck, pulling him closer. The kiss changed right away—deeper, slower, and way more intense than anything quick or casual. It felt like something they'd both been holding back, and now, finally, they let it loose.
Evan made a low sound against her mouth, pressing in with a sudden urgency that matched hers. He tasted like mint and sweat, and somehow that combination made her dizzy. He shifted, deepening the kiss, and she matched him, her lips parting just a little. Everything else faded—the playground, the running, all of it. All she could feel was his mouth, the rough scratch of his stubble, and that wild flutter inside her.
He finally pulled back, just far enough so they could breathe, their foreheads pressed together and eyes closed. "Now that," he said, voice rough and a little smug, "was a much better answer."
Emily laughed. It sounded breathless, light, and she felt like she might float away. Her cheeks burned, her lips tingled, and her fingers stayed tangled in his hair, not ready to let go. Everything else—the world, the noise, the playground—just slipped away. There was only this: the humming, giddy rush of being right here with him.
When they came out from behind the corner, more than ten minutes had slipped by. Emily's carefully applied lipstick was a mess.
Evan squeezed Emily's hand, keeping his voice light.
"I'm heading back to the dorm first. I need a shower, then something to eat. Can't stand being sweaty."
Seriously, what a pain. These days, he felt it more than ever. Even simple stuff—like trying to steal a quick kiss—turned into a balancing act.
If anyone came close, Emily would shove him away right away, acting like nothing happened.
If only things were different. Life would be so much easier.
He let his eyes drop, just for a second, but Emily tapped his arm—soft, but clear. No words needed.
Some things were off-limits, no matter how much he wanted otherwise.
They reached the boys' dorm.
"I'll go up first," Evan said, grinning. "Quick shower. You girls always take forever, so I'll wait for you downstairs."
"Oh? Since when are you an expert on that?" Emily shot back, a smirk tugging at her lips.
She nodded, though. "Alright."
He let go of her hand and ducked into the building.
Emily didn't move until he'd disappeared.
Then she turned for the girls' dorm.
********