Chapter 26

That night, while they were having dinner outside the hotel, Headmaster Leo went to the small stage at the center of the area they had been using since day one. He cleared his throat, clapping his hands to catch the attention of the students.

"Okay, listen up here, kids. I have some announcements to make," Headmaster Leo greeted, receiving a groan and a "boo" from the students.

"We're not kids anymore!"

"Why is he being so familiar all of a sudden?"

"We don't want to hear it!"

"We're not listening!"

Everyone laughed at their own responses, clearly enjoying how they treated the headmaster. Even the teachers were silently smiling behind their "stop that" warning look to their students.

The headmaster felt offended but kept his cool, "As you can see, we have been staying here for six days and we have been closer ever since."

Another 'boo' came out from the audience.

Leo, still keeping his cool demeanor despite the rowdy behavior of his students, continued, "Tomorrow, we will be saying our goodbye to this beautiful place. I know a lot of you have enjoyed the time we spent here. I hope everyone will take those memories with them forever. You will not be kids forever. You will grow old and one day, you will reminisce about your youth, and I hope when that time comes, your hearts will feel more happiness than regret."

"Always remember that you only live once, and by thinking this, I hope everyone will continue living their lives to the fullest. People change as time goes by, but memories don't. You make them and you take them as you grow old. Be it good or bad, scary or beautiful, those memories are still yours in the end. So, I hope, by having to spend your time with one another here, you have become closer and created memories you can freely tell others in the future. Now, I want everyone to take this chance to thank each other, for being part of the memories of one another."

The students felt like their hearts were being squeezed. They didn't expect this heartfelt message from their headmaster. This wasn't like him at all. Although they always tease their Headmaster Leo, deep inside they appreciate him more than anything in G University. Not that they would ever admit that though.

"Kathryn, you can now come to the stage," the headmaster said.

People started to murmur as they watched Kathryn get up from her seat, a guitar with her, as she went up to the small stage. All eyes were on her and so were Zachary's, who didn't even listen to Leo at all as he was busy staring at Kathryn the entire time. It was only when her name was mentioned that made Zachary pay attention to Headmaster Leo.

There was an indescribable feeling inside Zachary's heart as he watched every movement of Kathryn on the stage. He watched as Kathryn took a seat in the center, her guitar pressed up against her body. Then the strum of the guitar filled the entire place as a beautiful melody resonated the entire vicinity with her soft voice that held thousands of emotions. 

Kathryn was looking at particularly no one, but Zachary could feel the words seemed to be for him. Or maybe it was just his wishful thinking. Suddenly, Zachary was taken to the very first day he met Kathryn. Kathryn, with her bright and mellow personality that she'd spread her light naturally everywhere she went. That even Zachary couldn't escape away from it no matter how hard he had closed his eyes and heart before.

He was reminded of the day when Kathryn finally confessed her feelings to him, making him instantly warm and felt the need to be with this person for the rest of his life. For a split second, he could see how the universe had created a human out of stardust, a masterpiece made especially for Zachary—for happiness. 

Kathryn, it had always been Kathryn since then. His world revolved around this little being, this tiny human who he had never thought of capable of consuming his entire heart, life, existence. It was still a riddle to Zachary, how Kathryn suddenly came and changed his life like this. She wasn't someone who pushed Zachary to change, she wasn't someone who made Zachary feel he should return what was given to him. Kathryn…If there was something Zachary had learned from Kathryn, it was actually to give without expecting anything in return. Or probably more than that.

Ah, Zachary could remember it now. It was to accept himself for who he was and love himself despite his flaws and imperfections. Zachary chuckled silently to himself. When did he start losing sight of this? When did he stop believing that Kathryn loved him for who he was? When did he stop believing in himself?

Kathryn might not be by his side right now, but Zachary could slowly understand things better now. Kathryn had her reasons, reasons she couldn't tell Zachary, but Zachary was willing to wait.

Zachary would wait for Kathryn, no matter how long it would take, even if it would take forever. Zachary would make sure to be there himself the moment Kathryn came back home— back to his arms where she truly belonged. And Zachary, Zachary won't ever let her go when it happens.

Scarlet was holding her breath, chest tightening as she watched Zachary whose full attention was on the stage. There was this small crack her heart made when she saw Zachary smile, a soft smile that she had never received not even once from him.

"What are you going to do? He's already got his eyes on someone."

Pulling her eyes away from the scene, Scarlet looked up to see a tall figure if she could remember right was named Chad. He was looking at the stage too, his eyes unreadable.