{Rel's POV}
[Pinnacle Academy Stadium 1 - Arena A: Food Court]
The savoury crunch of the last piece of chicken katsu barely registered as I focused on the screen across the restaurant. It had been flickering in the background while I ate, showing clips of the tournant's previous matches. Now, though, it held my attention fully as the screen projected the next upcoming match.
[Arena A: Upcoming Matchup R32]
[Jae Yoona (5) VS Bazz Wong (28)]
[Match Ti: 10:30 AM]
Glancing at my watch I checked to see how close the ti was to the match.
[Tuesday, 10:20 AM]
"Oh, Shit..." I muttered.
I quickly got up from my seat and rushed towards the register paying for my food, leaving the plate half-finished.
Jae was up? Well, I can't wait to see her archery skills in person. I recall the days of writing her character as the perfect image of an archer, and the matchup against Her and Bazz is certainly interesting since the path to the quarterfinals was filled with extras but starting with Bazz wasn't too bad either.
I had to get back to the tournant stands to find a good seat, like now. Grabbing my crossbow from the side of my seat. I rushed out, leaving the comfort of the restaurant for the main arena.
haah... haah...
Arriving at the student section, a lucky break led to an empty spot. Or I thought it was empty. A second too late, I realized a girl – Blonde hair with an air of peace around her – already occupied the seat. We bumped shoulders during my rushed, last-second seating maneuver.
This wouldn't have been an issue with almost anyone else in our class, but this was different. I realized as much when her sharp gaze flitted over , registering both surprise and sothing I couldn't quite solve.
I recognized her instantly, even after she beat my ass 8 tis – Jae Yoona's closest friend, Alice.
Always present yet unobtrusive, known for her sharp mind and that elusive air of mysterious calm. The exact opposite of a certain loudmouthed classmate we both expected to see soon.
"Uh, s-sorry,"
"Oh! Uh...sorry,"
We both apologised at the sa ti and I almost mumbled under the pressure of her pure beauty.
As I locked eyes with Alice for a mont her usual composure seemingly broken for a second. I managed, stumbling a bit in the face of her surprising and montary shocked expression. I awkwardly took the spot that was empty right next to her.
Of course, she was here for Jae. So I wouldn't be surprised if she skipped out on practice just to watch Jae win. Trying to save so face, I quickly followed up with the obvious observation.
"You're here to watch Jae Yoona, right?" I asked.
My question seed to bring her back to herself. Alice nodded curtly, then quickly shifted her attention away, eyes focused on the arena below.
Her answer, despite its simplicity, was really cute. I wasn't sure what to make of the adorable mont of clumsiness I'd witnessed.
Even with the brief lapse restored to her usually calm expression, For so reason, I couldn't tell if she was looking at or not.
glance...glance...glance...
I thought it was my imagination, but I noticed that even with her focus outward, Alice occasionally stole glances in my direction – glances I had to pretend not to notice.
She's been staring for a while now. Did I do sothing weird? Oh no...
***
{Alice's POV}
"Why of all places did he have to sit here?" Alice bit back a sigh.
Not that she had actively reserved this seat - the student section rarely worked that way. And Rel - was it Rel? Rel Laurence? - hadn't exactly barged in, either.
No, Alice didn't have a problem with Rel at all. It's just she knew he was an outlier, soone she had spent the better part of the week secretly attempting to investigate why he was so good at studying.
He had all the perfect scores, and the perfect notes, and he was what Alice called 'complete' in terms of all sides of theory, she thought she could be the sa if she just understood how his study routines worked but she ended up no closer to solving him.
A few stolen glances confird that not much had changed nearby. Sure, there was sothing to be said for his focus after he'd gotten over the awkward hurdle of apologizing.
Maybe a hint of determination that wasn't there during everyday classes. It still didn't explain how he had consistently excelled in the Academy's theoretical exams.
No late-night study sessions were witnessed in the library, and barely a glimpse of him attending extra lectures...all he seed to do was vanish into his dorm room ard with fantasy novels she had found surprisingly captivating in her own limited investigations.
Alice wondered how a mind focused on fictional battles translated into practical knowledge of mana chanics and historical analysis baffled her completely. Perhaps he was hiding his diligence...an underdog tactic after all?
As a keen strategizer, the idea had crossed her mind more than once when trying to solve the 'Who Rel was'. She chided herself for the overly dramatic taphor.
Despite the unusual nature of his talent, he wasn't an opponent to be overco, so why was she dwelling on this now?
Alice shifted slightly, forcing herself to turn her attention away from the unexpected seatmate and fixate on the arena below. Any minute now, Jae would take the stage.
The roar of the crowd faded into the background as a voice bood across the arena.
"Welco to the Second Match of the Round of 32! Prepare yourselves for a show, folks!" The announcer's voice was filled with the practised drawl of soone who thrived on dramatic flair.
As both Jae Yoona and Bazz walked onto the massive square platform at the centre of the arena, everyone was on their seats ready for the battle.
Alice felt a surge of both pride and a familiar worry that always accompanied watching Jae compete.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed Rel straighten subtly, his usual air of detachnt replaced by sothing sharper and more alert. It wasn't that he suddenly favoured Bazz, but He was looking at Jae Yoona with interest.
A gasp left Alice's mouth as she jumped straight to a conclusion that no one had ever thought of.
Does Rel like Jae Yoona? Alice had thought, But before her thoughts could co to a conclusion a sudden interruption had cut through,
"Our first contestant needs no introduction! A rising star known for her precision and composure, she goes into this battle without a single defeat! It's Jae Yoona, boasting an undefeated record of twenty wins, zero losses!"
Applause surged over the white stone platform, carrying the familiar admiration and cautious curiosity Jae often inspired. Her calm precision resonated less with the masses compared to the sheer visceral appeal of soone like Bazz. Perhaps that was Jae's strength and an elent her opponent could underestimate.
The booming voice echoed across the arena once more. "And taking the opposing side, he's known for power and raw grit! A loss can happen just as easily as a victory if you take him lightly! It's Bazz Wong, rocking a hard-fought eighteen wins and two losses!"
This drew a roar distinctly louder than the applause for Jae. For those craving brutal clashes, Bazz held undeniable appeal.
Alice noticed, beside her Rel's face looked annoyed looking at Bazz waving his hand everywhere.
______________
Authors Notes:
No authors notes this chapter D:
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