I stepped into the lecture hall, the familiar sight of cascading rows of curved desks stretching before me. The honey-colored wood gleamed faintly under the fluorescent lights, casting a sterile glow over the crowded room. The air buzzed with the low murmur of conversations, and the occasional creak of chairs echoed as students shifted in their seats.
As always, I moved toward my usual spot in the corner of the last row, where I could keep my distance from the rest of the class. But before I could reach it, a familiar voice called out.
"Hey, Ahriman."
I turned my head, finding the source of the voice—a fair-skinned blonde with sharp, confident features approaching me.
"Morning, Tova," I greeted.
Tova was one of my classmates, someone I got along with relatively well. She was also the first person I had encountered when I enrolled here. If I had to describe her in a few words, I'd call her an ideal woman—intelligent, attractive, and from a high-class family. It wasn't surprising that she was a popular figure in our class.
A teasing smile curled her lips. "Good morning. Looks like you're on time today."
I frowned slightly. "What do you mean? I'm always on time."
Her smile widened, and she narrowed her eyes slightly as if amused by my response. "Well, if you consider sneaking in like a thief in the middle of the class 'on time,' then I guess you are."
"You noticed?" I sighed, feigning disappointment. "And here I thought I was good at sneaking. That was my backup career plan, you know. If I fail to get a job in the future, I was thinking of becoming a pro thief."
She let out a soft chuckle, covering her mouth slightly with her hand. "I did."
Then, suddenly, she stepped closer—too close, shrinking the space between us.
"I also noticed that you're turning into a zombie," she remarked, her tone light but observant.
I instinctively took a small step back, maintaining the distance. "Maybe you should focus more on the teachers instead of me," I said, forcing a chuckle.
"Hey, everybody notices it. You're just bad at noticing things around you," she grumbled.
Her tone was casual, but something about her expression made me think she was a little upset.
Gathering whatever energy I had left, I responded with mock confidence. "You're wrong there. It's not that I'm bad at noticing things. I'm just good at avoiding noticing them."
She laughed again, shaking her head. "That's so stupid. You always show confidence in things you shouldn't."
Before I could reply, another voice interrupted.
"Hey, Tova. So, what's the topic of conversation?"
I glanced toward the source—Grace Brown. Another one of our classmates and one of Tova's close friends. Unlike Tova, Grace had a more arrogant air about her, and though we barely spoke directly, I always got the impression that she didn't like me.
I took this as my cue to leave.
"Well, see you guys some other time," I said, turning away.
But before I could make my escape, Tova called out again.
"You're coming to the party this Sunday, right?"
What party?
She was asking if I was coming, but I didn't even know what she was talking about. I caught a glimpse of Grace, who looked slightly uncomfortable.
I hesitated, unsure how to respond.
Tova must have noticed my confusion because she turned to Grace with a questioning look. "You didn't invite him? I thought you invited the whole class."
Grace's face twitched as if she were thinking of an excuse. "I, uh, thought I did, but maybe I forgot."
She turned toward me, her expression stiff, forcing a polite tone. "Well, Ahriman, you can join us if you'd like. The party's at my place. You know where it is, right?"
Her body language and voice made it obvious—she had no real intention of inviting me and was only saying this out of obligation.
Keeping my expression neutral, I replied, "Oh, sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to make it."
Normally, I would've accepted the invitation without hesitation, just to annoy the inviter. But the party was on the weekend.
No way.
Weekends were my only chance to catch up on sleep, and I wasn't about to waste that.
Grace let out a dry laugh. "I figured you'd say that."
For some reason, she looked relieved—maybe because I declined.
How badly does she not want me to go?
"You do seem like the type who'd avoid gatherings," Grace muttered, her tone laced with arrogance.
Even though she spoke in a low voice, it was easy to hear. I noticed Tova casting her a quick glance, as if silently telling her that comment was uncalled for.
"What?" Grace grumbled, crossing her arms.
The conversation stalled. Seizing the opportunity, I made an excuse and finally got away from them, heading toward my seat.
A few moments later, the professor entered, and the lecture began. I tried to focus, but the fatigue from earlier started creeping back in. My eyelids grew heavy, and the professor's voice became distant, muffled.
Eventually, darkness took over.
~
"Ahriman."
A voice.
It was faint, like a distant echo.
Am I hearing things now? …Wasn't seeing enough?
"Hey. Wake up. Wake up—Ahriman."
The voice grew clearer—male, unfamiliar.
A hand gently pushed against my shoulder.
Slowly, I forced my eyes open, my vision adjusting to the dimmer lighting of the lecture hall. My mind momentarily blanked before everything snapped back into place.
College.
The room was nearly empty, most of the lights dimmed. The rows of desks, once filled with students, were now abandoned. It seemed like everyone had already left.
"Did I doze off during class?" I mumbled, my voice rough from sleep.
"You did. The whole class, actually," the voice responded.
I blinked, a little surprised. I hadn't even flinched when I first heard him—I had assumed I was alone. Regaining my composure, I turned toward the speaker.
"Thanks for waking me up."
The person standing before me was a tall guy, much taller than me. He wore glasses, had a slightly heavier build, and his face was unfamiliar.
Still, I was grateful.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I checked the time.
4 P.M.
I still had time before my part-time shift.
"It's already that late, huh?" I muttered to myself, standing up from my seat.
The guy in front of me was blocking the way, but as soon as I moved, he stepped aside, allowing me to pass.
As I walked past him, a thought struck me.
Wait… he knew my name?
I stopped.
Turning around, I faced him again.
He was still there. He hadn't disappeared.
Exhaling, I asked, "You know my name? Do we know each other?"