Eleven's Ghost

Chapter 28: Ungrateful Roommate

Louise stared at Shams in shock. “But…” She became worried. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to offend you.”

He closed his eyes and sat down again. “You seem to know a lot about him.”

“Who doesn’t? He’s practically the discoverer of immortality.”

Shams gazed at the sea extending before his eyes. He felt them watering. “Yeah.”

She held his hands and pulled him into a hug. “If you want to learn more about him, go to the library. It’s in the research department. I’m sure that man has many secrets; you won’t find every detail in the books, but I know you will find things that you don’t know about.” She smiled and wiped his tears. “I won’t ask about how you know him, but I believe you. If you say that he isn’t vicious, then he should be a good person.”

He smiled back and hugged her. “Thank you… for trusting me.”

She grinned. “In exchange…”

He glanced at her. “In exchange?”

“Show me your jinn!” She huffed like a puppy. “Show me!”

“Ah…” Shams nodded. “Cherry, would you come here for a second?”

Cherry peeked out of his shadow and yelped as Louise picked him up and hugged him. She kissed his hair and started tickling him. “Ah! I can never get enough of you, small Cherry!”

Cherry giggled and put his small hands on her cheeks. “Chewwy isn’t smol! Chewwy is stronk! Hahahah! Chewwy is…!” He laughed more, and she laughed with him.

Shams smiled softly, staring at them playing. Yayis sat next to him and hugged him protectively. “Do you miss him?” he whispered.

Shams shut his eyelids and relaxed in his hold. “A lot.”

“We can go visit him at the summer holidays. We can. For now, let’s do what Louise said. Tomorrow, after class, let’s meet in front of the dorm and go to the library to investigate.”

Shams nodded. “Let’s go back for now. I’m tired.”

Louise nodded and stood up. “Apprently, you and I are in the same class.”

“Ah. Me too.” Yayis announced. “All three of us are in the same class. That’s nice.”

Louise grinned. “Sure! See you tomorrow morning then!”

She gave Cherry back to Shams and grew wings before flying away. Yayis and Shams walked back to the dorm. The streets were getting emptier as it got late. Yayis walked Shams to his room and hugged him a last time. “I will wait for you here tomorrow, okay?”

Shams nodded and smiled. “Good night.”

Yayis smiled back and left. Shams walked into the room and didn’t find Janne there. He only found food on the desk next to his bed.

“For Shams,” was written on top of the plate that was covered with a glass bowl. Shams removed the bowl and stared at the cooked steak and sliced tomatoes. Fried potatoes and sauce were there too. Shams smiled softly. He sat down and ate in silence.

He took a shower and sat down on his own bed, feeling exhausted already. He laid down, staring up at the bed on top of him. “I wonder how… class will be like…”

He tilted his head to the side, his gaze saddening. “It would have been better if you were with me…” His lips quivered as tears rolled down his cheeks. “Dad.”

The door then opened, and Janne walked in. He rested his back against the wall and closed his eyes briefly before noticing Shams’s presence. “You’re here.”

He glanced at his roommate.  Shams nodded and hid under his blanket. Janne frowned, hearing him gasp. He sat next to him and rested a hand on his side. “Are you o–”

His eyes widened as Shams slapped his hand away. “I’m fine.” Shams got up and ran out of the room.

Janne gazed at his hand then glanced at Shams. He ran after him. “Wait!”

Shams ran out of the dorm, crying. Janne grabbed his arm. “You can’t leave! It’s dangerous outside at night!”

“Don’t… talk to me!” Shams gazed at him with watering eyes. “You don’t know anything about me! Don’t talk to me so casually!”

Janne glanced around then nodded. “Just go back inside. I will leave you the room today. You can sleep alone. Just go back.”

“I do whatever I want!” Shams screamed and pushed him away. He turned towards the dorm and walked to the entrance. His eyes widened, hearing Janne roaring, and a minor shockwave hit Shams. He glanced behind him and saw that Janne had a tail and wolf ears. His muscles grew dramatically. Janne gritted his teeth and pushed back a giant clawed hand before cutting it.

Janne glanced at Shams. “Go back in… Go…” His world turned around, and he fell to the side, his transformation fading. He gasped as the claws stabbed his torso. Shams ran towards him and punched the hand away after fusing with Cherry. He dragged Janne back into the dorm where the students gathered.

Janne had already lost consciousness. A trail of blood covered the floor as Shams carried him. Shams glanced around. “Please! He’s losing too much blood. Is there an infirmary here? Please help me!”

The students whispered and muttered things while staring at Janne in fear. Shams frowned, confused. “Why…? Why aren’t you…?”

He gazed down at Janne and noticed how exhausted he was. Yayis then grabbed Shams’s arm and dragged him to the infirmary that was on the ground floor. They laid Janne on an empty bed, and Yayis started healing him. “His magic powers are drained. He will die from exhaustion before bloodloss.” He glanced at Shams. “What happened between you two? What stabbed him?”

“I don’t know! Strange hands… came from the sky. They were so big and had claws… I don’t know what happened!” Shams was crying already.

Yayis closed the wounds, and the doctor joined them by then. “You’re not supposed to leave the dorms after ten unless you have a permit.”

“Wh-Why not?”

“From ten to one in the morning, monsters roam the streets. Strong monsters.”

She sat next to Janne and held his hand. “Normally, Janne would win against them. It seems like taking on several quests on the same days exhausted him. He couldn’t keep up his transformation.” She injected his wrist with a liquid. “This should restore his powers and give him peaceful sleep.”

She smiled at them. “You go back to your rooms. Don’t worry. The monsters can’t get into the dorms. You’re safe here.”

Shams stared at Janne, feeling guilty for being too harsh with him. “C-Can I stay…”

He blinked as Janne opened his eyes and sat up with a gasp. He gazed down at his belly then looked around, shaking. The doctor patted his head. “You woke up a lot sooner than expected. How do you feel?”

Janne remained silent. He forced himself to stand and left the infirmary without saying anything. Shams ran after him and frowned, seeing him leave the first gate of the dorm. He was staggering as he walked. He fell to his knees and fell forward as soon as he closed the door. Shams caught him and stared at him anxiously. “Do… Do you take quests to live? Ah… Y-You failed a year. Is that why you no longer take grants? Do… Did you… Despite having so little money, you made me food. I… I treated you so badly…”

He hugged him tightly. “I’m so sorry! You tried to stop me to protect me from the beasts, right? I didn’t listen. I’m so sorry!”

Janne didn’t react and stood up. He walked towards the second gate of the dorm leading to the street. Shams gasped and pulled his arm. “Please, no! Don’t go out! Please! You will die! PLEASE!”

Janne didn’t answer and unlocked the door.