When Alvano arrived in class, Theo's backpack wasn't there beside his seat. He wanted to shrug it off—but what worried him was Theo.
His eyes stayed fixed on the empty chair. Normally, Theo would already be there, leaning back casually or even dozing off before class started. But this morning was different—the seat was empty. No bag. No sign of him at all.
Alvano felt uneasy, though he couldn't explain why the worry weighed so much. He gripped his phone and checked the message he'd sent last night, but it was still unread.
Then the first-period bell rang. Everyone began preparing for class, opening their books and getting ready—but Theo still hadn't shown up.
Joshua, who sat on the right row, stood and walked over to Alvano. He leaned beside his desk, eyeing his friend's slightly gloomy expression.
"Hey," Joshua muttered lightly. "You look weird today."
Alvano turned his head. "Just… haven't seen Theo."
Joshua smirked. "You sound like his parent, worrying when he skips class."
Alvano sighed. "It's not that… he's usually here by now."
Joshua glanced at the empty seat and patted Alvano's shoulder. "Relax, maybe he's just late."
But something inside Alvano told him otherwise.
Sure enough, a few moments later the class secretary—a girl—came over and whispered something to Joshua. He nodded slightly, then looked at Alvano.
"Theo's not coming today," he said shortly.
Alvano immediately turned his head. "Is he sick?"
"Yeah. He already reported it to the homeroom teacher this morning," Joshua replied.
Alvano looked back at the empty seat beside him. The worry he'd been holding in since morning began to swell. He recalled last night—Theo had gone home without his jacket. It had been freezing then, and maybe that was what got him sick.
He sighed quietly. "Idiot. He even forgot his jacket."
Joshua glanced. "Huh?"
"Nothing," Alvano said quickly, not wanting to explain further.
Joshua just nodded and went back to his seat, deciding not to push it. Meanwhile, Alvano leaned back in his chair, staring out the rain-speckled window. His mind was uneasy. Part of him wanted to leave right then, to check on Theo himself—but for now, all he could do was sit still and hope everything was fine.
If Theo still hadn't replied by the end of the day, he'd go to his house.
Joshua kept trying to talk to him, cracking small jokes to lighten the mood, but Alvano was back to his "first-semester self"—quiet, withdrawn, lost in thought. His eyes often drifted blankly toward the window, his fingers aimlessly fiddling with his pen.
"Hey, Van, you cosplaying as the art room statue today?" Joshua teased, nudging his shoulder.
"Mm," Alvano replied shortly, not even turning.
Joshua kept trying to joke—normally it would get at least a smirk or sarcastic comment from Alvano—but today, nothing. Just a nod or a quiet hum. Even when Joshua threw in his usual funny stories, Alvano simply stared, then looked away.
Joshua frowned. "You know, if you keep this up, I might die of boredom."
Alvano sighed softly. "Then we'll die of boredom together."
Joshua chuckled, still trying. "Did you know Mr. Daniel once slipped on a banana peel?"
"Heard it already," Alvano said flatly.
Joshua raised his hands in defeat. "Man, you're hopeless. Without Theo, you're like a zombie."
He sighed, finally quieting down. He knew well enough that Alvano wasn't in a good mood. He didn't need to ask—he could feel it. Theo's presence always balanced things out. Without him, even for one day, everything felt off.
During the first break, Alvano stayed at his desk. Normally he'd join Joshua at the canteen or stroll the hallways, but today he didn't move, not even to touch the lunch he brought.
Then came the next class—Chemistry. But Alvano's attention wasn't on the board. His eyes were on his notebook, open but meaningless. None of the numbers or formulas stuck in his mind. His thoughts wandered elsewhere.
He didn't want to admit it, but the worry was real. Theo had said it was just a mild illness, yet Alvano couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He kept blaming himself, wondering if yesterday's training had pushed Theo too hard. The night had been freezing, and Theo went home without his jacket—maybe that was it. Guilt slowly crept in, weighing him down.
By the second break, Joshua finally dragged him out to the cafeteria. He couldn't stand seeing Alvano like this any longer.
"Come on, let's go eat. My treat. You can pick whatever you want," Joshua said firmly, pulling his hand.
Alvano didn't resist. He just followed silently, his gaze empty, his steps heavy, as if his body had no strength left. He didn't say a word the entire walk.
"You need to eat something," Joshua continued, glancing back. "You can't just sit around all day."
When they arrived, the cafeteria was already buzzing. Joshua went straight to the food line, while Alvano stood near the entrance, staring blankly, clearly uninterested.
"What do you want? Soup, sandwiches, fried rice?" Joshua asked.
Alvano shook his head slightly. "I'm not hungry," he said quietly.
Joshua exhaled, ordered food for himself, then brought a tray with fried rice and a bowl of hot soup to a quiet table in the corner.
"Here, I got this for you. Eat a little, at least—you need energy," he said, placing it in front of Alvano.
Alvano just stared at the food, not touching it. His hands rested still in his lap, his eyes empty as he looked out the window.
Joshua sat across from him, meeting his gaze. "You can't keep this up, Alvano. Theo's just sick—it's not the end of the world. He wouldn't want to see you like this if he knew."
Alvano finally lifted his head a little. "I just… don't feel used to him not being here. Everything feels so quiet today."
"Then let's make it less quiet," Joshua said, pushing the spoon toward his hand. "At least eat with me. I don't want to eat alone."
A faint smile appeared on Alvano's face—those words reminded him a bit of Theo. He took the spoon and finally took a small bite of the soup. Slowly, at least he tried.