Chapter 3: Study Session
The empty cemetery felt bitterly cold in the dying days of autumn, the heavy silence of life and death pressing down and cutting off all noise from the outside world.
Julian Hayes stared at the neatly carved name on the black tombstone before gently setting down the bouquet of white lilies he had brought. His long lashes cast faint shadows over his eyes.
He lived extremely frugally and never bought anything unnecessary. This bouquet was the one exception. Every time he came here, he always brought flowers.
During these moments of mourning, Julian stayed completely silent. The usually bright and outgoing boy became unnaturally quiet, as though the cheerful mask he wore every day had been stripped away, revealing the raw wound beneath that still bled freely.
Soft footsteps approached from behind and stopped. The person didn't speak, respecting the solemnity of the moment.
This was the exact place where he and Margaret had first met.
It had been the day of her aunt's funeral. A large crowd had gathered, the air filled with quiet sobbing and the ground scattered with white funeral flowers. He remembered her standing there in a simple white dress long after most of the mourners had left. She had looked so alone.
Her aunt had been someone who truly loved and protected her, only to be taken away far too soon in a sudden car accident.
Then he had noticed her gaze turn toward him as he stood at his mother's nearby grave, dressed all in black and holding white lilies. Their eyes met by chance. In that moment, she must have seen the heavy sorrow mixed with stubborn resilience in his own eyes.
Black and white. The two of them had stood in stark contrast, yet somehow the image felt strangely harmonious.
Margaret had waited silently until he had collected himself.
When he finally turned around, his expression had shifted back to something more natural and optimistic.
"Are you finished?" she had asked softly, her voice gentle.
"Yeah. It doesn't take long anyway. We should head back."
"Let's go."
…
Back in the present, the sunlight today was surprisingly warm, bathing the path and climbing up Julian's faded canvas shoes.
"So… for the tutoring," Margaret asked casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "should we go to your place?"
Tutoring a classmate… there weren't many other options, and since Julian lived alone, his home was the most convenient.
Still, the tips of his ears warmed slightly. He hadn't expected Margaret to suggest it so openly and confidently. Her guard around him seemed almost nonexistent.
Of course, Julian was harmless. He never entertained any improper thoughts.
"If you don't mind, then yeah… my place it is. Sorry for the inconvenience."
"It's fine. I'm not working today anyway, so I have nothing else to do."
…
The key turned in the lock with a sharp metallic click. When the door opened, the narrow, minimalist living room came into view.
The old apartment was worn down by years of neglect. Only the essential furniture remained. The chairs and appliances carried the marks of age, making the space feel oppressively small and suffocating.
Julian pulled out a chair at the old wooden table that served as both dining table and desk. "Have a seat. I'll grab my textbooks."
"Okay. I'll wait."
The chair felt cold and hard against her. Margaret watched him disappear into the small bedroom, then slowly scanned the apartment. Dim. Cramped. Devoid of any sign of hope.
No wonder his self-esteem was so fragile. Living in a place like this, how much confidence could anyone hold onto?
Julian returned quickly with several books and notebooks. He sat across from her and began flipping through the pages.
"There were a few problems from last time, and that grammar point—I'll find it…"
Normally, sitting side-by-side would be better for explaining, but facing each other made his discomfort more obvious as he tried to maintain distance.
Margaret quietly pulled her chair around the table and sat down right beside him.
Now that she was so close, her presence became impossible to ignore. Her clean fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose. If he turned his head slightly, he would see her fair, delicate skin and that stunning face.
Margaret smiled at him, calm and natural, showing no shyness.
Julian felt embarrassed by his own awkward distance. Friends and classmates could sit closer than this. His excessive caution might have hurt her feelings.
There was nothing romantic between them worth overthinking. Julian mentally scolded himself for being so awkward and forced his focus back to the material.
"Here. This grammar in this question—I don't really get it."
"This one? It's the past continuous tense…"
Margaret leaned in slightly, pointing at the page and explaining patiently using the simplest words possible, as though teaching a beginner.
Strands of her long black hair fell forward, partially covering her eyes and hiding the occasional glances she stole at the boy beside him.
Julian listened intently, completely absorbed in her voice. At that moment, there was something about him that drew her in deeply—he treated her explanations like absolute orders, something that could be easily guided… and led into a trap.
Margaret casually moved her hand and tucked the stray hair behind her ear, revealing her soft, beautiful profile once more. Julian's eyes flickered for the briefest second.
The small gesture carried a mature elegance that was especially captivating on a girl their age. He couldn't help but look.
The glance lasted only an instant before his eyes returned to the book along with her finger.
She had noticed. He had been distracted by her, stolen a look at her face, then quickly recovered.
So silly…
Her explanations were detailed and thorough. When they finished, Julian pulled the book closer and applied what she had taught. The confusing parts suddenly made perfect sense.
"So that's how it works. I need to write this down." He added notes beside the question, then slid his eyes down to another mistake. "And here—this one isn't supposed to use…"
Margaret followed his finger. It was another fairly difficult question, the kind that commonly tripped up students with average French grades like Julian.
There was no sign he had deliberately picked hard questions just to talk to her longer. He was genuinely focused on studying.
Julian's comprehension was actually quite good. He didn't need such meticulous explanations, yet something in her pushed her to be extra detailed and even expand on the concepts.
"Your foundation is pretty solid, Julian. If you study hard, you can improve a lot more," Margaret said suddenly. A hint of genuine concern slipped into her tone.
"You're giving me too much credit. This really is me trying my best," Julian sighed, sounding self-aware. "But thank you. If I have time, I'll try to push harder."
"Good. Make sure you stay consistent. Any other questions?"
Julian flipped through the remaining pages. "No, that seems to cover it. The recent assignments haven't had too many tough ones. I can handle most of them."
Margaret straightened her posture. The midday sunlight streamed onto the table and across her face, bathing her in golden light. She looked pure and untouchable, like a saint.
"Then I'll head out. Just let me know anytime you need help again."
"Yeah. Thanks again."
"You're welcome."
Margaret stood up to leave. Julian glanced toward the kitchen, where ingredients he had bought on sale a few days ago were piled up. They wouldn't stay fresh much longer.
It felt a little embarrassing… but after a moment of hesitation, basic politeness won out.
"It's almost noon. Do you want to stay and eat before you go?"