"Wait, you have to learn AM if you want a chance to become a top 1 percent student," Ren exclaimed in surprise, his mouth agape like someone caught mid-bite in the cafeteria.
"You don't know about that?" the blonde boy with glasses sitting across from him asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. "No," Ren replied, shaking his head.
"Do you know about it?" Ren turned to Elara, who was beside him, eating with the same enthusiasm. "Yeah," she answered without hesitation.
"Looks like only you live under a rock," Ricchie teased, a mischievous grin spreading across his face, but Ren dismissed him, turning his gaze away.
"That aside, you still haven't told me your 'Familiar element,'" Ricchie said, his eyes darting between the two of them.
"Earth-elemental," Ren stated first. "Pyro-elemental," Elara quickly followed.
"Wait, what?" the boy with the army cut finally broke his silence. "What's what?" Ren asked, puzzled by his sudden reaction. Darren glanced at Ricchie, who wore a similarly astonished expression.
"I mean, aren't both of those rare?" Darren said, resting his jaw on his hand, clearly surprised. Both Ren and Elara exchanged confused looks, unsure why it was considered rare.
"I take my words back; both of you really do live under a rock," Ricchie taunted, disappointment flashing across his face.
"Normally, a person is only familiar with one or two elements. Both Ricchie and I have one familiar element: Iron and Chlorine. We also have a bit of control over molecules in similar groups," Darren explained, punctuating his words with hand gestures.
"But both of you have a full set of elements as your familiars. For Ren, it's the Ground itself—everything that soil contains," he continued, his enthusiasm infectious. Ren and Elara sat wide-eyed, like excited children discovering something extraordinary.
"For Elara, it's the Air itself—everything that makes a flame flammable, even the potential of liquid gases," he elaborated. His explanation was captivating, leaving Ren and Elara utterly enthralled, their jaws hanging open in awe. Even Ricchie felt a shiver run down his spine.
Unable to contain their excitement, Ren and Elara leaned inward, captivated by the revelation. "Wait, why didn't the professor tell us this?" Ren asked, his face shifting from exhilaration to deep contemplation.
"Yeah, right," Elara echoed, sharing his concern. "Isn't it obvious?" Ricchie said, leaning back, his hands cradling his head against the cushioned seat.
"It would contradict their teaching method of treating all students as equals. They believe that talent means nothing without hard work; someone with potential could never achieve anything if they become too complacent."
His words hung in the air, and all three stared at him in disbelief, struggling to comprehend that he could offer such wisdom. "Why the hell are you all looking at me like that?" he shouted, annoyance creeping into his voice.
***
The final bell echoed through the hall, signaling the end of the day. Students began to spill out of their classrooms, filling the hallway as they marched toward the exit.
"Ah, Finally.., it's over," Ren sighed, inhaling a long breath of fresh air and stretching his arms above his head. "Really, I think It went by too quickly," Elara complained, walking alongside him, their footsteps in sync.
"Sometimes I wonder, where do you get all that energy from?" he mused, tilting his head in wonder. Elara chuckled, amused by his inquisitiveness.
"Hey, do you think what Darren told us is true?" she asked, pondering the words that had lingered in their minds. "Dunno, it does sound plausible," he replied, their eyes drifting toward the beautiful garden as they walked.
"So," Ren began, a hint of hesitation in his voice, "are you planning to learn AM?"
Elara rolled her eyes, appearing to think for a moment. "Yes," she answered shortly after. Ren looked surprised. "I didn't think you'd say yes," he admitted.
She gave a soft laugh,
"My father used to tell me, A mechanic who doesn't use the very tools he works with can never be a true mechanic," she said with a smile. For a moment, Ren froze, captivated by her words.
"And you?" she redirected the question toward him. "I think so too," he replied, his voice lacking enthusiasm. Elara noticed the stale expression on his face.
They continued their journey in silence, walking side by side, each step matching the other's, tension building between them, making conversation feel awkward.
***
Once they reached the apartment, Ren and Elara parted ways, heading to their rooms—309 and 310—side by side. In unison, they opened their doors, turning their heads to glance into each other's rooms. At that moment, their eyes met.
Both of their faces flushed, a faint redness blooming around their cheeks and ears. Startled, they jumped inside, hastily shutting their doors.
Ren sank down beside his door, leaning against it as he took heavy breaths, his heart pounding vigorously. On the other side, Elara, too, leaned against her pile of machine debris, hiding her face in the rubble.
"What is this uneasiness?" he pondered, slowly rising to his feet and calming his breath before moving toward his bed.
He leapt onto it, throwing himself onto the soft sheets, his mind racing with thoughts of the strange feeling that stirred within him, leaving his body restless.
"I should take a shower," he murmured.
Elara, too, headed for a shower, her mind mirroring Ren's—disturbed and foggy. She turned the knob slightly clockwise, opening the shower, warm water cascading over her.
"Why does my heart race so hard whenever I'm near him?" she mumbled, gently washing her hair. Glancing in the mirror, she caught sight of her flushed face, gleaming eyes, and an unconscious smile. "I see now," she whispered to herself.
After a quick, warm shower to clear his thoughts, Ren sank onto the cushioned sofa, leaning against one side. He pulled out a book, one of many that Victor had given him the day before.
The book looked old, its cover crafted from hard leather with metallic tips on the corners. The condition was worn, the leather peeling, and the edges clunky and rusty.
It was heavy enough to make his hand tremble if held in the air for too long.
The title on the front was somewhat blurry, with some words difficult to decipher. Ren could only make out the word "Experiment" written on it.
He gazed out the window, watching the bright red sun dip below the blue sphere of metal that hung above it, faintly glowing.