[Seven-Minute Semblance] GODSFORRENT & FIMBULWINTER

Chapter 7 - A Seven-Minute Semblance

"Stalker alert," I muttered.

"So you involved professors and clubs in this nonsense?" Joyeuse stepped forward, towards Zweihänder.

Zweihänder's face broke into a crooked grin. "I figured you're someone who can sort out the nonsense and ignore it. Nagkamali yata ako."

Joyeuse was a bit too stunned to speak for a moment.

Then it was Futhark's turn to speak up. "Bakit po kailangan pang magpadala ng tissue paper? Para saan po 'yon?"

"Please take a seat." Tinapik ni Zweihänder ang balikat ng dalawang babaeng nagbabasa kunwari sa may couch at pinaalis sila, tapos kami ang inanyayahang maupo roon. That's not gentlemanly, pero masakit na rin naman ang paa ko kaya thanks, Zweihän-dude.

'Yong mas matangkad na babae ay naupo sa "conference table" nila, at nginitian naman ako ni Macey bago s'ya naupo katabi nung matangkad na babae.

Macey?!

"Macey!"

I jumped, and all eyes were immediately on me. I coughed and tugged my shirt down. It got awkward. I didn't know she's part of the student publications. Macey giggled silently. The four staff members started to have a little meeting.

"Taking a seat then," I muttered and sat on the other end of the couch, seeing that Joyeuse took the other end. Futhark sat beside me, and I didn't know why I even expected Laevateinn to sit on Futhark's left, beside Joyeuse.

He took a monobloc chair and left the room.

He literally took a seat and everyone didn't know what to do. Do they protest? Do they stop him? Do they tell him, Ha-ha, what an idiot?

Apparently Joyeuse knew what to do.

"Why take us to the couch instead of the conference table?" he asked. "Shouldn't this conversation be formal?"

"Tingin ko okay lang naman, kahit dito na lang tayo," Futhark said. "Maybe they want us to feel comfortable with them, and..." He narrowed his eyes as if he noticed Zweihänder watching him talk and found it awkward.

I felt obliged to drop a comment, but my mouth—which apparently has a mind of its own—decided to say, "Pwede po bang maki-connect sa Wi-Fi?"

Ramdam ko ang pag-ikot ng mata ni Joyeuse, na sinamahan pa ng isang napakalakas na buntonghininga. Tinitigan muna ako ni Zweihänder, na parang pinag-iisipan n'ya kung seseryosohin ba ang tanong ko o hindi.

Part of me hoped that he would, but anyway.

Bahagyang napatawa si Zweihänder at nagpatuloy sa sasabihin n'ya. "How did you perform in your fourth-year high school thesis?"

Thesis?

The three of us were caught offguard. Si Futhark, nag-alinlangan muna bago sumagot ng, "Nahirapan po ako sa pag-gather ng matinong sagot galing sa respondents at nagka-problema po ako sa... Hindi ko na po maalala 'yong thesis namin, marami kasi kaming nagtulong-tulong para matapos 'yon."

I raised my hand. "Ako po sumagot sa pagpapa-print at pagpapa-bookbind. I read the entire thing an hour before the oral defence so I didn't have to worry about looking like an idiot."

Zweihänder slowly nodded. I didn't think this was the reason why he's called the three (or four) of us here. His body language said otherwise. It's as if he's testing us.

"Ikaw, anong ambag mo sa thesis n'yo?" Zweihänder asked Joyeuse. He leant on the wall near the door, crossing his arms. He kept an approachable smile.