EPISODE 3 — “Morning in Room 49”
Femi woke up to the sound of movement.
Not loud. Just the soft rustle of fabric and the quiet tap of a pencil against wood.
He opened his eyes slowly.
Morning light filtered through the curtains, turning the room a pale gold. Kenechi was already awake, sitting at his desk, hoodie half-zipped, hair messy in a way that felt criminally unfair.
He was sketching.
Femi watched him for a moment longer than he meant to.
There was something about how focused Kenechi looked in the mornings — like the world hadn’t had time to harden him yet.
“Good morning,” Femi said finally.
Kenechi startled slightly, then relaxed. “You’re awake.”
“Yes. That’s usually how mornings work.”
Kenechi smirked. “Smart guy.”
Femi sat up, rubbing his eyes. “You woke up early?”
“I never actually slept,” Kenechi replied. “Just closed my eyes and lied to myself.”
Femi laughed softly. “Architecture is wicked.”
“You have no idea.”
Femi stood and stretched, then froze. He suddenly remembered something.
“Oh— I don’t snore, by the way.”
Kenechi glanced at him. “Confirmed. You talk in your sleep though.”
Femi’s eyes widened. “What did I say?”
“Nothing embarrassing,” Kenechi said quickly. Then paused.
“…I think.”
Femi groaned. “You’re lying.”
“I might be.”
They shared a quiet smile.
Femi grabbed his towel. “I’ll go shower.”
“Okay,” Kenechi said, then added casually, “There’s hot water now. Use it before the hostel steals it back.”
“Noted.”
Femi hesitated at the door. “Do you… want to eat together later?”
Kenechi looked up, surprised. Just a little.
“Like breakfast?” he asked.
“Yes. If you’re free.”
Kenechi shrugged, trying very hard to look unbothered. “Yeah. That’s fine.”
But when Femi left the room, Kenechi stared at the door longer than necessary.
---
Later, they walked side by side toward the cafeteria. Not touching, but close enough to feel each other’s presence.
“Medical school seems intense,” Kenechi said.
“It is,” Femi replied. “But I like it. Most days.”
“What about the days you don’t like it?”
Femi smiled faintly. “Those days, I just survive.”
Kenechi nodded. “That makes sense.”
They reached the cafeteria entrance. Noise, laughter, the smell of fried eggs and bread.
Femi turned to him. “Thanks for… being nice.”
Kenechi frowned. “I’m always nice.”
“That’s a lie,” Femi said gently.
Kenechi laughed. “Okay. Fair.”
They stepped inside together.
And somehow, without either of them saying it out loud, Room 49 had started to feel less like a shared space—
And more like their space.
EPISODE 2
Small Light, Small Feelings
NEPA didn’t bring light back.
For a moment, the room stayed dark and still. Femi could hear Kenechi still searching through a drawer, muttering under his breath.
“Why is this lamp behaving like it has enemies…” Kenechi grumbled.
Femi smiled in the dark. “Do you need help?”
“No. I’m fine.”
Crack.
“Ow. Okay maybe… yes. Just hold this.”
Femi reached out in the direction of his voice. His fingers brushed Kenechi’s hand—just lightly—warm skin against warm skin.
Kenechi froze.
Femi also froze.
Then Kenechi cleared his throat. “That’s the lamp handle. Not my hand.”
“Oh! Sorry—”
“It’s okay.”
He said it too quickly. Like he didn’t actually mind.
A soft glow finally burst from the rechargeable lamp, filling the small room with warm yellow light.
Now they could see each other clearly.
Femi suddenly became aware of how close they were. Kenechi’s eyelashes were ridiculously long. So long they cast shadows on his cheeks when he looks down. His hair so coily and so pitch black it looked navy blue sat in a perfect shape on head. The sight had him thinking -is-this-boy-even-real.
Kenechi stepped back first, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh… thanks.”
“No problem,” Femi said, his voice a little too gentle.
Kenechi gestured at Femi’s bed. “You settling in okay?”
“Yeah. I think so.”
Femi sat. “I like your drawings.”
Kenechi stiffened. “They’re not that great.”
“They’re very great,” Femi insisted, smiling. “I noticed your shading technique—”
“You noticed my shading technique?”
Kenechi looked at him like someone had just complimented his soul.
“It’s good,” Femi said, shy now. “You’re really talented.”
For the first time since they met, Kenechi’s face softened. Completely.
Like someone had turned down his sarcasm dial.
“…Thanks,” he said quietly.
A small silence settled between them — not awkward, just… full.
Femi played with the edge of his bedsheet. “So, um… do you stay up late because of your drawings?”
“That and other things,” Kenechi replied, shrugging. “Architecture doesn’t let you sleep.”
Femi laughed softly. “Medical school doesn’t either.”
Kenechi glanced at him, something amused in his eyes. “So both of us will suffer together, is that it?”
Femi smiled. “I guess so.”
Another moment of quiet, but this time it felt like something warm had settled into the room with them.
“Goodnight, Femi,” Kenechi said, turning off the lamp.
“Goodnight, Kenechi.”
In the darkness, both of them lay awake a little longer than they meant to.
Not because of the heat.
But because their roommate’s voice kept replaying softly in their minds.