A/N: My notifications are never on for anything. I like to live life like it's 1999.
"Are you sure now is the time." Grandfathers lawyer of thirty years asked. A senior gentlemen, dressed in a dark navy suit, understood the situation but personally felt it too soon to be making such a decision.
"Yes. I want everything to be put into Gemini's name. It's the safest option given he has no interest in following that same path as the rest of the family. It will be too late if I die." Grandfather replied, looking back at his lawyer.
The lawyer gave a nod and replied, "I'll get the process started."
"Until we have a better understanding of how I ended up in here I don't want anyone to know why this decision was made." Grandfather insisted.
"Understood." The lawyer agreed.
Grandfather gave a nod as he grimaced in pain, clutching his stomach.
"Should I get the doctor." The lawyer asked.
Grandfather shook his head as he lay back against the pillow, his eyes closed in pain.
"Did you want me to come with you?" Ken asked, as he and Gemini left their last class at the end of the week. It had already been a week since Gemini's grandfather had been admitted into hospital and the stress it created for Gemini was beginning to outwardly show the longer he remained there.
"No. Mother's coming here to discuss grandfather. I'll meet with her and then catch up with you later."
"Call me when you're free." Ken replied.
Gemini nodded and with a wave goodbye made towards the front of the University campus. On his arrival, he spotted the family car parked in the no parking zone and made towards it. As he grew near, the driver exited the vehicle and came around to open the rear door for Gemini. With a nod of thanks to the driver, Gemini entered the vehicle and greeted his mother with a smile as she gave Gemini a hug in welcome.
"Any word about grandfather?" Gemini asked, as he pull back from his mother's embrace.
"Still the same." Mother said, her expression glum. "He has lower abdominal pains but they haven't been unable to determine the cause."
"Oh." Gemini replied, glancing down at his hands now clasped tight together on his lap.
Mother reached out and took Gemini's hands. "It's going to be fine. He's a stubborn old man, he won't let anything take him out this early in life."
"Mmm." Gemini couldn't reply any further, the concern for his grandfathers health was real.
"About grandfather leaving everything to me." Gemini turned and stared at his mother, "Where you able to make him change his mind?"
Mother shook her head. "No."
The expression on his mother face immediately told Gemini something wasn't right. "What's wrong?" Gemini asked.
"Your grandfather has finalised the arrangements to have everything in your name."
"What!" Gemini stared wide eyed at his mother in disbelief. "Why. It makes no sense. Mother, you said you would take care of this."
"I know, son. Your aunt and I are working on it but your grandfather is being stubborn and he won't listen to any of us."
"Then, should I talk to him." Gemini asked.
Mother shook her head. "I don't think so. You're still a child. Let your aunt and I take care of this, okay."
Mother placed her hand against Gemini's cheek and gently stroked a finger against his face. Gemini leaned into her hand and gave a single nod.
"Whatever your grandfather is thinking, you won't be alone in any of this. For now, focus on studying and let the rest of us take care of this situation. Okay."
Gemini nodded again and his mother moved her hand to rub the top of Gemini's head.
"Before you go, the kitchen staff made your grandfathers favourite cookies. I know they are also your favourite, so I ask them to pack some for you." Gemini's mother reached inside her bag beside her and pulled out a small brown paper bag and handed it to Gemini.
"Thank you, mother."
Mother smiled and once more patted the top of Gemini's head. "Remember, focus on your studies and leave the rest to us."
Gemini hugged his mother goodbye before exiting the car.
After watching the car leave, Gemini slowly made his way back to his dorm. The brown bag clenched tightly in hand. There was currently no explanation as to why his grandfather intended to give everything to Gemini and as much as he wanted to not think about it was difficult not to.
As he neared the dorm he was approached by several students living on the same floor as him. None reminded him of the student who entered his room the previous week. The occurrence still lingered on his mind.
"Gemini," one of the students called out as they approached him. "We're heading out to karaoke and dessert, did you want to join us. We're meeting up with several female students. If you join us, it will make them extremely happy."
Gemini gave a weak smile, declining. "Sorry, I have things I need to do."
"Ah, come on. It's Friday night." Another student pleaded. "And they'll love us if we can get you to join."
Gemini gave another half smile and looking down at his hand, held out the cookies his mother had given him. "Take these. Tell them they're from me."
"Seriously." The student replied excitedly. "Thank you. We'll definitely tell them." They took the cookies from Gemini and merrily went on their way.
Although Gemini was a little disappointed he'd given the cookies away, he had no appetite to eat them and knew they would likely go stale before he did.
The first few days after the anomaly in his room, Fourth tentatively opened his bedroom door and peaked inside. When he thought it was clear, he would enter. Now, as he reached the end of the week, his confidence began to over come his fear.
He'd almost reached the point where he believed he might have still been drunk and that what had happened, never really did. That perhaps he'd imagined it. Yet, as he entered his room, he stared at his hands, the memory of them pressed against the man's chess still vivid in his mind. Before he could place his key on the hook, Fourth immediately realised something wasn't right, as he froze inside his room. His lamp was on.
"Did I forget to turn it off?" Fourth murmured as he began to notice something else not quite right. The lamp, which should be on the left side of the desk, was now on the right side. On top of that, his phone charger, which was also on the right of the desk was missing. Fourth dropped the key into his pocket and placed his bag beside the desk as he searched for his charger cable he thought might have slipped behind the desk. Strangely, he couldn't locate it. He then moved the lamp back to the left side but still couldn't explain why his cable was missing.
He scratched his head in confusion and decided he wasn't going to think about it any further. Yet, it didn't stop him from raising his hands in prayer against the chance there were ghosts in his room.
"Ghosts don't exist." Fourth clenched his fists in determination, then took the towel from the back of the chair and went into the bathroom without another glance.
The moment the bathroom door closed, the bedroom door opened. Gemini entered and placing his key on the desk immediately noticed the lamp had been moved. Slowly looking around, Gemini silently told himself ghosts didn't exist. The room stood empty and silent, only the sound of the clock above the desk could be heard.
Taken back momentarily, Gemini reached for his towel, only to discover it was no longer over his chair. But it wasn't the towels sudden disapJanance that caught his attention rather the bag beside the desk. Once more, Gemini looked around, his eyes finally falling on the bathroom door. Had he closed it when he left. He was sure he hadn't. Slowly, cautiously, Gemini approached the bathroom and opened the door. The room was dark and turning on the light, Gemini found it empty.
He stepped back out in the bedroom and stared at the bag. It was a mystery and one Gemini wasn't sure he wanted to understand. Tentatively, Gemini lifted the bag and examined it. A simple black backpack, its weight that of several books, confused Gemini as to how it ended up in his room. A shiver ran down his spine and at the thought that touching the bag might bring bad luck. Gemini held it away from his body, as he walked towards the door and disposed the bag outside his room. As he closed the door, he had an after thought; he should check who the bag belonged too. Gemini opened the door to retrieve the bag but discovered it gone. Two steps into the corridor, he looked around. There was no way anyone could have collected it so quickly. Another shiver ran down Gemini's spine and he hurriedly returned to his room, locking his door behind him.
Ken sat at his desk in his room staring at the clock on the wall. The piece of paper on the desk in front of him had been folded and refolded so often the creases in some places had begun to tear. Sticky tape now held it together and Ken once more glances down at it. It had begun and Ken was finding it difficult to keep it together.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed and the message on the screen said, "Don't do anything."
Ken let out a deep sigh and turned his phone over to ignore the message.
When his phone buzzed again, he reluctantly turned it back and saw a message received from Paul. He was inviting Ken to join him for dinner in his room. Ken stared at the message, then back at the worn piece of paper in front of him. Any other time he'd have said yes but this time he couldn't. The reason behind it annoyed him but Ken had agreed to the plan and he would do everything to stick by it.
Responding to Paul's message, he said, 'Apologies, I can't do tonight. Can I take a rain check.'
'Yes. Of course.' Paul replied.
Once more Ken looked at the piece of paper. The first event had come together easily due to the information provided on the timeline but this time Ken realised if he didn't intervene then the next event wouldn't occur. It frustrated him to know the future but at the same time have no idea how or when it would involve him. It was Gemini's timeline Ken was working with not his own.
Raking his hands through his hair in agitation, Ken send a second message. 'There's a special on tonight at the chicken shop on the corner.' Ken started writing then stopped. He deleted the message and thought again. 'Thanks for thinking of me. But rather than eating in, why not see if Fourth is free and go get yourself something to eat together. I'm sure you could both do with a good meal before hitting the books."
Ken sent the message and having no idea what he was doing dropped his head to the desk and waited.
The message that came back was a thumbs up and that was it. Ken growled and standing, approached his door and pressing his ear against it, listened for a few moments before he heard the door down from his open and close. Ken counted to five, then peaked out and saw Paul waiting at the elevator. Quickly retreating back into his room, Ken slumped against the door with eyes closed.
"Damn you, Gemini?" Ken murmured as he returned to his desk and replied the the first message. "It's done."
Fourth exited the bathroom, towel around his waste while drying his hair with another smaller towel. As he looked up, the first thing he noticed was his charging cable.
"What the..." Fourth stepped up to the desk, fingering the cable. Suspiciously, Fourth eyed his room, when he noticed another anomaly. His towel hung over the cupboard door, where he'd left it the night before. With a glance at the towel around his waist he came to the realisation he'd gained another towel. A shiver ran down his spine and he vigorously shook his head. With towel still in hand, Fourth placed hands together and gave another silent prayer to the gods.
Quickly getting dressed, Fourth inspected the rest of the room and found nothing further out of place. With a deep sigh of relief, Fourth went to retrieve his bag to study and that's when he realised it was gone. Once more, Fourth searched his room but it turned up nothing.
"What is going on?" Fourth exclaimed, hand on hips in frustration.
A knock on his door startled Fourth, making him jump in fright and he accidentally kicked the chair, hurting his foot.
"Aww." Fourth hopped over to the door and opening it found Paul holding up his bag.
Surprised, Fourth scowled and asked, "How did you get my bag?"
"It was by your door. I thought you'd left it out here by mistake." Paul replied somewhat confused by Fourth's behaviour.
"What! No. It was in my room. How did you really get it." Fourth demanded.
"I swear, it was right here by your door." Paul handed the bag to Fourth, who took it and examined it.
The expression on Fourth face brought a questioning expression on Paul's.
"Why are you here?" Fourth asked, as Paul followed him into the room.
"Did you want to get dinner with me?"
Fourth glanced at his bag, the lamp and cable on his desk and the additional towel now hanging over the back of the chair. He had no idea what had happened but he didn't intend to say in his room any longer.
"Yes. Let's go now." Fourth grabbed his wallet from his bag and dragged Paul from his room.
After class Monday afternoon, instead of heading back to the dorm Gemini and Ken stopped at the local cafe to catch up having barely seen each other over the past few days.
"How did you go with your grandfather?" Ken asked.
Gemini slumped in his chair, a forlorn expression on his face.
"Does this mean not good?" Ken said with concern.
Gemini sat up and leaning forward, replied quietly, "Grandfather has now put everything in my name."
"Is he that unwell?" Ken asked quietly back.
Gemini shrugged. "Everyone says he's fine but why would he do this if there wasn't something wrong."
"Exactly. What are you going to do?" Ken asked.
"What can I do. He's made up his mind."
"What does your family think of all of this?" Ken asked.
"My mother and aunt are taking care of everything."
"And your cousins?"
Gemini shook his head. "I haven't had a chance to speak with them yet."
"Do you think there'll be problems?"
Again Gemini shook his head. "I get on well with Jan and Jamie. I don't see this being an issue. But I think I should contact them and discuss this with them. It's going to impact everything and I don't want it to cause any issues between us."
Gemini ran his hands through his hair and let out a loud sigh. "What is grandfather thinking."
Their order arrived at the table and Ken said, "Oh, did you hear. Some of the boys in our dormitory ended up in hospital last night."
"I didn't. What happened?" Gemini asked.
"Food poisoning apparently. Some were quite bad." Ken explained.
"What! How." Gemini asked.
"No idea. I read it on the group chat this morning." Ken replied.
"Oh. How did I miss that." Gemini said.
"Probably because you're more worried about your grandfather than what's going on around here." Ken said.
"You're right. Of all the times for something to happened to grandfather. Could it not have waited until after exams." Gemini moaned but knew it was pointless. What Gemini really wanted was to know grandfather was fine. Everything else would be taken care of by his family.
On his return to his room after Monday's class, Fourth grew hesitant again before entering, then remembered the two incidents had occurred at the end of the week. Yet, he'd been spooked so badly, he'd considered purchasing a lucky charm to ward away any bad spirits. With closed eyes, he chanted over several times, "There is no such thing as ghosts," before unlocking the door.
At that moment, Gemini heard the sound of his door unlocking and as it opened the young man he'd previously seen entered with eyes half closed, his posture fearful of entering. Shocked by what he was witnessing, Gemini could only stare, mouth open, as the young man reached out to place his keys on the wall, confusing Gemini. When the young man paused, hand mid air, only then did he begin to shake, chanting, "There's no such thing as ghosts."
Unable to stand the situation any longer, Gemini stood and demanded, "Who are you? Why are you in my room?"
Startled, Fourth slammed back against the entrance wall, as he turned to stare at the stranger standing beside his desk.
'Ghost', the word came from Fourths lips without sound. As his wide eyes stared, terrified.
Gemini approach Fourth and Fourth panicked and attempted to leave the room but he stumbled and as he began to fall, he was grabbed around the waist.
They stared at each other, Fourth on the verge of falling, Gemini holding him firm to stop him. It was in this moment both men confirmed neither were ghosts.