Anthony arched an eyebrow in intrigue.
Spotting this, Ethan felt as if his most mortifying secret from adolescence had been unearthed, his face flushing to his ears as he snatched the bookmark back from Anthony's grasp.
"Thanks for picking up my book," Ethan said, clumsily stuffing the book and bookmark back into his bag as he hugged it close, eyeing Anthony warily.
The sight of Ethan acting like a cornered hamster brought a smile to Anthony's usually stoic face, softening his sharp features into something disarmingly attractive.
Ethan averted his gaze, feeling a twist in his stomach that turned his face pale. He rummaged through his backpack, finding only an empty bottle.
"You're sick," Anthony said with a low voice, "You should get that treated."
Ethan remained silent. His stomach medicine had run out, a special medication his mother had brought back from abroad.
Anthony fished in his pocket for a moment before producing two individually wrapped cookies, no bigger than half a joint on his finger, and offered them to Ethan, saying, "Eat these to tide you over, I'll go get you something more substantial to eat."
Ethan hesitated to accept.
Anthony's voice turned icy, "Listen to me."
Stunned, Ethan couldn't believe how Anthony dared to speak to him with such an tone. But faced with Anthony's stern look and frosty voice, Ethan begrudgingly took the cookies.
Despite looking like the type of snack given out to appease customers waiting outside a shop, Ethan still politely thanked Anthony, "Thanks."
"I'll be right back," Anthony repeated, draping his down jacket over Ethan as a gentle pat landed on Ethan's head. Then, he was gone.
Staring at the cookie for a moment, Ethan realized it was a brand he was never allowed to touch, filled with the cheapest ingredients. It was beneath his mother's standards.
Ethan thought, "Why not give it a try?"
After hesitantly taking a bite, the creamy taste exploded on his palate, warming his heart. The cookie vanished in a few bites.
There was still one more.
Ethan, with a raspy murmur of surprise, mumbled, "How come I never realized these were actually good?"
He felt the lingering warmth of Anthony's touch on his head.
Sniffling, Ethan burrowed back into the bed, overwhelmed by the cozy warmth of the down jacket and his own exhaustion, soon falling asleep again.
When he woke, he was nestled in a warm embrace. The rumbling of the train, sunlight filtering through the gaps in the worn curtains, and the aromatic scent of porridge filled the air.
Stiffening, Ethan slowly looked up to see a chin shadowed with stubble. The man sleeping peacefully looked like a destitute prince – handsome and mysterious.
...But the real question was, how did he end up in this man's arms?!
"Awake?" A deep voice broke the silence above him. Ethan, seeing Anthony's calm demeanor, awkwardly responded, suppressing his shock for the sake of appearing unruffled.
Anthony let go and sat up, his tall frame bending slightly as he swung his long legs to the floor, his gaze – cool and pale – fixated on Ethan.
"Fell asleep last night. Couldn't wake you, and you seemed really cold."
"Ah," Ethan replied.
"Come have some porridge."
"I need to brush my teeth first."
"Such a prince," Anthony chuckled.
After freshening up, Anthony served him a bowl of plain porridge. After just one spoonful, Ethan claimed with genuine happiness, "This porridge is amazing."
Anthony smiled, "It's just rice and water."
"You're a good cook," Ethan said, genuinely impressed. "Where'd you get a rice cooker?"
"It's borrowed from the neighbor. Told her my 'little brother' was sick."
"Oh."
Their conversation meandered from there, with Anthony asking, "Not of age yet, and traveling so far. Did you run away from home?"
Ethan paused mid-sip, candidly confessing, "I'm on a pilgrimage."
"A pilgrimage?" Anthony looked puzzled. "A young person's game?"
Ethan didn't reply, instead asking back, "And you?"
Anthony fell silent, the morning light casting his face in half shadow, emphasizing his mysterious aura.
"I can't remember," he finally said. "I lost some memories. I was in the military, then discharged. Everything before my discharge is a blank."
"Selective amnesia?" Ethan speculated with exaggerated seriousness. "A symptom of PTSD, maybe? You must've encountered something in the military. Not a breakup, obviously... Lost a comrade? Major illness? Or..." he added cryptically, "A struggle for power?"
Anthony laughed, charmed by Ethan's creativity.
Ethan wasn't sure if that was a compliment.
He sighed, "Wish I could forget. Forget everyone and avoid all the trouble that comes with them."
"Vain," Anthony teased.
"For real," Ethan protested, "I could pick any top university."
Anthony looked at him with a mix of surprise and envy, "Impressive. I was never good at studying."
"It's just rote memorization," Ethan said, embarrassed under Anthony's genuine gaze. He dug out a flyer from his bag for Anthony to see.
It detailed a journey along the world's longest railway, a symbolic pilgrimage through changing landscapes.
"We should be over the plains now," Ethan said, moving to the window to draw back the curtain.
What they saw defied all expectations: an endless abyss, with bioluminescent flora and fauna casting a dim light on a dreamlike underwater world.
The sight was stunningly impossible.
"There's no underwater tunnel for this railway," Ethan stated, stupefied.
"What is this then?" Anthony asked, as perplexed.
Incredible marine life, a colossal undersea palace glimpsed in flashes of light – it was all too bewildering.
Then the train was violently yanked upward by an unseen force, accompanied by a sinister welcome to the "game room of the judge," offering them a chance at life.
As consciousness faded...
...they found themselves on an island, with the game rules laid before them: Escape or die, guided by the roll of dice.
Upon waking, Ethan, along with five others including Anthony, faced this new, inexplicable reality.
"So," a bespectacled man across Ethan ventured into the ominous silence, "anyone know what's happening?"
No response came; none had any answers, until someone finally broke the silence.
"Guess."
Ethan could only think, "You're asking for trouble, buddy."