**Chapter 1: The Morning After**

It was 11:30 pm, and the community space in Ray and Tota's dorm was still bustling with students chatting and laughing. Ray, a 19-year-old streamer from Taiwan with a thick Asian accent and a stutter, sat on the couch, his short, curly black hair messy from a long day of streaming. His beautiful brown eyes sparkled as he caught up with his friends, including Rakai, a 16-year-old student with a sassy voice and a penchant for flirting. Tota, Ray's roommate, a Brazilian student who spoke limited English, chatted with a few other students, all having a great time. However, the evening took a sudden turn when a random guy burst into the dorm, yelling about Tota ding dong ditching at his room. The room fell silent, and everyone looked at each other, confused. Ray immediately jumped to Tota's defense, "H-he didn't do anything! He was with me all day, I swear!" The random guy, fueled by anger, continued to rant, and the situation quickly escalated into a heated argument. The argument spilled out into the hallway, drawing the attention of Tylil, a 24-year-old student with a normally toned voice and tattoos on his arms. He tried to intervene, but his attempt at de-escalation only seemed to make things worse. Tylil took sides with the random guy, and the situation became even more volatile. Rakai, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire, grabbed Ray and Tota, pulling them back into their room. "Let's go, guys, it's not worth it." As the night wore on, Ray and Tota tried to get some rest, but Rakai couldn't shake off the feeling that things were far from over. He bid his friends goodnight and headed back to his own dorm, accompanied by his roommate, Jamal. The next morning, Ray woke up feeling a bit stiff, but he didn't think much of it. That was until he heard a commotion outside their room. Rakai burst in, looking worried, "Dude, it's Tylil and that random guy! They're at breakfast, and they're looking for you!" Ray's heart sank as he quickly got dressed and headed to the cafeteria with Rakai. Tota, feeling unwell, decided to stay in their room. As they entered the cafeteria, Ray was immediately struck by the sight of Tylil and the random guy, who were now standing over him, their fists clenched. Before Ray could react, they charged, and Ray found himself on the receiving end of a brutal beating. The blows rained down on him, targeting his face and body. Rakai tried to intervene, but he was no match for the two attackers. Just as it seemed like things were going to get even worse, a security guard burst in, separating the combatants and dragging them to the dean's office. Ray, battered and bruised, stumbled along, his lip busted, and his body aching all over. As they stood outside the dean's office, Ray couldn't help but wonder what was in store for him. The security guard knocked on the door, and a deep voice called out, "Come in." The guard pushed open the door, and Ray caught a glimpse of the dean, Kai, a 23-year-old with a light New York accent and long, thick dark brown dreads. Kai's eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight of Ray, his secret boyfriend, standing in front of him, battered and bruised. Ray's heart skipped a beat as their eyes met, and he could sense Kai's anger and concern. What would happen next?