“Heeyyyyy”

Someone whispered into my ears.

“Ughhh, five more minutes.”(Daniel). I told the mysterious voice.

“No, you’re on my bed.”

“What?”(Daniel)

I opened my eyes, and directly in front of me was Cassey.

“Why are you on my bed?”(Cassey)

Because the bed was only made for a single person, we were close to each other, with only a pillow between us.

“Uh…”(Daniel)

“Get off.”(Cassey)

“Y-yeah. Sorry.”(Daniel)

I forgot that I sat down on her bed after I checked her condition yesterday. And, unfortunately, the system didn’t give me a warning at all.

“By the way, what did we do yesterday?”(Daniel). I asked her what she remembers from yesterday. I want to know what memories they got from yesterday.

“How will I know? I just woke up, and you were on my bed!”(Cassey)

She misunderstands what I meant.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant. What I mean is, what did we do yesterday, the whole day.”(Daniel)

I sat down on my bed that was beside her’s. She got up and sat down, but with legs still inside the blanket on top of the bed.

“And, I just woke up on your bed. I must’ve been sleepwalking, sorry.”(Daniel). I made an excuse so that she won’t ask anymore why I’m on her bed.

“I see. I’ll believe you… For now.”(Cassey). She squinted her eyes as she peered right into me.

“Well, we hunted at the forest again yesterday since we couldn’t get into the demonic next. Why?”(Cassey)

“Nothing. What was the reason why we couldn’t go? I wasn’t listening properly.”(Daniel)

“Okay, but first. Get off.”(Cassey)

She laid on her bum as I got off.

“Anyway, isn’t because there are a lot more demonic beasts than initially expected? I think. I forgot the details, but because it was dangerous.”(Cassey)

“Then… Do you remember why we’re in here?”(Daniel). I asked her for one last piece of information that I’m going to need.

If I want to pretend that I had my mind altered, I need to know what information was given to the other students.

“You must have gotten a ton of doses. We were poisoned, silly. It was regrettable that there was a bunch of rottlings.”(Cassey)

Rottlings? I never heard of that demonic beast before.

“What’s a rottling?”(Daniel). Her brows twitched.

“Sigh. You don’t know what’s a rottlings? It’s a demonic beast that resembled a goblin. They have a big mushroom thingy on top of their head. It looks like a hat, but it’s part of their head.”(Cassey)

“The forest is their natural habitat. Not only that they can blend with the plants, but they also release poisonous gas under the mushroom hat. Sigh.”(Cassey)

She sighs again. She’s regretting something that didn’t happen.

“But it’s a good thing that the soldier was with us. If not for them, we would be in danger.”(Cassey)

I see, when they changed their memories, they made sure to make the soldiers the good guys.

Wait a minute. How about the students that died?

“Okay, one last, last, laaast question. How many LP students does the academy have?”(Daniel). I have to know how they changed the recollection about the students that died.

“Daniel, what’s happening to you? You have a short term memory or something?”(Cassey)

She twists her head sideways from confusion.

“Sorry, I just forgot what we did yesterday. But don’t tell anyone I was asking you questions, okay?”(Daniel)

“Okay?”(Cassey). By now, she looks even more confused. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that she can’t tell anyone.

“Ahem. But, there’s only about 35 something now.”(Cassey)

“Now?”(Daniel)

“Yeah, but before we left the Academy, the others got kicked out.”(Cassey)

That’s the excuse that they gave?

“For what?”(Daniel)

“I think it was cheating? They got caught cheating in the last exam. But they found out that they are also had been slacking off their training, or something like that.”(Cassey)

“Do you know any of them?”(Daniel)

“Why are you asking a lot of question!? You said earlier that was the last. I’m not answering anymore.”(Cassey)

“I’ll buy you an ice cream when we get back.”(Daniel)

“I’m not Julia.”(Cassey)

She sighs and continued.

“Look, you’re starting to piss me off. I don’t want to answer any more questions. I woke up lying beside you, but you said it’s due to your sleepwalking, which I don’t know if true. And now you keep asking me dumb questions. You’re lucky I haven’t beaten you up yet.”(Cassey). This time she looks furious, but her face is so cute when she put up an angry face while still drowsy.

“Okay, sorry, sorry. Thank you, Ms. Cassey.”(Daniel)

“Ugh.”(Cassey)

A moment later, the nurse who was here yesterday came inside the room.

“Oh, you’re both awake. Could you both please wake up the others too? Your teacher, Mr. Fernandez, will pick you guys up outside of the room.”(Nurse)

She walked out after telling us to wake up the others. She was probably planning to wake us up, but since she saw the two of us already awake, she decided to make us wake them up.

I looked at the clock hanging on the wall. It was already 10 AM, but most of us are still passed out.

“What? It’s already 10? I didn’t expect to wake up so late.”(Cassey)

“But it’s probably from the amount of poison gas we inhaled yesterday.”(Cassey). She mumbled.

“Okay, I guess I’ll wake them up.”(Daniel). I decided to wake them up, but it seems Mark is already awake by the time I got to him.

“You’re already awake? Or do you want me to make sure?”(Daniel). I gestured, my palm slapping.

Even if their memories from yesterday had been altered, it doesn’t change that we’re friends.

“No, dude, I’m good. But I can make sure if Josh is awake.”(Mark). He got up and headed towards Josh, who is still asleep with his mouth wide open.

“Haha, you do you.”(Daniel)

SLAP!

A dry, sharp slap echoed the room.

“GAH!!!”(Josh)

I didn’t even have to wake the other two. They had already woken up when they heard Josh’s loud scream.

“YOUUUUU!”(Josh)

Mark ran outside the room for his life as Josh chased him.

“They’re really acting like this is their house.”(Cassey). She said after getting up from her bed and made her way towards the opened door.

“Umm, what’s going on?” One of the students said.

Oops, I was getting ready to go out without telling these two what’s going on.

“My. Fernandez will pick us up in the hallway, I guess.”(Daniel). I said uncertainly.

“You guess?”

How would I know? We were only told of that.

“Based on Mr. Fernandez’s personality, I’m sure he’ll beat you up if he got here and you were still asleep.”(Daniel)

They just looked at each other and made an awkward laugh.

“I guess that’s true. He’s probably still mad from yesterday’s event. If only we didn’t encounter rottlings, then we could have gone back to the Academy.”

“Yeah…”(Daniel)

It still feels weird that no one knows what happened yesterday. So many of them were either crying or already died inside. But now, they had already forgotten everything about it and was moving on.

“I feel weird still, though.” He told his friend as he got up from his bed.

“Maybe a side effect?” The other replied.

“I don’t know, man. I feel like I lost something or someone important.”

Hmmm. I want to tell them, but I shouldn’t.

Is it selfish? Yes, but it’s for the better. They don’t have to remember the things they saw yesterday.

“Haha.”(Daniel). I laughed silently.

This is rich coming from someone like me. While they lost their friends, I took some of them out myself. So why do I even bother pretending to be a good guy?

When I went out of the door, Josh, Mark, and Cassey were already sitting on the spot we sat yesterday. But I guess they also forgot that they sat there yesterday.

Hmm, dang, Josh has a big red slap on his face, but Mark has two of them. Mark was also massaging his cheeks.

“You guys are done playing tags?”(Daniel)

“Yeah, guess who won.”(Josh)

“You… Oh, by the way, I forgot to bring your shoes, they’re still inside.”(Daniel)

“Oh, dang, thanks. I was wondering what I forgot.”(Josh). After Josh went inside the room again, I asked Mark.

“You learned your lesson?”(Daniel)

“Dude, you gave me the idea. You deserve a slap too.”(Mark)

“Fffff, try me. I’ll show you a real slap.”(Daniel)

“Dang, bro, I was just kidding. I’d definitely lose my cheeks if you hit em.”(Mark)

I looked at the surrounding students. They’re all has refreshed and happy face. The girl that was crying all day yesterday was talking cheerfully with the girl beside her. And the guy who was banging his head on the wall was also just casually chatting with the people around him.

Only Julia and I remembered everything, but she doesn’t know that I know. Come to think of it. I wonder what’s she’s doing right now. Julia told us that she’d be back at the Academy, not to have us worry about her.

I sat down between Mark and Cassey. I got my mouth closer to Mark’s ear and whispered.

“Hey, you know about the students that got kicked out, right? Do you know any of them?”(Daniel)

“Why are you whispering?”(Mark). He asked, still holding his cheeks.

“Do you, though?”(Daniel)

“No, I don’t know any of them.”(Mark)

“Ahem, do you have a girl you like? And that girl stolen by a friend?”(Daniel)

“I don’t know… Wait a minute, you’re not planning on cuckolding me, are you?”(Mark)

“No!, you dumbass. I was asking if you had anyone like that.”(Daniel)

“No, I don’t. Why are you even asking some weird random question out of nowhere?”(Mark)

“I know, right. He’s been asking me questions since earlier, that I actually got mad.”(Cassey)

Stop making it sounds like you’re a sound benevolent being.

So, he really doesn’t remember.

Dang, it was such a good vexation too—what a waste.

Mr. Fernandez came after a few more minutes of waiting. He has a weird look on his face. Everyone thought that he would have a pissed face, but he doesn’t. Instead, he looks tired with eye bags under his eyes.

“Phew, we’re lucky.”(Josh)

Lucky huh… I don’t want to think of it, but yesterday, Mr. Fernandez was one of the most that were actively looking for the students.

“Uh, class. Follow me outside. The busses are waiting for all of you.”(Mr. F)

“Busses?” A voice asked.

“I mean, a bus. Just one bus. One spacious bus.”(Mr. F)

He had a defeated look after finishing his sentence.

“Okay, follow me.”(Mr. F)

Mr. Fernandez was quietly sitting in his seat at the front. Before, he was yelling at us when we got too loud, but now, he’s not even bothering.

“Mr. Fernandez is quiet today, huh?”(Cassey). Cassey, who was sitting beside me, said.

“Don’t mind him. He’s taking in something you can’t even imagine.”(Daniel). I know what he’s feeling right now.

“I see. Do you know something?”(Cassey)

“Nah, I don’t. You’re not mad anymore?”(Daniel)

“No, you just caught me in a bad mood. After all, you don’t just see an ugly face lying beside you after you wake up.”(Cassey)

“Wow, okay. You didn’t really have to remind me, but okay.”(Daniel)

I don’t really think of myself as handsome, but I also don’t believe that I’m pretty ugly. Maybe just average.

“No, you’re ugly.”(Cassey)

“What? Did you just read my mind? An ME?”(Daniel)

“No, but I met a lot of people like you. And I could tell what you were thinking from your expression.”(Cassey). She said with a mocking smirk.

When we got back to the Academy, we are told to rest in our dorm for a couple of days.