Luke Triton and the Great Farewell –Part 2-

It seemed like an eternity until class ended. Layton kept glancing at the clock and losing his place in his lecture. He had never felt so flustered before. It didn't help that Luke was smiling slyly at him the entire time, either. More than once he dropped his chalk, nervous under the constant pressure. At last, he dismissed his students and moved to begin erasing the blackboard.

"Do you want some help, professor?"

Layton jumped. "N-no, I'm—"

"Really." Luke leaned back on the desk, crossing his arms. "All this time, and all you can say is no?"

The professor turned around, speechless. He struggled to find the right words. "L-Luke…"

Luke smiled. "You didn't visit me."

"That's because I—"

"You stopped writing me after a while, too."

"But I—"

"I thought I had lost my best friend, professor." Luke frowned. "I would ask you if you knew how that felt, but I'm sure you went through a similar experience with Claire…"

"Listen to me!" Layton snapped. "I…I stopped writing because your father told me to."

Luke raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

"He thought…he thought if I kept mailing you, you wouldn't make any new friends. I stopped for a while, but by the time he allowed me to begin again…it seemed like so much time had passed. I didn't know if you even wanted to hear from me at that point. I was so worried that I had wounded you, I couldn't bring myself to—"

"Well, you were right." The boy frowned slightly. "I was very hurt."

"And for that I sincerely apologize," Layton said.

"Why did you never visit?"

"For the same reason. Your father vehemently opposed my return." The professor shook his head sadly. "I really do apologize, Luke. I wanted to see you, too. I was beginning to think we'd never meet again."

"I thought that many times, professor." Luke picked up a stray fossil on the professor's desk and began turning it in his fingers. "So I applied to Grossenheller."

"I...I'm flattered that you wanted to see me, as I have wanted to see you—but isn't choosing your entire future based on that a little reckless?"

"Oh? You think I applied to Grossenheller just because of you?" Luke asked. "That was true, I admit. But you forget, professor. I learn quickly. All those lectures I attended as a child soaked in. This has become my area of expertise, as well. I decided to major in archaeology because I like it—not because you teach it."

"I—I'm glad, my boy," Layton replied hesitantly. He felt awkward after all of these years apart. He hardly recognized the youth before him, much less the type of person he seemed to have become.

"Heh." Luke placed the fossil back on the desk. "I can hear your thoughts, professor."

"W-what?"

"You think I've changed."

"N-no, I—"

"You would be right."

They stood in silence for several minutes. Luke smirked at the professor slightly, finding amusement in Layton's flustered suffering. "Luke…"

"Apologies won't work, professor. I'm a different man now."

"I know, Luke. That doesn't mean we can't still be friends. Come, have a cup of tea in my office. I think we need a good, long conversation."

"I agree completely, professor. I agree completely."