Ivan had plenty more questions he wanted to ask. There was so much he wanted to know about Jane, but he reminded himself not to rush things. So instead, he straightened a little in his seat and asked simply, "What are you studying?"
Jane sighed softly, taking a brief moment before replying. "Gynecology."
"Cute," Ivan said without hesitation. Then, after about three seconds, he turned his head to look at her again, smiling playfully. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Jane laughed immediately, shaking her head at him. She could tell he was teasing. "Of course I know what I'm doing. I've been planning on studying that since I was like… fourteen. I don't really remember, but I'm doing good—even if I'm just a freshman."
Ivan chuckled and reached over to pat her shoulder gently before leaning back again. He lifted his eyes to the night sky, breathing in the fresh air. "Do you know the names of the stars? I heard they all have names."
Jane chuckled too, shaking her head. She didn't know much about stars at all. "No, I don't know the names of stars. I don't even know if they actually have names… or maybe they do, I'm not sure. Do you know about them?"
Ivan laughed quietly. "No. I just watched a movie once where they started calling the stars different names. But either way… they're very pretty."
Jane smiled at that, and then it was her turn. "You—what are you studying?"
Ivan hesitated for a moment, his eyes resting on her before he finally answered, "Business."
"Wow," Jane said, almost under her breath. Ivan—handsome, charming, everything—and he was studying business. The image instantly popped into her head: Ivan as the CEO of some company in the future. And God, the thought was hot. Super hot.
Their relationship shifted that night, moving from something vague and unspoken into the beginnings of friendship. They chatted for a long while after, their voices low, their laughter gentle. By the time they went to bed, both carried warm feelings in their stomachs, the kind that lingered even in silence.
Ivan found it hard to sleep. Lying awake, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts spun in circles. All he could think of was Jane. Jane, Jane, Jane. He knew a few more things about her now—her dreams, her quirks—and that knowledge left him strangely satisfied. But it also left him wanting more.
Across the hall, Jane was just as restless. She couldn't stop blushing. Her face burned every time she replayed their conversation in her head.
Britney, who had been scribbling in her notebook, finally looked up. She raised a brow at the sight of Jane's glowing cheeks.
"Hey, what are you blushing about?" Britney asked.
"Oh, no, I'm not blushing, I just, uh… it's…" Jane stammered, then sighed in defeat. "It's Ivan. We had a good conversation earlier and I don't know… it's just…" She trailed off, unable to put it into words.
Britney smiled knowingly and set her notebook aside. Walking closer, she leaned in. "Okay, girl. You like him."
Jane blinked, dumbfounded. "What? No! I didn't—"
But deep down, she knew herself too well. She had always been the type: if someone was kind to her, she couldn't help but fall for them. And Ivan… he was nice. Nice and handsome. That was all it took. She liked him because of it, and she knew it. Yet in her heart, she was certain of one thing—if he stopped being nice, or if she stopped finding him attractive, then whatever she was feeling now would simply disappear.
"No, I don't like him. I don't," Jane insisted weakly.
"Mhm," Britney hummed, clearly unconvinced. She climbed onto her bed, pulling the covers over herself. "Don't say I didn't tell ya," she added, her voice fading as she switched off the light. Within minutes, she was drifting into the dream world.
But Jane remained awake, lying in the dark, her mind buzzing. She kept thinking about Britney's words. Thinking about Ivan. Thinking about the long, sweet conversation they had shared. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop smiling
The day had been really normal. Nothing unusual, nothing dramatic.
In the Ts mansion, everyone seemed to have morning classes, which meant the house was busy early on. Jane, as always, moved on her own schedule. She woke up quietly, bathed, packed her books, and slipped out without breakfast. She already had a plan—she wanted to grab a slice of pie from a bakery she had spotted a few days ago while on a walk. The place had looked cozy and inviting, and today felt like the right time to try it.
Her classes went smoothly. She attended every lecture, stayed focused, and managed to complete and submit her assignments on time. By the end of the day, she was tired but satisfied.
Then her phone buzzed. A text from Professor Kim: Come to my office.
And Jane knew exactly why.
She made her way over, pushing open the office door. There sat Professor Kim, as charming as ever with her neatly styled blonde hair and her elegant blue dress—though Jane couldn't decide which shade of blue it really was.
"Welcome, my dear," Professor Kim said warmly, smiling as Jane took the seat in front of her. She didn't waste any time getting to the point.
"So…"
It seemed the professor didn't want to waste time either.
"So… everything's going good so far," Jane began. "Ryan's kinda cold, hard, and rude sometimes, but he can be calm too. We don't really talk though, because he obviously doesn't like me. But overall… he's just… him."
Jane had been updating Professor Kim about Ryan's behavior ever since she started living in the mansion. The truth was, nothing about Ryan had changed. Still, she held back from reporting every little detail—it didn't feel right to complain too much about his awful behavior to his own mother.
Professor Kim didn't look particularly unimpressed or even concerned. She simply nodded, professional and polite. That struck Jane as odd, but she understood. The professor was only doing her job, and maybe not getting too involved in family matters was her way of keeping things simple.
The conversation soon wrapped up after they talked about Jane's comfort and how she was adjusting. Jane gave positive replies—she was fine, she was handling things.
When she left the office, she decided she wasn't ready to go home just yet. She wanted to explore the city a little more.
The city was beautiful in its own way. Jane loved the energy of it—the mix of culture, the way the people moved, the chaos that somehow made everything feel alive. She strolled for a while, soaking it all in, and then an idea struck her: maybe she could get a part-time job. That would be great.
Without wasting time, she walked into a café. The owner seemed to take to her instantly, impressed by her quiet confidence and the smart way she spoke. To Jane's surprise, he accepted her on the spot. She could start the next day. Life was good.
By the time the sky darkened, Jane decided to head back. She made her way home, opened the front door of the mansion, and stepped into the living room—only to freeze at the sight before her.
Something she hadn't planned to see. Something she hadn't imagined. Something she hadn't expected at all...