NINJA

During their vacant time. Seri decided to go around and take a look of the school. Her heart felt nostalgic of her new environment. Seeing the students inside the classrooms listening to the teacher. Or staying at the open field chatting with friends or being with their lover. That feeling of when she was with her classmates back in the academy where she had met a few people who became her subjects for the future.

Her lips draws a curve recalling those days. Watching everyone from above the ground gives her a better perspective of student's life and being a teen. The fifth floor sure is giving her the front seat.

Swoosh! The wind blows strangely cold. Her senses heightened. Cautiously she turned around and found the entire hall to be empty.

She's at the north wing of the building where a little garden sits quietly. A quiet place to relax and recollect some things one wants to remember. No one comes here. Students rarely comes for the reason that the big and powerful students had used it as their gathering place. Bullies.

Shrugging her shoulders she straightened herself and returns to her relaxation.

Her ears twitched to hear the sound of a tic and a tac. A soft slow sound made by the heels of a pair of black shoes. Someone is approaching and she can feel the cold aura hovering.

Alarmed, she kept watch but maintained poise. If it is a student she would know. But such aura emits an ominous feeling. Her jaws clenched. Her fists ready.

Halts. The sound stopped halfway of the room.

She listened again. Quiet. Only the sound of the passing wind is heard. Then out of the curve to her right she heard someone sighed. Her eyes peered from the right corner and saw a familiar face.

"Did I scare you?" Ryun asked softly.

Seri heaves a sigh. "No. But you did stirred me up."

"Oh?" Ryun can tell she's honest. "What are you doing up here all alone?"

"Thinking," Seri replied.

"Thinking?" Ryun is surprised. "Don't you know where you are?"

"I know where I am," Seri replied.

"Are you looking for trouble or are you just stupid to come here?" Ryun asked in dismay.

"Why is everyone scared of coming here anyway?" Seri frowned.

"You're playing the stupid role huh?" Ryun can guess from her expression.

"I am guessing you are the leader of the pack," Seri changed the subject.

"Now why would I become a leader of a group of bullies?" Ryun said with disgust.

"You coming here all alone says it," Seri replied. "Why did the bullies not come when you are around?"

"They do not come here during this hour because they have a class," Ryun approached her. He caught her arm and dragged her out. "Now come. You are making Antoine worried back there."

"Are you my cousin's servant now?" Seri teased.

"Haha," Ryun laughed forcibly. "That's a funny thing to say."

"Seriously," Seri said.

"Now I am serious," Ryun halted halfway of the stairs. "Don't make trouble. You just entered and you're looking for trouble."

"Okay," Seri raised her hands to surrender.

His heart melted. This girl is stirring his emotions that he feared he might go overboard.

"Hey," Ryun talked her out as they go back to class. "You didn't say anything about you being part of the Alliance."

"You did not asked," Seri replied.

"Ah," Ryun nodded. "Now I am asking."

"You heard my brother works in the Alliance," Seri reminded him. "So what do you expect from his sister?"

"I was thinking maybe she isn't," Ryun answered. "Because I think your brother wanted you to take a different path."

"It runs in the family," Seri told him.

"I see," Ryun understood.

Seri remembered the ring. Lucky, she had it with her all along. She took it out and stealthily placed it on his right hand.

"I am giving this back," Seri smiled as she leaped away farther from him.

"This," Ryun shook his head feeling stupid. "I gave it away and you keep returning it."

"I am not a bank to keep someone's treasure," Seri told him.

"It was a birthday gift," Ryun smiled at her.

"I don't need something fancy," Seri replied. "Your presence is already enough."

"But you'll really hurt my ego returning this back," Ryun warned her.

"Eat your ego for once," Seri fired.

"You really like to play fire," Ryun's desire to breaking her grows. "Don't you know if you play fire with fire it will explode into a catastrophe?"

"Yeah," Seri nodded walking away from him. He is coming fast.

"You really wanted to keep this up," Ryun guessed seeing her reaction. "Fine."

Swoosh! A strong wind blew putting her to a stop. She looked around searching. But there was no one else except for her and Ryun.

"Here," Ryun puts it back to her hand. "I said keep it until the end of the game we are playing."

"Ah," Seri remembered. "But I don't really understand what game you want me to play with you."

Ryun thought for a moment.

"I for one doesn't know," Ryun smiled stupidly at her.

"What?" Seri looked at him with dismay.

"Why don't you and I figure it out?" Ryun caressed her right cheek with his left palm. Soft and smooth. "And I'll remind you, I will make sure I will win this round."

"You are an odd person," Seri blurted out.

Ryun burst into laughter of her words.

"If that is how you see it," Ryun turned away and walks on. "Then I am."

"Hey," Seri followed closely behind him.

Swoosh! There it goes again.

She halted halfway and sees Ryun fading. Determined to find what is making that strange scary sound earlier, Seri keeps her eyes open. Her senses doing their thing.

"Seri?" Ryun stopped on the fourth floor when he had noticed she was not following. "Don't tell me you went back."

He heaves a sigh and goes back to up to fetch her. Disappointed of her inattentive behavior.

Bam! Ryun heard a loud sound coming from her direction. He quickly climbed the stairs and found Seri struggling under the hands of an unknown person covered in black clothes and mask.

Surprised of his arrival, the stranger lifted Seri in the air and threw her over to him. Hastily, the stranger left disappearing among the columns that lined the wall.

"Are you okay?" Ryun rushed to her aid. She rolled on the floor painfully.

"Sort of," Seri coughed.

"I thought you were just behind me," Ryun helped her out. "You sure are hard headed."

"You know about that ninja looking guy?" Seri frowned.

"That is what everyone feared," Ryun took her to the stairs.

"I see," Seri coughed while caressing her neck. Still painful.

"You could have died back there!" Ryun scolds her.

"Who was that?" Seri asked.

"No one knows," Ryun replied. "No one has unmasked that guy."

"Not even you?" Seri teased.

"You still know how to make a joke after that?" Ryun angrily shot her a stare.

"I just can't think none of you here has unmasked him," Seri meets his angry gaze. "Don't tell me that person keep on doing that to scare the students from coming here?"

"We discovered that guy five years ago," Ryun replied. "Right after the bullies getting bullied by him. Said it was a ghost but when we investigated it wasn't. It has a body and is really strong and fast."

"I see," Seri understood. She turned her head to the direction the stranger disappeared.

"You're not going back there," Ryun pulled her away.

"You guys are really scared of that guy?" Seri frowned.

"He's not what you think," Ryun warned her. "Plus, you almost died back there."

"He caught me off guard," Seri argues.

"You really like trouble huh?" Ryun poked her forehead.

"You're the first to poke my forehead!" Seri punched him on the shoulder.

"Wow," Ryun smiled. "You sure punch hard for a girl."

"You," Seri blushed embarrassed. She turned away and snorted.

'You are also strange,' Ryun smiled watching her go.

Inside the classroom. Ichiro and Antoine were chatting about Seri.

"She's different from normal girls," Ichiro shook Antoine's ground. Defenseless.

"What do you mean by that?" Antoine frowned.

"She's strong," Ichiro elaborated. "Fast and extraordinary. I must say, she scared me back there she might kill my young master."

"She doesn't kill," Antoine assured Ichiro.

"But why do I get that feeling that there is bloodlust there?" Ichiro asked Antoine.

"You saw bloodlust?" Antoine is being sarcastic. "You are seeing things or are you saying my cousin is aiming for young master Ryun's life?"

"I am just being cautious," Ichiro told Antoine.

"You are exaggerating," Antoine shook his head and goes back to his seat.

The door opened. Seri and Ryun entered together.

"That's new," Niko told Catalina. "He doesn't normally go out with someone else other than Ichiro."

Antoine noticed Seri's neck to be a bit swollen.

"What happened to your neck?" Antoine worriedly asked.

"Nothing," Seri replied softly and goes back to her seat.

"Nothing?" Antoine watched her pass by him. Then he turned to Ryun with a frown.

"Ask her privately," Ryun said softly. "Don't ask in public. Unless you wanted to attract attention."

"Now that is fueling my curiosity," Antoine replied.

"A piece of advice," Ryun told him. "Keep her close to you. She seems to like finding trouble."

"Where have you been?" Ichiro asked.

"Fifth floor north wing," Ryun replied making Antoine's ears burn.

Antoine understood that Ryun's answer is aimed at him. A clue where Seri has been.

"What were you doing there?" Ichiro worriedly asked.

"Someone got lost," Ryun replied looking at Seri.

"When did you become her bodyguard?" Ichiro looked at him with dismay.

"Just now," Ryun replied fueling the burning fire inside Ichiro.

"Young master," Ichiro is about to say something but Ryun cut him off.

"She doesn't know about the north wing," Ryun explained. He knows Ichiro dislike Seri.

"Fine," Ichiro grunted. "I will let this one pass."

"By the way," Ryun told Antoine. "That person who keeps haunting the fifth floor. I thought they had taken care of him."

"You saw him?" Ichiro is surprised.

"He almost killed her," Ryun said softly. "If I hadn't arrived she's already dead."

"I told you not to go out on your own," Ichiro worriedly examined him.

"I am fine," Ryun assured him. "He only attacked her."

"Her?" Ichiro frowned. "But why her?"

"That guy likes to attack innocent ones," Ryun stared deeply into Seri's neck.

"So that mark on her neck was caused by that ninja guy?" Ichiro asked with concern.

"So can you give me an answer," Ryun soberly turned to Ichiro. "Why is that guy still here?"

"There was no cases of attacks in the last three years," Ichiro recalled. "Since that day they caught the culprit behind the different cases happening on the fifth floor concerning the students."

"Then look into it," Ryun instructed him.

"You know," Ichiro said suspiciously. "This is the first in this year that I heard of the ninja guy back in action again. And the first person he attacked is our new classmate. What do you think?"

"Don't tell me it is related to her coming here?" Ryun frowned.

"Could be," Ichiro nodded. "But to be sure, I'll look into it. And I'll be taking Hugo on this case. I feared to go across that guy myself."

His eyes stared deep onto the swollen marks on her neck. His heart ached strangely inside him.

Caressing her neck with her hands, Seri can't focus in the class. Somehow she felt itchy on the parts the stranger strangled her. Her smooth fair skin slowly turn reddish.

"You okay?" Antoine worriedly turned to her when the teacher had exited the room after class.

"It is itchy," Seri complained.

Antoine immediately took a look and found her throat to have turned reddish and rashes are visible.

"Why don't you take her to the infirmary?" Ichiro suggested. "Looks like she got allergies or something."

"Come Seri," Antoine held her by the hand and left the room.

"Such a sweet cousin," Mikaela giggled.

"That's Antoine," Catalina giggled.

"There were no cases like that back then, right?" Ryun asked Ichiro.

"No," Ichiro confirms. "This is indeed new."

"Go tell Hugo to look into the matter ahead," Ryun told Antoine.

"I already sent him a mail but he has not replied yet," Ichiro replied.

"He must be doing something during this hour," Ryun thought.

"Or must be sleeping," Ichiro sighed. "I'll make a call then."

Ichiro exited the room to look for a quiet place to talk to Hugo.

"Hi," Hugo's voice message is on. "I am busy right now so please leave a message after the beep."

"Hugo," Ichiro speaks after the beep. "Young master would like you to look into something. Please come over to the school after class."

Meanwhile, Seri and Antoine paid a visit to the infirmary. The nurse is surprised to have seen her throat to have been covered with rashes. It looked contagious so she examined it quickly. Then after a moment gave her findings and a medication to it.

Seri is thankful the itchiness had lessened after applying the ointment. There was instant relief from that suffering that she couldn't focus in the lessons.

"Don't go there again," Antoine scolds her. "Lucky Ryun found you."

"But that was the reason I am sent here," Seri replied.

"It is still early," Antoine told her soberly. "Can't you at least evaluate the situation rather than recklessly diving straight there?"

"Okay," Seri surrendered.

"I hope you are listening this time," Antoine stared at her.

"Yes," Seri nodded. "I am listening dear cousin."

Quietly they returned to class.

"How's her throat?" Ryun asked surprising Antoine.

"Better," Antoine replied. "Nurse Lovely had given her an ointment easing the itchiness. And the redness had lessened too."

"That's good," Ryun glanced at Seri who had passed by him. She had ignored his presence and quickly sat down.

After a bit, Ichiro returns. His expression is telling Ryun that he could not contact Hugo.

"But I have left a voicemail," Ichiro assured him.

"I hope he opens it and be able to come here on time," Ryun sighed.

"I wonder what he's been doing," Ichiro frowned. "Have you given him something to do?"

"No," Ryun shook his head.

"Anyways," Ichiro glanced at Seri. "How is she?"

She is reading a book while waiting for the teacher. Regardless of the noise she remained focus. Yet her ears is listening to every word they are spouting. Especially those who are sitting nearest to her.

'Stupid,' Seri thought while listening to Ryun and Antoine. 'I can hear every word you say. Who said this girl is really reading a book?'

Her eyes run through the words on the page. Then flips it to the next and continued. Her thoughts aren't in sync with her actions. It wandered off somewhere…

'That wasn't human,' she thought deep. 'I am sure of it! What's more, those gloves were made of something toxic. No wonder I feel itchy and weak. I need to look into this matter.'

Putting down the book quickly she straightened herself. She noticed everyone had quieted down and the teacher comes in.

A lady with long blonde wavy locks stood up front. She has a pair of mesmerizing green eyes. Good looking chubby nose that fits just right for her. And a pouty red lips that is very seductive to look at.

Men would go crazy on her sexy figure, C cup bust creating a lovely curve on the top. Slim waist and wide hips.

'Too perfect,' Seri suspiciously looked at her. 'Is she really a teacher or a model? But she look more like a whore to me.'

This teacher is wearing a pink uniform that is adding points to her feminity. With a slightly opened chest where those rounds are peeking a bit. More so, her skirt is a little bit high up from the knee. Though her uniform isn't too tight neither is it loose just right but a few things aren't proper making Seri think 'disgusting'.

"Hello," she said cutely. "I am Nina Cambria your visiting instructor and I will be teaching this class."

"What happened to teacher Zhou?" Niko whispered to Noah.

There was a racket among the students. They were not expecting a visiting instructor. More so, they know teacher Zhou who does not like having a visiting instructor for his class particularly this class.