The next morning, Ethan
woke up to a message.
Ryan:
I have a fever. Not
coming to college today.
Ethan sighed while reading it.
"Great… first time coming to
college alone."
He quickly typed back.
Take medicine and rest. I'll come see you in the evening.
Ryan sent a thumbs-up emoji.
When Ethan reached Arden Engineering College, the campus was louder than usual.
Students from first year had gathered near the main hall.
"What's happening?" Ethan asked.
His classmate Maya pointed
toward the stage.
"They're choosing mentors today."
"Mentors?"
"Yeah. Each first-year student gets a senior mentor until second year. They guide us with projects, labs, internships… all that."
Liam appeared beside them.
"And apparently,"
he added dramatically,
"we're choosing them through some weird game."
Ethan blinked.
"A game?"
A few minutes later,
the rules were explained.
Each first-year student would draw a number from a box.
The number matched
with a senior mentor.
"Sounds simple enough," Liam whispered.
Students started going one by one.
Soon it was Ethan's turn.
He reached into the box and picked a small folded paper.
Number 7
The coordinator checked the list.
"Number 7… Adrian Parker."
Ethan froze.
Adrian… Parker?
Why did that name sound familiar?
Then someone stepped forward from the seniors' row.
Tall.
Calm.
Sharp eyes.
Ethan's heart skipped.
The guy from yesterday.
Adrian Parker.
His mentor.
For the next two years.
Liam leaned toward him and
whispered excitedly.
"Bro… that's one of the most famous seniors in our department."
Ethan groaned internally.
Great.
After the event, students started approaching their mentors.
Ethan stood there nervously
for a few seconds.
I should probably introduce myself.
He slowly walked toward Adrian.
"Um… hello."
Adrian looked down at him.
For a moment, his
expression showed recognition.
"You're the one from yesterday."
Ethan scratched the back of
his neck awkwardly.
"Yeah… the one who bumped into you."
Adrian nodded slightly.
But something felt different today.
When Ethan had bumped into him yesterday, Adrian had sensed something faint.
A scent.
Today—
There was nothing.
Adrian stepped a little closer.
Still nothing.
Strange.
"Ethan Carter," Ethan said quickly.
"First year."
"Adrian Parker," he replied calmly.
They shook hands,
That sent a shiver down his spine.
"I know," Ethan said with a small laugh.
"You're my mentor."
Adrian studied him quietly.
For some reason, the boy standing in front of him felt… familiar.
Like he had seen him
somewhere before.
But he couldn't remember where.
Victor, standing nearby, noticed Adrian staring.
"You look like you're analyzing him,"
Victor joked.
Adrian ignored him.
Instead he said to Ethan, "If you need help with subjects or projects, you can contact me."
"Okay," Ethan replied.
Adrian's gaze softened slightly.
For some reason, he found Ethan's nervous expression… cute.
But that strange feeling remained.
Why does he feel familiar?
That evening, Ethan decided
to visit Ryan.
Even though they had been friends since childhood, Ethan had never visited Ryan's house in the city.
Ethan had grown up in the countryside.
He only moved to the city recently for college.
Ryan, on the other hand, had stayed with his grandmother while studying.
So Ethan didn't really know much about Ryan's house.
After asking for directions, Ethan finally reached the place.
He stood in front of the door and pressed the doorbell.
One second....
Two seconds....
Five seconds.....
Why is it taking so long…
Just when he was about to ring again—
The door opened.
Ethan froze.
Standing in front of him
was Adrian Parker.
His mentor....
Ryan's senior.....
The same person he had
met twice already.....
Ethan stared at him in shock.
"Uh— I— you—"
For once, the usually talkative Ethan couldn't form a sentence.
Adrian raised an eyebrow slightly.
"You?"
Before either of them could say more—
A voice came from inside.
"Ethan?"
Ryan walked out of his room slowly.
"Oh good, you came."
Then he noticed the awkward silence between them.
Ryan looked between the two.
"Wait… you guys already know each other?"
Ethan finally found his voice.
"Y-yeah… kinda."
He pointed at Adrian.
"He's my mentor for two years."
Ryan blinked in surprise.
"Seriously?"
"And," Ethan added awkwardly,
"he's the senior I bumped into on freshers day."
Ryan frowned slightly.
"Freshers day?"
Ethan nodded.
"You were there too."
Ryan shook his head.
"I didn't see him that day."
Adrian crossed his arms calmly.
"That's because you were late to the auditorium," he said.
Ryan groaned.
"Oh right…"
Then Ryan gestured between them casually.
"Anyway, Ethan, this is my brother."
Ethan's brain stopped
processing for a second.
"Your… brother?"
Ryan nodded.
"Yeah. Adrian Parker."
Ethan looked at Adrian.
Then at Ryan.
Then back at Adrian.
His mentor.
Was actually his
best friend's older brother.
Ryan laughed at Ethan's shocked expression.
"Well… looks like things just got interesting."
Across the room, Adrian watched Ethan carefully.
For some reason, this strange coincidence made him even more curious about the cheerful first-year.
And deep inside, that faint memory of a hidden scent still lingered in his mind.