Roommate

Ryan rubbed his eyes, "New recruits? Didn't they come today? Why are you training them so early?"

Dale whispered something into Ryan's ear. Naran couldn't quite hear, but he made no extra effort to. Ryan nodded and began walking out of the dorms, "I'll repair it sure, but I want no business with this situation."

Dale turned to the two newbies, "Sorry about that, he's a bit grumpy if he wakes by other means... While he works let's get your rooms settled!"

Dale pointed up, "Girls are on the second floor, boys bottom. The rooms are spacious, but limited. So you'll have to have a roommate. If you have any complaints about it, see if someone is willing to trade rooms. Since we are on the first floor already, Naran you're up!"

Naran said, "Girls are on the second floor."

Dale's smile faltered, "I meant... never mind. Follow me, your roommate might be a little strange. But he's a decent guy, if you get to know him."

Yun spoke, "I have a feeling you say this about everyone here."

Dale inwardly was quite concerned with the two unsociable rookies, but he kept that to himself as he agreed, "Yes, the unpopular ones tend to… well."

"Die off?"

"You get it."

Dale knocked on the door of a room at the end of the hall. The one who opened the door was dressed in wrinkled old clothing and was adjusting a pair of glasses as they asked, "Yes?"

Dale smiled, "Your roommate is here. Now Naran can be a little..."

"But he's a good person once you get to know him, right?"

"I hope so."

The guy with the glasses was a little taken aback by the statement. Still he looked at Naran and said, "Well I was waiting for a roommate, come on in I'll show you around."

Dale ushered Naran forward, "You two get to know each other, I'll come get you when it's time."

The glasses guy closed the door as Naran walked in. After attempting, and failing, to sort his wrinkled shirt, he held out a hand, "My name's Wyrn, what's yours?"

Naran only looked at Wryn hand as he answered, "Naran."

Wryn chuckled awkwardly as he lowered his hand, "Not a handshake kind of guy?"

"I do not understand."

"A handshake you know?"

"I know what a handshake is."

"Then why didn't you accept mine?"

"Was it necessary?"

Wryn suddenly felt like his new roommate was going to bring a new set of trouble. Still he answered, "Not really, but it's usually considered rude if you don't accept it."

"Sorry."

"I'm not too troubled by it. Now come and see our room!"

The room looked like it was separated into two. A clear line was obvious from a glance. Wryn was quite meticulous in keeping an even space for himself and his future roommate.

Naran's side was plain, an ordinary bed with a grey blanket and white sheet lay neat on its surface. In a corner a simple desk stood, an unlit lamp being its only decoration.

Wryn's side was decorated with various posters and shelves of figurines. As he showed off the room he found himself feeling abashed about them, "I'm a big fan…"

Naran only nodded.

Wryn changed the subject, "I'm part of the Recon team. Though currently I'm only an apprentice. What will you be part of?"

"Don't know."

Wryn scratched his chin, "Hmm, how did they find you?"

"I hit a monster- a Hope."

Wryn nodded, "I see, so you're part of the Extermination group. So field duty eh? We might work together one day."

"Oh."

A silence filled the room. Wryn fiddled with his hands, clearly feeling some awkwardness. So he made an attempt at conversation, "What were you doing before you ended up here?"

"Surviving."

"Heh, aren't we all..?"

The attempt failed. Naran was too unsociable for Wryn to successfully make conversation. In fact Wryn desperately wanted to be somewhere else, but he felt it would be too rude to just suddenly leave.

Wryn gestured over to a game console, "You uh… you play games?"

"No."

"You try them?"

"No."

"Well give it a try then! It's pretty fun! Come I'll show you how to play this one game…"