Transmigrated Into The Book

3 months have passed….

The trees are quite turned more shady and the leaves have started falling on the old painted benches below it. Some of the students are only wearing a casual one since the teachers are now filling up their vacation leave.

At the quiet hallway, there was a figure who just got out from the faculty office. With folders in his arms, he had this sullen expression on his face the moment he clicked the door knob.

He paused for a while and observed the silence in the bright and white walls hallway. It has been quieter for a while now, students are starting to become busy with their vacations too. It was the end of the School year, and of course, he will be abandoning this place to look for a job. 

He tightened his grip on the folders when an old memory played back in his mind like it was giving him an illusion of two figures running in the hallway with a smile on their faces. He bit his lower lip and glued his eyes down at the dark marble floor.

He mustn't remember it no matter what, because he still couldn't do anything back then. He was still the same, the weak one who can't even save someone who's special to him.

Suddenly, his alone time was interrupted when murmuring sounds from the corner of the narrow area invaded his ears.

"Hey Asher! What are you gonna do after graduating?" 

"I don't know, maybe I will focus on helping my parents to ran our family business" 

William turned to stone, he was completely frozen the moment he heard his voice. It was the same one, deep and calm that it tickled his ears. 

He gathered himself back and turned behind him, he needed to submit the reports to the Student Council for a review and he had no time now for reminiscing about painful memories.

William turned around and just when he was about to step forward, he knocked into another body. The folders from his arms slowly fell down and the papers tucked in it were scattered on the floor. 

"I'm sorry!" 

The other student quickly crouched down and started to pick up the papers. While William was still glued to his stance for a minute. One of them asked him if he was okay so it made him flinch in surprise. William unconsciously nodded and crouched down to help the old acquaintance.

William then gathered back all the files with the help of the two students in front of him. 

"I'm really sorry...I didn't mean it" Asher rubbed the back of his head while showing how embarrassed he is.

The one with him smacked his head "I told you to be careful, we are going to graduate soon, don't cause trouble" he exclaimed with his frown eyebrows 

William made a languid smile, Asher was very different. He wasn't the shy type anymore, little by little he got used to his new environment. It made William a little bit relieved and glad.

"Can I get your name?" 

William jolted from his deep thoughts the moment he heard Asher ask him. It was a little bit surprising and downhearted for him. A sting throb inside his chest, it made him bite his lower lip. 

And even before tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, the man next to Asher spoke again. "Dang! He's the Student Council Vice President! You should give him more respect!" He blurted out 

Asher quickly blushed, he didn't know what to react to after knowing the male's position. "I'm really sorry! If you want...I can treat you to a coffee or lunch for another time!" He exclaimed, bowing his head.

William tried to inhale the heaviness inside his chest. "It's okay, you didn't mean it anyway so it's fine…" he tried to smile, to hide his shaking voice.

Asher looked so down from what the male replied. "I'm Asher! Asher Dawson!...Can I at least have your name?" He asked without hesitations.

It made William startled so he averted his gaze and whispered his name under his breath "William…"

Silence fell into them, or maybe it was just him who was imagining things the way it used to be. He can tell that there are now walls between them and he couldn't climb it. He saw the smile on Asher's cheeks the moment he uttered his name. The feeling was new to him though, he wasn't even planning on meeting him again since the School already ended. 

But it was just his own delusion, hoping that Asher will remember him if he told him his name. Nothing happened, he was hoping for nothing.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

William slipped out his phone from his pocket, it was a text from Nathan.

"I'm sorry, I need to go…" he said after putting back his phone. He didn't wait for their response, he turned around and trudged the hallway alone. 

Every step he was making was heavy, it was like there was a magnet pulling his feet back. William looked down, his lips turned downward while his eyes started to become blurry. 

The stuffy feeling he was holding back earlier is now crawling to his system. It made him release a small gasp as he put his palm on his chest.

He stopped at the corner, his knees were almost trembling down. In the empty end of the hallway, he released the sobs. His heart started to feel stuffy and he couldn't even see clearly because of the continuous tears dripping from his eyes.

He wanted to be remembered, he wanted to smile with him once more. He wanted to see his brightest smile again, he wanted to see the fireflies with him at least. 

William gritted his teeth in the middle of his agony, turning back to his place earlier. To the place where Asher was standing and smiling at him. 

He wanted to pull the male back to his embrace and give him warmth. Before everything ends, he knew that he needed to do something. To lessen the burden inside his system.

William ran back, with the heavy emotions he was carrying.  Struggling to catch every breath, hoping it's not too late.

He almost tripped himself after controlling his balance.

"Asher!"

But the hallway was already empty.