The ringtone was a siren. It dragged Leansei out of a sleep he hadn't meant to fall into. He jolted from his sleep. The continuous sound makes Lean slowly open his eyes and reach for his phone to answer the call.
He fumbled for the phone. "Mm. Why are you calling early in the morning?" His voice was gravel as he felt the numbness of his arm and pins and needles shot up to his shoulder that was resting on the desk while the laptop was left open. The screen glowing with half-read tabs about Vcheroi Holdings and something called generational transference theory that made no sense at 3AM. Leansei didn't realize that he slept from researching all night. He probably slept for only a few hours. He didn't even know when he slept, or rather how.
[ You're not that lazy, as I know. You only have thirty minutes before class starts. ] Leansei immediately sat up straight, which made his sleepiness fade away. He glanced at the clock and it was already 7:30am. He ended the call and ran towards the bathroom to take a cold shower.
A few minutes passed after Leansei had done his routine and locked the door. He was glad that there were a lot of clothes and pairs of uniforms to wear. He wasn't able to eat since he was about to get a tardy record, and he didn't want to mess things up in Kean's school life.
Leansei started running outside the building and stopped when someone called out Kean's name. Lean glanced in the direction of the voice, and he saw a familiar man leaning against the car, blonde hair, inches taller than him, wearing the same school uniform while jacket slung over one shoulder with a face that looked like it belonged on a poster.
Leansei was about to walk again since he might have misheard it, but he called him again. Leansei pointed at himself, as if to ask if he's the one his calling is for, and the guy nodded and smiled as he waved his hand.
He strided towards the guy. "You don't remember me at all, do you?"The guy said, he has a good features like he is a model or ambassador. He saw this face before…
"Who are you?"
' Ohh, I remember him now. He was the guy who clung to my neck when I was walking around the campus. I might have treated him harshly. ' (but he literally saw him from the posters and billboards hung in the bus stations. Just didn't remember at all.)
The idea didn't fit with the journal. With the isolation. With the way everyone looked at him like he was a broken glass.
"I'm sorry. I recently heared that you have amnesia. But since you can't remember me, I'm Rell Vin Torse, your best friend since middle school." Leansei blinked his eyes as he was stunned by what he had said. For a long time, Leansei couldn't think that Kean had a best friend. "Get in," Rell said. "We'll go together. Like usual."
'I might get some information from him.'
Leansei didn't respond, but he strolled around the car and climbed inside the passenger seat. He got into the car, inside smelled like leather and coffee. Rell started the engine and drove. While driving, Rell shot few glances at Leansei as he felt indifferently.
"Do you know me that well?" Leansei asked who's looking outside the window. Rell kept his eyes on the road. He could feel the easing presence that Rell gave him. The thought occurred to him that he might be able to obtain information about Kean's past and present conflicts.
"Mm. You like coffee nut ice cream, you like Italian dishes, and you love to read manga." Rell said, looking at the road. Like Lean thought, the only thing they have in common is reading manga. "I also want to apologize that I couldn't visit you." he added. "Since I just flew from another country. Then I heard about the amnesia. I flew back as soon as I could."
"It is fine. Did we... get along?"
Rell's hands tightened on the wheel. "Our parents were business partners since middle school. We've known each other forever. Though we didn't start well. But we got there." Rell made a long pause while looking at the road. Leansei glanced at him and gave a confused look.
' Did something happened between them? '
"You got cranky three months ago,"Rell said finally. "You seemed off that day, so we got into a conflict with each other and after that, you shut everyone out. Even me."
"How so? What did we fight about?"
"I don't know. You never said." He paused.
"Before I flew to Syvanka, you isolated yourself from everyone, and a week before I came home, I got a call from Mrs. Ferech that you were in an accident, so I flew as early as I could."
Leansei leant back and glanced at the window again. He doesn't get it, and how did Kean turn to someone like this? He is also confused by the story of Kean. He is somewhat a puzzle with missing pieces, and every piece he found makes the picture worse.
"Do you know Tyvan?" was a sudden question from Leansei. The question made Rell glance at Leansei for a few seconds before he responded.
"He is one of the most famous people from a wealthy family. He also had an outstanding education and he is well known in each building of RU--"
"That's not what I meant." Leansei's voice was quiet. "What's our relationship?"
Rell was silent for a beat too long. "I can't answer that, Kean. You never talk about it, and you always gets pissed whenever I ask about him." Rell said. "How's your injury?" Changing the subject.
"H-huh? I just got a fever---"
"Don't lie to me, Kean." Rell's tone dropped. "I know that those assholes are still on track for you. I always told you to be careful." Lean diverts his eyes and looks at the window instead.
'He really knew Kean that well.'
Leansei remained silent as the car pulled into Vcherian tall gates. The students were already moving in clusters, laughing, phones out, and uniforms pressed while going inside the campus. Rell killed the engine. Lean couldn't ask for more since he asked so many questions.
They got out of the car but before Lean can even get his body out, Rell held his wrist. "But don't pretend you're fine when you're not.
Not with me." Leansei didn't answer. Rell slowly let him go. He climb outside and held the strap of his bag tightly. Walked toward the building with thirty seconds to spare. Behind him, Rell watched.
Leansei was becoming uncomfortable. He never likes to socialize, he never likes being stared at, and most importantly, he hates people who are arrogant and dickheads. He got separated from Rell since they have different rooms but the same building and schedule. Lean was listening and enjoying the lectures since he lives like a normal person now. He somewhat enjoyed this peace since he might not experience it anymore.
"You've changed." Leansei glanced beside him when Revin was staring at him while resting his head on his arm.
Lean turned his eyes away from him and went back to writing in his notebook again. "I didn't," he said. "I just want to cherish what I have now."
"Here," Revin said, placing a plastic bag landed on Leansei's desk. Lean put down his pen and looked at the plastic bag that had been placed on his desk. He looked at Revin with a confused look.
"I heard you got sick," Revin mumbled, already turning away. His cheeks were red. "So. I got you some medicine."
Leansei was relieved that there were people who cared about him, unlike in his previous life. Lean suddenly realized that he was getting used to being kean and being solicitous with everyone.
He looked at Revin as he wouldn't have thought that Revin would do that. So he nodded at him and said, "Thank you, Revin. You shouldn't have to." He put it inside his bag.
Leansei was glad to meet someone like them. He was also glad that he was able to experience this kind of life that he never thought he could have in Kean's life. Moreover, since this may be Lean's second life after death, he shouldn't waste it.
The bell rang to signal the start of the lunch break. Leansei started cleaning his desk and putting his things inside his bag.
"I'll see you at the next meeting. I'll assign you to your partner, and pick your own topic. Don't make me pick for you." The professor said before dashing off into the room. Leansei likes how the professors at VU teach the students. It was well explained, well mannered, and understandable.
Leansei thought that he could end the class without getting into trouble or getting anyone's attention, but it seems like trouble and annoying people won't leave him alone.
A loud bang that makes the head turn towards the door when it slammed open by someone aggressively and uncarelessly. The person that Lean thought he wouldn't see anymore and thought that he could avoid, but it turned out it was the person who was at the door.
"Brooo!" A loud shout from Beidhen with his annoying grin, and arms wide like he owned the building.The students who were left inside started gossiping and admiring Beidhen for his handsome face and body build.
Leansei looked left and right to make sure that Beidhen didn't go for him. Prayed Beidhen was here for anyone else. His eyes found him. He starts waving and smiling, as if they were long-time friends.
Leansei scrambled to zip his bag. "Hi Broo!" Beidhen said and walked towards Leansei. While Lean was hurriedly arranging his belongings to avoid him, as if he could, because Beidhen was charging at him like a wild dog.
Beidhen was already there. "Why do you look so tense?" he pouted. Like a kid denied candy or more like bullied by his friends. Leansei rubbed the back of his neck to think of an excuse.
"Do you have an urgent thing to say, that's why you came into my room?" Leansei asked, keeping his voice low.
Beidhen nodded his head, "Yes!," he said, "Yes! It's very urgent, and we're almost there, right?" Leansei gave him a raw smile and fake giggled.
' When did we become friends? '
"I dont seem to follow…"
"You forgot?" He said. "in the bedroom of Xer--" Leansei clapped a hand over his mouth since there were still alot of students inside the room and If word got out that he'd been in Xerchin's room, in Xerchin's house,
he'd be the end of it.
"So," Revin said from his desk. His smile was gone. "You're friends now?" Leansei halted when at the moment, he forgot that Revin is beside him.
' Did he hear anything? I hope nothing. '
Beidhen's smile faded away when he glanced at Revin. It was the first time he saw Beidhen with that serious look on his face, voice flat and lose the annoying grin from his face.
"Yes and more than friends," Beidhen said, putting his arms around Lean's neck with a confident tone. Revin and Beidhen were staring at each other intently, and that created the tension inside the room.
It felt like two dogs circling the same bone. Leansei annoyedly shoved Beidhen's arm off and grabbed his bag. "What are you saying?! You've lost your mind?" Leansei said and bolted out of the room. He was not mad at Beidhen since he might have just been joking around or being competent with Revin, but if people had heard it, it might have brought confusion.
"Wait for mee kean!!" Leansei said as he ran to follow Beidhen. Lean shook his head in disbelief.
"Are you mad at me?" Beidhen asked.
"No, I'm not. But you nearly killed me twice,"
Beidhen chuckled, "What did I do?" Leansei halted and looked at him.
"You almost spilled that I was in his house yesterday, and saying more than just a friend."Leansei lowered his voice. "thats inappropriate." Lean said, emphasizing the stress in "the last phrase."
Beidhen put his arm around Leansei's neck again, "Well, it's true. We were more than just friends since we were best friends—isn't a best friend more than a friend?" Beidhen said, as he looked at the ceiling like he was thinking deeply about it. Leansei rolled his eyes and took away Beidhen's arm.
A cough from behind makes Lean and Beidhen turn their heads at the back. A familiar scent of perfume, a familiar aura, and a familiar voice made Leansei dazed as he looked up at his blue, murky eyes. He felt the electricity again and looked away.
"Bro, you're here!" The jovial voice of Beidhen interrupted as he greeted Xerchin's expressionless face. He was wearing a uniform elegantly and attractively.
"Why are you with him?" The baritone voice of Xerchin as he glances at his watch.
"I'm treating Kean today! Sorry brother, but I'll spoil Kean for now, " Beidhen said in jesting. Leansei winced as he thought that he could avoid these two dangerous men. Other people may think differently since these people were famous across the city.
"Nonesense." A cold voice from Xerchin as he looked at them emotionlessly.
"Kean?" Leansei turned his head in the direction of the voice when he heard a familiar voice calling him. It was Rell, with a pure, serious expression on his face, that made him look attractive too.
"Rell?"
"Why is he here?" An annoyed voice from Beidhen. Leansei glanced at Beidhen, Xerchin, and Rell, and couldn't even think of why he could feel the resentment aura around these three people.
"I should be the one asking you that. If you don't have anything, well, get going now. " Rell said, pulling Lean's hand. Leansei couldn't comprehend what was going on. He couldn't understand what kind of conflict these three people had. He might as well get headaches from thinking too much. But when Rell started pulling him away, a cold, firm hand held the other wrist of Leansei. Lean slowly looked behind him and the person who held his hand made his interior scurl inside him.