A Friend With No Pulse • Anderperry AU

1 ; The Weird Guy

Neil was sure he had put his books away neatly before leaving his apartment. But when he returned, he found the book on his study table wide open. There were no traces of someone, no signs of a break-in. And unfortunately, there were no surveillance cameras in the hallway that could have captured whoever-or whatever-had done this.

"People say that consecutive exams and piles of assignments can affect your mental health and state of mind," said the man, sitting down in front of Neil. The campus cafeteria wasn't very crowded that day, with only a few people in sight-most of them probably spending their time studying in the library. "You've got a point. But I'm sure I remember correctly, Charlie," Neil muttered as he put an apple in his mouth. His face showed an expression of deep thought, which unfortunately was not really noticed by his friend.

"No, that's not what I mean," Charlie replied. Neil just stared at him with one eyebrow raised. "Then what?"

"Maybe your alter ego did it," He said in an exaggerated serious tone, then laughed afterwards. Amused by Neil's curious face, which quickly turned sour.

That was ridiculous, indeed. But deep down, he began to think, 'Could that be true?' But he immediately dismissed the thought.

That day was just one of hundreds of monotonous days he had endured during his college years. He couldn't even remember when was the last time he had felt any lingering sense of enthusiasm or euphoria. All that occupied his mind now were assignments, assignments, assignments and exams.

But the good news is. He has Charlie.

He's annoying, yet he is the one that always made him feel better despite the rough days they've been through.

Opening his phone that now showed 19:01, he thought it wasn't too late yet to stop by the nearest minimarket just to buy some snacks. Done with his last class, he walked along the city sidewalk until he arrived at the convenience store with the sign Open 24h. Tomorrow was a holiday, so tonight he could close his books for a while and watch Netflix all night long.

Weekends are truly the best.

Thud.

Maybe Neil was too focused on his phone. Scrolling through some random reels and stuff just to take his mind off things that he doesn't notice another person walking from the opposite direction.

They bumped into each other. It wasn't strong enough to make him fall. But strong enough to make his phone slip out his hand, straight onto the concrete.

They looked at each other for split seconds, looking surprised. Then Neil immediately grabs his phone on the ground-which unfortunately, his phone screen is now filled with some spiderweb-like fracture lines spreading all over it.

Neil cursed silently. He just bought that tempered glass a few days ago, the shop owner said it was 'super strong' and 'unbreakable'-bullshit. He looked at the person who just bumped into him. To be exact, the person who he collided with. That person,-a young man around Neil's age-for some reason, looks at Neil in surprise. Neil seems confused at his behavior. "Are you okay?" He asks politely. The young man kept silent for a while, then he smiled.

"I'm fine ... and about your phone-"

"That's fine. It's all my fault, I was just ... careless." Neil said quickly before the young man finished his sentence. He gave a small shrug, trying to brush it off although the cracks on his screen seemed so clear. It annoyed him, but he knew it was his fault.

He got into the minimarket, leaving the young man who stood still in the same place with a little smile on his face. One thing he didn't realize. A few of the passerbys around him-almost all-gave him a strange look, some even cast a pitiful glance at him.