The Breaking Point

The off-campus trip begins. Yuki and Tsubasa share a tender moment on the bus — laughing, listening to music, falling asleep on each other's shoulders. Rai watches from across the aisle, his jealousy burning. He texts Yuki, she snaps back and blocks him. After arriving at the training grounds, groups are assigned. Yuki is placed in Group C with Tsubasa. During a break, Rai corners her in a secluded part of the campus — his jealousy and rage boiling over. He drags her to a private room, throws her on a bed, and terrifies her. Yuki begs him to stop. But Rai's eyes are cold — and he doesn't seem to care.

At sunrise, Yuki was already waiting for the sun.

As soon as she saw the first rays of golden light break through the horizon, she stood up and ran toward the door. Soon after, she reached Zan's room and called out:

"Zan! It's morning!"

Zan opened the door. His hair was messy, sticking up in all directions. He was yawning heavily, itching his head while doing so.

"Why you up so early?" he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

She smiled and giggled softly. "Just get dressed!"

Soon after, Akihiko came out of his room looking sharp, his bag already hanging over his shoulder.

"You ready?" he asked.

Zan looked confused, glancing between them.

"You both will make a good match, I swear to god," he said, shaking his head.

He said that and entered back into his room.

At 8 AM sharp, everyone had lined up outside the academy.

Zan held Yuki's hand, his emerald eyes serious.

"Remember this, Yuki," he said quietly. "If you ever get intertwined with any of the heiresses, keep calm and stay on your phone."

She nodded, her heart pounding.

Soon after, three buses arrived. Everyone was paired.

Mr. Nobumasa announced: "The rest should occupy the second bus. The teachers in the third."

Yuki sat by the window. Tsubasa sat down beside her, a wild grin on his face.

"My request was answered," he said.

Yuki giggled softly.

He brought out his phone and ear pods. He put one gently in his ear and the other in hers, then played some hip hop music. They smiled at each other.

Right in the seat next to them was Kira and Rai. He looked at Tsubasa with those cold, crimson eyes.

"What are you looking at, Rai?" Tsubasa asked.

Rai let out a breath and took his eyes off them.

"It's none of your business," he said coldly.

Kira smirked and looked past him.

"Oh, I see," she said silently, laughing. "You're jealous, aren't you? That Tsubasa got to sit with the human girl."

Rai's fists tightened.

"One more word from you," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "and you'll regret it. It's not a threat. It's a promise."

She waved her head slightly from side to side, then put her ear plugs in and operated her phone.

Tsubasa couldn't stop looking at Yuki, smiling.

She's so pretty, he thought. Too bad she's a human. Unless... I could have shot my shot towards her.

Then Yuki felt unusual. Her head was down looking at her phone, but now it was up — like she was sensing something.

"Tsubasa," she whispered softly.

"I have a feeling that someone is looking at us," she said, panting softly. "And it's making me feel uneasy."

He looked shocked. He couldn't sense anything. He took a brief look around. Rai noticed it and looked away. Kira, on the other hand, was busy laughing silently.

"I don't think so, Yuki," he said. "Maybe it's just instinct or something that just spiked up."

She let out a breath.

"Yeah," she swallowed. "I think you're right. I might just have the feeling, but it really isn't there. Sorry for disturbing you."

Tsubasa smiled. That's all he'd been doing.

"It's fine," he said. "You felt something was wrong and tried to relieve yourself. Don't apologize. Because even I sometimes get that kind of feeling. Mine is way more creepier than yours."

She smiled. Her panting had stopped.

Rai had witnessed the whole scene. His fists became even tighter.

Kira leaned over, her voice a whisper. "Wow. You're angry because they're playing love. I envy Yuki completely."

He turned and looked at her, his eyes glowing crimson.

"Don't be envious enough to hurt her," he warned.

Kira rolled her eyes and concentrated back at her phone.

Rai searched his pocket and brought out his phone. He searched her name on a particular website and texted.

Rai: What's the meaning of what you're doing? Human.

The message was highlighted on the upper side of her screen. She clicked it and read the message, then looked at Rai, who was staring at her with those dead eyes. She texted back.

Yuki: How does it concern you? Your majesty.

Rai looked at the message, his heart boiling.

Rai: Don't you have any shame trying to seduce an heir?

Yuki's blood boiled. That word — seduce — hit her hard. But not hard enough to break her.

Yuki: What if I am? Besides, how does it matter to you? You're the prince of the academy and now you're being nosy. Keep out of what doesn't concern you, you cocky bastard.

As soon as she sent it, she blocked him and turned off her phone. Then she said to Tsubasa:

"I have a question."

He looked at her. "Ask anything. I'm listening."

She put on a curious face. "Your clan — are there any half-breeds there?"

Tsubasa wondered for a moment.

"Well... I'm not really sure," he admitted.

She looked at him with those warm eyes. "Why do you think so?"

He chuckled softly. "Well, you see, the thing is, our men are too cocky and proud. They hardly marry women from our clan. They always marry heirs and servants from them."

She looked amazed. "So you mean that no half-breed has emerged from your clan?"

He looked tired. "Well, I'll take you to see our sacred book. The Thunderbird's Call."

She yawned. "Wow. I'm suddenly feeling sleepy."

He yawned as well. "Same here."

He removed the ear plugs. She leaned on his shoulder. He leaned on her shoulder. And they both fell asleep.

After a while, Kira walked toward them. The bus had already stopped. She tapped Tsubasa.

"Wakey, wakey, lover boy," she said.

He opened his eyes slowly. "Kira?"

She walked away. "Get out before they move."

He laughed, then looked at Yuki and tapped her softly.

"Yuki. Yuki."

Her eyes lit open. "We're here?" she said, yawning.

He helped her up, took his bag and hers, then walked out of the bus.

They were taken into a big hall where they sat on the floor. Mrs. Wakaba — a lady with honey-gold hair and fiery red eyes — stood before them.

"As Mr. Nobumasa explained previously," she began, "you all are here not for competition, but to train yourselves and get stronger — and to tame your spirit beasts."

A male student raised his hand. He had moss-green eyes and silver-white hair. He stood up.

"Uh, ma'am, does that mean we will be heading into the wild often?"

Mrs. Wakaba's eyes remained cold, staring at him.

"Yes, you will," she said. "The wild is the best place to find different galactic animals and wild food. And of course, you will need them."

The boy itched his neck and sat back down.

Natsumi raised her hand. "Ma'am, if I'm not pestering, please — where are we going to sleep for the rest of the days?"

Mrs. Wakaba actually smiled.

"Outside, of course," she said. "The inside are for just teachers."

Everyone echoed: "What?!"

The next minute, they were being grouped.

The whole atmosphere fell into silence. Some were happy. Some smiled mischievously.

"Well," Tsubasa said, turning to Yuki with a grin, "fate has a way of bringing us together."

Yuki smiled. "Okay, you literally left me speechless right now."

Rai looked at them from across the hall and tightened his fists.

Yuki got a call.

"Sorry, Basa," she said. "I have to take this."

She walked out of the arena and headed to a lonely part of the campus. She answered the phone.

"Hello?" she said.

A voice came from behind her — leaning against a tree.

"You really don't have shame," he said.

She turned sharply.

"What the hell is your problem?" she snapped. "Cannot you just leave me the hell alone?!"

His eyes remained cold. He stopped leaning and walked toward her. She stepped back. His hand was in his pocket. He brought one hand out and wrapped it around her wrist, pulling her closer.

"I don't really get it," he said, his voice low. "What's so special about you? You're just a human who doesn't know her place in life."

She cried — those words had gone too far.

"Let go of me!" she demanded.

He kept staring at her.

"I thought you had some dignity," she said, her voice shaking. "I thought that you were different. But I was wrong. You're just like them — cocky, jealous, and perverts!"

Rai was amused. "Pervert?" He smirked coldly. "I'm gonna show you how perverts behave."

He carried her — her back to him, his back to her. He took her to the top of the campus building. The last room. There was a nice bed, a ceiling fan, and other materials. He dropped her on the bed.

"This is what you wanted, right?" he said coldly.

She cried even harder.

"Please, Rai," she begged. "Let go of me. I'm begging you!"