As Rin walked back toward his dorm, Jin followed a step behind.
"Hey," Jin started hesitantly. "What are your parents gonna say? I mean… you got expelled in the first month. That's not exactly something they'll just let slide, right?"
Rin kept walking, his voice quiet. "Both of them are dead."
Jin stopped for a second. "Ah… damn. I didn't know. Sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"It's fine," Rin said, forcing a small shrug. The words slipped out before he could stop them. "I'm used to it."
Jin looked away, scratching his neck. "So... where are you going now?"
"Back to Gloomshade, I guess. Not many places left for me."
Jin hesitated, then blurted out, "Well—uh—do you want to come with me instead?"
Rin blinked. "Huh?"
"I'm not forcing you or anything," Jin said quickly. "But if you don't have anywhere to go…"
"You sure?" Rin asked. "Won't your parents be against it? I don't want to be a burden."
"My dad won't care," Jin muttered. "And my mom's… also gone. As for being a burden—we've got more guest rooms than we know what to do with."
"Wait... guest rooms? You're a noble?"
"I thought you figured that out from my family name."
Rin stared. "Yeah… guess I didn't really think about it."
"So? What do you think? You in?"
Rin paused, hesitating.
Ella? he asked silently.
Why not? she said with a teasing tone. You've got nothing else going on. Might as well enjoy a little adventure. Sounds more fun than sulking.
Rin sighed. "Alright. Let me just pack my stuff."
Jin smiled. "Great. Let's meet here in half an hour?"
"Sounds good."
---
Back at the Exam Grounds
Kaela panted, wiping sweat from her brow. "Finally… the center of the island. Told you there'd be a river."
Taro grinned. "Good thinking, Kaela."
He scanned the area and pointed toward a rocky outcrop. "Hey, what about that cave over there? It's small, hidden. Perfect base."
Kaela nodded. "Yeah, that looks great."
They stepped inside. Taro lit a small fireball in his palm, tossing it ahead to light the dark entrance.
Kaela looked around. "We're lucky. The space is tight but safe. And hard to spot."
"Exactly. But if we both want to sleep safely, we should cover the entrance—use some branches and leaves, maybe."
"Got it," Kaela said. "I'll grab firewood and try to catch fish. You handle the camouflage."
"Deal."
---
Twenty Minutes Later
"Phew… all done," Taro said, brushing dirt off his hands. "Hey Kaela, any luck with the fish?"
Kaela approached, holding a small bundle. "Yeah, caught plenty. I'm making a little ice-box to keep the extras from rotting."
As she shaped the box with her magic, her thoughts drifted.
We're… kind of working like a couple right now, aren't we? Her face turned red. Does he even think about me that way? Does he think about me at all when I'm not around?
She shook her head. Focus. This is an exam. Not the time for this kind of thinking. Still…
Taro flopped down beside her. "Man, I'm beat. How's everything looking?"
"O-oh, it's fine," she said, startled by his sudden presence.
He gave her a curious look. "You're really red. Are you sick or something?"
"N-no! Just tired!" she snapped, flustered. "Now light the campfire already."
"Alright, alright," he chuckled, shooting a small flame from his fingertip into the woodpile.
As the fire crackled to life, he looked up at the darkening sky. "I wonder if Rin and Jin made it back to the academy yet. It's getting late."
Kaela glanced at him. "They'll be fine. The academy wouldn't just leave them sitting around."
A single drop of rain hit the ground, followed by another—and then a steady downpour. The wind rustled the trees. Dark clouds rolled overhead.
Kaela sat beside Taro, placing the fish on the fire. She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Hey… do you have a girlfriend?"
"N-not that I care!" she added quickly.
Taro laughed. "Nope. You're actually the first girl I've talked to outside my family."
Kaela flipped the fish and leaned her chin against her knees. "Really?"
"Yeah," he said. "What about you? Do you like Rin?"
"W-what? Of course not!" she said too fast. "I mean… as a friend, sure."
"So you like him as a friend," Taro said, watching the fire. "Then… what about me? Do you like me as a friend?"
Kaela's heart skipped. Why is he asking that? "W-why are you asking stuff like that out of nowhere?"
Taro rubbed the back of his neck. "Never mind. Just forget I asked."
Kaela looked away. "Y-yeah. The fish is ready. Eat up. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
The rain continued to fall softly outside their little cave, wind brushing against the trees like whispers in the dark. Inside, the warm glow of the fire flickered across their faces. Neither of them spoke for a while, just sitting there, side by side, listening to the crackle of flames and the hush of the storm.
For now, they had shelter. For now, they had each other.
And tomorrow... would come soon enough.
To be continued...