Episode 3 - calm meets chaos

Luen quietly closed the dormitory door behind him.

A familiar silence greeted him.

The room was exactly what he expected...

At least, half of it.

His side was spotless. The bed was perfectly made. Books were arranged by height on the shelf. Every pen sat neatly inside its holder, and not a single sheet of paper was out of place.

The other half looked as though a storm had swept through.

Clothes were draped over a chair.

Books lay open across the desk.

A jacket hung from the ceiling fan.

Several empty snack wrappers rested on the floor like forgotten trophies.

Luen stood there for a moment.

"...Unbelievable."

He sighed almost silently before walking to his desk beside the window.

His notebook opened.

His pen moved.

The room fell into silence once again.

...

BANG!

The washroom door flew open.

Luen's pen stopped.

Standing there was a young man with damp white hair, casually drying it with a towel slung over one shoulder.

A lazy grin spread across his face as though the world existed solely for his entertainment.

"Yo."

He leaned against the doorway.

"So..."

His eyes wandered over Luen's perfectly organized side of the room.

"...You're that Luen Cassian."

Luen looked up briefly.

"And you're Seren Forbes."

"Wow."

Seren chuckled.

"We haven't even lived together for five minutes, and you already know my name."

"I read the roommate list."

"...You're no fun."

Seren laughed before walking over to his wardrobe.

He stared at the clothes inside with exaggerated seriousness.

Then, without warning...

"Oi, Luen."

No response.

"I've got an important question."

Still writing, Luen answered calmly,

"...Go ahead."

Seren pulled out two shirts.

One black.

One navy.

He held them up dramatically.

"I'm going on a date."

He flashed a confident grin.

"Which one says 'I'm handsome enough to ruin her life'?"

Luen didn't even look up.

"Neither."

Seren blinked.

"...Excuse me?"

"You'll save more time by cancelling it."

Silence.

A heartbeat passed.

Then another.

Seren slowly lowered the shirts.

"...I haven't even started dating her."

"I know."

"And you're already telling me to break up?"

"Correct."

"...Why?"

Luen finally looked at him.

"Efficiency."

For two full seconds...

Seren simply stared.

Then he clutched his head dramatically.

"What kind of advice is that?!"

Luen returned to his notebook as if the conversation had never happened.

"I prefer practical solutions."

"You are impossible."

"And you're loud."

"I am charismatic."

"You're noisy."

"I'm unforgettable."

"That too."

Seren folded his arms.

"...You know, people warned me about you."

"They were right."

"...You're actually funny."

"I wasn't joking."

Before Seren could answer...

Knock.

Both of them stopped.

A single knock echoed through the room.

Neither moved.

"...Were you expecting someone?" Seren asked.

Luen slowly closed his notebook.

"No."

Another knock came.

Knock.

This one felt... heavier.

The room grew strangely cold.

Even Seren's smile faded.

Neither of them noticed the lightning flashing beyond the balcony...

Or the shadow that vanished from the corridor window.

Whoever stood outside...

...was about to change everything.

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