Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 48

I never expected the guy I was staring at to actually be Darren.

He was usually rocking those silver specs and had this laid–back artsy dad vibe going on. To put it bluntly, he gave off this slightly stuffy and old–fashioned air.

It was like he was a whole different person from the smooth charmer standing in front of me

now.

What a stark contrast.

“So, Xaviera, you’re disappointed to find out it’s me?” he teased.

I waved my hand dismissively, clarifying, “No, no, that’s not what I meant. It’s just that your current look is a dead ringer for a character in our game, and that’s why I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

That probably came across a little rude.

Darren seemed taken aback, he sighed and said, “And here I was thinking you had a thing for

this version of me, Xaviera.”

I raised my eyebrows, momentarily at a loss for words.

Just then, Tina and Kevin came bounding over from the right and greeted me enthusiastically.

“Xaviera, you have no idea, before you got here, a bunch of chicks were hitting on Professor Yearwood,” Tina said with a hint of pride, lowering her voice, “and they even brought him coffee.”

Kevin mimicked in a falsetto, “Sweetheart, sweetheart, what flavor do you like?”

1

you really do have a chick magnet

to say something more but Darren cut him off, “If you guys

and Kevin wisely

found out that Darren, the university professor, was often bossed around

wonder our paths

Darren showed me around different areas and introduced me to various unique anime promotion techniques. I actually learned quite a

couldn’t let their help go unrewarded, so I suggested we all go out for a meal after the

up at Aurora

we passed by a second–floor private room, we bumped into

glanced at Darren by my side and asked, “This guy looks familiar, Xaviera. Is he your new boyfriend?”

about to set the record straight when Darren beat me to

her hand, “Handsome young man, where do

thought, frowning

University,” Darren replied politely, “and I’m

sooner had he spoken than Hilary’s

Darren to go ahead and order

happy to see you settling down well,

Only

I notice that Hilary’s makeup was a bit

the top lately. He’s even been pushing me to bring Ms. Irwin to social gatherings. If his

turning her face away, looking like she was about to cry.

insists, just go along with it.

people in

returned to the private room, not before making

hang of this

still hustling for

tonight; we were all old classmates, reminiscing about our

was

bed, I felt a strange sense of