moonflowers and jasmines

• two •

'join the writing club; conjure worlds of wonder through writing!'

"wow, that tagline sure is intriguing."

jihan articulated his neck towards his right to glance at the person beside him. he made eye contact with the lean boy next to him. his posture was impeccable, with his shoulder held back, exuding pride. his dandy-like appearance only added to his appeal, with an angular jawline and soft brown eyes. "hello there!" He greeted jihan with rich enthusiasm. jihan responded with an awkward smile. they exchanged their names. jihan learnt that the latter was named asher. "so, as you can see, i'm quite keen on writing, ha-ha! would you like to hang out at the library, if that's okay with you?"

jihan looks back at the notice board and eyeballs the poster from the music club. 'catch the mellifluous performance at the freshmen orientation on 8th of this month.'

jihan scratched his nape. "maybe next time... i am not fond of libraries," he declined the offer with hesitation.

he wandered down the halls and through the corridors and found the music club room.

peeking inside, he chanced upon the music club members, fully immersed in their practice session. jihan felt a sense of awe and inspiration wash over him as he watched, wondering if he could one day be a part of such a passionate and talented group of musicians.

he recollected his pursuit of making song covers. he posted vocal covers of his favourite songs on online platforms like youtube and soundcloud.

he sighed. for the past few months, he had been inactive. he was too concentrated on transitioning into a new milestone in his life.

he cast a final glance at the band before proceeding to the auditorium for first-year orientation.

nervous excitement tingled in his veins as he entered the vast space filled with rows of neatly arranged crimson seats. as he settled into a corner seat near the back, he noticed a lot of students feeling awkward and out of place. it gave him a sense of comfort that he wasn't the only one slowly adjusting to this unfamiliar environment. a few minutes later, a few of the student leaders assembled on the stage and one of them began his welcome speech.

"good morning, incoming freshmen!

welcome to emrys university, your new home in london. we are thrilled to have you here and embark on this exciting journey together. we are lucas, amelia, darren and simran, and we are the orientation leaders who would be guiding you through this orientation.

emrys university is a place where dreams become reality. we believe in nurturing curious minds, fostering creativity, and preparing you for a future full of possibilities. today, i want to give you a glimpse of what to expect during your time here. so, let's dive in!"

then, each presenter shared about the history, values and mission of the university, campus courses and facilities, campus code of conduct, and overview of events and culture accompanied by neat enticing slides.

throughout the presentation, which was about fifteen minutes, jihan could barely concentrate on the presentation. he was busy looking around and fidgeting with his fingers. all he was concerned about was whether he would make friends there. he knew he couldn't survive his university days without a friend or a familiar person. being homeschooled all his life, he never learned how to create meaningful and deep connections with someone. the only closest experience he had was watching how characters bonded with each other in books and dramas.

"maybe, i could become friends with asher guy," he thinks to himself.

but what if he doesn't like me because i rejected his offer to go to the library? is it wrong to reject? do friends always give in to offers? isn't it how it works in the books i have read? friends always be together. should i apologise to him? where do i even find him? how do i approach him? will he be angry at me? would he be here? how will i find him amid these students?

so many thoughts crowded his head. to distract himself from his intrusive thoughts, he plugged in his favourite soft beats playlist and dozes off to a brief nap.

the mummers of the audience during the qna session to address the concerns of the freshmen woke Jihan up. he yawned and rubbed his eyes as he listened to the closing remarks and wishes for a fruitful university journey.

after the orientation speech, the cohort was dismissed for an hour break to explore the campus before their first class.

jihan ordered a grilled chicken sandwich as he walked to the library. he recalled asher's invitation and inferred he might be spending his spare time there. so, he scuttled to the enormous library of emrys.

with each step, his pace quickened. the towering structure loomed ahead, boasting its magnificent columns adorned with intricate golden vines. as he entered the massive doors of the grand architecture, rows upon rows of books opened before his eyes, stretching out like a labyrinth of knowledge waiting to be explored. the smell of aged paper and the hushed whispers of fellow students created an atmosphere of studious dedication. the endless rows of shelves lead to different regions in the library. the majestic edifice had three levels. the ground floor consists of thousands and thousands of books neatly arranged according to genre.
above that was the study space bathed in natural light streaming through large glass windows. that floor was furnished with sleek and modern furniture for a conducive environment. the topmost floor was the research hub exuding an aura of wisdom and intellect. amidst a treasure trove of rare manuscripts were the high-tech computer stations.
on the whole, this library was a multi-level marvel, beckoning visitors to embark on their quests for knowledge.

while he was fascinated by the magnificence of the library, he was perplexed about how to locate asher. he wandered through all the floors in hopes of spotting him. lost in his quest, he bumped into another body. In the unexpected collision, their eyes locked for a fleeting moment.

"ah shit, sorry"