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

chuckle, “Darren, you really do have a chick magnet vibe.”

was about to say something more but Darren cut him off, “If you guys keep ribbing me like this, don’t bother calling

Kevin wisely

when I found out that Darren, the university professor, was often bossed around by Tina and Kevin to attend various comic cons as their errand cosplay

wonder our paths

different areas and introduced me to various unique anime promotion techniques. I actually learned quite a bit from the experience.

their help go unrewarded, so I

up at

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

my side and asked, “This guy looks familiar, Xaviera. Is he

to set the record straight when Darren beat

hand, “Handsome young man,

I thought, frowning slightly.

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

had he spoken than Hilary’s look became more

subject, asking Darren to go ahead and order

hallway, she sighed, “Xaviera, I’m actually happy to see you settling down well, unlike Hogan, who’s really

Only

close did I notice that Hilary’s makeup was a bit off, with powder caked at the corners of her

you, Hogan’s really been over the top lately. He’s even been pushing me to

away, looking

was comfort, “If Mr. Zade insists, just go along with it. There’s nothing between mother and

people in the

and then returned to the private room,

the hang of this wealthy lifestyle.

for my daily

were all old classmates, reminiscing about our college

I was

sense of contentment, like maybe life