FEBRUARY


I hope he’s here.

Despite all the bustle and chaos of a typical university orientation, that desire had been all that Aster Lux clung to. The eighteen-year-old had followed the signs leading to the indoor sports hall, and as he drew closer to its entrance, the feelings of hope and excitement began to gnaw away at his heart. His ochre, semi-curly hair bounced with each eager step he took. At the entrance to the hall, a massive banner read “Central University of the Arts Freshmen Orientation Day.”


If he’s not here, this would all have been for nothing.

Aster took a deep breath and walked inside. He was outfitted in his favourite oversized green sweater vest, which instilled him with the confidence he needed to navigate this unfamiliar environment. His almond-shaped eyes darted around as they eagerly scanned the enormous hall, searching for the face that Aster had longed to see.

“Hi! Here for orientation? May I have your name and major, please?” a voice asked.

The question stifled Aster’s search. He refocused his eyes on the figure in front of him, a girl with long, black hair, outfitted with a bright red orientation t-shirt. The name “Acacia” was scrawled in black marker on a piece of tape pasted on her shoulder.

What if he’s really not here? Am I just being overdramatic? I should be grateful enough that I even made it.

“Aster Lux. Major in film.”

“Oh! Good choice. That’s my major too! You’re in group nineteen, right at the end of the hall.”

Acacia handed Aster a goodie bag and sent him on his way.

By the time Aster reached the other end of the hall, he had scanned what had seemed like a thousand different faces, and with none of them being the face he wanted to see, he felt a sense of disappointment slowly creep in. However, what he saw in front of him made him feel reinvigorated.

Calix Frost is actually here.

His wavy obsidian-black hair, his dark blue-purple eyes that sparkled like stars in the night sky, everything about him was perfection to Aster, who brimmed with unbridled joy from being reminded that the exquisite man whom he was looking at was real.

He’s going to be my group leader?? It must be fate.

Aster slowly walked towards the circle, but as he approached, he noticed someone in a nearby circle holding up a sign with the number seventeen on it. He tried to hide the disappointment on his face as he noticed group nineteen sitting slightly further away.

Just smile, Aster, you know you’re good at that.

He put on the best, toothiest grin he had and sat down with his group.

“Alright everyone, let’s take turns introducing ourselves, our course, and why we chose it. Let’s go in alphabetical order, so… Aster Lux, you’re up first.”

“Hi! I’m Aster, and I’m studying film. I chose this course because when I was young, I loved movies and I wanted to be a movie director. I heard about the course from a talk in high school, and I found the program interesting, so I decided to give it a go.

I’d be crazy if I told them the real reason I joined CUA.

While the rest of Aster’s group introduced themselves, Aster tried sneaking glances at his real reason. So close, yet so far. 

He looks as amazing as the first time I saw him…

*****

“Aster Lux! It’s already senior year and you still dare sleep in class?”

The voice of his teacher stirred Aster from his slumber. 

“You’d better buck up now if you want to do something useful with your life!”

Without fail, Aster’s teacher would nag him about the future, but it all fell on deaf ears.

“That goes out to all of you too. The school has invited alumni who work and study in different fields to come back and talk to you all. Pay attention and maybe you’ll get an idea of what you want to do after graduation, if you don’t have one yet.” 

Aster thought that meant some boring guy was going to share something about his boring life. But he was wrong. Soon, the bell rang, and the lunch break that changed his life began.

“I can’t believe they are making us stay back on the one day we don’t have study hall to listen to a guy yap about his life!” Aster groaned as he finished his food.

“Honestly… maybe it’s about time you think about what you want to do after high school.” one of his friends replied

“Why bother?" I’m going to the toilet. You guys up to the lecture theatre first, I’ll see you there.”

High school is so boring. Why does anyone even care about studying? Maybe it’s really because I don’t know what to do with my life…

Aster contemplated hiding in the washroom to skip the talk, but when he entered, he was awestruck. Combing his hair in front of the mirror was the stunningly handsome stranger, who looked no more than two or three years older than Aster. Aster admired the stranger's side profile long enough for him to have noticed. 

The stranger turned around and looked directly at Aster. Aster felt his heart beating at a lightning-fast pace when their eyes had made contact with each other. He was lost in the galaxy of stars that shimmered in his eyes. 

I would never forget how I felt that day.

*****

Aster’s reminiscing was cut short by a constant vibrating. 

Who could be calling me at this time? I’ll just not pick up, I’m busy after all.

The vibration stopped for a split second, and as Aster took his phone out of his pocket, several texts arrived in quick succession.

Boyfriend: How is orientation?

Boyfriend: Have you met anyone interesting?

Boyfriend: Call me when you can.

Boyfriend: I’ll pick you up after you finish.

But then there’s also him.