The Beginning

As you stepped out of the steamy embrace of the shower, you felt a chill run down your spine. The cold, unforgiving touch of the tiled floor made you hiss at the contact. You quickly shook off the cold and stepped onto the plush, fluffy rug that lay in front of the sink.

Taking a moment to examine yourself in the mirror, you couldn't help but realize that you hadn't been taking proper care of yourself. Dark circles were drawn heavy under your eyes, a stark reminder of your lack of proper sleep. A tired aura seemed to hang around you. Your shoulders were slumped and your skin lacked its usual healthy glow. It was a wake-up call. A realization that you needed to put your self-care first. 

You reached forward and grabbed your comb, gently running it through the stubborn knots in your hair. The blow dryer came to life, its warm gusts of air swiftly drying your damp locks. You hurriedly opened the drawer of the cabinets beneath the marbled black sink, pulling out a face mask, that promised to fix your skin.

After slipping into the comfort of your dark blue silk shorts and blouse pajamas, you made your way out the door, stepping into the comfort of your dorm room. It was time to prioritize self-care, to give yourself the attention and care that you deserved. Unfortunately, school doesn't just stop because you need rest. It's a constant whirlwind of assignments, exams, and deadlines that demand your attention, even when your body and mind crave for nothing more than a short break. And so, despite your desperate need for rest, you found yourself faced with the reality of an upcoming test that NEEDED to prepare for.

With only three days until then, you knew that you couldn't afford to waste any more time. Just the thought of failing sent a surge of anxiety coursing through your veins, pushing you to study. The key to passing this test is studying 'case file studies', something that seemed both daunting and crucial.

Summoning all your willpower, you begrudgingly settled down at your desk. The weight of exhaustion resting on your sore shoulders. You tried to convince yourself that you would only study for an hour, hoping to relieve the headache that had been building up. The clock ticked away, each passing second a reminder of the limited time you had.

But just as you mustered the strength to throw yourself in the intricate world of psychology, tragedy. while rushing to escape the library after a grueling study session, you forgot your bag. Panic washed over you as you frantically searched for it, your heart pounding in your chest. 'Where could it be?'

Your bag was nowhere to be found. It had vanished into thin air, you felt disoriented and vulnerable. The realization dawned on you that you had mindlessly rushed out of the library, consumed by exhaustion, clutching only your phone and headphones. How could you have been so absent-minded?

In that moment, frustration mingled with regret as you yelled yourself for your forgetfulness. Your carefully planned study session was now in jeopardy, and the consequences of your actions terrified you. You knew that you couldn't afford to focus on your mistake. Instead, you had to find a solution and make the best of the situation.

You still had some time left before curfew, so you decided to make a quick trip back to the library to get your bag. Glancing at the clock, you noticed it was only 10:00 p.m., which meant you had plenty of time to make it back to your dorm by the 11:30 curfew. A sense of relief washed over you, knowing that you still had the chance to fix your mistake.

You suddenly shot up from your slumped position at the desk. You could feel the mental pain of your mistake slowly dissipating as you removed your hands from your face.

Feeling determined, you walked over to the door, focused on the task at hand. Adjacent to the door was your trusty shoe cubby, where you kept all your shoes. You opened a door of the cubby, and grabbed the pair of fluffy black slippers. 

Slipping your feet into the cozy slippers, you couldn't help but appreciate how comfortable they were. As you prepared to leave, you reached for your ID card, kept conveniently on top of the shoe cubby. With a quick motion, you slid the card around your neck. Equipped with your slippers and ID, you felt ready to face the world outside your dorm room.

As you stepped through the door, closing it behind you, a voice pierced through the silence. It was the dorm supervisor, her tone filled with curiosity and authority. "And where do you think you're going?" she questioned, her voice growing closer with each word. You could sense her presence right beside you, her gaze focused on your every move.

You turned to look at her on your right as you explained, "I was so tired after my study session; I forgot my bag in the library. So, I'm hoping I could run and get it and be back for curfew so I can get a quick study in for the test." As she looked at you with suspicion, you slightly tilted your head and raised an eyebrow at the petite lady standing in front of you. "ms.Tia, do you honestly believe that I would go anywhere outside of my room if it wasn't food or school-related, especially with this face mask on?" She let out a sigh, dismissively waved her hand, and you responded with a smile, ready to make your way towards the library. However, before you could take a step, you heard her warning, "I'll be dropping in on you to make sure you are in here by curfew, or I'll be reporting to your parents and the dean." Letting out another sigh, you playfully rolled your eyes while maintaining a smile, and continued to walk down the hallway towards the elevator that was just a short distance away from your door.

You pressed the button for the first floor and patiently waited as the elevator descended, marveling at the fact that it uses mana— the mystical energy that surrounds you. And here you are, a student at the prestigious CCSM University: Creation, Control, and Study of Mana. This institution offers you the opportunity to master mana manipulation while also letting you study to pursue your dreams. Lost in your thoughts, you snapped back to reality upon hearing the familiar ding of the elevator, closed your eyes for a moment, shook your head to clear your mind, and confidently stepped out onto the first-floor hallway. Taking a left turn, you walked past two lecture halls and exited through the doors leading to the open field, making your way towards the library building. Approaching the grand entrance, you swiped your ID card on the door lock. With a beep, the lock screen went from red to green. You pulled the heavy door open and walked past the area where the librarians usually worked, continuing towards the heart of the library. You navigated through countless aisles filled with rows upon rows of books, finally climbing the stairs to the library's second floor. As you reached the top of the stairs, your eyes landed on a familiar sight— a shelf positioned right beside the staircase, and nestled between those shelves was a chair that held your bag, patiently waiting for your return."