Christmas had come and gone, and everything slipped back into its usual rhythm. Loane University campus returned to its familiar atmosphere—winter days and winter nights, classes in and classes out, everyone moving through their own lives.
The last morning lecture was the easy gen-ed civics course. In the eyes of the computer science students it was universally acknowledged as a guaranteed easy credit, so almost no one paid real attention. The instructor seemed to understand the situation and simply lectured on from behind the podium, rarely bothering to look up at the rows below.
Phones out, heads down sleeping, quiet chatting, catching up on other assignments—only a handful of girls actually listened. The atmosphere in that class was always the same: as long as no one got too loud, the professor couldn't be bothered to intervene.
Noah twirled the mechanical pencil between his fingers, staring blankly out the window at the green bamboo, his thoughts drifting somewhere far away. His desk mate nudged his elbow and leaned in, voice low. "Afternoon basketball game against Class Two. You coming, Nate?"
"I'm not that good at basketball…"
"It's fine, it's just a friendly. We're short on players."
"I'll have to ask my sister. Not sure I can make it."
"Seriously?" Caleb looked genuinely shocked. "Nate, you really let Professor Miller control every single thing? You're in college. You're an adult."
Noah opened his mouth, ready to argue, but nothing came out.
He couldn't even remember when Evelyn had started tightening the reins so much. Following her rules, he had moved his computer, textbooks, and several sets of clothes over to the faculty housing building. His bed in the residence hall had become little more than a piece of furniture; the sheets he folded weeks ago had never been unfolded again.
The Christmas confession hadn't really changed anything between them. Their relationship had already felt like a couple's—actually more than that.
Couples eventually became family. They had been family long before anything else.
Lately he only saw his roommates in class. Even when invited to something he still had to get Evelyn's permission first.
She rarely said no outright, but reporting to her was non-negotiable. Otherwise… he really didn't want to see his sister get angry.
That obsessive, twisted possessiveness and need for control pressed down on him harder every day until it was hard to breathe.
Even though Evelyn was gentle and doting with him, taking care of every little detail with perfect thoughtfulness.
Being stripped of freedom still didn't feel good.
He stopped spinning the pencil, lit up his phone screen. "I'll text her right now. Should be fine."
Caleb sighed like he was disappointed in him. "Haven't you ever thought about actually talking to Professor Miller? She teaches psychology—she'd understand, right?"
"I… I'll think about it."
The truth was Noah had tried. No matter how reasonable his words, how correct the logic, how hard he argued, none of it ever stood up to a single command from his sister. The moment her expression cooled, he could only shut his mouth and obey.
Luckily the reply that came through was permission. Evelyn even said she would come watch the game.
"I can go," he told Caleb quietly.
"Great. Five o'clock at the courts."
The civics lecture ended with a loud bell. The young instructor, who clearly hadn't been enthusiastic to begin with, announced class was over, and the students poured out of the room in a wave.
Evelyn's classes today were the first two periods in the morning and the fourth in the afternoon; she should still be back at the residence hall preparing lunch right now.
Noah left the building against the flow of the crowd. Walking along the campus street, he glanced toward the student dorms but didn't head that way.
Evelyn's control was too strict. She almost never gave him time alone and absolutely forbade contact with other girls.
So after class he liked to wander around campus, feel the breeze, breathe air that wasn't inside four walls.
The snow on the paths had already melted. The gentle winter wind ruffled the hair at his forehead, soft and comfortable, and it made him think of the way Evelyn kissed him… His sister really was wonderful. It was just that her need to control him had grown too strong.
His phone rang soon after. He answered without checking the caller ID. The woman's gentle, melodic voice came through immediately. "Class over? Why aren't you back yet?"
"I wanted to walk around outside for a bit."
"Come eat lunch first. It's already twelve-thirty. Hurry, hurry—the food will get cold."
"Got it. Heading back now."
Noah hung up with a helpless sigh, hugged his textbooks to his chest, and walked back to the faculty housing building. The moment he opened the door the rich, spicy aroma of the meal hit him. He set his books down, washed his hands, and sat at the table.
Evelyn placed a piece of tofu in his bowl and gave the order softly. "Nate, be good and stay right here this afternoon. Sister has to go teach."
"Didn't you say I could go for a walk?"
"Tomorrow. Sister will go with you tomorrow."
His fork paused mid-air. He lifted his head and looked at Evelyn's beautiful, refined face, voice carrying a note of pleading. "Sis, I just want to walk around."
"Be good. There's nothing worth walking around for. We'll do a night run together tonight and you can run as much as you want."
"Why do you have to control me so strictly?"
"Nate only needs to listen to sister." Her tone turned cool and flat, carrying an unarguable steel. "Sister is doing this for your own good. Stay in the residence hall this afternoon. Sister will come back and go to the basketball game with you."
"But…"
"Listen." Evelyn frowned and gave him a glance. Noah swallowed the rest of the words.
After the meal Noah volunteered to wash the dishes. Evelyn packed up her teaching materials, soothed him for a moment, then left for the lecture building.
The room fell silent. Noah sprawled across the desk, staring out at the vast clear sky. The urge to go out only grew stronger. Even if he didn't leave campus, just walking around would be enough.
In the past he hadn't minded Evelyn's control. She truly did everything with his best interests in mind and spoiled him with care. But now that she had escalated it to the point of almost locking him at her side, he couldn't help wanting to push back.
His gaze wandered aimlessly and landed on the psychology book at the corner of the desk. He thought of the campus counseling center. Evelyn was part of the staff there, though she was rarely called in.
Maybe… he could go over and see. At least get some of it off his chest. As long as he made it back before her afternoon class ended.
He waited deliberately until the first afternoon period bell rang before slipping out. He went downstairs, walked along the street, found the slightly tucked-away counseling office in the administration building, and knocked.
"Come in."
Inside sat a kind-looking middle-aged woman with an elegant, refined air and a faint smile on her face. Noah had met her twice before; he remembered she was the other psychology professor at the school.
"You're… Professor Miller's younger brother, right? Come in and sit." She stood up out of habit and poured him a glass of water, doing everything to help him relax.
Students only came here for two reasons: official mental-health events the school asked her to help with, or because they had something weighing on them they wanted to talk about.
"Evelyn hasn't been by in a long time. You coming in today… do you want to chat with your professor?"
"Yeah, Professor Emily Brooks. There's something I want to ask you."