Episode 7.2

They will rest while I am left here with this senior and doing push-ups as my punishment! Goodness! I am not done with it and I feel my arms starting to ache.

“Hey, softie. I’ll do thirty push-ups for you. Let me share your punishment since we will become roommates. Stop sulking there. Sorry about earlier. It’s just that I found you funny and entertaining. Actually, I’d like you to be my friend. Stop ignoring me. What do you think?”

I paused from doing my push-ups and tilted my head up. As I looked into his eyes, I saw that he was squatting in front of me to match my height.

“No. I won’t fall for your tricks again." As I snickered, I told him, "Go away!" He is annoying. He just won’t stop bothering me.

“Geez. I’m serious this time. I really want you to be my friend. C'mon, I even asked Senior Zhou for you to be my roommate because I know those guys are different from me,” he replied. He is almost pleading.

“Why?” I asked almost immediately.

“I don’t know. Maybe some gut feeling.”

I stared at him for a minute before I opened my mouth to speak. “Alright. But don’t trick me again!” I warned him. If ever he tried to play a prank on me, I will surely smack him on the head.

“Alright. Alright. I won’t. So, friends?" He offered me his right hand for a handshake. I looked at him with teary eyes. I don’t know but it somehow felt overwhelming. Back in Raevisia Apples Frost, none offered me to become my friend. I am always lonely and everyone avoids me. They always find me as the subject of their entertainment. No one also even dared to touch me like I was some kind of virus.

My tears started rolling down my cheeks. So this is the feeling of having a friend. It is heartwarming. This is the first time someone has said something like this to me without me trying hard.

“Yah! W-why are you crying? I’m not doing any t-tricks. Y-yah!” he panicked as his eyes widened. He clearly did not know what to do.

I wiped my tears away and accepted his hand. I shook his hand and felt the warm touch of his palm. I smiled gently at this sweet encounter. "You are the first one who has expressed interest in becoming my friend. I’m so happy.” I said in a cracked voice. My chest is still filled with different emotions.

He sighs in relief. “You scared the hell out of me.” He looked at the surroundings and closed the proximity between the two of us and whispered. “So, are you really a woman?”

I froze and bit my lower lip. “You know I’m a girl?” I whispered in surprise and blinked several times.

He cracked a giggle. “Don’t you remember, softie? You were the one who told me your secret earlier.”

When he reminded me that he was right, I formed the shape of a zero.

As Raven said, he finished my punishment for me. Afterward, we went to our room and put our belongings down. The room is somewhat large. Definitely larger than what I had back in Raevisia Apples Frost. There are two beds and a small wooden table that separates them. The room was neat and clean. Not a single trace of dirt can be found in the area. A window is also placed in the right corner of the room where you can fully see the cherry blossom trees outside.

I saw Raven place his belongings in the left corner of the room. In the end, I chose to stay on the right side and put my belongings in order. I put my bag on the single bed and started unpacking my things. My arms are a bit wiggly because of the push-up. It is too strenuous for a woman like me.

I was in the middle of unpacking my things when Raven spoke up. “Softie, let’s go to the cafeteria after you’re done unpacking. I’m hungry,” Raven told me. Instead of fixing his stack of clothes, he just lay down on his bed. I shook my head because of this guy. So, this is the feeling of having a male friend? Are they that lazy? Hemp. It’s fine. Since he is my first friend, I will treat him nicely.

“Alright!” I smiled. I quickly put my things in the wooden cabinet. As soon as I finished fixing my own things, I took his bag and began unpacking his things. I put all his belongings in the drawer since he does not seem to mind it.

“Eh, nice one softie. You should really treat me well. I am the only person you can count on here at Blemore Academy,” he arrogantly said while still lying down on the bed. Both his hands are resting on the back of his head. After hearing what he just said, I raised my eyebrows. Great! Now I have someone to lean on!

“I will never forget that!" I said and smiled.

He laughed at me and started standing. He walked toward me and grabbed my right arm. He started tugging me upwards. “Hey, that’s enough. Stop doing that. I’m hungry." As he grabbed me somewhere else, he said, "Let's go.".

While we are on our way to the cafeteria, I cannot help but be amazed. The realm is far from the human world as well as my hometown. The whole academy is so fascinating and it is making me mesmerized. The buildings are tall and enormous. It looks straight out of a fairytale. Butterflies are even flying around the area. Several trees are also present and some of them are fruit-bearing. I don’t know if it is just a part of my imagination but floating glitter-like bubbles are also in the area!

“Hey, can’t you stop drooling? It’s like it’s your first time here," Raven said as he got some food to put on his tray. I looked at it and it was filled with several dishes. He is really hungry huh? I pouted and started getting mine too. Since I love chicken legs, I grabbed many until my plate was full.

“Geez. You are a girl but you ate like a pig. Are you even a real woman?” asked Raven while looking at my full plate.

We searched the cafeteria to find a vacant seat. We put it on the table when we found one. There are a lot of students eating in the cafeteria. Some are those whom we were with earlier. I guess the trip made them hungry.

My nose crinkled as I started sitting down. “Yes, I am not truly a woman. Happy,” I said and started grabbing the chicken from my plate. I eat it ravenously and do not care if someone saw me eating this way.

He shook his head in disapproval and started eating his food too.