Different

01. First encounter.

Hanni 's

The sunlight, sharp and insistent, sliced through the sheer curtains, pulling me from a sleep filled with swirling colors and the unsettling echo of Mr. Kang's voice.

Last night… Last night had irrevocably changed everything. The library, that ancient tome, "The Unveiling," the sheer weight of its revelations still pressed down on me. A world of magic, hidden in plain sight, a world I was now a part of, whether I was ready or not.

I dressed carefully, choosing my dark wash denim pants, a comfortable familiar weight against my skin.

Over my black crop top, I layered a striped polo jacket—a touch of preppy style to camouflage the nervousness churning in my stomach. 

My white sneakers felt strangely out of place in the opulent setting, but they were comfortable, a small victory in a sea of uncertainties.

The drive to Arcaneum was a long one, the familiar landscape warped by the weight of my newfound knowledge.

The imposing gates loomed larger with each passing mile, a stark contrast to the peaceful countryside.  It felt like a fortress of magic, a place where dreams and nightmares were poised to collide.

  But from the outside, it looked like any other school.

As I stepped onto the grounds, the air crackled with an energy I could almost taste, a tangible hum vibrating beneath my feet.

Students bustled around, their conversations a mix of excitement and apprehension, their movements fluid, infused with an unspoken understanding.

  They were mages, born into this world, their veins pulsing with magic. And I… I was an outsider, an anomaly.

The hallways felt like a gauntlet.  I walked past small groups of students, their whispers following me like shadows.

"Isn't she the new family member of the Kang's?" a girl stated.

"How come? She's the same age as us."   the other one questions.

Is it forbidden to feel upset? I mean it's true, I'm not part of the family perhaps I've been sold by my own parents.

Walking in the hallway, looking down in embarrassment. I walked faster but still looking down then, suddenly I bumped into someone, emitting a faint dark aura.

Her gazes shoot like daggers directly in your soul, her eyes were deeper than the ocean. Without a word she walked away and didn't even bother to help me get up.

"Sorry about her." A girl utters and helps me to get up. She pats my head before following the girl with a dark aura.

"Wait, th—" I was about to thank her but another girl followed her again, bumping me.

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I headed to Room 304 for my first Magic lesson, the elemental. Still pondering the strange encounter with that girl. The whispers about Kang's influence lingered in my mind.

Entering the room, all eyes were staring at mine. A woman in the 30’s standing in front. “Everyone, this is your new classmate, please kindly introduce yourself.” The teacher instructed.

With a deep heavy sigh, I cleared my throat about speaking. “H-hi everyone, I'm Hanni Ph—” My tongue slips.

Starting over like nothing happened. “I'm Hanni Kang, nice to meet y'all” I managed to speak smoothly as I bowed.

"Since you're new here, can you show us some natural magic you've got from your family?" Our teacher requested.

Feeling nervous, without even thinking straight I accepted her request.

Hanni, a whirlwind of nervous energy usually, stood frozen, eyes glued to the aluminum can perched precariously on the desk. She concentrated, furrowed her brow, and willed the can to move. Nothing.

The can remained stubbornly still.  A ripple of stifled giggles went through the class. Hanni’s cheeks burned. 

"Does she really think she can move that?" One stated.

"No matter what she does, it won't move because she's just adopted." Followed by another girl.

She tried again, harder this time, focusing all her will, imagining the can lifting, spinning, dancing across the desk.  Still nothing.  A lump formed in her throat.  Failure tasted bitter.

In the back of the room, a quiet figure watched. 

As Hanni’s frustration mounted, someone subtly shifted in her seat.  She didn’t look at Hanni directly, but her gaze seemed to linger on the can.  A faint tremor ran through the air, almost imperceptible.  Then, slowly, almost hesitantly, the can began to tremble.  It wobbled, then lifted a fraction of an inch.  Hanni gasped, but she wasn’t consciously doing anything.  The can continued to rise, spinning gently, defying gravity with an ethereal grace.

The class erupted in gasps and excited whispers.  Ms. Suzy, her mouth agape, stared at the levitating can.  Hanni, wide-eyed, felt a strange tingling sensation in her fingertips, but it wasn't the exertion of will she'd been trying to muster.  It was more like… a passive reception, a feeling of being moved, guided.

The can danced across the desk, a miniature metallic ballet, before gently settling back down. her dark eyes still fixed on the can, remained motionless.  The tremor in the air subsided.  She closed his notebook, the faintest hint of a smile playing on her lips.  Then, as quickly as it had started, the moment was over.

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"Hanni, right? I'm Yujin."

Yujin walked towards Hanni, a captivating smile playing on her lips.  Her presence commanded attention; she was undeniably popular and powerful, one of the most talented in their batch.

Looking directly in her eyes she notices the girl 's were different.

"Jade? I thought only people with jade eyes passed the 4th year in this school?" Hanni thinks.

Hanni, still reeling from the inexplicable event, could only nod, speechless.

Noticing Hanni 's uncomfortableness, she shows another reassuring smile to her. "If you are thinking I passed the 4th stage, you're wrong. My surname is An so, basically my family owns the nature magics. But my eyes take too long to go back to their original color." Yujin explains briefly. "And…"

"I… I was the one who helped with the can," Yujin continued, her voice a low murmur that somehow managed to cut through the surrounding buzz.  "I saw how frustrated you were, and… well, I couldn't resist."  A hint of mischief sparkled in her eyes.

The girls who had previously giggled at Hanni’s failed attempt now wore expressions of stunned disbelief, quickly morphing into a simmering jealousy. 

Yujin’s confession continued, her voice softening.  "And, about earlier… I was the one who bumped into you before class.  I’m really sorry. I was in a hurry to catch up with my friend."  She offered a genuine, apologetic smile.

"Uh…who?"

"Oh, both of the Kim's are my friends."

"Kim's?”

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good eve please bear my grammatical and typographical errors, English is not my first language, thankies!!