Chapter 28: Magister's Confession

“Good job! Now, amplify the energy!” Johan told Tamie, who was in a meditative pose.

“Ugh, it’s hard!”

“Now, now, who said she was going to finish it in a blast?”

Tamie pouted and continued meditating. Soon, white light flickered around her body. Johan widened eyes:

“There! It’s there! Haha!”

“Huh? Really?” Tamie reopened eyes and looked at her body – she had released the White Zen. “Goodness! I did it!”

“Well, it’s still weak, but for the basics_”

“I did it!” she cut Johan’s speech and shook him so that he almost got dizzy. “Now then, it’s time for a break for Tamie the Great!”

“Wait, we didn’t_” but before Johan could finish his words, the girl was already gone. He sighed and swung his hand: “Ugh, she indeed grows fast… Already runs at the speed of the wind”.

Tamie entered the mansion and ran to the table of her ‘sisters’:

“I did it! I unlocked Zen!”

“Huh? That’s amazing, sis!” Tiger brightened, “You’re so strong now!”

“You bet I am!”

“Hmm, so Johan turned out to be a good teacher, huh?” Cherrie beamed.

“No, he’s annoying. It’s all my talent,” Tamie smirked.

The girls laughed at such a half-joke of hers, but Riza was still gloomy. Tamie grew surprised:

“What is it, Riza? I haven’t seen your happy face since Magister got well”.

“She’s probably upset because he still hasn’t called her to a date.” Olivia sipped her juice.

“Huh?” Riza flushed up, “Nonsense! I’m not upset at all!”

The girls laughed.

“Okay girls, I’ve finished my training for today!” Tamie grinned, “Let’s go to the city! I heard the Cherry Blossom Festival is being held tonight!”

“Hurray!”

“Riza!”

They started and looked aside. All of them cackled, while Riza went all red – it was Edmund calling her. He had recovered completely. He wore those new glasses Goatee Bill had made for him, and he looked so damn good…

She shook off the awkward thoughts and walked up to him. Apparently, Edmund didn’t want her ‘sisters’ to hear their talk so he had called her off to another corner. When she approached him, he cast his eyes down, his cheeks all red just like hers:

“Riza, about back then_”

“It’s fine. I’m sorry. I knew it was stupid from my part, Magister”.

Riza turned around to hide her tears and leave when the young man’s palm clutched her arm from behind. She started and looked back. Edmund’s eyes were full of shyness:

“Riza, I… Will you come to the Cherry Blossom Festival tonight with me?”

Her cheeks flushed – he… he was calling her out to a date?!

“Y… You mean…”

Once Edmund saw Riza blush like him, he gained more courage, and whispered in her ear:

“I love you too”.

Riza gasped and grew red like a tomato. Her face brightened in a broad smile as she looked up at his eyes behind the nerdy glasses. Edmund grinned back at her.

“At six o’clock?” she winked.

“At six,” Edmund winked back.

Both of them laughed. Riza jumped with joy and cuddled with him. Edmund widened eyes at her sudden burst of emotions, but then beamed and hugged her back. The ‘sisters’ watched them and whispered amongst each other:

“See? They hugged!”

“Ahh!!!”

They cackled and clapped. Riza returned, with her mind swirling.

“How did it go, sister?” Tiger asked when, in fact, they all perfectly knew how it all went.

“G… Good…” Riza muttered, still flying into the pink clouds of seventh heaven.

“Hmm, I guess our sis won’t be coming with us to the festival,” Rianna smiled, “She’s already taken!”

The friends laughed.

“It is fine, let her be. She has finally found her prince charming,” Tiger chuckled, “We go together!”

“Yeah!”

Riza didn’t really care about her friends’ laughs now. All that mattered were Edmund’s words – those beautiful, sweet words:

“I love you too”.