Chương 32: Some moments spent together

Adam took a deep, measured breath as he listened to Ani's words.

Leaning back slightly, he replied in a calm yet unyielding tone,

"Alright, if you're not willing to accept my help, then I won't be obliged to accept your requests either."

His declaration left Ani momentarily confused. She raised an eyebrow, hesitating before responding.

Adam cut in before she could, his voice softer this time. "But, I will help you. Just give me some of the documents, and I'll get to work."

Ani shook her head quickly, almost on instinct. "No, no! How could I possibly do that? You came here to enquire about my well being, not to work on my assignments," she insisted, her voice laced with a mix of guilt and determination.

But Adam didn't take no for an answer. He rose from his seat and, with a swift yet graceful movement, walked over to her desk.

Before she could react, he reached out, gathering up a stack of papers, and returned to his seat.

Taking a quick glance, Adam noted the titles: event proposal, participation registration forms, schedules, rules, and regulations.

He began flipping through them, realizing that these were official documents for the upcoming events that Ani, he cannot understand how the student council can give so much work to her.

"Are they seriously piling all this on her alone?" Adam thought, frowning slightly as he scanned the extensive workload.

It seemed unreasonable to burden a single student with such a mountain of paperwork.

she had changed into a more comfortable outfit—a soft, cream-colored sweater that brought out the blue in her eyes, paired with relaxed, worn jeans. She sat beside him, a hint of embarrassment still lingering in her expression as she said, "If you're really that insistent on helping… maybe just take a few documents. I can handle the rest."

Adam shook his head firmly. "No. If I'm going to help, I'll do it all," he replied with finality, his gaze steady.

But as she reached out to take the papers back, Adam instinctively caught her hand, stopping her.

The sudden contact brought them face-to-face, their eyes locking for the first time at such close proximity.

Adam found himself captivated by her bright blue eyes, framed by her silver-white hair, which had a silken sheen under the room's soft lighting.

For a moment, his breath hitched. He had never seen her from this close before, never noticed the delicate, almost ethereal quality of her features.

They stayed like that, silently gazing at each other, both caught in the unexpected intimacy of the moment.

Finally, Ani realized their closeness and quickly pulled her hand back, her face flushed with color as she muttered, "I… I'm sorry."

Rising abruptly, she moved to her study table, trying to busy herself with the other documents she had left there.

Her cheeks were a shade of pink now, and her fingers trembled slightly as she picked up a pen, the image of Adam's face lingering in her mind, much closer and clearer than ever before.

Adam, still somewhat dazed from the encounter, gathered his focus and looked down at the documents in his hands. "I've never really seen her that close… her blue eyes, her hair like silver threads… and her breath was so close, I could feel it."

He let out a slow breath, forcing himself to concentrate on the papers, hoping Ani hadn't noticed the color rising in his own cheeks.

The silence stretched on as they both worked, each quietly absorbed in their own tasks, or at least trying to be.

Ani's job was to meticulously organize and detail the event schedules, down to the participation lists and order of each game.

She needed to have it all ready by tomorrow to present it to the student council.

But her mind kept drifting back to that brief yet intense moment.

She stole quick glances at Adam, his focused expression, the slight furrow in his brow as he worked, his striking violet eyes, and the way his dark hair fell just past his shoulders, adding a touch of mystery to his already intense demeanor.

Ani quickly looked back down, feeling her heart race each time she caught herself staring.

Adam, on the other hand, was trying his best to focus on the work at hand.

Just then, Pratham's voice echoed in his mind, breaking his concentration. "Lord Adam, if you don't complete these documents, Miss Ani will have to handle all of this on her own, and that might worsen her health. Let me assist you in finishing these."

Hearing this, Adam nodded, using Pratham's reminder to steady himself.

With Pratham's help, they managed to complete most of the paperwork within an hour.

As Adam finished, his eyes fell upon a small plate and glass on the table—a glass of juice and a piece of cake Ani's mother had prepared but forgotten about.

Reaching over, he moved the glass slightly, the sound of it sliding on the table catching Ani's attention.

Ani looked over, her cheeks still faintly flushed as she mentally berated herself. "How could I forget to offer him something to eat?" She shot him an apologetic glance, chastising herself silently for being so distracted.

Adam, noticing her flustered expression, gently held up the finished document. "I've completed this part of the stack. You might want to check them over once."

Ani blinked in surprise, clearly impressed and grateful. She moved back to his side, taking the documents from him.

Sitting beside him, she reviewed his work, her expression softening as she realized he'd done everything perfectly, each event and game detailed and organized precisely.

"Adam, you… you've done it perfectly," she said, her voice light with surprise and admiration.

As she spoke, Adam noticed her smile, her features relaxed, her eyes soft with gratitude. She looked… cute, he realized, and found himself staring before he quickly averted his gaze.

Ani seemed to catch his staring, her cheeks warming again. After a few seconds of silence, Adam broke it, trying to diffuse the tension. "I just figured that if I didn't help, you'd have to stay up all night, and I didn't want your health to suffer because of it."

Ani's heart beat faster, and she struggled to keep her expression composed. She responded softly, without looking up, "Thank you for caring… really."

Adam noted the clock on Ani's desk—it was nearly 6 p.m. He was reluctant to leave but knew it was probably time. "It's getting late… I should go."

Ani's expression shifted slightly in surprise as she checked her own watch.

She hadn't realized how much time had passed.

"You're right. It is late," she replied, a bit disappointed yet trying not to show it.

As Adam stood to leave, Pratham's voice echoed once more in his mind. "Lord Adam, it may be wise to leave something behind, so you have an excuse to return."

Though puzzled, Adam considered Pratham's advice. Quietly, he left his school ID card on her desk, giving himself a reason to return.

He then thanked Ani and her family for their hospitality and departed.

Ani walked him to the door, watching as he left. Only when she returned to her room did she notice the card he'd forgotten.

She picked it up, holding it close, staring at the photo on the card for a long moment, a soft smile playing on her lips as she thought about Adam, and the precious memories of that afternoon replayed in her mind.

With a gentle sigh, she lay on her bed, holding his ID close, her cheeks pink as she allowed herself to imagine seeing him again soon.

To be connected....