The clapping sound reverberated inside the training ground.
The two boys were breathing heavily. Michael opened one button of his training outfit before he pulled the collar to make way for him to breathe properly.
"It was amazing, you two. I was amazed by how your spar turned out."
Professor Klinder walked closer to him. The other students were still speechless over their spar. Surely, new rumours will begin to spread today.
"Is your right hand alright, Mr. Orion?"
Michael pulled up his right hand, still tightly wrapped in the compressed bandages and without any dirt on it.
"Yes, I'm fine, professor."
"How about you, Rezal?"
Rezal walked closer to them with both hands in his pocket.
"I could go for another round."
His faux-green eyes met red eyes. The boy grinned at him.
"Hey, let's be sparring partners from now on. I would like to practice with you again."
Rezal expressed his thoughts. He eyed the black-haired boy with a gaze he had once held onto someone before. The fond memories kept popping into his mind since he saw this boy. Is it a coincidence, or is it just his mind playing with him?
He saw the black-haired boy hesitate for a moment, looking at him with scepticism, like he had other motives to be his sparring partner. Well, he is, but why would he disclose such intentions to anyone, especially the boy he just met?
"Okay, let's do that."
His grin widened after the agreement.
"Is that fine with you, professor?"
Professor Klinder looked at these two boys with his arms crossed before he smiled and nodded.
"You two might be a good sparring partner, considering that Rezal was always getting bored in my class due to not having someone who could entertain him."
Rezal rubbed the back of his neck.
"Due to Mr. Orion agreeing to become your sparring partner, I do not have any objections. However, might I say to let your hand heal completely before getting another spar with Rezal?
"Professor, but—!"
Professor Klinder shut down Rezal's sentence with a glare.
"Ho, don't act like I didn't know you, young Rezal. You would want to test his limit next time you spar, so I believe letting him heal was a wise choice if you want to test your opponent's limit. That is an appropriate choice to make if you are searching for a worthy opponent."
The older man squinted his eyes at Rezal, making the boy look elsewhere when his intention had been exposed just like that.
'He knew me too well.'
That is his false calculation. Professor Klinder was the one who taught him swordsmanship in the academy since his first year. After he managed to learn everything from this man, he has been fighting everyone who claims to be strong to test his strength. Of course, Professor Klinder was aware of it.
He won and won and won and won. Even the upperclassmen from before were defeated by him. Since then, he has found no one to spar with him, and he also feels a lack of enthusiasm every time he comes to this class.
He would keep practising at night until he collapsed, but he had no one to fight against to test his skill—not until now.
He found someone who could be on par with or stronger than him. His free hand was itching just now to hold the sword and end the spar in an instant, but that would be an unsatisfactory victory for him.
If they have a spar next time, Rezal will use his full strength to estimate their differences. However, just like Professor Klinder said, he would need to wait until his opponent's hand healed first.
"Right. I'll listen to you this time, professor."
"Good. Now, everyone! We end the class today; you are dismissed! Clean up before you leave."
"Thank you, professor!"
Professor Klinder walked away from the training ground, leaving the groups of students to do whatever they wanted.
Michael was surrounded by his classmates, getting praise and all. They also asked him how he managed to be so good at handling swords and more. He was overwhelmed until Rezal pulled his hand away from the group of students. He got a yell from all of them, but Rezal just pulled out his tongue.
"Bleh, go back and wash out your stinky body. Stop bothering my friend."
Rezal slings his arm around his neck before dragging him away from the training ground.
"Wah, I really did not expect you to be so good. The rumours about you were not fabricated then; the grumpy old man must have taken a liking to you. A special exam student was in a different league!"
'Grumpy old man?'
Somehow he knew who Rezal meant.
"Where did you learn your swordsmanship?"
"My brother."
"Oh, you have a brother. It must be nice; I only have a younger sister."
"A younger sister is nice too."
"Nah, she is such a brat. When she became older, she always demanded many things; she even had the guts to start looking at boys even though she was still young."
He chuckled.
"That must be tough."
"It is! Hey, want to get dinner together? You did not eat lunch just now, considering that you went to the backyard. Do you even know where the cafeteria is?"
"It's fine; I was not hungry."
Growl.
The two boys stopped walking before they looked at each other. Michael avoided the gaze.
"There is nothing to worry about. I really am not hung—"
Growl.
Michael put his hand over his stomach.
"Pfft, stop lying already. Your stomach is making an orchestra right now. Let's go!"
He has nothing to say anymore.
×××××
"People are so early when it comes to food."
The cafeteria was swarming with students from various years.
"Is this your first time eating here?"
"Not really; yesterday I came here, but not in this atmosphere."
"Hm, let's look at the food they serve today before we look for a seat. If there is none, let's just eat at my dorm."
Before he even managed to reject the suggestion, he was pulled to the line of students who were waiting to take the food.
"Are you often eating here?"
"Hm, no. I usually skip dinner or eat in my dorm instead. I don't like to eat with so many people like this."
'People can be annoying.'
The pink-haired boy looked around to find any empty tables, but looking at them, they might just go back to his dorm to eat.
"Woah woah!"
"What are you doing? Get in the line, please."
"What? Who said we needed to line up to get food?"
"That's right. Don't be too rigid."
"But people in the back—"
"Nu-uh. Do you know who you are talking to? If you feel so guilty for the people in the back, you just need to line up again. What is so hard about that?"
"Piss off, lowlife."
The poor boy was pushed away by the three boys.
"Hey, don't be so rude and get in the line, you three."
"What is this? You have anything against me now?"
The yellow-haired boy snarled at the new student who was talking to them.
"Yes, you are a senior, so show some manners, will you? Don't act like a prick!"
"Hey, girl. Do you want a beating? Do you know who you are talking to?"
The maroon-haired boy stepped forward, towering over the girl.
"Immature brat. Stop ruining the academy's reputation with your barbaric act! Lowlife!"
"Ha?! Watch what you are saying to me, dirt!"
"Heh, cowered because I said the truth—ahh!!"
The girl's body was pushed harshly to the ground. The boy from before stepped forward to prevent the three boys from hurting the girl.
"Stop it! We will let you in line!"
"Piss off!"
The boy was punched by the other yellow-haired boy, who was seemingly a twin to the other one.
"Stand up. Say that again to my face if you dare!"
The maroon-haired boy grabbed the girl's collar, making the girl cry in fear.
"Huh? Cat got your tongue now?"
"You should know your place, scum."
"You are so ugly when you are crying, hahaha!"
The other students were just looking without lending a hand, afraid that they would be the next target because they knew who those three boys were. The troublemakers that always make a ruckus
"Oi, oi! You are so weak; stand up and protect your girl!"
The boy on the floor was kicked harshly by one of the twins.
"Hahaha, he is crying, brother! Look!"
"Pfft, so pathe—ack!"
One of the twins stumbled forward after he was kicked in the back, taking his brother along to fall to the floor.
"Who the hell—?!"
"Ah, I thought I'd stepped on a bug just now. It looks like it was worse than the bug."
Rezal looked down at the twin with both hands in his pocket.
"The trash is making a discussion group now. You, being here, stink at the food. Please make your way out of here."
The three snarled at him. The maroon-haired boy let go of the girl before the three stood up to face Rezal.
"Or do you want me to kick you out with force?"