The Broken Teacup (1)
From Belica's tone as she asked that, I had a gut feeling. If I told her straight, I'd be her teasing material for months. I nodded.
"Yeah. Got it from a girl."
"You!? A gift!? From who!"
At that moment, Ronari walked out of the room. Belica's gaze naturally turned to her.
"…!"
Belica whipped her head back and forth, staring at me and Ronari in turn. I quickly cut in.
"Who else? My sister. Came with the tea leaves as a set."
Belica's face lit up instantly.
"Whoa! Eli! She doing okay?"
"Yeah. Said she misses you."
"What? She's totally my bride-to-be!"
"Didn't you just call the owner of those clothes your bride?"
I said it while glancing at Ronari. Luckily, she seemed to let it slide.
Belica chattered on about Eli for a good while before finally leaving the room.
"Miss! Thanks! I'll return the clothes soon!"
"Sure."
As Ronari and Belica exchanged goodbyes, I sat at the table, finally facing the peace I'd barely clawed back. Now I could breathe. Really gotta do something about Belica. Showing up every day like this in my dorm—there'd be no peace. Plus, I had to watch Ronari's reactions.
Thinking that, I was about to sip the now-cold tea when a shadow fell over my cup.
"?"
I looked up. There was Ronari, glaring down at me with a pouty, sullen expression.
…Yeah, figured she wouldn't just let it go quietly.
I braced to apologize.
"Sorry. I—"
But Ronari beat me to it.
"It's fine."
She said, "You didn't want Bel to find out, right? That it was a gift from me. I'm not gonna make a fuss. Don't wanna wedge myself between you two anyway."
Grateful as I was for that, something still felt off. Wedge between us? What're we to each other?
"If you don't want Bel misunderstanding, just give it back."
As she spoke, Ronari reached for the cup in my hand. I didn't let go of the handle. Tension pulled taut between us over that teacup.
"What? Let go."
"Hold on, there's some misunderstanding here."
"What misunderstanding?"
Ronari's voice had an edge—sharp and blatant.
I rushed to explain. "I told you before. Me and her? Nothing."
"Sure. I get it. Just friends. Bel said the same. But then, why lie just now? No need if it's nothing."
"If I said you gave it to me straight up, she'd tease us endlessly. And you'd hate that…"
"Why would Bel tease us? Tease us about what?"
"…"
Whew. I muttered low. "You really want me to say it out loud?"
Ronari's face flushed a bit. But she didn't loosen her grip. If anything, she tugged harder.
"Forget it…! Whatever it is, I said I'd make sure no misunderstandings. So just give it back. Why won't you?"
True, just handing it over should've been easy. But for some reason, I didn't want to. Felt like it'd make things worse if I did.
"Sorry. Why're you acting so out of character?"
Her voice darkened suddenly, like night closing in.
"…Out of character how?"
"…"
"Why talk like you know everything? You know Bel, not me. You say you and her are nothing, but like this? Makes me even less than nothing to you."
Why get that mad over this? Still, it hit me: I touched a nerve. It happens sometimes. People I can only hurt, no matter what I say. Or moments that turn them into that.
I started to let go of the cup. But then—
Crack!
"!"
Clink!
The teacup shattered like a glass bell, splitting between my handle and Ronari's body.
"…"
"…"
Silence froze the air. We stared at the halves in each other's hands—the pieces of what was once whole.
Ronari broke the quiet first. She set the handle-less body on the table and turned away.
"……Mengchung-i."
With that parting shot—eerily like Belica's catchphrase—she slammed the door and vanished into her room.
I sat there dazed, staring at the door that swallowed her. Part of me wished she'd come back out and curse me more. Not that I'd suddenly developed a masochistic streak… Sitting alone with the broken cup felt awful.
But moping wouldn't help. Knocking now would just invite disaster.
"…Sigh."
I just left the dorm. Better than sharing thin walls with Ronari in that mood.
"…"
I wouldn't blame Ronari or Belica for this. My choice, my consequences.
But I could gripe under my breath, right?
"Always acting like she's about to cry. Girls…"
I recalled Ronari's face right before she turned. My griping suddenly felt petty, making me the worse one.
But what could I do? I am a crappy guy.
……
I dragged in next morning after work, dead through morning classes. Teresa had given me the weekend off, but I avoided Ronari by grinding the dungeon till dawn. We'd patch things up eventually. Just not now.
Look—even after I dozed all morning, she left without a single jab. Still pissed.
This ordeal's dragging on…
"Rivers become the sea…"
"What nonsense is that?"
Belica, naturally, picked at my muttering to the air.
"Lunch. C'mon."
"Eat alone. I'm sleepy, appetite's gone."
I turned my head, face down on the desk.
"Aww~? Want me to grab a sandwich?"
"No."
"Hmm. You've been grumpy all day."
"Not grumpy. Go away."
"Life's beaten you down like always, fine. But something's off."
"Slept all day. What makes you say that?"
"Your sleep pose or whatever. Neck angle."
She gleans clues from that? Wait, she's been watching?
"Hmmm… Ronari Miss's fault?"
Maybe Belica Simoni's got me under surveillance. Where do I report this?
She'd snuck close, propping her chin with both hands, grinning.
"Nailed it?"
"Yeah. Nailed it. She likes me so much I can't take it—wanna nap through lunch sobbing alone. Please go."
"Oh dear. Delirious nonsense means it's bad. For real, I'm leaving? Don't come crying to Mama's bosom later."
"What? Cliff-face insulting my mom's chest? Don't."
"Cliff!? CLIFFFF!?"
Belica shoved her chest in my face, unleashing fury.
"This! How's this a cliff!? Seeing through nose-holes? Or living in Flatland!?"
After 20 minutes of torment, I escaped her grasp. Damn, should've just eaten.
Griping inwardly, I shut my eyes again. Footsteps approached.
Early eaters? Logical. But something felt off. At least four sets of feet, closing in silent.
I opened my eyes—a kick flew at me.
Thud-crash!
I blocked barely, but the force sent me flying. I rolled with the chair, righted myself.
This vibe. Been a while.
"Whoa, reflexes still sharp."
Familiar voice. I looked up: five guys. Not all known, but the front one? Crystal clear.
"Gideon."
"Long time. Ilsea Alerzar."
Yeah, long time. We hadn't crossed paths. Not thrilled.
"Sure is. What's up? Thought we agreed to steer clear."
"Nah, see. Didn't wanna come. But passing by, saw your name pop up. Ilsea Alerzar."
"Where'd you dig up that unremarkable name."
"What? Impressive name. 73rd in rankings."
My rank jumped when…
"Ah."
Right—the guy I beat last tournament had a stupidly high rank.
"…Damn it."
"Kept quiet till now. Then you climb without knowing your place. Why? Keep me entertained?"
Gideon needled me in his provocative drawl. Last year start, we were just rival punks. Hung out, healthy academy competition.
Like my other ties, summer last year wrecked it. Fights everywhere—he joined. All dumb.
So this year, I laid low. Kept mid-rank in tournaments partly for that. Stand out, trouble flocks.
"Guys like you need occasional stomping. Or you keep crawling up."
Gideon cracked his knuckles, closing in. His crew just to watch. Fits—he's cocky about his skills. Close fights last year.
"Just leave. You'll get penalty points."
I warned. He ignored, naturally.
"Since when do we care?"
Punch flew without warning. Fast. Twice last year's speed.
I dodged and blocked his barrage by hairsbreadths. Guard-shattering heavies, wind heavy behind.
"How long you gonna evade!? Bring back that vicious bastard from before!"
With that, he closed in, grabbing my shoulders. His knee arced for my head.