The laughter in Room 208 had only grown louder since Corvin and Aisha arrived.
Music drifted from a portable speaker in the corner while clusters of freshmen chatted over soft drinks and snacks spread across a pair of desks pushed together. The room was cramped, but the atmosphere was warm, the kind that made strangers forget they had only met an hour ago.
Marco rubbed the back of his neck with an apologetic smile.
"Right... before we were interrupted..." he said, glancing toward Priya, who was talking to others.
Marco gestured toward two students standing nearby.
The first was a tall, pale young man with dark blond hair and sharp grey eyes. He carried himself with an almost scholarly posture, his expression calm but slightly uncertain.
Beside him stood a petite East Asian girl with waist-length black hair. She remained perfectly still, quietly observing everyone around her without saying a word.
Marco smiled.
"This is Dimitri... and Mei Lin."
The tall young man straightened slightly. It looked as though he had rehearsed what he wanted to say several times in his head.
"My... my name is..." He paused, searching for the right pronunciation. "Dimitri... Volkonsky."
His accent was unmistakably Russian, every English word sounding carefully assembled before being spoken.
He extended his hand toward Corvin.
"Nice... to meet you."
Corvin accepted the handshake without hesitation.
"Corvin Kovač."
Dimitri nodded once, visibly relieved that he had managed to finish his introduction.
Aisha watched the exchange quietly.
Definitely Russian.
The accent was incredibly thick, and every sentence sounded as though he was translating it in his head before speaking. She considered asking where he was from but decided against it. Judging by how cautiously he spoke, he probably wasn't comfortable with English yet.
Corvin, meanwhile, seemed completely unfazed. Names and accents didn't matter much to him.
Marco then turned to the quiet girl.
"And this is Mei Lin."
She gave a small nod.
"Zhao Mei Lin. Nice to meet you."
That was all.
Silence followed.
She offered no explanation, no smile beyond a faint polite one, and no attempt to continue the conversation.
Aisha blinked.
"Well... she's concise."
Marco cleared his throat awkwardly, already accustomed to Mei Lin's reserved nature.
"She's... not much of a talker."
Mei Lin neither confirmed nor denied it.
Before anyone could continue—
"There you are!"
Priya appeared seemingly from nowhere, squeezing herself between Corvin and Aisha with effortless confidence. She carried several bottles of soft drinks in both hands.
"I finally found the cold ones."
Without waiting for permission, she handed one bottle to Corvin and another to Aisha.
"Welcome gifts."
Corvin accepted his with a small nod.
"Thanks."
Aisha twisted the cap open immediately.
"You're making a good first impression."
"I know," Priya replied proudly.
Only then did she realise the introductions had continued without her.
"Oh! I don't think we actually introduced ourselves properly."
She pointed toward herself dramatically.
"Priya Satsangi."
Corvin introduced himself once more.
Aisha did the same.
Within moments the conversation flowed naturally, helped almost entirely by Priya's endless energy. She bounced from topic to topic with infectious enthusiasm, dragging everyone into the discussion whether they intended to participate or not.
Even Mei Lin occasionally answered with a sentence or two.
The atmosphere had just settled when the door opened again.
Everyone turned.
A blonde girl stepped inside first, carrying herself with gentle confidence. Beside her walked a young man with slightly messy brown hair. Slung over one shoulder was a guitar case.
The pair smiled as they entered.
"Finally! There you are," Priya said, placing her hands on her hips.
"You're late, Chase"
Chase scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"Sorry."
"What happened?"
"I was practising."
He shrugged.
"I kind of... lost track of time."
Aisha laughed.
"Seriously?"
"It happens." replied Corvin.
Priya sighed dramatically.
"I thought so. That is why I asked Astrid to get you."
Chase smiled apologetically before lifting the guitar case from his shoulder.
"As compensation..."
He unzipped it slightly, revealing the polished wooden body of an acoustic guitar.
"I brought this."
Several people looked over with interest.
"For some fun later."
Priya's face immediately lit up.
"Now that's a proper apology."
She stepped aside and welcomed both him and Astrid into the room.
Astrid greeted everyone with a warm smile, introducing herself politely before checking that everyone had drinks and enough space to sit. Without making a fuss, she naturally found herself helping organise the crowded room, making it more comfortable for everyone.
Meanwhile, Chase quietly leaned his guitar against the wall before taking a seat.
The mixer carried on well into the night.
What had started as a gathering of unfamiliar freshmen slowly transformed into a room full of laughter, conversations, and friendly teasing. Chase eventually unpacked his guitar, playing a few familiar songs that several students sang along to. Even those who claimed they couldn't sing joined in anyway, creating an atmosphere that was far from perfect—but genuine.
Corvin mostly watched.
He wasn't particularly interested in singing or dancing, but observing people came naturally to him. Every member of the growing group had their own rhythm.
Marco effortlessly kept conversations alive, Priya somehow managed to be everywhere at once, Astrid made sure no one felt left out, while Dimitri and Mei Lin quietly participated whenever someone spoke directly to them.
Several hours passed before a knock echoed through Room 208.
The music immediately lowered.
The door opened, revealing the Hall director, Alex Augilar—a middle-aged man with tired eyes and an amused smile.
"I had a feeling the noise was coming from this room."
Several students looked guilty.
Instead of scolding them, he chuckled.
"Don't worry. I'm glad everyone's making friends."
The tension instantly disappeared.
"Just one request," he continued. "Orientation starts at 8:30 tomorrow morning, and trust me—you don't want to be falling asleep through your first day. So try to get some rest."
"Yes, sir," several voices answered together.
"Good."
With one final smile, he closed the door behind him.
The party naturally came to an end after that.
Students began gathering their belongings and saying their goodbyes.
Mei Lin was the first among the main group to leave.
She walked over to Priya and gave a small, respectful nod.
"Thank you... for inviting me."
Priya smiled warmly.
"Anytime."
Mei Lin returned the faintest smile before quietly slipping out of the room.
One by one, the others followed.
Dimitri wished everyone a good night in careful English before heading to his room.
Astrid and Chase also excused themselves, Chase carrying his guitar over one shoulder while promising to play more another time.
Soon, only Priya, Marco, and Aisha remained.
"We'll help clean," Marco said before Priya could protest.
Aisha picked up a stack of empty cups.
"Besides, you're the host."
Priya laughed.
"Fine. I accept your unpaid labor."
Corvin quietly slipped out while the three of them began tidying the room.
The hallway was noticeably quieter now.
Most doors had already closed, and only the occasional voice drifted through the corridor.
As he walked toward his room, Corvin noticed a familiar face standing near the stairwell.
It was the same student who had been bothering Astrid earlier that day.
The young man looked up for a brief moment.
Their eyes met.
Almost immediately, he looked away, avoiding Corvin's gaze entirely before turning and disappearing down the hallway.
Corvin stopped.
A strange feeling settled in his chest.
It wasn't fear, It was unease.
The student's behavior wasn't normal.
Someone who had simply been embarrassed earlier wouldn't avoid eye contact so deliberately. Something about the encounter felt... off.
Corvin frowned.
He pulled out his phone and dialed Aisha.
She answered after a couple of rings.
"Miss me already?" she joked.
"I just saw the guy who was harassing Astrid earlier."
Her playful tone disappeared.
"What happened?"
"He avoided eye contact the moment he saw me and left immediately."
There was a brief silence.
"I don't know why," Corvin continued, "but I have a bad feeling."
"You think he's going to try something?"
"I don't know."
That was the part that bothered him most.
He couldn't explain it logically.
His instincts simply refused to let it go.
"Can you check on Astrid before you head back to your room?"
Aisha didn't hesitate.
"Yeah. I'll make sure she's okay."
"Thanks."
"Try not to overthink it. I'll text you once I've seen her."
Corvin ended the call, though the uneasy feeling remained.
He hoped he was simply reading too much into a coincidence.
Unlocking his room, he stepped inside and quietly shut the door behind him.
After changing into more comfortable clothes, he lay down on his bed, waiting for Aisha's message.
A few minutes later, his phone vibrated.
"She's fine. Just got back to her room. Good night, detective."
A faint smile crossed Corvin's face.
He set his phone on the bedside table.
Tomorrow would be orientation.
He expected nothing more than another ordinary day.
Within minutes, sleep claimed him.
-----
Corvin's alarm buzzed softly at exactly 6:00 a.m.
His eyes opened immediately.
He switched off the alarm, changed into a black athletic shirt and shorts, splashed cold water across his face, and quietly stepped out of Room 202 before most of Favilla Hall had even begun to stir.
The campus felt completely different at dawn.
The cool morning breeze carried the scent of freshly cut grass, and the rising sun painted the brick buildings in shades of orange and gold. Only a handful of students were awake, most of them runners or early risers.
Corvin began his usual pace around the jogging path that circled the campus.
About ten minutes into his run, he noticed a familiar figure ahead.
Long black hair tied neatly behind her.
Steady, effortless strides.
Mei Lin.
She glanced over as his footsteps approached but didn't slow down.
"Morning," Corvin said.
"Good morning."
They jogged side by side in silence for a while.
Corvin didn't mind.
Neither, apparently, did she.
After another minute, Mei Lin spoke without looking at him.
"Do you know why Aisha was suddenly summoned to the Dean's office?"
Corvin frowned.
"What?"
"Some one came to find her a few minutes ago."
He hadn't heard anything.
"No."
Mei Lin nodded once.
"I thought you might."
They continued jogging for another minute before Corvin slowed to a stop.
"I'll go see what's going on."
Mei Lin simply nodded.
"See you later."
Corvin headed straight toward the administration building.
By the time he reached the Dean's office, several faculty members were already moving through the halls.
Outside the office stood Astrid.
She looked nervous, repeatedly clasping and unclasping her hands.
"Astrid?"
She turned.
"Oh... Corvin."
"What happened?"
----
Earlier that night:
After ending the phone call with Corvin, Aisha slipped her phone into her pocket.
Marco was stacking chairs while Priya gathered empty bottles.
"Everything okay?" Marco asked.
"Yeah."
Aisha shrugged.
"Corvin got weirded out by that guy from earlier who harrassed Astrid."
Priya tilted her head.
"Harrassed Astrid?"
"Yeah."
Aisha grabbed another trash bag.
"He wanted me to check on her."
"Probably a good idea." said Marco.
Priya also nodded in agreement.
Once the room was spotless, Aisha waved goodbye and went to her room.
She knocked on Room 405.
No answer.
"Huh."
She knocked again.
Still nothing.
"Maybe she's brushing her teeth..."
After waiting another minute, she looked through the hallway window.
Across the road from Favilla Hall sat a small convenience store that stayed open late for students.
"Maybe she went there."
Crossing the street, Aisha pushed open the store's glass door.
Immediately, raised voices caught her attention.
Near the refrigerated drinks stood Astrid.
Backed against a shelf.
In front of her stood the same student from earlier that day.
This time, he wasn't alone.
Two other boys stood beside him.
"...Come on," the first boy sneered. "We're just talking."
Astrid looked visibly uncomfortable.
"I said no."
Aisha's expression hardened.
She walked straight over.
Without hesitation, she stepped between Astrid and the three boys.
"Back off."
The boys exchanged amused glances.
One of them smirked.
"Or what?"
"I said," Aisha repeated calmly, "back off."
The first boy laughed.
"You gonna make us?"
That was enough.
Aisha's fist shot forward.
Thud.
Her punch buried itself in the instigator's stomach.
His eyes widened.
The air exploded from his lungs before he collapsed onto his knees, gasping.
"What the—"
The boy on the left swung wildly toward her face.
Aisha caught his wrist, twisted it and grabbed his shoulder.
Using his own momentum, she threw him sideways.
His body slammed into the third boy.
Both crashed onto the floor.
Before either could recover—
Thump.
She drove a kick into the stomach of one.
Another kick landed squarely into the other's ribs.
Both groaned in pain.
The first boy struggled back onto his feet.
"You—"
Aisha stepped forward.
Crack.
One clean punch connected with his jaw.
He spun sideways before collapsing flat onto the floor.
Silence filled the store.
Even the cashier stared in disbelief.
Aisha looked around once.
Nobody else moved.
She grabbed Astrid's wrist.
"Run."
Neither looked back.
The two sprinted across the road toward Favilla Hall.
Only after reaching Room 405 did Aisha finally stop.
Astrid was still catching her breath.
"A-Aisha..."
"You okay?"
Astrid nodded.
"I think so."
"Good."
Aisha looked her directly in the eyes.
"Lock your door."
"I will."
"And don't open it unless you know who's outside."
"I promise."
Only after hearing the click of the lock did Aisha finally relax.
Returning to her own room, she took out her phone.
Corvin answered almost immediately.
"She's fine. Just got back to her room.
Good night, detective."
"Good night."
Aisha tossed her phone onto her desk and went straight to bed.
---
Her alarm rang at 5:30 a.m.
She stretched before heading outside for an early jog.
Near the entrance she spotted Mei Lin adjusting the sleeves of her running jacket.
"Morning."
Mei Lin looked over.
"Good morning."
"You heading for a run?"
"Yes."
Aisha smiled.
"Mind if I join you?"
Mei Lin thought for a moment.
"I don't mind..."
She looked at Aisha.
"...if you can keep silent as much as possible."
Aisha laughed quietly.
"I'll try."
The two began jogging together.
For once, Aisha actually kept her promise.
Apart from an occasional comment about the weather, the run remained peaceful.
Fifteen minutes later, hurried footsteps approached from behind.
"Aisha Mercer?"
Both girls stopped.
A university staff member caught his breath before speaking.
"The Dean would like to see you immediately."
Aisha blinked.
"The Dean?"
"Yes."
"Now?"
"As soon as possible."
She exchanged a puzzled glance with Mei Lin.
"I wonder if this is about..."
Without another word, Aisha thanked Mei Lin, turned around, and followed the staff member toward the administration building.
----
Back to the present:
Astrid lowered her voice as she answered Corvin's question.
"I was called here because... I'm the victim in the incident."
Corvin nodded.
That explained why she had been waiting outside instead of inside the Dean's office.
Astrid looked toward the closed office door, her hands clasped together.
"I'm more worried about Aisha."
"You don't think she'll get into trouble?" Corvin asked.
"I don't know..."
Her expression remained uneasy.
"She was only protecting me."
Before Corvin could reply, the office door opened.
Aisha stepped out and closed the door.
The moment the door shut, Astrid hurried over.
"Aisha!"
Aisha looked up in surprise.
"Oh. Hey."
"Are you alright?" Astrid asked immediately. "Did they punish you?"
Corvin remained where he was, silently observing.
Aisha wasn't tense and wasn't avoiding eye contact.
She looked more confused than worried.
Within seconds, Corvin reached a conclusion.
She's not in trouble.
Aisha smiled reassuringly.
"I'm fine."
Astrid visibly relaxed.
"What happened?"
Aisha leaned against the wall.
"It was actually pretty straightforward."
"There were security cameras covering the front of the convenience store, and apparently half the students shopping there saw everything."
She shrugged.
"So it didn't take long for them to figure out what happened."
Astrid let out a relieved sigh.
"The Dean said those three crossed the line. Between the camera footage, the witnesses, and your statement..." She nodded toward Astrid. "...they're going to receive severe disciplinary punishment."
Astrid lowered her head.
"I'm sorry you had to go through all of this because of me."
Aisha waved the apology away.
"Forget it."
"I'd do it again."
Astrid smiled faintly.
"But..." Aisha continued, rubbing the back of her neck.
"They did warn me."
Corvin raised an eyebrow.
"They said I shouldn't immediately resort to violence, even if I was protecting someone."
She sighed.
"They told me I should report things like that to faculty first whenever possible."
Corvin folded his arms and nodded in agreement.
"They also reminded me that if someone had been seriously injured, things could have become much more complicated."
For a brief moment, silence settled over the hallway.
Then Corvin spoke.
"You do need to think things through next time."
Aisha scratched her cheek sheepishly.
"Thinking isn't exactly my strong suit."
Corvin wasn't surprised.
Astrid couldn't help letting out a small laugh, the tension finally melting away.
Even Corvin allowed the corner of his mouth to lift ever so slightly.
Aisha pointed toward the exit.
"Well, orientation starts soon."
Corvin checked the time on his phone.
"We should head back."
Astrid nodded.
"And... thank you again, Aisha."
"Don't mention it."
The three left the administration building together and returned to Favilla Hall with enough time to prepare for orientation.
Corvin took a quick shower before changing into a dark shirt and jeans. By the time he stepped into the hallway, the floor had come alive with students leaving their rooms, all dressed a little sharper than the day before.
Just as he locked his door, Priya emerged from Room 408 with her usual enthusiasm.
"Nobody's going alone today!"
She clapped her hands together.
"I've decided we're all walking to orientation as a group."
"...You've decided?" Corvin asked.
"Yes."
"Did anyone vote?"
"Nope."
Corvin sighed.
"figured."
One by one, the others appeared.
Astrid smiled as she joined them, followed by Marco carrying a backpack over one shoulder. Chase arrived a moment later, his headphones hanging around his neck. Dimitri and Mei Lin stepped out almost simultaneously, while Aisha strolled down the hallway, still looking as energetic as ever despite everything that had happened the previous night.
"Everyone's here!" Priya announced. "Let's go."
The group left Favilla Hall together at exactly 8:00 a.m., joining the steady stream of freshmen heading toward the university auditorium.
The morning air was cool, and the campus buzzed with excitement. Conversations echoed across the pathways as students from every dorm made their way toward orientation.
Unlike yesterday, the eight no longer felt like strangers.
Marco kept the conversation flowing, Priya jumped between topics every few seconds, and Aisha occasionally teased whoever happened to be closest.
Even Corvin found himself listening more than observing.
As they crossed one of the campus bridges, Chase looked up from his phone.
"Has anyone been following that volcano in Indonesia that's supposed to erupt?"
The conversation quieted.
Dimitri nodded.
"I... know."
He hesitated, searching for the right English words.
"But... my English..." He frowned in frustration. "Not enough."
Priya immediately smiled.
"В таком случае объясните мне это по-русски." ("In that case, explain it to me in Russian.")
Silence.
Everyone stopped walking.
Corvin blinked.
Marco stared.
Aisha's eyebrows shot upward.
Even Mei Lin, whose expression rarely changed, looked genuinely surprised.
Dimitri looked around in confusion before finally realizing who had spoken.
"You... speak Russian?"
Priya grinned.
"A little."
Dimitri relaxed, almost visibly relieved.
Without another word, he began explaining in fluent Russian.
He confidence a sharp contrast to his earlier hesitation. Almost like he was a different person.
The words flowed effortlessly now, no longer interrupted by hesitation or uncertainty.
The others listened with complete incomprehension while Priya nodded along.
After he finished a section, she translated.
"Dimitri says scientists currently estimate the eruption could reach around VEI 5."
The group continued walking as she spoke.
"But," she added, "he also says volcanologists can't actually predict an eruption's exact strength beforehand. They can estimate probabilities based on seismic activity, gas emissions, ground deformation, and other warning signs, but nature doesn't always follow predictions."
Dimitri added another explanation in Russian.
Priya translated again.
"He says the biggest concern isn't just the eruption itself."
"If the ash column rises high enough to enter the stratosphere, powerful equatorial jet streams could carry the volcanic ash around much of the world within a matter of weeks."
Marco gave a low whistle.
"That sounds... pretty serious."
Astrid nodded thoughtfully.
"I hope it doesn't end up being that bad."
"So do I," Chase replied, slipping his phone back into his pocket.
None of them realized that, before the day was over, the eruption they had just been discussing would become the first page of a tragedy that would reshape the entire world.