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Undoubtedly, we weren't the only ones that are called. In a wide, closed auditorium where only warm lights seep through from the skylights, hundreds of students gathered. Different grade levels wore different colored uniforms. I wore white with brown lines.

"Oh over there!" Choccy, who had her arms interlocked with Lux ran to me--they wore the same uniforms as I.

I tucked my brownish hair behind my ears, "You guys actually came."

"Duh, wouldn't wanna miss something important."

"Well, I am sure it would only be boring speeches like last time," Lux, with no visible expression at all, added.

While I do think it was quite true, "That's kinda disrespectful to our principal, don't you think."

"Hell nah--"

"Ms. Evaspheare is right. You shouldn't be talking like that about our dear principal who has built this place from the ground up." Interrupting her was our advisor--pushing his glasses up to his nose bridge.

"With underpaid workers, you mean?" She retorted.

Our advisor frowned and was visibly upset. He glanced toward the podium, however, noticing that the principal was about to start his speech. He immediately quieted up and stood straighter.

We did the same.

'Ah, I'm really not up for some long speech.' I grumbled.

"Well done getting into the next grade, students. For that, I shall commend you. I'll keep this short and simple. Now that you are up a year--" In the middle of his speech, an attendant walked up to him and whispered something in his ear. It seemed important as we saw the principal's eye light up and then squint down.

"Khueem, my apologies. As I was saying, you are now up a year, so…I will be expecting more from every single one of you." And then he walked off…

I glanced at Choccy as our collected principal just rushed down…nervously.

"What was that?" She asked with a bewildered smile—one that would definitely be mocking.

"I don't know." I just frowned, but I did find it amusing. But it was weird nonetheless.

Just as the students started murmuring, we got dismissed.

But now what? I came all the way here—it's five minutes away—but still, what was the point of that…

What a bummer

All three of us walked out of the campus, and as we did, we saw Tobin. He has just arrived…

"Oh good, I thought I was late!" He chuckled as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Yeah." Choccy was blankly smiling, "You should line up already, we were tasked by the Dean with something, so we're going out for a bit."

"O-oh, sure." he looked around and must've found it weird that students were still outside, but decided to walk ahead instead.

Lux grabbed him though, "The principal cut his speech short…you don't have to go."

"Tch!" This sparked a dissatisfied grunt from Choccy though.

Ah, the weather was hot, unbelievably so. Climate change perhaps. But all this sweat is making me lightheaded.

"Do you guys wanna get the hell outta here? It's kinda hot." I suggested as I was more or less done with this day already—although it's early…

Anyway.

Where were we?

Ah, right, Kolin hasn't shown up ever since. Strangely though, Caner has been frequently visiting me…even supervising the house at times. He was hiding, but I could now feel his presence if I tried.

With all that is happening, I just can't help but feel uneasy. So uneasy that it makes me feel dizzy. Like right now.

"Why were you late anyway? It's not like you."

"Not like me? I overslept and ran into some trouble on the way."

"You could've used your mage powers, you know?" I suggested, "If you have it anyway, why not use it to your advantage?"

"That's the thing, I tried using it…and that's when I ran into some problems." He frowned, rubbing his nape nervously.

I subconsciously raised my brows, "What is it then?"

"Someone saw me."

"Eh?"

"What?!"

"Were you able to at least cover your face?" I asked.

"Yes, but he kind of knows me well. He would for sure recognize my build."

I pondered for a second.

"But your build is now different," Lux said what I was thinking exactly---he then proceeded to poke Tobin's biceps.

 Of course, as per the cliche, Tobin was oblivious, "Huh…that might work?"

"Enough of that, what were you doing anyway?" Choccy asked.

"I was trying to teleport, but I was just hopping fast."

"Eh? Isn't that a bit complicated? I doubt even my Brother could teleport."

He made a face that said he did not believe me, "What do you mean? He's the one teaching me, so I'm pretty sure he—"

"He what?"

That Kolin? He hasn't shown his face to me, and now he's teaching Tobin?

"Why? He hasn't told anything?"

"No."

"Oh."

Is he avoiding me? That's a likely scenario.

"Do you guys wanna hang out or not?" Cutting my thoughts, was Choccy.

I refused.

"Sorry, I'm not quite in the mood today."

…

"You're here again."

Along with my mom, another person was tending to the garden—the tree specifically.

"Oh, Bevie! How nice to see you." He waved. My face instantly grimaced…Caner's appearance is still that of a child's. So then why does my mom not have any reactions to it at all?

"M-mom? What are you guys doing?"

"Tending to the plants, what does it look like to you, hon?" She smiled with apparent humor.

"Do you even know who this guy is?"

At my question, she flinched. 'I knew it.'

"What is going on? Would you please explain?"

…

"Me and your dad have long since known that your brother was special…the day he was born, there was a spike in the death rate around the world until he was three. I did not associate his birth to that, but it was scary enough to remember it," She looked down at her restless hands, "The plant, and the fact that we caught him multiple times talking to someone we could not see." My mom was visibly distressed.

"Does he know that you know? Because as far as I know, he's still trying to hide it from you guys."

"He knows that we have our suspicions, but we never really talked about it."

"What do you think is he capable of?" I asked.

My mom hesitated for a bit, "What are you on…?" But the serious look in my eye told her that I was being serious.

"…he was a prodigy. He particularly liked physics and chemistry and excelled in all his studies. Too mature for his age, but he is capable of a lot of things…if that's what you're asking." She continued after seeing my expression.

"Like what?"

"He's physically above average and was an overall athletic kid." She pondered for a moment, "I've hidden it for a very long time, but your brother…he's extraordinary. He does things like—"

"Like flying perhaps?"

Her eyes widened and then returned to normal.

Sigh

"You knew?"

"Just recently…and here I was tiptoeing around eggshells. I know you know he's still trying to hide some things from you."

"Yes, but he's all grown up now, we can't really do anything about it."

She looked a bit sad, and I too was quite disappointed since he was still trying his mission impossible.

"And Caner, you knew about him?"

"Just earlier, he introduced himself again."

Caner added, "Kolin said it would be fine, and so I did."

"Why though? There's no real reason why you should?"

They were quiet. And the fact that they just stared at me aroused suspicion and bewilderment.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Every strand of hair in my body rose. I feel like this is why I have been feeling this way all this time.

"…"

"He should tell you."