There were two months left until Adam's graduation.
Four weeks remained until Chandler's wedding.
Everything was progressing in an orderly manner.
A determined wanderer was also advancing his own plans.
New York.
MacLaren's Pub.
"Joey Tribbiani? That na sounds so familiar," Ted said, tilting his head as he took a sip of beer.
"You forgot? He's Adam's friend," Lily reminded him.
"We even had dinner together back in freshman year," Matthew, who sat next to Lily and was practically attached to her, added before taking a big gulp of beer.
"Oh, I rember now!" Ted slapped his forehead. "That was when Adam made a fortune from his book and treated all his friends to dinner. There was this really handso actor there who could eat an insane amount. Was that him?"
"That's the one!"
Sitting beside Ted was Barney Stinson, always dressed in a sharp suit. He twirled his glass in his hand, squinting slightly. "A total glutton."
"Oh, wow. Soone really doesn't like him," Lily teased.
"Did he steal your thunder?" Ted asked directly.
"Steal my thunder?" Barney scoffed. "No one steals my thunder!"
"You sure about that?" Lily smirked. "I know soone who, the mont he stands next to you, makes all your magic tricks and pickup routines useless. Every woman in the room will have eyes only for him."
"Impossible," Barney sneered, though curiosity got the better of him. "Who?"
"Adam Duncan."
Lily, Matthew, and Ted said his na in unison.
The three of them were Adam's old college friends from Columbia and had lived in the dorm next to his.
More than six years had passed since then.
Ted had graduated and beco an architect.
Lily was now a kindergarten teacher.
As for Matthew, he had continued his studies after graduation and was now a first-year student at Columbia Law School.
Like dical school, law school didn't have an undergraduate program, aning applicants needed a bachelor's degree. Admissions were competitive, and Columbia Law was one of the top institutions in the world. The fact that Matthew got in spoke volus about his talent and hard work.
Much like d students, law students had to imrse themselves in massive textbooks, morizing and analyzing complex legal statutes.
It was no surprise that both professions—dicine and law—were considered the backbone of Arica's middle class.
Currently, Matthew and Ted were roommates in an apartnt above MacLaren's Pub. Lily was practically living with Matthew, even though she had her own apartnt. She rarely went back, using it more as a storage space and backup plan.
The three of them were always together, much like Chandler, Monica, and Ross had been.
Matthew and Lily had been dating since freshman year. The casual attitude Matthew once had about their relationship—claiming they were just having fun—had turned into a running joke. Over six years later, they were still inseparable, practically co-owners of each other's lives.
Ted, on the other hand, had transford from a hopeless romantic into a seasoned player. He had gone through girlfriend after girlfriend, breaking more hearts than he could count.
Half a year ago, Barney—who lived life like a ga—had t Ted in the restroom of MacLaren's Pub.
They had been standing side by side, relieving themselves, when Barney suddenly spoke.
"Ever since my mom passed away, tonight is the first ti I've taken my deaf brother out."
"Oh… I'm sorry," Ted said, montarily stunned, quickly offering condolences.
"It's okay."
Barney leaned against the wall with one hand while the other held his drink, his voice full of emotion. "Now, I'm the only one who can take care of him. Even though I had to give up my dreams to do it, I'm happy. He's my brother—I love him!"
Ted was even more confused but, seeing the deep sincerity in Barney's expression, responded with another sympathetic nod. "Man, uh… I'm really sorry."
As he finished up, he prepared to leave, thinking about how bizarre the whole situation was. eting a stranger in a restroom was one thing, but having that stranger suddenly open up about such a tragic backstory in that setting? Definitely weird.
"Wow, you actually bought that?"
Barney suddenly grinned.
"Huh?" Ted blinked.
"I just made that story up while we were peeing," Barney said as he washed his hands, looking smug. "If you believed it, then that blonde chick at the bar definitely will too."
Ted was speechless.
Still washing his hands, Barney continued, "Of course, unless you're a total idiot… What's your na?"
"Ted."
"Ted, are you a total idiot?"
"I'm still talking to you, so?"
Ted finally caught on and shot back.
"Nice coback. I think I like you."
Barney finished washing his hands and left.
Fifteen minutes later…
"Ted, I'm going to teach you how to live."
Barney had found Ted again, slung an arm around him, and declared his intentions.
They say birds of a feather flock together. Ted being chosen by Barney wasn't just coincidence—he had that romantic aura about him. And romance and being a player were just one step apart, forever intertwined.
Most players were romantic at heart—otherwise, how else would they be so good at the ga?
Barney, after years of roaming the dating scene, imdiately recognized Ted's potential. Recruiting him as a wingman was only natural.
That strange restroom encounter beca one of Barney's legendary stories.
And soon, many more stories would start in that restroom—including the tale of a so-called "Restroom Hero."
With Barney finding his wingman, he naturally beca part of their group—just like how Joey had inadvertently ended up as Chandler's roommate and part of the Friends crew.
Now, it was a common sight to see the four of them hanging out together at MacLaren's Pub.
Barney had heard Adam's na from Lily and the others before, but this was the first ti he realized Adam and Joey were connected.
Clenching his teeth, Barney listened as the three of them showered Adam with praise. Then, he recalled the ridiculously handso guy he had seen earlier—the one who knew Joey. Suddenly, the two figures rged in his mind.
"Adam Duncan!"
Barney described the man's features.
"Yeah! You ran into him?" Lily's eyes lit up.
As a self-proclaid fangirl, she was devoted to Matthew but couldn't help her attraction to good-looking guys.
Even when she later t her best friend Robin, she couldn't help but fantasize about her, occasionally giving her that signature mischievous look.
Though Adam had been their college friend and neighbor, he had rarely stayed in the dorms. He quickly moved out, then spent most of his ti with the Friends crew, so their interactions had been limited.
Adam had graduated a year early and gone straight to d school, making him even busier.
Then they had all graduated, and keeping in touch beca even harder.
But as a well-known alumnus and an incredibly attractive friend, Adam remained a frequent topic in their conversations.
Back in college, Matthew and Ted had been close with Adam and took pride in having such an outstanding friend.
Even after all these years, Adam had never truly disappeared from their lives.
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