Gemotions

"Are you sure?" Mark asked, his voice strained. He leaned forward, his elbows braced on the worn wooden table in Professor Ito's office. He wasn't entirely convinced of the professor's assertion that he had a new job offer. He had spent the last two years under Professor Ito's guidance. The man had become almost a father figure.

Professor Ito sighed, pushing a stack of papers aside. Mark felt a sudden chill, despite the warm spring sunshine streaming through the window. The pleasant surroundings no longer seemed so pleasant. He felt a hollowness in his chest, a sense of loss even before the departure had occurred. He stared at his hands, watching his knuckles whiten as he clenched them.