Chapter 275: Mutual Territory

Mateo was right next to Johnathan, watching every ridiculous move play out. When he saw the post Johnathan had just made, he couldn’t help blurting out, “Dude, what the hell?! Johnathan, are you serious right now?” He couldn’t believe Johnathan had such a dramatic, hot-blooded side to him. You want a fight? Come find me? Seriously?

Then he looked over and saw Johnathan wearing the smug, self-satisfied look of a peacock in mating season. It was honestly hard to watch. Johnathan was in too good of a mood to care. Even getting dragged didn’t faze him. He calmly set down his papers, grabbed his jacket, and said, “I’m heading out to pick someone up.”

“Hey! We’re not even done here,” Maddox grumbled.

Johnathan glanced at them. “You guys can finish. None of you have girlfriends anyway.”

The shot landed dead center. All four of them went quiet. Before anyone could fire back, Johnathan was already out the door with his car keys.

“What a jackass.”

Mateo muttered, “Next time I see him, I’m punching him in the face.”

Stone didn’t miss a beat. “Already recording. Back out, and you’re a coward.”

Mateo almost choked and lunged at him. “Fine, I’ll start with you!”

While the rest of them were fooling around upstairs, Johnathan had already driven to the lab. This time, he didn’t bother staying out of sight like Sierra told him to. He rolled right up to the building, parked, and got out to wait.

To the students at North Salem University, Johnathan was basically a legend. Not just in biochem—his name carried weight across the academic world. So the second word got out that he was on campus, students swarmed in from every direction. Everyone wanted to get a glimpse, maybe soak up a little genius energy, maybe bump their own grades by proximity.

Sierra had no idea what kind of scene he was causing until Autumn looked at her with a complicated expression. “Sierra, if you don’t get down there soon, we’re gonna have a full-on stampede.”

“What?”

Autumn showed her the explosion of posts on the school forum. Johnathan and Sierra’s names were trending at the very top. Then she pointed outside. “Your Mr. Yeager is causing a riot.”

Sierra stepped over to the window and froze. There was Johnathan, standing next to his car, surrounded by a respectful but very large crowd. He answered questions calmly, only glancing at his watch now and then.

Autumn sighed dramatically. “This is the day my illusions died. No—Erwin’s illusions died.” Then she grinned. “Ever since Johnathan posted that message, your little fan club has been radio silent. Bet they didn’t expect a literal academic god to get jealous and come mark his territory.”

Sierra’s eyes twinkled with laughter. “Data’s done. I’m heading out.” She was already peeling off her lab coat as she walked out, clearly in a rush.

Autumn muttered behind her, “Figures. Mutual pining is always sweet as hell.”

Chapter 275: Mutual Territory

When Sierra stepped outside, the students instinctively made way for her. As soon as she showed up, Johnathan walked straight over and took her hand. With so many people watching, Sierra felt a little self-conscious.

Just as she was about to say something, Johnathan leaned down and muttered, “I was only gone a few days. Now everyone’s lining up to confess to you?”

She relaxed a little. He clearly didn’t know who actually started all this. He probably just thought some random people had been flirting with her. They didn’t make a scene. Once Johnathan had staked his claim, he took her and left. After they passed the school gate, he turned and said playfully, “So? How many gifts did you get?”

Sierra rolled her eyes. “Not nearly as many as you.”

“I heard that back when you were in school, people lined up outside your dorm every day. Girls, guys—you had fans in every direction.”

That was what her upperclassmen had told her. Even professors had joked about how insane Johnathan’s fanbase used to be. The guys were even crazier than the girls. Her Mr. Yeager had always been that popular.

“That was ages ago,” Johnathan said with a smile. “Now you’re the one getting confessions.”

Honestly, he hadn’t been thrilled about all the attention she was getting. But then he saw her post—direct, bold, and completely his—and the jealousy faded instantly. Let them chase her, he thought. They’re never going to get her. Sierra was his, and his alone.