The NTN Crownzone University at the heart of City Center was the most prominent and foreground higher education institution in the continent. It held students from the country and other continents, making it a vast institution of all human culture, race and nation around the globe.

The University had over two hundred Faculties, Schools, Institutes and Centers, and offered more than four hundred programs at the certificate, diploma, bachelor, Masters or Ph.D. levels. It also had modern-built research centers, laboratories, libraries and fieldwork centers with neoteric tools and equipment. If a student's intention was to study and pass, he would make a future everybody would admire and be proud of from the university.

Inside the University Park, which had lush gardens and well-manicured lawns, a swarm of students walked, strolled, argued, debated and talked. Katelyn and Sharon rested on the grass, both already done with their entry applications and submissions.

Sharon continued devouring through the Board Admissions Program pamphlet, wondering about the many programs available in the institution. It still profoundly amazed her that she had been accepted at the most prominent university on the continent. The university only invited a maximum of one hundred out of the possible fifty thousand applicants in the country, yearly. The day she received her calling letter made her joyful and ecstatic, and she knew where the main reason for her success laid.

Sharon highly respected her best friend because she was obliging, kind, helpful and courteous. She was a friend who possessed proper values, deep respect and decency, and self-restraint. Ever since they became friends, these values were added in her life. Katelyn had been her role model, adviser and true friend. She had been by her side and it bared fruits right before her own eyes. They had been together as one, making their friendship characterized by a deep inner bond of amity that enduringly existed between them.

"Kate, I am still amazed at all these field of studies!" She looked at her friend, "But I am more amazed at what you applied for. Are you sure you can handle telecommunication and information technology? I know you have brains, but I hear it really gets heavy and heavier every semester."

Katelyn rested on her belly as she passed through her Guideline pamphlet, "It's my passion and interest, girl. I can handle it." She opened one page after the other on the pamphlet, "Besides, I like it when things get heavy and heavier."

"I don't know, girl. I wish both our tastes were in Forensic Science. That way we could have been more together."

"Don't worry. We will be in the same room."

Sharon's eyebrows rose in surprise, "I thought rooms were issued randomly!"

Katelyn smiled at her, "Am I a random person?"

Sharon happily understood the friend as she moved and sat closer to her, "It will be great, dear! Roommates together is an amazing one!"

"In fact, it is being taken care of as we speak. I am sure it's going to be hell amazing."

"Surely, yes! Our lives will be great in this place!" Sharon happily said while looking around the institution, then suddenly stopped when her eyes met a rather surprising figure, "Oh my God!" She gasped, still staring at the figure.

"What?" Katelyn, concerned, turned to where her friend was, but couldn't see any attention.

"Can't you see? There is Lei!" Sharon pointed at where her eyes were.

Although Katelyn could not immediately see the figure, her heart nervously skipped by the mention of the name. She followed the friend's outstretched finger while squinting, and saw Lei, about a hundred meters away from them among the swarm of students at the Park, "Oh, it's him!" She as well gasped, her heart continuously beating nervously.

"Alright, girl, maybe he is also a student here." Sharon turned to the friend, "What are you going to do?"

Katelyn stared at the friend with indecision and hesitation. Her mind seemed to be in a dither, "I... I am going to do nothing! I was already in the process of forgetting him and_"

"And the process will start all over again every time you see him. Come on, girl, look at you! Look at your face! It clearly shows something special. The only way to let all this go is by facing him."

"I am not going to do that!" Katelyn's tone was suddenly serious, "There is Diana for crying out loud, and maybe they have already started seeing each other_"

"There you go again! Not even for a second thinking about yourself! Do you think it will just be okay every time you are with him with what you already feel for him? Do you think the feeling will give you an easy time?"

"Sharon, the feeling will not kill me! End of topic!"

"You seem to be a great romantic novelist but totally dumb in what feelings are all about. For your information, I once read a book that mentions the dangers of unprocessed feelings, and_"

"Sharon, those are just writers and their ideas. I can also have an idea and use or share it publicly. What I know is that I can't die with these feelings. Besides, I felt the same for Lemarh, remember? I had strong feelings for him. Did it kill me or affect me in any way? Let's just drop the topic!"

"Yes, you had feelings for Lemarh, but it wasn't as strong and magical as it is with you and Lei. I am able to see the difference. Lei has completely touched you!"

"Even if that were the case, the fact remains that they are the same feelings, from the same origin. Let's now drop this issue, girl!" Katelyn's final expression and nonchalant manner took her back to the Guidance pamphlet in hand.

"Ah! I can't believe a simple thing..." Sharon intoned solemnly, "But I believe you know that I am a true friend, and this is what true friends do..." She looked determined, "If you don't go to him and let your feelings be processed, I will be the one to walk right to him. I will greet him, introduce myself and let him know who exactly I am in your life... then I will tell him that I have forgotten something important for him from you; A LETTER! I will then promise to give him the letter as soon as I meet him again. Then, my dear girl, I will go and write the letter. A beautiful, purely romantic letter. The only persons who will know the content of the letter will be me and exactly him_"

"The repercussion will be an extinct to the friendship we have!" Katelyn shortly said, as well looking determined.

"Darling, I am used to that."

"Oh, no, you ain't! This time I dearly mean it!"

"Then it will be my chance to take." Sharon faintly smiled, waving her finger in the air imitating the movement of a clock hand, "Tik tak, tik tak, the clock is ticking. Make your choice, sweetheart."

Katelyn breathed out a sigh, looking in Lei's direction and back at the friend, "Don't think you are smart, Sharon. One day I will also get you, and you will know exactly how it feels." She got up and gave the friend her Guidance pamphlet.

Sharon looked up at her, "I am only trying to help you process your feelings_"

"Don't, mention those words to me! I don't whatsoever care about someone's ideas." Katelyn said and slowly started walking in Lei's direction.

Sharon smiled behind her, "You know the feelings can silently kill you if you don't process them, and I don't mean literally killing you, if you know what I mean."

Katelyn stopped and turned her head to the friend, "Thank God I don't know what you mean." She said then continued walking towards Lei.

"... I am sorry, my love, I guess it will be another month until I see you." Tyson finished reading the message from his phone and looked at his two friends at the University Park, "Another month until I see her again."

"Ha, ha." Michael interestingly laughed, "Oh, boy, that can definitely be a dare to me, but I am pretty sure you can handle the added duration."

"Hmm, an old-fashioned type." Lei said thoughtfully, "She is planning to surprise you."

"To surprise me?" Tyson was at the friend, "Are you sure?"

"Speaking of surprise, here comes one..." Michael, in a trio standing position with Lei and Tyson, said while looking at a figure behind Lei approaching them.

Lei slowly turned to see the figure. She was walking with fluid efficiency and artistic eloquence towards them. Her alabaster-white hairband that beautifully laid her curled hair down, and decorated cool vanilla blouse, midnight black skirt and red wedges that brilliantly showed the deep cranberry nail polish in every nail of her toes, made her a beauty beyond all beauties.

"Okay, dude... good luck." Michael said and signaled to Tyson as the figure approached five meters mark. The two immediately left.

Lei put on a happy smile while looking at the figure, "Well, well, well, if it isn't my favorite turning point." He stared at the beauty before him in hypnotic fascination, "Or maybe I should start like a gentleman, and this is no ordinary compliment men tend to throw around just to get points or please a lady..." His tone captured a level of serious legitimacy, "Katelyn, you are an absolute angel! Your beauty has no words to describe!"

Katelyn felt the words softly landing on her heart with pleasure. This was the only man who seemed capable of such a soft and soothing magical delirium. The only man who made her feel touched and special by his compliments. A slow smile appeared involuntarily on her lips as she put her arms crossed over the chest, now a meter to Lei, "Oh, God, men with words." She said with mellifluous eloquence, "I have to tell you I can't be easily sweetened by just words from men."

Lei put his hands in his three-quarter blue jeans, "No, no, Kate. Don't take one man's fault and put it on all." His tone was intentionally serious, "Some of us are struggling to clear the clanger and codswallop that are most men, and it pains the genuine us when you, women, don't believe us." He cleared the intentional expression and once again happily smiled, "But that is not for now, beautiful. What is for now is that coincidence can be a funny thing, though I seriously hate the word."

"I don't believe in it either, if that's what you mean." Katelyn was still liquidly mellifluous.

"Hmm, how lovely. And luck?"

"Luck? It's... also not in my dictionary. I believe in one making his luck."

"Wow!" Lei widened his smile, "That's... remarkable! I hate coincidence, you do the same in luck. You don't believe in coincidence, I do the same in luck. I guess that is something!" He paused, "How about we agree on one word, then? Because all these; I mean, me finding you and right now you finding me, has to have a name. How about we agree on... fate?"

Katelyn looked at him with a pleasant smile. She realized she missed the gentleman's remarkable nature of not easily giving up, "Your sense of humor can cheer up anything."

"If that is a compliment, thank you."

"Well, it is not." Katelyn said, "By the way, in case you are wondering why I am here, is to find out if you are a student here."

"And if I am?"

"Then... congratulations."

"Only that?"

Katelyn walked a step to him, "Only that." She then immediately turned and started walking toward where she came from.

"Please, hold up, Kate," Lei said.

Katelyn stopped without looking back, smiling cheerily. It felt so good and special at heart. It was as if pleasure had been introduced to flow equally with her blood.

But before Lei said anything, the University Outdoor Alert System informed all the newly registered students to immediately attend the main institution hall.

After the announcement, Katelyn slightly turned her head to Lei and flashed him a smile that seemed to make her glow from within, and immediately walked away.

One incredible green light! Lei stared at her in bewildering fascination. He was eagerly and excitedly waiting for the day he would call her my girl, because he was sure the feeling would gush him with enthusiasm and delight.

The Crownzone University Main Hall was a dome-shaped building with white and brown architectural paintings. The walls and the floor of the building were designed with white decorated tiles, and above it was satin jade ceilings with a total of ninety-five ceiling fans and hundreds of ultra-bright Louver fluorescent light installations. Its commodious setting and design could carry up to five thousand students, with major activities of exhibitions, concerts and meetings.

The freshers were still entering the building, which was almost half-filled. The front and middle sitting rows were full, and the ceiling fans were already on, refreshing the air in the hall.

"Okay, guys, I can now see her," Lei said after finally getting a glimpse of the figure he had been searching for in the crowd.

"Can you!" Tyson looked at where the friend's eyes were but couldn't see the figure. It is obviously hard to capture only one figure among a crowd of two thousand freshers.

"Good, now go to her." Michael said while eating his favorite packet of crisps, unmindful of all that was happening.

"This girl just did front row." Lei said, still looking at the figure's position, "It clearly explains her attitude. Girls who do front seats are always stubborn and challengers."

"Says who?" Michael gave him a stare.

"For the first time ever, Mike, says me." Lei said and walked to the front row seats.

Katelyn and Sharon were already seated in one of the first rows of seats in the University Hall. They always preferred front seats because they could be able to stay attentive and alert, thereby getting all the information from the speaker easily and comfortably.

"So, that is it?" Sharon looked at the friend for a moment as they conversed, "You only said hi to him?"

"Yes, my dear." Katelyn smiled, "Although his hi had more words than the ordinary and usual hi."

Sharon stared with a puzzled look, "What are you saying? Or what do you even mean! Are you trying to confuse me? You know I am always capable of seeing that coming."

"I am not doing that, dear." Katelyn widened her smile amusedly, "I believe I am clear and in plain English."

Sharon suddenly stood up and put the books and papers she was holding in her seat.

"Where are you going?" Katelyn looked up at her.

"I thought my bladder could hold for another hour or two. I hate being a girl." Sharon said, then pointed at the friend, "When I am back, we will finish this conversation in an understanding way." She looked at the crowd before her and when she was about to leave, her eyes met a fresher squatting behind her seat and the friend's. She recognized the fresher and said nothing.

"Kate, take care of my seat. I may be long." She said to the friend then furtively glanced at the squatting fresher with a smile.

Katelyn didn't realize anything, "Of course I will take care of the seat." She said.

Lei smiled back at Sharon, clearly understanding her covert message. He didn't know why the help, but the only open and logical reason was the possibility of Katelyn sharing her feelings with the best friend. If she is talking to the best friend about me, then she definitely likes me! His heart pounded with pleasure at the thought.

He watched Sharon leaving then slowly stood, silently passed through the space between the two seats he had been squatting behind, took the books and papers that were on Sharon's seat and sat.

Before Katelyn could protest to whoever had suddenly taken the seat, she gasped in surprise upon realizing the person.

Lei feigned a long audible sigh, his eyes settling on the lady, "Beautiful, why the hell the front seat? Perhaps I should get some credit for what I have just gone through in order to pinpoint and get to you among all these heads!"

Katelyn amusedly enthused, "These are not many heads." She crossed her legs, her books and papers on the lap, "But anyway, it has kind of... astound me. How did you do it?"

"Well," Lei smiled, "The easiest way you could have guessed would be me silently following you from outside until here, but since you don't even want to guess, let me tell you_"

"That is sweet, but you got my question wrong. I meant_"

"No, no, no, Kate! I say No this time." Lei's tone was banteringly incisive, "This time, beautiful, I get to win. In all our encounters and conversations, you always end up the winner. This time no twisting words so that you end up the winner."

Katelyn amusedly smiled, "I had no idea that in every conversation there is a sort of... a game that will determine a winner and a loser. I truly didn't know that, Lei Noorhman."

"You see? Through pretense, you are doing it again." Lei looked right into her eyes, "You want to win this one, but trust me, you angel, today, right now, I am well prepared."

Katelyn only looked at him in a blended impression, completely out of words. His company filled her with incredible happiness. She imagined if the gentleman prepared himself in order to silence her so that he could say whatever he wanted. If so, then he had succeeded.

"Now you are looking at me innocently with forgive me face." Lei was still at her, "I will forgive you, but under one condition."

Katelyn softly laughed. A cute, beautiful and adorable laugh that brought out her soft feminine side, "Remind me again why we are having this conversation?" She said with a look of admiration.

"I will remind you, my dear, but first_"

The entire hall began to silence when a middle-aged man showed up from the hall's platform front door. He walked on the platform to the microphone center. His bald head, large glasses and smartly-made grey suit didn't offer any knowledge about him to the freshers, though a lot knew that most people who used glasses were smart and intelligent, hence, he was likely to be one.

He got to the microphone, took it, and looked at the crowd, who were now silent, "I remember the first time of my days in the university was exactly like this." He started, rather casually and colloquially, "We were all immediately quiet when the Vice-Chancellor walked in the hall. But as time passed, we could still chat when a lecturer entered the hall until he said good morning or afternoon. That will also happen to you."

Most of the crowd looked amused by his starting line.

"In here and everywhere you will see me, I am known as Professor Sam Maude, the institution's Dean of the School of Human Behavior." The lecturer looked across the entire hall, "I am usually the first voice freshmen hear in this place, and I welcome you, officially, as Crownzone University students."

A thunderous clap filled the hall.

"Life here is the same as life in high school when you first joined in your first year. It is different and unique. Maybe a couple of you have already visited the CU joint and know what it is all about, but the joint is only a half of what is to come in your life in this place."

"There is one main difference between life here and that in high school. The difference is that you are totally free and your business is your business, and maybe there will be no bullying."

There were laughs among the crowd.

"Dear freshmen, being free means freedom, and to those who don't know; freedom comes with responsibilities. Trust me, my friends, not everyone here will want or wish to direct you. Everyone is always busy and have never-ending schedules to attend to. Only your sense and level of your reasoning to understand will help you, and maybe two or three advices from whoever cares about the stage you are in."

"In here we have engineers, scientists, artists, doctors, lawyers and economists. These courses come different from your high schools' chemistry, mathematics, agriculture and the rest. In high school, all these subjects were on the same day, every day, making you occupied the whole day. But here, you may only have one class in a day, sometimes the class may be in the morning hours; let's say from 8.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. giving you the rest of the day to be free, and this is where IT ALL BEGINS."

"Forget about your counselor in high school. Telling you to do the right thing was part of the deal; for you to get the certificate at the end of your stay in the school. Many fall in high school and easily pick themselves up and dust themselves off- quite easily if I may add. Life in high school is not that delicate. You are still considered young, teenage and stupid. Everybody cares a big deal about you, the society included.”

“But this is not the case in campus. In here, you are considered a youth and an adult. Not everybody cares about an adult's decisions and choices because an adult is supposed to be an adult- your choices are not supposed to be stupid and doltish for the rest of the world to see. If you fall, you mess up your life. Regret might help you pick yourself up, but there will still be criticisms, comments and judgments directed at you. Things will never be the same again. Taking a change after a fall is a daunting task. Sometimes one passes through the worst to get back to better. This worst will make many, and it usually does, to lose faith and hope and take their lives; among other choices youths make when they fall."

All the eyes in the hall were on him.

"University life isn't easy, my friends. Even if you are intelligent, this place will not be easy for you. Influence comes in handy in this place, making it rather difficult than impossible to do the right thing. In order to have self-discipline and control, you must be open to knowledge, facts and insights, and the application of these- known as wisdom. Being where advices are and utilizing them is in its way a bonus in your life when you are here. If you don't have patience, you will find adaptation here difficult. If you are that person who uses shortcuts in life, I would strongly suggest you stop the habit. You wouldn't last long with the habit here."

“Guys, this is where your life begins. It is your choice to make it whatever you want it to be. Hold it dear, embrace it and work for it. At the end, you will see the fruits of your labour."

"Try to listen to advices and directions as this is the most crucial part. We are in the age of ignorance. You have to remember that. Don't let it define your life. Things easily crumble if you are not careful and fall if you are ignorant. Put yourself as a desperate student who needs knowledge so badly and grab any that comes your way. Don't involve yourself in anything that can compromise your studies. Let studies and acquisition of knowledge come first no matter what, because that is what is important in this stage of your life. Connubial arrangements is not important. Extravagant life is not important. Parenthood is not important. Alcohol and drug abuse is never important."

"I know and want to believe that everybody in here will have a bright future. You are all bevies of a bright future. I see proactive, enthusiastic and innovative students. Just stick to the plan and rules and make it happen. Know the right things and do them, because it is the right things that will lead you to your success." His eyes shone behind the glasses as he stared at the sea of eager students before him, "Fellows, my introduction is usually supposed to be as short, clear and easy as possible to be understood and make sense to all of you. I don't want to get anybody lost, and as far as I have gone, I don't think I have done so. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO CROWNZONE UNIVERSITY!"

Once again, a deafening applause filled the hall, the freshers buzzing with excitement.

Professor Maude returned the microphone in place on the stage and left the platform. Soon after, students also started leaving the hall.

"So, Kate." Lei stood when Katelyn did, "Which course are you taking?"

Katelyn looked around at the leaving crowd as if searching for somebody, then came back to Lei, "You found my number, something I was sure no man on the planet could ever do. I think finding my course will be a piece of cake."

Lei smiled at her, "You won't ever tell me anything, would you?"

"That's my style," Katelyn stretched her hand to him, "The books?"

Lei gave her the books and papers he took from Sharon's seat, "Just in case, Kate, in-weirdly-case we are doing the same course, don't you think it will be... peculiar?"

Katelyn gave him an interested smile, "Peculiar? In what way?"

Lei moved a little closer to her, his expression now serious and meditative. This brought waves of nervousness in Katelyn's blood, "Kate, our meetings have been... odd and marvelous. I don't know, but I think fate will be playing an important role here."

Katelyn looked at him with her eyes softened. The gentleman's tone and expression made her feel the sense in his words, and it made her unable to hide the sweet nervousness that was upon her, "I don't believe in such things, Lei." She gently said and walked away past him.

Lei turned looking at her go with a smile. She is beautiful, even in the way she walks.