"Luis, heading to the lab again? Are you planning to move in there permanently?"
Luis paused mid-step, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He was used to his classmates' teasing by now.
"Yeah, been busy lately," he replied casually, waving a hand before disappearing into the experimental building.
'Today's the day I find the perfect range,' Luis told himself as he stepped inside, determination flickering in his eyes.
He'd spent far too long on this experiment. Restlessness gnawed at him now, pushing him to find results.
"Cigar 5.81%..." Luis muttered as he adjusted his measurements, recording the data with mechanical precision.
"This is the 103rd trial," he whispered, staring at the rows of petri dishes glowing softly in the incubator. "It has to work this time."
Each petri dish contained samples of tree cells—species from the Second World, a parallel realm brimming with strange and vibrant flora. Dozens of varieties, each one a gamble, lined the clean bench like silent contenders waiting to be judged.
Luis leaned over the microscope, examining them one by one. Hours slipped by unnoticed as he inspected the delicate growth patterns. Then, at the very last dish, something shifted.
His eyes widened. A flush rose to his cheeks.
"I did it."
He stood abruptly, voice echoing through the empty lab. "I actually did it!"
No one scolded him for the outburst. In this building, breakthrough shouts were as common as the hum of machinery. Somewhere down the hall, a few tired researchers smiled faintly, sharing in the unspoken camaraderie of the moment before going back to their own work.
Luis exhaled deeply. It had taken too long, but finally—progress.
The next step was the inoculation phase. He worked carefully, applying the bacterial solution onto the finished medium beneath the clean bench, every movement precise.
"Now all that's left is to wait for tomorrow's results." He straightened up, stretching his stiff back, and slid the dishes into the incubator.
But just as he wiped his hands clean, a low rumble interrupted his thoughts.
Grumble... grumble...
He froze. Then sighed.
"...I forgot to eat again."
Outside, the sky had already sunk into night. With a helpless shake of his head, Luis cleaned up the workspace, peeled off his lab coat, and locked the door behind him. He was halfway to the cafeteria when he noticed something.
Mia's lab lights were still on.
Mia Carter. Same year, different pace.
She was sharp, composed, the kind of person who always got the pipette volume right on the first try.
They'd known each other since their first microbiology class. Luis, quiet and methodical. Mia, confident and calm. Not quite close friends, but not strangers either. More like partners in survival—group projects, late-night troubleshooting, caffeine runs, and shared sighs over failed experiments.
She liked to tease him about his obsession with chasing impossible results. He joked about her perfectly color-coded labels and alphabetized sample drawers.
Lately though... she'd been showing up more often. Asking about his new growth medium. Pulling up a stool beside his bench to work quietly in the same space. Neither of them mentioned it.
It felt... normal.
Luis hesitated outside her lab for a beat, then pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"Hello, Mia. Need a hand?"
Luis's voice cut through the quiet hum of the lab, making Mia jump.
She spun around, stepping back slightly before realizing who it was. Her expression softened—just a little.
"Luis! When did you get in?" There was a trace of irritation beneath her surprise, though she tried to hide it.
"Uh… just now. I saw your lights were still on and thought I'd check if you needed help," Luis explained, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He realized a moment too late that barging into someone else's lab uninvited was kind of a big deal. Labs were private space.
Mia eyed him for a moment, lips twitching as if fighting a smile.
"Fine, you can help over there," she said, finally letting out a soft laugh. Then, putting on a mock serious face, she pointed toward the experimental sink.
"Oh, okay!" Luis let out a breath of relief and hurried over, grabbing a tablet to start cleaning up as if his life depended on it.
The lab fell into a quiet rhythm after that—Luis working silently, while Mia watched her cultures with sharp concentration.
But Luis couldn't shake the embarrassment. 'Way to go, Hartmann... barging into her lab like some overexcited idiot. What a first impression.'
After all, what guy wanted to look clumsy in front of a girl? Especially one like Mia.
Grrr...
A loud rumble echoed through the quiet space. Luis froze. So did Mia.
Then, she burst out laughing. "Seriously? You forgot to eat again?"
Luis scratched his head sheepishly. "Yeah... I missed lunch."
"Hopeless." Mia shook her head, still smiling. "Alright, give me a sec to finish this up. I'll treat you to dinner."
"Eh? No, no, no. I'll treat you!" Luis quickly waved his hands. "My experiment succeeded today. This calls for a celebration."
She arched a brow, amused. "Really? Well, in that case... how could I refuse?"
"Great! Uh… good!" Luis grinned, slightly flustered but happy she accepted.
—
A few minutes later, the two walked out of the lab building and headed toward the snack street opposite the campus gates. Neon lights buzzed overhead as students bustled around, filling the evening air with laughter and chatter.
"So, what do you want to eat?" Luis asked, feeling a bit awkward. It was his first time inviting a girl out, and he didn't exactly have a plan.
"You're the one treating me, and you don't even know what to eat?" Mia shot him a teasing look. Then she pointed to a cozy-looking hotpot place nearby. "Fine, let's go there."
"Sure! Hotpot it is!" Luis hurried ahead, pushing open the wooden door and motioning for her to go in first like some nervous gentleman.
Inside, the warm air smelled of chili and spices. They found a corner seat, and Luis grabbed the menu, ordering almost everything that caught his eye.
"Luis... are you feeding the whole lab?" Mia asked, raising an eyebrow as the waiter scribbled down the long list.
"Haha, well... I didn't eat lunch, and besides, you're here too, so it's fine, right?" Luis passed the menu to her with a grin.
Mia rolled her eyes but smiled. "You do realize girls don't usually eat heavy at night, right?" She handed the menu to the waiter.
"...I did not know that." Luis scratched his head awkwardly.
"You're such a science nerd," she teased, leaning back in her chair.
Luis chuckled. "Hey, nerd or not, one day I'm going to change the world, just wait and see."
"Oh? Ambitious, aren't we?" Mia smiled. "Well, don't forget me when you're a world-famous scientist."
"Of course not. With such a cool lab partner, how could I?" Luis shot back playfully. "Actually, why don't you come help in my lab tomorrow? You'll be the honorary senior member."
"Pfft, who's interested in your crazy petri dishes?" Mia laughed, giving him a playful glare.
The two chatted and joked while waiting for the food. When it arrived, Luis wasted no time digging in, eating like a starving man. Mia, watching his enthusiasm, couldn't help but eat a little more than usual too.
"Ugh… I'm stuffed," Mia groaned as they walked back toward the dormitory area. "Totally your fault."
"Hey, I didn't force you to eat that much!" Luis protested, baffled by her sudden blame. "You looked pretty happy with the food earlier."
"Still your fault," she insisted, crossing her arms with a stubborn smile.
"Fine, fine, it's my fault." Luis held up his hands in surrender, spotting the girls' dormitory ahead. "Well, this is your stop. I'll head off then."
"Hey, just going to run away like that?" Mia called after him, stamping her foot as he made a quick escape.
But she smiled, watching his retreating back disappear into the night.