Heaven's Shadow

Chapter 4 | Party Rivalry

Yun Yukamara hated being apart from his best friend.

And yes, he knew his whiny mood was bordering on separation anxiety, but it wasn't the same with anyone else. His professor, Mr. Ochet, badgered him throughout the introduction to stop bouncing his leg up and down and to keep his eyes on the board, not outside the window looking at the Combat and Defence class spar. Mr. Ochet didn't appreciate Yun correcting him, saying he was watching the birds bathing in the water basin while they fought amongst themselves. The specifics mattered, okay?

Remigius's mere presence was enough to keep him calm and focused. He tended to blank out without him. It happened all the time during his time on Earth, or 'The Real World' as they called it. His camp leader smacked him so many times for his attention that a bruise had formed on his side.

He hated that damn camp. 

He lost what Mr. Ochet rambled on about an hour ago, and there was no point trying to catch up now. His face slumped onto his desk, and he counted the minutes left on the clock. Yeah, yeah, earlier he worried about feeling like a fraud, and slacking wouldn't help that feeling when everyone else had backs straighter than a crane, but Remigius had told him that Yun (yes, Yun—him, it was him!) was the strongest person ever. Plus, intelligence wasn't his forte; it was Remigius's—

"Yun, were you paying attention?" Maven's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Hm?" He leaned forward to where Maven sat with Aston. "What was that?"

"You missed the entire lecture," Aston said. 

During the walk to class, Yun asked Aston about his Ivion, to which he blankly wisped a burst of air to his face. He could feel the power from his fingertips, but Aston had done it so leisurely that it was cool because Yun would have bragged on and on about having an air Ivion, but Aston didn't. Aston continued strolling along the corridors like it was a regular Monday morning. Which it was. That was besides the point.

"It's alright, we'll catch you up." Sonya wrapped her arm around Yun's shoulder, her hair tickling his cheek.

"We?" Aston raised his eyebrow. "That's an hour-long explanation."

Maven shook her head. "Next time, pay attention."

"But he's so boring!" Oops. Mr. Ochet's white eyes snapped at him. The man was half-blind, but Yun had half the mind to doubt it since every time he dozed off, the man seemed to know.

Sonya giggled, snuffing her laughter behind her hand. "Maybe quiet down, Yun..."

"Who made him the Ivion professor?"

"At this rate, you'll be sitting in detention by the end of the day," Maven said.

"He hated me the moment he did attendance." Yun swore he must have killed this man's dog in his past life as Mr. Ochet's eyes—still half-blind, mind you—shot daggers the instant Yun raised his hand to say 'here.'

"Not too late to make amends," Sonya hummed, spinning her pen between her fingers. "You can go on your knees and beg for forgiveness. Let him see the good in you."

"I doubt he can see much anyway."

Sonya laughed, shaking her head. "Maybe he has eyes on the back of his head."

"Anyways," Maven said with the clap of her hands, "I'll help you go over the material during our flex period. This is a one-time thing."

It would definitely not be a one-time thing. Yun smiled at her innocently, thanking her.

"That also applies to Remigius. No using him as your answer key for your other classes."

"No need to be so strict." Sonya ruffled up her hair and then pinched her cheeks. Maven puffed them out in retaliation. "We're meant to cheat off each other a bit. It's like the rules of friendship."