Boo floated proudly in front of her desk, still humming his "victory song." His glow was bright again, mischief dancing in his eyes. Alina was just about to take out her lesson plan when Boo suddenly froze midair, looking as if he had rembered sothing very important.
"Teacher..." he whispered, floating closer with the air of soone about to share a world shaking secret.
Alina blinked, suspicious but curious. "What is it, Boo?"
He looked around first, dramatically checking if anyone was hiding behind the curtains or under desks. Then, after deciding it was safe, he leaned close to her ear and whispered in a serious tone, "I wasn’t going to tell you this, but I can’t hold it anymore..."
Alina blinked. "Hold what?"
"Principal..." Boo whispered, eyes wide and voice full of scandal. "Principal stared at your photo for three whole minutes yesterday!"
"W–what!?" Alina’s eyes widened, her cheeks turning pink instantly. "What photo!?"
"I saw your photo with soone, and you were smiling!" Boo said with complete seriousness, waving his hands around like a detective revealing a cri scene.
Alina was so stunned she couldn’t even respond for a second. "Boo, that’s—that’s ridiculous!" she finally managed, though her voice was half laughter, half flustered disbelief.
"Nooo, teacher, I saw it with my own ghostly eyes!" Boo said, floating dramatically backward. "He looked for three minutes. I even tid it! And he wasn’t blinking either! I thought maybe his eyes froze, but nooo," he sang suspiciously.
Alina covered her face with her hands, trying to stop laughing and hide her blush at the sa ti. "Boo, you shouldn’t spy on the principal like that!" she said, even though she believed he made up gossip half the ti.
"But I’m a ghost!" Boo said proudly. "Spying is part of my spiritual duties! And also..." he twirled mischievously, "...he smiled too. Tiny smile. Very tiny. But I saw it! His lips did this—" He tried to mimic Dante’s faint smirk, which only made Alina burst into more laughter.
"Boo!!" she said between laughs, shaking her head. "That’s enough gossip for one day!"
Boo puffed his cheeks. "Fine! But I’m telling Babies Squad about this! They’ll faint!"
Alina wiped her eyes, still smiling. "If you do, I’ll make you write five full pages of math problems."
Boo gasped dramatically, hands clutching his chest as if she had stabbed him with pure terror. "Teacher! That’s cruelty to ghosts!!"
Alina laughed softly and patted his tiny glowing head. "Then keep it a secret, okay?"
Boo sighed, crossing his arms, but his grin betrayed him. "Okay fine... but if principal stares again, Boo will report!"
She couldn’t help but chuckle again. "You’re impossible, Boo."
"Boo is legendary," he corrected proudly, spinning once before disappearing into the ceiling as Alina hid her pink face behind her hands.
She sighed, half laughing to herself. "Three minutes, huh? Boo really needs to stop exaggerating..."
But deep down, she couldn’t help but wonder—just what if he wasn’t?
***
Kindergarten garden
Lucien sat quietly on the soft grass while the others chattered, his small hands fiddling with a pebble as Felix proudly spoke about his mother again. The way Felix’s tails swished, the way his ears twitched with fondness whenever he ntioned her na, it made Lucien’s chest ache in a way he didn’t understand.
Felix’s voice was light but proud. "My mom brushes my fur every morning," he said, stretching his glossy tails behind him. "She says if she doesn’t, her whole day feels incomplete. Honestly, she worries too much."
Sable, who had been standing nearby, listened with sparkling eyes. "So your mom brushes your fur daily?" he asked softly, as if the idea itself was magical.
"Yes," Felix said, pretending to sigh but his lips curled into a proud little smile. "If she didn’t brush my fur, she said her life feels missing. I don’t know what to do with her sotis!"
Lucien looked down. Having a mom sounds beautiful, he thought quietly. Why don’t I have one too? The thought made his eyes sting. He quickly looked away before anyone could see.
anwhile, Drake, who had been muttering to himself, suddenly turned toward them after catching a few words. "Sa!" he said, puffing his chest out. "My mom always gives baths! She says it’s important, but I don’t get why! I’m a fire dragon, not a water dragon or nature dragon who needs baths!" He crossed his arms dramatically. "I can’t believe it sotis..."
Kelpie, who had been listening with a grin, giggled. "I like baths!" he said happily, and before anyone could stop him, he splashed a big wave of water right at Drake.
"HEY!!" Drake roared, his tiny wings flaring out, smoke puffing from his nose as water dripped down his face.
Kelpie squealed in laughter and darted away, his feet leaving little puddles behind as he ran. "Catch if you can, fire boy!" he shouted between giggles.
"I’LL TURN YOU INTO STEAM!" Drake bellowed, chasing after him while everyone else laughed.
Felix held his tails up quickly to avoid getting them wet, looking half-annoyed, half-amused.
Luna groaned, rolling her eyes. "Boys..." she muttered.
But Sable couldn’t stop giggling, clutching his tummy as he watched them run in circles. For a mont, he forgot all his sadness—watching them laugh and play made him happy.
"You you!!! When did you beco so naughty, Kelpie? I am going to kidnap you!! And you have no choice but to take to your ho and give all your shines!!" Drake shouted, half-angry, half-excited, his little fists clenched as if he were already fastening a tiny pirate sash.
Kelpie stopped mid-splash, water dripping from his hair like a blue disco light. His eyes went wide, then mischievous. "Kidnap ? Oh please, you can’t even carry ! I’ll just swim away," he said, and with a cheeky flick of his wrist sent a tiny wave that slapped right onto Drake’s nose.
Drake sputtered, a little plu of smoke puffing out as his cheeks flad. "I will turn you into steam! Steam will fly everywhere and I will catch every shiny thing that floats out!" He puffed his chest so hard that a few nearby leaves trembled.
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