BACK TO STAR AWESOME

Far away from the sand dunes, away from the war. In the lounge of Star Awesome, a portal tore open in the air. The edges of the portal shimmered while Sen stepped out of the portal; without even looking back, he stomped to the dining table and sat down. 

“Why did she only send us back?” He muttered while looking at the floor.

Nami emerged after him; she stood beside his chair. Darting her eyes between him and the portal.

Nive walked out of the portal, followed by others. “Because she doesn’t really need us to fight… Amanda can handle things pretty well….” He sighed wearily.

"That’s not what he meant…" Yao interjected, sitting down on the chair next to Sen. "He thinks Amanda should have sent back Philomena, Damian and Shar with us…”

The others scattered around the lounge. A few walked over to the dining while the rest left the discussion and went down the hallway. Sneering and whispering to each other. After a little while the portal closed.

“That’s Yuzuru’s seat…” Kaya patted Yao's shoulder and walked to his seat.

“Yuzuru isn’t back yet, so it’s fine.” Sen rested his head against his arm, leaning on the table. “Besides, Yao is right… She degraded the rest of us…even though we fought as much as they did.” His voice trailed into a scowl.

“Come on, Sen, just leave it; it’s not like we all love participating in the wars…we are basically in her way.” Nive (boy) shook his head, glaring at Sen and then Yao.

“W-we could say she sent us back because she cares about us.” Nami tugged Sen’s shirt softly.

“Well, she could give the same care to those she kept behind.” A purple-haired guy spoke in a soft voice. 

The table surface pixelated, with pixels rising and joining together, forming different shapes. The shapes began softening, taking the form of food. The steam rose, filling the lounge with the aroma of their lunch. The forks and knives clattered as they served themselves.

The purple-haired guy nudged Kaya. “Wanna bet that Yuzuru and that squad died?”

“Yeah, sure, Dan!” Kaya laughed. “I think they died…. Does anyone think they all survived?”

“I do!” Riley pulled out her chair far from the group.

“Riley, don’t bet on them being alive…..” An orange-haired boy pulled her closer.

“Janka, I don’t think they are weak.” She shrugged and knocked Janka’s forehead.

Another guy pulled her towards his side. “At least don’t bet on the newbie…”

“Morrissey, don’t be rude…” She knocked on his forehead.

Sen looked at her. “I agree; I am sure none of them died.”
Without another word, he got up and went down the corridor; Yao followed him.

“What’s with you?” Nive stood up, slamming on the table.

“Is this about the seat?” Yao stared at Nive (boy); with a smirk, he pointed at him. “Are you jealous?”

Nive sat down, rubbing his head. “No…why would I…?”

Yao shrugged, leaned towards Nami and softly patted her shoulder. “He wants your Sen.” He winked and walked away.

“It’s not like that!” Nive shouted.

The lights flickered as Sen went down the hallway. The light dimmed and regained. He glanced at the lights and continued walking slowly, reading the name tags as if out of habit. He stopped in front of Yuzuru’s room and turned to the room opposite to Yuzuru's. And turned around to go back.

Yao finally reached him. “What are you doing, Sen?” Yao leaned on his shoulder. “You were going towards your room but suddenly turned.”

“I noticed a few name tags were changed, so I was going to Dac’s room….”

“Ahh, yeah, he does that at times… but he didn’t join us for lunch.” 

“Hmm…then maybe when we were at war, he came and left…honestly that kid…” He is hopeless.” Sen sighed.

“Aww, but he likes you a lot….” Yao laughed teasingly, patting Sen's back.

Sen pushed away his hand. “As if. Maybe he thinks I am a genius or something…hmm, or he just likes people who are frowning all the time.”

“Oh, so you know you frown way too much.” Yao smiled, tugging the corner of Sen’s mouth.

Sen jerked his hand away again and opened the door and walked in. Yao stood at the doorway looking at Sen.

“Do you plan to spend the rest of your day here?”

“Yeah, I am mad. Amanda thinks I am weak, even though I do so much.” Sen sighed. “Are you joining me?”

“No. I am going back to eat…” Yao smiled, narrowing his eyes at Sen, and walked away. With a wide smile he walked back and sat down at Yuzuru’s seat.

The light flickered again; Nami pouted at them. “I hope the computer is okay…”

“It must be…” Yao waved his fork.

“Hmm…but we abuse the poor thing a lot…” She smiled at him.

Yao smiled back. “Aren’t you kind…”

Riley leaned back in her seat, tipping it back and forth with her feet. I wonder when they all will come back.

She noticed the potion room and stood up. “Is the door open?” She strolled, peeking at the door. “Yeah, it’s open...”

Everyone looked at each other nervously, then their nervous looks turned into mischievous grins.

Kaya jumped up. “I wanted some potions…”

“Same here…” Dan smirked and stood up.

“W-we shouldn’t…” Riley waved her hands. But her words were ignored, as they all swarmed around the potion room.

*CRASH*

Nive (girl) stood up, glaring. "Idiots, they broke something." She clicked past Riley. “Couldn’t you just have stayed quiet about the door?”

“It wasn’t us…” Janka fidgeted.

“Yeah, they fell on their own…” Dan at the glass shreds.

“Hmm…yeah...sure…” Nive (girl) turned to the shelves which had the fallen potions. “So, we lost...Hate, Elemental, Love, Plantenosris, Memory, and Elastic potion.”

“It’s better if you all leave...” Nive (boy) leaned in.

Everyone walked out. Two portals opened in the lounge. One on the roof, spilling, Yuzuru, Jacksaw and Ren. And the second on the floor – from it came out Ayu and Vivian.

“I hate that book writer...” Yuzuru clenched his fists.

“What did we do?” Ren got off Yuzuru.

“It’s not us... It’s our gender…” Jacksaw raised his arm from beneath Yuzuru.

“Haha, serves you right…” Vivian laughed at them.

"I don’t think they decided to be boys…" Ayu looked at them with sparkling eyes. "Or you guys did?”

Yuzuru shoved her face away. He looked at everyone standing outside the potion room. “Came to greet us?”

“Nah!” Kaya waved at him and hugged him.

Riley ran to Vivian and jumped onto her, squeezing her. Vivian made a little room for Ayu and pulled her into the hug.

Riley noticed Ren; she raised her hand in front of his face, knuckling her finger. He stared at it in confusion but suddenly clicked. And he bumped his fist against hers.

.

.

At night, after dinner, Ren stood outside the boy’s combination room with Jacksaw.

“Why is it compulsory to sleep in the combination room?” Ren looked at the door.

“Isn’t it obvious… so all the guys can know you were up to something.”

“What do you mean?” Ren scratched his head.

“We got girls here too… so we all decided that this way we can avoid unnecessary rumours.” Jacksaw leaned against the wall.

“Aren’t there exceptions?”

“Yeah, with a great reason...other than I am not used to sharing.” Jacksaw pushed open the door; Ren nervously peeped in.

He noticed Yuzuru, Nive, Kaya, and a few others. Cero was already asleep. They looked at him briefly and continued arranging their bedsheets. Ren sat down on his bed.

“Macabre didn’t return?” Jacksaw looked around.

“Is that a new thing? … He’ll be back sooner or later.” Nive took out a book.

The room filled with a few more people. Yao came in, and Yuzuru quickly got up, pulling him outside. The lights of the room dimmed and the bedside lamps lit on. Ren noticed that he didn’t see Sen, and he took a breath of relief.

Yuzuru walked in, and Ren crawled to his bed’s edge. “Yuzuru, Sen, doesn’t sleep in the co-“

“You don’t want me to?” Sen spoke from behind Yuzuru. 

Ren shook his head, covering himself with the blanket.

“Are you still scared of me?” Sen looked at the blanket covering Ren’s head.

“You gave him a good reason, Sen.” Nive lowered his book.

“He might be the most scared-of-Sen person yet.” Yuzuru pulled down Ren’s cover.

Ren shuddered under all the eyes directed his way; he glanced at Sen. The former sighed, turning to his bed.

“I-I am not that scared…. I am actually grateful that he helped me back at the desert.” Ren squeezed his blanket while Sen adjusted his pillow. He spoke fast but sincerely.

“You don’t have to be grateful…” Sen switched the lamp off. “It’s already 12:1; just go to sleep.”

Ren laid back.

Yao swung the door open, walking to his bed. He stopped near a bed with someone sitting with a lit lamp.

Yao walked closer to him, whispering while rubbing his back. The person quickly got up and rushed to the toilet.

Ren’s mouth dropped open. Did he do something?

Yao slowly walked behind him to the toilet and suddenly burst back in. “Janka is vomiting blood.”