[Rain Rizwalde
First-Year Class 4/7]
Rain blinked.
He was just out of the shower with just a towel strapped around his waist. Water dripped from the lean muscles of his body. He was drying his hair when he saw a red card on his bedside table out of the corner of his eyes. It wasn't there when he woke up and took a shower, and when he opened it, the letters written in cerulean ink stumbled into his view.
[Rain Rizwalde
First-Year Class 4/7]
"Class 4/7?" Rain mumbled. He hadn't heard of a class like that when he read the student handbook of Arcane Academy.
Is it a new class?
Knock!
Knock!
"Rain! Rain!" Ethan and Rever's voice rang outside his door.
Rain quickly grabbed a robe, and after making sure that his secret was covered, he opened the door and saw Ethan and Rever completely dripping wet with just a flimsy towel on their waste. Rever even had bubbles on his hair.
"What's going on?" Rain asked when he saw their urgent faces.
"Did you also received a red card?"
"What class are you in?!"
Both Ethan and Rever said at the same time with anxious voices.
"Yeah. I received a red card just now, and I'm in class 4/7."
"That's great!" Both of them exclaimed in unison.
Ethan lifted his fist in the air and jumped. At the same time, Rever fisted his fingers and swung it down on his side in delight.
"We're all in the same class! This really is fate!" Ethan laughed with all his heart.
"What are you two doing so early in the morning and naked at that?" said a clear voice with a domineering tone.
"Ah! Alfonse!" Ethan said, surprised when Alfonse came out of nowhere and walked towards them equipped in their formal uniform.
"Wow, Princy! It's just six in the morning. School's still two hours from now, and yet you're already in full gear." Rever chuckled, grinning as he tilted his head.
"Hmp! I'm not like you lazy bunch that only woke up now. I was up at four to practice my lance," Alfonse answered with a mocking tone that all Rain, Ethan, and Rever could do was lower their head and laugh awkwardly at themselves.
Actually, Rain, Ethan, and Rever did have daily routines for training, but they were just too exhausted from yesterday's fight that they went hibernating the moment they laid on their bed.
The three men couldn't help but admire Alfonse's discipline and dedication.
"Anyway, Princy, what class are you in?" Rever changed the topic.
"Class 4/7," Alfonse answered, which made the three glanced at each other in delight.
"That's great! The four of us are in the same class! This really is fate!" Ethan and Rever hopped towards Alfonse, motioning to embrace him.
"Y-you two stay away from me!"
Alfonse was caught off guard, and he took a step back with hands raised against the two naked approaching men. It was actually the first time that Rain, Ethan, and Rever saw Alfonse became flustered that they couldn't help but laugh out loud.
----
"Waaghh . . . this is nerve-wracking. I'm so nervous right now just looking at Arcane Academy's gate. D-do you think I look okay?" Ethan asked while he fixed his jacket for the hundredth time.
Rever looked at Ethan with a twisting face as he retrained his laugh.
Ethan was wearing the formal uniform neatly buttoned. Only, instead of a necktie, Ethan wore an eye-catching red bowtie that looked like a ribbon. Coupled by Ethan's girly features and baby face, he looked like an elementary school girl. In fact, if not for the pants, he could pass as a girl.
"*Pft! W-what's with the bowtie?" Rever smacked his fingers in front of his mouth while his other arm was clutching his stomach. He could no longer contain his laughter.
"W-well . . . m-my sister gave it to me. She said that it would make me look more dashing . . . ," Ethan said, face red with fingers tapping each other. Like a bashful girl.
Buwahahaha!
Rever cracked and crunched as he held his stomach.
Ethan turned to Rain with misty eyes. "R-Rain . . . d-does it really looks weird?"
"N-no . . . ," Rain answered while avoiding any eyes contact.
"A-Alfonse . . ." When Rain didn't meet Ethan's gaze, Ethan turned to Alfonse, but the latter pretended to arrange his uniform like he didn't hear him.
"Hey, Guys!"
The four men all turned to look at the dazzling smile of a beautiful girl, waving her hand as she ran towards them.
"Ahh . . . my day is complete. It's always nice to see a beauty so early in the morning," Rever muttered with droopy eyes and a dopey smile.
Rain and Ethan felt the same. Arca's charming smile and fresh aura did make anyone feel happy and light.
"Arca, what class are you in?" Alfonse was the one who greeted Arca first.
"Class 4/7."
At the mention of this Rain, Ethan and Rever immediately surrounded the only girl in their group.
"Wow! I can't believe it! Imagine our group is in the same class! This really is destiny! We are all connected by fate!" Ethan was thrilled, and he jumped in excitement.
"Ehehehe. Missy. I guess you are stuck with us. You must be happy that you'll be pampered by four handsome men, huh?" Rever grinned as he raffled Arca's hair.
"S-stop it! Who would be happy being pampered by a rogue like you?" Arca's face burst red. She was not used to men who acted familiar with her. Alfonse was different since they grew up together.
Seeing Arca's face turned red again, the four men all laugh at the embarrassed girl struggling to avoid his hair from being raffled by Rever.
"Excuse me. Can you let me pass?" said a formal voice of a woman.
Everyone turned and saw a woman of peerless beauty with ocean-long blue hair raised in a tight ponytail with few strands framing her lovely face.
"Oh . . . Sorry," Arca said, a little embarrassed.
They didn't know that they were already blocking half the entrance of the Academy. They made way for the beauty to pass. As the blue-haired woman walked forward with elegance and grace, she gave Rain a short glance when she passed by him before she was entirely out sight.
"*Whistle . . . that's one hell of an intimidating beauty." Rever stared at Arca beside him, and he placed his long slender fingers on top of her head as he slightly leaned towards her. "That's gonna be one hell of a mountain to overcome, little messy. But don't worry. This big brother has its coins on ya'."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Arca said. She really didn't know what Rever was implying while she continually avoided the man's annoying hands that's been raffling her hair.
While Arca was arguing with Rever, Ethan leaned towards Rain and whispered, "She was the woman yesterday who was staring at you. Do you think she likes you?" Ethan teased.
Rain chuckled as he shook his head. He would be extremely flattered if the girl did feel that way towards him, but he sensed she only looked at him like a foe. Like he was her enemy or something.
"Felysa Rozarrian. The only daughter of Duke Rozarrian in the Kingdom of Arales," said Alfonse and then gave Rain a long side glance with faked pitying eyes. "You should train hard, Rain, if you don't want to lose to her house."
"Eh! S-s-she's! R-R-Rozarrian?! T-the house of S-Saint of Sword?" Ethan's eyes bulged, and he instantly understood why the blue-haired beauty always stared at Rain.
"R-Rain . . ." Ethan watched Rain like he was about to die.
"Enough, guys. Why are you all looking at me like I'm going to be executed?" Rain shook his head. He had a feeling that she was the daughter of the Duke of Rozarrian. Although he didn't have any clue about her face, he had known the rivalry of swords between Rizwalde's house and the house of Rozarrian.
Rin sighed in silence.
In truth, he didn't care about the rivalry as all he ever wanted was to prove himself to his father and make a name for himself.
"Hmp! Just my luck to see Mr. Arrogant so early in the morning," a voice said laced in mockery, not bothering to hid its contempt.
Everyone glanced at that voice. Although it was a breath of a whisper, they heard it like it was purposely wanted to let them know.
A man with dark brown hair walked past them and shot Alfonse a glare before he resumed walking.
Now it was Alfonse's turn to be on the hot seat.
"Hmp."
And like always, Alfonse just brushed it off with crossed hands and a wave of his head that sent his beautiful golden hair swaying with the arrogant movement of his head. All of a sudden, everything sparkled.
Everyone just looked wryly at the handsome, arrogant man as they became the dull background for him.