The soft patter that had been tapping against the window gradually transformed into the thunderous deluge pouring from the sky. Lightning flashed in the distance, splitting the gray clouds above the university complex and leaving behind a brief burst of white light that illuminated the gaps between the curtains in Dr. Jonathan's office. Rain fell with full force, turning the concrete courtyard and walkways around the Faculty of Humanities into foaming pools of water.
Inside Room Thirteen, silence briefly crept in after Jonathan's halting confession. Aisyah remained frozen in her chair, her fingers gently squeezing the edge of her gray hijab. The jasmine tea in front of her had stopped steaming, leaving behind a clear brownish liquid that was cooling along with the drastic change in temperature outside.
Jonathan rose from his desk chair. His slow footsteps carried him toward the large glass window overlooking the open-air corridor and rows of angsana trees. He drew the vertical blinds aside slightly, watching the heavy raindrops strike the tiled floor of the outside walkway.
"The rain couldn't have come at a worse time," Jonathan murmured, his voice deep but calming. He turned and looked at Aisyah, who was still sitting rigidly in place. "Or maybe it came at exactly the right time to stop us from running."
Aisyah stood as well, straightening the orange folder containing her undergraduate thesis proposal before placing it in her backpack. "It's getting late, Professor. And it doesn't look like this rain will let up anytime soon. I need to get home. My mother must already be waiting for me."
Jonathan nodded slowly. He took a black folding umbrella from the corner of his desk, then reached for the cloth raincoat draped over the back of his chair. "You can't walk to the campus gate in weather like this, Aisyah. The outside corridor will be flooded, and public transportation will be difficult to find during rush hour and a downpour like this."
"I can hurry to the bus stop, Professor. I have a small umbrella in my bag," Aisyah argued quickly, trying to maintain a safe distance in order to rebuild the walls of professionalism that had wavered just minutes earlier.
"Your little umbrella won't stand up to the storm winds in the open walkway on the east wing," Jonathan replied in a firm tone that allowed no argument, though the concern in his eyes was sincere. "Come on. I'll walk you to the main lobby of the front building."
Aisyah was about to refuse, but Jonathan's gaze locked away her hesitation. Without waiting for another answer, he locked his office door and walked ahead along the dim corridor of the east wing.
The faculty hallway felt exceptionally quiet on that wet late afternoon. The corridor lights cast a dim yellow glow across the tiled floor, wet from rain splashing in through the open side of the walkway. Their footsteps echoed in harmony down the empty hall: the firm stride of the young lecturer followed by the lighter steps of his student.
The roar of rain pounding against the corrugated metal roof and walkway seemed to isolate them from the outside world. Neither of them spoke as they made their way down the long corridor. Yet in the silence broken by the storm's rumble, the physical distance of only a few inches between them felt heavy with meaning. Aisyah could smell the distinctive fragrance of cinnamon and rain clinging to the man walking ahead of her.
When they reached the larger main lobby of the faculty building, the rain sounded even more thunderous. The tiled floor near the main entrance was wet with splashes, forcing several other students caught in the storm to take shelter in a corner of the room while waiting for a ride or for the storm to subside.
Jonathan stopped beside a large concrete pillar, allowing a safe distance to form between them and the other students. He turned to look at Aisyah, making sure she hadn't been splashed.
"It's coming down hard," Jonathan said as he straightened the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt. "How are you going to get home now? Is there anyone you can call to pick you up?"
Aisyah slowly shook her head. "No, Professor. My mother can't drive, and I usually take public transportation or get a motorcycle taxi from the stand."
Jonathan fell silent for a moment, studying the situation beyond the campus gate, which appeared to be completely gridlocked by rows of cars with their hazard lights on in the middle of the storm. He let out a long breath and made his decision quickly.
"You don't have your motorcycle or car keys with you, do you? Then let me drive you in my car all the way to your front door, Aisyah," Jonathan said in a firm, final tone. "This isn't about thesis advising or our university relationship anymore. It's about your safety in the middle of extreme weather."
Aisyah met Jonathan's eyes, her emotions in turmoil. She knew perfectly well that his offer carried serious social risks if other students or colleagues saw them. But the sharp crash of thunder that struck the sky outside again seemed to shatter the last of her reasons for refusing.
"Thank you so much, Professor," Aisyah whispered, surrendering to the circumstances.
Jonathan gave a small nod. He opened his umbrella wide, placing an arm protectively around Aisyah's shoulder in a gesture that was both impeccably courteous and firm, guiding his student through the heavy rain toward the faculty parking basement beneath the same black umbrella. Beneath the darkening evening sky and the endless curtain of rain, their footsteps fell into a single rhythm as they moved toward a new chapter that fate could no longer keep them from entering.