From a distance, he could hear thunder booming.

Despite the oncoming rain, the university town remains lively as ever. People from all walks of life pass by with a skip in their steps. They laugh and talk amongst themselves without a care in the world.

Aloe, on the other hand, is in his own personal state of calamity.

It made no sense. 

As far as Aloe knew, Basil was rarely ever intimate in his relationships. He doesn’t even want to know such a fact about him, but for some reason, Aloe often had the misfortune of being hounded by Basil’s disgruntled girlfriends over the lack of intimacy in their relationships.

He tried his best to shoo them away without outright offending them.

Weren’t they happy they got to even date him?

Aloe looks out the cafe window. He catches sight of a couple, a man and a woman, arm in arm as they walk into a shop. He’s never had anyone to date, so he never knows what to think about such things. 

Isn’t it normal that Basil just wants to wait until he’s ready? And maybe it just so happens that Basil likes this girl enough that he finally took that step with her.

If that were the case, then Aloe thinks he should be happy for them. Basil had always been a good person—kind and sweet, always attentive to everyone around him—so if he found someone who could do the same for him, then Aloe can be assured.

Except he doesn’t feel that way right now.

And he knows why. 

He just doesn’t want to say it, not even acknowledge it. Because he knows how such feelings can destroy someone’s life. And he knew if Basil finds out about Aloe’s deepest feelings, then things would be over for them.

So, to keep things as good as they are, he’ll just keep these feelings to himself. It’s better that way.

“Agh!”

And as it seems, he’s not the only one feeling miserable in such a lively place.

“What is wrong with her? Isn’t this a group assignment? Holly’s been ignoring our messages for two weeks now!” 

In front of him is a woman dressed in a cute, white dress with a cardigan on top. There’s a pink pin with a heart keeping a part of her fringe from covering her face. The rest of her dark brown curls flow down her back, swaying with every furious movement she makes. 

Despite her scrunched brows and a deep frown, if one were to ask any person in their department, they would definitely still call her cute. This person is none other than Sage, one of the popular students in their department.

Seeing her state, Aloe tries to snap out of his stupor, shooing away all thoughts and worries of Basil and his new girlfriend.

Get a hold of yourself, Aloe.

There is a more pressing dilemma for him right now. 

For someone like Aloe, group work like this is complete and utter hell. And unfortunately for him, this class had a lot of group assignments. Even worse, they’re stuck with the same members until the end of the semester.

Adjusting his expression, he turns to Sage with a salesman-like smile. 

Internally, however, he sighs.

It looks like his week is off to an awful start.