Chapter 7 Day vs Night Begins
Oom Eisaya had made a life-altering decision.
She was going to act normal.
It was, objectively, the worst decision she could have made.
Because there was nothing normal about her current situation.
Not when—
At night, Bam Saralee held her like she was something precious.
And in the morning—
“Excuse me.”
Oom blinked.
Bam stood in front of her, expression calm, gaze steady, tone polite but distant.
“You’re blocking the hallway.”
Oom looked behind her.
There was, in fact, an entire group of students trying to pass.
“Oh,” she said.
Again.
Always “oh.”
She stepped aside quickly.
“Sorry.”
Bam nodded once.
Then walked past her.
Just like that.
No pause.
No hesitation.
No recognition beyond basic courtesy.
Oom stood there for a full five seconds.
Then ten.
Then she slowly turned her head, staring at Bam’s retreating figure like she had just witnessed a glitch in reality.
“…what.”
Because last night—
“Stay.”
Oom’s brain replayed it clearly.
The way Bam had pulled her closer.
The way she had refused to let go.
The way her voice softened, like Oom was the only thing grounding her.
And now—
“You’re blocking the hallway.”
Oom pressed a hand to her face.
“I am being emotionally gaslit by the same person in two different time zones.”
She walked to her next class in a daze.
Sat down.
Opened her notebook.
Did not absorb a single word.
Because her brain had split into two distinct sections:
Day Bam:
Cold. Distant. Functional.
“Please maintain distance.”
Night Bam:
Clingy. Soft. Emotionally devastating.
“Don’t leave me…”
Oom dropped her pen.
“This is illegal.”
The girl sitting next to her glanced over.
“…what?”
“Nothing.”
Everything.
---
By lunchtime, Oom had reached a dangerous conclusion.
She needed to test it.
Again.
Not because she wanted to.
Definitely not because she wanted to.
But because—
This doesn’t make sense.
So now, she found herself sitting in the cafeteria.
Staring.
Again.
At Bam Saralee.
“Still staring.”
Oom flinched.
“I’m not—!”
“You are.”
Across from her, Yada took a bite of her food like she was watching a live show.
“I am observing.”
“You are obsessed.”
“I am analyzing.”
“You are in denial.”
Oom sighed.
“Look,” she said, lowering her voice slightly. “Just… watch.”
Yada raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“I’m going to talk to her.”
Yada froze.
Then slowly leaned forward.
“This I have to see.”
Oom stood up.
Immediately regretted it.
Sat back down.
Stood up again.
“…why am I like this?”
“Because you’re about to approach your emotionally confusing crush,” Yada said helpfully.
“She is not my crush.”
“She kissed you.”
“She was asleep!”
“Your point?”
Oom closed her eyes briefly.
Then—
She stood up again.
And this time—
She walked.
Straight toward Bam.
Every step felt like a mistake.
Every second felt like she could still turn back.
But she didn’t.
Because she needed to know.
She stopped in front of Bam’s table.
Bam looked up.
Their eyes met.
And just like that—
Oom forgot how to function.
“…yes?” Bam asked.
Same tone.
Same distance.
Like nothing had ever happened.
Oom swallowed.
“Hi.”
“Hello.”
A pause.
An awkward, painful, existence-questioning pause.
“I—uh—can I sit here?”
Bam looked at the empty chair.
Then back at Oom.
“You just did.”
Oom blinked.
“…right.”
She sat down.
Smooth.
Very smooth.
“I just wanted to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
Oom hesitated.
Her heart was pounding.
Her mind racing.
Say something normal.
Say something casual.
Say something that doesn’t expose the fact that you’ve been emotionally compromised.
“…do you sleep well?”
A beat.
Bam stared at her.
“…what?”
Oom felt her soul leave her body.
“I mean—not like—sleep sleep—like—just—generally—”
“You approached me to ask about my sleep.”
“Yes.”
“…why?”
Oom’s brain crashed.
“I’m concerned.”
“About my sleep.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because—because sleep is important.”
Silence.
Yada, from across the room, was visibly shaking from trying not to laugh.
Bam studied her.
Longer this time.
Her gaze sharper.
More focused.
“You’re acting strangely again.”
Oom forced a smile.
“I’m consistent.”
“That’s one way to describe it.”
Another pause.
Oom leaned in slightly.
“…you don’t remember anything from last night, right?”
There it was.
The question.
Direct.
Risky.
Necessary.
Bam didn’t react immediately.
She simply looked at Oom.
Calm.
Unreadable.
Then—
“No.”
Oom’s chest tightened.
“…nothing?”
“No.”
The answer was final.
Again.
Oom leaned back in her chair.
Processing.
So it really was like this.
A complete split.
Day and night.
Two completely different versions.
One that pushed her away.
And one that—
“…stay…”
Oom exhaled slowly.
“Okay,” she said.
Bam tilted her head slightly.
“You’re asking the same type of questions.”
“I’m a repetitive person.”
“That’s inefficient.”
“So am I.”
Bam didn’t respond.
She simply went back to eating.
Conversation over.
Dismissed.
Again.
Oom sat there for a moment longer.
Then stood up.
“Thanks.”
“For what?”
“…confirming your sleep habits.”
Bam didn’t even look at her this time.
Oom walked away.
Back to Yada.
Who immediately slammed her hand on the table.
“I AM GOING TO DIE.”
“Please don’t.”
“You asked her about her sleep?!”
“I panicked!”
“You panicked creatively!”
Oom dropped into her seat.
“She doesn’t remember anything.”
Yada’s grin softened slightly.
“Then it’s real.”
Oom looked at her.
“I know.”
And somehow—
That made everything worse.
---
That night, Oom didn’t hesitate.
She didn’t overthink.
She didn’t stand outside the door debating her life choices.
She just—
Walked in.
Because at this point—
It was routine.
The room was dim.
Quiet.
Familiar.
And there—
On the couch—
Bam Saralee.
Asleep.
Waiting.
Oom closed the door behind her softly.
Her heart was steady this time.
Not calm—
But certain.
“…I came back,” she said quietly.
As if on cue—
Bam stirred.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
Her breathing shifted.
“…you’re here…”
Oom’s chest tightened.
There it was again.
That voice.
Soft.
Warm.
Real.
She stepped closer.
And just like before—
Bam reached for her.
No hesitation.
No uncertainty.
Her hands found Oom instantly—
Pulling her down.
Closer.
Into her space.
Into her arms.
“…stay…”
Oom let out a quiet breath.
“I will.”
No panic this time.
No resistance.
Just acceptance.
Her arms wrapped around Bam naturally, holding her steady as Bam pressed closer, her face finding its place against Oom’s neck like it belonged there.
Oom closed her eyes briefly.
Feeling it.
Understanding it.
This contrast.
This impossible difference.
Day Bam—
“You’re blocking the hallway.”
Night Bam—
“Don’t leave me…”
Oom tightened her hold just slightly.
“…you’re really unfair,” she whispered softly.
Because how was she supposed to deal with this?
How was she supposed to act normal when—
During the day, she was nothing.
And at night—
She was everything.
Bam shifted slightly in her arms, her grip tightening, as if sensing even the smallest change.
“…don’t go…”
Oom exhaled slowly.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
And for the first time—
She meant it without hesitation.
Because whether she understood it or not—
This was her reality now.
Day vs night.
Distance vs closeness.
Rejection vs need.
And somehow—
Oom Eisaya was caught right in the middle of it.