The bell rang. I picked up all my stuff and got out of the practice room. When I reached the lunch area, I saw my friends sitting at a table, waiting for me.
"Wow, you guys even ordered me food." I said excitedly.
"Asshole, we've been waiting for you." said Kin.
"That's right. We thought that your little ghost kidnapped you." said Phurin jokingly.
I gulped.
I looked down at my food and for a second I lost my appetite, but then I got back to my senses and indulged in the delicious omelet with rice.
"How can you eat in such circumstances?" asked Phu.
"Look, at first I was creeped out, but now I'm just considering everything as some acts of service. If he wants to follow my every step, so be it, as long as I still get to wake up with my breakfast by my door." I said casually.
Phu looked at me with his mouth wide open in surprise.
Kin looked at him annoyed and closed his mouth.
"That's a good mentality." said Kin. "As far as I know, it's not like he crossed any boundaries. How long has it been since he's been courting you?"
"First of all, this is not courting! It's either a prank, or someone is just lonely and needs a friend."
"So clueless." said Phu, speechless.
"Right?"
"Second of all, it's been 3 months. He just doesn't give up."
"How do you know that he's a man?" asked Phu teasingly.
I remained silent for a moment.
"I don't know... maybe I'm just guessing. I might be wrong."
"Orrrr... maybe you think that it's a man because you feel dominated by his actions?" said Phu.
"Me? Dominated? Please, I'm a top all the way." I acted offended.
I don't know if I was right. Or if my friends were right. All I knew is that someone has been taking care of me from afar for some time and I don't hate it. I mean I don't love it either. There are still times when I feel a bit creeped out, but usually this person just buys me snacks or drinks and leaves them in the places he knows I go to.
The first time this happened it was in the second week of my freshman year. When I went in the classroom, there was chocolate milk on my desk. After that, things like this kept happening. When I go to play basketball there are always 2 bottles of fresh water waiting for me on the bench, and when I wake up in the morning all I have to do is open the door of my apartment, and there is always a bag hanging by the door handle that contains my breakfast. I used to always skip breakfast, but now I suppose I can't.
"Ok, if you really say so, that means you're not curious at all who's been doing all of this?"
"Phu, stop teasing Arun." said Kin.
"Of course I'm curious, but I'm afraid that once I find out who he is... These acts of service will be gone forever."
"Ahhh, so you actually enjoy it don't you?" asked Phu.
I just refused to respond. I had already finished eating, so I cleaned up after me rapidly.
"Where are you going?" asked Kin.
"To practice some more."
I went back to the practice room so I can play the piano some more. It helped me clear my head and it made me think better. One of the perks of studying at the Faculty of Music.
When I entered the room, I ignored the bottle of lemonade sitting on top of my piano and I started playing. While I was playing, at first everything was good, but after a while my mind went blank and I couldn't finish the song. I pressed my fingers on the keys angrily, making the piano sound absolutely awful and then I stopped.
God, I was so frustrated.
I looked at the lemonade again.
I looked away.
I looked at it again and I gave in. I took it in my hand aggressively, opened it and started to chug.
It tasted so good.
After I drank almost half a bottle of lemonade, I felt calmer.
However, when I saw what effect this gesture had on me, I was mad again. I got up from the piano, and started running to my friends, who were walking around the campus.
When I reached them, I was out of breath.
"Damn, who's chasing you?" asked Phu.
"I... want..." I couldn't talk because of the running I'd been doing.
They were waiting for my response speechless.
"I..."
"Say it already, asshole!" said Phu.
"I want you to help me find the ghost!" I said.
They looked at each other smirking.
"Oh honey, you got it." said Kin.