Chapter Text
[Spring, 9th of March 20XX; W.D.C.]
[3:50 PM — After Classes]
“Wait- wait, DUDES. Look at this one,” Alfred said, as his eyes continued to be completely plastered to every word on the sticky note he specified on this particularly interesting freedom wall.
“I like you so much, Arthur Kirkland. Let’s go on a date one day, please?—dude, and yet you say that you don’t attract any of the huzz..”
It was the late afternoon, a time when the sunlight hits both the concrete and greenery neatly. The day was over, and classes had recently finished. Before departing from campus, however, the first thing that came to mind for this trio’s brightest one was to go to this specific bulletin board on the ground floor.
Not for anything suspicious—only to read messages that are either sweet or stupid, maybe even in between.
As always, the university’s Freedom Wall remained cluttered with words and illustrations, a normal expectation that became reality whenever it was established for the likes of students and authorities.
Layers upon layers of sticky notes, written in either messy or neat handwriting, conveying nonsense or even a confession, had been stuck to the corkboard by fellow schoolmates—though it sounded so frivolous, it wasn’t so boring nonetheless; they were a pure source of comedy and fun in this draining school life, especially to the likes of Arthur, Alfred, and Matthew.
Arthur rolled his eyes, scowling at Alfred’s antics. “Is this what you’re only good at? Being able to point your nose into things that shouldn’t even be given too much attention?
“Bloody hell, you’re making a big deal out of this.”
The other, of course, had a reply to strike almost immediately. “Big deal? My brother in Christ, none of these confessions to you has been a small deal.”
Matthew, although he was the soft-spoken one, decided to share his own words as well. “I guess being a British ‘gentleman’ passes you off very well that so many people would even write your name down here...”
“SEE? Even Matthew sees it, and he has fucking astigmatism, dude!” exclaimed the American, ruffling his blonde hair with his right hand.
“I have seen four written confessions and nine spoken ones from girls through JUST this month alone, and they are all towards you. What do you even do to get all of their hearts? Tell me your damn secrets.”
Arthur shrugs with his shoulders, grasping his bag’s strap. He rolled his eyes like it was a habit he should do, or else his whole body would start mutilating itself. “I don’t know? Possibly because I act like a normal person instead of shoving my arse into everybody’s business.”
“Oh, ah— okay, dude?? You didn't have to answer like that. I asked that question nicely, didn't you hear?”
Alfred said, his tone of disbelief, side-eyeing the British man beside him due to the unpleasant response he had gotten from his blunt mouth. “You heard that, too, right, Matthew? I asked him so kindly!”
However, it didn't take long for him to change his mood, as he didn't feel much offense. After all, this Arthur Kirkland right here has something called ‘being sharp-tongued’ as a habit that he can't help but do whenever faced with his friend's famous ‘bullshit.’
Doing so in a firm manner, he patted his shoulder as his signature smile came back to his face. Alfred blinked once. “It’s okay, dude. I know that's just how you are, and I like whatever is wrong with you. how you act, and you have this natural reaction where you verbally ram someone’s head into a concrete walkway if they ever dare to speak once.”
“Nothing is wrong with me. You’re probably projecting yourself. Do you ever get bored?”
Matthew scratched the back of his head, whilst a soft smile, attempting to stop his laughter, was on his face. “I’m sure that if he can continue doing this, he wouldn’t be resisting.”
This was a classic. It always was the usual, something to break himself out of the stresses of this damned school year and all the heavy assignments from that one teacher who asks you to make a cure for cancer or syphilis in under an hour or just 35 minutes.
As much as Arthur would have the audacity to insult his whole bloodline and curse upon his name through something he doesn't approve of, Alfred couldn't have it any better.
There was something wrong in their heads that wasn't diagnosed, and that was perfect.
While minding their time and having a blast reading these messages out loud, a young, notably lovely lady of the Student Council around their grade and age had approached them in the process. She held a couple of flyers and posters in her hands, and the name tag with the surname Hedervary was pinned on her attire's breast pocket. Politely, her voice called the three boys through a kind greeting.
“Ah, good afternoon!”
Alfred was the first to notice, and the other young men next to him had followed. “Yo, good afternoon, miss… Hedervary! You're Ms. Erzsebet Hedervary, yeah?” She nodded at his clarification, her smile sweet. Upon getting his answer, he spoke once more.
“What do you need? Don't hesitate to ask. You can always rely on me!” With his signature smile, he greeted her in return, reaching out for a handshake. She took the bigger hand on her own, proceeding with the gesture. Matthew followed, waving before doing the same handshake with her, albeit much gentler in his touch.
After that, he initiated a “dap” with her, and she did the same thing without any hesitation, alongside a sweet sound of her laughter.
Returning to the topic, she cleared her voice and began to speak once more. She looked down at the posters in her hands, then gazed up at the group. “Well, if it doesn't take many minutes out of your time…”
“Good afternoon once more, Mr. Jones, Mr. Williams, and of course, Mr. Arthur. I am Erzsebet Hedervary, but it would be more delightful if I were addressed as Ms. Erza, or simply, Erza! I am a part of the Student Council for the duties of managing our university’s student affairs.”
With a hand to her chest, she added, a bright grin on her pretty face.
“I would love to inform you of an opportunity to connect through consenting students outside our country through the only project—the CBAG, and in full, the Creating Bonds Across the Globe Project!”
Erza then put her gaze on Arthur, smiling kindly. He returned a smile, nodding respectfully. “I am very sure that Mr. Arthur is very aware of this, as he has been part of the process of this project from the start and the culmination as a Student Council member alongside our school.”
Politely, she handed over a poster to Alfred, then to Arthur, and to Matthew. The British foreign exchange student analyzed the poster, then talked to Erza once more. “Ah, so this means that the promotion for this project has started now, Ms. Erza?”
Nodding at his question, she answered with both words and action. “Yes, that is correct. I guess they finalized the decision of establishing it here very swiftly.”
Both brothers focused their eyes on the poster, their gaze shifting from the colors to the text. Although Matthew had his own copy, he still turned to his brother's side to look at the piece of promotional material in his hands. At this point, he swears that there might be a twinkle in Alfred's eyes out of interest.
There wasn't any moment where he would decline a chance to chat with those who are “far away from him in this shitty but still beautiful world.”
[CBAG]
Creating Bonds Across the Globe:Through sincere, fun letters throughout the end of the A.Y. and your summer vacation, grab your opportunity to mingle with students who live in faraway countries, and prove that there are no boundaries for a friendship to bloom, even if there may be a continent between you!
For more information, please submit an inquiry to the Student Council or the Faculty.
The intended project duration will be until the first week of July.
The quieter brother looked up from the poster and asked the student council member beside Arthur. He asked, albeit quietly, but he tried his best to be loud and clear. “Ms. Erza, if I must ask, as I am curious to know…”
She would lean closer, trying to grasp his words a little better. He added, “Which countries, or most specifically, universities, are participating? Are you allowed to… pick which one you want, or is it randomized?”
Erza gripped her pen, putting it near her lips. She pondered before speaking her reply. “Well, Mr. Williams, I unfortunately do not know which specific universities are part of CBAG. However, I did see a list of the possible countries! If I remember correctly, there was… Japan, then there's Germany… and Spain, probably so many others, like Austria, too.”
“There was France and even the UK. Not sure if I'm correct, but a university from China and Russia could participate, too, as I saw that they were also on the list.” Arthur followed, his eyes on Matthew. In the process, Alfred kept listening to the conversation, surprisingly keeping his silence very well.
Nodding, Erza tucked a hair behind her ear. For the second question from him, both Arthur and Erza shook their heads. “And, no, you unfortunately can't pick. It's all randomized…”
All of that was enough to thrill Alfred's skin to the very bone. Meeting new people? Hell yeah, dude! Overseas or not, he didn’t care. Who cares if they're overseas? He has seen what it was like in Discord back then, anyway. Thank you, dopamine! Hopefully, this becomes serotonin at some point!
“Alfred, are you going to join?” Matthew asked, his voice soft, though that gaze towards his brother already seemed to know his answer.
“Well, who do you think I am, bro? A puss? Of course, I'm joining! And… you should, too! It's not like I, or WE, haven't gotten any Discord friends in the past who were from… Sweden or some shit before.” With a soft chuckle from his lips, the latter spoke once more, nodding at his brother's suggestion. “Then, I guess I want to sign up for it, too. It sounds… fun.”
“That's good! Fucking good, dude! Well, what about you, Arthur?”
“Hm. Won’t be, I’ll just be monitoring and helping you all out on your letters and the project. I have other things to do…” said Arthur. Alfred’s smile turned into a pout.
“Why not? Dude, you’re not an isolationist. Besides, I know that there will be Student Council members who have probably been told to do so. Like Ms. Erza, right? You joined it, didn’t you?”
Erza nodded with a smile, then said. “Yes, I've signed myself up for it as well. If you ask me, I think it would be very nice if he could join… but, in the end, it’s up to Mr. Kirkland if he really wants to.”
Although having the desire to keep nagging the other man, the American did agree to her statement. Still, he didn't hesitate to do what he wanted, so he continued trying to get Arthur to oblige. “Remember, you’re British, and this shit is so historically aligned yet also misaligned that I needed to point it out. If you're my nationality, it's meant to be done by me. Gosh, let me get this straight—you help build the whole thing, talk it up, get the paperwork approved, and then go ‘nah, not for me’?”
A sigh came out of the British man. “Come on, dude… sign yourself up? Take a chance- not with me, but with some foreigner. Sounds absurd to you, but you’ll regret the chance you’ll not take-” Alfred nagged even further.
In something that he really wanted you to be in, he’ll be making sure that you’ll be relentlessly gaslighted into involving yourself in the activity. “You’re unbelievably insufferable.”
On Arthur’s soul, they know well that he can and does not hesitate to be stubborn for a chance that can either benefit or harm—thankfully, the ‘gaslighting’ has only been towards good things, surprisingly. “Fine, I’m signing in. Though… are you both sure that you all really want to?”
“I don’t know about you saying that, dude, but know I’m not backing away. I feel like if you skip this opportunity, we would’ve missed something large in our lives!”
“So, you know what I’m doing—taking this damn ‘risk’ you say!”
“Oh, of course…” And so, Alfred took one step toward Erza. With a bright smile enough to endear and irritate Arthur's nerves, he asked the lady. “Ms. Erza! I really, really want to participate in the CBAG project! So, where do I sign for the project? I'm thrilled about this, let me tell you.”
In reply to him, Erza brought out a clipboard and showed it to the three. “If that is so, please write down your full name, signature, and other important credentials given on this sheet! Do any of you have a pen?”
At that, Arthur took a moment to grasp his pocket and brought out a pen. Each of the young men signed the paper, the information given (hopefully) complete. Goodbyes were shared with one another, and the trio and Erza each went their separate ways.
***
[Spring, 15th of March 20XX; W.D.C.}
[12:20 PM — Lunch Break]
Alfred and Matthew find themself in a crowd of students circulating the main board of the university. Once both men had approached it, the hype was clear to them now.
“Ah! It’s the Creating Bonds list!”
Matthew pointed out to his brother, causing him to look up at the endless list of names assigned to a certain country. Whilst looking for his own amidst the endless whispers and talking from others, the quieter brother added once again, while moving to another sheet taped on the board, pointing to it.
“I found your name, Alfred… right there, right there.”
At that, he spoke. “Don’t tell me which country… I’ll find it myself, dude.” He scanned the list through the alphabetically arranged last names with his guidance, and his eyes landed on his own. Finally, he found it—and on the paper, it read:
Jones, Alfred F. — Japan
A twinkle in his eye came at the words he just read. “Japan? Hell yeah, dude… that sounds sick.”
This year will definitely be very intriguing.
Meanwhile, somewhere else lies the same situation, the same list, and the same crowd. A mirror, in its own unique way, just with a boy, far calmer than the one he was assigned to, was reading the list himself. His eyes focused on his name, and there, he read:
本田菊 — U.S.
With composed acknowledgement, he walked away from the board, seemingly without a change, until one could notice that his hand on his bookbag was a little tighter than before.
I wonder what awaits.
Even with the distance, there seems to be no difference—two people stare at a list, both curious about the name given to them—one from the west, the other far away, with an incoming bond across the ocean.