(POV: Leo)
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I should've seen it coming. One moment, Ethan was just being Ethan, and the next, the universe decided to play a prank on him. And me? I got front-row seats to the chaos.
It all started with a simple mistake.
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Ethan was just walking through campus when a junior named Kevin ran up to him, wide-eyed and excited.
"Dude, are you Leo Arclight?"
Ethan blinked. "...What?"
Kevin clapped his hands together like he'd just found a celebrity in disguise. "You are, aren't you?! I knew it! I saw you beat the Devil's Doom Curry challenge! Man, you're incredible!"
I had to pause at that. What challenge?
Ethan opened his mouth, probably to correct him, but then hesitated. He glanced at his reflection in a nearby window. He did have messy hair like mine, and today, for some reason, he was wearing dark blue—my usual color.
And then I watched as the most reckless, short-sighted idea formed in real time behind his eyes.
He smiled. "Uh... yeah. That's me."
Kevin gasped. "No way! Can I get a picture?!"
Before Ethan could backpedal, Kevin had already taken a selfie and posted it. Within minutes, people started whispering. Leo Arclight is on campus and approachable?
What followed was absolute chaos.
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At first, Ethan was having the time of his life, enjoying the perks of being me (Apparently).
People moved aside for him in the hallways. Someone handed him free snacks. A senior—someone who wouldn't even look at him on a normal day—asked him for life advice.
I sat at a distance, sipping my drink, amused. He has no idea what he's doing.
When someone challenged him to chess in the cafeteria, Ethan just smirked and said, "Let's make this interesting."
The funniest part? He didn't even know how to play. But his opponent was so nervous about playing Leo Arclight that they blundered their way into defeat. Ethan won without moving a single piece with actual strategy.
Then, a professor walked by and saw him lounging under a tree during class hours. Instead of scolding him, they just nodded. "A genius mind must take breaks."
Ethan grinned. "That's right. Gotta keep the neurons fresh."
I nearly choked on my drink. Neurons fresh? He was so overcommitting to the bit.
But that's the thing about pretending to be me. It only works until it doesn't.
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After lunch, things took a turn.
A group of students gathered, expecting Ethan to prove his legendary skills.
"Leo! Show us the Arclight Flip!" someone cheered.
Ethan froze. "Uh... my gravity levels are adjusting today."
Someone gasped. "Whoa… that sounds so cool."
I covered my mouth, holding in a laugh. What does that even mean?!
But the requests only got worse.
"Leo, can you solve this Rubik's cube in under a minute?"
"Leo, can you teach me how to fight three people at once?"
"Leo, can you identify 20 bird species by their calls?"
I could see the sweat forming on Ethan's face. He dodged a few—closing his eyes and pretending to be in deep thought when asked to do calculus—but he was running out of luck. By now he seemed to start realising the downside of being me.
And then Sophia and Ava found him.
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I could tell the second they spotted him because their expressions went from curiosity to pure, unfiltered delight.
Sophia crossed her arms. "Ethan, why are there fifteen people treating you like a celebrity?"
Ava tilted her head. "And why are they calling you Leo?"
Ethan scratched the back of his head, desperate. "Uh… funny story—"
Before he could explain, Kevin ran up again. "Leo! You have to meet this martial arts instructor. He heard about your legendary reflexes and wants to spar!"
I felt the way Ethan's soul left his body.
Sophia gasped dramatically. Ava burst out laughing.
"Oh, this is rich," Sophia whispered.
Ava grinned. "Nah, you got this, Leo. Show 'em your moves."
Ethan glared. "I will haunt you in the afterlife."
Before he could be physically dragged into a fight, I finally stepped forward.
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When I stepped forward.
The crowd parted. Everyone turned.
Ethan saw me and paled.
I raised an eyebrow. "Why are you me?"
Ethan gave the most nervous chuckle I'd ever heard. "Uh… social experiment?"
I nodded. "How's it going?"
Ethan sighed. "Horribly."
The students, slowly realizing their mistake, gasped.
"Wait… this is the real Leo?!"
I casually stretched. "Yep."
Someone pointed at Ethan. "Then… who's that?"
I shrugged. "Some guy."
Ava and Sophia lost it.
The crowd, now furious, turned on Ethan.
"YOU LIED TO US!"
"HE CAN'T EVEN DO PARKOUR!"
"GET HIM!"
I watched as Ethan ran for his life, yelling something about betrayal.
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Later, I found Ethan collapsed on a bench, gasping for breath. I handed him a water bottle.
"That," he wheezed, "was the worst day of my life."
I tilted my head. "Really? You had free snacks, got respect, and won a chess match."
Ethan groaned. "Yeah, but then I had to fight an actual martial artist, pretend I knew calculus, and nearly got mobbed!"
Sophia and Ava sat down too, still laughing.
Ava grinned. "So, lesson learned?"
Ethan glared at her. "Yes. I never, ever want to be Leo again."
I sipped my drink. "That's fair. It's exhausting."
Ethan stared at me. "Then why do people treat you like some kind of mystical legend?!"
I shrugged. "I dunno. I just exist."
Ethan groaned, burying his face in his hands.
Sophia smirked. "So… what should we do tomorrow?"
I hummed. "How about birdwatching?"
Ethan screamed.
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End of Chapter 20