2.1) Who The Heck Is This?

This should fit him.

Julian Everhart held up the blue T-shirt by its neckline. After seeing that the man in the alleyway was wearing tattered clothing, he had decided to at least buy the man in the alleyway some proper clothes to cover himself with. And so, he found himself in the university store, shopping seriously for the first time in his life.

But he wasn’t familiar with shopping for clothing and the like. He gave minimal care to his own appearance, preferring to wear whatever old clothing he had left in the wardrobe, so his mother or sister always bought clothing for him instead. Well, more often his mother than his sister–his sister hadn't really been able to get in touch with him after she entered university two years ahead of him.

Mary Everhart. That was the name of his older sister, whom he considered to be the total opposite of him. Always following whatever trend that swept the world, doing her best to be self-sufficient, eating well, working out, and being several steps ahead of her academic competitors. Even as they went to the same university, she had claimed her spot in a single room by becoming a Resident Assistant of the dormitory at the center of the university…

… While he, with his minimal effort and luck, was sent to an off-campus apartment that he shared with seven other people. Seven people, for crying out loud. Thankfully, the end of the world meant that all seven of his housemates had left for home, so he could enjoy the apartment for himself.

But no, wait. He had to go back home because his parents wanted him back. And why did he make it sound like the end of the world was a good thing?

Julian looked around the store. The massive store, which had often bustled with tourists and students alike through both floors, was now very quiet. There was no one picking out clothes, no one looking at merchandise, no one looking at books, no one looking at electronics.

There were a few student workers still remaining throughout the store, perhaps for the sake of the few students who did not have the luxury of returning home, but it seemed that no one was currently shopping at this time.

As Julian finished picking out his clothes, he wondered if he should buy some food to eat, for both himself and the man in the alleyway. And as he entered the grocery section of the university store, he was surprised to see that there was a girl there who seemed to be in the process of hoarding junk food.

The girl was wearing a baggy gray T-shirt with some crude, geeky art drawn across the chest, a pair of extremely unappealing but comfortable looking black shorts, and some brown sandals revealing her long, uncut toenails. All in all, the girl looked as if she didn’t take care of herself very well. Perhaps she had less sense of self-care than himself.

I mean, even I wear proper clothing when outside… Me. And here I thought I was the bare minimum…

And as he looked at her face, he noticed her brown hair and eyes. Brown hair and brown eyes, kinda like him. Actually, exactly like him.

Hm. Hmmm… Hmmm? Wait a minute…

“Mary?” he called out.

“Huh?” The girl who resembled a downgraded version of his sister turned to face him in surprise. “Julian? You’re… still here? I thought you were supposed to have gone home by today.”

“Uh, well, something came up, so I didn’t really have the chance to leave…”

“Oh, I see,” the girl said. “Well, fancy… seeing you here? Hahaha…”

Wait... who the heck are you?

Julian looked the girl up and down. The clothing hid her body from having a definite shape, but he could see that the girl was relatively fit, similar to his sister. She didn’t have make-up on, but he realized that her face resembled that of the face he was used to seeing when they were younger. And the box of chips she was holding–it was the same kind that his sister would indulge in when they were kids.

He sighed. Yes, this was his sister. But for some reason, she was acting like a completely different person.

Mary nervously shifted, as if embarrassed that he caught her in this state. Right, he should probably say something.

“You don’t seem like you’re, uh, planning on going back home. Unless you are? Are you bringing those home?” Julian pointed at the box she held in her hands.

“Well, no. I already told Mom and Dad that I’d be staying here for a few more weeks.”

“For a few more weeks? Mary, we probably don’t have a few weeks. Are you seriously going to stay here until the world literally ends?”

She fidgeted. “Well, you know, there’s always a chance that it won’t happen. I mean, think about what happened thirty-two years ago. The world didn't end! So maybe everything will be fine this time, too. Who knows…?”

Who the heck is this?

“You’re really going to risk that? You might never see Mom and Dad again, you know.”

Mary looked left and right, as if looking for an escape route. But, perhaps realizing that there was no way to avoid making excuses, she sighed and opened her mouth to speak.

“Listen... I don’t want to go back.”

He frowned. “What do you mean you don’t want to go back? Did you guys have a fight?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Then why?”

“I’m not going back. That’s all. Don’t pry. Just go back on your own, Julian…”

Julian watched as she walked past him and headed toward the checkout counter with her box of goods. Though he was in shock, he knew that there was something he should do.

“Wait, wait, wait. Wait just a minute,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to process his thoughts.

She turned around. “What is it?”

His head was racing. What would a brother do here? Go back home as if everything seems to be okay, or stay and figure out what’s going on?

Eventually, he sighed. “If you aren’t leaving, then I’m not leaving, either.”

“But, Julian… Mom and Dad need you back home.”

“They have each other. And are you saying you don’t need me here?”

“I’ve always been fine on my own, Julian.”

“Maybe, but you look… off, to me.” Julian rubbed his chin, looking her up and down once more. “You almost look like you’ve totally given up on everything.”

Mary sighed. “No, I haven’t given up. It’s not like that. I just thought I’d be alone, for the last few weeks of everything…”

She walked back next to him and returned the box where she had found it. “If you’re going to stay, then I’ll just have to compromise for a little while longer.”

Julian frowned as his sister spoke vaguely. Compromise?

Mary took a deep breath, gently slapped herself on the cheeks, then faced him with seemingly renewed vitality.

“And you?” she asked. “What are those clothes in your hands? Finally trying to dress up before the world ends?” She took the clothes from his hands and studied them, then shook her head in disappointment. “I know you don’t have a fashion sense, but I thought you’d at least be able to know your own size. This is harsh, even for a humanities major. Tsk tsk.”

“It’s NOT like that!” Julian snatched the clothes back from her. “It’s for a friend of mine! And I do plenty of math for cognitive science!!!”