Chapter 13: Library

The only thing Austin doesn't really like is when people tell him to do things that he doesn't want to. Such as, filming an ad for AWAN. If it was before, Austin would do it without any hesitations but this time it's totally different. He doesn't want to work for AWAN. He doesn't want his fans to use their products but the situation is not in his control. There's nothing he can do right now. But being worked up about it won't do any good.

Austin is filming for his new series and his co-actress is also very talented. There is a scene where the female lead is about to leave the country and Austin has to stop and convince her to stay. In the end, they have to kiss. The director shouts "action" and both start doing their parts.

The actress gets out of the car and takes out her luggage. Austin shows up and takes the luggage from her. The actress is already in tears and hides her face away from him. She leaves without taking the bag and Austin stops her by holding her hand.

"Why are you stopping me? Didn't you say you have no feelings for me? Now let me go!" The female lead says her dialogues beautifully.

"I'm sorry," Austin says looking down.

"That's all you got to say to me?" The actress scoffs.

"No. I know what I said last night. I'm dumb and I'm an idiot. Please don't leave. I can't lose you"

The actress cries and sobs. She says, " why?"

"Because.... I love you" and then they both kiss. The scene looks so real that one of the staff members was also in tears. The director says "cut" and the scene ends. Austin's manager comes with a drink in his hand and sits beside him.

"The shoot for the ad film is tomorrow. I have managed all your schedule so the only thing you'll do tomorrow is the damn ad"

Austin takes the drink from him and looks away. He knows he has to do it but it's more annoying when he thinks of going back to the building.

"Remember, they've already paid in advance. You'll be wearing their sportswear and post pictures on your social media accounts"

Austin sighs and it annoys the manager.

"Why are you sighing huh? I saved you from ruining your career. Don't forget that"

Austin doesn't want to fight with this man right now. He knows Josh is the one who actually saved him. He has to change the subject otherwise this manager won't stop chewing his brain.

"Tell me about the ad film. Is it just photoshoot or I have to act as well?"

The manager hands him some paperwork and says " it's all in there. The shooting will happen inside the AWAN building. Don't fucking arrive late tomorrow"

***

Max doesn't know what to say to Arman or to Raven. He just stands there biting his nails. Raven left after taking pictures with both of them

"Are you mad? That people are assuming us as boyfriends?" Max asks Arman nervously " I mean you know...."

"I don't have any problems with it actually. But they shouldn't misunderstand us. We should clear it all out"

Max feels at ease that Arman is taking this not too seriously. He thought Arman would get mad and stay away from him as far as possible so people don't think that he's gay.

"We should ask Raven to remove our pictures. Or at least change the captions" Max suggests. Arman nods and goes inside the cafeteria and Max follows him.

"Raven, we're not boyfriends. I met him like 36 hours ago and we're only roommates" Arman says trying to convince Raven.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm a Fujoshi and also you two are always together and look so cute so I thought....."

"It's OK. We just want you to change the caption on your post. You can just simply remove "boyfriends" and add "roommates or best friends"

Max feels happy listening to Arman. He thought Arman would ask her to remove the pictures but he didn't and instead he just asked her to change the captions. He's also delighted that Arman just referred to him as his best friend.

"Fine" Raven says. Her expression suddenly changed from guilty to whatever "there. It's done"

Both say thanks to their senior and come out of the cafeteria. Arman didn't understand when the senior called herself a fujoshi. He wanted to ask Max but if he does Max might start laughing at him and he would just look stupid. He has to come up with something smart so Max doesn't call him an idiot for not knowing what the senior meant. He has to sound subtle and not too desperate. The only way to know the answer is to ask about it without asking it.

"Did you listen to her?" He says to Max "she's a fujoshi!" He tries to sound surprised and happy about it.

He knows Max loves to talk about things he knows. So if he knows what fujoshi really is he would give explanations right away without stopping.

"I know,right? I mean I knew that she's a fujoshi when she shipped you and I together, you know?" Max chuckles

Well, Arman is partly right. Max isn't giving enough information as he thought he would.

"Well, I didn't think she liked two guys being in a relationship at first. Because most people think it's weird"

Arman realized what Fujoshi really meant. Someone who loves a romantic relationship between men. So he likes his senior who wants him and Max to be together. This is a mess. Arman doesn't say anything further. On the other hand, Max wants to ask Arman about his actions about calling him his best friend but he doesn't know how. He doesn't want to sound awkward about it. But he asks him anyway.

"So I am your best friend now?"

"Not yet but we're going to be together for a long time so at one point you will be. Don't you think?"

Max nods in agreement and gives a big smile to Arman. Arman puts his hand on Max's face and shoves him away.

"Stop smiling like that," he says "it's creepy"

Max is confused. He thought he looked cute when he smiled. He takes out his phone and opens the front camera and smiles. It is creepy. Max smirks and stands beside Arman again. He gets notifications from their group chat. Some people are saying sorry for assuming things and some are disappointed that they're actually not together. He shows the messages to Arman who just laughs reading their texts.

"Are they all fujoshi?" He asks Max.

"No"

Arman looks at Max and looks confused. Does this word have another meaning?

"Some of them are fudanshi, you know," Max says still looking at his phone screen.

Arman needs to Google about the word so he puts his hand inside his pocket but doesn't find his phone.

He looks scared. Of course, everyone loves their phones and doesn't want to lose them. But Arman is afraid to lose his music collection. He doesn't care about the numbers or pictures which are on his phone. He only cares about his music collection.

"Have you seen my phone? Did I leave it at the cafeteria?"

Max is surprised at how worried Arman is looking over a phone. If this phone is lost, he can buy another one anytime. He doesn't want to sound nosy about it.

"No, I haven't. Maybe you didn't bro it with you" Max feels bad to see Arman so worried. He has to help this guy.

"Wait. I'll check the cafeteria you go to our dorm and see if it's there"

Max goes inside the cafeteria and Arman goes to his dorm to look for it. He sees the senior again who is busy taking selfies instead of having her breakfast. She's pouting at the camera and fixes her hair frequently. She notices Max looking around under tables searching for something. She gets up and looks under the table just like him without knowing what she's looking for.

"What are you doing?" Max asks her.

"Looking for the thing you are," She says. She looks so serious right now about finding the "thing" that she doesn't realize that she doesn't know what the "thing" really is.

Max is awed at this. He has to tell her about the "thing"

"Just so you know, I'm looking for Arman's phone"

Raven stands up and puts one hand on her waist and the other on the table. Max stands up and looks at her wondering what she's going to say next.

"Are you sure that you're just friends? You know I really hate chemistry but I love yours and Arman's"

"I'm sure we're friends. Nothing else" Max says casually. Raven looks disappointed. Max's phone chimes. A text from Arman. Found it.

"Arman found it. No worries" he says to Raven.

"Ok. See you tomorrow at your orientation class"

"Won't you be in your class?" He asks.

"A beautiful girl like me doesn't need to attend lectures. People around send me their notes and they also complete my assignments for me" Raven says confidently as she flips her hair. She takes another selfie with Max who wasn't prepared and looks weird in the picture and goes back to her table. Max gets out and meets Arman who looks happy to have found his phone.

"Let's go see the library. Let's go see the library" he repeats like a child asking for chocolate.

"What's in the library?"

"Books! What else?" Max says sarcastically. Arman feels embarrassed. Of course, there'd be books in the library.

Max loves the idea of falling in love in the library. Everyone who have always, always, loved books also have the same fantasy.

You and the other person accidentally take the same book, he/she insists you take it but you want him/her to take it first. Then there's small talks. Gradually you both spend all your time in the library so you can be close to him/her.

Max really believes that one day, he'll find his love one here. In the library. He will make out with him behind the shelves. The fear of getting caught excites him a bit. He is definitely going to make out in the library. There's no doubt whatsoever.