She spoke quickly, words tumbling over each other, as if afraid she'd lose courage if she stopped.
Viktor listened without interrupting. When she finished, he exhaled softly.
"Aldric was glaring at me all through class," he said. "Every time you asked a question, he made a point of clearing his throat. He wasn't angry at you. He was angry at the idea that you might be interested in someone else."
Yuki blinked. "You noticed?"
"I'm a professor," Viktor said. "It's my job to notice."
He let that sit for a moment before continuing.
"Jealousy makes people stupid, Miss Tanabe. It makes them accuse. It makes them humiliate. That isn't love. That's possession."
The words hit harder than any slap.
Yuki looked down, tears still slipping down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry," she murmured. "For his behavior in your class."
Viktor waved a hand. "His behavior is his own. You're not responsible for it."
She nodded, but the question was still there, hovering just beneath the surface.
