"I mean, I would love to have a friend. Having someone during these times would be great," the girl replied with a bashful smile.

"Great!" Bertie grinned, settling beside her on the bench. Then, he crossed his legs and leaned closer to her, opening his sketchbook. "Also! I, uh..."

"Oh? A sketchbook?" the girl pointed.

"Yeah, hehe. I... I, heh," Bertie chuckled nervously. "I drew you," he admitted.

     Bertie inclined the sketchbook towards the girl, revealing the magnificent portrait to her. Upon laying her eyes on the sketch, the girl gasped faintly, and her brows shot to her hairline. Admiration swelled in her heart, and a sense of appreciation flowed through her eyes, sparkling like the stars in the night sky.

"What a beautiful drawing," the girl remarked timidly, but deep within, she wanted to grin.

"Heh, thanks," Bertie replied, scratching his head.

     Suddenly, the wind blew in Bertie's direction, flipping the pages of his sketchbook. As the pages flipped, countless drawings of the girl revealed themselves before her. The girl caught sight of every sketch, causing admiration to throb within her, flowing through her veins. Surprised, Bertie gasped and closed the sketchbook, giggling awkwardly.

"Were those drawings of me?" the girl questioned bashfully.

"Heh, y-yeah," Bertie responded sheepishly.

"Your drawings are beautiful. Beautiful, I shall say," the girl commented. "May I see them?" she asked politely.

"S-sure," Bertie stuttered. Flipping the pages, Bertie showed the drawings of the girl to her. "I'm not truly a master in art, but I do it when I have time. But my father always says! At least I enjoy doing art," he explained as he flicked the pages.

As the girl scanned the sketches, she said, "I like art, too. I love painting and arts done in theatres."

"Truly?" Bertie grinned.

"Yes! I do!" the girl nodded swiftly, her quirky side beginning to appear.

"I love theatre drama! Despite being a drama, though! I find them somehow in the comedy genre!" Bertie stated.

"Excuse me? What!? I love theatre dramas, too!" the girl squealed, her silly side showing.

"My, my, my! I guess, we have something in common!" Bertie beamed. He then asked, "Tell me more about you! What food do you like? I like Tofu and Mushroom Wrap! You know? Falorsken!"

"I love Falorsken Wrap!" the girl beamed, shaking her head as her brows arched with bliss. "And I don't care if you laugh at me, but I like the colour Ogre-green," she mentioned.

"I adore Ogre-green! It suits my hair because I'm ginger!" Bertie gasped, surprised by their similarity.

"Oh! What's your name??" the girl asked, eager to know Bertie's name.

"Albert! But call me Bertie, because my grandfather's name is Albert!" Bertie revealed, closing his eyes with pride as he smirked.

"Bertie! Lovely name!" the girl remarked. "My name's Hannah! Nice to meet you!" the girl, Hannah, introduced herself, grasping Bertie's hand and shaking it vigorously.

Bertie enthusiastically shook hands with Hannah, grinning at her. "Nice to meet ya, too!"

     Meanwhile, standing and observing quietly in the background, Jean, Kevin, Gabriel, George, and Scarlet revel at the sight of Bertie speaking to a girl. With a sense of triumph washing over them, they exchange grins and playful nudges. Giggling softly, they watch and smile, their lips spreading across their faces.

     Suddenly, amidst the merriment, one of the school's caretakers rushes towards Jean. Jean and the caretaker stand before each other, staring at one another in the eyes. Deciding to address her, Jean speaks up, his voice clear and full of curiosity.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

     Later, Jean, Bertie, and George find themselves seated on the office chairs before the school's dean. Within the office, where noise fails to permeate, the thick wooden walls surround them, enveloping them with a sense of security, while the daylight passes through the large windows on the sides. An elegant gilded pearl chandelier hangs on the ceiling, casting a light glow upon the room. Shelves and cabinets stand as guards, storing data and documents of the university.

Seated before Jean and his brothers, the dean folded her hands and cleared her throat. "The sons of the Hidesine-Podeshire," she began.

"Yes, Ma'am," Jean nodded.

The dean grabbed a letter, and her eyes scanned across it. "I received a letter from your mother, Mrs Josephine Shalores, regarding your father's current issue," she stated.

Jean, Bertie, and George's interest were hooked, their curiosity piqued. Concern flooded their veins as they inclined their heads, their ears listening intently. "Oh," they mumbled.

"Your father, the great Remaining Podeshire, seems to be... in distress... in severe pain, and seeks your presence, as it is said that he believes he is... in his final days..." the dean explained, summarizing the letter.

"W-what...?" Jean, Bertie, and George murmured anxiously.

"...I bid my sincerest apologies regarding the news. I'm truly sorry for you three," the dean sighed. "As a request, your parents are summoning you back home. They want to see you again. And as the dean, I approve of this request, and you shall be going home. You're all excused from your classes and are exempted until your father's illness is resolved."

     Heartbroken by the unfortunate news, Jean and his brothers, Bertie and George, cannot utter a sound as they feel like falling into the pit of woe. Jean, Bertie, and George fixate their gazes on the dean, and the dean lowers her eyes. The information concerning their father causes Jean and his brothers' hearts to explode into a million pieces, shattering as if they are made of glass. A deep, cold breath passes through their lips, their gaze dropping to the floor.