The person with the visor and baggy argyle sweater had been sitting on the edge of the couch, ignoring the chatter of the talkative kid next to them. Once they saw I was awake, they immediately hopped to their feet.
Hey, you alright?
Me? Y-yeah, I’m not, uh hurt or anything. Just cold, I guess.
I tucked my hands underneath my arms, trying to warm them up a little. Now that I thought about it…
…Why would I be cold? The air’s not that chilly here…
I’m not sure. I was cold too, waking up… but, well, I’m always cold.
Even in that sweater?
Yeah… huh. Guess it is weird, then.
Aoi retracted their hands into their sleeves and shuffled a little closer.
Name’s Aoi. Aoi Himura… I’m the Ultimate Pathologist. Sal over there was saying we’re all Hope’s Peak students?
All of us…?
Oh, um, Timaeus Woodworth, Ultimate Librarian! Just call me Tim, ahaha.
Timaeus… Did you pick that name, or are your parents academics?
It’s a perfectly fine name, I think!
Oh, no I just meant– Timaeus, like the Platonic dialogue, right? That’s not a name you give someone on accident.
Wh– No one ever gets that!!
Ahaha. I don’t get out much, so I do a lot of reading… It’s nice to meet you, Timaeus. Regardless of the circumstances.
Y-yeah, you too!
Aoi laughed a little, but their voice grew somber as they glanced over at the …students? who had yet to wake up.
Ah, don’t let me keep you, though. I should stay here, but… go look around this place yourself. It’s… I don’t know. You kind of just have to see it.
Oh… alright, sure.
I watched for a moment as they knelt down beside one of the bodies and checked its pulse. It made me think too much of a coroner at a crime scene– I backed away to go talk to someone else. Hopefully those folks will wake up soon…
At least Aoi themself seems like a nice enough person. If nothing else, I’ll have someone else to talk to about books!