"Tch. Look at you, sleeping so soundly while I'm having a hard time reading your handwriting." Dylan stares at Ulysses, who is napping in his chair, with a pair of sharp eyes. "You should write properly, yeah?"
Fate is playing with Dylan. He said to himself that he will stay here even if they end up staying until eight in the evening. And now, it's already 7:43 pm, almost eight!However, there is still a piece of good news in the flood of unfortunate events. He managed to input every word of every page of Ulysses' barely readable 13-page handwritten report. He also printed it and placed it in the folder with his handwritten report.He dropped it in his desk, creating a sound that echoed in the entirety of this small office. Hoping this would wake him up.One... two... three... No reaction.Ulysses didn't even move a single muscle, not even slightly opening his eyes. There's no sign that he'll wake up any time soon.This didn't make Dylan give up. he picks up the foIt's almost ten in the evening and Dylan is still up staring at his phone's black screen, reflecting his handsome features.For some reason, he feels somehow uneasiness inside of him.At the moment, he's arguing with himself whether he should call or at least send Ulysses a chat.The fact that Ulysses is sick and is living alone in an almost dilapidated state apartment makes him wonder if he's fine by himself. But the thought that he might be fast asleep by now makes him hesitate.He let out a deep sigh and buries his face on his pillow. Why is he worrying too much? He's been living alone for four years now. In those four long years, this isn't the first time that he's sick, right?But what is it that made him worry over Ulysses? Well, it's because of what he discovered after he walks him home."You're getting farther from your house." Ulysses said when they took another turn away from the main road. "You can go now. You don't have to accompany me anymore.""Nah
Ulysses stares at Dylan's back as his figure goes smaller the farther he gets. He didn't go inside his room until his vision lost him.The night is chilly and if he stays a little longer, he's afraid he'll catch a cold.He'd be lying if he says this apartment he's renting doesn't make him feel lonely.In fact, every time he goes back here, he's reminded that he's alone in this journey in achieving his dreams; to be a teacher someday. Even if sometimes he feels like his "unseen friend" makes him feel his presence by dropping things on the floor, or banging/opening his door, and even hiding things, it still feels different to be with another human being.He enters his small room and turns on the only lightbulb.There's nothing much inside. Just a wooden table good for two with a rice cooker on top of it, a study table, and a bed.Although the lightings inside his room is a little dim, his vision is strangely darker than usual. It got worse until he feels dizzy.Ul
"You really recovered, huh?" Dylan said as he sits next to Ulysses.He just got into their classroom and still has his bag on and didn't bother to put it on his own seat first.There's still some time before the first subject begins, and the person who's originally sitting where Dylan sits still hasn't arrived."Of course. Didn't I told you there's nothing to be worried about?" He said casually like nothing strange really happened last night.The truth is, Ulysses woke up this morning laying on the wooden floor. He's still in his school uniform and his bag was still on his back.He felt really hungry and thirsty when he woke up since he hasn't taken anything for dinner.A mocking grin slowly forms on Ulysses' face. "Don't tell me you're actually worried about me despite what I told you?""What? Of course n--- yes!" Dylan almost said did it again.He was about to deny it but he remembers that he needs to be extra nice to this person.And then the drama king
[Ulysses!]Ulysses' eyebrows knit when he saw the message that Dylan sent in messenger. As usual, he's going to ignore it first. If Dylan sent him another one, he might as well reply to it. It might be something important but... what could be so important that this stupid heartthrob have for him? Nothing.It's a weekend but he's still doing official jobs through online negotiation. He's trying to bargain with the Broadcasting Club in hope that they will not publish his picture pinning Dylan on the wall. For sure, this nosy club will publish it on Monday along with a weird article about it.Actually, it's not just the Broadcasting Club that took a picture of them. Some girls managed to take some too using their smartphones. Even if he managed to convince the Broadcasting Club not to publish it, their photo will be seen by many, probably to every student in Northwestern High School. It is inevitable and now, his clean image is tarnished. But what he's after here is to at leas
"I won't go there." Ulysses plainspokenly said, refusing to go inside of this strange stall in the town square."We're already here. Don't be such a whiner." Dylan pulls him to enter the said stall.It's a tent-like stall, covering the interior with thick violet curtains, leaving only several signs outside. Apparently, it's a stall where several psychics are inside. They are paid to tell a person's past, present, and future true tarot reading. So, why are they here exactly?A few hours ago, Dylan told Ulysses about Denise going out with some unknown guy. Knowing Denise, she doesn't seem to have a thought of getting herself a boyfriend. All she cares about is her active lifestyle and her Women's Volleyball Club. And these sudden actions of her surprised Dylan and Ulysses.Even though Ulysses isn't hoping for much from Denise, he's still intrigued by what Dylan said to him. Because of this, he dropped the draft writing in his apartment and decided to go with Dylan, who sec
"Let's just go home." Ulysses sits on a park bench.They've been walking for some time now. His feet hurt already and Denise is still nowhere to be found."But what about my sister?" Dylan still didn't give up looking for her. His eyes wander around the park.It seems they really lost them."Denise is already grown up. She knows what she's doing." He thinks that Dylan is just being so overprotective. The guy that Denise is going out with looks like a soft one. It seems they're just besties but Ulysses doesn't think Dylan observed that.Ulysses can't help but feel like he just wasted his time on a nonsense matter. "And I was doing something in my room."Dylan stopped looking around just to face Ulysses with his eyes raised. "Is it school-related? Ulysses, it's Saturday! Don't you rest on weekends?"Their gazes only met for a while since Ulysses averted his from the other. "I usually do but all thanks to you, I have to bargain with the broadcasting club.""Wha-
"Hey, Ulysses, can you pass my earphones? It's on the table." Dylan asks the other while he's leisurely rolling on his sheets with his eyes nailed on his phone screen.For some reason, Ulysses ended up in Dylan's house.Ulysses stops typing on Dylan's laptop just to look for it. He's currently composing the letter of proposal for the School Treasurer and this heartthrob bothers him for some favor."Where?" He even lifted the books and even the action figures on the table but still didn't found it. "It's not here."Dylan put his phone down to look at Ulysses on the study table. "It's not there? Can you look for it under the table? Maybe it fell down? Or look in the drawer.""..." Ulysses is a little annoyed but still didn't complain.He looked under the table, even in his messy drawer yet still found no earphones."It's not here."Dylan tries to recall where exactly did he put it, and then realized something. "Ah! Right. I forgot, I brought it with me today."
Ulysses starts to recognize their surroundings."This way is going to my apartment."There's no way he's mistaken. This route they're taking in... just a few blocks away from where they are, erected an almost in dilapidated state two-story building of Ulysses' apartment.Dylan slowly bends his neck, trying to meet Ulysses' gaze with his. "Could it be... your unseen friend wants you to go home early?""Nonsense." Ulysses replies with a cold tone.The truth is, Ulysses also thought that his friend with no face is the one who's been playing this melody since the music to draw him but why?He'd be lying if he says this doesn't give him goosebumps. Of course, he finds this eerie but it's just there's a part of him that wants to go nearer.Noticing that he can't hear the other's footsteps anymore, Ulysses looks back only to see Dylan just standing behind him like a statue while staring at him.Ulysses knits his eyebrows as he asks, "Are you not coming?"Dylan ju