Later that day, Jae was sitting with Princess Yuna under the shade of a tall oak tree near the edge of the training field.
The afternoon sun was warm but not harsh, and the breeze rustled the leaves above them in slow waves, scattering soft specks of light over the ground. Jae leaned back on his palms, stretching his legs in front of him, while Yuna sat cross‑legged across from him, idly plucking at the grass with her fingers.
"So you’re replacing Byun for the raid?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her long dark hair sliding forward over one shoulder. Her eyes narrowed with interest, but there was an edge of wistfulness behind them that Jae didn’t miss.
"Yeah," Jae said with a small grin. He tried to sound casual, but he couldn’t hide the note of excitent in his voice. "Principal Kine said Byun had sothing important to handle and wouldn’t be able to go, so they put in his spot."
Yuna’s lips curled into a smile, but her fingers stilled against the grass. "That’s great for you," she said genuinely, though her voice dipped near the end. "I wish I could co too." She sighed and let herself flop back, lying on the grass with her arms stretched wide. She stared up at the patches of sky peeking through the tree canopy, her hair spreading around her head like a fan.
Jae glanced down at her and chuckled. "You’re jealous."
"Obviously," Yuna muttered, though her tone was lighthearted. "But even if I wanted to join, it’s not like I can. I’m still in the lower class. They wouldn’t even let step foot near the lineup." She made a face and brought her hand up to cover her eyes. "It’s so annoying."
Jae reached over and flicked her forehead lightly, making her yelp and sit up halfway to glare at him. "You’ll get there," he said simply. "Besides, I’ll tell you everything when I get back."
"That’s not the sa," she said, her pout softening into reluctant amusent. She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin on top. "But fine, I’ll settle for that. Just don’t go dying in there."
"Relax," Jae said, brushing so dirt off his hands as he stood up. "I’m harder to kill than I look."
Yuna rolled her eyes at the comnt, but a small smile lingered on her lips as she watched him leave.
xxx
The day of the raid ca faster than Jae expected.
The morning was brisk and cool, with mist clinging low to the academy grounds, making everything seem softer and slightly hazy. Jae walked briskly toward the assembly area, following a tall, thin teacher who was holding a clipboard and walking with long, quick strides.
The teacher didn’t talk much, only occasionally glancing back to make sure Jae was keeping up. The crunch of gravel beneath their boots was the only sound for most of the short trip.
As they approached the clearing where the rest of the students waited, Jae could already feel the buzz of energy in the air. Twenty students stood in loose groups, checking weapons, adjusting armor straps, or simply talking with a mix of excitent and nerves. So were pacing while others leaned on tree trunks, pretending to be relaxed.
"Alright, there they are," the teacher announced as they entered the clearing, drawing a few curious looks.
Jae followed a step behind, hands tucked in his pockets, but he could feel eyes sizing him up the mont he appeared.
One face, however, did not look welcoming.
Sun’s expression darkened the instant his gaze fell on Jae. His jaw tightened, and his posture stiffened like a bowstring pulled too far. He took a slow step forward until he was standing directly in front of the tall teacher.
"What’s he doing here?" Sun’s voice was sharp, cutting through the murmur of conversation. He jabbed a finger toward Jae, not even bothering to hide the hostility in his eyes. "And where’s Byun? We’ve been waiting for him to complete our team."
Jae stayed quiet, though he could feel the weight of other students’ stares settling on him like invisible pins.
The teacher didn’t flinch. He simply flipped a page on his clipboard and said, "The principal excused Byun to handle sothing important. As a result, Jae will be replacing him for this raid."
Sun’s brow furrowed deeper, and his voice rose. "Why can’t the twenty‑first ranked student take the spot then? Jae’s not even in the top fifty!"
A few heads turned at that, whispers stirring between the teams. Jae shifted his weight slightly but didn’t respond, keeping his expression neutral.
Before the tension could stretch further, Fin, standing near one of the other groups, spoke up. His voice was even and calm, though clearly intended to cut through the brewing argunt. "To be fair," he said, "Jae was the winner of the class tournant. It kind of makes sense that he’d get the spot."
Sun whipped his head toward Fin with a glare so sharp it could have sliced glass. "Shut up." His words ca out like a hiss, and Fin quickly held up his hands, signaling he was done adding to the conversation.
Sun turned back to the teacher, his voice heated now. "This school has rules, protocols for how things are done. But ever since Jae ca here, those rules keep getting bent one by one."
The teacher gave an apologetic shrug, clearly uninterested in fueling Sun’s anger. "I don’t decide these things," he said simply. "I just follow the list I was given. Which team does Byun belong to again?"
"Mine," Sun bit out, his glare never leaving Jae.
"Good," the teacher said, already scribbling sothing on his clipboard. "Then Jae will fit right in with your group." Without waiting for another protest, he turned and strode away to finish his preparations with the other staff, his long legs eating up the distance quickly.
The air around Sun’s team felt heavier after the teacher left, like a storm cloud waiting to burst.
Jae moved to stand near Elise, who gave him a small, warm smile the mont she spotted him.
"Hey," she said, her voice tinged with relief. "Didn’t know you were joining us."
"Last‑minute replacent," Jae replied with a faint grin.
Elise’s smile widened, and she stepped forward to give him a quick, light hug. It was brief, but enough to draw attention from so of the nearby students who imdiately began coughing in unison, so doing it louder than necessary.
Jae and Elise both froze, the heat rushing to their faces at the sa ti. Elise pulled back quickly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink.
Jae rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, pretending to be busy scanning the forest edge. He could feel his own ears burning, but he didn’t want to give the others the satisfaction of seeing him flustered.
A few snickers drifted through the air before dying down. Sun simply crossed his arms and scowled at the scene, his silence sohow louder than his earlier shouting.
The team lineup was now set: Sun, Jae, Elise, and Ryn.
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