It's Hard to Forget My Lecturer

Luna walked slowly into the classroom filled with students. It was her first day of the new semester, and she had been feeling nervous since morning. The lively campus atmosphere could not dispel the feeling of anxiety that haunted her mind. She had heard many stories about the new lecturer who would be teaching this compulsory course-Prof. Arya. That name alone was enough to make many students shudder. A lecturer who was known to be very strict, often called fierce by his students.

Luna took a seat in the middle row, trying not to stand out too much. She took out her laptop and started opening her notes from the previous semester. The seconds waiting for Prof. Arya's arrival felt like an eternity. The whispers and giggles around the classroom slowly died down as the door to the room creaked open. All eyes were immediately drawn to the tall man who entered with sure steps.

Arya, a man in his early thirties, looked very serious. His face looked firm with facial lines that emphasized his assertiveness, neat black hair, and a pair of glasses that gave an intellectual impression. He put the leather bag on the lecturer's desk and stood straight in front of the class, staring at all the students with a cold gaze.

"Good morning," Arya greeted in a deep voice that was almost without intonation.

"Good morning, Sir," the students replied in unison.

"Let me introduce myself, I am Arya Mahendra. I will be the lecturer for this course for this semester. I don't like small talk. All I demand from you is seriousness. If any of you think you can relax in my class, you should get out now," Arya said without a single smile on his face.

Luna felt a chill spread in the room. Several students looked at each other, some immediately lowered their heads, while others tried not to look nervous.

Arya continued, "I will not tolerate absences, tardiness, let alone careless assignments. I will grade every assignment very strictly, so I suggest you prepare yourselves well. Do you have any questions?"

The class was silent. No one dared to raise their hands or even open their mouths. Luna felt her heart beating fast. How would she survive this class? The question kept spinning around in her head.

After a moment that felt like an eternity, Arya nodded slightly. "Alright. If there are no questions, let's start the lecture. Open your notes and pay close attention."

---

The lecture started quickly, without a pause to breathe. Arya delivered the material fluently, but without any attempt to make it more digestible. Luna tried hard to keep up, but the longer she went on, the more she felt left behind. Every now and then, Arya would ask a student something, and every time that happened, the person he addressed would look nervous, afraid of giving the wrong answer.

When the class ended, Luna felt both relieved and worried. She realized that this semester would not be easy. Most of the students immediately filed out of the room, but Luna remained where she was, feeling the need to reflect on what had just happened.

"Why aren't you out yet?" Arya's voice surprised Luna. She turned her head and saw her lecturer standing beside the table, staring at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh, excuse me, sir. I... I was just thinking," Luna replied in a low voice.

Arya stared at her for a moment before saying, "Don't think too much about it. Focus on the assignments and you'll be fine. This semester will be hard, but it's not impossible to get through. Now, get out, I have another class."

Luna nodded quickly and quickly packed her things. As she walked out of the room, she could feel Arya's gaze on her back. A gaze that seemed to penetrate her mind, reading all the worries and doubts she had.

---

The following days were filled with endless assignments. Luna tried her best to keep up with Arya's rhythm of lectures. Every time she managed to complete one assignment, another one was waiting. Sometimes she felt like giving up, but there was something about this challenge that made her want to keep fighting. Maybe because she didn't want to be seen as a weak student. Or maybe because she was starting to realize, behind his cold and stern demeanor, Arya was a very dedicated lecturer.

One day, after finishing her assignment in the library, Luna decided to stop by the lecturer's office to hand in her assignment in person. When she arrived, the door to the lecturer's office was slightly ajar. She knocked softly, but there was no answer. Finally, he decided to go in.

Inside, Arya was sitting behind his desk, staring at his laptop screen with a serious expression. He didn't notice Luna's presence until Luna stood in front of the desk.

"Excuse me, sir. I came to hand in an assignment," Luna said carefully.

Arya looked up, looking a little surprised, but he nodded immediately. "Put it on the table here."

Luna put her assignment on the table and prepared to leave, but suddenly Arya spoke again.

"Wait a minute, Luna."

Luna stopped and turned her head. Arya opened the assignment he had just handed in and read it quickly. After a few moments, he closed it and looked at Luna with a look that was hard to interpret.

"Your assignment... is better than I expected," Arya said in a tone that was not entirely cold.

"Thank you, sir," Luna replied, feeling both relieved and surprised.

Arya nodded, but this time there was a slight smile on the corner of his lips, although it was barely visible. "Keep up the good work. You have potential."

Luna felt her chest pounding. Getting praise from a lecturer who was known to be fierce like Arya was an extraordinary thing. She left the lecturer's room with mixed feelings-between relief, pride, and something else she didn't fully understand yet.

---

As time went by, Luna began to feel a change in the way she viewed Arya. Behind his firm and strict attitude, Luna began to see another side of her lecturer. Arya always gave constructive feedback, even when he was criticizing. Every word he said, even though it sounded harsh, always had a clear purpose-to encourage students to reach their best potential.

However, the most noticeable change was in Luna herself. She felt more motivated, more eager to prove that she could survive in Arya's class. In fact, the fear she had at the beginning of the semester began to change into a slowly growing sense of admiration.

One afternoon, after class ended, Luna dared to ask Arya about a concept she had difficulty understanding. Arya explained patiently, even longer than he usually did in class. When they were done, Luna felt grateful, and the sense of admiration she felt for Arya grew stronger.

"Thank you, sir. Your explanation was very helpful," Luna said with a smile.

Arya nodded. "You're welcome. Don't hesitate to ask if there's anything you don't understand."

Luna nodded and left the room, but not before she realized that there was something different about the way Arya looked at her. It was no longer just the gaze of a lecturer towards his student. There was something else, something warmer.

---

Days passed, and without Luna realizing it, feelings began to grow in her heart. Feelings that she had initially ignored, but became harder to ignore as time went by. Every time she was near Arya, her heart beat faster. Every time Arya praised her work, Luna felt a happiness that she couldn't explain.

One day, as heavy rain poured down outside the campus, Luna found herself back in the lecturer's room. She planned to wait for the rain to stop before going home, but when she saw Arya working alone at the table, Luna decided to approach him.

"Mr. Arya," Luna called.

Arya lifted his head and smiled faintly, something that Luna was now starting to see more often. "What's wrong, Luna?"

"The rain is really heavy. I think it's better to wait here," Luna replied.

Arya looked out the window, then nodded. "

Arya looked out the window, then nodded. "Then, there's no harm in staying here while the rain eases. Want some coffee or tea?"

Luna was surprised by the offer. "Ah, don't bother, sir. I can just wait outside."

"Don't worry. I usually make my own coffee here. Just take a seat, and I'll make something for you," Arya said as he stood up from his chair and headed to a small table in the corner of the room.

Luna followed Arya's suggestion and sat down on one of the chairs near the lecturer's desk. She felt awkward and unsure of what to say. However, the warmth of Arya's offer and the comfortable atmosphere of the room began to make her feel more relaxed.

Arya returned with two cups of coffee and placed them on the small table between them. "Here's black coffee, according to your wishes," he said with a smile.

"Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it," Luna replied as she accepted the cup of coffee and inhaled its warm aroma.

They sat in silence for a moment, only the sound of the rain falling heavily outside could be heard. Arya seemed more relaxed than usual, and Luna felt a sense of calm that she had rarely felt in a while.

"Not many students come to the lecture room after class," Arya began, "What made you interested in coming here?"

Luna stared at her coffee cup for a moment before answering, "I just wanted to ask more questions about the lecture material. Some of the concepts are a bit difficult for me, and I thought there might be a better way to understand them."

Arya nodded in understanding. "I'm glad to hear that. Sometimes, students just need a little extra help to really understand the material."

"Yes, and I also want to do my best in this class. I know this will be a challenging semester, but I really want to succeed," Luna said enthusiastically.

Arya studied Luna seriously. "I know that you work hard. I can see it from the assignments you turn in."

Luna smiled, feeling a little more confident. "Thank you, sir. That means a lot to me."

The atmosphere in the room felt more intimate than before. Arya not only talked to Luna about the lecture material, but also began to share about some of his hobbies and interests. Luna found herself drawn to many of the things Arya said. It turned out that, despite his assertive personality, Arya also had a softer and more caring side.

The rain outside began to ease, and the sky showed signs of clearing. Luna felt reluctant to leave the room that now felt so comfortable. Arya seemed to feel the same way.

"It looks like the rain has stopped," Arya said as he looked out the window. "You can go home now."

"Thank you very much for the coffee and the pleasant conversation, sir," Luna said as she stood up.

"It was a pleasure to help. Feel free to come again if you need any help," Arya replied with a clearer smile on his face.

Luna nodded and walked towards the door, but before she left, she turned around and said, "Mr. Arya, actually, I... I feel very inspired by the way you teach and care for your students. I hope to learn a lot from you."

Arya looked a little surprised, but the smile on his face grew wider. "That's very good to hear, Luna. I will do my best to help all my students."

Luna smiled and left the room with a warm feeling in her heart. As time went by, her feelings for Arya became clearer. The feeling was not just admiration or respect, but also something deeper-something that was difficult to express in words.

Since then, Luna and Arya's relationship began to change. They began to talk more often outside of class hours, and Luna felt that she really understood Arya better than before. On the other hand, Arya also began to show more attention to Luna, inviting her to talk more about things outside of class material and giving additional encouragement that meant a lot to Luna.

However, Luna knew that their relationship was still within a professional framework, and she had to be careful to maintain the existing boundaries. She cherished every moment she had with Arya, even though she also felt worried about how her feelings would affect their relationship in the future.

For now, Luna decided to focus on her studies and learn as much as possible from Arya, while hoping that their relationship would continue to develop in a positive way. Every meeting with Arya became more meaningful, and Luna increasingly believed that there was something special behind the lecturer's strict attitude that she was now starting to see in a different light.

Luna arrived home after a full day of lectures and assignments. She took off her shoes and pocketed her college bag before stepping into the living room. As usual, she was greeted by a warm home atmosphere and a cheerful family. However, today, there was something that made her feel a little anxious-her brother, Farel, who was known to often tease and tease his younger sibling.

Farel, who had just come home from out of town, was sitting on the sofa casually while watching television. When he saw Luna come in, he immediately greeted her with a big smile.

"Hey, Luna! Finally home. How was your day?" Farel asked, his cheerful tone always able to make Luna feel better.

"Tired, but fine. I have to finish my college assignments," Luna replied as she put her bag on the table near the door.

Farel smiled mischievously. "Oh, I didn't know you could be that diligent. Besides, tomorrow an old friend will be coming to the house."

Luna looked at Farel curiously. "Old friend? Who?"

Farel seemed to think for a moment, as if trying to remember the name of his old friend. "He's my childhood friend. We haven't seen each other for years. I just contacted him and he agreed to come and visit."

"Really? That must be fun. Are you still in touch with him?" Luna asked.

Farel nodded. "Yeah, he hasn't been here for a long time. We used to hang out together, but after he moved to another city, we never met again."

Luna looked at Farel curiously. "Will he stay here for long?"

"No, just for a few hours. He just wants to visit and chat. Maybe you'll be happy to meet him too," Farel replied with a mysterious smile on his face.

Luna felt curious but didn't think too much about it. "Okay, I'll try to be home when he comes."

That night, Luna felt a little more relaxed. She had dinner with her family, then helped her mother with some housework before she headed to her room to rest. Even so, her curiosity about Farel's old friend remained on her mind.

The next day, Luna woke up excitedly. He did several tasks and prepared himself before Farel's brother's friends arrived. While he was tidying up the living room, Farel came into the living room with a cheerful face.

"Good morning, Luna! My old friend will be here in a moment. Make sure you are ready," said Farel while checking his watch.

"Yes, I'm ready. When exactly will he come?" Luna asked.

"I think it will be in a few minutes. I will go to the kitchen for a moment to prepare drinks and snacks. Don't forget to smile and be a good host," said Farel as he headed into the kitchen.

Luna nodded and continued her preparations. He checked the guest table and made sure everything looked neat. Not long after, he heard the sound of the front door ringing, followed by approaching footsteps.

Farel opened the door and Luna could hear a familiar male voice from outside. "Finally! So nice to see you again."

Luna approached the door and saw Farel hugging a man who looked older than Farel but still looked young and charismatic. The man wore a neat suit and had a very firm gaze-exactly the same as the lecturer who taught Luna, Arya Mahendra.

Luna felt a little awkward seeing the arrival of the guest. Farel led Arya into the living room and introduced them.

"Luna, this is Arya, my childhood friend. Arya, this is my sister, Luna."

Arya smiled and extended his hand. "Nice to meet you, Luna."

Luna was surprised and confused for a moment, but finally realized that Arya was her college lecturer. She tried to maintain a professional attitude and shook Arya's hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Arya."

Arya looked at Luna for a moment, but immediately looked away and smiled. "So, you are Farel's younger brother. I didn't know you were a student at the same campus that I teach."

Farel chuckled. "Yes, he just started this semester. Maybe you can give him some advice about college."

Luna felt a little awkward with this situation. "I'm just trying my best in college, Sir."

Arya nodded. "Very good. Farel often tells stories about how he used to study and play together. It turns out you are also smart."

"Thank you, sir. I'm just trying to follow the lesson well," said Luna respectfully.

Farel then brought Arya to the dining table in the living room, and Luna joined in. Lunch began with casual chatter and laughter. Luna felt more comfortable as she listened to Farel and Arya's childhood stories. It turned out, they had many funny and interesting memories together.

During the meal, Luna occasionally tried to pay attention to Arya, to see if he saw