"Massu, wanna join us for dinner after this? It's on Takeshi."

The young man angled his neck. Looking at his friends smiling and nodding as they tried to persuade the young man.  Massu was never the type of person who likes crowds. In fact, he would try his best to avoid them. A thousand and one reason have been used and Massu feels that he was running out of option. He looked around hoping that he could find a good excuse to get away with this. Knowing that five pair of eyes were staring down at him, he simply shrugged.

"Yeah, sure."

Forced to join the crowd, Massu reluctantly pack up his bag and leave the lecture room. Massu never really see the point of crowding around and wasting time. He would rather sit in the corner of the university library and work on his novel that would hopefully be an international best seller. As the group head over to the local restaurant, Massu kept flipping his phone constantly checking on the time as though something is bound to happen.

Right above Massu, standing on the rooftop of a shop house was a man staring down searching. Looking for someone, something. His right hand slowly made their way to his denim pocket. Pulling out his pocket watch, he flip it open. After a long stare he gave a long sigh. 

"Not much time left.."

The man once again sigh before returning the pocket watch to his pocket. The man had a rather solemn expression. Despite the brooding face, the man looked good in his casual wear. At one glance, ladies everywhere would be gawking at him. Sadly, this man is a lone wolf. Just like Massu, he too hates crowding. 

"Hey Massu, what's up with that sullen face? Come on, live it up a little!"

Massu wanted to run away. No, scratch that, he need to get away from there. All the socialising and close shoulder to shoulder was making him uncomfortable. Massu could not believe that his friends make him stay for another couple more hours. Could they not see the wrinkles that had already formed of his forehead as a result of the irritation from all his friend's laughter? Massu knew that he had to do something. He could not afford to waste anymore time sitting duck and wait idly for something to happen. No, Massu have to escape. The question is how? Massu looked outside the restaurant window. The sky is getting darker with every passing minute. The warm colour of the sky would turn dark anytime soon and Massu needs to finish up his research for class tomorrow or else he had to repeat the module again.

As quitely as possible, Massu tried to sneak out when the group made their way to the local K-BOX. As the streets got busy, Massu had successfully managed to escape from the crowd. While Massu was busy increasing his pace and constantly looking back, he did not notice that he had walked into a different neighbourhood. 

Great! Just great! The man in specs uttered to himself. Not only he was running late, he had to travel a long distance home. Flipping his phone once more, he realised that it is almost close to seven. He knew that he would not be able to reach home on time to finish his research.

Desperate, Massu head over to the local community library to finish his research. Not only he could save time, Massu could also use the resource available in the library to finish his interpretation of the tragedy of Othello, the moor of Venice.

--

Massu could not help but to smile on his way out of the community library. Not only did he finish his research an hour before deadline, he had manage to plot an arc for his latest novel. Maybe it was not such a bad day after all. Ignorant of his surrounding, Massu did not see the man in front of him. 

There was a loud thud. A loud crash. Loud groan echoed the silent park as Massu tried to regain his center of gravity. Massu did not managed to stand upright when he realised that his laptop was underneath a man in his late twenties. 

"My-my-my MAAACCCCC!!!"

"Shh.. Injured person here. Can't you be a little bit sympathetic?"

"No! Now out of the way!"

Massu hurried over to his Macbook. All of his work was stored in that device. He could only hope that his cover would cushion the fall. 

Thankfully that it was (somehow) working prefectly, Massu immeadiately walk away leaving the man still on the floor unable to rester what had happen. When the man did, all he said was, "Will you be my apprentice?"

Massu stopped dead on his track. What does he meant by being his apprentice?

"Please say yes... please...."

"No! Why would I? I'm Just a Novelist.. Well, sort of.. One day.."

XXX

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