Y/n L/n's POV
My bag fell out of my hand, landing on the floor with a thud as I stood there in shock. A wave of disbelief slapped me across the face like a bitch, laughing at how naive I was for daring to think my wishes would come true.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, sighing deeply while trying to suppress my growing urge to bolt out of here and run back home.
"It's not a nice person..." I mumbled dejectedly, but judging by the way her eyes rolled, she heard what I said.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Chou Tzuyu lifted a brow, eyeing me up and down.
I sighed again, silently accepting my fate before picking up my bags. "I'm your roommate, Tzuyu..." It's no use going back now. I'd rather endure her bratty antics than continue with Ms. IU's hellish training sessions.
One look at her face and I immediately knew she didn't want me here. Heck, I don't want to be here either. But instead of complaining and demanding that I find another room, all she did was lie down and cover herself with a blanket.
"Make yourself at home or whatever..."
My face portrayed a look of shock. Never in a million years did I ever expect her to welcome me. It sounded forced and sloppy, but the sincerity was there.
Although we've only known each other for less than a week, I knew her well enough to know she dislikes me. The consistent glares and never-ending eye rolls made it obvious.
So, hearing her say something nice for the first time caught me off guard. "Yeah, thanks... I guess?"
I could clearly hear the tiny snicker she made and watched as she poked her head out of the blanket. She then reached out for the toast plushie next to her pillows before squeezing it between her arms, eventually drifting off to sleep.
I hate to admit it, but that was honestly cute. Too cute, actually... So, even tough girls like her have an adorable side? That's nice to know.
With a small smile, I happily walked inside and closed the door. Tzuyu took the bed on the right, so I'll obviously have the one on the left.
The room wasn't too bad. It was simple and decent with a bed on each side of the room, 2 drawers for each occupant, a window in the middle and study tables just below it. There was also a bathroom at the side.
I grabbed all my luggage and opened my designated drawer before silently unpacking and placing my clothes inside. I had to be as quiet as possible to make sure I don't wake Tzuyu up from her nap.
The last time I saw someone interrupt her sleep, she almost burned them alive with her intimidating glares. And I'm not really in the mood to deal with an upset brat at the moment.
All I wanted to do was arrange my belongings and rest up when I'm done. So, with hurried yet silenced movements, I neatly shoved everything into my drawer.
-
I woke up to the sound of shuffling inside the room. Slowly opening my eyes, I saw Tzuyu sitting on her bed while already wearing her uniform.
After she finished placing her notebooks inside her backpack, she got up and left the room, probably on her way to get breakfast before she heads to class.
I turned to the clock that was placed above the window, seeing it was already 6:33 in the morning. I sighed, why did classes have to start so soon?
I lazily got out of bed, taking a towel with me before entering the bathroom. Since I still had to wait in line at the cafeteria for breakfast, I made sure to finish up quickly.
It was a good thing Tzuyu left early. I had the freedom to roam around our shared room with only a towel on before I finally put on my uniform.
I hastily grabbed my bag and sped out the room, not forgetting to lock it. On my way to the 1st floor, I coincidentally met Dahyun, who was using her short legs to jump down several steps at once.
Judging by that look on her face, she was starving and wasn't willing to wait in line for breakfast today. So despite the danger she was putting herself in, she hurried down the staircase and passed by me without noticing my presence.
That is, until I called out to her. "Dahyun!"
She instantly stopped, almost falling due to the abrupt halt of her movements as she swayed back and forth on one of the treads. I immediately reached out to grab her blazer, saving her from falling all the way down to the 1st floor.
"Easy there" I chuckled and earned myself a bright grin from her.
"Hi, Y/n! Fancy seeing you here" She wrapped her arms around my neck, greeting me with a morning hug before pulling away to hold my hand. "On your way to the cafeteria?"
"Yeah, I was hoping to fill my stomach before I head to class"
"Same here, attending classes on an empty stomach is the worst" She then continued her journey down the stairs, but this time with a much slower pace and with me trailing behind her. "Let's eat together!"
"Oh, uh..." My eyes awkwardly darted somewhere else, trying to avoid her curious stare. "I don't think that's a good idea"
"Aww, why not?" That little frown made me feel guilty, but I was more concerned about my safety than getting rid of that disappointed look on her pretty face.
"Your fans tend to get a little... aggressive" The last time I was seen with her, a couple of bitches came to kick my ass. If it weren't for Jihyo stopping them in time, I probably would've gone home with a few bruises.
Receiving some power from the strongest woman in this world doesn't automatically put me at the top of the food chain. I was still at the very bottom of the list.
And compared to Dahyun's crazy admirers who've had their magic for most of their life, I was like a newborn baby thrown into a ring and forced to fight with adults.
I don't want to become another punching bag, so I'll have to limit my interactions with them if I want to graduate alive. It was a shame, really. They're really nice people, but I'm not stupid enough to risk my life just to spend time with hot girls and–
"I'll pay for your meal if you agree"
"Deal" My immediate reply had her bursting into a fit of laughter.
"Are you serious?" She asked between her giggles while pushing her hair back, completely amused with my quick change of choice.
I shook my head, laughing with her. "I'm joking. I just wanted to make you laugh, a frown doesn't suit you" Although I said I was more concerned about my safety, Dahyun was too precious to be left sad and disappointed. I had to cheer her up somehow.
"So, you lied!"
"I said I was joking"
"Nope! Joke or not, we already made a deal, so you're coming with me" A cheeky grin stretched on her lips as she held my arm with a firm grip, making sure I don't escape.
A look of distress and regret washed over my face while I struggled to get out of her hold. "But your fans!"
"I'll kill whoever tries to hurt you, don't worry"
"Hearing you say you'll kill someone makes me worry even more!"
She laughed once more, dragging me out of the dorms and into the direction of where the cafeteria was located. "No one will hurt you, I promise. I'll take care of everything and make sure none of them try to do anything funny, so please stop squirming"
It was only then that I realized how much of an idiot I looked trying to escape from her. So instead of embarrassing myself further, I sighed in defeat and composed myself.
I was still hesitant, but if she promises nothing bad will happen, then who am I to decline? She seems like a woman of her word, so I might as well give up and enjoy a free meal.
"You better stick to your end of the bargain..."
"I don't break my promises, Y/n. You have absolutely nothing to worry about, my friend!"
"I hope so..."
And just as I expected, all eyes fell onto us when we entered the cafeteria. And what came with the unwanted attention were the enraged murmurs and intense glares from everyone who was inside.
It was cliché, really. The nasty comments and dirty looks began to pollute the cafeteria with the negativity it brought along, chasing away the peaceful atmosphere the room once had.
"Who the fuck is that bitch next to Dahyun!?" Someone from the crowd yelled, seemingly unaware of the volume of her voice.
I immediately looked down, not wanting to meet everyone's judging eyes. I was used to situations like this, but it still left me uncomfortable and uneasy whenever it happens.
A long sigh left my mouth. "What did I tell you?..." The idea of having breakfast with Dahyun was wonderful. Accepting her invitation would've been a lot easier if it was just the two of us eating.
Sad to say, the cafeteria was filled to brim at hours like this. And since her popularity in this academy was equivalent to a celebrity's, I was bound to get a truckload of hate for even standing next to her.
"And what did I tell you?" Dahyun turned to me with a soft smile while squeezing my hand gently, assuring me that everything will be alright.
And without warning, she faced the nosy crowd with a major twist in her expression, showing them the exact opposite of what she showed me a split second ago.
A glare colder than ice was shot at the audience, sending shivers down their spines as a chilly mist began to slowly creep around the cafeteria.
My skin crawled at her sudden change, and the abrupt drop in temperature, watching her quietly warn the crowd not to do anything stupid with her scowl.
Her eyes were almost soulless. The bright glint they normally had was replaced by a disturbing darkness similar to an abyss.
Everyone immediately got the message, silently going back to their previous shenanigans and minding their own business, not forgetting to shoot me one last dirty look.
"You should really start trusting me more" And as if she hadn't threatened the entire academy a moment ago, she went back to being the smiley and bright Dubu we know. "Was I scary enough? I learnt it from Tzuyu, that girl is a master at intimidation!"
I'd be lying if I said she didn't almost scare the shit out of me. Tzuyu was indeed a genius when it came to intimidation. But I had already gotten used to her cold stares, so I wasn't too fazed by her anymore.
However, when girls like Dahyun do it, I get so overly intimidated due to how unexpected it is. Who would've thought the bubbly Dahyun was capable of switching to a more frightening version of herself so suddenly like that?
Tzuyu taught her well...
"You're pretty cool, y'know that?" Although my smile was tight and awkward, my words were as genuine as they could get. Her duality is seriously impressive.
"You think so?" She grinned, happy with the compliment I gave her. She then grabbed my hand, leading me to the back of the line where the both of us waited for a while.
Once we had gotten our separate trays of breakfast that Dahyun generously paid for, we began our search for an empty table we could use. Everyone we passed by would refuse to look at us out of fear, but when we got far, I could feel them stealing glances at Dahyun and shooting brief glares at me.
With how well they're behaving, I'm almost convinced my stay at this academy will be a somewhat peaceful one. It's hard to believe, honestly.
I'd probably get nasty looks everywhere I go, but hey, at least no one will mess with me now that Dahyun threatened them. I guess I could say I'm now free to hang out with anyone I want.
Ms. IU would totally make fun of me for being pathetic though. If she ever finds out I'm using my friend's popularity to protect myself from bullies, then she'd definitely laugh her ass off.
But can she blame me, though? It's not like I was asking to be protected, Dahyun just forced everything to happen. Although, I do appreciate the effort.
"Dahyun, over here!"
I was pulled out of my train of thoughts when a soft, feminine voice tore through the annoying chatters of the other students. I looked to where the tiny yell came from, seeing a hand waving in the air while gesturing us to come to her table.
"Mina!" Dahyun said with glee upon seeing one of her best friends.
My heart stilled momentarily before picking up a rather worrying pace when she looked at me. And here I thought this academy didn't have any more pretty girls up its sleeve.
Oh, how it proved me wrong.
A pair of dazzling eyes that sparkled with curiosity, that beautifully crafted visage that would stun anyone who sees it for the first time, those little moles that nestled around her porcelain skin.
Each of her features had left me speechless and unmoving in my place. The air of elegance that surrounded her made it clear she was from a wealthy family, and yet she showed no signs arrogance or conceit.
In fact, it was the opposite. She looked calm and friendly, like a delicate flower in the middle of a peaceful field. Her voice was soft. Soothing, even. Almost as if she was capable of changing the world into a better place with just a few words.
An invisible arrow shot through my heart when her eyes began to form into little crescents as her lips parted to flash me a gummy smile. "Hi, you must be Y/n!"
My knees buckled at the mention of my name. The way she said it was so refreshing and pleasant. "He- Hello..." Of course I stuttered, why wouldn't I stutter?
She chuckled lightly before standing up and offering me her hand. "I'm Myoui Mina, I've heard a lot about you from my friends!"
I swallowed the lump in my throat while nervously shaking her hand. "Hopefully, they only said nice things. It's a pleasure to meet you, by the way"
Dahyun laughed at that while Mina giggled. "The pleasure is all mine, and don't worry, our opinions of you are very positive" The latter said.
Dahyun backed her up by showing me a thumbs up, a small gesture that told me everything Mina said was absolutely true.
"That's good to know then!" I quietly sighed in relief, glad that I left a good impression.
"Speaking of friends, where are the others?" Dahyun asked and took the seat across Mina's while I sat down next to her.
"All of them finished breakfast early and went to their classes a little while ago. I got here late, so I couldn't join them in time" Although she wore a smile, the slight sadness in her voice was evident.
"Well, it's a good thing Y/n and I got here late too," Dahyun picked her spoon up and delivered a mouthful of rice into her mouth. "the three of us get to eat together"
"You won't be lonely with us around" I added, also digging in and enjoying my free breakfast.
Mina gazed at us with a satisfied look in her eyes before speaking up, the subtle dejection she tried to hide earlier already gone. "Thank you, I appreciate it" Her tone was tender and sincere, only conveying her true feelings and rejecting any form of deceit that tried to slip in.
Is she an angel? Or maybe a princess? She looks so stunning even though she's just sitting there. Is it even humanly possible for a person to carry this much elegance?
She was so breathtakingly beautiful, I had completely forgotten about the jealous scowls that tried to burn me alive. Mina looked at me after noticing my lingering stare before putting on another smile.
"Is there something on my face?"
Looks like I was gawking a little too much. "O- Oh, no. I just think you're really pretty!" I awkwardly scratched my cheek, worried that I might have creeped her out for telling the truth.
But when her lovely smile returned, I could feel my worries throwing themselves out the window. A faint blush painted her smooth cheeks as she shyly slapped the air.
"Thank you, but I personally think you're a lot more charming than me, Y/n"
Although I couldn't agree with her since I was nowhere near her level of charm, it was still nice to hear someone praise me. "Thanks" I tried not to sound overly affected by her compliment, but the stupid grin on my lips just had to betray me.
A clearing of throat had us turning to the pale girl next to me, seeing the slight frown on her lips. "I'm right here, y'know?"
"Ah, right..." I trailed off, laughing awkwardly. "Sorry about that"
Dahyun sighed and let us off the hook before going back to her meal. We mirrored her actions and dug back in, humming in delight at the addictive taste of our separate dishes.
Although it was cafeteria food, it was far better than what was served back in my previous school. I expected nothing less from a prestigious academy like RIZEN. Even the simple dishes tasted great.
Mina and I got along nicely. She was easygoing and well-mannered, only using nice words while patiently waiting for her turn to speak, making sure she doesn't cut anyone off.
Let's not forget about how soft-spoken she is as well, so listening to her speak was very calming. Also, I was right about her being from a wealthy family.
She confirmed it herself after I asked her about it, but she didn't boast about her riches like how most people would. Apparently, she was born with a golden spoon in her mouth, but the most impressive part was how she didn't turn out to be a spoiled brat.
Mina was an elegant and humble young lady who freely expressed how much fun she was having despite the simplicity of what we were doing.
Dahyun mentioned how Mina was the shy and quiet type, but the latter was very participative in the conversations I started.
According to Dahyun, it was unusual. She's apparently never seen Mina this immersed and intrested before. And when the pale girl asked her about it, all Mina did was steal a quick glance at me before placing her index finger over her lips.
"It's a secret~"
-
"For today's magic training, all of you will be assigned an opponent who you will go up against," Sir Park announced while standing inside the ring he drew on the gymnasium's hardwood floor.
"Each pair will be given a time limit of 10 minutes. To win, you can either knock your opponent out of the ring or make them surrender. However, if both of you refuse to call it quits and are still in the ring once your time is up, the match will end in a draw"
As Sir Park announced the pairs, I sat down with everyone else while patiently waiting for my name to get called.
"Park Chanyeol vs. Byun Baekhyun"
"Kang Daniel vs. Choi Soobin"
"Hwang Yeji vs. Hwang Hyunjin"
"Jeon Heejin vs. Jang Wonyoung"
"Y/n L/n vs–"
'Please be an easy opponent...' I internally cried, pouring my entire soul into wishing for a weak classmate of mine to get assigned as my opponent.
"Kim Jisoo!"
Jisoo? What was her magic type again? I looked around, trying to find the said girl among the numerous bodies that were gathered together in neat and organized lines.
Soon enough, I locked eyes with her after I checked the last row, seeing her there with her friends. She quickly looked away when Sir Park called for the first pair after he finished announcing everyone's opponent.
Chanyeol and Baekhyun were the first ones to enter the ring, and both of them had stayed there for at least 6 minutes. They were doing really well, but when Baekhyun was knocked out of the ring, Chanyeol was deemed victorious.
Daniel and Soobin were pretty much on the same level, so their fight took a while to end. It was supposed to end in a draw, all of us thought it would. That was the case, until Daniel gave up and gave Soobin the win.
The Hwangs were interesting to watch. Yeji was really skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and so was Hyunjin. And the former claimed her superiority after she successfully sent him flying to a wall.
Heejin and Wonyoung were serving visuals on a golden platter throughout their match. Both of them looked adorable while running around and trying to knock each other out.
But Wonyoung was rather clumsy and ended up slipping out of the ring by accident. And although Heejin won, she barely gave a damn about her victory and went to aid Wony instead of celebrating.
It was honestly healing to watch. Both of them were so nice and cute, I almost forgot about my own match. Jisoo had to poke my arm and remind me we were up next.
"Ah, sorry" I said before quietly following her into the ring.
"Both of you state your name and magic type" Sir Park stated while standing in between us with his clipboard.
"Kim Jisoo, magic type: Teleportation"
Right, her magic is teleportation. How could I forget something so important? I gulped after realizing how tricky of an opponent she turned out to be. Catching her will be one hell of a struggle.
"Y/n L/n, magic type: Lightning"
He nodded and left right away, settling himself near the audience. I positioned myself into a battle stance as Jisoo stretched her limbs.
The tight smile she wore told me we were both equally nervous and cautious of each other. Hopefully, we don't get too injured.
"You may now begin!" Sir Park blew his whistle, signalling the start of our match.
"I'll make this quick" Jisoo mumbled and vanished into thin air before reappearing right in front of me.
Caught off guard by the sudden closeness, I couldn't react in time and failed to dodge her fist. A hard punch was sent to my face as I stumbled back.
I clicked my tongue, planning to counterattack, but she was quick to teleport herself behind me before driving her foot onto my back.
When I faceplanted on the floor, Jisoo pulled her leg back to kick me out of the ring. Unfortunately for her, I managed to dodge it this time by rolling away.
Getting up, I raised my hand and blasted her a bolt of lightning. She smirked, easily avoiding it by teleporting to a safer spot. I fired her another one, and she dodged it just like how she did with the first one.
Trying to close the distance was pointless. Since she could transfer herself to a different spot in an instant, I'd only waste my energy if I resorted to close combat. This time, I could only rely on my magic.
The 2 of us kept repeating the same process over and over again. Sneakers sliding against the floor, lighting bolts flying everywhere, and Jisoo's teleporting have been rampant for the past 7 minutes.
That is, until Jisoo finally saw a crack in my defenses and headed straight for it, hurriedly teleporting in front of me before slamming a number of punches on several parts of my body.
And when I tried to hit her back, she would teleport herself to either my back or sides and attack me from there. She was all over the place, and it was getting annoying.
She's been treating me like a punching bag ever since our match started and judging by that relaxed look on her face, she was beginning to let her guard down after seeing how I couldn't do anything to stop her.
However, that's where she was wrong. That mistake of hers is what I've been waiting for since earlier.
When my body fell backwards, I closed my eyes and let my aching limbs rest against the floor, pretending to lose consciousness. I could hear Jisoo's quiet steps coming my way before halting right next to my head.
"Looks like I won" While saying so, Jisoo carelessly reached her hand out to grab me and drag my ass out of the ring.
But when my eyes shot back open, she flinched and instantly tried to pull away. Unfortunately for her, I had already locked my fingers around her wrist. "Think again"
Sparks burst from my hand and went straight for her, engulfing her in a searing light that lit up the room with bright yellow hues. "AAAHHHH!" She screamed, unable to endure the pain of electrocution.
The others watched in awe as Sir Park struggled to choose between stopping us or just letting the match continue. On the other hand, Tzuyu was seemingly very intrested with what she was seeing. I could see her smirking at the side in my peripheral vision.
In the end, Sir Park decided to go for the latter after I deactivated my magic when I saw Jisoo's eyes roll back. As soon as it was over, she fell to her knees and gasped for air.
"You're crazy..." She whispered while wiping the droplets of sweat that gathered on her chin.
"I know" My response created an amused smile on her lips just as Sir Park blew his whistle, startling the both of us.
"10 minutes have passed! Since both of you are still in the ring, it's a draw" He declared, shooing us out of the ring.
Jisoo got up with wobbly legs and a grunt, trying to stop herself from stumbling back down. I quickly held her arm and steadied her.
"Sorry, I went a bit overboard, didn't I?"
"Nah, I deserved it" Jisoo put on a lazy smile and trudged to where she sat earlier while clinging to me for support. "Plus, you're the cool kind of crazy, I'm too impressed to get mad"
I couldn't help but laugh at her statement as the both of us plopped down into a comfortable sitting position. With nothing important left to do, Jisoo and I spent the rest of the class chatting and getting to know each other.
-
"Ouch, ouch, ouch" I mumbled while holding onto my aching thigh, a spot Jisoo kicked earlier. I was currently on my way to the infirmary to get myself healed.
I didn't want to head to my dorm while looking like a total loser that got beaten up during magic training. And I knew for a fact I'd have trouble sleeping later due to the pain, and healing magic is the only solution to this problem of mine.
It's a good thing it wasn't so crowded during this time of the day. Everyone always rushes home once classes are over, so I had the freedom to walk as slowly as possible without getting yelled at.
"You need any help there, Y/n? You're wincing quite a lot" A voice called out from behind. Looking back, I saw Mina standing there with the same cute smile I saw this morning.
Just seeing her is already healing me. "Yeah, I guess I do need some help" I chuckled rather awkwardly while watching her take long strides to where I stood.
Upon her arrival, she casually held my hand and slipped her fingers through mine, intertwining them. I shivered at the contact as I looked at her with questioning eyes. "Infirmary, right?" She asked.
Although confused, I nodded nonetheless. And, in the mere blink of an eye, our surroundings changed and were replaced by the wooden door that led inside the infirmary.
My eyes widened as an automatic response. "You're a teleporter?"
She hummed to confirm my question before pulling me inside the infirmary. "You fought Jisoo earlier, right? I saw you parting ways with her at the changing rooms"
"Yeah, why?"
"Jisoo and I are both teleporters, but there's a major difference between our magic"
"And that is?" When I took notice of the nurse's absence in the room, Mina sat me down on one of the chairs and took the seat right next to it.
"Jisoo can only teleport herself while I can teleport other people with me" She informed while I nodded along. "But there's also another reason why we're very different"
I motioned for her to go on, but instead of an answer, I received a question instead. "The nurse doesn't seem like she'll be returning any time soon, huh?"
"Who knows? She might have just gone to the cafeteria for a quick snack"
"Are you willing to wait for her to return?"
"Well, not really..." I'm always overcome with fatigue once our classes end, so all I ever want to do when that happens is laze around and sleep my exhaustion away.
And I wasn't entirely sure about my guess too. The nurse could've gone to toilets or maybe even the headmaster's office rather than just the cafeteria. There was the possibility of her currently on her way home and had simply forgotten to lock the infirmary as well.
She could've been anywhere, really. Plus, I'm not confident about my patience lasting for long. If she doesn't get back in 5 minutes, then I might just try to walk off the pain and pretend it isn't there so I can go home.
Mina chuckled. "Then it's a good thing I'm here with you" She suddenly stood up and moved her hand to hover it over my head.
I was about to ask her what she was doing, but was immediately cut off by the greenish light that emitted from her palm. "Another major difference between Jisoo and I is that I'm also a healer" Mina grinned proudly as the stings and aches that were all over my body instantly disappeared.
"You have two types of magic!?" I almost screamed, completely astonished by her revelation.
"We're called dual casters. Pretty cool, right?" Mina explained, very amused with my reaction as she pulled me back on my feet.
"You're amazing!"
"Thank you, Y/n" That gleeful expression she had never left her face. It was as if it had been permanently stitched onto her head.
Mina liked to smile a lot, it's something I took notice of. She was a well-behaved and beautiful maiden who takes good care of the people around her. And proof of that was how kindly she was treating me despite the fact we had been introduced to each other just this morning.
It was no wonder she was admired by many. And that gummy smile of hers might just convince me into becoming a fan.
"Come on, I'll take you home" She intertwined our fingers once again. I thought she would teleport us in front of my dorm, but instead, she dragged me out of the infirmary and walked with me to my building.
Normally, walking becomes a hassle and a waste of energy whenever I get tired, but today, I found myself wanting to prolong our little journey to my dorm room.
I may have been exhausted, but if Mina accompanies me, then I don't mind walking for an hour or so around the academy just to chat with her.
Myoui Mina was really nice to have around.
-