"ED! Wake up!"

"!"

I slowly wake up from my dream as someone continues to annoy me.

Raising from the table, I begin to stretch. Meanwhile, the rude fellow that woke me up fixes his glasses as he talks with the person to my right that haves purple hair, Alexi.

"Al, you as well! Why did you two come here if you were going to sleep all the time as Kol and I worked on the homework?!"

"Haha... Well, we passed all night playing videogames that we forgot about the time and when we noticed it was already morning, so..." (Alexi)

Kol, the person sitting in front of me with dark green hair and a black turtleneck long-sleeve sweater with white lines, reacts with a tired look to the one that woke me up.

"Zhaem, stop complaining. To begin, it was you the one that called us to meet you in the library so that we could help you with the work for this weekend. Those two had already finished it the moment they got to their homes, and they began playing unlike you that went directly to read comics and only remembered the homework today." (Kol)

"...For my defense, what I was reading were mangas, not comics. There are differences. The second point, I was not wasting time since it was research." (Zhaem)

Looking as Zhaem begins to talk, my thoughts turn back to my dream. From the parts I remember, it was about when I was in the office still on Earth.

Now, those memories are things that make me laugh from time to time since I woke up in the Omoros world 11 years ago.

I was Edward Aspen, a new worker in a small company, but one day, I got reincarnated, or so I think so.

Why I'm uncertain? Because I do not remember my death, the one who called me to this world, nor the reason why I am in Omoros.

I only remember some things from before suddenly seeing myself in Omoros in the body of Eloy, an abandoned child.

Well, later I decided that since I'm in this strange situation, I would live as and for Eloy, no Edward.

From that decision onwards, I also chose to use the knowledge of my previous life as little as possible. Everything else would be all normal so as not to risk this new opportunity. And since I made that decision, ten years have passed.

Today should have been a time to enjoy playing some games at my house, but here I am in the school library with my classmates and friends.

Right now, I'm regretting coming to help Zhaem at the weekend.

There were a lot of things that I could have unlocked in the time this blonde fellow wasted copying and understanding my homework. Why did no one tell me that I would stay with him since grade school?

In the beginning, I thought that spending some time with my friends would be nice to free my mind. In the end, I fell asleep after playing with Alexi all night.

…Oh, it seems that Zhaem speech is finally finishing.

"- and so, that is the conclusion of my research. Was it not interesting?" (Zhaem)

"...Basically, you are trying to compare all the heroines in the mangas you've read and seen to decide which one you like the most, right?" (Kol)

"I think that you are jumping some issues but, yes." (Zhaem)

After hearing Zhaem confirmation, Kol sighs and closes his eyes.

"5 minutes of my life wasted, I will never get them back." (Kol)

"Same here." (Alexi)

"!" (Zhaem)

Well, better wrap this out so that I can go home and continue playing with Alexi. There are many things that need to be unlocked, and they will not be doing it themselves for me.

Standing up and fixing my gray shirt, I move to the other side of the table and place my hand on Zhaem shoulder that is covered by a red t-shirt with some drawings on it.

" Z oh Z, if you wanted to tell all that stuff, you would better have said it in the chat, not in public, my friend."

Z is the shorter way to call Zhaem in our class.

"Wha! Ed you!" (Zhaem)

"I'm saying that because you didn't care about talking about the things on your head in public. Just look at how the people around us look at you, and later you can say something bad about me."

"?...!" (Zhaem)

The people in the library started looking at us for a while. I think this will soon spread, so we better get going.

Urging them to place their things in their backpacks, we leave the place while some people begin to laugh at us.

Now outside the library, we begin to move onto the street as we search on our cell phones for any Zhaem publications.

"...Ah, found the post. It appeared in the school page." (Alexi)

"Huh? let me see." (Kol)

"...Yeah, I also found the post. Man, it was fast. Not many minutes since we left the place, and 20 people have seen the post… never mind, the number of views reached one hundred, and it doesn't seem like it's going to stop. Congratulations Z, today you are famous on the school grounds, tomorrow the whole world!"

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"Zhaem, don't tell others you are my friend, or I will sue you for spreading false information." (Kol)

"Wha...What the hell guys! I'm the victim here, and you guys are only rubbing salt all over me!" (Zhaem)

Zhaem begins to complain as he sees some of the comments that appear below the video. But well, it was Zhaem's fault for rambling all that attention. How could he not expect that this would happen?

"Guh... I will find the fellow that posted this and... No, wait. Now that I take a look at the video, it was very close... AL! It was you!" (Zhaem)

"!, Now you're exaggerating it, blaming others when you don't have any evidence." (Alexi)

"What 'no evidence'! It's your second account that posted the video!" (Zhaem)

"..." (Alexi)

"Wha! Hey! Come back! Delete the post right now!" (Zhaem)

Like that, Zhaem begins to chase Alexi in the school garden. Kol and I remain in the same place, watching the chase.

"And there they go, but Z is really sharp. Normally one would be too mad to notice that."

"You say that, but you were the one that gave the signal to Alexi and came up with the joke." (Kol)

"Tch, already busted? I thought that you would be distracted with all his talking." (Ed)

Just like Kol said, I told Alexi to record it from the beginning and texted him the plan. The ones that placed the comments on the video are the other members of our class, as they were informed by Alexi in our group so that we could laugh about Zhaem.

Not many people notice the posts on the school page, and since no one can download the things from it, it was pretty safe that it would remain between us and not jump into another website. We would delete it the next minute for safety.

Umm? there’s also the other people in the library… who knows what they would do, but if they try to our fun, then they better be ready since we wouldn’t mind having more people to make fun of in other pages with the others of the class.

"You are the only person that I know that would come with those kinds of jokes and make them fast, so it was not that hard to deduce." (Kol)

"Ha! You know me very well, Mr. President. But Z needs to understand that he should not open his mouth and talk about whatever comes to his mind every time, it affects not only him but also those around him."

Kol places his hand over his head as he sees Zhaem coming back with Alexi.

"... As I see now, it doesn't seem that it’s working." (Kol)

"That's why I already got another plan for fixing his problem."

Kol looks at me doubtfully, well I only smile back.

"Ed! I should have known it was your idea! (Zhaem)

"Calm down, Zhaem. No need for violence. For your own good, we did that."

Zhaem stops raising his arm as he hears me calling him by his name. Him being taller than me sometimes is worrying.

"For my own good?"(Zhaem)

"This was so that you understand not to talk so much about what goes on your head, but it seems that it is not enough. So for that reason, I got a plan."

"...Usually, your plans end with someone looking like an idiot. So how can I trust you?" (Zhaem)

“…You're saying that the other pranks we've made to each other in class haven't made us look like idiots enough?"

At my remark, Zhaem remains quiet.

Haa… This fellow can forget a lot of things. Well better explain my plan.

"The idea comes from one of those mangas, so calm down. The thing is like this, every time we see you open your mouth like in the library, we will give you one point, we will do it every time until the end of the month. Now, if I remember well, you have some of those scale statues of the characters of your mangas?"

Confused at my question, Zhaem takes a moment to answer me.

"Figurines, but yeah. I have a collection of them." (Zhaem)

"Well, the thing is for every point you get on the month, it would equal to how many of those 'Figurines' we will destroy."

Zhaem looks at me.

"You just want an excuse to break them, right?" (Zhaem)

"Weeeell, yes. But think about it. This is mainly to help you fix your problem, or are those things not important for you?"

For some minutes, Zhaem face went from hesitation and doubt before looking at me.

"...Are you sure that it will help me?" (Zhaem)

"Yes! Since you will care more about not causing a problem with the way you speak, and it's not like we're always by your side to see what you're going to say. Also, it gave results in the manga.”

Finishing there, I extend my hand to seal the deal.

“So? Do you want to stop talking all about what is in your head or not?"

“…” (Zhaem)

Another waiting minutes, this fellow really likes those things.

Finishing thinking, he grabs my hand and nods.

"...Ok." (Zhaem)

"There! He said it! We have permission to break his stuff! So, who is in?"

"!" (Zhaem)

I turn to Kol and Alexi, who had been watching in silence. Zhaem shows a surprised expression at my declaration.

"...Are we going to use a bat or a hammer." (Alexi)

"...Is there any difference? the point is that we will see him in pain as we destroy his precious collection!"

"Then count me in!" (Alexi)

… As long as something looks interesting, this guy will jump into it. Well, that's one. Next would be Kol, who is thinking about it.

"Normally I should oppose something like this-" (Kol)

"Kol, thank you! I knew you were my only friend here!" (Zhaem)

"-but it would also help me since he will not be wasting my time. So yes, count me to." (Kol)

"...I think I should begin to look for better friends in the class." (Zhaem)

"By the way, I began discussing the idea in the group chat of the class, and some of them want to participate as well." (Kol)

Like that, he shows his cellphone as a long list of comments appears on the screen.

"As expected from the president! Watching for activities that will make us work together and benefit all the class!"

"Those bastards...!" (Zhaem)

"Ah, it seems that the teacher also wants to cooperate. He says that he will only be taking points, the breaking he will not participate." (Kol)

"..." (Zhaem)

"And like that, it…"

"WAIT!" (Zhaem)

We turn to Zhaem that suddenly shouts as he looks at us.

“It's not fair that only I am losing something. It should be equal for all of us!”

“…Then what do you propose?”

“If I manage to pass the month without receiving a point, I should win something. If not, what's the case!” (Zhaem)

"..."

We look at him in surprise. Then I move to look at Alexi.

"Al, it seems that Z became smarter. Your position in our group seems to be in danger."

Alexi falls to the ground and begins to hit the ground.

"How can it be! Weren't the guys with glasses smart only in fiction?!" (Alexi)

"...So? Are you going to accept it or not? If not, then don't even think about touching my collection." (Zhaem)

I look at Zhaem for a while and then begin to pick up Alexi as his hair covers his face.

"Ok, enough of the joking, Al. Z, we'll talk it over between the three of us, and then we'll see.

"…Go ahead. But if you accept, then I will decide the prize." (Zhaem)

"…It seems that you are confident. Before that, we will also talk with the others in the group."

I take Kol and Alexi aside as we talk to each other and the others in the group. After some minutes of talking, we separate, and I move to tell Zhaem our decision.

"Ok, we and the others in the group accept that we will give you one-"

"Ten!" (Zhaem)

"?"

"Ten prizes. Ten figurines of my choice, all paid by all who participate." (Zhaem)

"...You want to take advantage of this?"

"You guys want to destroy my things freely, and in return, I want to get something out of you guys. I don’t see anything strange about it." (Zhaem)

I turn to Kol, as he can make decisions for everyone else in the group. Kol watches the chat on his cell phone.

"Right now they are betting about how many points Zhaem will make in the first week, so I think there's no problem giving him five or ten in the chance he doesn't talk." (Kol)

"Well, there you have it. In the chance you don't make another accident like the one in the library, we will pay for the things you want. Happy?"

Zhaem begins to smile.

“Yes! Now I just need to go back home and begin to see which book and the two figurines to choose from the ones in the market.” (Zhaem)

Like that, he begins to make some dances of victory as the three watch him.

“Al, are you recording this?”

"I began after we left the library! With him around, anything can happen!” (Alexi)

Alexi laughs as he points at one pocket of the denim shirt that covers his gray t-shirt where a second phone rests there, before turning to look at me.

“But isn't this bad, Ed? He seems to be very confident that he will win." (Alexi)

"I think that your worries are pointless, Alexi." (Kol)

"How so?" (Alexi)

"Just look at him. He forgot we had recorded him a while ago, and now he's giving us new material to make fun of him." (Kol)

"You right!" (Alexi)

"Also, the only way possible for him to win is to tape his mouth the whole time. So don't worry, just wait until tomorrow in class, and *bam* he will begin to give us free points."

We stay as we watch Zhaem do his dance. Looking at my cellphone, I know we can't remain here wasting time.

"Ok-ok, I need to get back home, eat, and continue playing. What are you two going to do? Are you going to stay here and keep watching this crazy fellow?"

"!, Thanks for reminding me of the time. I almost missed the game I would watch with my father. "(Kol)

"Hurry up if you need it. And you, Al, will you keep Z company?"

"No. Tell me when you are ready so that we continue playing." (Alexi)

"Then we better stop the dancing idiot. Hey Z! We have enough material, so stop dancing already!"

"Eh?" (Zhaem)

Just as I call him, Zhaem stops in a strange posture. Alexi rapidly takes a photo and sees it on his cellphone.

"Another thing to be posted on the school page. What should it be its title this time?" (Alexi)

"Yoga in the parking lot?" (Kol)

"...Delete it right now." (Zhaem)

"Well, see you guys tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow." (Kol)

"Chao." (Alexi)

"Al, delete it!" (Zhaem)

Parting from them, I move to my motorcycle. I could still see Zhaem following Alexi, asking for the cellphone. Really, I can’t get bored passing time with those fellows.

As I begin to put on my helmet and sit on my motorcycle, I hear Zhaem loud voice.

Turning to the direction of his yelling, I could see him with Alexi and Kol, following behind him, all three of them had strange expressions.

"EEEED!!" (Zhaem)

Just as I wonder what he wants from his worried face, I suddenly begin to see blurred, and then all turn black.