Cliché

Chapter Four: Reason

Author's Notes:

Every university has stupid rules and traditions.

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"I am not taking you to the hospital if you overwork yourself" Mark said bluntly, knowing very well that he would absolutely take his friend to the hospital if needed be.

The trio was in one of the practice rooms. Their college had tons of rooms of this sort for all the different clubs. Most of the clubs had auditions for them, so the university lent the students those after club hours so they could get ready.

"Just a little bit more" Leon huffed out, almost no breath left in his lungs.

"You said that two hours ago" Mark growled.

The photography club Mark applied to asked only for a portfolio, so he was free for the time being. As if it was his nature, Mark just popped into Leon's and John's practice. He sat down in a corner, lulling himself to a nap. He was used to loud music, Leon's being dancing for what seemed like forever in their lives, and the over the top volume sound became ambient music after some very annoying fights over it. So Mark napped.

But that was four hours ago.

Three hours ago the other students who were practicing called it a day.

Two hours ago John sat down, his legs trembling with the effort to move.

And yet, Leon kept going. It was like this for the last five days already, and today was no exception.

"Do you really think Nick-senpai is gonna fail you on purpose?" John managed to say after a long rest.

"Yes" Leon and Mark said at the same time.

John blinked. He was expecting that answer from Leon, but not from Mark. He looked away from his dancing friend to be able to look at his frowning friend.

"The first two days that your back was still hurt, you weren't here" Mark leaned on the wall behind him, crossing his arms and looking bored. "Nick-senpai made sure to turn off the electricity in whatever room Leon was in when it was just the two of us. He laughed and ran away like a kid" Mark rolled his eyes.

"He's.. He's also... Been getting in the way of my practice..." Leon huffed "He made sure... every teacher knew how much of a... kind student I am... willing to help out with any chore so I could be exhausted" Leon then threw himself on the floor, utterly out of breath.

"You are kidding" John was amused despite himself. He pitied his friend, but the situation was funny to him.

"I won't say I told you so" Mark looked over at Leon "But I did tell you so. You shouldn't have messed with a second year in the first place." And Mark really did, right at the beginning of it all. He tired himself of telling his friend to stop messing around. "How did it all start anyways? You refused to tell me and I just let it be, but now I wanna know" he raised his eyebrows.

"It's... really silly" Leon cringed on the floor where he laid down "Like really, really idiotic. Do I actually have to say it?"

"Oh, I'm sure it is, but please do tell" Mark motioned his hands as if to shoo away a fly.

"Fine" Leon puffed out.

—

It was the first week of university. The freshmen were arriving still and all the pranks every faculty had were taking place. For the whole week the newcomers had to walk around with a little paper hanging around their necks with their name written on it.