Exam Period (1)
Rana had recovered enough to move around freely, so she no longer needed to stay in my dorm. She returned to her own. But for some inexplicable reason, the very next day—early morning, no less—Rana showed up at the dorm, arms laden with something.
“Kyle, good morning!”
She greeted me with a bright voice and an even brighter smile. I was midway through my morning training, so I paused and said,
“What's the deal this early?”
“Came to see you, Kyle!”
“...”
Speechless, I just stared at her. I could guess why without asking. Still, I wasn't exactly thrilled.
“Hmm... Rana. I won't gripe about you dropping by the dorm, but...”
“But?”
I explained calmly as she prompted me.
“You came way too early. You even know what time it is?”
“Uh...”
Rana glanced at her wristwatch and exclaimed,
“It's 6 o'clock!”
“Yeah, 6 AM. And folks are still sleeping at this hour. Look at your summons—they're all wiped out.”
Nene was curled up asleep atop my head, and the deer Lendo she'd ridden earlier wore a thoroughly drowsy look.
“Ah...”
She hadn't considered that, judging by her blank expression. But that wasn't the half of it.
“And what the hell is all that you're hauling?”
“Bentō for you, Kyle?”
“...How early did you get up to make all that?”
“5 o'clock.”
I gave her a flat stare. No way she'd whipped up that mountain in an hour.
A bit guilty now, Rana confessed,
“Actually... 4.”
“Bedtime?”
“1 AM...”
“So three hours total?”
Rana nodded faintly, wordless. No wonder her eyes looked shadowed—she was beat.
If I let this slide, she'll keep it up.
Rana's stubborn in her quiet way.
“Rana.”
“Yeah, Kyle?”
“I appreciate you going to this trouble for me. Bringing bentō almost every day? Not easy.”
“Hehe, no biggie. I do it 'cause I want to...”
She beamed, clearly pleased, but I pressed on.
“Still, don't push yourself. No need to skimp on sleep.”
“You're worried about me?”
“Yeah. Worried.”
Her cheeks pinked instantly. Face dropping, she mumbled,
“Thanks...”
I cast a fatigue recovery spell instead of words. Her face lit up right away.
“Hehe, you're so sweet, Kyle.”
“Anyway, Elraim's back from her run. Go say hi.”
Right on cue, Elraim returned from her conditioning jog. Rana bolted straight to her.
“Elraim unnie~!”
“Rana. What brings you here this early?”
“Came to see you and Kyle, unnie!”
“At this hour?”
I left them to chat and magicked away my sweat. While mulling where to eat Rana's bentō,
“Hm?”
Someone approached from afar. Recognizing the face, I sighed deeply.
“Haa...”
Heavy dark circles, dull eyes, sallow skin—Evan looked half-dead.
“...What fresh hell is this?”
“Huh? You told me to come, hyungnim...”
“No, what'd you do to look like that?”
“Oh, got so hyped learning magic from you I couldn't sleep...”
“How much shut-eye?”
“Uh... none.”
What do I even do with this idiot? Big days demand pacing. Can't just pulp the protagonist, though...
I hit Evan with the same recovery spell as Rana. Color flooded his face.
“Whoa! Thanks, hyungnim!”
“Sigh...”
Even his thanks drew only sighs. That mindset needed fixing later.
Meanwhile, Evan greeted the pair.
“Rana sunbae! Noona! Good morning!”
“Hey! Morning, Evan junior!”
“Good to see you.”
Greetings swapped. I herded the trio to a spot and sat.
“Evan junior skipped breakfast too, right? Eat up.”
“Thanks.”
Starved, he wolfed it down.
“Kyle, try this. Unnie said it's your fave, so I made it. Pairs perfect with this salad...”
“Got it. One at a time, slow.”
“Nuh-uh, together's best. Here, like so...”
Rana fed it spoonful-style. I took the fork instead, popped it in. Brain lit up.
“Damn, that's good...”
Unthinking praise. Body thrummed with delight. Kyle Arden's favorite, huh? Spot on. Every chew craved more.
“Unnie! He loves it!”
“Young master demanded it as a kid. No different now.”
I tuned them out, kept eating. Evan watched bug-eyed. Swallowed, then gravely,
“Rana sunbae.”
“Yeah? What?”
“Yesterday and today... success?”
“Nah. Kyle turned me down.”
Evan pivoted to me slow. Grimaced like I'd sprouted tentacles. Spoke.
“Hyungnim. You... impotent or something?”
“The fuck did you say?”
“Doesn't add up. Rana sunbae confesses first—only a psycho rejects... Ow! Hyungnim, ears! EARS!!”
“Repeat that. What?”
“My bad! Ears! Ripping off, hyungnim—ears!!”
I wrenched his ear like taffy. He howled. Five minutes later, tossed him free.
“Agh, my poor ear...”
He clutched the swollen red lobe, wriggling on the ground. I warned,
“Evan. Boundaries, at least.”
“But hyungnim... she was brave. Accept it? You like her too, admit it.”
Why debate this clown? In front of them?
“Rana and me—that's our business. Butt out, handle yours.”
“Aw, c'mon. You're hyungnim. Advice: seal the deal fast. Back home—”
Sensing a ramble, I glared.
“Enough.”
“Kh... ahem.”
Evan clammed up. Rana grinned; Elraim watched, amused.
“Evan junior's sweet. Helped tons in practicals, gave tips.”
“Watching you two's torture. Gotta help.”
“Your help's silence. Shut it.”
This'd loop forever. Decision time.
“Evan, scarf it down. We're out.”
“Huh? Where?”
“Library bookstore. Prep before magic lesson.”
“Sweet! Let's roll.”
He sprang up.
“Me too!”
“Nap first. You're zonked.”
“All good now!”
“Fine, tag along.”
“Yay!”
We headed out.
Tianis Academy students grind like mad for growth. Passion hits you on commutes, in class. But come exam season, it fizzles—whole place drags. Exams bring that killer pressure, talent be damned. Judgment day for all the grind. Hits every grade. Sure, first-years freak for their debut test. But upperclassmen? Plenty reason. Tianis exams are infamous—brutal, academy-wide legend. Not impossible, but way past norm. Vets know the terror; every pre-exam day bleeds tension. Some profs customize hell for your weak spots... Study or die. Library and bookstore? Stifling with huddled masses.
Not everyone's frayed. Take my two companions.
“Kyle. Basics? This book's better, right?”
“Solid pick, but too tangled for Evan.”
“Oh?”
Tianis Library first-floor bookstore corner. Rana, zero exam stress, shoved books my way.
“This one?”
I skimmed her offer—decent. Flung it to the stack. Perfect landing.
“H-Hyungnim... more?”
“Money's on me.”
“Not the point... Thirty-plus books? Head asplode before page one.”
“Heads are tougher.”
“Ah...”
Evan sighed, catching nonstop tosses. He radiated exam chill too. Smart cookies, chill vibes. Rana's class topper—nuff said. Hence the ease. Our sunny bubble drew stares. Some perked at Rana's glow, then deflated. Joy? Fleeting in exam hell. We're outliers.
“Done. Out.”
“Haa... Forty. Insane...”
Evan eyed his pile, gutted. Not my circus. Whining over scraps? Weirdo.
Back to dorms. Nearing it, magic-teach supply pinged my brain.
“Go on ahead. Quick errand.”
“Can I tag?”
“Ten minutes.”
“Mmkay!”
“We'll wait, hyungnim.”
Sent 'em packing, prepped to bolt. Elraim lingered.
“Together?”
“Guard duty means shadowing you, young master.”
“True.”
Quick trip—no crowd needed. Her pace matched mine fine. Return leg, I eyed her. Rana drama meant skimping her; bugged me. No chill in our vibe, though.
“Question okay?”
“If not tricky, yes.”
“Hmm...”
Straight shot—I paused, asked,
“Happy with how things are, Elraim?”
“Which things?”
“This setup with Rana.”
“Not much changed from before.”
“You get me.”
She halted sharp. Met my eyes.
“Worried I'll envy?”
“...Kinda?”
Relations are finicky—one-sided focus births grudges. Novel had harmony; my meddle? Butterfly city.
“Young master.”
“Yeah?”
Serious tone. I answered.
“Rana's a good kid.”
“Know.”
“Pure as they come.”
“Yep.”
Good, pure—Rana hallmarks.
“I like her that way. Like gaining a sister.”
“That close?”
“Yes. We click. No fights on horizon.”
“Sweet.”
Worries off. Affection laced her words, same as always.
“Take care of her, then.”
“Will do.”
Resumed dormward. Soft call:
“Still, young master.”
“Hm?”
“Sometimes...”
Trailing. Shy stall.
“...mind me too...”
Smile bloomed. Blush? Prime viewing.
“Neglect my noona? Never.”
Head-dip at "noona"? Comedy gold.