𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋𝐒

Acquanited

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It struck hard. The announcement hit the academy like a spark in dry grass. Close and dangerous to anyone who had been around when it struck. Formerly let this settle with the dangerous of a flame when it's been fed.

"Lee Felix. Boy from nothing turns into something when he's received the title as another fellow prodigy of the Royal academy." Sera who froze mid-stride inside her and shiho's shared dorm room, hairbrush slipping from her hand and clattering to floor. In response to the news her brother read off of his phone.

She muttered in disbelief, "No. No way. Absolutely not."

Shiho looked up from where he sat on the couch, legs crossed, calm as ever. Still glancing at the new school's article, he spoke. "You're being dramatic."

Sera soon around so fast her hair whipped over her shoulder. "Dramatic? Shiho, I almost had that boy gone. One week in this school and he would've been expelled." Shiho didn't flinch. No reaction would have saved the spiral of his dear sister's panic that was slowly turning into rage. "The three of them warned you. When they came here this morning, Sera. The three prodigies knew better than to leave him wide open to give you another chance to strike."

"The opportunity itself opened. I merely used my chance. They never had an issue with it beforehand―" "Doing it once back then they had no idea what had happened, and before they could do anything she had already been gone."

Sera kept silent. Leaning down to pick up her brush.

"Besides you slipped a midterm exam key into her locker, keeping her expelled but her criminal record unstained. With Felix? You almost falsely pinned a drug charge on him. Hopes of wanting to leave him a permanently with ruined life ." he clarified. She waved that off as if he pointed out dust on her sleeve, "He was new, no ties. No influence. it should've been simple."

Her voice sharpened. "And somehow he's a Prodigy now? Do you know what that means?"

Shiho's gaze flickered, tired. "It means that single handily managed to get Hyunjin and Felix even closer than they already were. A new...Fresh transfer student from Australia―" She threw the brush, "I don't care how new he is," she hissed. "He isn't special. He isn't anything. Hyunjin shouldn't even know his name. He is a NOBODY!"

"You're jealous," shiho said plainly. Leading to her glare sending daggers through to him. "You should talk," she snapped. Raising a brow at that, finally shifted his eyes back to her, "You're still obsessed with her."

And he didn't deny it. He never did. "I want to see her," he said quietly. "But hyunjin made it clear I'm not allowed anywhere near her―"

"Exactly," Sera said bitterly. "He ruins everything." He scoffed at the irony. "Funny how you're saying that while you lost your shit not even five minutes ago about him knowing another students name, Sera." She snapped her head towards him, expression cracking just slightly.

"You weren't the one he took care of," she whispered. And he knew it was hopeless. "You weren't the one he carried home when we were kids. You didn't see how he treated me before everything fell apart."

That was the truth of Sera: Her obsession wasn't born from hatred―it was born from what she thought she lost. The past was grasping onto her. She hated him. But she hated that he didn't want her. That she was someone she just took care of in the past with nothing to give now. A passing thought and person from back then was what she downgraded to in his mind. He only wished she moved on.