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Lemu hesitated for a moment before speaking. "There was a student named Alice who brought me here just now. But she had an exam herself, and I don't think she'll make it in time."
Then, he glanced at Emick, carefully choosing his words. "You mentioned that students who arrive late might have to retake the course. Could you be a little lenient this time?"
Old Emick finally straightened out his wig, adjusting it back onto his head with satisfaction. "Of course. It's really not a big deal. Normally, being late by a few minutes isn't a problem."
However, he paused for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But… Alice… You don't mean Alice Black, do you?"
Lemu raised an eyebrow. "You know her?"
Emick chuckled. "She's one of my students in math. Very talented. Right now, she should be taking her exam in D412… And Montbatten is the proctor there. Good thing you told me. That woman can be quite difficult. She'd definitely make things hard for Alice if she felt like it."
As he spoke, Emick had already pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Montbatten, it's me. I need a favor… Yes, don't give the girl a hard time…"
Lemu nodded in appreciation. "Thanks."
Emick waved a hand dismissively, though there was a hint of helplessness in his expression. "Speaking of which, Montbatten also gave you a rough time during your entrance exams. But she's technically your senior, so don't hold a grudge against her."
Lemu blinked in surprise. "You even know the word 'senior'?"
The concept of seniority among students wasn't really a thing in the U.S. They didn't follow that system at all.
Emick grinned mysteriously. Then, without warning, he raised his hands and performed a sharp Sun Character Punch—a classic move in Eastern martial arts. His movements, though slightly slowed by age, were practiced and precise.
Lemu's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed. Aside from his body being weaker due to aging, his technique is solid.
Emick finished his strikes, then patted his chest twice—his palm strikes making a loud, confident smack. "Of course I do. Don't underestimate an old man. When I was younger, I dabbled in some Eastern martial arts. I even learned a bit alongside Tony."
He let out a nostalgic sigh before continuing, "Back then, Tony and I had the same doctoral advisor. But in martial arts, he was technically my junior."
His expression turned thoughtful as he struggled to recall something. "In Eastern terms, I believe that's called… called…"
Lemu offered a small smile. "Fate?"
Emick's face lit up. "Yes! Fate! Tony was a hell of a fighter back in the day. Beating him took everything I had."
Emick let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "But these days, he could beat me with just one hand. Getting old, you know? Can't fight like I used to."
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Lemu and Emick continued their conversation outside the classroom until the exam ended. Their discussion drifted from martial arts to technology, then to academic theories, before eventually settling on video games.
To Lemu's surprise, the old professor was quite the trendsetter. Not only did he own a full set of high-end AR gaming equipment, but he also had a particular love for electronic fighting games. Thanks to his sharp martial arts instincts, he had managed to stay in the top three rankings across multiple competitive fighting titles.
Even more unexpectedly, he had an entire display case filled with action figures and models—mostly characters from combat-heavy games and anime. Some of the weapons were even life-sized replicas, crafted with stunning accuracy.
Huh. Who would've thought? Lemu mused. Old body, young heart.
When the exam finally ended, Emick left to collect the test papers, while Lemu made his way toward the school gates, blending into the crowd of students streaming out.
Alice was already there, waiting for him.
She was still dressed in the same crisp white blouse and jeans, a small white handbag in hand. But under the golden sunlight, her long, radiant blonde hair shimmered even more brilliantly, like strands of pure gold catching fire. She stood there effortlessly, like a breathtaking scene straight out of a painting.
From a distance, she spotted Lemu among the crowd and waved.
"Over here."
Lemu jogged over, lifting his hand in response.
Just as he came to a stop beside her, Alice opened her mouth to speak. "I wanted to—"
But Lemu cut in before she could finish. "No rush. Let's grab lunch first and talk while we eat. Is there anywhere good to eat around here? I'm starving."
As he spoke, he subtly studied Alice's expression.
Still acting distant… he noted. What's going on with her today?
Alice simply nodded, then—without hesitation—reached out and took his hand again.
"Follow me. I'll take you to the cafeteria."
Their fingers intertwined naturally as they walked side by side down the campus path.
More than a few heads turned their way, eyes filled with envy.
….
The two soon arrived at the cafeteria and joined the line for food.
Behind the counter, cafeteria staff bustled about, ladling food onto trays. Most were middle-aged men and women, dressed in white uniforms with matching hairnets and masks. In America, gaining weight seemed almost inevitable after a certain age—especially for cafeteria workers.
When it was Lemu's turn, he leaned forward slightly, scanning the options.
"That one, that one… and that one too."
Lemu's tray was packed with food: a hot dog, a roasted chicken leg, four crab cakes, a large chicken breast, a whole potato, steamed broccoli, and a generous serving of white rice.
The cafeteria lady—a plump, middle-aged woman in a white uniform—gave him a look. Then another. Her brows furrowed slightly, as if silently asking: Are you serious?
Lemu responded with a firm nod, his expression innocent yet determined—absolutely serious.
With practiced skill, the cafeteria lady stacked the food onto his tray, arranging it from largest to smallest like a carefully balanced tower. Then, as if acknowledging his enthusiasm, she added a custard tart right at the top.
"Here you go."
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If you want to read 15+ chapters ahead and unpublished fanfics you can check out my patreon or just take a visit.
[P].[A].[T].[R].[E].[O].[N]
http://patreon.com/Kazuma_trash