moonflowers and jasmines

• ten •

jihan's vision dissolved from pitch black to fragments of his surroundings. he stirred in the unfamiliar surroundings of the university sick bay. blinking away the remnants of a restless sleep, he took in the pearl-white walls and the rows of neatly arranged medical supplies. a sharp twinge of confusion and realization shot through him as he noticed the sterile white sheets covering him. memories of the preceding events came rushing back—hazy images of a haunting panic during his performance, concerned faces, and the blur of fainting on stage. it was a disorienting moment, waking up in a space that felt simultaneously familiar and alien, for this was his first time in a sick bay, but he was closely acquainted with the pin-drop silence and the sequestered enclave.

in the stillness of the university sick bay, jihan felt an uncanny resemblance to the solitude of his homeschooling years. the quietness that enveloped the sterile room echoed the isolated study sessions from his past, where the outside world seemed like an abstract notion. it was a peculiar sense of déjà vu, the way the antiseptic scent lingered in the air, reminiscent of the controlled environment he once called home. the room, much like his childhood study space, felt like a sanctuary for learning, where the quietness wasn't just a lack of noise but a deliberate seclusion from the chaotic rhythm of the world outside.

lonely was the only word to describe his life. not until asher unlocked the door and entered his "social circle", which barely had anybody - just his parents and ms reverie.

entering the real world, felt like a simulation to him. yes, of course, he had a rough idea of the world through youtube, but after that one day, that one video, his parents banned him from accessing the internet. but, many years later, on his eighteenth birthday, he was an unleashed dog from heavy metal chains. he had unlimited access to everything on the internet and a little guidance from the kind-hearted ms reverie, for a crash course to get him in the loop about the real world.

to put it in perspective, imagine you play a video game, and learn all about its' lore and mechanics. but in a blink, the world around you transformed into the vibrant and fantastical realm you had only experienced through the glow of a screen.

that's how jihan felt.

the air carried the scent of adventure, a heady mixture of earth, dew, and the promise of the unknown. the possibilities seemed limitless as he considered the quests, challenges, and mysteries awaiting his exploration, which were previously confined to his assignments. this was no longer a drama or a show; it was a living, breathing world inviting him to become a part of its story.

the lore and intricacies of the game's universe unfurled before him, like pages in a novel that begged to be explored. the once mere pixels on the virtual screen, evolved into intricate personalities with histories and motivations, and he found himself forming connections, not just asher, but all his classmates and professors.

it had been a little over a fortnight that he had impaled into the real world, marvelling at the intricacies of the virtual universe turned tangible. but he was already addicted. If he could choose, he would stay here forever. everything was boisterous and beautiful, an utter juxtaposition to his previously lifeless and lonely life. of course, the new norm was nerve-racking for him to adjust to. But asher was a ray of sunshine, accompanying Jihan throughout his journey of acclimation.

but he had a feeling that asher wouldn't be his only friend; a feeling that a connection was waiting to be forged; a feeling that the best was yet to come.

he looked around for any sign of movement around him. the compact frame of asher faded into his peripheral field. striving to sit upright, he plunged himself up using his forearm. but immediately, he felt a compression in his muscles and hence, dropped back down.

asher scampered over to support his friend. "careful, you might hurt yourself," and patiently helped him to sit up straight onto his bed. he also gave him a cup of water to energize his brain. meanwhile, the nurse shared that jihan could rest here for a while more before being discharged. after jihan gave him the green light that he was awake and alert, asher elucidated the happenings.

after stating about his transfer to the sick bay and the routine tests he had taken when he was half-conscious, he came to the main point - merrick.

"do you happen to know any 'merrick'?"

jihan was confused with the foreign term. "merrick? is that a profession?"

"nope, it's a student's name from our uni. actually, he did say that you didn't know him personally, but i just tried my luck." then he added, "but i want to talk to you about him the most."

"um ok," he nodded uncertainly. who was this merrick and, how does he know jihan?

he shared how merrick had hurried to help him and even stayed back for a while until the nurse affirmed that jihan was better.

jihan was touched by this unknown kind soul. wow, he cares a lot about me, he thought.

"Oh," asher percolated, "i forgot to mention, he said something about you having a youtube channel?"

youtube channel? then it struck him. oh, that's how he knew him. at the revelation, blood rushed to his cheeks. how is that even possible? that someone knew so much about him? nobody knew about his channel, well, except Alex. could alex have told him? but how did he know alex? was he a sophomore like alex too?

"so...?" asher asked, awaiting his response.

jihan hesitated. is it alright to tell him? after all, asher was his close friend. he was well aware of his life, so what's there to hide? so, after a brief debate, he decided to indulge in his abandoned means of performance.

- .. -- . / ... -.- .. .--.

asher insisted that jihan should find a way to thank merrick. but jihan had no clue how those customs worked. asher suggested asking out as a way, which freaked him out. asking a stranger out as a thank you? what if this merrick was a weirdo? what if he rejects him? what if he gets the wrong idea? thoughts raced through his mind like a storm, each more frantic than the last.

but asher said that hangouts were a popular practice, and merrick wouldn't misunderstand. besides, asher thought merrick seemed like a sweetheart with the way he cared for jihan; asher affirmed that merrick would be on cloud nine if he had asked him out for dinner.

he considered it for a bit, his lips pressed together with unease.

asher put his hands on jihan's shoulders, "hannie, i'll help you, i promise."

a reassuring grin played on asher's face, a beacon of calm in the storm of his worries.

and that's when jihan was certain that whatever happened, he wouldn't want to lose a friend like asher.