The midday sun cast warm light through the tall gss windows of the university cafeteria. Evan spotted Sienna almost immediately. She sat at a table surrounded by people, her confident ugh rising above the general buzz of conversation. Her sleek ponytail pulled high and perfectly styled, the ends falling in soft waves down her back. Her group was a mix of students, all engaged, all leaning in slightly as if her presence pulled them into her orbit.

  Evan hesitated for a moment, gripping his meal card tightly. She always did have a crowd. He shook his head and headed to the food counter, gncing at the menu. Swiping the card, he flinched at the numbers that fshed across the screen: a high bance that screamed of a life far removed from the scraping and saving he remembered from before.

  With a tray of food in hand, Evan made his way to Sienna’s table. She saw him before he spoke, her sharp eyes locking on to him, and her smile softened into something warmer.

  “Evan!” she greeted, loud enough for the group to hear. Her voice carried a subtle edge of pride, as though his arrival added something to the gathering.

  “Hey,” he replied, setting his tray down at the only empty seat, which just happened to be next to hers.

  The group greeted him in chorus, nodding politely. He recognized them, piecing together names and faces from the fragmented memories of this world. He responded casually, though his inner dialogue was anything but calm. Right. That’s Jess, who always talks about her family’s vineyards. And Mia... She’s the one who constantly brings up her charity work.

  The group returned their attention to Sienna, continuing their conversation.

  “I heard about your st trip, Sienna,” Jess said, leaning forward. “Mom won’t stop talking about how you handled the merger. She keeps saying, ‘Why can’t you be more like Sienna?’” She mimicked her mother’s exasperated tone, drawing ughter from the others.

  “Same here,” Mia chimed in, her voice ced with mock frustration. “My aunt practically lectured me about you. She was like, ‘Mia, if only you had half of Sienna’s leadership skills!’”

  Sienna chuckled, deflecting the praise with an easy shrug. “I’m sure they’re just exaggerating. It wasn’t that impressive, I had a whole team with me.”

  Evan listened, trying to mask the unease that was creeping up on him. He was still getting used to the way things worked in this world—the way girls were bold, while boys were careful, almost fragile. The group’s conversation about Sienna felt so natural to them, but he couldn’t help but feel like it was all just a little too… different.

  Mia gnced over at him suddenly, her voice shifting to something more lighthearted, like she was speaking to a younger sibling. “Hey, Evan, what’s it like having Sienna as your sister? She must be just as cool at home as she is with everyone else, right?”

  Evan paused, fork halfway to his mouth. It wasn’t a bad question, but something about the way it was phrased made his stomach twist. Am I just her shadow here?

  “Yeah,” he said, forcing the smile he’d perfected. “She’s always been... pretty impressive.”

  Mia’s eyes brightened, and she giggled like he’d just given the world’s most adorable answer. “That’s so sweet of you, Evan! Unlike my brother, you always have her back.” She leaned in, hand lifting to give his arm a quick, almost patronizing pat.

  Before she could make contact, Sienna’s hand shot out and swatted Mia’s wrist away, not hard, but firm enough to make a point. “Don’t,” Sienna said, her voice sharp and low.

  The group froze for a beat, tension crackling in the air. Mia blinked, looking startled, then quickly masked it with a nervous ugh. “Oh, sorry. Reflex.”

  Evan stared at Sienna, unsure whether to feel relieved or embarrassed. She didn’t look at him, her attention firmly fixed on Mia. “He’s fine without your... encouragement,” she added, her tone light but with an unmistakable edge.

  Evan forced another smile, trying to ignore the sting. Are they trying to coddle me? Treat me like I’m a little fragile thing that needs their protection?

  Evan gave a quiet, internal sigh. Adjusting to this world... it was going to take a lot of patience.

  Jess leaned back in her chair, clearly trying to diffuse the moment. “Well, anyway,” she drawled, “I’m just saying, it must take a lot of patience to deal with someone like you, Sienna. You’re kind of a handful.”

  Sienna’s lips curved into a smirk, her hand resting lightly on the edge of the table as if staking her cim. “Evan’s used to me. Aren’t you, Evan?” she said, turning to him with a pointed smile.

  Evan cleared his throat, the tension from moments ago still lingering. “Yeah,” he said cautiously. “I guess I’ve had plenty of practice.”

  The group chuckled, and the conversation shifted, but Evan couldn’t shake the awkwardness. Possessive much? he thought, gncing at Sienna. Still, a part of him felt strangely... protected.

  Sienna must have noticed his subtle discomfort. She leaned closer, her voice softening. “Hey, Evan, you okay? You’re still acting a little awkward.”

  Evan gnced at her, caught off guard for a moment before nodding. “Yeah. Just... stuff on my mind.”

  Her eyes lingered on him, thoughtful, before she smiled again—casual but knowing. “Well, if you’re free after css, let’s go shopping. You could use a change of pace.”

  Evan blinked, processing her words. It sounded casual, but something about the way she said it made his heart skip. Was this just shopping... or something more?

  “Uh, sure,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve been thinking about getting some new clothes anyway.”

  Sienna’s ughter was light, a little teasing. “Perfect. We’ll check out that new mall. You’ll love it.”

  As the group’s chatter shifted back to other topics, Evan’s thoughts stayed on Sienna’s offer. A date? Or just shopping? Either way, he sighed inwardly, it was going to be... interesting.

  ***

  Evan stepped into the library, the cool, hushed air a welcome change from the bustle of the cafeteria. The high arched windows let in beams of sunlight, dust motes dancing in the light. He gnced at his phone. Sienna wouldn’t be done with her lectures for another hour or so.

  He wandered through the shelves until he found a quiet corner near the tech section. Pulling out a book that looked mildly interesting—Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't—he settled into one of the plush chairs.

  As he skimmed the first few pages, his gaze drifted to the towering shelves behind the table. The soft hum of the air conditioner and the faint rustling of pages reminded him of how different the pace here felt compared to the cafeteria’s chaos. The library exuded a calm that he found himself appreciating, a contrast to the hectic university life.

  The moment of peace didn’t st long, as he became aware of someone standing nearby. He looked up to see a boy with soft features, big brown eyes, and wavy hair that fell over his forehead in a way that made him look almost angelic. He was holding a ptop against his chest and wearing a light cardigan that looked two sizes too big, sleeves covering most of his hands.

  “Um, sorry to bother you,” the boy said, his voice soft and lilting. “Are you using this seat?” He gestured to the chair across from Evan.

  Evan blinked. “Oh, no, go ahead.”

  The boy set his ptop and notebook on the table, sitting down delicately, as if he didn’t want to take up too much space. He offered Evan a shy smile. “Thanks. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  Evan waved it off. “You didn’t. It’s fine.”

  For a moment, they sat in companionable silence. The boy opened his ptop and started typing, but after a few minutes, he gnced up, hesitating. “Sorry, I just realized—I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Finn, Finn Turner. Computer Science department, first year.”

  Evan smiled politely. “Evan. Business and Management, also first year.”

  Finn’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s so cool! Business majors always seem so confident.”

  Evan let out a quiet ugh. “Uh, thanks, I guess.”

  Finn’s gaze lingered for a second too long before he looked down at his ptop, his cheeks tinting pink. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. It’s just—you have really nice skin. Like, really nice. Do you do anything special for it?”

  Evan froze for a moment, caught off guard. “Uh, not really? Just soap and water, I guess.”

  Finn gasped softly, leaning forward. “No way. That’s all? You’re so lucky. I have to use, like, five different products, and it’s still not as nice as yours.” He reached out as if to touch Evan’s hand but hesitated halfway, withdrawing with a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I can get a little carried away.”

  Evan shifted slightly in his seat, forcing a small smile. “No worries.” Okay, this is... different. Definitely different.

  “So,” Finn continued, clearly eager to keep the conversation going, “why’d you choose Business and Management? Do you want to run your own company someday?”

  Evan rexed a little, grateful for the shift in topic. “Something like that. I thought it’d be practical. What about you? Why Computer Science?”

  Finn’s face lit up, and he unched into a gentle, excited expnation about his love for coding and how he wanted to work on accessible technology. “It’s just amazing, you know? Making things that can help people in ways they don’t even realize.”

  Evan nodded, genuinely impressed. “That’s a great goal. I like that you’re thinking about how your work impacts others.”

  Finn’s face lit up as he tapped the edge of his notebook lightly, clearly brimming with a thought he couldn’t contain. “Do you think people should always pick careers based on what they’re passionate about? Or is it more important to go for something practical?”

  Evan blinked, surprised by the sudden, philosophical turn. “Uh, I guess it depends. Passion’s great, but if it doesn’t pay the bills, it’s hard to keep going, right? On the other hand, if you’re doing something just for the money, it’s pretty easy to burn out. Why do you ask?”

  Finn smiled sheepishly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear. “I don’t know. I love coding, but sometimes I wonder if it’s... enough. Like, what if I get stuck doing boring maintenance work instead of the fun, creative stuff?”

  Evan nodded slowly, leaning forward a bit. “I think that happens to everyone. No job is perfect all the time, but you can always find ways to make it meaningful. And honestly, the fact that you’re even thinking about this means you’ll probably do fine. Most people don’t even bother questioning it.”

  Finn tilted his head, his expression softening into something more thoughtful. “That’s a really good way to look at it. You make it sound so... banced. Most guys I know would just say something like, ‘Follow your dreams!’ and leave it at that.”

  Evan smirked. “That’s because it’s easier to say something inspiring than to think it through.”

  Finn giggled, the sound light and melodic. “You’re right. I guess I just like how practical you are. It’s... refreshing.”

  Evan cleared his throat, feeling a little awkward under the intensity of Finn’s gaze. “Uh, thanks.”

  Finn shifted, resting his chin on his hand as he smiled. “You’re really cool, Evan. I hope we can be friends.”

  Evan blinked, caught off guard by the straightforwardness of the statement. Then he smiled back. “Yeah, sure. Friends sounds good.”

  Finn beamed, the kind of smile that seemed to light up the entire room. “Great! If you ever need help with anything, let me know. Or if you just want to hang out. I’m usually in the library after csses.”

  “Noted,” Evan said, feeling a little more at ease.

  As they returned to their respective tasks, Evan couldn’t help but think about how different Finn was from the guys he knew in his old world. Soft-spoken, open, and gentle. If Evan were back home, Finn’s demeanor might have seemed out of pce, but here, it was entirely normal.

  He’d totally be my type... if he were a girl, Evan thought, shaking his head at the absurdity of the notion.

  Still, as he gnced at Finn’s focused expression, a small smile tugged at his lips. He’d made a friend, and although Finn was a little different, well, to be honest, he was the one who was different. But that was fine. It felt nice, in its own way.

  LunarEcho