The air in the classroom buzzes with anticipation as students filter in, the shuffling of feet and the rustling of papers creating a symphony of pre-class activity. There's an eager energy, a mix of curiosity and apprehension, my classmates settle into their seats.

 

Some students are engaged in quiet conversations, discussing the upcoming material or sharing notes from the previous class. Others are absorbed in their laptops, typing away or scanning through digital textbooks with the use of the school-issued tablet. The rustling of papers and the occasional click of pens add a rhythm to the room, a gentle background noise that accompanies the anticipation of what's to come. It's tangible in the way that some students sit up a little straighter, their eyes focused on the front of the room, waiting for the professor to arrive.

 

I’m currently chatting with Liz to pass up the time. No last-minute homework from me as I already did mine yesterday. I’m a perfectly hard-working student who never procrastinates, after all, no hint of laziness could be found here.

 

It’s our 3^rd period for today and we happen to have the same class, which is fortunate as I always appreciate her company. It also helps that when we’re together, none of the persistent students bother us whenever we’re chatting, which is honestly a plus. I don’t really want to be bothered too much by the people asking to play CoA with me and supporting them. Capable supports are in demand after all as every team needs one. It doesn’t help that all young students want to play as a DPS carry or a flashy mage, not a boring healer and buffer. It has become a bit mellow these past few days due to the hype of the news dying out, but still occurs sometimes.

 

As Liz and I chat, our topic switches from one to another, a testament to how unpredictable and hyperactive Liz is whenever we talk. Our current topic settled on the trip to LA and how we are going to arrive there.

 

“About the tournament next week, how will you travel to the venue?” she asked, curiosity and hopefulness evident in her tone.

 

“I’m going to travel via plane,” I stated as a matter of fact.

 

“You don’t have anyone to go with you? Or made any promises to?” she asked becoming more hopeful.

 

“Not that I remember, no.”

 

I kinda already knew where she was getting at, but I let her continue, just to be sure.

 

“That’s good! I mean not good in a way that you don’t have anyone to go with,” she poured salt over the wound in her attempt to not hurt my feelings.

 

Please don’t make it any more painful by reminding me I don’t have any other friends!

 

“I mean, what I’m getting at is, would you like to travel together?” she asked hopefully.

 

“Sure, what time will you book your flight?”

 

“Uhm, we’re traveling by car,”

 

“Why? Won’t it be faster by air?”

 

"Well, we can take the plane, but we need someone to take us places there. My cousin has a car to help our team commute and she has lived there for more than a year before so she would be the best tour guide.”

 

“I see…”

 

I'm leaning towards yes. I do want to spend more time with Liz, even if it will make the trip longer.

 

“Besides you already know my cousin, right? You both talked to each other a couple of times before in CoA. She also wants to meet you in person.”

 

“…You mean Dust?”

 

“Yeah, you guys spoke a couple of times, right?”

 

"Good morning, everyone," he greeted, his voice carrying a gentle authority that instantly commanded attention.

 

Professor Davis was a distinguished figure in our college, instantly recognizable by his commanding presence, scholarly appearance, and good-natured humor. He carried an air of seasoned expertise and approachability in his appearance. He had a composed demeanor that exuded confidence without a hint of arrogance. He was also tall, more than 6 feet, and had a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard that added an air of wisdom to his face, complementing their sharp, intelligent gaze that seemed to miss nothing.

 

His attire was always impeccable, often sporting a tweed blazer paired with a collared shirt and a patterned tie, giving off a scholarly yet approachable vibe. The jacket's elbow patches hinted at their dedication to their field, a detail that added a touch of old-school academic charm.

 

"Let's get started by taking attendance," he announced, his tone friendly yet firm.

 

He began calling out names from the roster, each student responding with a "Here" or a nod to signify their presence. Occasionally, a lighthearted comment or joke would accompany the attendance-taking process.

 

After taking all of our attendance, he paused for a second, as if remembering something.

 

“Oh, before I forget, Miss Elizabeth Miles and Miss Katherine Katyusha, please proceed to the dean’s office. The Dean wants to talk to you two about your upcoming tournament next week. Congratulations on qualifying for that by the way. I heard from a student of mine from the e-sports club that both of you did extremely well,” he gave a congratulatory smile to both of us.

 

Both Liz and gave each other a knowing look before replying.

 

“Thanks, sir! We’ll do our best to win the entire thing!” Liz excitedly declared, proud of her own efforts in the qualifiers.

 

“Thank you,” I said plainly.

 

We stood up to exit the classroom as murmurs from the students who were speculating about what the Dean wanted from us.

 

As we walked towards the Dean’s office Liz asked the same thing hovering over our classmate’s minds.

 

“What do you think the Dean wants from us?” she asked conspiratorially.

 

“Probably to advertise the school, like wearing matching team clothes or something.” I guessed.

 

“Oh, sounds fun, we can help promote our school while having fun at the tournament!”

 

Fun?! Your definition of ‘fun’ varies differently from mine, that’s for sure!

 

“Just to be clear, I won’t do interviews just to promote the school, no matter what.” I declared.

 

“What, come on. Don’t you want to help our alma matter?”

 

“I don’t mind helping, of course, just no interviews.” I firmly declared.

 

We continued chatting while walking towards the Dean’s office.

 

After arriving at the office door, Liz led the charge, knocking a couple of times before entering. Inside, we saw the Dean’s secretary writing notes about something.

 

“Hi Landy! The Dean called for us!”

 

Typical Liz, I won’t be surprised if she knows the entire student body and all its staff by first name basis.

 

 

“Oh Elizabeth, and also Miss Katyusha, you both are here,” The secretary nodded at me in acknowledgment, her friendly demeanor putting me at ease.

 

“Please wait for a second, I’ll just inform Dean Hawthorne of your arrival.”

 

The secretary politely urged us to sit in the lounge while she informed the dean of our arrival via call. We obliged and went to the lounge where we saw Chu sitting on the comfortable sofa chair. He looked… troubled. As if he’s brooding about something important.

 

“Yo, watsup Chu?” Liz cheerfully greeted.

 

Please read the mood! I swear Liz! You are sorely lacking decorum sometimes!

 

“Oh, you guys are here…” he replied, his voice sounding weak.

 

Liz for her part finally got the hint.

 

“Hmm, what's the matter? You look downtrodden, did Renz finally beat you in a duel,” Liz attempted to lighten the mood with a joke.

 

“…Nothing you should be worried about,” he spoke cryptically, before turning his head away from us, hinting that he no longer wishes to talk.

 

Nice job Liz! You handled a seemingly delicate subject pretty well, like a 200,000-pound bulldozer changing the lightbulb. Kudos to you for a job well done!

 

“I-I see,” she stated awkwardly.

 

We stayed there silently as we waited for our names to be called. After what seems to be an eternity due to the heavy atmosphere, which I’m sure is just a couple of seconds of real-world time, the secretary finally decided to end our suffering.

 

“The Dean is free to see you three now,” the secretary politely informed us.

We went ahead with Liz leading the charge. Arriving at the door, we stood outside the dean's office, my nerves were doing somersaults in my stomach. I’ve never been to the dean’s office before. Thankfully I have Liz beside me, who knocked gently on the door to announce our arrival.

"Come in," a voice called from inside. With a deep breath, I stepped in, meeting the gaze of the dean sitting behind a large wooden desk.

 

"Good afternoon, Dean Hawthorne," Liz greeted.

 

I copied her, attempting to sound more confident than I felt while Chu remained silent.

 

"Good afternoon. Please, have a seat," the dean replied warmly, motioning to a chair opposite their desk.

 

“May I ask why you called for us?” Liz queried.

 

Thankfully, Liz was leading the conversion, I’m more than content to be on the sidelines while nodding or something.

 

The dean leaned forward, their eyes reflecting a genuine sense of pride. "I called you three here to congratulate you on your achievement. Your hard work and dedication have paid off. Representing our college in the tournament is a fantastic honor. We'll be cheering for you!"

 

“Is that all?” Chu voiced out impatiently.

 

Uhmm, Chu… I don’t think that is how you’re supposed to talk to the Dean of the school. Let me reiterate, THE DEAN of the school.

 

Dean Hawthorne, for his part, took the jab in stride.

 

“Oh, good heavens, no, we would also like to give you all these.”

 

He bought out something from below his table and proceeded to give it to us one by one. It was jerseys, high quality at that, comparable to pros. They really are going all out. It has the matching colors of our school and the logo of our academy, but it’s not any larger than what I expected. It's honestly aesthetically pleasing. The fabric also feels sleek against my skin, a blend of comfort and luxury.

 

“Are we required to wear this?”

 

Chu voiced the question weighing on my mind, but was too scared to ask the dean himself.

 

The Dean for his part seems taken aback by the sudden question.

 

“Oh heavens, of course not, nobody is forcing you to. In our academy, we value the autonomy of our students first and foremost, therefore, there is no need to wear it if it does not suit your preference,” he spoke diplomatically.

 

Chu scoffed at the banality of his words.

 

Chu, can you tone down the edginess a bit, we're talking to the dean here! I understand you’re in a bad mood, but still!

 

“Don’t be like that Chu, we could have matching outfits if we all wear them, it would look cool for our team! Wouldn’t that look wonderful?” Liz excitedly pointed out.

 

Chu seems to tone down after that, he really does listen to Liz, huh? Maybe even more than the school Dean, which is pretty alarming in its own right.

 

After a couple more pleasantries, praises, and congratulations, the Dean finally sent us on our way with a warm smile.

 

After saying goodbye to the secretary and heading outside the office, Chu uncharacteristically posed a question.

 

“How are you two planning to get to LA?” he queried.

 

“Oh! I'm planning to go by car! Kat wants to just ride the plane, but what's the fun in that, right? I just managed to convince her to join me for the ride! I already asked my cousin to drive us and she agreed. She was planning to go to the tournament to watch anyway so it turned out for the better.”

 

"I see..."

 

"Do you also want to come with us? You'll be riding with three beautiful ladies if you do! How lucky is that, he hehe,” Liz jested.

 

Chu kept silent as if he was contemplating if he would accept Liz's offer which is clearly an attempt of making a light-hearted joke.

 

"W-wait, don't tell me you really want to come with- Ooof!”

 

I elbowed Liz before she could make another blunder. Please read the mood! He clearly needs help in getting to the tournament venue! At least enough for him to consider your gag of an offer.

 

"Ahem, o-of course you're welcome to join us! You're an important member of your team, so if there is any way we could help, don't be afraid to ask!" she said as she lightly rubbed the area where I elbowed her.

 

I was instantly ridden with guilt. I must have used more force than I intended due to the nature of her words. I’ll have to apologize for that later even though I think it’s well deserved for her brazen actions thus far.

 

He stared at Liz for a moment, weighing the solemnity of her offer before replying.

 

“I am grateful. Send me the time and meeting place for the trip later on our messenger group," he nodded appreciatively before going on his own way.

 

After Chu was gone, Liz broke the silence by posing a question.

 

“Well, that was strange. What do you think is up with him today?”

 

"It's rude to gossip and speculate about someone when they're not here, especially if that someone is a friend of ours," I chided her.

 

"Booo, killjoy. I'm just a little curious," she pouted.

 

"I'd be lying if I said I'm not curious either, but it's not our place to pry. Everyone has their secrets; he will tell us if he wants to, so no use forcing it out of him."

 

“Fine, fine, I'll trust your judgment.”

 

“That’s good to know,” I nodded gratefully.

 

I'm speaking from experience after all.

 

Well, looks like this is going to be a long trip this weekend.