The Day We Meet Again

The year was 2019

In the prestigious Orion School of Magic, in class-2A, was a young brilliant mage born from the Color Family—A monarch family that ruled the prosperous magical country, Froria. The beautiful, powerful, and brilliant Hanna the Princess. 

She was sitting in the cafeteria with several of her classmates;

Kris, a short haired girl with eyes filled with flaming spunk, her best since middle school.

Ino, a blue haired boy with an undercut and dark blue eyes like the ocean, one of the strongest field mages in their year.

Quill, a white haired boy with sharp eyes, an expert in the history of the world's magical history.

The four sat there, no food circulating around them. They weren't hungry. They were waiting for the announcement of their mid-term exam scores to be posted on a bulletin board. It's supposed to be in a few minutes. There was seven classes in all 3 years, from A to G. With 30 students in each class, a total of 630 students in the school. 

Kris felt nervous as she wasn't as smart as her friends were, the loud sounds roaming around the cafeteria didn't help her to feel at ease, "how do you guys feel? You think you guys did good?" She said, a little bit yelling. It was difficult for her to even hear own words.

"Definitely," Ino nods confidently.

"Why, Kris? Do you think you did bad?" Quill asked.

"No, not that," she shook her head. "I just feel a bit tense is all."

 Hanna placed a hand over Kris' shoulders and pulled her close, "it's okay. I'm sure you did better than most students," she said in an attempt to reassure her.

"Yeah, you're a lot smarter than you think," Quill agreed.

"Aww, thanks for telling me that," she smiled a little.

After several minutes of waiting, an official announcement was made through the school's sound system. A loud bell rang for three seconds long, echoing through the halls of the school.

"Students of all grades, the scores for your mid-term exams have been posted in the school's bulletin board, feel free to see your scores and evaluate." Short and straight to the point. They like to show these things in a traditional way, they could've just sent the information to their phones, but having the students rush to see their scores is a better sight.

Hanna stood up first, slid out of the bench she was sitting on and looked back at her friends, "let's go see our scores," she beckoned her friends with a confident smirk.

Kris stood up and the other two followed along, they walked as a group. The bulletin boards were near the main entrance of the school, which was on the first floor. They took the escalator full of students rushing to see the results. 

"This is a lot of people," Kris was shocked to see. She didn't like crowds that much. 

"Yeah, it is," Hanna nods with a small smile. "You'll be fine," she comforted Kris.

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

Hanna begins to reminisce about the tests she took. Several subjects on the advanced level of understanding. They have 5 subjects in total. The materials within the exams are picked at random, therefore not a single student knows what would be on the test other than the materials they have already studied up until that exam.

The first subject was 'World History'. It covers the Century-Long War, the Forming of Froria, and the Remnants of The Seven Lords. Obviously Quill's favorite subject.

Then there was 'Flora and Fauna', covering several local and a few phenomenal and rare ones throughout the world. Above that, a little history of origin, the evolutions, some theories, and their names depending on the time period. Kris' favorite subject.

'Grimoire Spells' would probably be Hanna's favorite subject. A subject that focuses on the practice of magic outside of your own innate magical attribute. Ones anyone can learn and use in a day-to-day life. For example, a levitation spell.

'Magic Items' was another subject. It covers the use, the history, and the basics to advance mechanism of several general magic items. Like, a Wand or Magic Orb.

The final subject was a practical test, 'Defense Arts' the usage of several basic offensive and offensive spells one can learn from grimoires. They also test your proficiency at using your own magic attribute.

All five subjects Hanna felt like she aced, she studied and trained hard for it ever since she was young. Receiving only the best education with the kingdom's budget.

The four of them arrived at the bulletin boards, as Hanna passed by, everyone made way for her without command. She was the princess and everyone ought to show her respect. Though, she doesn't mind if she was treated the same as any other person. She wouldn't feel lesser than anyone. Hanna and her friends saw the scores. From five subjects, World History, Flora and Fauna, Grimoire Spells, Magic Items, and Defense Arts, Hanna placed top one in two of them. Though she expected to get at least three of them.

She scored 95/100 in World History, giving her second place. The first place went to Quill with a 98/100.

Flora and Fauna she got 92/100 placing second. First place went to Kris with a close 94/100.

Grimoire Spells she placed second with a 92/100, first place went to a kid named Sou-do from class 2-B with a 100/100. Hanna felt surprised that she lost to Sou-do. 

For Magic Items Hanna placed first with a 95/100, second came to Sou-do with a 94/100.

Finally, Defense arts, she placed first, or tied for first with Sou-do, both with a 95/100 score. Ino came in third with a 92/100. 

"What? I got third place in Defense Arts? No way!" Ino groaned a complaint, he felt cheated.

"Yeah, with a 92 at that," Hanna mentioned as she couldn't take her eyes off the scores.

"Curse that Sou-do!" Ino muttered to himself with an annoyed twitch in his eye. "I swear in the mid-semester exam I will get top one. Beating you too, Hanna!" He was determined to beat everyone at the subject he was best at. 

"Sure, if that's what you want to do," she said, still staring at the score.

"Hanna, how do you do so well in every subject?" Kris wondered, she felt desperate for wisdom. She studied hard but it never pays off as much as she wants it to. 

"What do you mean, Kris?" Hanna asked to clarify. "You did well in the others as well," Hanna remarked without giving her a glance.

"Yeah, with a bunch of 80s," she pouts.

"That would still bring you up to the top twenties"

"Even so... Hanna how do you get that smart?" Kris asked, in need of a motivation.

"Well, I..." Hanna's mind trailed somewhere. What went through her head was a seven-year-old boy with a sharp dashing smile. Bright eyes that lit her up with joy, You're going to be the best, Hanna! Just like me! The boy's words reverberated through her entire life. Her sole motivation to keep going. "...Just have good motivations, I guess," Hanna shrugged. It was the truth.

"Let's get going." Hanna turned around first and started walking away without a word, unintentionally leaving the three behind.

The three jogged up to her to catch up. The crowd parted to make a path for them, well, Hanna mostly. Hanna walked quickly, looking down, tugging her chest. She hears laughing, not coming from her friends behind her. But coming from in front of her, she was far too distracted with the image of the boy in her head. She accidentally bumps into the oncoming boy in front of her face first. "Ow!" She exclaimed. She held her nose as she fell a few steps back.

Hanna looks up to see a boy with red spiky hair, with bright orange eyes, and a confused look mixed with guilt. "Uhh... Sorry," he said, an uneasy expression flashed across his face. Her eyes widened, feeling panicked. The thought of bolting out of the scene became a powerful desire. 

Kris stepped forward to confront, "hey, what's your problem?" She said in a challengingly defensive tone.

"I said sorry. I didn't see her," the boy apologized again.

Uncovering her face with her hand that was touching her nose, the boy saw Hanna's face. "Hanna...?" He muttered under his breath. His eyes widened just like hers, the two gazed at each other in panic and uneasiness. Right now, the two just wanted to run away.

"That's Your Majesty to you, buddy!" Kris got in between the two and blocked their vision of each other.

"Right, she's a princess..." He mumbled under his breath.

"Dude, you shouldn't care," said the boy's buddy in a very disrespectful tone. They were from royal families too, just not the ones ruling. A few fellows of spoiled rich brats in need of a beating. 

"Of course you should, dipshit!" Ino stepped in, balling his fingers to hard fists. 

Suddenly, a loud argument broke out between them. The boy Hanna called 'Sho' stepped aside and went past Kris to check up on Hanna. Though he was scared, he couldn't exactly run away. Not right now. "Are you okay? Sorry, I didn't see you," he apologized again, feeling really bad.

"I'm... I'm fine," Hanna looks away from him. She doesn't dare look up to his face. "Didn't think I'd bump into you, Sho," she sighed, feeling a little irritated.

"Well, you're always... Avoiding me."

"N- No, I'm not," she denied his accusations, though stumbling through her words. "I- I just never see you."

"Yeah, whatever you say," he sighed defeatedly.

"Ugh, I'm leaving," she groaned.

Hanna left Sho there and dragged Kris, Ino, and Quill back to class, leaving the argument unfinished. "What the hell were you guys thinking?" She scolded. "The whole school was watching," Hanna was very irritated.

"Well, he was being all a bitch!" Kris remarked angrily, trying to justify her actions. She was still feeling herself burning from the desire to beat those students up.

"Even so, you could've all gotten in trouble!" Hanna stated, reminding them that it's not good to start or get into fights. But most of her can't really blame them and appreciated their efforts. "Though, thanks for having my back."

"Yeah, we would've beaten all of 'em up!" Ino said, hyping up the previous situation.

Hanna shook her head, "nope, you would've lost," she stated with confidence.

"There's three of us. Four with you, Hanna!" Ino argued. "And I'm the best mage in our year!" He boasted pridefully.

"First of all, I wouldn't fight them even if they did start a conflict," Hanna had to mention her actual standing."Second, you three wouldn't win, not against him," Hanna replied.

"Who's him?" Quill wondered who she's talking about.

"Sh-" Probably shouldn't say his nickname, I'm the only one that calls him that. "Sou-do."

"That was Sou-do?" The three had a revelation at the same time. They heard the name, they never actually saw him before. It's too big a school and everyone has very tight group circles.

"Yes, it was," Hanna sighed in a despaired breath.

Ino however, didn't exactly believe her. "You sure? He looked like he couldn't fight for shit," Ino felt challenged instead.

"Even though his attribute is one of the most basic, fire magic, he's a prodigy, like me. Achieving blue flames at the age of seven and could clear high-level dungeons all by himself."

"Sorry, at the age of seven?" Quill had to restate it, he couldn't believe what she said.

"Yep," Hanna nods. "He's quite the monster when it comes to battling."

Since it was Hanna who mentioned it, the three had to believe her. She wouldn't boast another person's ability unless she truly believes in it.

"Not even you can beat him?" Quill asked, a little suspicious.

"Hmm... Good question. I'm not sure," Hanna replied.

Kris realized something, "wait, how do you know all this?" She asked.

Before Hanna could answer the question, class commenced and she didn't want to bring up Sho again. After school was out, Kris went to her club, exploring flora and fauna. Quill and Ino wanted to play games at Ino's house. Hanna was bored at home so she joined Kris at her club activity.

The club's activity for the day was to study a Crian. An amphibious salamander the size of a dog. Its moist skin was milk white, with a pescetarian diet of fish and small insects. It had a special property to create highly volatile tears depending on its emotions.

When threatened, it produces chemicals that can become lethal. A few drops would be enough to kill an adult elephant.

When it's happy, it produces clear yellow chemicals that can put someone in a euphoric state. In addition, becoming an incredibly powerful stimulant drug.

When it's sad, it produces chemicals that can put someone in a very emotionally and physically depressive state. 

Overall, it takes extreme precaution to examine a Crian. For example, like a stand by ambulance.

One was placed on an examining table. The Crian was named Brian. Because of its adorable figure, Kris began scratching the top of its head. Brian seemed to like it, it closed its eyes and opened its mouth. Smiling. "Awww, aren't you such a cutie, Brian!" Kris intensified her head scratching.

"Should you overstimulate it?" Hanna raised an eyebrow, thinking it wasn't a very bright idea.

"This guy's no harm," Kris smiled at Hanna denying what she said. Then went back to Brian. "You're adorable, aren't you, Brian?" She baby-talked Brian.

Without both of them knowing, tears fell down Brian's eyes and dropped on the examining table. It quickly turned to vapor and Kris breathed in the fumes. Without her knowledge, she started laughing and smiling widely. She kept petting Brian. Her entire body started twitching on its own, veins began surfacing. Kris laughed like a maniac.

"Oh, shit..." Hanna realized what happened.

Shortly after, Kris was moved into the ambulance and she was transported to the hospital. Not before she was put to sleep with Anesthesia. They needed to slow down her heart as much as possible to fight off the chemical that would make her heart pump so intensely that her blood vessels would pop and kill her in a very agonizing manner. 

Hanna felt bad for not realizing sooner. "Sorry, Ms. Loanne. I should've known it would get her," Hanna bowed her head lightly apologizing.

Ms. Loanne felt embarrassed that a monarch would bow her head to her,"oh, don't you worry, darling," she laughed nervously. 

"Kris has always been a bit..." She pauses for a moment to think of the exact word to describe Kris. "Irresponsible," she found it. "When it comes to these kinds of animals, she gets blinded too easily by their cuteness or her sheer curiosity."

"I can't really blame her," Hanna remarked as she glanced back at Brian sleeping soundly. Happily knowing its deadly.

"Not at all, these things are very adorable. Makes you want to cuddle with them forever."

Hanna left early from the club activity. She went home to her castle and laid on her bed. Feeling an ache in her chest, a tugging in her heart. She was irritated that she felt the way she did. She felt miserable. From her house clothes, she changed to a more casually proper choice of clothes and took a walk outside of her castle. Slipping past guards and sneaking out without any extra magic knights to accompany her. 

She went to the Do Park. A public park built and owned by the Do Family. Sou-do's family to be exact. She went to the middle of the park, sat right on the rim of the giant goldfish fountain. At first glance, no one would see Hanna as a princess, so she enjoyed that no one would come up to her and bother her. 

The cool breeze blew through her hair and clothes, giving her a sense of calm in the aching sensation that kept stabbing away at her heart. Bit by bit. She groans as she leans back. "Why did I have to see him like that? Ughhh...!"

Hanna's face turned red as she lashed out at herself for presenting herself like that. "Ugh... Fuck you, Sho! Why did I have to bump into you?" Her voice cracked as her eyes reflected light from her tears. Slowly going down her cheeks as she pouts in anger.

"Why couldn't you have just been angry at me? Why did you have to be such a nice guy?! Ugh! I hate you, Sho!" She spat.

"Is that how you really feel?" Sho stood at the corner of Hanna's left eye. Wearing an orange hoodie with his hand holding his phone. Disappointment painted on his face, he grips his phone harder.

"S- Sho?" Hanna starts panicking. "What are you doing here?"

"I like going for walks when I'm stressed out," he said as he walked forward. "And this spot is my favorite spot," he gestures to the fountain.

"Same as ever," Hanna sniffled.

Sho just saw Hanna's red and watery eyes, "were you crying?"

"I'm not!" She wiped her tears with her shirt.

"Why were you crying?"

"Ugh, are you really asking me that, Sho?" She was annoyed.

The hell am I supposed ask in this situation? "Right, sorry." Sho moved to sit beside Hanna. Keeping a quarter meter distance from her. She glares at him. Her forehead clenched, her eyes red and her lips were shaking. Sho felt his heart raced, never before has anyone ever glared at him in such fury before. Why is she so mad? He chuckled nervously.

Hanna's lips trembled even more and her face turned red. She burst into tears and cried on his lap. Her sobbing was loud and started to attract attention.

"Uhh... Hanna... You're attracting people. Don't be so loud..." Sho whispers. He was worried for her because she was a princess and it'd be a terrible image for her.

"I dooon't caaaaaaaaare!" She cried even louder.

"Urk..." 

Sho thought he should do something to comfort her, not with words but with something that would maybe soothe her. He placed his hand on her back and started petting her. "Shh... It's okay..." He tried to keep her voice down.

"No, it's not!" She jolts up to sit up straight. Sho was startled and leaned back, scared of what she might do to him. "You always act like everything's fine!"

Sho felt speechless.

"Why didn't you ever try to get in touch?" She questioned.

"I had no way of contacting you."

"You could've used your family phone!"

"I can't use that phone to say hey, I wanna hang out with the princess," he argued, raising his voice a little. "Besides, you never tried contacting me either," he looks the other way.

"I... " She didn't have anything worth to counter his argument. "Ugh... Fuck you..." She sighed, irritated.

"Fuck me? Why me?" Sho said in disbelief, pressing his hand onto his chest.

"It was just a joke! Why did you have to hit me so hard!?" She screamed as tears slowly ran down her cheeks.

"I was... Angry...? Listen, I felt bad for that, okay?" He scratched the back of his head, trying to distract himself from the embarrassment he felt from hitting her. "I'm sorry, okay? Even though your joke was insensitive, I shouldn't have punched you."

"Fuck you," she sighed.

"What?" Sho was extremely startled and confused.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Because I... Hit you?" He shrugged his head with sharp eyes, confused as to what Hanna was asking. "Why are you being so difficult!?" Sho was getting irritated.

"I'm sorry..." She sniffled. "I shouldn't have made that stupid joke. It wasn't even funny," her voice filled with regret.

"Yeah, it really wasn't," he replied to her with a serious tone.

"That's not helping," she groaned.

"Listen, that joke still keeps me up at night. It's that bad."