There were two months left until Adam's graduation.
Four weeks remained until Chandler's wedding.
Everything was progressing in an orderly manner.
A determined wanderer was also advancing his own plans.
New York.
MacLaren's Pub.
"Joey Tribbiani? That name sounds so familiar," Ted said, tilting his head as he took a sip of beer.
"You forgot? He's Adam's friend," Lily reminded him.
"We even had dinner together back in freshman year," Matthew, who sat next to Lily and was practically attached to her, added before taking a big gulp of beer.
"Oh, I remember now!" Ted slapped his forehead. "That was when Adam made a fortune from his book and treated all his friends to dinner. There was this really handsome actor there who could eat an insane amount. Was that him?"
"That's the one!"
Sitting beside Ted was Barney Stinson, always dressed in a sharp suit. He twirled his glass in his hand, squinting slightly. "A total glutton."
"Oh, wow. Someone really doesn't like him," Lily teased.
"Did he steal your thunder?" Ted asked directly.
"Steal my thunder?" Barney scoffed. "No one steals my thunder!"
"You sure about that?" Lily smirked. "I know someone who, the moment he stands next to you, makes all your magic tricks and pickup routines useless. Every woman in the room will have eyes only for him."
"Impossible," Barney sneered, though curiosity got the better of him. "Who?"
"Adam Duncan."
Lily, Matthew, and Ted said his name in unison.
The three of them were Adam's old college friends from Columbia and had lived in the dorm next to his.
More than six years had passed since then.
Ted had graduated and become an architect.
Lily was now a kindergarten teacher.
As for Matthew, he had continued his studies after graduation and was now a first-year student at Columbia Law School.
Like medical school, law school didn't have an undergraduate program, meaning applicants needed a bachelor's degree. Admissions were competitive, and Columbia Law was one of the top institutions in the world. The fact that Matthew got in spoke volumes about his talent and hard work.
Much like med students, law students had to immerse themselves in massive textbooks, memorizing and analyzing complex legal statutes.
It was no surprise that both professions—medicine and law—were considered the backbone of America's middle class.
Currently, Matthew and Ted were roommates in an apartment above MacLaren's Pub. Lily was practically living with Matthew, even though she had her own apartment. She rarely went back, using it more as a storage space and backup plan.
The three of them were always together, much like Chandler, Monica, and Ross had been.
Matthew and Lily had been dating since freshman year. The casual attitude Matthew once had about their relationship—claiming they were just having fun—had turned into a running joke. Over six years later, they were still inseparable, practically co-owners of each other's lives.
Ted, on the other hand, had transformed from a hopeless romantic into a seasoned player. He had gone through girlfriend after girlfriend, breaking more hearts than he could count.
Half a year ago, Barney—who lived life like a game—had met Ted in the restroom of MacLaren's Pub.
They had been standing side by side, relieving themselves, when Barney suddenly spoke.
"Ever since my mom passed away, tonight is the first time I've taken my deaf brother out."
"Oh… I'm sorry," Ted said, momentarily stunned, quickly offering condolences.
"It's okay."
Barney leaned against the wall with one hand while the other held his drink, his voice full of emotion. "Now, I'm the only one who can take care of him. Even though I had to give up my dreams to do it, I'm happy. He's my brother—I love him!"
Ted was even more confused but, seeing the deep sincerity in Barney's expression, responded with another sympathetic nod. "Man, uh… I'm really sorry."
As he finished up, he prepared to leave, thinking about how bizarre the whole situation was. Meeting a stranger in a restroom was one thing, but having that stranger suddenly open up about such a tragic backstory in that setting? Definitely weird.
"Wow, you actually bought that?"
Barney suddenly grinned.
"Huh?" Ted blinked.
"I just made that story up while we were peeing," Barney said as he washed his hands, looking smug. "If you believed it, then that blonde chick at the bar definitely will too."
Ted was speechless.
Still washing his hands, Barney continued, "Of course, unless you're a total idiot… What's your name?"
"Ted."
"Ted, are you a total idiot?"
"I'm still talking to you, so?"
Ted finally caught on and shot back.
"Nice comeback. I think I like you."
Barney finished washing his hands and left.
Fifteen minutes later…
"Ted, I'm going to teach you how to live."
Barney had found Ted again, slung an arm around him, and declared his intentions.
They say birds of a feather flock together. Ted being chosen by Barney wasn't just coincidence—he had that romantic aura about him. And romance and being a player were just one step apart, forever intertwined.
Most players were romantic at heart—otherwise, how else would they be so good at the game?
Barney, after years of roaming the dating scene, immediately recognized Ted's potential. Recruiting him as a wingman was only natural.
That strange restroom encounter became one of Barney's legendary stories.
And soon, many more stories would start in that restroom—including the tale of a so-called "Restroom Hero."
With Barney finding his wingman, he naturally became part of their group—just like how Joey had inadvertently ended up as Chandler's roommate and part of the Friends crew.
Now, it was a common sight to see the four of them hanging out together at MacLaren's Pub.
Barney had heard Adam's name from Lily and the others before, but this was the first time he realized Adam and Joey were connected.
Clenching his teeth, Barney listened as the three of them showered Adam with praise. Then, he recalled the ridiculously handsome guy he had seen earlier—the one who knew Joey. Suddenly, the two figures merged in his mind.
"Adam Duncan!"
Barney described the man's features.
"Yeah! You ran into him?" Lily's eyes lit up.
As a self-proclaimed fangirl, she was devoted to Matthew but couldn't help her attraction to good-looking guys.
Even when she later met her best friend Robin, she couldn't help but fantasize about her, occasionally giving her that signature mischievous look.
Though Adam had been their college friend and neighbor, he had rarely stayed in the dorms. He quickly moved out, then spent most of his time with the Friends crew, so their interactions had been limited.
Adam had graduated a year early and gone straight to med school, making him even busier.
Then they had all graduated, and keeping in touch became even harder.
But as a well-known alumnus and an incredibly attractive friend, Adam remained a frequent topic in their conversations.
Back in college, Matthew and Ted had been close with Adam and took pride in having such an outstanding friend.
Even after all these years, Adam had never truly disappeared from their lives.