The Key To Victory

Jidenna opened the door of the kitchen, walked into the living room, and onto the couch—the same couch he had decided to spend his night on.

Placing the bowl of noodles on the table, he slurped it down. After he was done, he leaned back on the couch with his hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling.

It was only after he finished and his highly tensed mind calmed down that he realized something.

'Did I just...' He trailed off, releasing one of his hands. He hovered it above his lips in astonishment, still feeling shocked.

'I just ate.' With widened eyes, he continued, 'I thought after everything that happened, I'd be too freaked out to even hold my spoon properly without it shaking because of my racing heart.'

'Speaking of what happened today—wait!' Jidenna sat up from his seat in shock. He had just realized something, something that would be the determining factor of whether he could triumph safely.

'Why didn't I hear anything while I was cooking later on, or even while I was eating?' Narrowing his eyes and looking around the room, he stood up, thinking, 'Was it because of the room where I'm staying?' He shook his head, denying it.

'It followed me all the way from my room to the kitchen. I doubt the living room can block it, so...' He tried to remember if there was something he did during this period that was effective against it.

He hummed as a thought flashed through his mind. 'Could it be that—my concentration?'

The only thing that was different was that he had strangely stopped paying attention to it.

While he was cooking, he focused all his attention on what he was doing and blocked out everything else.

'How did I do that?' Jidenna marveled at something he thought was impossible for him.

'Maybe, as they say, critical situations stimulate hidden potential.'

He laughed with a wide grin on his face, while his roommate, in his room, was startled awake by a notification from his system.

[Strategy to siphon luck failed. Implores the host to create another one.]

"What!" Li Wei growled out, his mind still groggy with sleep.

"I don't believe he's totally invulnerable to it," he said through gritted teeth. He commanded the system, "Continue."

He shifted to a better position and let out a small cry of pain. This only served to enhance the frustration that had started to form within his mind.

His pain reminded him of his failures. He spat out venomously, 'Even the strongest rock will break under dripping water. Better pray you're stronger than a rock, Jidenna, or else when you crack, you'll see how I'll deal with you.'

Forcefully shutting his eyes, he counted, 'I still have 28 more days to go.'

On the other hand, unaware of the grueling days ahead, Jidenna lay down on the couch with his legs slightly bent and his hands between them.

The couch cushions served as pillows for him.

As he had sworn earlier, Jidenna was adamant about not returning to his room, at least until the morning.

Two people in the same dorm, with different motives. One slept with pain and vengeance, the other with reluctance and slight fear.

But no matter what was happening, the sun, as indifferent as always, continued its journey across the sky, rising and falling on time.

And this is what happened.

Bright sun rays hit Jidenna's face from the open curtain.

Jidenna fumbled about a bit but successfully got himself to stumble to the bathroom.

Once he came out, he noticed he hadn't seen his roommate for a while, but Jidenna decided, 'It's none of my business for now. I'll only get concerned if I haven't seen him by tomorrow.'

Usually, Jidenna would have been concerned with even a small unannounced absence, especially with someone he was familiar with, but this particular roommate gave Jidenna an odd vibe.

He didn't seem sincere, and his words and actions were mismatched, like he was forced to put on a performance he loathed.

'Whatever reason he's acting like that...' He trailed off, then added, 'I don't want to become part of it anyway.'

'I wouldn't associate with anyone who acts like that, but I'll keep the atmosphere in the dorm conducive and relaxed for both me and him.'

He prepared for his class, hanging his bag over his shoulder as he marched out, ready for another day.

****

After another day, which was just as stressful as the last, Jidenna walked into his dorm. But his foot, hanging mid-step, retracted back to the floor as he saw an unexpected person sitting in the living room.

It was Li Wei, who he hadn't seen in a while.

Once Li Wei saw Jidenna, his lips curled into a smile. "Welcome back. How were classes?" He shifted a bit to make space for Jidenna to sit down.

With the same voice dripping with warmth, he asked, his eyebrows furrowed together in concern, "Is there anything you're having issues with at the university? You know, people like you are usually uncomfortable since you've come from a faraway place to another man's country."

"You know, the whole culture shock and all." He gave a soft chuckle at his words, but his chuckle died in his throat when Jidenna suddenly stood up.

"Sorry," Jidenna said. "I'm feeling a bit drained. Once I freshen up, we can have this conversation." Without waiting for a response, Jidenna walked away, leaving behind his mortified roommate, Li Wei.

Once Li Wei could no longer see Jidenna's back, he huffed in annoyance, thinking with a face flushed beet-red, 'He's indeed a barbaric brute with no manners.'

'When did I, Li Wei of the Li family, have to lower myself to speak to a village bumpkin? It's his good luck that I'm talking to him. But what does he do? He steps all over my face!'

Li Wei patted his chest. 'Thankfully, this wasn't outside. If it was, where would I keep my face?'

Trying to justify his actions, he continued, 'I was right to take away his luck. What does someone like him need luck for? Maybe tomorrow he'll offend someone with that attitude of his and be disposed of.'