Corvin studied the menu for a few seconds before looking up at Noah.
"I'll have a black coffee."
Noah gave a small nod, scribbling the order onto his notepad.
"Coming right up."
Marco glanced around the table with an amused grin.
"If the genius is drinking black coffee, I guess I'd better do the same."
Aisha shrugged.
"Sure. Black coffee."
"So will I," Mei Lin said quietly.
One after another, the others followed, more curious than enthusiastic.
"Eight black coffees," Noah repeated with a chuckle. "Didn't think today would become that kind of morning."
He tucked the notepad into his apron and turned toward the espresso machine.
As the grinder roared to life, Marco leaned back in his chair.
"Hey, Noah."
The barista looked over his shoulder.
"Why don't you join us? At this rate, we're probably the only customers you'll have."
A faint smile crossed Noah's face.
"I appreciate the offer."
He shook his head.
"But I have a feeling we'll be getting a few more customers."
Marco raised an eyebrow but didn't press him.
The café settled into a comfortable silence.
The rhythmic hum of the grinder filled the room while sunlight streamed through the front windows. Outside, students still hurried across campus, though the crowds had thinned considerably since the chaos outside the administration building.
Then—
Dimitri suddenly straightened in his chair.
His pale grey eyes widened.
"Я понял..."
The quiet words immediately caught everyone's attention.
Aisha frowned.
"Dimitri?"
"What happened?"
He ran a hand through his ash-blond hair, speaking faster than usual.
"Я наконец вспомнил... Стратосфера... Пепел... Это значит..."
Priya listened carefully, waiting until he finished.
"He says... he finally remembered what ash reaching the stratosphere means."
The table fell silen and Everyone leaned forward.
"What does it mean?" Priya asked.
Dimitri inhaled slowly.
"Это пепельная зима... Настоящая пепельная зима."
Priya hesitated.
For the first time since meeting him, uncertainty crossed her face.
"He says..."
She looked around the table.
"...an ash winter is coming."
No one spoke.
Dimitri continued, his normally calm voice carrying an edge of unease.
"Пепел заслонит солнечный свет. Глобальная температура может упасть на десять-пятнадцать градусов, и это может продлиться несколько лет."
Priya swallowed.
"The ash will block sunlight."
She paused.
"Global temperatures could fall by ten to fifteen degrees Celsius..."
Her voice became quieter.
"...and it could last for years."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then it shattered.
"What?!" Astrid blurted.
"You're joking," Chase said, disbelief written across his face.
Marco shot to his feet so quickly that his chair scraped loudly against the floor.
"Years?"
His voice cracked on the final word.
Priya stared at Dimitri before slowly turning toward Corvin.
She wasn't asking him anything. She was looking for reassurance. Anything.
Corvin said nothing.
That was answer enough.
Astrid's composure broke.
"What about our families?"
Her voice trembled.
No one answered.
Dimitri lowered his gaze.
Even Corvin couldn't bring himself to speak.
Behind the counter, the espresso machine hissed as steam escaped into the air.
The sound suddenly seemed deafening.
Without turning around, Noah finally broke the silence.
"You'll have to survive first."
Every head turned toward him.
His tone wasn't cold. It was simply honest.
The weight of those four words settled over the table.
Astrid immediately snatched up her phone.
"I'm calling my parents."
"So am I."
Priya was already unlocking hers.
The call connected.
For a brief second, hope flickered.
Then—
Network busy.
Priya tried again.
Call failed.
Astrid's screen displayed the same message.
Again.
And again.
"It won't connect," Priya whispered.
Astrid stared at her phone.
"Mine neither."
Around the café, other students were beginning to do the same.
Phones were raised.
Numbers were dialed.
People stepped outside, searching for a stronger signal.
Noah placed eight mugs onto a tray and carried them over.
He set each cup down carefully.
"Everyone's trying to call home."
He gave them a sympathetic smile.
"The network's probably overloaded."
The explanation made perfect sense.
It offered no comfort whatsoever.
Priya slowly lowered her phone onto the table.
"Then..."
She looked around at everyone.
"Don't we have to get back to our families?"
The question lingered.
Corvin remained silent for several moments, carefully choosing his words.
"We should."
Marco frowned.
"Then why can't we?"
Corvin glanced toward the café windows.
"Because getting there may not be possible."
"What do you mean?"
"No pilot is going to knowingly fly through a volcanic ash cloud."
He tapped a finger against the table.
"Volcanic ash can seriously damage or shut down jet engines."
Marco's expression fell.
"So no planes."
"Not safely."
Corvin paused.
"And even if an airport remains open, that doesn't mean a flight can actually get through."
He looked down at his phone.
"We don't know how far the ash has spread yet."
That last sentence seemed to sink in more deeply than anything else.
They didn't know.
Nobody did.
Mei Lin stared into the black coffee Noah had placed before her.
"So..."
She barely raised her voice.
"We're basically trapped here."
Corvin closed his eyes for a brief moment. He didn't want to say it.
False hope would only make things worse.
"...For now."
Mei Lin looked up.
Corvin continued.
"Until we know what's happening."
No one reached for their coffee.
Only minutes earlier, they had been ordinary freshmen celebrating the beginning of university life.
Now they were hundreds—perhaps thousands—of kilometers from home, with no reliable way to reach the people they loved.
Thin wisps of steam curled upward from the coffee before disappearing.
Just minutes ago, the café had felt warm and inviting.
Now it felt like a waiting room before bad news.
The bell above the entrance chimed.
Every head turned instinctively.
Five students stepped inside.
They were older—there was no mistaking it. Unlike the confused freshmen scattered around campus, they carried themselves with the easy familiarity of people who had spent years at Drake University.
Leading them was a young man with olive skin and neatly combed black hair. His posture was relaxed despite the tension hanging over the campus.
Behind him walked a broad-shouldered blond student with a permanent half-smile, a tall dark-skinned man whose calm expression contrasted with the panic outside, and two young women.
Neither girl looked as though she had slept in days.
One stared blankly at the floor.
The other twisted the sleeve of her hoodie between trembling fingers.
Mei Lin narrowed her eyes.
"I recognize one of them."
The others looked toward her.
"The one in front."
She pointed discreetly.
"He was leading another freshman tour this morning."
Marco glanced toward the group.
"So... they're seniors?"
"I think all of them are."
The newcomers approached the counter.
Noah looked up from cleaning a mug.
"Morning."
A tired smile crossed his face.
"How've you been today?"
The olive-skinned student laughed without humor.
"As bad as it looks."
Noah nodded knowingly.
"I figured."
"What'll it be?"
"The usual for me, Brian, and Tyrell."
He motioned toward the two young men behind him before glancing at the girls.
"And make the weekly special for Ino and Nia."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Maybe it'll cheer them up."
"You got it."
Noah grabbed another order pad.
"Coming right up."
The five chose a table a few meters away.
Neither Ino nor Nia said a word.
They simply sat down.
Mei Lin leaned closer to the group.
"They're definitely seniors."
Marco glanced around the table.
"We could spend another minute wondering who they are, or I could just go ask them."
Aisha smirked.
"Seriously?"
Marco grinned and stood.
He walked over to the newcomers.
"Mind if I interrupt?"
The five looked up.
The olive-skinned student smiled politely.
"Not at all."
Marco offered his hand.
"I'm Marco Montelli."
"My friends and I just started here today."
The blond student suddenly pointed toward him.
"Oh."
Recognition flashed across his face.
"You're the freshmen who avoided the crowd."
Marco blinked.
"You saw that?"
The blond shrugged.
"We were the group standing across the café."
The olive-skinned student laughed.
"So you were the smart ones."
He stood and shook Marco's hand with surprising enthusiasm.
"Welcome to Drake University."
"The name's Muhammad Ali."
"Nice meeting you."
Marco smiled warmly.
"I'm Brian Calloway," the blond added.
The tall student nodded.
"Tyrell Vance."
Marco's eyes drifted toward the two girls.
Neither acknowledged him.
One continued staring through the café window while the other kept her hands tightly clasped together.
Ali noticed.
"Don't mind them."
His smile softened.
"They're worried about their families."
Marco's own smile faded.
"I think everyone is."
Ali gave a quiet nod.
"Yeah."
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Finally, Marco gestured toward his table.
"My friends would love to meet you."
Ali glanced at the others.
"What do you think?"
Brian shrugged.
"Sure."
Tyrell stood.
The two girls silently followed.
When they reached Corvin's table, Marco began introducing everyone.
Ali nodded respectfully after each introduction.
"It's nice meeting all of you."
Brian sat down.
"So..."
He glanced around the table.
"What do you think is going to happen?"
Nobody answered immediately.
Instead, everyone's attention drifted toward the large windows overlooking the campus.
The difference compared to only a few hours earlier was startling.
Students were still moving toward the gates, many carrying backpacks or luggage.
Cars crawled along the roads in long lines, horns sounding every few seconds.
Others were abandoning their cars altogether and continuing on foot or by bicycle.
The panic wasn't coming from an official announcement. It was spreading from person to person.
Every frightened face convinced someone else that they needed to leave.
Tyrell folded his arms.
"Looks like most of campus is trying to get out."
"They are," Brian replied quietly.
"They're scared."
Ali watched another car inch toward the gate.
"That is the normal reaction."
No one argued.
Even Corvin couldn't blame them.
Everyone's first instinct in a disaster was the same.
Go home.
Go to family.
Go somewhere familiar.
Corvin glanced at the failed call notification to his mom still glowing on his phone.
The problem was that reality didn't always allow people to follow their instincts.
Before anyone could continue—
BEEEEEP.
The sharp electronic tone echoed across the entire campus.
Every conversation inside the café stopped.
Noah froze halfway through drying another mug.
Outside, students halted in place and looked toward the nearest loudspeaker.
Even Nia and Ino, who had remained lost in their thoughts since entering the café, flinched at the sudden sound.
A familiar voice filled the campus.
"Good afternoon, students and staff."
"This is Vice President Alejandro Morales."
Every remaining conversation died instantly.
Morales' voice carried through the speakers with the same calm authority he had displayed during the morning orientation.
Only this time, there was a strain beneath it.
"I understand many of you are frightened by today's events."
A wave of murmurs swept through the students.
"You have every right to be."
Morales paused.
"Due to the unprecedented volcanic eruption in Indonesia and the uncertainty surrounding its long-term effects, Drake University will be suspending all academic activities."
The room grew even quieter.
"Effective immediately..."
"...the university will be closed indefinitely."
Outside the café, several students stopped in their tracks.
"What?"
"They're shutting down?"
"Already?"
Morales continued before anyone could process the announcement.
"Students who are able to safely return to their families are strongly encouraged to do so."
Another carefully measured pause.
"If your parents or guardians are able to arrange transportation, we recommend coordinating with them as soon as possible."
Students who had stopped trying moments earlier began dialing again.
Call Failed.
Network Busy.
Corvin didn't bother trying.
He already knew the outcome.
"Our residence halls will remain available temporarily for students who require additional time before departing."
Morales' tone remained steady.
"If you have a safe alternative place to stay, we strongly encourage you to make use of it."
Corvin slowly raised an eyebrow.
The Vice President continued.
"Our faculty and staff will assist students with departure procedures throughout the day."
"We ask everyone to remain calm, cooperate with university personnel, and avoid unnecessary gatherings."
After another brief reminder to monitor official university announcements, the speakers clicked off.
For one second, silence returned.
Then the campus erupted.
"They're telling us to leave!"
"My uncle lives two hours away!"
"I need to find a ride!"
"My parents still aren't answering!"
Tyrell scratched the back of his head.
"...That sounded pretty normal."
"It did," Ali agreed.
He folded his arms.
"But listen to what he actually said."
Tyrell frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Corvin quietly answered.
"They want people to leave."
Marco nodded.
"They aren't forcing anyone to leave."
"They don't have to," Mei Lin added.
Everyone turned toward her.
"They repeated the same message several different ways."
She glanced toward the windows.
"They're encouraging people to leave without calling it an evacuation."
Corvin nodded.
"Probably because officially declaring one would cause even more panic."
Dimitri listened for a moment before quietly adding in English,
"He is being extremely careful... in his wording."
Brian smiled.
"Wow!, you caught it."
Ali chuckled.
"I was thinking you might figure it out."
Tyrell confused asks,
" What is there to figure out?"
Ali leaned toward Tyrell.
"If the university officially announced an evacuation, what do you think would happen?"
Tyrell answered almost immediately.
"Complete chaos."
"Exactly."
Ali pointed toward the windows.
"So instead, they're letting people think leaving is their own decision."
Brian snapped his fingers.
"People usually follow suggestions more calmly than orders."
Mei Lin looked toward the line of cars at the gates.
"If enough students leave..."
She paused.
"...the university has fewer people to support."
Marco finished the thought.
"Less food, water, medicine..."
He grinned faintly.
"...and troublesome people."
Ali nodded approvingly.
"Exactly."
"You freshmen are sharp."
Tyrell looked from one face to another.
"So..."
He frowned.
"The Vice President was manipulating us?"
Brian laughed.
"Manipulating is a harsh word."
"He was persuading everyone without causing panic."
Tyrell's expression changed as the idea finally clicked.
"Oh."
Brian burst out laughing.
"There he is."
"I thought we'd lost you for a minute."
Tyrell rolled his eyes.
"Oh, shut up."
Even Ali smiled.
For the first time in what felt like hours, the tension around the table eased.
Then—
"What the hell happened?"
Every smile disappeared.
The blunt voice belonged to Nia.
She had finally looked up.
Her eyes were red from crying, and she looked around the café as though she had only just become aware of the conversation.
Ali answered gently.
"The same thing as before."
She frowned.
"What?"
He gestured toward the windows.
"Everyone's still panicking."
Outside, another group of students hurried toward the gates.
"They're trying to get home."
Nia watched them for several seconds.
Then she turned sharply toward her brother.
"Then why the hell are we still sitting here?"
Her voice echoed across the café.
"Why aren't we going home too?"
Tyrell didn't hesitate.
"Because I don't care about going back."
The words landed like a stone in still water.
Nia stared at him.
"...What?"
Tyrell met her eyes without flinching.
"I don't care about going back to her."
His voice remained steady.
"She never cared about either of us."
A flicker of pain crossed Nia's expression.
"You know that's not true."
"It is."
"No, it isn't!" she snapped.
Her chair scraped against the floor as she stood.
"She's still our mother!"
Tyrell's jaw tightened.
"No. She doesn't deserve to be called one."
His voice wasn't loud.
There wasn't even anger in it anymore.
Only years of disappointment.
Even Brian lowered his gaze.
Ali rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable.
The argument wasn't new to them.
Nia clenched her fists.
"I don't care what happened."
Tears welled in her eyes.
"I still want to go."
For a moment, Tyrell looked ready to argue.
Instead, another voice quietly interrupted.
"We need..."
Everyone turned.
It was Ino.
She had remained silent ever since entering the café, crying quietly while the others spoke around her.
Now she slowly raised her head. Her eyes were swollen, but her breathing had steadied.
She looked at Nia.
Then toward the crowded streets beyond the café windows.
"We need to stay alive first."
The words were barely above a whisper, yet they carried through the entire room.
"If we leave now..."
She watched another car inch toward the gates.
"...we don't even know what we're driving into."
No one spoke.
The roads were already becoming congested.
Communication was unreliable.
Information about the eruption was still coming in.
Nobody knew exactly how far the ash had spread or what conditions were waiting beyond the city.
Trying to reach home wasn't simply difficult anymore. It was a gamble.
Nia's shoulders slowly relaxed.
She looked back toward the window.
The determination in her eyes faded, replaced by uncertainty.
Without another word, she sat back down.
The café grew quiet again.
Not the awkward silence of strangers.
The heavy silence of people thinking about impossible decisions.
Noah quietly placed the seniors' meals on the table.
"Here you go."
No one touched the food immediately.
Even the smell of fresh sandwiches and soup failed to stir anyone's appetite.
Outside, another student hurried past the window with two duffel bags over his shoulders.
Everyone watched.
It was Priya who finally broke the silence.
She forced herself to smile.
"Well..."
Twelve pairs of eyes turned toward her.
She wrapped both hands around her coffee mug.
"On the bright side..."
She hesitated, choosing her words carefully.
"If we play our cards right..."
She smiled faintly.
"...we can survive."
The statement sounded almost absurd after everything they had discussed.
Yet somehow, it didn't feel naïve.
It sounded hopeful.
Ali let out a dry laugh.
"Heh..."
He leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting toward the pale afternoon sky beyond the café windows.
The sunlight seemed dimmer than it had that morning.
Maybe it was only their imagination.
"You're right."
He nodded slowly.
"We can."
Then his expression grew serious again.
"If..."
That single word lingered in the air.
If the food lasted.
If they could keep access to water.
If the university remained safe.
If society outside didn't collapse.
If they made the right choices.
If luck stayed on their side.
Survival had suddenly become a chain of uncertainties.
No one spoke for nearly a minute.
Finally, Noah broke the silence from behind the counter.
"You should all finish your coffee."
The students looked over.
He lifted his own empty mug with a small smile.
"Enjoy it while you can."
Aisha raised an eyebrow.
"What makes you say that?"
Noah chuckled softly.
"Because coffee will become a luxury real soon."
The words earned a few faint smiles.
Because everyone knew he might be right.
Without another word, the thirteen students lifted their mugs.
The coffee had grown slightly bitter as it cooled.
None of them complained.
Each silent sip carried the strange feeling that they were enjoying something ordinary...
...for what might be the last time in a very long while.
The conversation gradually found its rhythm again. What started as awkward introductions slowly became genuine discussion.
The thirteen students came from different countries, different majors, and different backgrounds, yet for the next several hours those differences hardly mattered.
Marco somehow managed to get Brian laughing over stories about orientation.
Aisha and Tyrell argued over which sport demanded better athleticism.
Priya drew even a reluctant smile from Nia after telling an exaggerated story about accidentally getting lost backstage during a school performance.
Meanwhile, Corvin, Dimitri, Ali, and Mei Lin drifted into quieter conversations, discussing everything from volcanic eruptions to emergency logistics.
Every so often, Noah wandered over to refill water glasses before returning to the counter.
Outside, Drake University continued changing.
The constant flow of students gradually dwindled.
Parking lots that had been overflowing that morning were now noticeably emptier.
Residence hall entrances stood increasingly quiet.
The excitement of freshman move-in day had disappeared.
In its place was an uneasy stillness.
It wasn't until Chase glanced toward the clock hanging above the counter that anyone realized how much time had passed.
"Eight fifteen."
Almost as soon as he spoke—
BEEEEEP.
The familiar tone echoed across campus.
Conversations throughout the café stopped instantly.
Noah froze halfway through drying another mug.
A familiar voice followed through the speakers.
"Attention all remaining students and staff."
"We ask everyone still on campus to gather inside the university auditorium before nine o'clock this evening."
"This meeting is extremely important."
"Thank you."
The announcement ended as abruptly as it had begun.
Ali pushed his chair back.
"Well."
He stretched his shoulders before grabbing his jacket.
"That's our cue."
Before leaving, Ali looked back at Corvin and the others.
"One last thing."
His expression had lost its earlier humor.
"Don't blindly trust every announcement from the Vice President."
He paused.
"He's trying to save the university."
Ali glanced toward the speakers.
"Just make sure you're thinking for yourselves."