The rest of Pras' journey to school was not by foot anymore, Diana had forced him to hitchhike on her electric SUV. He tried to refuse, but Diana insisted and Mana was not helping him at all. In fact, her roundabout way of speaking had made it even harder for him to evade.

And as he had expected, the remainder of the journey was not in any way smooth. Diana used the chance to interrogate Pras softly and steadily regarding his relationship with Mana. It was fortunate for him that they reached the school rather quickly, thus Diana couldn’t investigate much further.

Nevertheless, she looked extremely happy when she waved at the two teenagers who just dropped from the car. “Have fun!” she said as if she was leaving them for a date instead of school.

Both Pras and Mana waved back. However, as soon as Diana’s car disappeared from view, Mana sighed in protest, “My, she had another episode.”

“What episode?” Pras counter protested. “Further, you were not helping. What is your intention?”

“Because it was pointless,” Mana answered calmly. “Once she starts pestering you, there will be no escape. Still, I was under the presumption that her pestering might be better than leaving you walking alone under your condition.”

“Sure, after you guys kicked me out, now you treat me like a weakling,” Pras grumbled as he briskly walked towards the morning class.

“Pras, we are not kicking you out,” Mana tried to convince him. She hastily followed him.

Pras’ heart knew she told the truth, but he was having problems acting based on that alone. His logic was against opening up to anything.

The other problem was that there were quite numerous students already present at school. He sensed some jealous gaze right after they dropped down from Diana’s SUV, causing great discomfort for him. However, Mana’s insistence on following his pace and their banter earlier had made more eyes directed towards them since they might now look like lovers having a quarrel. This had dismayed Pras even more.

“We are not leaving you behind,” Mana insisted once more when she just nonchalantly put her bag next to where Pras sat in French class.

Pras frowned as the gesture will definitely cause more discomfort for him. He could already feel how his stomach acids started to build up. “Why are you sitting here?”

Mana chuckled, “Making sure you are okay.”

“You have ulterior motives don’t you?”

Mana’s visage turned stern. She raised her chin up when she countered, “My ulterior motives have nothing to do with the intention of keeping you safe. Also… is it wrong for deskmates to sit together?”

“Tch… don’t you want some change to the scenery or something?”

“I am content with what I have,” Mana sighed. “However, if you are the one who is in need of it, then I shall move away.”

Pras quickly shook his head when he realised a sudden sullen gaze from Mana. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that, it's just that….” he took a deep breath and sighed heavily. “I need some time to gather my thoughts.”

A warm smile was drawn on Mana’s soft lips. She said, “In that case, I shall be at your side. I could keep silent, if you prefer.”

“No need, you can talk whenever you want,” Pras assured. “I just need to take some snacks before the lesson starts.”

“Sure, deskmate, let me guard your bag and seat.”

“Thanks.”

“No worries.”

Pras hastily went down to the cafeteria, bought two chocolates and one bottled sweet tea before returning to class. His dearest deskmate watched the two things he bought with keen interest. Naturally, as he had already prepared, Pras gave her one of the chocolates. At least, by eating the chocolate, the snack Diana had bought for him, and some antacids, his stomach acid had calmed down.

Throughout the French language class, he heard some students gossiping about him and Mana under their breath. This continued even when Mana insisted on accompanying him walking to the gym. Despite all the discomfort from his surroundings, Pras needed to admit that Mana’s insistence to be on his side, even if she was barely talking all the time, helped him a lot in dealing with his own emotions.

Yet, he still felt guilty that Mana’s silence was due to his earlier request. He tried to figure out a way to start a conversation. He also slowed down his pace to make it easier for Mana to walk. Something he also felt bad about since he often forgot that Mana was kind of limping when she walked and he had made her rush to chase him this morning. Other than that, he needed to put his thoughts away from the whispering gossips.

“If I may ask, why do you call your aunt ‘big sis’?” Pras finally asked something that bothered him from the moment Diana showed up.

“Beats me.” Mana shrugged. “She demanded it, and I have no right to refuse.”

Curious, Pras proposed a theory, “Perhaps because your age and her age do not differ that much?”

“That is a plausibility.” Mana nodded. “I never knew her age, what I knew is that she is pisces.”

Pras tilted his head. “Never knew you believed in zodiacs and astrologies.”

Mana chuckled with an ever knowing tone, “My, my, deskmate, believing is an exaggeration. It is just for fun. How about yourself?”

This time, Pras is the one shrugging as he answered, “Well, there are coincidences in the personality of the person. But if it helps some people with their confidence, why not? As long as the effect is positive.”

“Hooo… what is your zodiac by the way?”

“Well, 22nd of May would make me a Taurus influenced Gemini.”

Mana giggled. “Are you telling me that you are a witty playboy but a blockhead that can rage like a bull?”

“Yeah, sure, an ever rejected playboy.” Pras grumbled, “None of my confessions goes well, also I will never….”

Pras stopped his tongue when his eyes glanced at Mana. He almost slipped and told her the truth about his feelings.

“Never what?” She asked curiously.

Pras looked away, his eyes stared at the floor of the gym’s terrace. He lied, “Never found a better representation of gemini than the saint zodiac anime thing. The gemini guy is the symbolism of a very human nature. Neither bad nor good, neither demon or angel. Just a human that had both sides.”

“I kind of grasp that you are wise like a person born in the year of the snake, but never knew you are such a melancholic,” Mana teased. “How about a Libra influenced Virgo then?”

“A wisecracking beautiful maiden,” Pras answered lightly while opening the door to the indoor volleyball court.

“Beautiful, eh?” Mana smiled shyly. While tying her hair into a ponytail, she continued, “What kind of fool would be that interested in their rival?”

Pras was stunned. He could only watch Mana walk away lightly. He just realised that Mana’s birthday was on the 18th of September. Also… did she just flirt with him?

He hurriedly walked past her to reach the archery room. Yet, he took some time to stop, turned to her and explained, “J-just forget what I said earlier.”

Pras didn’t wait for a reply and complete the remainder of his journey with haste. He quickly changed to his Inter Milan jersey before starting the archery session. However, today his accuracy was bad.

Nevertheless, Pras practised until near lunch since the archery session does help with his focus and mind. As usual, when he got his turn to rest, Pras went to the indoor court in hope to watch Mana’s practice match.

He did get his wish when he finally decided to stop practising and to get some lunch. Mana’s match was always a sight for him to behold. She played like how she plays her paladin, defensive. She tended to return any strike, even smash, lightly until she got her chance to unleash her own smash. Very similar to [Sanctity Edge].

And on top of that, she was somehow more attractive to Pras this way. Right when she looked very much alive and full of spirit, a very different version of the proud and bored Mana he mostly encountered. Though, even that kind of changed lately. The Mana that he accompanied these days are the proud yet witty girl who, though faint, smiled more often. Was it really foolish of him to fall for her?

Pras was yanked out from his thoughts and admiration when he was too late to realise that Mana’s match had been concluded - with her victory of course - and she was waving happily at him. It was not that sight that smacked him back to reality, but the sudden chill of jealous gaze. They came from the boys that joined badminton and, somehow, basketball clubs.

What are those basketball guys doing here? Their court is next door. And where is Eggi?

“Whatever,” Pras sighed. He just waved back awkwardly at Mana as he strode towards the exit.

Mere moments later, he couldn’t stop glancing at Mana who was being approached by the basketball boys. He heard one of them asking her to join them for lunch.

Pras wondered if he should just interrupt and try to win her time. He cancelled the intention as he quickly thought that it would cause further unnecessary gossip.

“Whatcha doin’ boy? Thinking about this pretty virgo senior of yours?”

An arm suddenly twined sideways at Pras’ neck. It was Karina who did it, a senior from the archery club with long, slightly wavy, dark hair.

“Definitely not,” Pras hushed.

“Then,” Karina giggled. “Definitely about that cutie, huh? I can see you made a lot of progress with her. Gratz.”

“Please, senior, you’re out of your mind. Those basketball guys are definitely more interesting for her.”

“Are you sure about that? From my point of view as a fellow rather famous girl, She does look like she’s looking for a reason to get away from them, and I know exactly where she wants to be.” There was a slight mischief shown in Karina’s face as she said that. She leaned in and whispered to Pras, “I’ll turn the table for you two in mere seconds.”

Suddenly, Karina shouted out loud, “Come on, Pras, treat me to some lunch will you, ain’t you gonna miss me when I graduate?”

“Deskmate?”

As soon as Karina finished her sentence, Mana suddenly called out to Pras. She turned away from the basketball boys and, for the first time in Pras’ memory, she seemed panicky thinking of something to say.

“D-did you not promise to study chemistry together during lunch?” She said rather frantically.

“Awww, didn’t know you’re taken,” Karina cackled. She then winked at Mana and said loudly, “I’m backing off, he’s all yours.”

The atmosphere turned hostile in that instant. It was worse than Slicer’s killing intent, even worse than the static caused by Lyra’s massive lightning bolt. The hostility would make some spirit whisperer or shaman think that this gym building is haunted by hundreds of vengeful spirits. Pras would rather fight dozens of Lyras and Slicers than being here right now.

Resorting to his last remaining wits, Pras answered hastily at Mana, “I’ll wait outside, I need some air.”

“S-sure thing.”

Luckily, salvation finally came just at the terrace of the gym building. There Pras met Ega and Eggi who just finished with their own club practices. They also saw Fathan who didn’t heed them much because he and his hiking club members were being overhyped with the school plan to give them some rock climbing wall. Pras mused if the club name should be changed to hiking and climbing club or the overhyped nature freaks club.

Mana soon joined Pras, only to suddenly sulk when she saw Eggi and Ega around. Pras didn’t understand why her mood changed so drastically. He wondered if it's due to her monthly cycle. Being a teenage girl is surely tough.

Ega went home immediately after lunch, he seemed to be disturbed the most with Mana’s sulking. Eggi, on the other hand, proclaimed he wanted to join the study session only to fall asleep mere moments later. This technically left only Pras and Mana together as what had been proposed by Mana earlier. That time her mood turned brighter.

As Pras had known earlier, Mana really had a problem with chemistry. She even had some questions that sounded like what Alvin would spout out instead of her. Something like, “Imagine, deskmate, how could a flammable hydrogen gas meet with the essential gas for our breath and suddenly burn. But instead of ashes, we get water? The very foundation of life?”

The question really had made Pras concerned. Something seemed to stress Mana, yet he couldn’t figure out why.

“Are you okay?” Pras asked.

“Yes, of course,” Mana sighed. “Though it has been a long day for me.”

Seeing Mana’s tired face had propelled Pras to suggest, “Then why don’t we just wrap it up for now, we can have a call tonight if you want to study more.”

Mana’s eyes widened. They were blazing with shyness of hope. Pras thought that her tiredness must have made her hormones act up.

“Y-you mean you will call me tonight?”

“Sure, if you need help.”

“Alright, w-we will just continue for a bit until Dia-nee arrives.”

“Okay.”

The session continued about another 30 minutes until Diana was about to reach school. Pras woke Eggi up and helped him put away his friend’s lunch dishes. Mana offered to fetch Pras home, which he promptly refused.

Then, Mana asked something that jabbed Pras right in his deepest heart, “Are you always like this?”

Pras frowned at the question. “What do you mean?”

“You know, always offer a helping hand but refuse to be helped.”

Her words made him speechless yet again. He was unable to find any lie to answer that. He himself never understood the reason. Was he too afraid of being someone useless? Or was he afraid to trust others?

While walking through the corridors of the ground floor, Mana turned at Pras. She smiled warmly yet sullen. “I mean, there is nothing wrong with helping each other. Also….”

Her smile turned gentle and witty as she concluded, “... I will always be waiting for you in Clashing Realms.”