[Seven-Minute Semblance] GODSFORRENT & FIMBULWINTER

Chapter 1 - The Tissue Paper of Destiny

NO.

I hated the entire situation. I questioned every motive, every reason why someone would send me, an Edward Dace, a tissue paper with Runic inscriptions. Why on earth would someone send me something like this? Who would send me these rubbishes, who would dare, and what do they want? What does he want? What does she want? What will they gain from it? Entertainment?

Makaraan ang ilang minutong pag-upo sa library at pagtulala sa dalawang tissue paper sa ibabaw ng laptop ko, determinado akong 'wag magpatalo sa mga nanti-trip at nambu-bully sa akin. Marami akong dapat tapusin—assignments, articles, blog updates, projects, narrative reports—at naniniwala akong hindi naman ako kayang patayin ng dalawang pirasong papel.

I shrugged the tissue papers off and started typing on my laptop.

Now fast forward to a few minutes after: may isang tatanga-tangang yumakap sa pinto ng library.

I figured he's a Psychology student because of his white corporate attire, and I guessed he didn't see the glass door of the library. He grinned to himself after getting up from the collision of his own clumsiness and the glass door. He got the attention of all three currently present at the library.

The guy bobbed his head in apology to the librarians who glared at him, his crooked smile making it look less sincere as he opened the door properly and silently made his way inside.

"I'm sorry," he said when he caught me staring at him, judging him. Mocking him. I sighed and instead directed my attention back to my laptop. I heard him chuckle, then I heard a blond dude a few tables across me sigh in exasperation as if the Psychology student broke whatever concentration he was having. That dude fixed his glasses and continued concentrating.

"Uhm, ma'am, may libro po ba kayo dito ng mythology?" the Psyche dude who bumped on the door asked, leaning on the librarian's counter. He glanced once at my direction again, but I immediately turned my head the other way to avoid eye-contact.

It's not my habit to eavesdrop, but I got curious hearing someone ask for a mythology book. What a nerd. I secretly drifted my eyes to my right, watching him through my peripherals and concentrating on listening to the conversation at the librarian's counter.

"Wala kaming mythology dito," the librarian harrumphed and continued to scrub her cuticles. I didn't think manicure was appropriate in this setting. The Psychology student winced at her attitude.

Tatawag na 'yan sa OSA, ano.

"Anong mythology book, hijo?" another librarian butted in to ask. She looked rather friendlier and nicer. She had a long hair tied back in a neat ponytail, and what I noticed were her nice silver-painted nails which glimmered in the library lights.

"Kahit ano, miss. Basta 'yong may gods at goddesses," Psyche dude said, giving the first librarian a slight frown. "'Yong kumpleto po, kung meron."

I listened to how he spoke and judged him again, because that's what I do.

Assessment:

Pronunciation - Probably fluent in three languages.
Hesitation at the honorific - Galing private school noong high school.
Pitch and Tone - Mapang-asar ang lalaking 'to. We might be good friends.
Accent - No permanent address. Palipat-lipat siguro ang pamilya.

"Ito lang ang mythology book na meron kami, 'yong kay Edith Hamilton." The second, friendlier librarian snapped me out of my thoughts. "Ito rin ang hiniram ng ibang mga estudyante ngayong araw. Kung gusto mo ng mas kumpleto, subukan mong tumingin sa library sa Northumbria building."