Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

They circled the massive trunk together.

The morning light fell through dense green leaves, pooling in scattered patches on the grass. The giant roots twisted like the coils of some ancient creature, creating natural alcoves and dark hollows in the earth.

Uki unfolded the clue one last time—

"Seek the heart where all paths meet."

Sonny traced the gnarled bark with careful fingers. "This is the heart. The literal center of the campus."

Luca stomped on the roots experimentally. "Anything hollow? Trapdoors? Secret lairs?"

Shu rolled his eyes but didn't argue. He crouched to run his hand over the deepest of the hollow roots. "It says 'seek the heart.' Not just look at it. Maybe it means inside."

Uki stepped closer, examining the massive trunk. There, just visible in the bark's uneven grain, was a tiny bronze plate with an inscription.

"Found something."

They crowded around as Uki brushed off the dirt.

"Speak your unity."

Sonny frowned. "It's a prompt."

Shu straightened. "It wants us to say something together. Like a password, but... a declaration."

Luca snapped his fingers. "Easy. We yell 'Red Team Rules!'"

Uki sighed. "Or something less embarrassing."

Sonny's voice was calm. "It says speak your unity. Just tell it the truth."

They all fell quiet.

Then Uki took a breath, voice clear.

"We're a team."

Sonny added without hesitation. "Together."

Shu's tone was lower, but steady. "We trust each other."

Luca beamed, finishing with a flourish: "And we're gonna win!"

The moment their voices blended on that last word, there was a faint click beneath them. A small wooden panel nestled between two roots shifted, popping open just a crack. Luca practically dove on it, pulling it open to reveal the next red envelope.

"YES! Genius teamwork!"

Sonny just laughed, shaking his head. "Loud teamwork. But effective."

Uki took the envelope from Luca before he could tear it apart. He opened it with slow precision.

"Checkpoint Three Complete.

"When hearts are joined, the path is clear. To finish the hunt, go where knowledge is shared. A final answer waits in your hall— Where your journey began."

They all looked at each other.

Shu was the first to speak. "Back to the dorm lobby. That's where they started us."

Sonny nodded. "'Your hall.' It's our shared space. The place we all met."

Luca let out a whoop that startled two passing students. "Final checkpoint, baby!"

Uki actually cracked a smile, folding the paper carefully.

"Let's not get cocky. It's not over yet."

Sonny slung his bag higher on his shoulder, giving Uki a knowing look. "But we're close."

They stepped away from the ancient oak, their laughter and chatter trailing behind them as they headed back toward the paths leading to the dorms.

The sun was higher now, casting their long shadows ahead of them.

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They left the oak behind them, the sounds of the fountain and distant voices fading as they crossed campus paths in a loose but comfortable formation.

The sun was properly warm now. The morning chill was gone, replaced by the shimmer of heat on the bricks and the distant chatter of other scavenger hunt teams rushing in every direction.

Uki folded the last clue neatly and tucked it into his satchel. "'Where your journey began.' They couldn't be clearer if they tried."

Shu checked the time on his phone. "We're making good pace. Some groups are definitely behind us."

Luca slung an arm around Shu's shoulders again, uninvited but tolerated now. "Yeah, because we're genius-level problem solvers."

Shu deadpanned. "I'm carrying your genius for you. Don't get used to it."

Sonny, walking just a little ahead with Uki, turned to glance over his shoulder. His expression was dry but content.

"We did alright. Even with the yelling."

Uki made a noncommittal noise but didn't slow. "Don't say we. Luca did most of the yelling."

Luca, of course, beamed. "Hey, you all love it. I bring the vibes."

"Sure. 'Vibes.'" Uki rolled his eyes, but there was a trace of a smirk on his face.

Sonny nudged Uki gently with his elbow. "You're enjoying this."

Uki shot him a look, then sighed. "I'm not admitting anything."

Sonny just chuckled.

As they crossed the last quad, the red-brick dorm buildings loomed ahead—comfortable, familiar now instead of intimidating.

Students were clustered outside in groups, some strategizing, others clearly exhausted. One rival team glared at them half-playfully, and Luca winked back with obnoxious confidence.

Shu shook his head. "Don't antagonize them."

"I'm not. I'm inspiring healthy competition."

Sonny watched the dorm doors come closer. "Last checkpoint. Probably in the lobby. Could be another riddle, or just the finish."

Uki exhaled and pushed a stray strand of hair behind his ear. "Whatever it is, let's stay sharp. No tripping at the finish line."

Luca put a hand to his chest. "Wow. Is that a pep talk? From Uki?"

"No. It's a threat. Don't mess this up."

Shu actually laughed softly at that, making Luca light up even more.

They slowed as they reached the steps. The big glass doors reflected them back—a chaotic quartet in red lanyards, tired but buzzing with the energy of being close to winning.

Sonny paused at the threshold, glancing at them one by one.

"Ready?"

Shu nodded. "Let's finish it."

Uki didn't say anything at first. He just met each of their eyes, one by one, then jerked his head toward the door.

"Go on."

Luca practically bounced on his heels. "Red Team, baby. For the win."

They pushed the doors open together.

Inside, the lobby was buzzing with other groups checking in, volunteers with clipboards, and one large table marked FINAL CHECKPOINT with a line of envelopes waiting to be claimed.

The finish line was in sight.

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The dorm lobby was busy but humming with excitement.

Bright banners reading WELCOME NIJISANJI SCAVENGER HUNT – FINAL CHECKPOINT hung over the main desk. Students from other teams were clustered around, a few arguing over clues, some celebrating, others looking ready to cry.

But at the center of it all was a wide table manned by two grinning orientation volunteers. On the table sat a large tray of numbered red envelopes—each marked with a different team number.

Uki led the way, approaching with his usual composed expression—even if there was a hint of tension in the tightness of his jaw.

The volunteer spotted them and raised an arm. "Red Team, right? Number Seven?"

Luca puffed out his chest. "That's us! The unstoppable champions of—"

Uki elbowed him sharply. "Yes. Seven."

The volunteer handed over envelope #7. "Congrats on making it this far! This is your final clue. Solve it here to officially finish the hunt."

Sonny accepted it gravely, handing it to Uki without a word.

Uki cracked the seal and unfolded the page—

FINAL CHALLENGE:

"Your journey began with strangers. It ends with knowledge of each other.  Write down ONE TRUTH about EACH TEAM MEMBER you learned today.  Each of you must sign it.  Present it to finish."

They all blinked.

Luca was the first to react, blinking at the paper in his hand with visible confusion. "Wait. No riddle? No trapdoor? It's just... a friendship exercise?"

Shu leaned in, brow furrowed as he reread the instructions. "It's not as easy as you think." His voice was calm but carried an edge of caution.

Sonny nodded slowly, arms crossed. "They want to see if we actually know each other now."

Uki exhaled an exaggerated sigh, eyes narrowing at the offending paper like he wanted to set it ablaze on the spot. Instead, he dropped onto one of the lobby couches with a heavy thud and smoothed it open on the scratched coffee table.

"Fine. Let's get this over with. Who's first?" His tone was biting but resigned.

Without hesitation, Luca lunged forward, snatching the pen. "Me." He scrawled with his trademark sloppy enthusiasm:

'Uki is honest even when it's mean, but it makes him reliable. Sonny seems tough but actually watches out for everyone and Shu is smarter than he pretends—like a quiet wizard.'

He signed with a dramatic flourish, grinning. "Nailed it. Next!"

Shu accepted the pen with far less fanfare, expression unreadable. He wrote carefully, each word deliberate.

'Luca is chaos but good at getting us moving, Uki keeps us focused, even when he's annoyed and Sonny is the steady one who stops us killing each other.'

He signed quickly and slid the paper away, eyes flicking aside to avoid meeting theirs.

Sonny took the pen last, his movements deliberate, expression thoughtful. He seemed to weigh every word before committing it to ink.

'Luca makes sure no one feels left out. Shu listens more than he talks, which helps and Uki says what needs to be said. Always.'

He set the pen down with almost ceremonial care and leaned back, exhaling. Silence fell.

All eyes turned to Uki. He stared at the pen with open hostility before finally picking it up with exaggerated reluctance. He clicked it loudly—once, twice—before scrawling,

'Luca is an idiot but he keeps us laughing, Shu doesn't talk much but is always right there when it matters and Sonny is too patient. Somehow that holds this mess together.'

He signed with a flourish that was more of a threat than a celebration, then slammed the pen down hard enough to make it rattle on the table.

"Done."

They gathered the paper in awkward silence and carried it back to the check-in table. The volunteer glanced over their answers, eyes crinkling with amusement before breaking into a broad smile.

"Perfect. Congratulations, Red Team Seven—you're officially finished!"

She handed over four bright red satin ribbons stamped COMPLETION. Luca immediately seized them all, pinning one onto Uki—who scowled and batted at him—then Shu, who just sighed, and Sonny, who allowed it with a patient smile. Finally, Luca stuck his own ribbon on his chest with exaggerated pride.

"Picture time!" someone called, waving a battered digital camera.

They lined up stiffly at first, arms hovering awkwardly at their sides. But slowly—almost instinctively—they drifted closer. Sonny's arm came to rest over Uki's shoulder despite Uki's muttered complaint. Luca slung himself half onto Shu, who tried not to roll his eyes but failed.

By the time the volunteer snapped the photo, they were wearing crooked but undeniably honest smiles.

Click.

The moment was captured forever. They didn't win the fastest time that day but they finished.

Together.

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They had survived the scavenger hunt.

The team—disheveled, loud, and victorious in spirit if not in time—collapsed onto the big dorm lobby couches in a sprawl of limbs and groaning.

Luca flopped on his back dramatically. "We did it! Legends! Immortals! Bow before us!"

Uki side-eyed him, unimpressed. "Get your foot out of my ribs."

Sonny sat on the arm of the couch, arms folded. "He's going to break that thing."

Shu was slumped next to Luca, scrolling on his phone. "We didn't even get first place."

Luca wiggled his eyebrows. "But we got BEST place. Because we're the coolest."

Uki scoffed. "We're a disaster."

"A loveable disaster," Luca corrected cheerfully.

Nearby, the event volunteer with the clipboard—the same one who'd given them their last envelope—wandered over, clearly trying not to laugh at them.

"Red Team Seven, huh? You four were... memorable."

Sonny blinked. "Uh. Thanks?"

Shu looked wary. "Why do you say it like that?"

The volunteer just smirked, tapping the clipboard. "Your file says you argued at every checkpoint and had to be shushed in the library twice. And apparently you all yelled your final answer so loud at the oak that other teams found it."

Luca perked up. "We helped! That's community spirit!"

Uki groaned into his hand. "Kill me now."

The volunteer grinned wider. "Honestly, I love it. You echoed all over campus today."

They paused.

Shu raised an eyebrow. "Echoed?"

"Yeah. You were loud, but in sync at the end. Like an echo that finally lined up."

Luca sat bolt upright. "Wait. That's awesome."

Sonny tilted his head thoughtfully. "Echo..."

Uki narrowed his eyes. "Don't even—"

The volunteer snapped their fingers. "I've got it. You're not Red Team Seven anymore. You're the Echo Quartet."

Silence.

Then Luca whooped so loud half the lobby jumped. "THAT'S PERFECT! WE'RE THE ECHO QUARTET!"

Uki buried his face in his hands. "Please let this be a fever dream."

Sonny just laughed, shaking his head but smiling. "Honestly? It suits us."

Shu cracked the smallest smile. "Could be worse."

Luca pointed at Uki triumphantly. "He didn't say no. It's official. We're the Echo Quartet!"

Uki just sighed heavily. "Fine. But I'm not getting it printed on a t-shirt."

"Oh, we're definitely getting t-shirts," Luca promised.

The volunteer shook their head, already walking away. "Good luck with the rest of the year, Echo Quartet. You're going to need it."

And on that note, the four of them dissolved into a mix of protests, cackles, and half-serious planning for their newly minted legacy as the most chaotic—and unforgettable—team on campus.

The Echo Quartet.

And it was only their first week.

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The dorm lobby had started to clear out. The banners were being taken down, volunteers collected leftover envelopes, and other groups trickled away for lunch or naps.

But the Echo Quartet—as they had now been officially dubbed—remained sprawled across the dorm lounge sofas in varying states of exhaustion.

Uki slumped back with his legs crossed, glaring at the ceiling like it owed him an apology.

Shu was perched on the arm of a chair, quietly sipping from his water bottle.

Sonny sat cross-legged on the floor with his back against the couch, tapping a quiet rhythm on his knee.

Luca, as always, took up the most space—lying on his back on the biggest couch, arms behind his head and one leg dangling off the side.

Luca groaned theatrically. "My legs are DEAD. Just leave me here to die. Tell my mother I loved her."

Uki didn't even look at him. "She'll probably be relieved."

Sonny let out a short laugh. "That's cruel. Even for you."

Uki finally shifted his gaze to Sonny. "You're defending him?"

Sonny shrugged. "Someone has to. He'll hurt himself with that level of dramatic flailing."

Shu put down his water bottle. "If he hurts himself, we'll have to carry him to lunch. Let's not encourage that."

Luca's eyes lit up. "Wait. You'd carry me?"

"No." Uki and Shu said in unison.

Sonny smiled and didn't bother hiding it.

There was a long, comfortable silence.

Outside the big lobby windows, they could see other students streaming out toward the dining hall.

Eventually, Sonny asked quietly, "So. Lunch?"

Luca immediately perked up like he'd been resurrected. "YES. Food. Many foods. I want a burger and noodles and pizza and maybe ice cream."

Shu raised an eyebrow. "Pick one."

"No."

Uki groaned, but there was the ghost of a smile on his face. "God. We're going to be that table, aren't we?"

Sonny stretched his arms over his head, bones cracking satisfyingly. "It'll be fine. We deserve it."

Shu nodded slightly. "We did finish."

Luca sat up at that. "FINISH? We conquered that hunt."

Uki flicked his forehead again. "We almost got disqualified for yelling at a tree."

"Bonding!" Luca insisted. "It was a team-building exercise."

Shu's mouth twitched. "We're lucky they didn't rename us the Noise Pollution Squad."

Luca puffed out his chest. "Echo Quartet is classier."

Sonny stood up and dusted himself off. "Alright. Enough stalling. Food time. Who's buying?"

Everyone turned to Uki.

Uki narrowed his eyes. "No."

Luca brightened. "You're the responsible one. You should manage the money."

Uki pinched the bridge of his nose. "I hate you all."

Shu slid off his chair arm with a small grin. "So that's a yes?"

Uki exhaled in defeat. "Fine. But I pick where. Somewhere you animals can't embarrass me."

Luca whooped. Sonny smiled approvingly. Shu gave a satisfied nod.

They finally dragged themselves upright, gathering bags and water bottles, bumping shoulders on the way to the door.

It wasn't graceful.

It wasn't quiet.

But they moved together.

The Echo Quartet.

Ready for their first lunch as a team.

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They pushed through the big glass doors of the dorm and headed down the wide campus path toward the main dining hall.

It was properly hot now. Sunlight bounced off every window and bleached the wide paved quad.

Luca had somehow found enough energy to start skipping ahead.

"FOOD! Glorious food! Echo Quartet deserves a feast!"

Uki rolled his eyes so hard he nearly lost his balance. "Can you not make us look like escaped lunatics for five minutes?"

Shu walked in the middle, reading the cafeteria sign for the daily specials. "Burger station, noodle bar, sandwich deli, salad counter. Choose now."

Sonny adjusted his bag on his shoulder. "Uki's picking, remember?"

Uki sighed but gestured at the sign. "Deli counter. Everyone likes sandwiches. Minimal screaming. No risk of Luca lighting anything on fire."

Luca clutched his heart. "That was one time."

Sonny muttered, deadpan, "Once is enough."

They stepped into the cafeteria, hit by a wave of blessed AC and the smell of frying oil, bread, and coffee.

It was packed. Students from other scavenger hunt teams were comparing clues, exhaustedly bragging about finish times, or scarfing down entire plates in under a minute.

Echo Quartet got in line for the deli.

Luca immediately started vibrating. "I want extra meat. Like, three meats. Maybe four."

Uki didn't even look at him. "They'll charge extra."

"Worth it."

Sonny watched them with patient amusement. "Vegetables, Luca. Remember those?"

Luca shuddered theatrically. "What are you, my mom?"

Shu calmly ordered a smoked turkey sandwich with spicy mustard. Uki followed with his usual precise efficiency.

When it was Luca's turn, he delivered an essay-length order involving three meats, two cheeses, no onions, and "just a tiny bit of lettuce so Sonny doesn't cry."

Sonny ordered last—plain roast beef, extra pickles—and paid for Luca's add-ons with a long-suffering sigh.

They found a half-empty corner booth and crammed in together.

Luca's sandwich was the size of his head. He held it aloft like Excalibur.

"BEHOLD. A MASTERPIECE."

Uki immediately smacked his arm. "Eat it. Don't worship it."

Sonny bit into his sandwich, watching them with that small, rare smile that meant he was actually relaxed.

Shu set his tray down and leaned back. "Honestly? Not bad for day one."

Uki hummed agreement. "Could've been worse."

Luca's mouth was full, but he still managed to garble, "Besht teeeam on camphush."

Sonny swallowed his bite. "Echo Quartet. Officially unstoppable."

Uki snorted. "Unstoppable from embarrassing ourselves, maybe."

Shu lifted his cup. "To that, then."

They all tapped drinks together—paper cups, water bottles, iced coffee.

A ragtag toast to the most unlikely alliance on campus.

As they dug in, they talked over each other constantly: plans for classes, complaining about homework that hadn't even been assigned yet, arguing about who snored loudest in the dorm.

Other students stared.

They didn't care.

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The sun was dipping low, casting long slanted beams through the dorm lobby's big glass doors. Echo Quartet wandered in slowly, weighed down by both exhaustion and the gravity of their lunch. Luca flopped face-first onto one of the big old sofas with a dramatic oomph.

"I regret nothing. Except eating that entire cookie at the end."

Uki set down his bag with a little more dignity but clearly exhausted. "You ate half of my cookie."

Luca twisted to look at him, eyes innocent. "Sharing is caring."

"Die."

Shu set his iced coffee on the table and sat with his legs tucked up under him. He scrolled his phone calmly while smirking at their bickering.

Sonny just watched them from the other armchair, amused, arms folded comfortably.

Silence fell. But it was the good kind of silence.

Outside, cicadas buzzed in the hedges. A couple of other students laughed on the front steps.

Inside, the dorm lobby felt like theirs alone. After a minute, Sonny leaned back and sighed.

"Not bad for week one."

Uki huffed but nodded. "Could've been worse."

Shu didn't look up from his phone. "We didn't kill each other. That's a win."

Luca's voice was muffled by the couch cushion. "We're bonded now. Like a family. A weird, loud, unbalanced family."

Sonny raised an eyebrow. "You're calling yourself the unbalanced one?"

Luca sat up, hair sticking up in all directions. "No. We're all unbalanced. That's the charm."

Uki let out an incredulous sound but didn't contradict him. They sat there for a long while, doing basically nothing.

Shu eventually put away his phone.

Sonny asked Uki quietly about their marketing reading.

Luca interjected with plans for breakfast the next day.

They debated who had the worst professor. Who snored. Who would be first to fail an exam. They ended up laughing too hard at nothing at all.

Eventually, a dorm staff member stuck their head in the lobby.

"Hey. Quiet hours start soon. You guys gonna stay here all night?"

Luca saluted sloppily. "Yes, sir. We live here now. This couch is my bed."

Uki shoved him off.

Shu finally stood up, gathering his things. "Come on. Let's go upstairs before we get banned on week one."

Sonny chuckled low in his chest. "He's right. Come on, Echo Quartet."

Uki groaned. "Don't say it like it's a superhero team."

Luca immediately posed. "TO THE DORMS, ECHO QUARTET, AWAY!"

Shu pushed him toward the stairs. Uki shook his head in exasperation but didn't hide his tiny smile.

The stairwell door clicked shut behind them with a hollow thud. Their laughter faded into quiet, more out of exhaustion than any sense of courtesy. They shuffled down the hallway—two pairs of roommates splitting naturally toward their own doors.

Luca and Shu in 306.

Uki and Sonny in 305.

They paused in front of their rooms for one last word.

Luca looked deliriously happy. "Best. Day. Ever."

Uki raised an eyebrow. "You nearly drowned in a fountain."

"Worth it!"

Shu sighed but didn't hide his smile. "Get some sleep, genius."

Sonny leaned against his doorframe, watching them all with that calm, settled look that only he seemed to master.

"Breakfast tomorrow?"

Luca nodded so hard his hair bounced. "Yes. Echo Quartet reunion. Mandatory attendance."

Uki rolled his eyes but unlocked his door. "Fine. Goodnight."

"Night." Shu gave a little wave before pushing Luca into 306.

The door shut with a quiet click.

Uki let his bag drop heavily onto his chair and sighed. Sonny watched him for a moment before starting to unbutton his uniform shirt, revealing a simple black tee underneath.

"You did good today."

Uki paused, one shoe half-off. "I know"

Sonny just chuckled softly.

Uki dropped onto his bed, sprawled on his back. He stared at the ceiling.

"I... had fun today" he muttered eventually.

Sonny's eyebrow ticked up. He dropped onto his own bed, folding his arms behind his head.

"I did too."

Another silence fell, but it was a comfortable one. The window let in a faint breeze, ruffling the edge of Uki's purple blanket.

After a while, Uki spoke again—voice quieter than usual.

"He's... alright. For an idiot."

Sonny's mouth quirked up. "Yeah. He's not bad."

Uki exhaled. "Don't tell Luca I said that. He'll make a banner."

Sonny snorted. "Deal."

Uki turned his head to face him across the narrow space.

"Breakfast? We really doing that?"

Sonny's voice was soft. "Yeah. We really are."

Uki's eyelids drooped. "...Fine. Don't let me oversleep."

"I won't."

For a while, they lay in the near-dark, the quiet punctuated only by the muffled sound of other students in the hall, the distant plumbing groaning as someone took a shower.

And somewhere, through the thin walls, they could just faintly hear Luca's laughter on the other side.

Uki let out one last sigh.

"Echo Quartet. Weird name."

Sonny smiled into the dark.

"It suits us."

Uki didn't argue. He just closed his eyes.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Uki's eyes shot open in the near-dark.

He blinked at the ceiling in horror.

Through the thin wall came the unmistakable sound of Luca's triumphant howl.

"LUCA, BE QUIET!" Shu's voice followed, ragged with exasperation.

There was a loud thud, like someone falling off a bed. Another round of muffled cackling.

Uki groaned and covered his face with a pillow. "I'm going to murder him. Slowly. Artistically."

Sonny was already chuckling, lying on his side.

"I warned you. He's got too much energy."

Uki lifted the pillow just enough to glare at him. "Can't you go over there and arrest him or something? You're criminology, right?"

Sonny smirked. "Not how that works."

"Ugh. Shu needs backup." Uki muttered.

From the other side of the wall came another muffled yell.

"LUCA, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS!"

"BUT I'M NOT TIRED!"

"YOU WILL BE WHEN I KNOCK YOU OUT."

Uki let out an exasperated wheeze that might have been a laugh.

Sonny, still lying in his bed, snorted softly. "Your friend is a menace."

Uki groaned, shoving his pillow over his face. "Kill me."

Sonny pushed himself upright. "Want me to go help them?"

Uki considered, then let his head flop back onto his pillow.

"Nah. Let Shu handle it. Builds character."

Sonny chuckled. "You're evil."

"I'm practical." Uki turned to look at him, eyes heavy with sleep. "Besides. You're not leaving me alone to deal with the next round of yelling."

Sonny smirked, settling back down. "Fair."

Outside their window, the campus was finally settling, the sound of cicadas and distant laughter fading.

Inside their wall, however...

"STOP DOING CARTWHEELS ON THE BED!"

"I'M CELEBRATING OUR TEAM NAME!"

But then—

From somewhere further down the hall came a furious, exhausted voice, echoing through the thin dorm walls:

"WHO'S SHOUTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?! IT'S ONE OF THE ECHO QUARTET AGAIN, ISN'T IT?!"

Everything went dead silent.

Even Luca froze.

They heard him whisper in perfect terror—

"...Uh oh."

Shu's hissed, furious whisper followed. "NOW look what you did. Lights. Off. NOW."

A sudden click of a lamp going dark. A creak as Luca presumably dove under his blanket.

Uki bit his lip to keep from laughing. Sonny let out one quiet, breathy laugh and shook his head on his pillow.

Uki rolled to face him in the dark. "Your best friend is going to get us all killed."

Sonny smiled, voice low. "It was only a matter of time."

Silence finally settled like a heavy blanket over the dorm. Uki let out one last exhale.

"Echo Quartet. We're going to be legendary."

Sonny smiled wider in the dark.

"Yeah. Legendary headaches."

Uki's mouth twitched. Even he couldn't hold back a grin anymore. He turned over, pulling his blanket up to his chin.

"Goodnight, Sonny."

"'Night, Uki."

From next door they heard a very muffled, defeated whisper:

"...Sorry Shu."

"Go to sleep, Luca."

Outside, the quad was quiet at last. Inside, four very different students settled into something like home. Their first day done, their team name secured—by popular complaint if nothing else.

The Echo Quartet.

Ready for week two.

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END OF MAIN STORY 1

TO BE CONTINUED