Chapter — Bathroom Energy
The school bathroom was half empty and echoing with the dull noise of a distant hallway.
Fluorescent lights buzzed quietly overhead.
*** stood near the small window at the far end of the room. One foot against the wall, shoulders slightly slouched, cigarette between his fingers.
He inhaled slowly.
The smoke drifted upward in soft spirals, disappearing near the ceiling.
For a moment everything felt distant.
Voices outside the door.
Footsteps in the corridor.
The faint metallic drip from a broken faucet.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
*** stared at the thin stream of smoke leaving his mouth.
Then a voice suddenly spoke from behind him.
"He is my eyes… he is in my ears."
*** froze.
His shoulders tensed slightly.
The sentence felt strangely placed in the room, like a line from a movie someone forgot to finish.
He turned slowly.
Near the sinks stood a boy leaning casually against the counter.
Curly hair.
Brown eyes that looked too awake for this early in the morning.
Loose hoodie.
One hand inside the pocket like he had been standing there for a while just observing things.
The boy tilted his head.
Then he grinned.
"Yo, Cri."
*** blinked once.
"…Ozamar?"
The boy spread his arms dramatically.
"Certified and verified."
He walked toward him, slow and relaxed, like he owned the entire bathroom.
"You look like you just spawned in," Ozamar said.
*** frowned slightly.
"Spawned?"
"Yeah like when a character loads into a cutscene and just stands there doing nothing."
*** exhaled smoke.
"That's because I'm doing nothing."
Ozamar squinted at him.
"Bro your aura is like… tragic."
"My aura?"
"Yeah."
Ozamar leaned closer, inspecting him like a weird scientist.
"Your vibe right now is giving 'sad NPC that gives the main character a side quest.'"
*** sighed.
"You talk like your brain has internet access."
Ozamar pointed at him immediately.
"Exactly."
Then he added proudly:
"Brainrot is a lifestyle."
*** took another drag of the cigarette.
Ozamar glanced at it.
"You're smoking again."
"Obviously."
Ozamar stared at the smoke.
"Lowkey villain arc."
"It's a cigarette."
"Yeah but like… cinematically."
*** shook his head slightly.
Ozamar leaned back against the wall beside him.
For a few seconds they stood there quietly.
Then Ozamar suddenly spoke again.
"You know what your face looks like right now?"
*** already sounded tired.
"I regret asking."
Ozamar imitated him instantly.
Blank stare.
Half-lidded eyes.
Zero emotional investment in life.
"Like this."
*** stared.
"…You look stupid."
Ozamar gasped dramatically.
"You take that back."
"Never."
Ozamar pointed at him.
"Alright bet."
*** raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"Contest."
Ozamar stood up straight.
"Who can make the dumbest face."
*** looked at him like he had just heard the stupidest idea imaginable.
"You're seventeen."
"Age doesn't stop greatness."
*** hesitated.
Ozamar leaned closer.
"Coward?"
"…Fine."
Ozamar clapped once.
"ROUND ONE."
He immediately twisted his face into something absolutely horrifying.
Eyes crossed aggressively.
Cheeks puffed.
Tongue sticking out sideways.
His entire face looked like a malfunctioning cartoon.
*** stared at him.
"…You look like a broken frog."
Ozamar started laughing immediately.
"BRO YOUR TURN."
*** sighed.
Then slowly…
He did something unusual.
He exaggerated his expression completely.
Eyes wide.
Neck stretched.
Lips pushed forward like a confused fish.
Ozamar froze.
Then grabbed the sink laughing.
"WHAT IS THAT—"
At that exact moment the bathroom door slammed open.
A tall figure walked in.
Ian.
Long curly hair hanging around his shoulders like he had just rolled out of bed.
Tall.
Thin.
Already looking irritated at something.
He stopped when he saw the two of them.
Then his eyes landed on ***'s ridiculous face.
There was silence for exactly two seconds.
Then Ian burst out laughing.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
Ozamar pointed at *** while wheezing.
"He thinks he's winning!"
Ian bent forward laughing.
"That looks like a lizard that failed math class!"
*** finally relaxed his face again.
"You two are idiots."
Ian wiped his eyes.
"You started it!"
Ozamar immediately turned to Ian.
"Bro your hair looks like ramen noodles."
Ian squinted at him.
"At least I have hair that isn't shaped like a failed broccoli."
Ozamar placed a hand on his chest dramatically.
"Broccoli is peak character design."
"You're a clown."
"You're literally built like a confused giraffe."
Ian pushed Ozamar slightly.
"Shut up."
Ozamar shoved him back.
"No you."
Ian glared at him.
"You're such a dumbass."
Ozamar grinned.
"You hang out with me voluntarily."
Ian paused.
"…Shut up."
They continued arguing like two absolute idiots.
Back and forth.
Insults that barely made sense.
Half sentences.
Random nonsense.
The energy in the bathroom became chaotic almost instantly.
And *** just watched.
At first his expression stayed the same.
Serious.
Observing.
But something about the situation slowly cracked through his usual wall.
Ozamar leaned against the sink again.
Then suddenly looked directly at ***.
Their eyes met for a moment longer than usual.
Not uncomfortable.
Just… noticeable.
Ozamar smirked slightly.
"You're judging us."
"I'm studying a rare species."
Ian snorted.
"Yeah well at least we're not standing like a depressed statue."
Ozamar nudged ***'s shoulder lightly.
"You gotta loosen up bro."
*** looked down briefly.
Then back at them.
"You two are exhausting."
Ozamar grinned.
"But entertaining."
*** hesitated.
"…Maybe."
Ozamar's grin widened.
"OH MY GOD HE ADMITTED IT."
Ian laughed.
"Write that down."
Ozamar leaned closer to ***.
Their shoulders almost touched now.
"You smiling yet?"
*** looked away slightly.
"Not really."
Ozamar squinted at him.
"Liar."
Then suddenly he leaned in even closer to inspect his face.
So close that *** could clearly see the small freckles near his nose.
"You're about to."
*** didn't move.
"…Back up."
Ozamar smirked.
"Why?"
"…Personal space."
"Skill issue."
Ian made a disgusted noise.
"Bro stop flirting."
Ozamar immediately pointed at him.
"I'm not flirting."
Ian raised an eyebrow.
"Your face is like two centimeters from his."
"That's called friendship."
"That's called weird."
Ozamar shrugged.
"Cry about it."
Ian rolled his eyes.
"You're both idiots."
*** shook his head slightly.
But something had already changed.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
Ozamar noticed instantly.
"THERE IT IS."
Ian looked closer.
"Oh damn he's actually smiling."
*** tried to stop it.
But it was too late.
A small laugh escaped him.
Ozamar immediately started laughing too.
Ian followed seconds later.
Soon all three of them were laughing in the middle of the bathroom like complete idiots.
The kind of laughter that doesn't need a reason anymore.
*** leaned forward slightly as it kept coming.
Then suddenly he started laughing harder.
Real laughter.
Messy.
Uncontrolled.
Tears formed in his eyes.
Ozamar looked at him for a second.
Then laughed even harder.
Ian grabbed the sink trying to breathe.
"BRO WE'RE GETTING DETENTION."
Ozamar wiped his eyes.
"WORTH IT."
For a moment the bathroom felt warm.
Alive.
And *** stood there between them, laughing harder than he had in a very long time.