Back to the present conversation:
"And then I thought he was lying to recruit me for his team. It seems that the manager was right," Tamim explained.
"What? You knew?" Samia exclaimed, surprised.
"As I said, I thought he was lying," Tamim reiterated.
"Sorry. By the way, how did both of you fare in the results?" Samia inquired.
"Both of us got admission," Fahim responded.
"Congratulations," both Riya and Rafi chimed in.
"I'm really happy to know. Can you guys give me some time to think about what to do? I also need to call Nahid (Samia's husband, the manager of the adult esports team)," Samia requested.
As the others left the room, leaving Samia alone, the group walked away.
"Hey, Fahim bro, did you see that viral video? Near the bridge, a guy turned into a monster, and a hooded figure fought and defeated it," Rafi remarked.
"Yeah, I saw it. People are getting superpowers nowadays after the sudden death of millions, but the government doesn't want to reveal it to the public for fear of causing panic," Fahim replied.
"The guy who fought the monster was me. How did this go viral, and who recorded it?" Tamim thought, a sense of fear creeping in.
"Let me see," Tamim requested.
Riya showed her phone to Tamim, playing the video. However, the footage was unclear and in black and white.
"What a relief. I thought it was a clear video, but it's unclear," Tamim thought to himself, relieved, before closing the video and expressing his gratitude, saying, "Thanks."
Few Days later -
Tamim Standing on a bus stop thinking.
"The University rules say that if I can't attend 80% of classes, I can't sit for the final exams. What a pain," Tamim thought, waiting for the bus, momentarily unmasked. A voice called out to him from behind.
Turning around, Tamim found himself facing a boy. "Are you Neon? I'm your big fan! Can I have a photo with you?" the boy asked eagerly.
"Sure," Tamim replied, obliging the fan's request before the boy left. "I can't stand this. This is precisely why I avoid unmasking. I have to put on a friendly facade for people who call themselves my fans, but truthfully, I'm not friendly at all," Tamim mused in his head.
That Day - Nextera Esports.
"Guess what, guys? I've found a player for our team," announced Samia excitedly.
"That's great! When do we meet them?" inquired Fahim.
"Tomorrow I'll meet her, and the day after tomorrow, she'll be joining us," Samia shared.
"A girl? That's fantastic!" exclaimed Rafi, to which Riya responded, "What did you say, Rafi? Have you forgotten that you're my boyfriend?"
"Sorry, please forgive me," apologized Rafi.
As the door swung open, Tamim entered the room. "A new player, huh? It'll be challenging for me to interact with new people. I fear it might make teamwork difficult," Tamim remarked.
"That's why I always tell you to be friendly with people; it'll make your life easier in the future," remarked Samia.
"No worries, I'll make him social. Just wait," Fahim chimed in optimistically.
"We've been friends for seven years, and you still think you can change me?" Tamim retorted, eliciting laughter from everyone.
Next Day As Tamim stood at the bus stop, contemplating the weather, he felt a sense of an impending snowfall.
"Can I talk with you?" a girl's voice interrupted his thoughts from behind.
Turning around, Tamim spotted a tall girl with short black hair, silver eyes and wearing a hoodie.
( It was Faria)
"Did you ask me?" Tamim inquired, slightly surprised.
"Yes, I did," the girl confirmed.