Chapter 3

The latter guy leaned back on the table before he looked down at the ground. After confessing to Ken, Cyril is quite watchful of his reactions and gestures and he is thankful that even though the atmosphere turned a little gloomy and awkward, Ken only kept nodding. Probably still processing the new information that he learned from the younger guy.

The two stayed quiet for a little while before a group of female freshmen came to the booth.

"Hi," the girl greeted.

"Hello," Cyril greeted back, finding it as an opportunity to shift their attention and change the atmosphere. "Are you checking out the clubs?"

"Yes, we are," she said then looked at her friends and back at Cyril. "We just thought that maybe we can take a picture with you?"

That question made both the male students surprised, most especially Cyril. He isn't sure why these girls would like to take his pictures when clearly he isn't even a heartthrob of the campus.

"Of course, you can take a picture with him," Ken said, answering the question for Cyril because he can see the look on the younger's face and it obviously says, no.

While the younger guy’s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing the answer of the older. He couldn’t believe that he would snitch on him just like that. 

"Thank you," the girls said.

This response from the girls only made Cyril give them an awkward smile.

It wasn't long before they were surrounding Cyril. Seeing how hard it is to take a selfie, Ken volunteered to help them. He took the cellphone from the girl before he took multiple photos of the group with Cyril.

Afterward, the girls all took some flyers and promised to come back later if they don't find any other clubs that interest them.

"I didn't know that your handsomeness can gain us more members this year."

It was an indirect compliment, and Cyril felt a little flustered because of it.

"What? No, that was just a coincidence," Cyril denied.

"We'll see about that," Ken said in a challenging way.

They both continued to wait for other students to come to their booth. Not all of them wanted to take pictures with Cyril, but most of them do.

After almost an hour, Ken gave Cyril his 15-minute break time. So the younger guy decided to pay a visit to his best friend in the club where she's assigned to and spend his break time with her.

As Cyril walked closer to the booth, he saw Hera handing out some of their club’s flyers. At the same time, she is also explaining some things about the club before she leads them to the registration desk.

A light bulb suddenly lit up inside his mind. He decided he'll mess up with his best friend for the reason that he just wanted to. 

He walked over to the line of the students who were waiting for their turns to join. He tried his best to hide behind some students. 

As the line got shorter, Cyril got a little more excited with his plan. Then his time came and Hera, who didn’t know what was happening, just explained the club and everything about it to Cyril.

"Hey, welcome to Reader's Club. They designed this club for students who are adventurous, hopeless romantics, or even those who love to fathom," Hera said before handing the flyer to Cyril. Just then she looked at him.

"Hi," Cyril smiled and waved at his best friend.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Hera asked. With a match of hitting Cyril's arm. "You're wasting my time."

"I just want to check on you," Cyril said.

With a deep sigh, Hera took Cyril's arm, then she pulled him behind her and instructed him. "Don't move. I need to finish this now."

Cyril said nothing else, instead, he stood there and waited for his friend. It at least took 4 minutes before she finished her task.

She was then told to take her break for 15 minutes. That's when both of them went to one side of the area to take their rest and eat some snacks provided by the student council.

"So, how's your booth?" Hera took a bite of the hamburger.

"It's great. I'm a little famous for the freshies," Cyril said before chuckling and eating his own snacks, "our club's being a bitch with me again, so a little tough."

"They went there for you?"

Cyril shook his head, "Music club is beside our booth."

"Karma, bitch."

Both Cyril and Hera understood what she pertained to, and it only made them laugh together.

"By the way, I saw a really cute guy earlier. I think he was over a photography club," the girl said. She also tried to peek at the booth where she remembered she saw the guy. "He wasn't doing anything so I think he's a junior or senior student, I don't really know."

"What does he look like?"

Cyril felt interested in Hera's story, but not very much with the guy himself.

Although he is bisexual, it doesn't mean that he is looking for a male-to-male relationship. It's more like because he knows he can feel something towards another guy that made him consider himself bisexual.

"Kinda like your type," Hera said honestly. "But as a guy."

"So he's tall, dark, and handsome?"

Upon catching the question, Hera subconsciously hit Cyril on the back of his head. Instead of getting offended, Cyril only hugged her arms and laughed at her reaction.

"He is probably as tall as you. Somehow with a brownish complexion. He looks quiet too, and he barely smiles."

"That's not my type!" Cyril complained after he let go of Hera's arm. He also looked at his friend with a ridiculed facial expression. "Do I look like I want to date a mime?"

"You said that you want your relationship to be like a puzzle. You want your lover to be the opposite of you, right?" Hera asked, pulling out a piece of evidence from her long-term memory. "You are an outgoing person and the opposite of that is a mime."

Cyril rolled his eyes at his friend before he looked away. He knew he said that before, but he isn't really sure if he still likes the same personality. Since it doesn't take a genius to know that every person changes their mind over time.

"If I see him again, I'll get his number for you." Hera smiled annoyingly at her best friend because she knows he hates it.

"Never mention to him I'm the one asking for it," Cyril said. With a hint of warning or maybe threat even. "I'm not asking for it. You are."

"Yes, sir," Hera said sarcastically.

Once more they both became quiet. They also finished their snacks as the 15-minute break is near to the end.

Both of them chit-chatted about some other things as they ate and drank the snacks until they had to leave each other again and go back to their duties.

By this time, Cyril felt a little more relieved because he was able to talk to his friend and he also enjoyed sharing his experience in the booth assisting.

At the same time, he feels a little at home too when Ken greeted him as soon as he arrived at the Board Games Club. As if he is one of their members already.

"How was break time?"

He took the pile of paper from the table, separated them, and handed Cyril the flyers that he was using earlier.

"It was great. Are you going to take your break now too?"

"Yeah," the older guy only nodded his head to answer the question. Then he took some of his things from inside of the booth. "You can handle this for 15 minutes, right?"

Cyril nodded his head as he watched Ken leave the booth alongside two more junior students.

Just like earlier that day, Cyril kept his lively attitude as he hands out flyers and explains to the students what kind of club they are offering. Some students were immediately interested while some are still undecided and would want to see the other clubs before they decide.

It was so fun until a group of senior boys came over to their booth and Cyril immediately recognized one of them.

"Hey, look who's assisting here." Eric then went closer to Cyril and stooped down on his level.

Cyril on the same hand only looked at him even though at the back of his head, he wanted to hit his face already.

"Are you still looking for someone to make you happy?"

"Look, I don't want to talk to you. So if you can just walk away because I have a lot of students to assist." Cyril's tone sounded so nice and yet so threatening. And that's when some students near them knew that something's about to happen, eventually.

"Ooh... I'm starting to like you. In denial at first."

Hearing that statement, Cyril let out a chuckle for a while. He even took a step closer to Eric, it was very close that their faces were only an inch away. Other students from the other booths started to get alarmed by the escalating tension.

"I'm bisexual, just. Bisexual," Cyril said in a volume just above a whisper. "So it doesn't mean that I can't punch you whenever I feel like it."

"So, you like violence, huh?" Eric commented, continuing to tease as he looked at Cyril from head to toe. He then bit his lips briefly before leaving his remark. "Very kinky."

In a split second, he found himself sitting on the ground. Everyone was in awe and surprised by what they just witnessed.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?"