Wednesday, 1:30 PM - Ashford Hostel Upstairs Corridor
Liam, Lucas, Noah, and Dylan could be seen arguing about Marvel vs DC characters. While Lucas and Dylan supported Marvel, Liam and Noah were both DC fans. Currently, their debate was about something that shouldn't even be debatable at all: live-action Superman vs live-action Thor.
"How is Thor even doing anything? Superman outclasses him in every category except experience and close combat!" Liam stated, as if he'd been saying it for the past ten minutes.
"That doesn't matter because Thor's axe can hurt Superman, and Thor also uses magic, so Superman won't be surviving any of his attacks!" Lucas said with a straight face.
Noah chipped in, "Don't forget that Thor's strongest lightning was tanked by his sister, and Superman has higher durability than her, so it doesn't do shit to Superman!"
The argument continued for a few minutes until another voice interrupted.
"Scholars!" Joseph's voice came from the corridor as he walked toward the door.
"Scholars?" Liam said in a rejecting manner, denying the claim.
"Your mates are still in the exam hall, and you're here arguing about films. What else should I call you?" Joseph said with a faint smile before opening the hostel door and locking it behind him.
The bell hadn't rung yet, so he didn't let them in. Although the group were probably done with their exams for today, it was still academic period, so they couldn't be let in just yet.
"I know you didn't read at home. You're just enjoying yourself at home while the rest of us are here in school, right?" Dylan said to Liam, who couldn't help but laugh.
"Even in school I hardly read, let alone at home," Liam said jokingly.
"Yesterday night was one of the deadliest. I'm sure Marvin still hasn't gotten over it, seeing he didn't talk to any of us today—and he didn't even sleep upstairs yesterday," Lucas said to Liam, who already had an idea of what happened.
"Poor Marvin. No wonder he was looking somehow sad today when we were talking!" Dylan said to Lucas. Although Dylan wasn't in Ashford Hostel, he and Marvin were both in Class 4B and were also close friends.
"When are you even going back home?" Noah asked, knowing that Liam would probably do day school throughout the exams. It was only common sense to do so since he already had the pass to go home because of his sickness.
"I might not even go home again. I'm already strong!" Liam said, causing the rest of them to drop their jaws.
"Are you sure you're okay? You, of all people, are refusing to go home? Or perhaps did your parents say you shouldn't come back?" Lucas said, teasing at the end.
'Ah, that's right. To them, they've probably been in school for like a month and a half, while I've only been here for like a week, so I'm definitely not that eager to go home,' Liam thought to himself. After all, he'd been at home for at least two years before regressing back in time, so he still felt refreshed.
"That's your headache, because if you stay, you're not going to be eating for like two days. We've already shared your future meals amongst ourselves, and even Senior Joseph said he's going to take this afternoon!" Lucas said, causing Liam to reconsider.
"Fine. Maybe by Friday I'll resume fully," Liam said, resting his back on the wall.
"What about your provisions?" Noah asked, knowing that Liam still had a few before he went home.
"Don't forget about post-exam week. During that time, I'm sure most people will be broke by then. That's my own insurance for survival!" Liam said sincerely. He knew that the last week after exams was synonymous with fun and hunger.
"Mason came looking for you yesterday night!" Lucas said.
Noah became confused, asking a stupid question. "Mason? Who is that… and why at night? HmmmHmmm!" Noah said, making a scrutinizing expression on his face.
Meanwhile, for some reason, Liam was dying to know why Mason was looking for him, so he completely subconsciously ignored Noah's question while asking Lucas his own.
"Why was he looking for me?"
"He said he promised you something and wanted to give it to you," Lucas said, causing Liam to be confused.
When did that happen? He was sure that in his original life, he and Mason weren't close at this point in time. If anything, he probably didn't have a good impression of Mason , so something like this would never have happened. And he knew he didn't ask Mason for anything.
'Perhaps maybe he was lying? It's a possibility. No, it is the only possibility. Perhaps his memories are starting to come, but I doubt it'd be this soon, so it's probably like… instinct,' Liam thought to himself, placing his hand on his chin.
He forgot he was still around his friends, who were waiting for an answer.
"Speak of the devil!" Lucas said, signaling Liam that Mason was with several of his classmates walking toward College House.
At that moment, Liam's expression suddenly changed—from his serious face before to a calm expression with a hint of relief.
"Is that the boy?" Dylan asked.
Liam nodded his head.
Noah, however, had another thing on his mind. He was a predator who hustled junior students to get resources, and from what he'd just heard, it seemed this particular one had some—and plenty, for him to come looking for Liam to offer it himself. Only someone who had excess or no need for something would offer it randomly, and either situation would be favorable for him.
"Mason!" Noah called.
Mason became confused as he looked at the source of the voice. It was not a voice he was familiar with. Looking up, he searched amongst the four seniors upstairs: Senior Lucas, Senior Dylan—who he happened to know, as he came most times during free time to Ashford Hostel—another senior he didn't know, and…
"Senior Liam!" he mumbled to himself, only loud enough for the two friends around him to barely hear.
His eyes locked with Liam's for a while, and he found himself subconsciously smiling.
"Are you sure that boy is not insane? Why is he looking toward this place and smiling when I called him!" Noah said, looking back at the boy before calling him again. "Are you high? Didn't you hear when I called you? Run upstairs!"