"Hey, come out." I called Yumi while peeking out the door. "Why would you even call me a reverend or some sort related to Mother's sect?" -said with a sulky tone.
"I mean, you kind of look like a nun today... You're young- wearing a gown... Identical to those Sister's in the South- adding a veil on top that looks like a table's cloth." Yumi pointed the end-lining of the veil. "Those gave it away."
"It's actually pretty. What do you mean."
I gave her a mean look.
"Exactly. That's why you look like a nun."
"Just admit you're jealous of what I'm wearing today."
"Nope. I had a lot of fancy hidden dresses."
She glanced sideways and smirked
-tsk.
"By the way, how's it going teaching the students?"
Yumi suddenly asked and went back to her teaching demeanor.
I looked into her eyes, my brows furrowing. And I could only let out a deep sigh, because I truly couldn't understand her all the time.
"They're good... Well, some of them are gifted in poetry and how they execute their verses. But I guess faith and seraphic character trait, cannot be given to all of them... For example." I slightly open the door and give pointers to those who are not excelling. "Especially that one, what's her last name again? Samson was it? Yeah..."
I felt Yumi's shoulder's weakened for a second, when I followed it with another.
"Too bad. She actually seems knowledgeable. It's a shame if that's all she's capable of."
Arms locked together, Yumi is still gazing at the student I specifically define.
Maybe her favorite student afterall.
Sorry, Dian Masalanta.
While Yumi is focus, I pressed both of my hands.
"What's that? Why you praying onto me?"
"Nothing." -chuckles.
You'll have to get it indirectly.
"I heard you-"
"Come on,... Let's go inside. Your students are probably done by now."
I push her gently, with both of my hands. And at the exact moment we enter, a bit of noise starts until the students begun screaming. Some encircled the other students who were performing, and some clench their fists out of excitement and awe.
"Silence everyone!" A girl shouted from the crowd. "She's focusing."
A type of astonishment you cannot stop directly. Especially, if several ghost fireflies already starts coming out off the ground.
Still did not move from where we stopped, I spoke to Yumi.
"You personally gave them a protection... yes? I mean they can personally."
-interrupted.
"I did not."
ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!
"Look." Yumi suddenly pointed. "That child is succeeding... Even that one from the top, and that student by the window."
"I can't believe-." YOU'RE EVEN THAT PROUD?! "-you're teaching properly." While giving commendations to Yumi, I noticed a male student on the 3rd row. Feeling a faint disturbance to his connection; between him and the god he's seeking. For winds already blowing from his sleeves and his palms that were one up from each other. They've been pressed, instead of taking solitude.
"What if you help that student over there?"
Even the sun's farewell grace will take one more step back for you, if you're always smiling like that in your garden, Yumi.
How quirky to use that smile.
.
"I don't remember my sister saying -be sincere with each of your muscle in your palms-. Including your veins." -approaching the student.
-startled. "H- hello,.. Sister Thessalor. I mean Sister Amaryllis."
"Hello there... May I ask for your name?... and your paper if you don't mind." -I gently smiled.
A distinctive color of gray and dampen black in the ends. A blackened shade in his pupil. Stylized bob cut like those and a pair of glasses.
You're not fooling someone from any of these parts with your cheapskate.
"Ah- yes please. I'm Wilfred Clinton, Sister. Here's my paper."
As soon as I received his paper, I sat in a table next to his.
I also immediately read the content of the paper and wasn't surprise at all on how simple and but still in a sense of archaic for the choice he use for his words, to call out a god's.
3 parts, more rhymes.
"Stars do blink... in a slumber laid-.... gently stayed. Let fruit be fat... grain be gold with light?
That when the dawn doth break upon the land,
Thy grace been in every outstretched hand.
Base on his work.
He might be calling for crop's enrichment.
That god isn't present anymore.
But that will not work anymore.
Still, this kid has a talent for composing, it would be unfair if I'm only giving him low scores because of this.
"Good. My sister will probably give your work high remarks." -lie.
His eyes lighten up.
"Thank you Sister Amaryllis."
"Can you drop the Sister?"
"Why's that."
I just stare at him blankly.
"Nothing."
What am I saying?
.
.
-Bell rangs.
"Pack your things up and see you next week... I hope everyone will read all the pointers I gave. And wait for Ms. Amaryllis grading sheet... Class Dismiss."
"Goodbye, Ms. Alysse and Ms. Amaryllis."
I give a slight bow to the students, and before I even notice, Yumi is already walking straight out the door.
.
"You're being kind of cold to your students." -I say in a whisper.
"That's fine for them. Sometimes you really need to take on a different instance... By the way, where do you want to eat?"
"Is the cafeteria okay?"
"I don't want to. It's so expensive there, and the food's salty too... What about the student food bazaar instead?"
"Where?"
"It's just in the next building; building for curing and factual studies... Most of what they learn there involves mixing and cooking all sorts of things. That's why, for most of them, the kitchen feels like home... And food bazaar happens to exist there all the time."
"It looks really delicious over there. Is it affordable too- wait. What about the student earlier this afternoon?"
Yumi is about to speak, but she suddenly pauses for a few seconds and quickly turns to our right.
I probably shouldn't have said that.
My stomach does this quiet, sulking growl for some reason.
.
As Yumi and I stepped out of the building where regular student classes take place, we went down to a floor where fireflies appear from nowhere, rising out of the sky and coming toward you.
The fireflies served as our guide toward our destination we're currently taking. As we walk straight ahead, Yumi shares stories about the state of the school and its history, how it all began. It started as she says we still have quite a distance to walk, since the Archives, or their Library, is located in the northern part of the campus. According to her, it's also the building where you can see all the facilities and structures of the school; in other words, it's the center and the treasure they take pride in.
"They say, in the legends written and scattered throughout this school, that the story of this land began with an ordinary girl studying medicine... It is also said that this girl was accused of using dark magic... And the story simply continued, and the events that followed are said to be the most beautiful part of his entire life." (Yumi)
"You're rushing through the story, aren't you?" (Ara)
Her forehead furrows, and his mouth forms a shape like /.
"Sorry. Please continue." (Ara)
"She met a powerful being. Not wealthy, not a dictator, this was a being revered by the people in the South-East. But on that day, the day their eyes met, it did not sing like in the fables. His eyes simply began to shed tears and struck fear into those who dared to come near him..." (Yumi)
"So other person wasn't a god?" (Ara)
"Yes... But, it wasn't like that." (Yumi)
Thanks for clarification.
"Because if you look at all the superstitions and depictions of that being written in parts-scattered, they always pay attention to its eight wings and accessories that sounds like an instrument." (Yumi)
"A cousin of grandfather?" (Ara)
"Possible." she looks at me. "Aren't you curious?" (Yumi)
"Curious on what?" (Ara)
She stops walking and just keeps looking at me.
"I mean... Our blood is close to theirs, in their story. So-" (Yumi)
"Then?" My head tilts.
"Forget the legend. Let's just keep walking... We're almost there, we just need to turn over to the other side." (Yumi)
.
"Holy @#!%"
This is not an archive, or some sort of a hall for archives. This is an entire log of the whole world.
The tower rose like a sentinel at the heart of the campus, its stone facade weathered by time yet proud in stature. Moss and ivy curled around its edges, as if nature itself clung to the stories within. Students often paused at its arched entrance- not out of obligation, but reverence.
As we went inside the tower, the air was thick with the scent of aged paper and polished oak. Each of the four floors whispered a different era, housing different authors.
There, in one of the front desk couch. A girl patiently standing, as if she is been waiting for someone important.
"There's your girl Yumi... Demetre right?"
Not saying anything, Yumi walks up in front of the couch- directly opens a conversation to Demetre.
Since it is still a library, They are talking in whispering tone and I'm not hearing anything on what conversation they having.
.
As their conversation goes, Demetre frowns in one of seemingly Yumi's sentence. Probably giving a reprimand after what had happened.
To be honest, I wish Yumi will not give that kid a punishment, so appealing that it will etched to her memories.
Yumi's head went back and forth in one of Demetre's, but Yumi followed it with a counting finger. 1, 2, 3, 4 choices.
Suddenly, Yumi walks up to me, who's just waiting in a distance.
"Maybe- you want to look around inside first"
"I think they're asking for verification. Don't worry about me... I'll wait here."
"You can enter dum-dum. You have me."