019. Maya and Skar

Another day passed in the large white room filled with children wandering around. 

Skar sat on his haystack and looked at the situation that had changed since Maya's arrival. 

The atmosphere felt more positive, though the noise remained the same. Before, the room was noisy with crying, now, it was noisy with pranks and laughter.

The daily potato ration has arrived and today is the same as the day before. A neat line for a fair share of food. 

Of course Skar joined the line this time. A sight that felt unfamiliar even to the other children who had been there for a while. Maya approached the white-haired boy and teased him.

"Eh... I thought you'd rather look for bugs in a sack," Maya teased, touching Skar's cheek. 

"Aaaahgg, shut up!" Skar's shout out loud, scared the other children. 

Maya wrinkled her forehead and put both hands beside her waist. 

"You can't be like that, look, the others are almost crying," Maya snapped irritably. 

"Tsk, fine," Skar stomped his foot and walked out of the line and sat on the edge of the room.

The other kids went back to queuing peacefully while Maya panicked and worried about upsetting Skar.

After everyone had finished their rations, Maya walked over to Skar and handed him two potatoes. 

"Please forgive me, don't get upset again," Maya bowed her head as she handed over two boiled potatoes. 

"Huh? Why are you the one apologizing? The strongest one sets the rules and I just follow them."

Maya raised her pitiable face with teary eyes. "So, you want to forgive me?"

Skar could only step back as he was unable to react. The boy's face blushed slightly as Maya's expression looked cute in his eyes at the moment. 

Skar took one of the boiled potatoes and looked away. "O.. of... of course, the loser has no right to say, so, you don't need to apologize."

Maya smiled widely and Skar felt a tightening sensation in his chest at this moment. It was a piercing feeling in his hearth to see the smile of the woman who had defeated him yesterday.

"Well then, you don't want to take the other potato?"

"Huh? Why did I get two? It's not like everyone got more than one."

Maya lowered her head. "I'll give you my share, because you'll get angry."

"Huh?! Are you stupid or something? I don't need your potatoes." Skar raised his tone of voice and brought Maya to tears. 

Maya's sobs immediately and made Skar panic.

"Well... Look, I don't mean that..."

Maya stopped crying and raised her head, looking at Skar who could not look this girl in the eyes.

"So, what I'm trying to say is that since you weren't at fault in the first place, you don't need to apologize and there's no need to give me your food ration." Skar continued his sentence without looking at Maya's face, because he knew that if he looked at the girl's face, he would feel his chest tighten once again.

Maya smiled. "Then, let's eat together." Maya sat close beside Skar and made the boy's heart beat faster. 

"By the way, what's your name?" asked Maya while chewing on her boiled potato. 

"Name? I don't have a name, they just call me SK-4."

"What is that name? Your parents are so not nice."

"I don't have parents, for as long as I can remember, I've always been in this facility."

Maya stopped chewing and looked down rather thoughtfully. "Sorry, I didn't know."

"It's okay, anyway I'm sure my existence is no longer important since that genius Nala came."

"You know Nala?"

"For all I know, she has taken my place. Now, she's their favorite child. Damn it, why did that genius even show up?"

"But Nala has escaped, you know."

"Huh?"

"Eh?"

Skar stood up. "Wait a minute, what do you mean she ran away?

Maya immediately covered her mouth with both hands. "Oops, I shouldn't have said that."

Skar held Maya's shoulders with both hands. "What do you mean she ran away? How could that possible?!"

Maya shook her head quickly. "No way! It's a secret."

"Tell me!"

"No!"

"Tell me!"

"No!"

"Say it."

"Never."

Skar gave up and released his grip from Maya's shoulders. 

The white-haired boy could only sigh heavily." Alright, then, keep it to yourself."

With a slight annoyed feeling, he walked away, towards his bed, a pile of straw.

----------------------------------------------------

The new day was like any other day. Nothing was different, except for one thing.

 2 people dressed in all white came in and took some of the children. The other children suddenly panicked and Maya tried to calm them down. 

As usual, Skar just lay on his haystack. 

After a few hours, the 2 white-clad men brought in the children who were previously pulled out. Nothing was different except for the fact that the children could perform magic, albeit only on a very small scale, by creating a bit of element on the palms of their hands. 

The other children crowded around to watch. Skar, on the other hand, just stayed where he was, unconcerned and continued on with his day. 

Two days had passed and each day more children were brought in to have their magic powers awakened. Some came back with smiles and magic power and some with only sullen faces. 

Maya tried to keep everyone in order, but it seemed to be harder to keep them in order after gaining magic power. 

There were even some boys who now dared to fight Maya. When the group of bad boys wanted to mob her, a huge fireball suddenly flew towards them and landed right between Maya and the bad boys.

It was Skar who was now walking toward Maya.

"Yo, what is going on, you snot-nosed brats. Looks like you guys are getting cocky these days." Skar raised his right hand and prepared to create another fireball.

The group of bad boys immediately ran away. 

"Woah, thanks for helping," Maya looked at Skar in a friendly manner. 

"Why you do that? You should have been able to fight them off. This is what happens when you keep handling them gently. They get cocky."

Maya just smiled. "Hehe, you really look like a father."

Skar's face reddened instantly and he turned his back on Maya. 

"Wh... Wha... What are you talking about?" Skar stuttered a bit but at the same time he imagined that he and Maya were a married couple.

"I don't have to fight them, because they can't even control their own magic. They could end up harming themselves."

"Even so, you can't let them underestimate you. Are you stupid?"

Maya walked around and stood before Skar.

"What a coincidence, come with me." Maya immediately pulled Skar's hand.

"Huh? What are you doing?"

Maya just smiled, "You're the most skilled mage in here, come help me teach them."

"Huh? Why do I have to teach those snot-nosed brats?"

"No need to complain, just come with me."

Skar could not refuse, could not resist. He could only sigh and follow the girl's will.