Chapter 48

The day after,

Edward did his usual morning routine and arrived at the campus at around eight.

Upon entering the classroom, he ignored the emptiness around him and settled into his familiar seat.

He took out his phone, logged into his Facebook, and read through the messages that had accumulated from the past few days.

As time gradually moved forward, the classroom transitioned into a hub of liveliness. Laughter and chatter filled the air as students made their way in, breaking the quietude of the early morning.

In the midst of the usual noise, Patricia walked in. Instead of going to her usual spot, she hesitated and then walked towards Edward.

"I... can we find somewhere more private?" she asked nervously.

"Sure," Edward replied, shrugging and following her out of the classroom. However, as he got up from his seat, he couldn't help but notice the curious gazes from his classmates.

Raising his brows in confusion, Edward was momentarily unsure of how to react. Yet, as he observed the blushing girl before him, realization suddenly struck.

'Are they thinking that she's going to confess to me or something?'

Edward felt a bit strange and was momentarily unsure how to react.

"Whatever," he sighed, shaking his head. Edward found it troublesome so he decided to ignore it.

Leaving the classroom, they found a secluded corner where no one could ovehrheard them.

"So, how did your conversation with your mom go?" Edward asked, recalling their discussion from yesterday.

"She agreed," Patricia exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"That's good. When can you start?" Edward was also relieved, though he kept his calm on the surface.

"How about next Monday?" Patricia proposed eagerly.

"Sounds good," Edward nodded, thinking that the timing was just right. He then suggested, "How about we visit by the apartment after class? What do you think?"

"Sure," Patricia agreed, then continued. "By the way..."

The two continued talking, going over the rental process and other necessary details.

Edward reassured her that he could pay the apartment rent in advance, which could then be deducted from her future salaries.

Edward and Patricia walked back into the classroom, the door making a slight creaking sound as they opened it.

Their smiles immediately caught everyone's attention, and reactions varied.

Some wore teasing expressions, suspecting something romantic had taken place. A few tilted their heads, showing clear interest and curiosity, while a handful seemed clueless and looked to their peers for an explanation.

The room buzzed with whispers and hushed discussions as everyone observed them intently.

"Dam, bro! Did you finally get her?" an excited James asked eagerly, assuming some kind of romantic development.

Edward was taken aback by James' enthusiasm. However, he knew that providing too many details might invite more inquiries, so he chose to be ambiguous in his response.

"Well, it's okay."

"Damn! I'm happy for you, bro. How should we celebrate this happy occasion?"

"..."

A while later, the female professor finally arrived, signaling everyone to return to their seats, and class resumed as usual.

Time passed.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, their class ended. After packing their things, Edward said his goodbyes to James and a few others, and then walked back to his apartment building with Patricia.

Upon arrival, Edward headed straight to the apartment owner's place to discuss rental details.

The apartment building owner warmly greeted them and, upon learning their intentions, proudly showed them around the apartment next to Edward's.

"The apartment isn't just 18×18 square feet—it's lovely. Check out the balcony. Do you like the view? The bathroom is great, and it's really safe with all those locks on the door. It's ideal for a woman living alone," the owner excitedly shared.

After all the necessary introductions, Edward discussed the rental price and the agreed-upon commencement date, proceeding to pay a month's rent in advance.

"Happy cooperation," the owner chimed in, his eyes alight with a genuine smile as he graciously accepted the cash from Edward, sealing the agreement.

He warmly shook Edward and Patricia's hands and then bid them farewell, wishing them both well in their new home.

"This place is beautiful and quite spacious. At first, I thought it might be expensive, but seeing the inside, I think it's worth it. I even find it a bit cheaper," Patricia remarked after the apartment owner left.

"Cheap? It's indeed affordable. However, the value of this apartment doesn't depend on size but on location, demand, and population-"

"I already know that. Wasn't that what our Economics Professor discussed last time?"

"..." Edward was dumbfounded and felt that the script was wrong.

"Then why are you asking if you already know?" Edward snorted and felt dejected.

"I'm not asking, okay?"

"..."

"Anyway, what's up with that guy? His smile is odd, kind of creepy," Patricia remarked, smiling upon seeing the other party's dejected expression, and then changed the topic.

"That smile was something the tenants called the demon's smile," Edward remarked, shrugging.

"Eh?"

"Demon?" Patricia looked 'stunned' upon hearing the term and couldn't help but ask. "What does that mean?"

"It says that his father won a lottery at around 1984 to 1987, and the money was spent on this apartment building..."

"And then?"

"Their family has been managing the building for years," Edward explained, delving into the building's history. "They earned money effortlessly; all they had to do was wait until the end of the month and collect the tenants' rent.."

"Then what?"

"About seven years ago, his father passed away the morning after his birthday, and the son—the current owner—inherited the entire building,"

"W-wow... did he poison his dad or maybe make him fall down the stairs?" Patricia asked, her imagination running wild.

Edward chuckled at her; "Hehe, guess what?"

"H-he did?" Patriai's eyes widened in shocked and her face paled.

"No, not at all," Edward said, a playful smile on his face, feeling a sense of satisfaction as he observed her expression.

"Eh?"

"Hehe, there's no conspiracy like that," Edward chuckled. "His dad passed away of natural causes, and as the son, it's natural to inherit his property."

"Then why do the tenants describe his smile as 'demon'?" Patricia inquired, her curiosity piqued by the term.

"That's because," Edward explained, leaning in a bit, "Since he inherited this place, he spends his mornings and nights obsessively counting money. It's as if the wealth has consumed him, and his once warm smile now only reflects this fixation on his fortune. The tenants, having witnessed this transformation, have come to associate that smile with something eerie and unsettling."

"... I-Is that real?"

"Of course not, It's just a rumor made up by the tenants whenever they see his smile at the end of the month. You know that feeling of being able to earn without doing anything? I think they just envy him, and... I believe it's their way of releasing their frustration."

"..."

Patricia fell silent, unsure of how to react for a moment. Seeing the playful look on the other party's face, she realized that she had been teased and felt a bit dejected.

...

A while later, after thoroughly inspecting the apartment and engaging in light-hearted banter, they made their way to Edward's place.

Once inside, Edward eagerly shared details about his work, specifically about his YouTube channel and how it came to be a few months ago-

"Wait! For real? Y-you're so famous?" she stammered, her eyes widening in astonishment as they fixated on the computer screen displaying Edward's YouTube account.

"Well, I only have 27,000 subscribers... but yeah, I can be considered locally famous."

"Woaah... b-but, why doesn't anyone know you in the campus?"

"Now that you mention that," Edward mused, taking a moment to reflect on Patricia's question. "Well, people don't really remember online celebrities like they do movie or drama stars... Also, there are so many content creators, and usually, people only remember the top 10 most famous... and I'm not even in the top 100 locally."

"Is that so?" Patricia thought about it, finding Edward's explanation reasonable. However, she couldn't shake off the surreal feeling that lingered.

The idea of knowing someone so famous felt amazing. After all, it's not something that happens every day in one's life.

"Also, although there are hundreds of thousands of views on my videos, many of them come from re-views, so the actual number of unique viewers is lower..." Edward explained. After a moment, he paused, allowing Patricia to digest the information.

"I see," Patricia nodded, feeling reassured. After a brief pause, she asked, "By the way, what specific tasks will I be assisting with during the recording?"

"Not many, just assist me with the recording process,"

"Could you explain the process in more detail?"

"Sure," Edward replied casually. "The song recording process starts with creating a draft. We plan everything from start to finish. Doing things on the spot can lead to various complications that may affect time, the production process, and the overall quality of the recording..."

At her request, Edward began explaining, concentrating on the basics and the essential aspects she needed to focus on.

Even if she was a top student, it wasn't feasible to learn everything at once. The rest could only be absorbed through experience.

An hour later, after the explanation had concluded, Edward invited her to a nearby restaurant.

They ate and chatted until a girl approached their table.

"Hi, I'm Honey," she greeted cheerfully.

"Hi, I'm Patricia, or Pat for short," Patricia replied warmly.

The conversation between them seemed harmonious, but somehow, Edward felt that something was off.

...