[Seven-Minute Semblance] GODSFORRENT & FIMBULWINTER

Chapter 1 - The Tissue Paper of Destiny

"Okay na po siguro 'yan, thank you." The Psychology student took the book and tossed her his library card with an air of relief.

May quiz ba sila sa mythology at nakalimutan n'yang mag-review?

I'd been processing my thoughts too deep that I didn't notice the same guy walking towards the seat across mine. "Paupo," he said, waving his hand just in front of my face to get my attention. After seeing my reaction, he smiled and I quirked an eyebrow, translating that into a yes. I continued pretending to be interested with the documents on my laptop.

Psyche dude just grinned again and started flicking pages of the book, then out of the blues, he said, "Wala kaming quiz, by the way."

I stopped staring at my narrative report and turned to him. Mind readers ba talaga ang mga psychology students?

I must've been making quite a face since he chuckled and, without even removing his gaze on his book, said, "Psychology has four major functions: we study behaviour, analyse them, and then predict them."

"Uh-huh," I replied, counting the functions he had given. "That was only three," I added. "What's the fourth one?"

He smiled again, and after a heartbeat of silence, he replied, "Control them."

"Cool." I lost all interest and directed my eyes on the tissue paper beside me. Then I quickly hid them in my pockets. Baka kung anong isipin ni Kuya Psyche.

Though when I checked, he was busy searching for something from the book.

Kung wala silang quiz, anong pinoproblema n'ya ngayon? Saan s'ya galing at bakit s'ya umupo sa table ko, sa dinami-rami ng upuan sa library? Bakit s'ya bumangga sa pinto kanina? Sadyang tanga o sinadyang tanga? Anong balak mo, Kuya Psyche?

"Uh, wala naman akong masamang balak," he suddenly said, getting impatient with the book. I froze on my seat. He went on, "You seem to have a lot of questions in your mind."

"Yeah, dude, marami nga. Gaya ng ano ba ang ginagawa ko rito sa library at nagtitiis pa akong kasama itong batang 'to?" I retorted.

"Ang sama..." He sighed and closed the book, frowning. "Hindi ko makita ang hinahanap ko."

"Index, have you tried looking at the index? It's usually there," I suggested, feeling a bit guilty when he sighed and frowned at my remark earlier. He then coughed and fanned dust from the book.

"Paano ko malalaman kung anong word ang hahanapin, hindi ko alam kung anong hinahanap ko," he said with a grimace on his face. "Ano ba 'yan, hindi naglilinis ng libro ang mga librarian. Makapag-apply nga as library assistant nang makatulong ako sa paglilinis."

I blinked and gave him a what-the-heck? look. What did he expect from the Kent Building's library? Nasa tago at dulong parte kami ng Coronado University, walang masyadong tao at staff na bumibisita rito.

"Sino sa Norse Mythology ang may alagang baboy?" he suddenly asked.

"Mga farmers," I replied shortly.

"No, I mean, the god. Sinong god sa Norse Mythology ang may alagang baboy?"

I shrugged. "Freyr."

His eyes lit up as he dragged his chair closer and leant over. "Sino si Freyr?"

With my eyes still on the monitor of my laptop, I answered, "The god of fertility. He has a boar named Gullinbursti, which was a gift from the dwarves. He's also known as the sun god. He's kinda charming, like his twin sister, Freyja."

"That sounds like how someone would introduce himself." He chuckled and leant back.

"Freyr is actually and secretly my neighbour."