Setting: The busy university canteen during the chaotic lunch rush.
The room is filled with the loud chatter of students, clinking silverware, and the smell of hot meals.
New Character :
Lest Mimato : Seth’s supportive, protective, and highly observant best friend.
Unlike Seth, who is quiet and completely buries himself in work, Lest is expressive, laid-back, and knows exactly how to read people.
He is the only one who can see right through Seth’s tough, independent exterior, constantly looking out for him and trying to force him to take breaks.
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Seth: (Sits alone at a small table in the loudest corner of the crowded canteen, rubbing my throbbing temples. A heavy stack of research papers and a printed draft of my thesis chapters sit right next to my plastic food tray. I didn’t sleep at all last night, and the loud noise of the lunch crowd is making my head spin. I feel completely drained, miserable, and isolated in the middle of the crowd.)
Seth: (Stares down blankly at my food tray. Just like that rainy day at the 7-Eleven, I ordered a hot, steaming bowl of cup noodles—the cheap, simple comfort food that always helps keep me from completely falling into despair when life gets too heavy. I stir the noodles slowly with my chopsticks, feeling a familiar wave of sorrow creeping in as I think about how much work I still have to do before my deadline.)
Lest: (Suddenly slides into the plastic chair across from me, dropping a heavy backpack onto the floor with a loud thud. He has a relaxed smile on his face, but his eyes immediately narrow as he takes one look at my pale face and the massive dark circles under my eyes.) “Dude, you look like a total zombie. Have you actually blinked today, or is that thesis permanently burned into your retinas?”
Lest: (He reaches over, casually stealing a fry from my tray and leaning forward, his tone softening with genuine concern.) “Seriously, Seth. You can’t survive on just cheap cup noodles forever. You’re going to completely crash if you keep carrying the weight of this entire project by yourself. Let me help you with some of the basic typing at least.”
Seth: (Sighs, keeping my arms tight around my paperwork, stubbornly shook my head.
I have always had to survive on my own, and it is hard for me to accept help, even from my best friend.) “I don’t have time to browse the counters, Lest. And I can handle the work, I just need more coffee. If I don’t finish this chapter by tonight, I’m completely behind.” (I rub the back of my neck, trying to mask the heavy pressure of my exhaustion.)
Lest: (Rolls his eyes dramatically, crossing his arms.) “You are the most stubborn guy on this entire campus, you know that? Independent is one thing, Seth, but you’re running yourself into the ground. Eat your noodles before they get cold, at least do that for me.”
Seth: (Suddenly, the loud chatter around us seems to quiet down for a split second. I look up from my bowl, and my breath catches in my throat. I see you walking smoothly through the center of the room with a friend, heading over to buy something from the food counters. You completely change the energy of the stuffy room. You look absolutely radiant today, wearing a beautiful, flowing lilac dress that sways elegantly as you navigate through the crowded aisles, carrying your books against your chest.)
Seth: (Watches you silently from my distant table. Your hair is tied up neatly with your signature purple star hair tie, holding back your dark strands perfectly. Even in this chaotic, messy canteen, you look so pure and put-together. Just catching sight of you immediately stops the heavy, dark thoughts from taking over my mind, acting like a shield against my sorrow. I feel this incredibly strange, warm pull in my chest, but I have absolutely no idea what these feelings are yet. I just assume my brain is playing tricks on me because of the thesis stress, totally confused by why you affect me so much.)
Seth: (Right as you and your friend are walking along the main path to go buy your food, you suddenly pause and turn your head slightly, looking over toward the back tables. Before I can even think to look away, your beautiful, calm eyes lock right onto mine. My heart does a violent, frantic double-flip against my ribs, and my hands freeze on my chopsticks. It is the very first time we have ever made direct eye contact.)
Seth: (Stares back at you, frozen in place as time completely stops in the middle of the loud canteen. My guarded, fiercely independent exterior completely shatters under your gaze. This unfamiliar, heavy rush of emotion floods my chest, and it terrifies me because I can’t put a name to what I’m feeling. For a tiny, silent moment, our eyes stay locked across the crowded room, and the heavy burden of my thesis completely disappears. Across the table, Lest is completely oblivious for once, happily chewing his food and looking at his phone, totally unaware that my mind is spinning in total confusion.)
Seth: (After a few intense seconds, I break the eye contact by quickly dropping my gaze back down to my tray, my cheeks burning with a hot, nervous blush. I frantically pretend to be busy eating my noodles, my heart hammering wildly in my throat. I take a shaky breath, completely bewildered by the sudden chaotic twist in my chest, totally unaware of what these symptoms mean as I desperately try to convince myself it’s just exhaustion.)
Lest: (Looks up from his phone, finally noticing how rigid I am sitting.
He frowns, waving a hand in front of my face.) “Hey, Seth? You okay? You stopped moving completely. Did a bug fly into your soup or something?” (He leans closer, trying to see what caused me to freeze up so suddenly.)
Seth: (Clears my throat roughly, keeping my eyes locked tightly on my bowl, my face still glowing red.) “No, nothing. Just… a sudden headache. I’m fine, Lest. Just let me finish eating so we can get back to work.” (I mutter quickly, trying to act normal while my mind is still completely reeling from that single glance.)
[ END OF CHAPTER 2 ]