Luna narrowed her eyes, trying to make out the faint words at the end of the hallway. The dim light flickered slightly, casting shifting shadows on the walls.
She hesitated for a moment before stepping forward, her footsteps echoing softly in the empty corridor. Nikhil followed beside her, his presence steady and silent. As they got closer, the words on the sign became clearer:
"Computer Science Department"
Luna glanced at Nikhil. "Can we go inside?"
He nodded. "Why not?"
She reached for the door handle, hesitating briefly before twisting it. The door opened easily without resistance, revealing a series of rooms.
The first few rooms looked like any other classrooms, with desks neatly arranged and a few cabinets in the back. Further down, there was a staff room and a faculty office. The rest of the department consisted of computer labs, their glass-paneled doors reflecting the dim hallway light.
They entered one of the rooms. Luna's eyes scanned the space, taking in the faint traces of everyday student life—scattered papers, whiteboard, and a few abandoned books.
Nikhil, however, was focused on a single seat. His gaze lingered on it before he spoke.
"This is my seat," he said, stepping toward it.
Luna blinked in surprise. For the first time that night, Nikhil had told her something about himself.
"So, you're a Computer Science student?" she asked.
"Yup! A Computer Science student. Don't you think it's cool?" he replied with a playful grin.
Luna chuckled. "It is indeed."
"You know what?" Nikhil continued, his voice light with amusement. "Once, I got scolded by my professor for using my phone during a lecture."
She raised an eyebrow. "Why? Did you not find the lecture interesting?"
"They were interesting… but I already knew the material, so it got a little boring," he admitted with a small shrug. "I always believed doing practical work was easier to understand than just listening."
Luna had no reply to that—she just smiled.
As they moved through the department, Nikhil showed her the staff room and the computer labs. He shared stories about how he once fell asleep in class, how his skateboard was seized for riding it inside the building, and how he somehow managed to get it back.
Luna found herself enjoying his stories. She liked this side of him—the little glimpses of his life before tonight.
It almost felt like she was truly getting to know him.