Chapter 3: Fate

Four months before the Ghost Festival.

Start of the semester.

Her watch says 10:12. It’s nice how some people can be so late but still not have the heart to at least text the time they plan to arrive. Sarcasm. That’s the only thing she’s good at. She took out her phone to check her messages but when she did not see any notification, she clicked on a moba game instead.

She was stunned and being attacked when she heard a panting voice.

“Hi, do you know where the Arts Building is?”

“Arrrgggghhh!” She almost had the chance to escape but she missed to click the Sprint. Split second. How can a split second change our fate? Well, because she was disturbed. “There, the red building behind the trees.” she said flatly, not even looking at the guy.

“Thank you.” The guy hurriedly turned around.

“Go, attack the turret.” She chuckled as she looked at his back while he ran towards the building she pointed at.

Her phone screen is red with a timer. “He deserved it. I was the first blood because of him.” She paused for a while.

“He should have checked the school map before he went here, it’s available on the app anyway.”

Present day.

All blood results returned normal. Both Miya and Goo recovered as if nothing happened but Kalli’s parents insisted that he should be brought to the hospital.

After classes, the three of them paid a visit.

“Really hate hospitals, it gives me eerie feeling.” Goo said while massaging his arms.

“Me too.” Miya, who was busy on her phone, raised her hand.” Wait, let’s order coffee downstairs.”

Aiko was about to stand but Goo stopped him. “Are you gonna leave Kalli here?”

“Oh, alright. I’ll play rank then.”

“Let’s play when I get back.” He turned to the guy sitting on the bed. “Kalli, just scream if Aiko does something to you.”

Kallie laughed.

“What will I do?”

“I don’t know. What do you have in mind?”

“Jerk! Go, buy me boba. I’ll crush your hero later.”

Aiko started playing moba. She tuned up the volume to break the silence in the room.

“Hmmm…Aiko, can you please get that shirt for me?”

Aiko looked up at Kalli and scanned the room for the shirt he was referring to.

“Oh, shit, my turret is under attack.” Aiko threw the shirt which landed on Kalli’s side.

Annoyed, Kalli took the shirt. “Sorry, can you get the white instead?”

“Okay.” Aiko opened the bag with her other hand and alternately clicked on phone and checked the bag.

Aiko was ambushed and was killed on the spot. “Arrrrrggggghhh.”

“Aiko, can you fill the glass for me?”

Aiko stared at the pitcher on his side table. Kalli can still move even with the IV attached to him. How come he keeps on bugging her?

She checked her phone which was counting down, she filled the glass right away and moved her hero back to her lane.

“Aiko, I didn’t say water, I wanted juice from the refrigerator.”

Aiko lifted her chin. She didn’t like how Kalli was taking advantage of his situation. She heard the word slain and when she looked down on her phone, it’s on countdown again.

Kalli hid his smile by sipping from the glass she gave him.

“I really wanted to get revenge on you when I saw you with Goo last week."

Aiko's brows furrowed. For what? What did she do?

Kalli put down the glass. "But we became friends so I thought I might as well forget about it. Then, I had this opportunity which I just couldn’t not grab.”

“What is wrong with you?” Aiko hit him with the neck pillow.

He chuckled. “The Arts Building isn’t the red one behind the trees. You know that.”

Then, it dawned on her.