Sat’xahr, 4044 AOT

Fourth Watch Tower, Asylum’s Clubroom

Tristan enters the clubroom with the thought that he will be the first one to arrive since his class finished earlier than usual today. However as he steps inside the first thing that catches his attention is Azalea who is leisurely sitting on the couch. She is holding an old black journal. Her cat, Q, is peacefully lying beside her.

“Good afternoon,” he greets nervously. “You got here first.”

“Mhm.” She answers while flipping a page. She then closes the journal to check the time on her phone. “It’ll take about fifteen more minutes before the others arrive, I guess.”

The cat is rolling as if he owns the place.

“So… she skipped her classes again…”

Azalea opens the old journal again. She stares at a page for a while and then closes it. The silence in the room is making Tristan fidgety. To get rid of the uncomfortable feeling he suddenly thought of making some casual conversation.

“Azalea,” he calls while fiddling with his white gloves. “What were you doing before you went here?”

“Nothing much.” She answers while scrolling on her phone. “Just running around.”

“Why were you running?”

“Because they were chasing me.”

“Who?... and why were they chasing you?”

She puts her phone down to look him in the eye. She smiles harmlessly. “I’m quite popular, you know.”

“Oh… Okay…”

“Because I’m wanted.”

“W-wa-!!” Tristan almost chokes on his own saliva. “Y-you’re joking, right?”

Azalea forces a laugh not giving him a direct answer.

He still cannot figure out if that is meant to be a joke, so he decides to leave the topic at that and move on to something else. He takes a deep breath while looking at the closed door.

“Um. A-asylum…” His voice cracks as the words escape his mouth. “It has different meanings. Which one of those does our club refer to?” It is something he wants to ask since they have started the club.

“I wonder.” She smiles teasingly. “Why don’t you decide? That name was your idea and you’re our Prez after all.”

“Isn’t that the position you just forced on me?!”

Azalea chuckles. “It suits you well, doesn’t it Prez?”

He was only joking when he suggested ‘asylum’ as their new club’s name. He was not expecting them to just accept it. Well, more like at that time, Azalea just decided to write it down and nobody really cared. Because of that he thought that there is high possibility that their club will not be approved by the Student Council and the Headmaster. It seems that this academy is more on the easy-going side. He does not know if he should be happy about all these though.

“Sometimes I don’t know if she’s serious or just messing with me.” Tristan thought. “Asylum… What was I thinking? An institution for the mentally ill… Or…”

“Hey-!!” Blair suddenly barges in from the window. She shows off something in her hands. “I found a cool-looking bug!”

Tristan sets his eyes on her. “That’s a beetle.”

“Yeah, this beetle bug. I found more over there! Would you like one too?”

“Weren’t you supposed to be still in class? Why would you… No… Just throw it out.”

“You’re mean, Tan.”

“T-tan?..”

While Tristan is still surprised from getting a new nickname, another three members arrive. Emil, Duke, and Primrose come in together from the main door.

“I’m hungry.” Primrose says while eyeing the cupboards.

“You always are.” Emil snickers.

“I’ll prepare some snacks and drinks. What would you like?” Duke asks.

Suddenly the room has gotten noisy. He is not fond of noise and yet he finds this lively atmosphere tolerable. It is a little messy, but he does not hate it.

“Yes, I’d like some tea.” Evancross suddenly appears beside him. “Good day, Prez, and Miss Azalea.”

“Y-yeah. Good afternoon.”

“Remove the ‘miss’ part, it sounds gross.” Azalea smiles back at his greeting.

“I want some snacks too!” Blair raises her voice.

“Okay.” Duke responds politely. “Return that thing where ever you picked it up, and wash your hands.”

“And use the door!” Tristan adds before Blair runs off somewhere.

“What’s this box? It looks yum.” Primrose opens a box of chocolates.

“Let’s take a sit over there so Duke can do his thing.” Emil guides Primrose to take a sit.

“I want coffee.” She adds as Emil pulls her away.

“Yes, yes.”

Blair enters from the door, properly this time. “Hey! That’s my chocolate!”

“Really?” Primrose responds while chewing leisurely. “It wasn’t named.”

The clubroom is getting noisier.

Blair is quite pissed so Emil is trying to calm her down while Primrose continuous to eat nonchalantly. Azalea is absorbed doing her own thing. Evancross is just watching as if he is enjoying the show. Duke is done with his preparations so he started passing the drinks and some cupcakes. Now, they are picking which flavors they like.

Before going to this academy, Tristan would never have thought that he will be hanging out with these people.

Asylum…

For those who have nowhere else to go…

A place of refuge…

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞××× End ×××∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞