Defeating the Warrior Prince

➳𝕱𝖎𝖛𝖊

After the group of five students sneakily enjoy their midnight snack, they rest on their quilt mattresses. As soon as the lights are dimmed, Hao Ming and Jun Shao Han fall asleep.

The far right mattress lies Hao Ming; to his left sleeps Jun Shao Han, then Yu Mu Rong, Yangyue Qin Feng, and Bai Xuan Ye.

Hao Ming snores and snarls like a lion while Jun Shao Han occasionally flaps his leg in every possible direction. When Jun Shao Han attempts to intrude Yu Mu Rong's space by motioning his head closer, Yu Mu Rong smacks him across his face. With his eyes closed, Jun Shao Han rubs his face and turns the other way, overlapping his leg with that of Hao Ming.

Not long after, Yangyue Qin Feng can hear Mu Rong breathe in a slow, rhythmic pattern. It seems he has fallen asleep as well.

Specks of dust dance in the shaft of midnight sunlight that slant through the window. Yangyue Qin Feng cannot sleep, for there is a degree of worriness within her.

The reason: Bai Xuan Ye. He is unreadable. Everything he says and does: unexpected.

She rotates her head to the left to check if the Warrior Prince is asleep, only to be startled.

Through the moonlight, she can faintly see that his eyes are fully open. Bai Xuan Ye stares up at the rooftop, with one hand placed behind the back of his head.

The Warrior Prince tilts his head towards her direction. Their eyes meet. He questions, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Yangyue Qin Feng replies, "My eyes, my freedom. I can stare at you all day if I want."

"I didn't know you were that type of person, Yangyue Qin Feng," he faintly whispers. "That's a little erotic."

"E-Erotic?" She is flabbergasted with embarrassment.

The Warrior Prince falls back into a state of repose, "Too bad." He sticks out his tongue, "I'm not interested in men."

"Excuse you? Who says I am interested in you?" chokes Qin Feng through her breath while rotating her head and facing the rooftop. Suddenly, she experiences an epiphany.

Men? Does that mean Bai Xuan Ye doesn't suspect that Yangyue Qin Feng is a woman?

She savors the feeling of contentment; her spirit bounds higher. Exhaling a deep breath of relief, she mumbles, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

He makes a sotto voce remark, "Because you keep talking to me."

Why, this.. Qin Feng can feel her hands clench into a fist, as she simmers in exasperation. To soothe herself, Qin Feng places her thumb beneath the tip of her brows and at the bridge of her nose.

Somehow, an unanswered question pops up. Hoping to get a response, she starts again, "Hey.. Bai Xuan Ye," she continues, "did you lose the match to me on purpose?"

The Warrior Prince hums, "Why do you think so?"

Yangyue Qin Feng utters, "After the match, you said to me, 'There is always a time when it is good to lose.'"

Silence engulfs the atmosphere, consuming the time. Yangyue Qin Feng feels her eyes closing shut, as if her exhaustion will take over herself soon. She quietly listens as Bai Xuan Ye mutters two words.

"..Who knows?"

When Yangyue Qin Feng opens her eyes again, there are faint chirping of the birds. She rises and rubs her eyes, only to notice that the mattress on her left is empty. The blanket is neatly folded.

Qin Feng glances to her right: everyone is still asleep. She dresses in a new set of the Military Academy uniform and cleanses herself, proceeding to exit the room. The gentle cool breeze fills the air. From afar, she can hear faint sword swing sounds.

SWOOSH!

WHOOSH!

She trails to where she hears the noises. They derive from the Military Academy's garden; an empty stone platform and bushes surround the garden. To the right of the garden lays a circular stone bench around a granite table.

Hiding behind an overgrown shrub, Qin Feng peeks out into the garden. She sights the broad shoulders and athletic physique of a man wielding a long sword, who swings it with slow dramatic movements. Then he quickens his pace and elegantly flourishes the sword.

A tassel attached to the end of the sword sways briskly, adding a mesmerizing quality to the sword. The movements are so beautiful, it's as if the man is dancing.

Not long after, the dance comes to a halt. The sword dance's brevity somehow disappoints Yangyue Qin Feng.

"Show yourself."

She presents herself from the shrub. The corner of her mouth quirks up awkwardly, "I didn't mean to-"

The man turns around, revealing the face of Bai Xuan Ye. "Ah. What a surprise. Creeper Yangyue."

"B-BAI XUAN YE?!"

He rests his sword on the stone table and wipes the sweat on his face with a clean towel, "You're up early. Did you have fun stalking me?"

"Stalking?! Ahem," Yangyue Qin Feng coughs as she gawks at him, "I accidentally came across here a moment ago. That's all."

His eyebrows waggle, "Hm, is that so? I noticed that someone was watching since the beginning. I wonder who." He catches her red-handed.

With a hint of embarrassment, she excuses herself, "I will be off now. Pardon me."

Bai Xuan Ye wanders next to Qin Feng. He comments, "Well, well. If you'd just ask, I would consider letting you watch me all day."

"W-What's with that strange comment?"

He shrugs, "Strange? Not particularly."

Yangyue Qin Feng quickens her pace, hoping to ditch the guy. In response, he picks up his pace too. "Bai Xuan Ye-- stop following me!"

"No way," he remarks while floating beside her.

They speed across the residence halls, only to come across General Wang. Qin Feng comes to a halt, then Bai Xuan Ye. The two students bow and greets the man, "General Wang."

"Yangyue Qin Feng and Bai Xuan Ye. Why are you two speeding across the hallway this early?!"

General Wang proceeds to give a long lecture about military rules and regulations. Thereafter, he orders Yangyue Qin Feng and Bai Xuan Ye to kneel on the garden's rocks with their hands up until class begins.

And so there the two are-- kneeling in the garden with their hands up.

Qin Feng complains, "I told you to stop following me. Look what happened now, you idiot egg Bai Xuan Ye."

"How cold of you, Yangyue. Are you mad that I exposed your stalking behavior?" He shakes his head and purse his lips disapprovingly, "Erotic Yangyue Qin Feng."

"Like I said, I wasn't stalking you!"