**Chapter 1: Discord in the Halls of Streamer University**

It was 11:30 pm, and the community space in Ray and Tota's dorm was bustling with students, all trying to unwind after a long day of classes and streaming. Ray, a 19-year-old streamer from Taiwan, sat on the couch, his short, curly black hair messy from a day of gaming. His beautiful brown eyes sparkled as he laughed with his friends, his higher-pitched voice rising above the chatter. Rakai, a 16-year-old student with a sassy attitude and a penchant for flirting, teased Ray good-naturedly, making him blush. Tota, Ray's roommate, a Brazilian student who spoke limited English, smiled and nodded along, trying to follow the conversation. The group was having a great time, joking and joking, when suddenly, the door burst open, and a random guy stormed in. "Hey, you're Tota, right?" the guy demanded, his voice loud and accusatory. "I've been trying to reach you all day, but you're always ding dong ditching me!" The room fell silent, and everyone's eyes turned to Tota, who looked confused and shook his head. Ray, sensing his friend's distress, jumped to his defense. "No, no, no, he not do that," Ray stuttered, his thick Asian accent and stuttering problems becoming more pronounced as he got agitated. "He with me all day, we stream together, play games... You must be mistaken." The random guy scowled, his face reddening. "I don't care what you say, I know he's been avoiding me!" The argument escalated quickly, with the random guy and Ray going back and forth, their voices rising. The others in the room tried to intervene, but it was too late. The commotion spilled out into the hallway, drawing the attention of Tylil, a 24-year-old student who was passing by. Tylil, a tall and fit African American student with a durag on his head, strode into the hallway, his eyes scanning the scene. "What's going on here?" he asked, his voice calm and authoritative. However, instead of de-escalating the situation, Tylil seemed to take the random guy's side, his expression stern. "Ray, you need to calm down, dude. You're being pretty aggressive." Ray's eyes widened in shock, and he stuttered, "I-I'm not being aggressive, I'm just defending my friend!" The situation continued to spiral out of control, with Rakai eventually intervening, dragging Ray and Tota back into their room to avoid any further conflict. As the night wore on, Ray and Tota went to sleep, exhausted and shaken. Rakai bid them farewell, heading back to his own dorm with his roommate Jamal. The next morning, Ray woke up feeling groggy and sore. Tota was already up, looking pale and queasy. "I don't feel good, Ray," he said, clutching his stomach. Ray nodded sympathetically, but before he could respond, a loud commotion erupted outside their room. Rakai burst in, looking frantic. "Ray, it's Tylil and some random guy! They're attacking me at breakfast!" Ray's heart sank, and he rushed to Rakai's side, Tota staying behind, still feeling unwell. As they entered the cafeteria, Ray saw Tylil and the random guy, their faces twisted in anger, as they pummeled Rakai. The blows were aimed squarely at Ray, who tried to defend himself, but he was no match for the pair. He stumbled backward, his lip bursting open, and his body aching all over. Just as it seemed like things were about to get worse, a security guard intervened, dragging Tylil, the random guy, Ray, and Rakai to the dean's office. As they entered the office, Kai, the dean and Ray's secret boyfriend, looked up, his eyes widening in shock and anger. "Ray, what happened?" Kai demanded, his voice firm but laced with concern. Ray, still reeling from the attack, stuttered, "I-I don't know, Kai... Tylil and that guy just started attacking us..." Kai's expression darkened, and he nodded at the security guard. "Thank you for bringing them here. I'll take it from here." As the guard left, Kai's eyes locked onto Ray's, filled with a mix of worry and protectiveness. "We're going to get to the bottom of this, Ray. I promise."