Chapter 29: Lucas Harrington

As he leaned back, he felt a pair of eyes burning into him.

Turning toward the source of the gaze, his eyes met Sophie's.

 She was looking at him with intense heat.

Rex flashed a smile, she held his stare for a second before looking away, a small smile playing on her lips.

Even though he was a bit confused by her series of actions, he didn't dwell on it and focused his attention back on the lecture.

The class went on without anything special, but Rex barely paid attention. Instead, he focused on reviewing the material he'd missed, making up for lost time.

It was the same in the next lecture. With the exams approaching, he had decided to start from scratch and slowly catch up.

At lunch break, he went to the cafeteria again. Though many girls still surrounded him, they kept their distance allowing him to eat in peace.

He was also slowly trying to get used to this, Anyway, if you can't change the situation, you can always adapt.

Today, he decided to try a Mediterranean-inspired spread.

He started with an elegant mezze platter featuring hummus, baba ghanoush, marinated olives, stuffed grape leaves, and warm pita bread.

For the main course, there was a perfectly grilled lamb rack, accompanied by fragrant rice pilaf and a side of tzatziki.

He paired it with a refreshing iced tea infused with lemon and mint.

To finish, he had a light dessert—a small serving of creamy Greek yogurt topped with honey and chopped walnuts.

The meal was simple yet satisfying, capturing the essence of Mediterranean flavors.

After lunch, he went to his last class of the day—a lecture on the economics of the entertainment industry. 

The professor, a woman in her fifties with silver-streaked hair and a poised demeanor.

Despite her age—around fifty—she had maintained herself well.

Just like her appearance, she was gentle and refined, always carrying a soft smile.

She delivered the lecture with a calm authority that made even dry concepts engaging.

Rex listened intently. Understanding the business side of entertainment was crucial, and every bit of insight mattered.

He found the subject particularly interesting and gained a lot from the lecture.

By 3 PM, he was finally free. Without wasting time, he made his way to the library, to make up for all the knowledge he was missing. 

With the spring quarter nearing its end and final exams fast approaching, he didn't much have time to waste.

The campus was buzzing with students buried in books, trying to cram for finals. The library was no exception.

He went straight to grab his books for the entire semester and prepared for an intensive study session.

He returned to the private study cubicle he'd used yesterday. It was empty—Isolde wasn't there.

Not giving it much thought, he settled in, retrieved his Aeon Glasses from the system warehouse, and slipped them on.

The moment he put them on, his perception sharpened. The words on the page became clearer, his reading speed skyrocketed, and his comprehension deepened.

Today's goal was simple: skim through the books to get a general understanding of the semester's content before diving into the details.

Time passed in silence and peace as he slowly grasped the overall picture and pinpointed what he needed to focus on.

After a long while, he stretched his sore body. Checking the time, he was shocked—it was already 8 PM.

That meant he had been studying for nearly five hours straight.

He exhaled, rubbing his temples. Outside, darkness had settled over the campus, the streetlights casting a warm glow on the walkways.

He carefully organized all the materials.

After removing the glasses, he went straight to the self-checkout machine, pulled out his library card, and registered the books he needed.

Stepping outside, he inhaled the cool breeze deeply, unwinding his tired body.

The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and fresh-cut grass.

The weather was pleasant, with a bright moon and twinkling stars dotting the night sky like precious gems.

As he admired the scenery, he slowly headed toward his car.

"Hey, Rex!"

He suddenly heard someone calling his name.

Confused, he stopped and turned around.

A young man, about his age, was waving and rushing toward him.

Coming closer, the man took a deep look at Rex before suddenly stepping forward and hugging him tightly.

Rex stiffened for a moment, confused by this turn of events, before relaxing.

But before he could say anything, the young man spoke first.

"Damn, man! It's really you! I almost didn't recognize you."

Hearing the familiar voice, Rex searched his memories and immediately recalled who the young man was.

Lucas Harrington.

A high school friend of his previous self.

Good-looking, charismatic, and reliable. Despite coming from a wealthy family, he was humble and down-to-earth, never shying away from befriending those from ordinary backgrounds.

He was someone you could always rely on.

Lucas's voice brought him back to reality.

"Hey, how did you get so handsome? I mean, you were always good-looking, but not this handsome."

Then, lowering his voice, he leaned in.

"Tell me, did you get plastic surgery? I swear I won't tell anyone."

"Go to hell. You are the one who got surgery. This is all-natural. Hmph." Rex scoffed, breaking free from his arms.

Lucas gasped dramatically. "Hey! No need to lie between us. Just tell me the truth—I swear I won't tell another soul." Lucas glanced around like a thief.

"I'm not lying. I really didn't get surgery." Rex gave a helpless smile.

Lucas crossed his arms, unconvinced. "But… but then… how?" Lucas gestured at his face in disbelief.

"It's nothing much. I just took better care of my body and skin… and hit a growth spurt."

Though Lucas still looked skeptical, he had known Rex for years. He wasn't the type to lie.

"Okay, okay, I believe you! But...Lucky bastard." Lucas sighed in defeat, enviously measuring their heights difference with his hands.

Then his expression shifted.

"Anyway, long time no see."

"Yeah, long time." Rex nodded.

"Where have you been? I couldn't contact you for so long. Do you know how worried I was? If I hadn't occasionally heard that you were fine, I would've reported you missing and called the police." His tone was softer now, but more serious.

Rex exhaled. "Well… sorry about that, man. I just needed some time alone to figure things out."

Lucas hesitated for a moment, then sighed.

"Hey… Even though some time has passed, I've been meaning to say—I'm really sorry for your loss."

His voice softened.

"I still can't believe it… Uncle and Aunt are really gone."

He lightly patted Rex's back.

"Stay strong, man."

Rex nodded solemnly; his expression unreadable. "It's okay. It's been a while—I'm okay now."

Lucas studied him for a long moment before squeezing his shoulder.

"Still, if you ever need help, just hit me up. I'm always here, no matter what."

"Whether you want to talk about it or not, just remember—I'm always available. We can always hang out, like old times." He said, reminiscing the old times.

"Just don't disappear again like before. You have no idea how worried we all were. You're not alone, Rex. Me, all our friends, We're with you. No matter what happens."

Hearing this, Rex's heart warmed.

He could truly feel the concern and care in Lucas's words.

But his past self…

Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts away.

He was Rex now. There was no point dwelling on things that no longer mattered.

Lucas grinned, breaking the moment. "Hey, we should set up a time to plan a get-together soon. It's been ages since we all gathered. How about it? You in?"

"Me? Totally." Rex smirked. "Even if I'm in the middle of you know, I'll come running."

"Eww! Gross." Lucas made an exaggerated face of disgust and backed away.

Rex laughed. "Okay, okay. Enough joking."

He came closer and hesitantly asked, "Promise you won't vanish again?"

"I promise."

Lucas nodded in satisfaction, then clapped his hands together. "Speaking of gathering, I know a great place nearby. Let's grab a quick dinner and catch up. It is dinnertime, after all."

Rex hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.

"Alright. Lead the way."

Lucas grinned. "Trust me, you're gonna love this place."

But Rex wasn't so sure.

(End of Chapter)