Gemotions

The silence in the room was deafening after Professor Ito’s announcement. Leo, struggling to maintain his composure, stared out the window. The rolling green fields outside the lecture hall usually calmed him, but today they only amplified his unease.

He felt the sudden urge to hide his face. He felt exposed. He was suddenly aware of the way his shirt clung to his back, the way his palms were sweating. He felt weak.

The others around him were already murmuring, planning the next steps, but he couldn't formulate a single coherent thought. He felt paralyzed. The research, the data, the years of work -- all of it suddenly seemed fragile, susceptible to ruin. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to breathe.

He left the meeting and found himself wandering aimlessly, the sun’s glare too bright, the sounds of the campus too loud.