Days later.
Boxes are placed in the room as monsters growled in the background, surveying its new surroundings.
"...I think I'm done over here"
"Thank you, I appreciate it"
"..." Callum look around the room, dark and clean, but empty except for a long table, and one chair. The floor had been cleaned by him and Rualan before arriving but anyone can tell from a glance that its old.
"Its not really my concern since its slightly smaller than the small I'm used to" said Rualan opening the box and setting some things on the table, papers, laptop, tablet, stationary items.
"I thought you two only compete against each other...not this..challenge thing"
"It's a good motivation for the both of us after all, so it makes for a good wager"
Turning on the lights the small room lights up illuminating everything.
A light went out.
"....."
"....."
"The Academy sure is cheap," said Callum.
"
"....."
A few days ago.
"Why are you packing, Senior Rualan?"
"It's part of a wager I made with Alaine, so I'm keeping the end of my deal"
"What deal?"
"I'm leaving the lab room"
"...."
"To a smaller one, that's all"
"Where is that?"
"A few doors down"
"Oh, then let me help"
"Then take those ones, and the cages"
"Okay"
The door to the lab room opened.
"Well, well, looks like I don't have to claim my wager then" said Alaine with a smug grin as she enters and find Rualan and Callum taking the boxes.
"Yes, as per our wager, you can have the other half of the room to do your research, and I will move to the smaller one"
"The Closet"
The Closet, is a smaller room compared to the other research room in the Academy that turns into a storage space in the past but abandoned as the storage in the lab rooms have been upgraded to a better capacity.
Rualan has already submitted and gain permission from the Head of the Science department and the principal to use the room as part of the wager before the start of the Research Competition.
And now she is holding that part of the deal.
And since the announcement, she began cleaning the room the next day after getting the key and permission.
Feeling conflicted by this situation, Callum look at Rualan who continue placing her stuff on the table in silence and heads to the other box.
"...It isn't fair right?"
Rualan ask softly.
".....I don't think so..."
"...."
"....."
"..." Rualan leans in and hugs Callum.
"..."
He slides his finger into the hand that is placed on his chest, holding a finger, before closing it around in his hand.
"..."
".."
"Thanks"
"...No problem"
As the two hug one another in silence, Rualan in bliss and a small smile on her face, Callum on the other hand looks around the place in search of a place to sort things out first landed on an open box.
"Is that a stethoscope?"
"...."
The small smile instantly turns into a small frown.
"Yes it is, but why are you interested in that?"
"I always wanted one"
"Why is that?"
"Because the thought of having one is cool" he replied without a pause, a hint of excitement clear in his voice.
"...I see" Rualan slowly separate herself from Callum before walking to the open box, taking out the stethoscope she heads back to him, an idea appeared in her mind.
(Is she going to let me see it up close?)
"Here, try it"
"Okay"
Putting it in his ears, Callum felt excitement as he look at Rualan who is holding the bell of the stethoscope.
"Okay, I'm ready"
"Here you go"
Callum held his hand out to receive the head from Rualan, but the latter did it herself by placing the diaphragm onto his chest.
"....."
"Can you feel your heartbeat?" she ask after a few seconds.
The cool metal piece on his chest is pressed firmly while her hand come in contact close to his heart feeling its beat.
As someone who prefer not to get physically close to another human being, Rualan felt strange comfort in Callum as the two's distance is zero with her hand on his chest.
(It felt firm for some reason...ah...right, he is a fighter after all..that's to be expected) her mind slowly drift off as she concentrate on the feels on her hand.
"It felt quite interesting?"
"My hand?"
"..Uh, no, my heart"
"...Oh, right.."
Rualan gave a look of disappointment, something he didn't think he would receive from her.
"You know a person can have different heart beat even if they are in the same position?" the tie is loosed ned before being turn to the side as the person unbutton the top one near the collar.
"Really?"
"Yes, it's quite surprising, the human body"
One hand hold the edge of the fabric and the other unlodge the button from the gap of the other side.
One, then two revealing the skin of the person.
"It's one of the reason I took an interest in biology before monster research"
3 buttons unhooked revealing the skin beneath the cloth along with the cleavage tightly held by the bra.
"Try listening to mine next"
Rualan slowly pull her shirt apart revealing part of her top part to Callum, her face lowered a bit to the side while glancing him from her side view giving a seductive look.
"Okay" replied Callum before taking the diaphragram and place it on her chest.
"...Lower"
Callum has placed it at the base of her neck.
He move a bit down.
"Lower"
"...But..."
"I don't mind if it's you"
Rualan unknowingly gulp, one in anticipation to what's to come and the other from excitement.
Her breast isn't that large from what she can tell and the comparison she has make based on the universal chart for breast size find in stores, but it was large enough for Callum's hand to brush against them as he moves down to where her heart is.
"..." Callum didn't think much about it after receiving the okay from Rualan and move his hand down, slowly and calmly.
He felt something touching his ring and pinky finger but ignores it.
Feeling the heart beating in his ears, he listened to it quietly.
And that was the only sound he heard as he held onto that position for quite some time.
(So that's how a heart beat in a different person)
The experience is quite interesting and memorable to him as he continues on listening to Rualan's heartbeat.
Something touched him lacking in strength but radiate warmth onto his hand.
Her eyes peer into his with tenderness he has never seen before.
"Callum"
The two's distance closes as their lips touch.
Her heart beating wilder than before.
__________
"Wow, this feels bigger than usual" said Shin and he looked at the new section of the room that is half empty and turn to look at Alaine.
"Yeah, now I have the space to expand my magic circle and place other things on it"
"And also plenty of space to fool around as well"
"Well, yes"
"And try different spots"
"Right"
"Right now"
"Sure"
"....."
"...? Seriously?"
"Yes"
"I thought you were kidding"
"Nope"
"....."
"...."
"Fine, let's do this"
"Whoooo~!"
"What, how?!" she screamed as Shin's clothes left his body in the blink of her eyes.
_____________
"Kyle!"
Sword Slash Lv 4
A powerful blast from a sword slash caused a ripple in the air as a powerful force came towards her.
Serina looked around in a hurry amidst the dust cloud of the 6th floor before sensing danger and leaped back.
"Ugh"
"Don't you ever come close to me"
"Kyle? Wait!"
But Serina falls onto the ground, injured from the attack and Kyle disappears from where he was just a moment ago.
____________
As the Gear's residence.
Aerina, finished with her trip to the Academy's library returned to the home where she finishing her plan for the day.
(I need to update the software on that tomorrow since I found that bug along with a new coding that would reduce the process time, then there's the load that needs to be recalculated due to the strain on the material, and training in the Dungeon)
Soft sound can be heard from a room to her right as she walked passed by.
"?"
Hearing an unfamiliar sound coming from her sister's room, Aerina headed to the door.
Then she heard the sound of wood creaking rapidly.
"...."
Upon hearing the sound of wood snapping, Aerina flinched in shock and fright.
"....."
Next, she heard some soft sounds.
"...."
Aerina slowly move away from the door and headed outside, not knowing what to do but knowing that she should not be inside her house any longer for a while.