It was a crisp autumn afternoon where the air was cool, but the sun's warmth still lingers. The school's gymnasium was bustling with activity as the taekwondo athletes started to stretch and practice their forms in preparation for a friendly tournament with other athletes from different schools. Nearby, the ballet studio was just as lively as the classical music had filled the atmosphere of the room, its dancers preparing for another recital that was coming up faster than expected.
Hanaria together with the other members of the Boys Taekwondo Club wore their white doboks, their belts tied securely around their waist. Hanaria looks at the girls in the Taekwondo Club trying to hide her desire to be among them, but she knew she didn't fit in. Meanwhile, the boys around her were friendly and respectful, but she could still sense a space between them. They admired her strength and skill, yet they still see her as different. Except one,
"Hey Yang!" Raphael called out as he rushed towards her, tying the belt around his waist. "Master said you'll be sparring with the girls today, just.. don't get too carried away in your matches." He teased, "Master wants to show you off to the other schools. You are our tigress afterall."
Hanaria's eyes glistened when she heard she was going to spar with the other girls. She is usually excited to hear this kind of news, but today, there's a slight distraction in her eyes.
"Yang?" Raphael asked in a concerned expression, he could sense that something was troubling her, "Is something wrong?"
Hanaria then looks back at him with a soft smile, playfully punching his shoulder which made Raphael shudder in pain, though he managed to hide it, "Troubled? Of course not, I'm thrilled to say the least!" She laughed, trying to mask her true feelings.
Not far from her, Alexis was in the dance studio, moving through his warm-up exercises. He was surrounded by other dancers, each focused on their own routines, and yet Alexis stands out. His movements may be flawless and precise, hitting every beat and yet he was still disconnected. And the other dancers saw this too, but nobody dared to say anything.
Though he was a prodigy, he had an aloof personality that would often come off as rude, hence he doesn't make friends, not even in the studio which often concerns Aurora, his ballet mentor. He's a bright star.. but a lonely one.
Meanwhile back in the gym, Hanaria's coach wanted to show her off to the other coaches through a practice match before the official event began. The coach introduces her to the star athlete of a nearby school, which makes all the other players flock over them.
As the match started, Hanaria stood her ground and exchanged a series of rapid kicks with her opponent. In the heat of the match, her mind suddenly drifts back to her recent communication with Alexis, feeling the need to know more about him. It was unusual for her to get so distracted during practice that she felt she was present and yet mentally absent. She was not in the zone and she knew it. Frustrated, she gently slams her hand on her head, trying to shake away her thoughts, but they just keep drifting back to the empty look in his eyes.
"Hanaria, focus!" her master yelled, snapping her back into reality. She quickly pushed the thoughts of Alexis off her mind as she focused on the practice match on hand. She knew she couldn't lose now. She couldn't possibly betray her master's trust in her skills.
Back at the ballet studio, Alexis's frustration was evident as he felt his whole routine become monotonous and completely detached. His emotional numbness became plaguing him that even though he wanted to cry, no tears would flow out.
Without a second though, he stormed off the studio to take a break, leaving the music playing behind him. He walks towards the nearest vending machine, and as fate would have it, it was near the school gym that Hanaria was competing in. Alexis, whose mind was elsewhere, passed by, the same time Hanaria was about to execute a spinning kick towards her opponent.
