Some of the applicants were panting as they arrived at their assigned rooms including Keira because her room number was on the fourth floor of the assigned building and only stairs were available.
She looked downwards from the hallway and let out a long deep sigh as she saw a lot of applicants headed towards the exit gate of the Academy. Those applicants failed to catch up and remember their assigned room number, dictated by Lieutenant Long.
'Attentiveness…Alertness… Nice one. Good job Keira!' She thought with a grin, feeling proud that she was listening intently to the introduction for the first time because she never did in her previous school before.
Keira was startled by a firm voice of a woman at her back, "Do you want to join those space out applicants and exit early, soldier wannabe?"
She turned around and stood straight. "No, Sir... I mean Ma'am. Of course, I want to pass, Ma'am," she answered slightly stammering.
Cielo was suppressing her laughter with Keira's expression as the latter tried to copy the tone of a soldier answering her superior.
"Then, what are you waiting for? Get your ass inside and wait for your test papers!" Cielo instructed with her authoritative voice.
Keira quickly found her seat in the front.
After five minutes, the woman in uniform, who approached Keira in the hallway, entered the room.
'Wow, she looks respectable and strict. I like her sharp features,' Keira thought silently as she stared at the woman who introduced herself as Lieutenant Cielo Kang.
Then, she handed the test papers to the ones seated in front, including her, and said, "Get one envelope and pass the rest to your back. Your timer is the clock on the wall at your front. You only have time till 12:00 PM to finish the test. You may start answering as soon as you get your envelope. Make sure you read the instructions well..."
Hours passed, Keira finished answering all the questions early as she took some time to review her answers carefully.
She looked around. Some were like her that finished early and just waited for Lieutenant Kang's signal to pass the papers while some were still not done and ended up scratching their heads.
"Alright, finished or not… STOP! Ballpens down! Pass the papers to your front." Lieutenant Kang commanded as she stood from her chair.
It was going to be writing exams the whole day and Keira was already exhausted but she felt great because she was confident in her answers, she felt that she did extremely well.
....
Jeru was roaming around during the examination and stopped at the room where Keira was.
He frowned when his eyes spotted his target- Keira Chan, who was very focused on the test in front of her.
"General Liu, do you need anything?" Asked Lieutenant Kang outside the door. She had noticed how General Liu took his time, looking inside the room, though she knew it was because of the Field Marshal's daughter.
General Liu smiled at her and said, "I still can't believe that Field Marshal Chan allowed this."
He shifted his gaze back to Keira and shook his head.
Lieutenant Kang arched an eyebrow and replied, "I don't see anything wrong about it, Sir. I mean, look at how focused she is. I believe she wants to join the academy, so I look forward to train her inside our base."
Jeru smirked, "Well, if she makes it through… I'm sure she will fail at the physical exam and at the challenge we have prepared for the final round. Such a waste for her to be in a Military Academy."
Lieutenant Kang was surprised to hear his tone. "What's that? He sounded like someone who has a hidden agenda. Geez... Torin wants a beauty inside, while Gen. Jeru sounded like he wanted that beauty to be kept just for himself. Mean are really annoying, except for Gen. Zach I guess," she murmured before going back inside the room.
.....
Zach observed the applicants from a distance and his eyes did not miss to see the Field Marshal's daughter with her boyfriend and friends. Even if one did not specifically look for her she absolutely stood out among the crowd.
He shook his head recalling how Keira almost tripped a while ago when she ran the stairs.
"She should get someone more of a proactive type because she's too clumsy," he murmured with a twitched mouth, recalling how careless her boyfriend was before.
He noticed that today Keira was with her boyfriend and friends, the same people she was with during his encounter with her at the restaurant.
His thoughts were interrupted when a cadet approached him because he was needed at the meeting for the added challenges on the final round.
He shook his head and inwardly scolded himself for being nosy about someone, which was not his usual self...
* * * * * * * * * * *
"What is this? Thirty minutes for a lunch break?" May complained as they chose to eat together at one of the school canteens with the rest of the applicants to save some time.
"Geez, May… Just hurry up and eat. I think this is a part of their test. They want flexibility on the new recruits." Lana said as she hurried up to eat her food.
Keira and Drey did the same and May, with a crumpled face, sighed and fastened her eating as well.
"What an 'all for one and one for all' team we are," she murmured with her twisted mouth as she put a spoonful of rice in her mouth with a still sulky expression.
Keira laughed out hard and said with a wink, "I love you, May."
May sighed… Every time Keira did that, her heart melted with bewilderment.
"Look at that group. I think they are here to only show off. I've heard that one of them is Field Marshal Chan's daughter," one of the applicants murmured at the other side of the table, which did not escape Keira's ears.
Another woman laughed with mockery and commented, "Why is she here? I'm sure it's just a formality and that group of hers is already in the list of passers for sure. How nice it is to have a father backing you up."
Keira's face crumpled as she closed her eyes, inhaled and exhaled elegantly to calm herself.
Drey, Lana, and May looked at each other and quickly finished their food to stand up.
Keira was in meditation state at that moment, she was contemplating if she should start an attack or just let them be.
Lana signaled Drey to pull up Keira while May fixed Keira's tray since it was a self-service canteen.
"Field Marshal Chan's daughter entering Armed Forces? What the heck... What kind of a game are they playing? Just looking at her outfit. You can tell that she's better suited for a runway show. As I said, having a back-up must be really great." Then, the woman laughed out hard.
*Bang!*
The sudden sound of a blow on the table roared inside the small canteen, as Keira stood up with narrowed eyes and a wicked smile as she looked at Drey who held her but quickly removed his hands after seeing her fierce gaze.
They were too late. Keira would attack and no one among them was able to stop her at that point...
"Drey, why are there so many people out here, who love to mind others business instead of focusing on themselves?" Keira asked as she turned her head directly towards the woman who openly mocked her before.
"Honey, I hate wasting words like this but what can I do if I simply love fashion? Do I have to dress like others? I mean, is there something wrong with my clothes at all because I did not see any dress code for the exam." She said in her calm and sweet voice as she walked towards the woman who was caught off guard and never imagined that Keira would talk back.
Then, she rested her palms on the table where the woman sat, as Keira slightly bend forward, leaving only a ten-inch gap between her face and the woman as she pouted her perfectly shaped lips.
Afterward, she stared at the woman with her expressive, beautiful eyes and said, "Tell me, dear… Is it my fault that I am Field Marshal Chan's daughter? I mean, can't I pursue being accepted to this Academy because of my father? I really want to study here and serve my country well too. That's why I want to take the admission test fairly. If you think or believe that I will be admitted because of my connections, then I'm willing to prove you wrong. However, can we first get over the exam and see if I really pass before you judge or spurt out such nonsense in here?"
After those words, she straightened her body and winked to the woman before she went back to her seat and get her tray from May.
"I so hate gossip makers like that. It's okay if it's just me, but insinuating the fair judgment of the academy because of the fact that my dad runs it. I won't let it pass!" Keira stated loudly, without caring whoever heard it…
The three followed Keira as they went out from the canteen, leaving people who witnessed what had happened with open mouths and in a total daze.
"Close that mouth, Torin, before a fly enters in!" Zach said irritably as he noticed Torin was still drooling.
They were sitting not far from the commotion but he had his back to them while Torin faced the scene and watched everything unfold enthusiastically.
"Well… I'm impressed. She's really something…" Torin murmured still looking at the door where Keira and her friends went out.
Then, he looked at Zach who had his usual blank expression.
"Bro, why are you so stiff? Almost everybody was curious, but you continued eating and did not even turn around just once. I really admire your controlling power over beauties. Damn, you should give me some of those qualities." Torin blurted out.
"But, I must really say, uhm that group, except for the man with them, of course, these three beauties will be enough for me. Even one is enough… No, wait, I can't have Field Marshal Chan's daughter for sure so at least one of her friends… Oh please God, let at least one of them pass together with Field Marshal's daughter."
Zach frowned and said, "I thought one of her friends will do why still pray for Field Marshal's daughter to pass?"
"Well, she's a real beauty. I don't mind just looking at her." Torin said, full of admiration.
"Why do I feel like you are running out of women, Torin." Zach murmured as he shook his head.
"Nah… I just love beauties, bro. How many times do I need to say that? I appreciate beauties a lot unlike you." Torin said defensively.
He appreciated beauty too but Zach had already learned his lesson. It's not the outer beauty that defined a person… Outer beauty could be fake and pretended...
_______
"If you pass the exam, you will receive a written notice about the result of the exam where you will be instructed to report to our AFZ, Medical Center (AFZMC). You will then undergo the Complete Physical Examination where your medical, physical, mental and emotional condition will be examined to determine your readiness and fitness for the military training in the Academy," Lieutenant Kang explained with a serious look as she collected the papers from each of the applicants.
"Soldiery is a noble profession that is not only different and worthwhile, but also offers continuous growth and career development, so I will bid good luck to all of you and may we see each other again soon. Now… you are all dismissed!" Lieutenant Kang added.
Keira smiled at her when their eyes met. Lieutenant Kang did not smile back but did not snob her too.
She really liked Lieutenant Kang's aura and she suddenly wondered how she would look in a uniform like that.
'I want to look sexy in uniform.' She mused excitedly. She noticed that some women tend to wear loose uniforms and it's definitely a no-no for her, totally not her style.
Then, she chuckled on how advanced her thoughts were for thinking about uniform inside the Academy.
Keira sighed as she walked out of the building. She scanned the area with keen eyes, hoping she could see the person that she wanted to see the moment she entered the Academy.
"Don't tell me this is not my lucky day?" She murmured. Then, she thought to visit her dad but quickly diminished the idea and walked around the Academy area instead.
Her mobile phone rang and it was Lana, asking where she was so she looked around.
"I'm not sure Lana because I decided to stroll around and walked continuously. There are vintage tanks in here… I think… Oh, wait, I see the Museum… I'm near the…" she said when she saw the building that must have been the Museum.
The Academy was huge. It was her first time taking the time to explore it. She would be honest, she would take time to walk around because she had her hidden agenda.
She received a message to her phone, and it was Drey this time asking her if she was already at the exit gate. She answered him and texted as she walked.
Because her eyes were still on her mobile's screen, she failed to notice the rock before her, which caused her to trip and fall on the ground.
"Ouch!" She exclaimed when she felt the pain caused by her fall.
She tried to stand up but she fell once more because of the pain.
"Stop!" She heard an angry voice from behind when she tried to stand up once more.
The next thing that happened made her look flabbergasted. She was carried out like a baby by Zach. And yes, she was sure it was Zach who she stared at that moment without blinking.
His face was gloomy, so Keira bit her lip and said, "I'm okay. You can put me down now."
But Zach did not listen and continued to walk.
Keira's heart was beating irregularly. She wanted to say something more but she couldn't find her voice and boldly stared at Zach's face.
"Stop staring," Zach whispered in his husky voice with his forehead still creased.
"Uhm sorry… It's because you're too handsome and too pleasing to the eyes to stare at," Keira murmured unconsciously.
Zach suddenly stopped walking and looked back at her.
She heard him sighed but did not say a word and walked faster instead.
They were heading to the clinic.
Zach's silence was making Keira feel frustrated so she said, "I'm Keira by the way. We've met twice already and this is the third time. Also, Drey is not my boyfriend. He is my friend… we are only friends."
Zack who refused to talk didn't actually know what to say. They were already inside the clinic.
He hurriedly put her down the bed pointed by the nurse and said, "Next time, stop walking if you are using a mobile phone and focus on it instead. If you seriously want to stay inside the Academy please, at least, learn not to be clumsy.."
Keira gulped. She knew he was scolding her but how come she loved the feeling of it compared to the scolding of her parents. She wouldn't mind getting scolded every now and then as long as it came from Zach.
She smiled, it was a very sweet and innocent smile that made Zach purse his lips.
Keira asked, "Do you remember me, General Zach?"
Zach was about to answer, but a cadet called him out.
"Call your boyfriend and tell him to stay with you here," said Zach and quickly rushed out with the cadet.
Keira pouted her lips and murmured irritably, "Is he deaf? I clearly told him that Drey is not my boyfriend!"