A RIDICULOUS TIME:

As the group finally settled down, Ezra and Louis took turns recounting the events, occasionally interrupted by Maximillian adding a word or two. It became apparent that Maximillian was the first to step into the extraordinary world they found themselves in. His entrance was marked by a chapter unfolding in a bar during which he crossed paths with Carlos, a reunion after a long separation. In this chance encounter, Carlos persistently cajoled Maximillian into sharing a drink, gradually coaxing out details about Max's life. Max revealed his choice of university, casually slipping in the reason for his decision – he had discovered, from a reliable source, that Alicia was also enrolled there.

Damien couldn't help but snort at the revelation, "The possessive alpha male character, huh? Are you playing the bad boy male lead in this story?" Damien's comment was intended for amusement, but to his surprise, Louis confirmed his words with a wry smile.

"That's true actually. Carlisle seems to be the linchpin holding the narrative together," Louis spoke, acknowledging the weight of Maximillian's role. "His recurring mentions and the way his character is unfolding do suggest a significant impact on Alicia's life down the line. It's like he's a looming force, waiting to bring about change."

Louis, still fixated on the narrative dynamics, continued, "And then there's Ashton. His character, though not the main focus, seems to carry a substantial weight, maybe even bordering on the antagonistic. There's an air of mystery surrounding him that sets him apart."

Ezra, with a contemplative expression, added, "I wouldn't label myself as an outright antagonist either. Morally grey, perhaps. My character's actions reveal a complexity that goes beyond simple categorizations. It's uncertain where the narrative might take my character though."

Louis nodded thoughtfully, "My first appearance was in chapter three, alongside Miss Eloise. We were portrayed as close friends, engaging in casual banter typical of any friendship. Our conversation casually shifted to Carlisle when Eloise shared the revelation that he, too, was attending the same university as us. She stumbled upon his Instagram in that world, and from the posts, it was undeniably the Carlisle I knew. As we delved into the topic, it became apparent that Carlisle's character harbored affections for Miss Heathers. The dialogue then smoothly transitioned to discussing you, Ashton, and gradually veered into recounting fragments of our characters' childhoods. The story unfolded in bits and pieces, leaving me with a vague understanding."

Louis absentmindedly pulled at his earlobe, continuing, "Initially, I dismissed the entire experience as a dream upon returning to our world. However, that perception shifted when I was unexpectedly pulled back for chapter four. In a brief scene with Eloise, she mentioned that it was 'her birthday' that day and speculated aloud about whether you would visit some cram school building. She referred to you by your full name, and something about it compelled me to seek you out upon returning, questioning whether you, too, were grappling with a similar surreal situation."

Ezra pursed his lips and chimed in, "Yep, I popped up in chapter four too. Guess our storylines didn't sync up, so we missed each other."

Damien, scanning the room with a raised eyebrow, turned his attention to Ezra, "Let me get this straight – you guys are getting zapped into this weird world, playing roles you can't control or stop?"

"Exactly," Louis nodded. "It's like being stuck in a book, acting out scenes without a script."

Damien scratched his head, eyes fixed on Ezra, "So, you're telling me, you can't just break character whenever you feel like it?"

Ezra shrugged, "That's the gist of it. We're kinda bound by the plot until it decides to cut us some slack. We get to retain control over our bodies when the narrative shifts away from us."

Damien, still processing, threw another question, "And injuries or whatever you pick up in there, they stick with you even when you're out of character?"

Louis nodded, "Yep, you saw my injury. But if you get injured outside of character, it might just magically vanish when you dive back into the plot."

Damien reclined with a wry smile, saying, "Well, this feels like a literary rollercoaster, doesn't it? My brain is abandoning ship. It's making a run for it!"

Damien rubbed his forehead, a frown taking over his face. Ezra handed him the pair of glasses from Damien's bedside table. Damien liked to read comics and manga before bedtime, but his eyesight wasn't the best, so he often relied on glasses for his hobby. During the rest of the day, he typically stuck to wearing contacts.

"Here. Better wear your glasses and search thoroughly for that brain of yours. Although I must say that the search will prove futile in the end. You never had a brain to begin with," Ezra quipped.

Damien shook his head, his expression serious. This wasn't the time for banter with Ezra; he needed answers. "Ez my boy. Be serious."

Ezra nonchalantly shrugged, carefully setting the glasses back on the bedside desk. His gaze, absentmindedly distant, he tossed out a question, "Do you think this is a story that might... y'know... potentially result in someone's death?"

A subtle tension gripped Maximillian as he maintained a calm demeanor, replying, "That can only be deduced once we get the full picture of the story we are acting in." The unease in his expression hinted at a deeper concern, particularly directed at Ezra.

Damien, as if struck by a sudden realization, nodded aggressively in Ezra's direction, "That's right. What even is the story you are all acting in? I never got the details from you."

Ezra leaned back on the stack of pillows he had arranged for himself, deep in thought. "I have some idea of the plot, but I'm not fully sure, though."

"Then let's all just share our observations and gather what we can from that," Louis suggested, nodding in agreement.

As each of them recounted their findings and shared their thoughts, the story began to take shape. The main character, Alicia Heathers, possessed a peculiar power where her lies would turn into reality. Despite having apparent control over this ability, she occasionally chose to type out her words, hinting at a hidden caution. This could be either due to moments of losing control or linked to some underlying trauma. The latter seemed more feasible, supported by the recurring mention of her accidentally causing Micaela's death in the past – likely the source of her trauma.

From their deductions, it appeared that they were once a close-knit group of friends attending the same cram school, their bonds unraveling and all going their seperate ways when Micaela met an accidental demise through Alicia's words. Apart from Alicia, the one profoundly affected by this tragic event was Ezra's character, who had evidently harbored feelings for Micaela. The story hinted at Ezra causing occasional issues for Alicia, with Penelope serving as a voice of reason and caution within the narrative up till now.

After going their separate ways, they never anticipated a reunion at the same university, let alone within the confines of the same club. Supposedly, the real story was about to unfold, and it seemed the past would cast long shadows on their present.

Maximillian pondered, tapping the curve of his index finger against his forehead with a furrowed brow. He let out a disgruntled sigh and rubbed his face, "A death has occurred in this story. The tone has been set. While it may evolve into a narrative of healing and mending past relationships, the possibility of harm befalling another character is far from nonexistent."

Silence settled in the room as each person delved into their own contemplations. The first to break the heavy atmosphere was Ezra, attempting to steer the conversation in a different direction, "My character… he tends to act a lot like how I usually do."

Damien aggressively blinked away the redness in his eyes, injecting a bit of playful banter, "You mean emotionally constipated most of the time?"

Ezra nodded with a comically serious face, and Louis gestured understanding, bobbing his index finger to convey that he got Ezra's point.

"Now that you mention it, I recall noticing something similar. The character of Louis that I play mirrors a lot of my habits and even many of my interests," Louis added.

Maximillian's eyes drooped in thought, his expression remaining stoic as he spoke in a clear yet somewhat uncertain tone, "I do not think I act as aggressively as how that character does. Although, he and I do share an interest or two but not much."

Louis shot a subtle look at Maximillian, then at Ezra, before his gaze dropped to his own hands, unconsciously clenching and unclenching them as his mind wandered. After a moment, he spoke in a soft manner, "The way Carlisle's character treats Miss Heather's character.... With all that patience and care and all. The gestures and expressions. Well, most of them. They are very... They are rather similar to some of my memories of your actions towards Ashton... I'm sorry. That was out of line."

Louis's observation hung in the air. "That was a valid point."

Maximillian's expression turned frosty, but he offered no denial, suggesting a certain truth to those words. Ezra, feeling uneasy, stiffly shifted in his seat, allowing his eyes to wander around the room. Catching Damien's attention, who seemed to have heard some mind-boggling news, Ezra found a way to redirect the conversation.

"Nothing much can be made of that information for now anyway. We'll gradually see what becomes of it. But hey, Damy, this Miss Penelope we mentioned seems to be a noble countess."

"Whoah. Really?"

"I'm swearing on that. And that Miss Alicia, she is her knight apparently."

"Of whom? Of this countess? Whoa… Those are some personalities that have gathered. From random college kids like you to a countess and her knight. What a jarring difference. What about the other two?"

"Oh, them. Miss Eloise is a mysterious one, very serious, not keen on sharing more than necessary. And Mister Carlos… He's a bartender." Ezra chuckled at that last bit, recalling Carlos' somewhat adorable personality, "Though seemingly not from our world."

Sensing that the conversation was now going nowhere and was just becoming friendly banter, Maximillian stood up, adjusting his coat, and turned to them with a calm expression.

"I think for now, that's all we've gathered. I have something important I need to do, so I'll be taking my leave now. Here is my contact." He handed a business card to Damien with his contact written at the corner.

His eyes lingered on Ezra for more than he would have liked before he forcefully tore them away, heading out the door after saying, "We will be in contact when even one of us has something important to share."

Soon after, Louis took his leave too, sharing his contact information and bidding them farewell. When only Ezra and Damien remained, Ezra nudged Damien, "Hey you. You just randomly became a part of this info-sharing group, huh? I didn't expect that walking, talking fridge to let you stay through the discussion or not tell you off from joining any in the future either."

Damien shook his head with a playfully exasperated and helpless look, "Can't you see? I'm mostly just the messenger between you all. Oh, to be a man with not an enemy in sight. My blessedly friendly constitution has brought me to the stage where I must act as a mediator now."

"Come now, don't act like that. I tried to handle it as professionally as possible, but in the end, it was my ex I was dealing with. The guy who ruthlessly abandoned me, especially at a time when I needed him most. And Hughes, that punk, he was one of the reasons that probably led to our breakup when I later reflected on it. Hughes had done enough shit apart from that time he tried to force a kiss on me or take things further. Just that much could have been forgiven, but he totally flushed all his morals and character down the drain two years ago for some reason."

Damien replied thoughtfully, "Those two weren't at all acting like themselves during those few months. It was all so bizarre and sudden. I hadn't even known them that closely, but even I could tell something was seriously off with those guys at that time."

Ezra took the business card from Damien's hands. It belonged to the W.I.J group's subsidiary in the entertainment industry. Maximillian, despite his young age, was already interning there at his mother's, the group's chairman, request to better understand and eventually take over that branch in the future. As Ezra scanned it, his attention shifted, and he found himself lost in a stream of memories.

"That was such a ridiculous time; it almost felt like a dream. I had severed my friendship with Louis, a guy I'd known since junior high. My relationship with my boyfriend started to waver, but just as we got back on track, I was involved in a horrible car accident. To make matters worse, my boyfriend abandoned me as soon as I woke up from my coma. It sounds like a poorly written soap opera. And, not to mention, after all these incidents hit me one after the other, I was suddenly confronted with the news of my cute love rival's passing."

Damien looked somewhat solemn as his eyes shifted toward Ezra. "Ah right, Louis' sister… What was her name again?"

"Alice. Alice Hughes."