17 She wants you dead

"Tell me about it."

Was maybe what Little Jae had wanted Zhi to say. She would hear him out and get flabbergasted with the 'truth' of her kidnapping. Then she would ditch this orientation sort of ceremony in style and even the score with the mastermind.

But.

"Be quiet, Little Jae. The senior is going to give the briefing."

Zhi was behaving like a good kid instead!

Obediently and tentatively listening to what the senior had to say. At times she would nod in agreement, other times she would frown. But these little movements could only be seen by Little Jae through her diguise. To others, her outward appearance was still a noble and aloof being. Hey, the gap is too much...

'This player dares to ignore an important piece of information from me. See to it that I will not give it to you even when you beg for it. Humph!'

With a poof, Little Jae had dissolved into thin air, again. What a fickle fellow...

There was a sense of nostalgia in how the senior was conducting the briefing and not everyone was really listening to her. Majority of them were talking and conversing with the others; probably gossiping. Once in a while, the senior would scold them with her sharp eyes and the hall turned into complete silence. Some was even asleep with their eyes half-opened while standing... What, class was not in session yet.

No matter how indifferent Zhi had been reacting towards the fact that she had little chance to recover her memories, when tiny specks of familiar feelings arose, she could hardly resist being affected. She wished to have even the tiniest flash black, to reaffirm that she was once herself, existed somewhere with a name properly given by her parents.

A light tugging hauled Zhi back to reality. Truth be told, despite looking like an attentive person, after barely few minutes had passed, words would not even visit her ears. What good kid, she was just a natural airhead.

A plump short girl with twin buns hairstyle had reached for the end of Zhi's sleeve. The briefing assembly was done and they were now going for an 'academy tour'. The last line had disappeared outside the door, leaving both of them behind. Reluctant to abandon a fellow 'sideline' clique, she braved herself to approach her.

"Umm, the others... they have gone (out). We should (leave) too." She said in a mosquito voice.

Her upturned eyes were moist. She had a swollen layer of fat on her eyelids, making her pair of eyes smaller. Surprisingly, they held intelligence.

Zhi nodded and beckoned her to lead the way. Which translated into 'you shall escort me now'.

Girl with twin buns, "...okay."

The day outside was cool with the autumn wind, the trees around the school were reddish brown, coloring the pavement in earthy colour as their leaves fell.

Seniors from the Performance Arts class were having an outdoor session today. The large garden on the right side of the main hall was blooming with countless beautiful flowers. If flowers were inaccurate, maybe fairies of the garden?

From afar, Zhi could see their senior who led the new disciples talking to a fellow sister in the same clothes arrangement as hers. As the other party gave her permission to oversee the class, the senior immediately arrange the new disciples into seating as they like.

Zhi and the twin buns girl had yet to join them in the garden when, out of the corner of Zhi's eyes, a phoenix was soaring magnificently.

A vermillion dress fluttered intensely as a young lady leaped skywards. Against the subdued colours of the trees and ground, her dance created an imagining of a phoenix rose from the ashes.

A whole wave of gasps came from the audience. Each of them were stunned silly by her glorious moves.

The lady in vermillion dress did not stop there, she continued her dance story of how the phoenix strived to be the best, an existence that knew no bounds, achieving her own dreams and reclaiming her original destiny!

The temperature around Zhi suddenly reached subzero, she chilled. If eyes could shoot, she would be shooting icy daggers towards the performing young lady.

Zhi was taken aback with the out of the blue strange feelings. It was the same coolness and restlessness as during the banquet. But this time, there was a slight agitation to her heart. Her body too seemingly wanting to flee away from a bad guy.

It was then Little Jae dropped a little bomb in her mind...

"That's the person who wants you dead."

A pair of innocent eyes twinkled as the young lady in vermillion dress stood in the center of the garden. She bowed to the crowds at the end of her performance. No hint of maliciousness could be pictured on her half-clothed face. Her female lead halo was shining ever radiantly. Almost blinding Zhi's eyes...