"Yikes!" Adam flinched hiding behind Ryan with the middle schoolers who stood with their mouths a gape.
Nidou chuckled hard on his wooden pallet.
"There is nothing to laugh in there." Alan glanced annoyed.
Seraph standing up thanked, "Thank you…"
Alan shaking his head rejected, "Don't thank me. If you have so much time to waste then start practicing. Planks are the best core strengthening exercise for you alongside the Kettle ball snatch which will multiply your explosive power." "And, one more thing. Remove your gauntlet before doing kettle ball snatch exercise. Excessive pressure might hurt your muscles or even the bone. Moreover, Gabriel can start this exercise too from tomorrow onwards." he left.
Seraph gazing at his hand clutched it tightly.
The middle schoolers heading back to the cave settled down. "Where is Seraph?" Kenzo asked taking his clothes out.
"I'm here. Don't worry, I am not leaving." Seraph assured removing his shirt, heading towards the spring.
"Who knows… you are running away occasionally." Heber followed behind.
"Then, I am sorry for making you worried." Seraph apologized sitting in the spring beside Xavier.
Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes. "Isn't he apologizing a lot lately?" Ezekiel whispered to Cassiel.
"That shows he's worried. More like this kind of change comes in him, whenever he's tense." Cassiel told.
"Ah…" Azazel realized.
The thirteen of them rested silent. The spring bubbling ever so lightly only gurgles of water was to be heard with warm fog swarming atop.
"Sigh~ I wonder… when will we leave?" Helios whispered, his eyes closed.
"I am not tired because of the training anymore but thanks to this environment. I can't even sleep peacefully." Feng complained.
Ryan and Adam playing with soap bubbles ignored the adults' grievances.
Kenzo clicked his tongue cross. A cold wet towel kept over his eyes. Xavier exhaling looked at his hands which were charred and bruised. A light chuckle escaped his lips.
"What is it?" Gabriel asked.
"Nothing… if my elder sister were to see me right now. She would tear the whole world apart." Xavier replied.
"How lucky hun…" Kenzo regarded.
"But still, no matter what the case. Every single one of us is working hard including Alan." Poseidon said.
After a short while of silence Kenzo clicked his tongue again, "And, why did he had to come in between?"
"It's the truth after all." Cassiel added abruptly.
"Yeah, after seeing him that night it was crystal clear how hard he worked." Xavier remembered.
Azazel nodded silent.
"Sure does sound tough hun?" Heber uttered exhausted, "Being a world ranker sure is hard…"
"Tch, not that it was a big deal though. We all are practicing hard. He isn't the only one to get the credit." Kenzo muttered.
Adam glanced at Ryan speechless, "Don't tell me he is jealous…"
Hearing his words, veins popped on Kenzo's head, he shrieked, "Like hell I would be jealous!"
"And… there he goes. Even this time of peace is ruined." Feng uttered hopeless.
"It's all because of his damn fault. Who the hell does he think he is? Making every one think this king is rivalling him? He isn't worthy of that…" Kenzo gritted offended.
Helios sighed, "Calm down, it was just a joke. Why do you get agitated so easily the moment his name is taken…?" However, he abruptly halted amid his sentence blinking his eyes. Xavier and Poseidon too looked before them astonished.
The figure silent, kept his finger of on lips depicting them to stay quiet. A smile resting his lips with long hairs drenched, he stepped forward.
"Me? Agitated?! It's his pretty face ruining my entire mood…" Kenzo continued.
Azazel, Seraph and Ezekiel speechless slammed their foreheads in disbelief while Cassiel and Feng painstakingly tried to alert Kenzo. (Which was successfully all in vain though…) Adam, Heber and Ryan on the contrary chuckled quietly while Gabriel rolled his eyes looking away. "Idoits…" he whispered.
The figure crouching behind Kenzo stared at his hairs while he blabbered on and on clueless. Helios about to speak, took his hand on his mouth instead unable to comprehend anything anymore.
Suddenly the figure kept his elbow on Kenzo's head, with the other arm resting on his shoulders. Every single one of the middle schooler gulped looking away. "That's it… he's done for. Despite warning him, he dug his own grave." Cassiel murmured indifferent.
Xavier and Poseidon agreed. Chills leaving Kenzo's spine, he pulled the cloth covering his eyes away, "Who is it?!"
"Who else? The one with the pretty face who ruins your entire mood, your highness." Alan introduced sarcastically.
Hearing his voice, Kenzo turned around to grasp his sight. Alan crouching before him smirked. Wearing a white shirt and shorts, a towel rested over his shoulders. His hairs dripping wet alongside his golden earring which shimmered he asked, "What is it? Surprised?"
"Surprised my foot! What the hell are you doing here?" Kenzo snapped instead.
"Yeah, I was surprised as well. What brings you here?" Helios asked.
Alan grinned, "A good dinner what else? Come on out, all of you." Standing up, he dusted his clothes leaving. The thirteen of them looking at each other wondered silent.
Getting ready one after another the boys came outside to where Alan sat. A light whistle leaving his lips, a pair of ear plugs rested in his ears with a recorder struck in his shirt's pocket. A huge round cauldron kept before him over a round fire sizzled.
"Wow…" Feng remarked.
"Hey! Hey! What is that, Alan?" Adam asked curiously, peeking from above.
"Guess what it is?" Alan asked removing his right ear plug and searching his pockets.
"A stew?" Poseidon guessed.
"No more like a broth… right?" Cassiel guessed next.
"A witch's toxic potion…" Kenzo taunted sitting down.
Adam and Ryan clicked their tongues, "Such a jerk."
"I smell potatoes though. I cook sometimes that's why." Xavier guessed.
Alan standing before the cauldron opened a tiny bottle of spice, adding it in. "You're right. It's a potato stew. That old man pointed a sack of potatoes before me. At first, I wanted to slam it back at his face but then I remembered to cook them in an easy way. Just like Isa taught me before."
"Wah…! It smells so good." Heber remarked.
Suddenly a loud growl was heard from Adam's stomach, he drooled embarrassed. Looking at him sight they all laughed. Aligning the bowls, Alan poured the stew into bowls passing them to everyone who sat around in a circle. "It looks really appetizing…" Cassiel remarked. "Yeah! It's really tasty just eat it!" Azazel commented after a bite.
Seraph and Xavier too agreed delighted. "It's really good." Helios praised satisfied beside Feng, Ezekiel and Heber who lifted their thumbs up.
"Haha, I am glad you all liked it." Alan laughed.
Gabriel glanced at Kenzo who stared at his bowl suspicious. "It's really not poisoned, Kenzo." Xavier teased while the rest shook their heads chuckling. Kenzo twitching his brow kept the bowl aside.
"Hey, you multi-haired rascal." he called.
Alan rolled his eyes, "What?" "
Your earplugs. Hand them over." Kenzo ordered.
Alan wondering looked at his recorder. Removing his earplugs he handed it over to Kenzo, "What are you going to do with it?"
Kenzo taking them smirked, "Just listen to whatever crap you listen to all the time…"
Alan slightly offended remarked, "It's not crap. They are my favorite songs and Aaron's best ones and melodies. Think twice before you comment on them."
Kenzo ignoring him inserted the earplugs in, "Yeah, yeah…"
"Hm~ it's feels really good to eat something hot after a long while. I was dead tired of cherries and coconuts every day. Moreover, the taste is just perfect." Ryan commented.
Alan tossing the bottle up showed it to the boys, "All thanks to this boy. Only, because Isa urges to keep it with me all the times was I able to make something like this today."
"Is it a spice?" Poseidon asked intrigued studying the bottle.
"Nope, not just a spice. It's the special spice mix of Isa's mother. Since, she is an internationally famous cook, she makes it for Isa who gives half of it to me."
"Wait a minute, internationally famous cook…? Is she Amira Sikandar…?" Heber guessed.
Alan agreed, "Yeah, wife of current Prime Minister of Pakistan and Isa's mother. Amirah Sikandar."
"Wow! My mother watches her TV shows day and night!" Heber exclaimed. "Now that I think about it… we don't know about the highschoolers at all." Cassiel realized.
Azazel wondering nodded, "Yeah, even if we leave their personal life and look at their player ones… we don't even know what exactly their abilities are more or less their play styles."
"Tch, what a load of crap." Kenzo muttered displeased.
Changing the songs on the recorder he clicked his tongue, "Do you only hear this crying crap?"
Alan annoyed blurted, "Shut it! And listen to something else if it doesn't suit your taste buds, you ungrateful punk. I am writing my lyrics on this one, don't pass useless comments."
Hearing his words Kenzo instantly stopped tapping the recorder. Glancing at Alan, he once again moved the songs back laying down. Taking a deep breath, he tapped his fingers on the ground gracefully.