"Endorsi, why don't you become friends with Hatz?" Bam suggested since the swordsman was missing two friends for his assignment. Achim silently ate her lunch beside him, ignoring all the chaos at the table.
"With him?" Endorsi smirked, glancing at him. "Are you setting us up on a date? He is quite handsome."
"Y—Yeah! he's muscular too!" Bam said enthusiastically, making Achim snort next to him.
"Bam, you sound like you're selling a product," Khun raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry, but no," the girl smiled. "I'm not allowed to date."
"Really...?" Bam asked in disbelief. "That's one dismal household. But isn't it okay to be friends?"
"Nope! I don't believe in platonic relationships between the opposite gender!"
"As expected from a Princess," Achim noted thoughtfully and ever so casually, poking at her food.
"PRINCESS?!" everyone yelled in shock.
"Well, she didn't have to expose me like that," Endorsi rolled her eyes and smiled. "Achim, was it? Thanks."
"Then... we have two Princesses in our test area?" Shibisu asked in shock.
"Exactly, why are you hanging out with these guys?" Anaak suddenly sneered as she walked by with her food tray. "Shame on you, we wouldn't have two Princesses in this test area if you were gone."
"Anaak!"
Endorsi merely smirked. "Then... your sisters with Anaak?" Bam asked, his eyes trailing behind the lizard girl.
"Stepsisters at least," Endorsi narrowed eyes. "Easily put, we're like luxury shoes displayed in the same shop window." She's fake though, she finished in her head.
Achim placed a hand on her chin. She didn't recall it was possible to have two Princesses on the same test floor since a Princess is chosen every several hundred years. Or at least, it was very rare. Endorsi rested her head in her hand and looked at Achim smugly, knowing exactly what the girl had in her mind.
Anaak wasn't even a Ranker yet, so why did she have one of the 13 Months Series? Achim thought, her eyes staring wide at the ground. No, I'm not so sure yet, I'll have to ask Endorsri later. I could be mistaken since they are both insanely strong... then I'll be attacked—
"Achim? Hellooo~?" Khun waved his hand in front of her face. "Do you sleep with your eyes open or something?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Achim smiled slightly, gently slapping his hand away. "Sorry, I was thinking, what did I miss?"
"Wow, you can think?" the ocean-eyed Regular teased. "Jeez, that's very rare."
An irk mark appeared on Achim's head. "I would slap you right now, but I don't want to make your face look better." she retorted.
"Ooh, scary!" Khun grinned, playfully gibing. "Don't worry, keep trying, maybe someday you'll say something intelligent."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but no one wants to hear your life experiences here, thanks!" she rolled her eyes.
"Well, I know I might sound like an idiot to you. But, I have to else you won't understand a word I say," Khun crossed his arms, enjoying her irritated look.
"Whoever told you to be yourself has given you very bad advice."
"Be myself? Well, I'm not perfect, am I? At least I'm not you~"
Everyone deadpanned at the as Khun and Achim continued to throw back-and-forth insults at each other from across the table. "Oi, are they always like this?" Shibisu whispered loudly to Bam. "They act like an old married couple."
"Excuse you?!" Khun and Achim simultaneously yelped at Shibisu.
"Y—Yeah, they do play fight a lot..." Bam responded nervously, rubbing the back of his head.
☀️ ☀️ ☀️
"Um, Lady Endorsi—" Achim called to Endorsi, catching up to her after lunch.
"Just call me Endorsi, 'Lady' is way too stuffy," the Princess curtly said, crossing her arms behind her back. "Well, what is it? I don't have all day."
"I was just wondering... is it possible for a Princess who is not a Ranker to have one of the 13 Months?" Achim pried, wringing her hands.
"Nope!" Endorsi chirped gleefully, popping the 'p' and knowing exactly where this conversation was heading.
"Then... do you know why Anaak has the Gree—"
"Heh. You know that answer yourself though, am I right?" Endorsi interrupted haughtily, still smiling. "Tell me what you think, don't worry, I don't bite."
Achim narrowed her eyes at her. "Well I mean, it would make sense that you don't have one of those ignition weapons yet, since your not a Ranker. The only thing I can think of is that Anaak is not really a Jahad Princess."
"Hm, a fake would be a better way to describe that lizard, I like that."
"But that's not quite nice—"
"Well yeah, obviously, you can't be nice all the time," Endorsi huffed, throwing an arm around Achim's shoulder. "But Achim, you're quite the two-faced bitch, aren't you?" she asked smugly.
"Pardon?" Achim frowned, looking up at Endorsi who was slightly taller than her.
"You heard me," she replied. "You act so sweet and innocent sometimes right? But then, you can easily lie. I saw you use Cry of Piercing of Water at the Crown Game, okay? Everyone did."
"What exactly are you implying?" Achim asked, her eyes narrowing coldly and she lightly pushed Endorsi's slender arm off her shoulder. Right... remember, she's a Princess. Master said not to get too close to them, Achim thought.
"Nothing!" Endorsi lied with an arrogant tone. "Let's be friends, I like you. We're the same, after all."
Achim raised an eyebrow bewilderedly. What in the world? "How am I supposed to know that you're also not just using me to get to my brother?" she blurted out.
Endorsi's eyes widened before she sunk her squared shoulders, puffing out her cheeks and pouting slightly. "Ugh, how'd you know?" she whined. "Well, not really, but there is some truth to that."
"I know because Lady Yuri also wants to make a move on Bam," Achim said blankly. "And my brother is pretty good-looking, so I just assumed..."
"Wha— Ha Yuri?!"
"Yeah."
Endorsi scowled, then let out a little hmph. "Whatever," she sighed starting walking away. "Well if that's all, I have other things to do. Best go run off now."
Achim was left standing, there, her confusion on her face growing more and more as each second passed. What exactly did she mean by two-faced? Literally or figuratively? She wasn't a hypocrite, was she? When did she ever lie, except for keeping her identity as an Irregular a secret? Was her using Cry of Piercing Water really that shocking? Questions like these filled Achim's mind while she just stood there in the middle of the hall, a frown creasing her brow.
"Miss Achim, you can't be just standing there without something to do, you know," a familiar voice politeness spoke from behind. Achim whipped head around frantically, startled, to find Hansung Yu smiling at her.
Oh, it's just the coffee addict, Achim deadpanned at her nervous alertness. "Oh, um, I'm sorry," she muttered, stepping back with her back to the wall. "Do you... need anything?"
Hansung Yu merely continued smiling at her. "Nothing much, I just want to clarify something," he responded, his eyes flickering down to her charm hanging at her waist. Seeing this, Achim narrowed her eyes and swiftly hid it in the folds of her skirt with just a flick of her hand. With this impression, Achim was really thinking that she shouldn't trust anyone at the moment.
So... she's quite cunning, Hansung thought, also noting that she didn't falter under his heavy gaze. Good, a bit different from the Crown Game.
What does he want? Achim thought, still gripping the hem of her skirt. But somehow in a flash, Hansung was suddenly several feet in front of her, just about an arm's length away. Then, Achim mentally gasped as her left hand instinctively flew upward to guard the side of her face, where she found Hansung's right hand pressing against her wrist, aiming for her neck.
Hansung smirked as Achim's hand shook while pushing back his hand and stayed like that for a moment before he relaxed and dropped his hand to his side again. Achim, who has taken quite a shock, kept her left hand up even after Hansung nodded and walked away. Slowly, she dropped her hand and frowned, staring at Hansung's retreating back.
As he glanced back at the girl while walking away, he narrowed his eyes. I knew it, he thought. That charm is definitely something to behold. I wonder... how long it would take for the night to be on par with the morning?
"Achim!" Bam called to her, rushing out from the corner and grabbing her hand with Khun following with his hand in his pockets. "Are you okay?"
"You were hiding behind that wall weren't you?" Achim raised a brow Khun. The ocean-eyed Regular just shrugged and stuck his tongue out.
"Did he do anything to do?" Khun frowned, glaring at the hall which Hansung had disappeared from. "If he hurts you I'll kill him myself." Bam nodded determinedly.
"Ba—" Achim started but bit back her tongue when her brother's expression wavered as he glanced back at the door they passed which read "Michelle Light." "Rachel..." she heard her brother mutter under his breath.
Under a facade, Achim beamed. "He didn't really do much," she responded as the three of them raided Bam's room. "But even if he did, he's a Regular, Aguero, you wouldn't be able to even scratch him."
Khun sighed, flopping on the bed and resting his head on Achim's lap. "Obviously not, but let me be nice when I actually can, alright?"
"So you admit you're mean?" Achim teased back, grabbing a book she had taken out earlier. "And get off."
"No."
"Now, now, let's not fight," Bam nervously laughed, putting down his snack. He jumped when Achim brought the corner of her book down on Khun's face, but abruptly stopped a few centimeters above his face. "Achim!"
Achim pouted when he didn't flinch. "That's not gonna make me get off you know," Khun remarked, smirking up at her and swirling a tiny version of his Lighthouse around his finger at the same time. Instead of biting back, Achim rolled her eyes at his arrogant attitude and stuck her nose back into her book.
"Hey, do you guys think I'm two-faced?" she asked suddenly.
Khun frowned. "Is that what Endorsi said?"
"You saw that too?!"
Bam nodded. "But what does she mean by two-faced? Doesn't that mean liar? Achim's not a liar."
Khun hummed thoughtfully. "Well, Endorsi could've only thought that you were lying, and have maybe got the wrong impression. But then again, it doesn't just mean liar."
"Get to the point Aguero," Achim said.
"Well, she might think that your the type to expose your true colors when your pissed or alone," Khun explained. "Bipolar is another one."
"That's..."
Khun shrugged. Silence.
"You know, Bam," Achim sighed not looking up from her book yet still seeing Bam's troubled expression. "If something is bothering you, you can tell me."
"It's nothing," Bam said firmly. "I already told you that I'm fine."
Achim clenched her hands tighter around the book, not noticing that Khun narrowed her eyes at her hurt expression. There was an awkward silence, of just the sounds of Achim gingerly flipping the pages of her book after she had regained her composure. Bam was still deep in thought, and Achim had noticed that too. Bam started, "If Rachel—"
"Tch!" SLAM!
Khun and Bam flinched when Achim snapped her book shut loudly. Khun didn't exactly know why, but he knew that the girl Rachel was a touchy subject. Getting the hint, he finally sat up from Achim's lap, letting her stand up and set the book down. With her bangs shadowing her eyes, she walked out without another word, leaving both boys concerned in her wake.
He STILL talks about her like she's the only person he trusts, Achim thought angrily, going out to the patio to get fresh air. That bitch already said she doesn't want to see him anymore, so why is he so damn persistent?!
"Calm down..." Hatz cringed at the loud noise of Achim slamming the door closed behind her to the outside.
"Oh... Hatz," Achim force her anger to subside as she greeted him with a radiant smile. 'What are you doing here?"
Hatz nodded at the Highest Flying Sword he was polishing in his hands with an isn't-it-clearly-obvious-you-idiot-? expression. "Aren't you supposed to be with arguing with Earrings like you always do?"
Achim snorted, sitting down at the other side of the bench. "You guys both hold grudges huh?"
"Well, it's ethical to put another in his place if he insults you," Hatz orated sternly.
"Hm, but technically didn't you start it first?" Achim asked and smirked, putting her hand on her chin. "That's not really ethical either hm?
"... he deserved it."
Achim let out a pfft before letting out a fit of giggles. Hatz gazed at her warily. "It's not really that funny," Hatz grumbled. "But at least your smiling again, an angry look doesn't suit you."
"I can't if that's a compliment," Achim raised an eyebrow and grinned, crossing her arms.
"It's neither a compliment nor an insult," Hatz answered calmly. Achim shook her head, smiling, then went back to being quiet, only the sound of Hatz polishing his sword heard.
Wait.
Hatz is a swordsman that follows a warrior's code, Achim realized, her brow creasing slightly. "Hey, Hatz."
"What is it?"
"You're quite familiar with bushido right?"
Hatz raised a brow at her. "Obviously, why?"
Achim looked down at her feet and hesitated before answering. "What do you do when a sibling is neglecting you?"
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Hellooooo my lovelies! Quite ironic is it, that Rachel is jealous of Bam yet Achim is kind of jealous of Rachel 😂 What about you guys, do you think Achim is a bit two-faced?
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