Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

He exuded a cold aura, seldom speaking or smiling, regardless of who he was dealing with.

Brielle had seen her fair share of 18 or 19-year-old lads, their laughter as fresh and pure as a spring breeze, their gazes as tender as a starry night sky.

But it wasn't until she met Max that she realized boys like him existed. He's graceful as a marble statue. Simply standing there, he could stir a garden into bloom. If Max hadn't brought her back to Beaconsfield College, she would've kept it all to herself, locked away as a secret in her heart.

But Max did bring her back, and just days before the centennial celebration, no less.

"Max, you probably don't remember, do you?"

Max didn't want to lie to her. He really didn't remember much.

The first time he came to Beaconsfield College, after reciting his piece, his mind was swamped with thoughts of Wall Street.

Numbers, algorithms, and investments-these words flooded his thoughts so much that he barely noticed who had offered him flowers.

He just vaguely recalled a pretty, serene-looking student.

Watching him struggle to remember brought a chuckle to Brielle's lips, and she laughed out loud. "Forget it, it's not important."

Life isn't always smooth sailing. If every fleeting glance were reciprocated, the world wouldn't be filled with so many tales of joy and sorrow, unions and partings. As she finished, her face was gently cradled in someone's hands. A kiss landed near her lips, and she heard him say, "Let this be a kiss from 19-year-old me." Brielle, feeling slightly uncomfortable, pushed him away, her lips curving into a reluctant smile.

On the day she had presented flowers on stage, she was far from calm.

As the top student representative, it was the first time she felt the chasm between them. They were only a finger's width apart, yet he seemed to be on a cloud.

The 16-year-old her felt as if her very soul had been dazzled, and that night she dreamt of the a guy for the first time.NôvelDrama.Org owns this.

Just like Max had just said, 19-year-old Max had kissed her in that dream. It's a restrained and polite kiss, just a light touch.

Now, that dream scene strangely merged with the present moment.

A complex emotion brewed within Brielle's chest.

She had always cherished this relationship, and at first, she felt timid to admit her feelings for Max.

Because 19-year-old Max couldn't even remember her face, much less bother to ask her name. What right

did she have to think that years later, Max would fall for her?

Standing next to him, her mind was filled with the shock of that moment, the stark realization of an insurmountable gap.

Thus, when the man from the clouds suddenly took an interest in her, she felt not delight, but panic.

Affection could indeed render one lowly, as humble as a flower in the corner of a wall. Yet even that flower would yearn for a sliver of sunfight's attention to bloom into its most delicate petals.

Brielle was more mature and sensible than most. Knowing the impossibility of her feelings, she didn't hesitate to snuff them out.

She had said she wouldn't actively like someone who didn't like her back. Only if someone approached her first, would she dare to tentatively reach out in response.

Snapping back to reality, Brielle looped her arm through his. "If we don't leave now, the corn dog stand will be swamped once the last class ends."

Max nodded, following her into the bustling school backstreet.

The hot dog vendor's eyes lit up upon seeing her. "Oh my! Brielle?!"

Brielle blushed slightly.

"You're back at Beaconsfield College, huh? Did you get the invitation to the centenary celebration? I thought you'd never come by here again. Have a seat. And who is this? My, my, what a handsome fellow. This must be your husband, right?"

Brielle, about to sip her soda, choked on her drink when she heard this.

The vendor was as chatty as ever.

"Oh, no, he's not."

"Ah, don't be shy with me, girl. This is the first time you've brought a man to eat here. Today's on the house. It's my wedding gift to you two. Hahaha."

Brielle felt a mix of embarrassment and amusement.

Who ever heard of a wedding gift of two servings of corn dogs?