Chapter 213 - THE DEATH OF 'LUO YAN'
"YOUR name is Luo Yan?" Rong Shun asked.
The shift in Rong Shun's expression was the chance Luo Yan was waiting for. "Does Teacher know of someone with the same name?" he asked in the most natural way possible.
"Why do you ask?"
Luo Yan walked out behind Shen Ji Yun before he answered Rong Shun's question. "Because you looked like you remembered someone when I suddenly mentioned my name."
Shen Ji Yun looked at the professor. He didn't notice any significant change in his expression. So, he couldn't understand what the rabbit meant. Maybe it's because Luo Yan was probably more sensitive than him when it came to other people's emotion. Well, anyone would probably be more sensitive than him. Especially since he hardly understood emotions – the others and even his own.
"Do I really?" Rong Shun asked, holding his chin as if thinking hard.
"You probably just missed that person who has the same name as me," Luo Yan said. "Does he live somewhere faraway?"
The way he's asking would probably show that he's definitely interested in this person who had the same name as him. But because he was acting all naïve and innocent, it didn't come off like that at all. He just seemed like a kid curious about everything.
"Faraway, huh? That's one way to look at it," Rong Shun answered.
"Is he a very close friend?" Luo Yan asked again. He would continue to ask until he got the most important answer.
"He's not. He's just some troublesome student who got his life cut short in the lamest way possible."
[Hey now. When did I ever cause you trouble? As far as I can remember, it's the other way around. And although I died in that lame way, it's not as if I told that potted plant to fall straight to my face.]
But, of course, Luo Yan couldn't say that. He couldn't even get himself to get angry. Not when Rong Shun had that nostalgic look tinged with a bit of sadness on his face.
"This student, he passed away?" Shen Ji Yun asked. Although he's not really interested in this topic, the rabbit seemed like he was. He probably found it novel, hearing a story about someone with the same name.
"Yes, seven years ago. Got done in by some potted plant just a few days after he graduated. Laughable, right?"
"I don't think anything that involves death could be considered laughable," Shen Ji Yun said in a serious tone.
[Yes, go and preach on him, Shen Ji Yun.]
But, again, Luo Yan couldn't just say that straight out. Not when he still hadn't gotten the answer he wanted.
He looked up at Rong Shun, he made sure that his expression would show just the right amount of sadness and fear. "So, this person with the same name as me, he's already gone?"
Shen Ji Yun glanced at Luo Yan, all worried. He suddenly realized that this topic might be too much for the rabbit. After all, he also had a near death experience at such a young age. Maybe this conversation would bring out the trauma from that accident.
But surprisingly enough, although Luo Yan looked sad and scared, he didn't feel that he really was. If this was any other person, they would probably feel disappointed when they saw someone they knew acting to show their sympathy to someone. But Shen Ji Yun didn't feel that way. He was, in fact, rather glad that the rabbit was not really sad.
"His parents must have been heartbroken," Luo Yan added.
"If they were alive, then yes, they must have been," Rong Shun said, taking out the lollipop stick from his mouth and throwing it to the nearest trash can. "He's an orphan, that guy."
"That's… sad," Luo Yan commented. Although it's truly a bit creepy talking about his death in his last life, he must still persevere to know the answer.
"Yeah."
Rong Shun was in the campus when that accident happened. Luo Yan was a pretty famous student, so that word of what happened to him immediately spread. Rong Shun left whatever he was doing to rush to the hospital. He was already undergoing surgery then. The doctor managed to save him. But he fell into a coma after that. Then a few days later, his body gave out and succumbed to death.
And just like that, a person who definitely had a bright future ahead of him, died.
Rong Shun learned from Luo Yan's three roommates that he was an orphan. For the one year that he spent as his adviser, he didn't even realize that he was in that kind of situation. Because he always looked so happy. With people always constantly surrounding him. But at the time of his death, he didn't even have a single family member with him.
Yes, it was indeed heartbreaking.
"Did… did he die alone?"
This time, even Luo Yan knew that he was not acting. The fear in his voice was real. He was afraid. Afraid that he would hear from Rong Shun that he died all alone. He thought that he was already over it. That he had already accepted the possibility of that. But it seemed that that was not the case.
Because dying alone meant that no one genuinely cared about him. He wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that way. Considering how fake he was. The way he manipulated people to suit his needs, the way he constantly lied and deceived people. Always putting up a wall between him and other people. How could someone like that deserved the genuine care of others?
Luo Yan looked down, he could feel his hands trembling. He smiled bitterly. Really, just how much of a coward was he?
He was startled when he suddenly felt a big, warm hand enveloping his trembling hand. He turned to Shen Ji Yun. His blue eyes silently asking if he's alright. Luo Yan didn't know the answer to that. So, he could only do his best to smile at him.
"He didn't." What Rong Shun said made Luo Yan sharply turned to him. "He was in a coma for a couple of days after that accident. The director of the orphanage he grew up in remained at his side through all that. His three roommates were also there. Me as well."
Luo Yan felt like the chain in his heart suddenly broke into pieces when he heard that. It was almost as if a part of him was freed from something that's tying it down. He felt lighthearted. He truly could not explain what he was feeling. If he was happy or sad. He just knew that he was relieved.
[I see… I see… the director and those guys, even this guy here, were all there.]
He was not alone. Even if he was such a scummy person, even though he didn't show his real self to them, those people still cared for him. Enough that they would remain at his side during such a time.
[I see…]
And he did not even notice that a single tear drop had already fallen from one of his eyes.